Small bandsaw

I just wouldn't - I've yet to hear of anyone who bought a "small bench top" bandsaw and found it satisfactory. I'm using a 14" (the old white Axminster 350) and I really wouldn't want anything smaller.

I also saw bone, although I'm mainly a woodworker - also antler, buffalo horn, and there's a narwhal I've got my eye on 8-). Slabbing beef knuckles is certainly making my saw work for its living.

Frame rigidity, guide quality and motor power are all important. If you're trying to resaw something a few inches deep, so as to prepare stock, then you need all three of these to be working right. IMHO, anything with wheels under 14" diameter just doesn't deliver what you need.

Most 14" machines either work, or can be made to. Poor guides can be upgraded with Cool Blocks, which are as much guide as that size of machine ever needs. If the guide fittings are too small or rudimentary though (the small diameter metal pins in particular), then you're just stuck with what you have.

If you don't already have it, Mark Duginske's book has some great advice, particularly on choosing blades.

my performance power bandsaw is really quite pants.

mrcheerful

There is also a video or DVD to accompany this which is pretty good, although I am not sure it's available in the UK. I bought mine in the U.S. and it is also available from amazon.com.

He has another book and video on woodworking machines in general, although aspects of it such as table saw operation are more geared to Delta Unisaws et al. The other sections are fairly useful though.

.andy

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