A few months ago I had the blade tensioning block break on my harbor freight 7×12 bandsaw so I called them to order the $25 part….out of stock with a 10-12 week delivery time! Then I looked at the grizzly 7×12 bandsaw and saw the parts diagram was the EXACT SAME as the HF. I ordered the part from grizzly for like $25 and had it at my door by the end of the week. Chop saws suck! I’ve got a Milwaukee Dry Cut saw works well, but it’s not nearly as versatile as the bandsaw. Another thing, the Syncrowave will know if you’ve cut your materiel on a HF saw.
As long as it doesn’t bother you having a “Lesser” brand save the $ get the grizzly and put the best blade on it you can buy. I got the cheapee harbor freight 1 and it works great with a lenox blade. I recently scored a grizzy drill press off craigslist and was very impressed with the quality, also seems parts are readily available through their web site.
Now, you might have noticed that any discussion of band saw may end up having Jet and Grizzly band saws mentioned somewhere. Listed below are two of our favorite band saws from Grizzly. Like the previous Jet band saw we listed here, this too comes with a large tilting table, backed by a great resaw capacity- 6-inch depth.
This may have changed by now but a couple years ago a Jet sales rep told me that Jet and Delta are the only companies that have representatives on site while their Chinese products are being assembled. Parts availability and technical support does cost money and it appears that is the extra you pay for when you buy Jet or Grizzly. I have had several grizzly tools, a few no name or enco things, and a fair amount of Jet tools.
Band saws are an expensive business, so we get that some of you are just here to find the best horizontal band saw for the money. Some horizontal band saws can be adjusted to work as vertical band saws. All horizontal band saws worth your money will have clamps and vises to hold workpieces in place, safety switches to keep the saw from running at dangerous times, and an adjustable angle gauge for bevel and miter cuts.
band saw vs jointer Related Question:
Do I need a jointer if I have a track saw?
Track saws allow you to cut an almost perfectly straight edge, as the saw is locked into place by the track. As a result, a track can replace a jointer to square and joint the edges of timber. However, it cannot completely replace the ability of a jointer to remove bows, cups, and bends.
Is a jointer really necessary?
Simply purchase your lumber already milled in S3S or S4S form (surfaced on three sides or surfaced on 4 sides). If you’re at a point in your woodworking where you’re starting to use rough sawn lumber, say from a lumber mill or your local sawyer, then a jointer is absolutely essential to your shop workflow.
Can you rip boards with a track saw?
The track saw is great for ripping boards, cutting trim, and providing splinter-free cuts across panels. The track saw is also excellent when used as a plunge saw because you can set it to a precise depth and it won’t fail you.
Why is it called a jointer?
The jointer derives its name from its primary function of producing flat edges on boards prior to joining them edge-to-edge to produce wider boards. The use of this term probably arises from the name of a type of hand plane, the jointer plane, which is also used primarily for this purpose.
Does Dewalt make a jointer?
Routers, Planers, & Jointers | DEWALT.
How long of a board can I run through a jointer?
it really depends on the geometry of the tools. The size of the piece is limited by the gap between the beds and knives on the jointer, and rollers and knives on the planer. for run of the mill tools (6″ jointer, 12″ “portable” planer) this works out to about 10-12″.
How much does a jointer take off?
Avoid heavy cuts that might jam the cutterhead. Take off no more than 1⁄ 16 ” per pass on softwoods and even less on hardwood stock. Never joint workpieces less than 3⁄ 4 ” wide or 1⁄ 4 ” thick. Use pushblocks or hold-downs on wood narrower than 3″.
Can you rip a 2×4 with a jigsaw?
The secret to doing straight cuts in 2×4 lumber is to guide the jigsaw steadily, in one go. As long as the pace is slow and consistent, you will be fine by allowing the blade to do the work of cutting for you – keep the focus on following the cutting line as you control the speed and pace of the cut.
What is the difference between a circular saw and a track saw?
The critical difference is that a circular saw has a long and rectangular rail in the front, unlike its counterpart. A circular saw performs double cuts as the rip cuts and the crosscut, whereas the track saw three. The circular saw has a protective guard, whereas the track saw has none.