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Power Tools: Band Saws
Posted by J.S. Decker on Dec 17, 2007, 19:29
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Safety Precaution: Band saws are made to cut. As inanimate objects band saws do not care if they are accurately cutting stock material into a useful part or are cutting off your finger. Band saws can seriously injury or kill you. If you choose to use a band saw, you are responsible for correctly and safely using a band saw, and keeping others, e.g., children, away from the saw. If you choose to use a band saw, heed the manufacture’s precautions and follow the manufacture’s instructions. If you have any doubt in your ability, knowledge, or do not know exactly how you will perform a task with a band saw, do not use a band saw.
Most of my bulk construction is performed with a band saw and disk sander. If you have the space to setup both tools, the band saw and disk sander set up is a well proven scratch building path. If you have limited space, you might consider a high quality scroll saw, e.g., the DeWalt DW788, and using both scroll saw blades and scroll saw sanding strips. If you choose to use a band saw, here are some things that you might consider when purchasing, setting up, and getting the most from your band saw composite model construction:
- Type and duty of band saw. Consider what your primary use of the saw will be before you purchase a saw. If you are going to use it primarily toy airplanes, consider getting one of the three-wheel band saws with a deep throat and polished table. Leave the typical woodworking band saws to guys like Norm Abrams. Assuming you are going to be using a band saw primarily for modeling, most of what you will cut will be relatively thin sheet material. A three-wheel saw will have more than enough power, cut depth, and you will appreciate the throat depth when you are cutting sheet material. My band saw is a three-wheel band saw with a 16-inch throat, I purchased it used for less then $200, and it works great for what I do. If I could ask for more, it would be more throat depth when cutting sheet material. A miter gage and ripping fence are nice to have, but I do not consider them essential for what I do, because I can clean-up straight cuts with a 12-inch disk sander very quickly.
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| Delta three-wheel band saw. |
- Band saw blades. If you go to a woodworking store and ask for band saw blades, they will try to set you up with a nasty-ass wood cutting blade with off-set teeth. You do not want to use these blades for typical composite model construction, particularly if you are cutting composites materials. For composite model construction you will probably want to get narrow, fine tooth blades without off-set teeth. These are commonly sold as metal cutting blades, so you may well have to go someplace other than a woodworking store to purchase them. They will give you a thin saw curf and smoother edges. I typically use ¼-inch wide, 24 tooth per inch, bimetal blades that are made for cutting metal.
Note: You will probably want an actually wood cutting blade for household projects and thicker pieces of wood for plugs, but these blades do not spend much time on a typically composite model builder’s saw.
- Band saw tune-up and techniques book or video. Even if you’ve been using band saws for years, consider borrowing or purchasing a good book or video on band saw tune-up and techniques. Just like you have probably learned about airplanes, learning what a tool is be capable of and learning how to achieve that performance is very helpful. You might checkout local libraries in your area; mine had a great 60-90 minute video. These books and videos typically include some techniques for making cuts that make it less likely you will cut a finger off. If you are new to using a band saw, study a few of these books and videos and spend a little time with an experienced band saw user that still has all of his fingers.
- Composite materials and saw blades. Composite plastics dull saw blades quickly. So, do not be surprised if the saw blade that used to rip through 1/8-inch plywood plods through the same 1/8-inch ply after you cut a bunch of G10 and CF. I know a few folks that use a nice sharp blade for cutting wood and put on an old blade when cutting plastics. I keep a couple extra blades in a drawer and put a new one on when a blade is dull. I have found that having a dull blade on a band saw, or any tool, increases the likeliness of an accident and I like all my fingers.
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