Many of our salty, sawdust encrusted friends who are building backyard boats have discovered that a piece of equipment that is paramount to a successful boat build is the ship saw. If you travel around today, you will find many of these same saws in public boatbuilding museums such as Mystic Shipyard where they are busy restoring the Mayflower II. The Wooden Boat School in Maine, The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock has a ship saw built in the 1930s by L. Power & Co. of Philadelphia and so will most of the bigger wooden boat building yards – and most of them will be “Vintage” machines. Most are sold for a song or passed down with the understanding, as is the case with Leo, that it will be restored and put to good use, hopefully restoring or building a ship such as Tally Ho. Check out each of these master’s ship saws and admire the tool that completes any great boat shop.
A bandsaw’s motor provides the essential power for the blade to cut through the required material. To make the best choice, you have to also consider the length and width of the blade along with its TPI. Blade Tension. Most of the bandsaw models will come with a feature that allows you to track blade wear and tear and also adjust the blade tension to the desired level.
My Laguna 16HD has a 4.8 HP Baldor motor on it and when I was considering this saw I thought the HP rating was probably going to be overkill for what I usually do with a band saw. The saw is 6’6″ tall so it would easily fit in your shop. Some of the 18″ and 20″ saws I’ve seen weigh in around 600lbs.
I could afford to buy a bigger bandsaw, one that would last a lifetime, because I didn’t see an end to my building boats. The last bandsaw to come into the shop, a metal-cutting bandsaw, was another yard-sale buy. The only reason I built my first boat was that I didn’t have enough money to buy one, and I bought the bandsaw kit as a way to avoid the tedium of working with hand tools and just get the job done.
While still others would say a table saw or radial arm saw but each of these has drawbacks that preclude them from an entire boat building project. A circular saw is a great invention and with a cutting jig can cut as straight as a table saw. The new Bosch corded Jig Saw is the most powerful saw of its type out today.
Since the 1950s, a lot of extremely poor quality hand tools have been produced, which I believe is one of the reasons that a lot of people these days feel that hand tools are inefficient and outdated. Because these tools are produced using modern milling equipment, they might actually be even better and more precise than the best vintage tools. The list below is what I consider the minimum tools you will need to build a small wooden boat.
best bandsaw for boat building Related Question:
How do I choose a band saw?
The two main things to consider when choosing a band saw are the depth of cut and the throat. The saw’s depth of cut is the distance from the table to the upper blade guides. Many band saws are marketed on this feature alone, which tells the prospective buyer how thick of stock can be cut using the band saw.
What is the best size bandsaw?
For a hobbyist, a 12″-14″ bandsaw is the ideal size. This size saw will provide plenty of power and a good deal of resawing capability. A professional will be better served with an 18″ bandsaw for a larger resawing capability. Choosing a 14″ band saw would provide plenty of power in a smaller footprint.
How thick can a 9 band saw cut?
There are several $99, 9 inch band saws on the market in my area (Ryobi, Skill). The are able to cut a thickness of 2 ½ inches.
What does a 14-inch bandsaw mean?
Rob Johnstone: Band saw sizes are derived from the diameter of the wheels in the saw. So a 14-inch band saw will have wheels that are 14-inches in diameter. There is another measure that indicates how wide a board you can resaw.
How much HP does a bandsaw need?
A 3/4 or 1 HP bandsaw is pefectly adequate for re-sawing stock at home….
Are band saws useful?
A band saw can be used to cut curves, even in thick lumber, such as in creating cabriole legs, to rip lumber and to crosscut short pieces. The most common use for the band saw, however, is in cutting irregular shapes. The second most common use is in resawing or ripping lumber into thinner slabs.
Which is the best hobby bandsaw?
Our top choice of band saw, the JET JWBS-14DXPRO (view at Tool Nut), is powerful, versatile, and durable enough even for a professional, but is also well suited to the workshop of an avid DIY woodworker or hobbyist.
How high can a bandsaw cut?
The resaw capacity is the maximum height (thickness) that can be cut. For the small shop furniture maker, go with 14″ as the minimum for a bandsaw, though 16″ is better. Those doing larger work might even want 18″ or 20″ machines. Just make sure you have a minimum resaw height of 12″ for versatility.
How thick of wood can a bandsaw cut?
Band saws are the undisputed champ when it comes to cutting curves and slicing through thick material. Many small band saws can slice though lumber a full four inches thick, and bigger saws handle six-inch cuts.
What is throat depth on a bandsaw?
The throat is the distance from the blade to the vertical frame section of the body of the saw. This distance determines the width of cut that can be completed on the band saw. The throat on a free-standing cabinet band saw typically exceeds the 12 to 14-inch throat of smaller, bench-top models.
How long is a 14 bandsaw blade?
Olson® All Pro&trade band saw blades 93-1/2″ length fits most 14″ band saws (Delta, Jet, etc.), hard back and exclusive material, in skip, hook, or regular teeth.
What is the difference between a table saw and a band saw?
Instead of the solid, circular plate of steel with carbide teeth on a table saw, the blade of the band saw is exactly that—a narrow, flexible band of steel with teeth formed along one edge. The band saw blade is stretched and driven between two or three wheels.
How thick can a 12 band saw cut?
A twelve-inch band saw is adequate for most home workshop jobs, typically cutting up to a six-inch capacity. (Cabinetmakers would do well to opt for a larger one, perhaps one with a sixteen- or twenty-inch throat.)
Can you use a bandsaw to cut wood?
With the correct blade, a band saw can cut wood or metal, in either curves or straight lines. Blades come in a variety of widths and tooth counts. Narrower blades are good for tighter curves, while wider blades are better at straight cuts.
How do you measure a bandsaw on a wheel?
You can easily determine the size of your band saw wheel by measuring its diameter. Simply subtract 2 inches from this total, and you have determined the size of the band saw tire you need as a replacement.