OT: How useful is a bandsaw?

[a4eaudio]

I've seen several posts where a bandsaw comes up and I'm thinking of getting one. What are the most useful things you use your bandsaw for in general and also specifically related to speaker building? Is there a specific bandsaw that you recommend?

[billfitzmaurice]

I have one, I doubt if I've used it in the last twenty years, and never for building speakers.

[Paul K.]

My experience with my bandsaw is exactly the same as Bill described other than I haven't had my band saw for quite as long (I got it used on a garage sale).
Paul

[mattsk8]

I have 2 diffetent bandsaws and use them quite a bit. I use my big one for resawing, and my smaller one for curved work or smaller cuts I don't want to do on my table saw. But that's for woodworking. Strictly speaker building I don't think they have much use that you couldn't do with a jigsaw or something like that.

[jhollander]

I use mine all the time. Doesn't throw dust around like the miter saw and table saw. Good for cutting curves and making patterns for curved baffles. I do resawing for wood front baffles. Cut PVC port tubes, cut braces, small blocks of wood for port tube supports. In terms of my overall usage it's table saw, miter saw, drill press, bandsaw, router table, planer. I'm looking to add a disc sander or stationary belt sander to square up edges.

I still use quite a few hand tools like planes, chisels, and scrapers. That means I have a bunch of sharpening tools as well. Then there are all the handheld power tools.

[a4eaudio]

mattsk8 and jhollanderwhat bandsaw do you have, or recommend for someone's first bandsaw?
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[marvin]

I purchased an old 12" Craftsman band saw at an estate sale this summer. I always thought it would be nice to have one, and the price of admission was very reasonable. It was in pretty good condition and I learned a lot cleaning it up and fine tuning it to get it running properly. When I first got it, it didn't have enough power to cut anything. New tires and aligning was the solution. I haven't used it since. Hope to find a use for it soon...haven't built anything for a while.

[neildavis]

I've got one that I use primarily to cut aluminum. If you build a lot of amplifiers, you will need a bandsaw to make heatsink and chassis parts. For speakers, a jig saw is usually a good substitute for a band saw, and a scroll saw is sometimes handy. But the weapon of choice for speakers is a good table saw.

[mattsk8]

mattsk8 and jhollanderwhat bandsaw do you have, or recommend for someone's first bandsaw?
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My big bandsaw is a Hitachi CB75F. They're tough to find but one of the best resaw bandsaws out there. Lots of ways to improve/modify them to suit your needs as well. But if you don't plan on heavy woodworking it would definitely be overkill, it's big and heavy. My smaller bandsaw is a Rikon benchtop.

Neil brings a good point too, a scroll saw is a handy tool to have too. Not sure what I like more between my benchtop bandsaw and my scroll saw. You can do tighter curved cuts with a scroll saw but... man is the thing slow lol. The bandsaw is a lot faster.

Everyone has "their way" and one isn't necessarily better. Like John Hollander using his bandsaw for ports- I use my miter saw so John is doing it wrong 😛. Kidding, you'll get a lot of different "right" answers with questions like yours. If you love woodworking and plan to do a lot of it I would definitely put a bandsaw on the radar. Get the biggest one your wallet will let you 😁. But research it and think about what you'd like to do before you pull the trigger. My Hitachi is an awesome resaw, but to use that bandsaw for anything other than resawing would be kind of a pain because of the blade and bearing changes I'd have to do. There are bandsaws that do everything decent, maybe not "as well" at resawing as that Hitachi (maybe a little slower) but will be functional and could be used in other places as well.

Hope my rambling helps and good luck in your search!

[mattsk8]

I purchased an old 12" Craftsman band saw at an estate sale this summer. I always thought it would be nice to have one, and the price of admission was very reasonable. It was in pretty good condition and I learned a lot cleaning it up and fine tuning it to get it running properly. When I first got it, it didn't have enough power to cut anything. New tires and aligning was the solution. I haven't used it since. Hope to find a use for it soon...haven't built anything for a while.

Good to hear from you Marvin!! I've been away a while but pop in every now and then. Hope life is treating you well. Meniscus is having a show the weekend of Sept 17 😁.

[marvin]

Thanks for the comment, Matt. I wasn't aware...may try to attend. Is it posted anywhere?

[a4eaudio]

Marvin, here is the main link, but also the posts at TT and MAC with some discussion.

https://meniscusaudio.com/events/list/?tribe_paged=1&tribe_event_display=list&tribe-bar-date=2021-07-13&QeSlWv=HrY4R9q6E1s&mQVwgJdFDiZM=XWfjokwEcuF5hnM6&nvABgUXVxZcC=dRSCuF*%40xgkEHb&cFAljKafh=tpuTYMkP9oUl2sN

https://techtalk.parts-express.com/forum/tech-talk-forum/1473156-diy-speaker-event-in-grand-rapids-mi

https://diy.midwestaudio.club/discussion/1735/2021-meniscus-css-diy-get-together

[jhollander]

I think the 1-hp two wheel rubber tire 14-inch is the most useful. Most of these have a 6-in under the guides cutting height. Bonus for more hp if you are doing resawing. I've also used my band saw to cut off front baffles and resize some book shelf and center channel speakers.

[Whitneyville1]

I had an elderly Chinese 4 speed 14" 2HP (similar to what Herber Fraught sells but quite a lot better made, probably a WEN clone) and sold it for more than I paid for it and the upgrades I did to it (cool blocks and three high quality blades, etc.) and a BRIGHT LED light, so like the man says, you take care of them, you don't lose money on decent power tools. I sold my 1930's 120-ish gallon Quincy three-phase air compressor too for enough to re-roof the garage!!! I didn't even point my gun at the guy!
Back to the bandsaw. For woodworking, they're wonderful, and like my 5th Grade shop teacher told us, "You have to work hard to hurt yourself on the bandsaw." and Mr. Reeves was right. Lots of semi-risky/dangerous tablesaw cuts are 100% safe on a bandsaw. My bandsaw is retailing for about $800-1300 with the goodies I added, and I don't think I have turned it on in four years. The new much younger owner is tickled silly as he should be.
I need the space more for a real grown-up router table I think. Or I just need the space.

Ricky-Pooh

[Liberator of Magic Smoke]

They are really handy for some things. It's the easiest and safest way I've found to cut thin plastic sheet material like the textured ABS or whatever it is PE sells. Cutting that on a table saw is nasty and dangerous. I don't think I ever succeeded in getting a clean cut that way, and usually ended up with broken pieces. It's a snap with the bandsaw. Many things that miter saws like to launch across the shop are much safer to cut on the bandsaw, like short pieces of dowels. I found a really good deal on a Rikon at Menard's one Black Friday. It's well built and easy to set up properly. The really cheap ones usually are not worth fooling with. There is very little plastic or thin metal on the Rikon.

[chrisn]

I have a Ryobi 9" bandsaw, the one currently sold at home depot. It was free and still not a good value lol. Like the others said, you need a much more powerful one if you want to cut wood with one.

[TNA]

Perhaps you should buy a bandsaw in order to find ways to use it. Call it "Research", it may be a good excuse to spend the money.