I’ve been doing some woodworking lately, and I’m starting to think about growing my skills enough to sell some pieces as a side business. Right now, I’m limited to cutting with a table saw, a chop saw, and a jigsaw. These can do quite a bit for me, but I feel like a band saw would really add quite a bit to what I’m able to cut and build.
I’ve been looking at used saws on Craigslist, but I don’t know really anything about what I’m looking for. Dopers - any suggestions?
Stay away from used band saws with blades matted with clotted blood and blade guards filled with lumpy bits of ripped-up flesh.
No flesh. :eek:
Seriously? My buddy does some garage butchering and his band saw is a thing of beauty, all stainless steel and shiny.
People often neglect cleaning up while waiting for the ambulance.
Oh, that Dexter…! He’s a Sly one…! (…Thank Og that stuff only happens on TV…)
Hey, you guys know that butchers use band saws, right?
I think you’d look for the same thing in a used band saw that you’d look for in a new one – is it a reliable brand, is it the right size (both cut height and cut depth), does it have enough power, does it have the correct power supply for your situation? Then look at its condition – is the motor functional, is there any rust, are the belts in good shape, is it new enough so that you can still get parts and belts? Does it come with any extras – a fence or an extender block? Is the frame in good shape – does it show any signs that the previous owner torqued the blade tension to the point where the frame got stressed? Do the wheels spin freely without a lot of noise?
You might have to replace the tires on the wheels, but that’s just a $40.00 one-time expense.
I don’t know what kind of saws you’ve been seeing on Craigslist, but I suspect you’ll see a lot of Jet, Delta, Grizzly, maybe Laguna and a few others. I’d avoid the real cheap brands, e.g. anything by Harbor Freight, or any recent Craftsman models.
I would also get the model number and see if there are any online reviews. Not all models in a maker’s product line are created equal; for instance, the 14" Jet is much better than the 12". Find out what the amperage draw of the motor is; I’d stick with 12 amp or less unless your shop is wired for something larger than 15 amps.
These suggestions and/or horror tales are not helping our OP in choosing a band saw.
In no way did he/she infer about chopping fingers, hands. or other body parts as a hobby.
In fact, woodworking was mentioned.
Even though that sometimes involves avoidance of the above mentioned “accidents”.
Don’t scare off a newbie to such a useful tool.
Please have 911 on speed-dial however.
(Couldn’t resist) 
The question was “What do I look for in a used band saw?” 
As a ex-woodworker I feel I must respond to this post.
What plans do you have for a band saw? They are a versatile tool for many situations.
In the spirit of sharing knowledge and not trying to be a spammer, check this website for some information…
http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/video/evaluating-a-14-in-bandsaw.aspx
As a ex-woodworker I feel I must respond to this post.
What plans do you have for a band saw? They are a versatile tool for many situations.
In the spirit of sharing knowledge and not trying to be a spammer, check this website for some information…
http://www.finewoodworking.com/tool-guide/video/evaluating-a-14-in-bandsaw.aspx
Not sure how to do the 2-click rule. Mods?
nm
Check for any part looking more (or less) worn than the others. Also check for uneven wear on the pulleys. Both can be signs the tool was abused or at least not treated very well. Rust cleans up – wear is forever.
The thing I decided was that the table on mine was too small.
What are you planning to do? Blade width will matter if you want to do tight arcs. For fine filigree work you might want to look at scroll saws too.
Mostly I want to be able to cut arcs steadily and do cutouts on 3/4" plywood. My hand isn’t steady enough to use my handheld jigsaw over any sort of distance, and it doesn’t really have the power that I want for cutting things like I want to cut. Maybe I just need to practice with it more, but I remember how easy a band saw was to use for the things I want to do from when I used it in middle school wood shop 20 years ago!
Thanks for that link. Do you have any other good websites for learning more about the basics of this craft?
True, its a useful number. I hear it can be dialed with knuckles.
…but not the palm of the hand…
This is the one I bought. YouTube will have a ton of videos about using a band saw. The main thing is to set it up right to begin with. When cutting, make sure to drop the guide down to within an inch or so of the material you’re cutting, and not to force the material through the blade too quickly or too slowly. You really only need a 4 or 5 TPI blade for most things, but get a good quality blade: going cheap on the things you cut with is a mistake.
A band saw doesn’t have the same danger level as a table saw, as it won’t kick back on you, but of course anything with a blade can do some damage if you’re not careful. I find a good jigsaw is better for rounding corners and the like, but you have to take your time in order to control the cut. I bought this jigsaw, which goes through sheet material like a hot knife through butter. I like the band saw for making longer, sweeping cuts in thicker material like for a table leg.
One thing I look for in a band saw is how the guide is set up.
In order to cut accurate lines the blade has to be held very well right above the piece, with tight accurate backing and side-to-side guides. This is often handled by some arrangement of small roller bearings and guide blocks.
One large shop saw I worked with had roller bearings and a final piece of bronze with a slot in it to keep the blade straight and provide backing. Over time the bronze chunk would wear until it was worn in two. Other than that, the mechanism was robust and held the blade very accurately.
Anyway, the quality and wear on that part will have a profound impact on the kind of cuts you can do. My current low-end Delta saw doesn’t have a good guide and the blade wanders accordingly.
Very good advice