Professional carpenter usually needs band saws, even some homeowners that like to do DIY things, this machine is really great for them as it gives so much useful things in cutting whether to cut metal, wood till meat cutting. One thing that most of people are concerning about it when it has come to professional side job. Although it firstly came not as professional craft man or carpenter but when they have bought this machine, there’ll be more works to do as neighbor prefer to do with you than another professional with high cost.
The construction of bandsaw is simple. It usually using rotating blade made from metal and it has different curves for different purpose too. Before you start choosing and filtering prices, all things should have been done before it knows all details related to features and uses of each kind of bandsaw as it has different prices and types. It has to be suited to needs. Indeed budget is considerable but when it’s all about needs, budget is second thing to consider. All is going to be paid with any cost when needs should be fulfilled.
Table of Contents
Overview of the Best Band Saw Reviews
Band saws firstly come in 18s from idea in need of cutting wood with smooth result then William Newberry got that idea. Needs of bandsaw is different and each brand has different performance. Seeing variety of bandsaw, reviews come to enlighten buyers about every feature that is available to fulfill needs. They are thickness, pattern, material and speed. Some materials need different speed. Different thickness requires different blade. In choosing products, reviews no matter it comes from professional reviewers or just customer reviews, all buyers have to see that to consider what best about choosing band saws. Some people just go to store and ask waitress to choose. That traditional way is indeed powerful still but online shopping forces all buyers in world to choose correctly and reviews are all they need.
This review is going to be about details buyers have to know including, materials, brands selections like craftman bandsaw, rigid band saws and many more, general features, type of band saws and more. Thus, make sure to understand all types of it as it relates strongly to details o every kind of material cut. Thickness and material are various. Although it has informative details of bandsaw, but there is subjectivity and objectivity in balance of review but it all depends or based on real try of every brand and types. It just to make buyers get understood in choosing best band saw that is so matched to needs and budgets.
Top Rated Band Saw
SKIL 3386-01 Band Saw
The Skil 3386-01 claim its first position after capturing best design and performance. Well, it’s fair enough considering its redesign (compared with previous design) which is truly amazing. Having done with massive development, Skil confidently released the 33686-01 series to entire US market along side North America like Canada.
- Rip fence set on straight point encourage its cutting accuracy, very symmetric cutting even for any thick paper like carton. When trying to cut two rims of paper at once, we see no guts there.
- Articulating LED work light helps you to get greater view during working, even when cutting process runs on a low lighting warehouse, that won’t be problem. Cutting line be straight and symmetric as usual without shifting.
- Have a 1-1/2-inch dust port, it features automatic cleansing program so during cutting process, paper areas stay clear of dust. Sweeping dust only takes 5 seconds, impressive, huh?
- Rack and pinion table adjustment is installed, in case you need to readjust angle and height, adjusting height to match with your need.
- For wood based material, Motor 1 that Skil has been best choice. Cut it well, precisely, highly accurate.
- 2 years warranty included if needed, including blade replacement and Motor (10 years warranty for Motor.
Rikon 10-305 Bandsaw
Rikon redesign its Bandsaw to fix some problem that appear on previous series. On 10-305, Rikon has learnt so many things. After redesigning, Rikon transformed into awful stuff. To enhance your minds, check this band saw review below:
- Solid Steel Design- The 10-305 is actually a downgrade design, this scaled down version couldn’t be compared with other famous 10-345 or 10-325 but still the expected cutting result seems very satisfying. Built-in frame is totally made with high quality steel plate material. Nobody argues its stronger durability than plastic frames commonly used for other brands.
- Cast Iron Table-Large 13-3/4-Inch by 12-1/2-Inch, when the field to cut seems sturdy enough, the surface also sturdy enough, means that 10-305 beyond your expectation. This is the only feature found for similar size.
- Rip Fence- A installed as main fence, high quality rip fence will makes it more durable and very strong to hold it when cutting process runs. Free hand work to remove its dust or material being left, so when cleaning the surface, you’ll get maximum result.
- Motor – 1/3HP motor gives you ample power, even cutting bowl is so much easy as cutting pen blanks.
- 2 years warranty including free part replacement available for you.
POWERTEC BS900 Band Saw
After reading band saw reviews, which brand comes to your mind first? Powertec may becomes top option since its quality is incomparable. Start from its design which combines modernity with old school taste, Powertec could attract many buyers from different classes. Well, feel impatient to touch?
- Patented blade guard adjustment is designed for easy handling, in terms of changing blade, patented blade guard doing its role during replacing process. Yet, you could turn the eye of blade easily.
- Table with rack and pinion in which you may adjust its tilt to 55 degrees without defects, the working surface seems sturdy too makes it possible to cut most of materials known for popular stuff like paper, bowl, pen, etc. Dusty remover plays its role to get off dust and sand over the surface.
- Blade tracking window helps you to maximize cutting result, very symmetric, straight forward to the point and leaving no terrible edge of cut material.
- Quick release blade tension lever looks similar to patented blade guard, yeah it completes each other to make changing blade easy.
- Blade width range 1/8-Inch in range to 3/8-Inch is designed to increase versatility. Thus when cut material or resawing it, scrolling process be easier.
DEWALT DWM120K Portable Band Saw
Dewalt DWM series comes to shake the market with best quality product. You may not believe, but first let me show you how the process is done. Dewalt redesigns its bandsaw with strong reinforcement. It transforms as a better bandsaw design, better cutting, having high accuracy, no missed edge and very symmetric.
- 10 amp motor with powerful working is designed especially for any work, with controlled power to withstand all materials, so you can cut anything. If it’s not a diamond, Dewalt will cut it for you.
- Greatest 5-inch deep cut capacity if you plan to cut a circle or rectangular or hexagram, 360 degrees surface totally cut as well as it planned before.
- Serviceable steel shroud and rubber bumpers make it possible if you want to abuse the machine to fix heavy work load without damage. It can withstand the band saw to keep working for 48 hours nonstop, amazing!
- LED sight light helps you when working on minimum lighting, on the night or basement or other dark building.
- After cutting process done, hang the saw safely with integrated hang hook. With front casting and handle, adjusting variable speed be possible.
- 3 years warranty will cover full part replacement.
JET JWBS-14DXPRO
Jet has Deluxe BandSaw Kit in the form of JWBS-14DXPRO. It was amazing bandsaw because when using it to cut glass or bowl, we can get twice faster and greater result compared with similar product. So for small factory or household industry, Jet BandSaw DXPRO series is highly recommended as it provides good achievement.
- Built-in 12-Inch resaw capacity helps you to cut any large material like metal plat or hardwood, even cutting pressed wood is possible also. 12 inch saw has a sharp blade that could be sharpened if it turns dull. But yes, before doing it, you need to take a try.
- 2 Speed poly-v belt drive system, adjust it as your need. Start from 1-speed until 2 speed, the rotor will spin and make the saw moves to grind the material.
- Lower and upper cast iron frame is redesigned with new shape, it can increase & enhance strength, accuracy also rigidity during cutting process. Make no mistake, Jet able to cut almost any materials.
- Blade tracking window easy to see, because it has blade guide to set the accuracy. Adjust it using the pins.
- 2 years warranty following you if purchase it now. With full part replacement and service.
Grizzly G0555LANV Deluxe Bandsaw
The Grizzly Monkey have done fantastic work, coming with G055LANV series, Grizzly steps ahead to capture its crown. The design is very fantastic, beyond our imagination indeed. But for reinforcement, they still have lack of change. Don’t worry, from this step, Grizzly has pretty much great result.
- Just like another bandsaw, the work surface should be sturdy enough. It’s very important because you need it to withstand strong material. In that case, when using less strong frame, it can’t handle it.
- 13 inch saw to cut almost any materials you want. Start from tiles, wood, metal plat even stone. Still you can change the saw easily with different blades, just take proper blade as you need.
- After cutting process, the working surface could be cleaned easily, dust remover and sweeper is installed on the machine to help you.
- It needs only 250 watt and 220 voltage power. Compared with others, the power needed still on low consumption.
- Many peripheral like additional saw, sharpener and wiper included in purchasing package.
- 1 years warranty for part replacement is given to you, plus full service for 3 years following the warranty. But ensure to not break the seal.
Milwaukee 6238-20 Portable Band Saw
Very small, very flexible and handy if you wanna carry it somewhere, it is Milwaukee 6238-20. The portable bandsaw to enhance cutting result until maximum level, more over if this Milwaukee used for cutting in high workload, there will be no worry about it.
- Start from Powerful 11 Amp motor that gives maximum performance, ensuring quality & durability. So final result will be like what you expect before. Doing the job with Milwaukee make any job easier.
- All metal direct drive accommodates easy job on maximum tool life used if you wanna get high capacity working.
- Gear protecting clutch, to prevent the machine from damage while cutting metal plat, tile and hardwood.
- Available saw with multiple blade varieties could be chosen, pick any blade, adjust it as you need.
- Metal frame to withstand bandsaw during working process, so preventing it from damage and collision.
- Tool-free locking adjustable if you wanna cut shoe or sandal or slipper.
- Large cutting capacity the working surface has 5-inches x 5-inches, seems enough to accommodate your need.
- 2 years warranty will be yours, include free service and free part replacing if something goes wrong. But ensure you keep safety seal unbroken.
General Features
Sawing machine is defined or designed to help in cutting off stock of bar, pipe, wooden or any kind of metal stock with different capacity. Different types of material bring to make different type of blade too. Band saws itself has different type like to see or consider teeth as contact piece of cutting with work piece, drawing its teeth with work piece. However band saws is far faster than hand one as it is machine that is so good in professional crafter or carpenter. It’s principally to make accurate pattern or square on cylindrical and rectangular wood or metal. Common types of band saws known by most of all buyers and users are metal and wood cutting. In machine shop, it is called bandsaw. Although it is known better as metal cutting but actually it is for another material cutting too depending on types of blade and machine.
This bandsaw works using drawing metal band as its blade and it’ll be across to work piece done. Its blades is completed and done by idler and drive wheel. As it’ so various then prices, operations and maintenance are damn various. That is why this review comes with whole package as it serves so many informative words for those who need bandsaw from method of maintaining and description in choosing best saw. Most of buyers prefer to buy wooden cutting as it is most common type since wooden is regularly seen than metal. They prefer to give metal work to professional one as it has higher risk also.
Band Saw FAQ
What is band saw?
Bandsaw is powerful machine that uses blade with continuous metal band with teeth coming with one edge to work various cutting of work piece. It works with two rotating wheels in same place. Some bandsaw comes three or more wheels but it all depends on need. Some brand of band saws also gives wide and various selections in term of blades. This machine is used for any cutting from meat to metal one. It’s so flexible when buyers choose common blade of band saw. Tool like saw is actually old as it came firstly from ideas of William Newberry as the one who has right of patent for this tool. It was so large due to blades availability.
That was why Anne Paulin Crepin then gave refined idea on technique in designing machine based on blades. It was about technique in welding blades so it could be great working in bending and sawing around the wheels. It was patent of Anne in 1846 on improved bandsaw. Then French manufacturer bought rights of Anne’s innovation to make it work better. From this, it’s clearly explained that bandsaw is a machine that is purposed to cut any kind of material with smoother result of cutting based on pattern and type of band saws from vertical to horizontal or even curving pattern. To get easier and faster process in cutting, bandsaw is recommended strongly because it has faster rotation.
Different Types of band saw
If people think that bandsaw is just for metal cutting then it’s wrong as it has at least two types of band saw. First is meat cutting where the blades mostly are made of stainless steel construction with high ease in cleaning and maintaining? Blades have good teeth and heat, scalloped edges of knife. Second is metal cutting that has been popular among craft man. Metal cutting itself is available with two types like vertical and horizontal types. Band speeds are ranging from 40 feet per minute to 5000 feet per minute. It’s such a impressive number of speed. Even there is metal cutting bandsaw that comes with 15000 feet per minute. It uses to come with brushes to clean and avoid chips to be stuck in blades that can reduce performance.
Horizontal bandsaw remain to hold work piece and blades are swinging through to the cut. It is useless for curving cutting or more complicated pattern of cutting. Meanwhile vertical band saws give more flexible cutting as it’s indeed specially used for any shape and any angle. It keeps blades path, and work piece will be moved across it. There are lot of refinements and advancements in this type of band saw. Last is timber cutting where it’s so large for lumber of ripping? It is specially made for roping because timber cutting band saws are able to accommodate large timber with large diameter too. All blades in this bandsaw are mounted on wheels.
Who is this for?
Talking about who is this for, it is actually clear that bandsaw is specially made for professional worker that do cutting no matter it is big or small working. What buyers have to see in choosing best band saw is its size. Smaller is so good for home owners or common users that just need little work on cutting. Big and high features are specially made for professional cutter in certain manufacturers or cutting service. When talking about size of band saw, it is indeed about small or big company that needs to have bandsaw because different types give different fulfillment needs. Higher features of course come with higher price too. That is why to make it simple in choosing we recommend all of buyers to know all details in bandsaw like table, bench top band saw, cordless or portable bandsaw. Then it’s all about size and needs.
Another difference is its speed in cutting. Jet band saws are clearly for big company that does super fast wood working, metal working or others. Somehow, it has been said that speed depends on fast needs of cutting. This is used to be for big company although home owners are fine too to buy this one. Jet band saws use to come with lots of number of band saws accessories to enhance performance. It costs more but it’s so powerful to use as it gives best performance in term of smooth cutting and fast result. It’s all back to needs and budgets.
How to use band saw?
To know ways to use it, it is simple when it has come to read manual guides. It’s not a joke but seriously buyers have to read manual book that has been given by manufacturers. First of all, users need to make sure that the blades are properly set to its place. Workpiece has to be prepared well so there will be no correction when it is done. Second, all users have to do is turn stock near to blade of band saws and it’ll allow stock to pivot on nail or screw. In this term, user is actually able to cut wider and larger circle. It’s so relative as capacity of band saws is various too seeing there are lots of types of band saws that are available in market. In this way, users do have identical pieces number to cut and best way to use it is using a template and jig of follower clamped to saw table.
One thing we have to see after using is maintenance. Always make sure to read all maintenance guides as it has different ways in maintaining. Some just needs little care but some blades are so spoiled so it has to be cared much when it has been used for hours. Blades are made of alloy steel then users have to see additional guides in treating this alloy steel one. It has different care from common steel. Although it has been set durable but not too sure that maintenance will be that easy.
Benefits of having band saw
Benefits of band saws are so rich as it has faster work than manual and old one. Band saw manufacturers have been developing this kind of machine with lots of improvements from years to year, thus beneficial work will go higher from years to years too. The difference between band saw and other saw machine is its tough construction that let people to have durable band saw and good for all materials. Moreover, most of designs come with high flexibility that can be changed. The blades are various, or in certain case, users can replace blades based on needs. Besides it has replaceable blades and tough material of blades, table saw reviews also reveal that it has beneficial things that could be taken by users when it has to be cutting wide material. Although this is not flexible to move but table band saw is going to use more comfort for doing work piece.
In case you are searching best word working tools in band saw areas, you will need some realistic reviews over there. Some just need simple band saw and some professional goes with band saw machine that has high performance. Band saw also gives good chance for craft man or carpenters to make their own setting for their woodwork tools no matter it is small woodworking tools or big ones. Moreover, various types of band saws let all buyers have wide selection based on needs and budgets they want to spend.
What to look for when buying and comparing Band Saw
In choosing best band saw, it’s same in consideration. There are many things to look for when buying and comparing band saw product to get best selection from material like it comes with wood table, stainless steel table, alloy steel blade that needs to be considered and more. Then, size that is great to decide whether it’s for big or small needs in cutting. Bigger band saw is indeed for bigger cutting although most of all band saws come with flexibility in term of size but sometimes it’s better to have sticky band saw with certain and different size to make it more durable. Take a note that this big machine is only for a professional that has good concern in kind of machine. When there is no knowledge about it, it’ll be worse as it gives low quality maintenance. However, it’s been said that manual guides have been included in buying band saws but there is more care for band saw to make it durable. Last is shape, it’s so relative as different shape has different function too.
Materials
In choosing material of band saws so it’ll be about kinds of blades and types of table or bench top but bench top and table are just relative taste that will let buyers to choose secondly after choosing material of blade itself because it’s more important than choosing table of band saw. First common material is carbon tool and bimetal blades, it’s good for metal cutting as it’s available ranging from horizontal to vertical and small to large. Carbon ones come with mild steel and when it’s used in 200 feet per minute speed, it’ll be cheaper when it’s less than 200 feet. Bimetal comes with more cost as it serves long run. Carbon tool, specialty resaw and premium gold carbide comes for wood cutting saws. Indeed, carbon tools are most common in cutting as it’s so flexible for wood and metal cutting. Premium gold is available but it specially designed for fast cutting.
Size
In a matter of size, it has to be about width. First, horizontal bandsaw for metal cutting is identically designed only to use single width of blade then vertical one wood cutting has wide range of run in multiple blades. So here are minimum circle of diameter 3//16 should be with 1/8 14 raker carbon. 9 1/4 has to be with 3.4 x 3 Hook carbons. Wider one needs wider blades too. Bench top or table of band saws is various. When you need wide work piece done so table has to be wider too, it all depends on work piece design you need to cut.
Shape
Shape is relative things so just make sure that buyers know their needs in shape. Common shape of bandsaw is with square table with multiple set of shape. Another shape that has to be seen in looking good or best band saw is shape of blades and patter of cutting. It’s about solid and structural shape. Choosing correct pattern of tooth in bandsaw is far simpler than determining solid or structural shape. Always make sure that buyers know angle and tubing needs in cutting. For example, when it has come to structural shape like angle pieces and square tubing, it has to cut with proper angle to make sure teeth in good portion of contact.
Our Pick
Are you a woodworker that needs powerful wood working tools? You’ll achieve greater result when it comes to choose SKIL 3386 BandSaw. This new wood workers have been so popular among all home owners that have hobby like wood working or other professional carpenter. To be true, there are common products that have same features like LED to help in working in clear sight but we don’t know why this SKIL bandsaw comes with high impression as it has been proved good for any cutting although it is specially highlighted as wood cutter but no need to be confused when you need another material cutting. It also comes with wide variety of angle in cutting so it comes with EZ view that lets workers to align blade from any angles.
It’s improved by LED light that makes sure that your works are done well and moreover there is quite flexible adjustment of light to see what users are doing exactly. It also avoids mistake in cutting because details are seen clearly through LED light. It has many features like LED to articulate light to make sure that work piece is done clearly. EZ view blade is going to help alignment of blades. 6-TPI band saw blades are able to cut variety of wood materials. There is dust port too to keep your area of work is clean from dust. It is indeed common but review no matter it is real review or just customer reviews, this bandsaw have been proved as easy instruction and use.
Conclusion
At last, bandsaw is not only about who this is for or properly used for certain user but it’s common tool in cutting and almost everyone needs cutting but when it’s about professional cutting bandsaw with high features are great. No matter it’s metal or woodworking bandsaw, it has to be clear in knowing all types and function of band saw. When there is clear description and understanding in details of band saw, it’s going to be worth it as dollar spent is in good term. There are many kinds of bandsaw but as reviewers there is still subjectivity depending on our experience in choosing certain brands of band saw. No matter it is craftman bandsaw, rikon bandsaw or oliver saw and more. It’s all about needs and good performance that we choose.
In choosing best band saw all people need to know is its price and features. Features are available in description so buyers know what they’ll need and fulfill needs. We all know that various needs of cutting makes all manufacturers produce lot of types of bandsaw ranging from mounted floor, flexible move and table bandsaw. First most important thing in choosing types of bandsaw is to know every type and its features from horizontal to vertical, from meat cutting to metal cutting and from small thickness to high thickness. Don’t ever try to give over in choosing to customer service or waitress as it’s so important to take your own knowledge in choosing best band saw.