Opinion on saw

[Jeremy D]

Hi guys,

I am coming along nicely with my first build, thanks to everyone for the advice along the way. About to start assembling the box which is really exciting.

I came across this saw on gumtree and have been in contact with the seller. http://brisbane.gumtree.com.au/c-Stuff- ... Z329964955

I have very limited space (one side of a double garage) and I was hoping to get your opinion on it. I mainly want it for the jobs that need accuracy like mortice and tenon on the neck etc and possibly for cutting fret slots etc. Would this saw be accurate and powerful enough for the job or should I look at something else? Also am I better off looking at a quality band saw? Can I setup a good band saw to do these jobs? (not the fret slots obviously). I have a crappy 9" bandsaw that I bought for a song which I must say has been very helpful along the way.

Thanks for looking.

P.S. I will posts some picks of my progress soon.

[kiwigeo]

If it was me I'd be upgrading the bandsaw rather than buying a an average quality contractors bench saw. A consider a 14" bandie the most useful piece of machinery in my workshop next to my fleet of routers and lam trimmers.

If I was on tight budget I wouldn't consider cutting fret slots with a machine......if youre not building as a living then a perfectly adequate job can be done with a fret saw and a fret slotting jig.

My opinion only but the above is the way Id go.

[Jeremy D]

Thanks a lot Martin. After reading back my post that does make sense. With a good band saw, set up right, can you cut accurately enough to do a mortice and tenon neck joint, scarf joint and other critical cuts?

[kiwigeo]

Thanks a lot Martin. After reading back my post that does make sense. With a good band saw, set up right, can you cut accurately enough to do a mortice and tenon neck joint, scarf joint and other critical cuts?

I'm a bit different from others in here..I cut my scarf and mortice and tenon neck joints by hand. You can cut a scarf joint on a 14" band saw and cutting M and T joints is also possible as well.

The table saw you're looking at is a contractors saw.....it'll have a pretty average table and fence. The mitre fence on the thing is a toy and not really that useful. If you're buying a table saw then you really need to be looking at something a bit more robust and with a decent sized cast iron table. I bought a Jet entry level 10" Table saw for around $900....the fence on the thing is ok and I added an Incra mitre fence to make it more useful. It's useful but the bandsaw, routers and drum sander are by far the most used power tools in my workshop.

[Jeremy D]

Awesome, thanks Martin. I will leave it where it sits.

[kiwigeo]

My opinion only....hang around for a bit and other members will chime in with some useful comments.

[ozwood]

Hi Jeremy ,

I agree with martin , If I could only have 3 power tools for Guitar making it would be my 14 " bandsaw, my jet Drum sander and my oscilating spindal sander. I have a few others but those three are the most used , I cut my fret slots with a Stewmac fret slotting jig , takes 5 minutes , I cut my Scarf by hand 5 minutes, would take longer than that just to set up a power tool to cut it , the other thing I have found , is that things( f*#K up's) happen a lot quicker with power tools , everyone on this forum would have a power tool meets guitar disaster story, so sometimes hand tools are preferable. also save up and buy new if you can, My nice cast iron 14" bandsaw only cost $200, but within 12 months I replaced the tyres, the guides, the pulleys , the Motor , the whole top wheel mount/ tensioner , not cheap now , for that money I could have bought a nice shiny New one from Carbatec.

anyway that's my two bob's worth.

Cheers,

[Jeremy D]

Hi Jeremy ,

I agree with martin , If I could only have 3 power tools for Guitar making it would be my 14 " bandsaw, my jet Drum sander and my oscilating spindal sander. I have a few others but those three are the most used , I cut my fret slots with a Stewmac fret slotting jig , takes 5 minutes , I cut my Scarf by hand 5 minutes, would take longer than that just to set up a power tool to cut it , the other thing I have found , is that things( f*#K up's) happen a lot quicker with power tools , everyone on this forum would have a power tool meets guitar disaster story, so sometimes hand tools are preferable. also save up and buy new if you can, My nice cast iron 14" bandsaw only cost $200, but within 12 months I replaced the tyres, the guides, the pulleys , the Motor , the whole top wheel mount/ tensioner , not cheap now , for that money I could have bought a nice shiny New one from Carbatec.

anyway that's my two bob's worth.

Cheers,

Thanks a lot Paul, Sage advice. I actually thought the scarf joint I did went really well. I guess it was more the m&t that while I was doing it I thought, geez there must be a better way. I think it turned out O.K. and looking back on it now I will probably do a much better job the second time around. What you said about buying new really hit home, none of that occurred to me so thank you. I think I will wait until I am ready to start #2 and buy a nice band saw. BTW I thicknessed my back and sides with a saft-t-planer, for an inexperienced wood worker like myself, it really saved a butt load of time .