Bandsaw question

[sebastiaan56]

Ive been looking for a bandsaw for a while now. I dont want a $200 Bunnies job as Im sure that in time it will laugh at me and some things I want to attempt, eg fretboards from Cooktown Ironwood etc.

Numerous trawls on ebay have highlighted that meat bandsaws are on a spec basis cheaper than those specified for wood. Can someone tell me why I shouldnt go that way.

[Taffy Evans]

Hi Sabastiaan
I know zilch about meat bandsaws, but it could be a case for horses for courses. I'd be looking at speeds, hight of cut, guides, provision for fences and importantly dust extraction. Oh and table tilt. I got mine some years ago from Hare & Forbs 16'' under $1800.00.
Hope this gives you food for thought. Good Luck.

[Clancy]

Believe it or not, I used the $70 GMC bandsaw to complete my first guitar - a carved archtop (Blackwood & King Billy). I lost count of how many blades I replaced and the number of times I pulled it apart to try to tune it. Still, it did the job in the end. I've since kicked it under the desk where it can collect dust, and in it's place sits a MetaboBAS260 I got for AU$370. Tuned it once 6 months ago, haven't replaced the blade and is still cutting nicely. Specs are as follows
• Dimensions L x W x H: 525 x 425 x 840 mm
• Support surface: 340 x 335 mm
• Working height: 374 mm
• Sawing bench swivel range: 0 - 45 °
• Cutting height: 100 mm
• Passage width: 245 mm
• Cutting speed: 690 m/min
• Saw belt length: 1.712 mm
• Saw belt width: 6,4 - 12,7 mm

Due to dollar restraints, I use alot of other GMC tools, but I soon realised that a good bandsaw is essential.

[kiwigeo]

Im using a Carbatec 14" saw but its fairly average. I put on the deluxe roller blade guides but they arent that hot. In hindsight I probally should have gone with a Jet...I think generally the Jet has the edge on Carbatec equipment.

[Deano]

Gidday Seb,

I'm not sure if a meat saw could be used as a bandsaw in your shop. But im currently using a Carbatec 10" bandsaw. Like Kiwigeo, I've found it to be fairly average but in the lower range of Carbatec bandsaws its good value for money. For its price it cuts bodies, rips necks basically everything needed to assist with guitar construction. However, I have found 1o inches to small. I recommend looking for something 14" plus.

I hope this helps you out.

Dean

[Allen]

Welcome to the forum Craig. I see this is your first post. If you can, why not start a new post, intorduce yourself and post some pictures of your archtop. I'd love to see it.

Sebastiaan, I don't know if there is a difference with the meat saw or not but I think the most important part of the band saw is the blade guides. My saw is one of those Chinese 14" ones that look to be a great deal, but I'm rather disappointed in it. The guides are a nightmare to adjust, the riser is just so-so, and now the motor has decided to stop working, so a call to a sparky is required.

For what it's worth, cutting Cooktown Iron wood is easy. It's kind of a misnomer with this wood. Machines beautifully. It's the Qld. Walnut that you will have fits with.

[Hippety Hop]

Metabo say their products are "... engineered in Germany", but as you know, honesty is not in the best interest of shareholders in a capitalist society, and is therefore unemployed.

Cheers Hip.

[James Mc]

Hi Sebastiaan
I have a mate in Mackay with one of these meat saws he got on ebay... not real flash. You can get 220mm or so under the guide but you would need to be a brave man to stand next to it when the timber hits the blade. the guides and adjustment are flimsy. Maybe you could beef these up a bit and put a better blade on them and they would be ok, but I suspect the time and money to do so would be better spent on a better saw. I put some 25mm pine through it and even on this it tended to wander. For the size of the machine they have small wheels which could be a problem using wider or better quality blades.

On of the wood junkies here has a older 14" the same style as the 'Wood Bandsaw 14inch' and 'HAFCO 14" BAND SAW' that are currently on ebay. He had a solid steel block cut and drilled as a spacer for where the throat blots on to the base so he could get 200mm through it. I found it much better to use and mush more sturdy than the cheap meat saw.

Cheers

[DarwinStrings]

I'm not 100% sure Sebastiaan but I don't think meat saws have tyres on the wheels so I don't think they would do your blade any good at all.

Jim