Bandsaw for turning

[Bill Boehme]

Ring shake is fairly common in mesquite. Those of us who love to turn it watch for signs of ring shake and use various ways to stabilize it.

 

[Bill Raker Jr]

Yes I use my minimax 16" at full depth often. For me it's just easier than the chainsaw. the only hard part is picking up the wood to that height. I put an extension table on my saw to make it easy to rip longer logs into turning blanks. I do support the log so it can't roll.

Would love to see picture of your table extension.

 

[John K Jordan]

Odie, I think that is a fairly common part if you're talking about the cast aluminum-zinc alloy that adjusts the upper wheel tilt and tension. I bought a Delta clone about 35 years ago and that part broke when the saw was only 5 or 6 years old. The aftermarket replacement was much higher quality and is still in perfect shape.

That casting was apparently a common failure on the Delta saws. I suspect the clones just copied the weakness.
On my old Delta with a riser block the casting didn't break but bent enough to make it useless. Fortunately Iturra Design had direct replacements parts manufactured, much stronger than the original. I replaced it and all was well for the remaining years I used the saw.

If the part was not available now, I probably try to make one from a higher grade of aluminum or steel. My little machine shop is sitting there sad and lonely, waiting patiently for some attention.

JKJ

 

[John Grace]

Question...does someone need a 'great' band-saw if the primary task is for prepping blanks?

 

[Brian Gustin]

Question...does someone need a 'great' band-saw if the primary task is for prepping blanks?

My take on it - prepping blanks may likely be the hardest task put to such a bandsaw , so yeah I'd say you want the most feature rich and powerful saw you can manage.. pretty much any other woodworking work typically might be with resawing thick boards into thinner ones as the other top power consumer , but most of that is cutting in a straight line , as opposed to prepping log halves to round...

 

[John K Jordan]

Question...does someone need a 'great' band-saw if the primary task is for prepping blanks?

Need? Might get by with less for prepping some blanks. But one might consider the kind and size of blanks? Green wood, dry, cutting circles or arcs? Could get by with a bow saw, chain saw, or even an axe for some blanks.

And what makes a bandsaw great? Some things I think play a part are precision, guides, tracking, fence (and scale), power, frame strength, balanced wheels, dust collection, alignments and other adjustments, ease of blade changes, customer support. (I never tilt the table on mine so I can't speak to that.) Some bandsaws are pretty expensive, but so is a good lathe. Although it might have been painful at the time, I've not yet been sorry I've bought good quality!

I use my wood-cutting bandsaw for lots of things from cutting green log sections into rectangular blanks to dry, cutting dry blanks to prep for turning, cutting flatwood/plywood/masonite/MDF/aluminum/brass/plexiglass and more to make and repair things for shop, home, farm, friends. I've had several bandsaws over the years and (for my use) I consider my current 18" Rikon "great." I'd hate to go back. Of course, there are lots of other models available that I might also consider great!

And one of the greatest things is it's in the shop. I've had friends without good bandsaws bring wood for me to prep.

The only thing I can imagine that would make my Rikon "greater" is a foot brake. I'm thinking of building one.