Band saws can usually cut through material up to about 6″ thick, some with extensions can cut through 12″ thick. Scroll saws are usually used for 1/2″ or thinner material and can include inside cuts where a small hole is drilled and blade inserted and cut out. A Sawzall is a heavy duty jig saw for cutting all kinds of materials, but normally only in straight cuts, although you can buy heavy duty scroll saw blades for a Sawzall.
The scroll saw is suitable if you want to have a fine and very detailed cut, but there’s a limitation with the material’s thickness. A scroll saw uses thin and delicate blades of approximately 1/4 inch thick and 8 inches long, but it is not enough to cut thick pieces of wood. A scroll saw can only cut material from 1/2 to 1-inch thick.
A band saw can make significant cuts on considerable solid woods and create split cuts in hardwoodsIf you do not use the blade properly, a band saw can produce coarse edge cuts that make aggressive slices. A jigsaw is like a band saw but with thickness limits. It is ideal for curved and straight cutsA jigsaw cannot manage massive slices of furniture and projects of similar weightA jigsaw is excellent for rough cuttingsRepairing a jigsaw is trickyIt has a LED light for visibility while workingA jigsaw is not as durable as band saw and scroll saw.
The scroll saw and the band saw are both great saws to own. A band saws blade will rotate on a band as opposed to just moving up and down as the scroll saw. The band saw will be more expensive when you compare a high-end band saw with a high-end scroll saw.
The jigsaw, on the other hand, is a complete jack-of-all trades – in our garage it’s right up there with the table saw, circular saw, and cordless drill as one of the most-used tools in the workshop. The downside of the jigsaw is that it’s a fairly crude tool – it’s typically used freehand, and the cut is not nearly as fine as the scroll saw’s. If you’re a typical DIY’er looking to add one or the other to your tool collection, by all means go with the jigsaw – it’s an infinitely more practical tool, and 99 times out of 100 you’ll use it over the scroll saw.
Today, we are doing a band saw versus scroll saw comparison. One big difference between the band saw and the scroll saw is that the band saw has a lot more power. The size of the blade, and the way it is built, makes the band saw ideal for any piece of wood thicker than 2 inches, and the thickness of the material the band saw can cut is really only limited by the distance between the work table and the horizontal arm.
scroll saw vs band saw vs jigsaw Related Question:
Which is better jigsaw or scroll saw?
Jigsaws can handle much thicker material than a scroll saw can as long as you use the right length blade. Their blades can be as long as 10 inches, though blades that are 1 to 3 inches long are more common. However, when you need very intricate and precise cuts, a scroll saw is your best bet.
Should I get a band saw or a scroll saw?
If you want to make fine detail cuts, inside cuts, make patterns and letters, and you want to do so on smaller pieces of wood, the scroll saw is what you want to go with. However, for large, straight, and aggressive cuts on larger pieces of wood, and even metals, the band saw is the way to go.
Is a band saw and jigsaw the same?
What is this? Bandsaws are used almost exclusively for re-sawing projects. Jigsaws are, by definition, hand power tools that cut with a reciprocating motion and are generally used to make various curved cuts on thinner material.
What tool is better than a jigsaw?
The reciprocating saw is a much larger tool than the jigsaw. It is designed to be used with two hands. One grips the rear handle which incorporates the trigger and the other hand supports the body closer to the blade.
Do I really need a scroll saw?
So, unless you’re about to start a project requiring the precision of a scroll saw, such as intarsia (wood mosaic) projects or wooden children’s toys and puzzles, you don’t need one. If you are a tool junkie or experimental woodworker, if you don’t already own one, a scroll saw is probably already on your wish list.
Can a scroll saw cut 2×4?
Though scroll saws are generally intended for thinner pieces of wood, they can be used to cut a 2×4. They’re pretty versatile little saws, but make sure to take your time with them. The key to success when tackling a 2×4 with a scroll saw is patience, care, and not pushing the wood too hard.
How thick wood can you cut with scroll saw?
Thickness/Thinness of Material A scroll saw is an excellent tool for carving or cutting materials that are fairly thin. Most blades can cut through materials up to 2 inches deep – although use caution. A particularly hard 2 inch material will wreck your blade.
Can you cut leather with a scroll saw?
Scroll saws are versatile little tools to have around the shop. With the right blade, you can cut a wide variety of materials. Cutting wood is, of course, the primary use of a scroll saw. However, with the right blade choice, you can cut plastic, acrylic, glass, tile, leather, paper, and the list goes on.
Can I use a jigsaw instead of a circular saw?
Although a jigsaw can be used for most of the tasks that a circular saw can perform, including straight cuts and cuts on a tilt, the jigsaw uses that really take advantage of the tool’s qualities are jobs such as kitchen fitting and joinery, with their frequent need for complex cuts.
Is a band saw reciprocating?
Bandsaw machines are different than reciprocating saws when it comes to the cutting process motion. Compared to a bandsaw machine, which forms a continuous loop of band using a bandsaw blade to perform the cut, the reciprocating saw’s cutting action is achieved through a push/pull reciprocating blade motion.
What is a band saw used for?
A bandsaw (also written band saw) is a power saw with a long, sharp blade consisting of a continuous band of toothed metal stretched between two or more wheels to cut material. They are used principally in woodworking, metalworking, and lumbering, but may cut a variety of materials.
What saw and jigsaw both are?
The terms jigsaw and sabre saw seem to be used interchangeably in the marketplace. And while different tool manufacturers have marketed their saws under both names, there’s no recognized difference between a jigsaw and a sabre saw. They’re the same tool.
What can I use instead of a scroll saw?
There are three other saws that work in a similar fashion to scroll saws. Those saws are the band saw, the jig saw, and the coping (or fret) saw. Bandsaws use a blade that is a band, always working in one direction.
Does Bosch make a scroll saw?
Bosch carries both pinned and plain style to meet the user’s needs in whatever type of scroll saw they might have.
What saw should I buy first?
A jigsaw is great for cutting curves and shapes, and it can also be used with a guide to make straight cuts, which is why this is the first power saw you should own. Unless you plan to rip long sheets of plywood, a jigsaw is preferable over a circular saw.