Pwk5017 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I've been considering adding a band saw and lathe to my shop the last few months. I'm in between saving to buy the last tool first, or buying inexpensive used kit off CL right now. At first, I was leaning towards saving and buying a nice band saw in the $1500 range. My next thought was that I have about 5 minutes on a band saw in my life, and I have no idea what I would like to use the saw for--curves? Resawing? Roughing out shapes for the lathe? I honestly have no idea. Now, I'm wondering if I should spend $250-300 on a used 14" band saw to use for 1-3 months to form an understanding of what I want from a band saw. I have a feeling I will want a bigger table than the 14" models, but still have some versatility. Other than the grizzly 555, what would be a good used saw to look for? A lathe I am even more clueless about. Turning looks like a lot of fun. Once again, I'm absolutely clueless about this tool, or what I plan to do with it. I'm not sure what a good lathe is, but I'm thinking about looking at something cheap on Craigslist, in the $300 range again, and finding out if turning is for me or not. Any reason why buying used starter tools is a bad idea? In the last year and a half, I have gone from a dewalt portable saw(first table saw), a used 34-444 delta contractor saw with unifence, and then a delta unisaw with a biesemeyer. The dewalt sucked and I lost money on reselling it. The delta contractor was a huge upgrade, and was a good saw for me to work with and learn on. I broke even on reselling it. The unisaw is great, and a jump up from the contractor saw, but not nearly as substantial as the first jump I experienced. I guess my point in these comparisons is that I want to skip the first phase, and find that fair to good middle ground to start on with the band saw and lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ResidentEvil Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I can't comment on the lathe, other than I am in the same position. My wife is semi interested in turning, but she gets nervous around the larger tools. My plan is to sign us both up for a beginner lathe course to let her get a feel for it before I jump in. From what I understand, purchasing the lathe is just the tip of the iceberg, and you can get into a decent sum of money in order to get a sufficient setup to do turning. On the bandsaw, I went without one for 2 years in my shop. I just didn't feel it was a "must have" tool. Because I had several projects upcoming that required curve cutting, I decided to invest in a band saw. I decided to buy a long term saw first, and went with the Laguna 1412. From what I read, it was the best performing saw you could buy without getting into the $2000 range of bigger saws, and I didn't really have the room for a larger saw in my shop. Having the band saw for a couple of months, I can say that its probably the most often used piece of large equipment in the shop. And its mostly used on the little one off things where I need to make a quick cut here or there. I use it to rough cut lumber to width as opposed to the table saw now, especially for wood where I think there may be internal stresses and it could cause my TS to bind. I use it for any curve work. I installed wood floor in my living room the other day and it probably saved me an hour of ripping odd angles on planks to go around corners and stuff. I never would have believed that I'd use the BS so much, but I've heard several others say the same thing. As far as what to buy now, that is really up to you. Go check out the 14" saws and see if you think they will work for you long term. If you like them, I recommend the 1412. If you do decide to go with a cheaper 14" off CL, the good thing is that multiple band saws are great time savers; specifically that you dont have to change blades. If you do get a cheaper one now, and then decided to get a bigger/better one later you can set the small one up for curves and random cuts and leave the big one set up for resawing and cutting through the thicker woods. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 I hardly ever regret getting "too much" tool. But I almost always regret not getting enough. Tattoo these words backwards on your butt cheeks and check the mirror before making decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barron Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 A used Delta 14" bandsaw would be a good option, and might be the only one you need. I would probably give up my table saw before my bandsaw. It's worthwhile to watch some videos or find a friend with a bandsaw to learn how to set it up and use it safely. As Marc has pointed out, a bandsaw is what butchers use to cut up meat. I found out that a lathe may be the cheapest part of starting out in turning. The tools can quickly cost more than the lathe. If you go with traditional tools you will need a slow speed grinder, probably sharpening jigs, then a Jacobs Chuck, then a different chuck, and on and on. I have been sucked into turning pens, it's like crack, once you start it's hard to stop, and I really, really wish I bought a lathe with electronic speed control. I am glad I started turning, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 What Eric said is True, True, True! +1 on the Laguna 1412 and I am happy I did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Your choices really depend on your personal circumstances, how excited you are about the craft, and what you plan to build. A bandsaw is extremely useful. A lathe is a lot of fun, but "accessories" add up fast. My route of choice is to buy what I can reasonably afford, but not go overboard. It is just a hobby for me, I have no dedicated work space, and the family's needs ( both time and money) come first. So, I make do with used and inexpensive tools, and still have a blast using them. Your question gets asked a lot, and none of mind sharing our experiences, but ultimately only you can decide which way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Meyer Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 With WoodCraft's anniversary sale impending, I am also looking for a bandsaw. I was fortunate to get a great deal on Craig's List for a lathe last year, but used bandsaws seem very tough to come by around here. So, I'm looking at getting a new 14" Jet (probably model 710116K), unless someone has a good reason to avoid Jet. My next choice would be the Grizzly G0555 series. With the discount at WoodCraft, either would be about what I want to pay for my first bandsaw. One important factor: I will use the saw for resawing. Pwk5017, turning is a lot of fun. The lathe I ended up with will certainly not be my last. It's a tube-bed with lots of plastic parts. I almost exclusively turn bowls and platters, so it does not matter much that both ends of my lathe don't stay collinear very well. If I did more spindle turning, I'd probably already have bought a new one. If my newbie advice helps, I wish I had bought a cast iron lathe with continuously variable speed (mine has four belt positions - not bad, but could be much better). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pwk5017 Posted July 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Yes, I know the question gets asked quite a bit, but I suppose the question I should have asked is, "can you learn and get by with entry level tools without quality being the limiting factor?" As my example illustrated, that dewalt saw was limiting my build quality. My delta contractor was NOT limiting my build quality. It was a damn good saw with a good fence, calibrated perfectly, good blade, and good dust collection. I don't think it limited me too much in what I created. I can absolutely assure everyone that my turning skills will suck so bad, that I can have a vega or $6k PM and it wouldn't help me in the slightest. I agree with everyone who said "spend more, it's worth it". I get it, but in my limited experience, "worth it" is effected by that ol' law of diminishing returns. My rigid 6" jointer was a pretty good jointer for me to start with. Do I like my DJ-20 more? Heck yes. Still, the ridgid got the job done for the 6-8 months I used it. I bought it for $250 and sold it for $300. In the process, I learned how to use a jointer and built some stuff. That is the point I am at right now. I want to get into using a band saw and lathe, but I don't want to plunk down $3,000 right this very second to do so. Will I eventually spend $3,000 on both in the next 12 months? At this point, it's actually likely. Like I already said, I went from using a bench top saw to a cabinet saw in 12 months. I'm looking for the delta contractor saw counterparts to the band saw and lathe families. Something I can buy used, learn on, sell for a break even and upgrade in 6-12 months. What I don't want to do is buy a bench top jointer/table saw version of a lathe or band saw. In the last month, I bought a unisaw, Excalibur blade shroud, jessem router table package, several sommerfeld bit sets, and $2000 in lumber to be delivered next week. I'm in self-imposed timeout until I start turning a profit again. In the two years I've been involved in woodworking, I can attest to enjoying the craft more with the more I spend on it. That sounds semi-douchey elitist, but I've rapidly gone from using pretty low end stuff to high end hobbyist/semi-professional gear, and the difference is tremendous. However, the starter kits have a place in the system. They can be cheap temporary rentals to fill a void, and if for nothing else, they teach you how good the expensive stuff is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Cindy Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 PWK- I agree with going the middle ground first, that is pretty much what I do. I have all of the main woodworking equipment except for a jointer, all of it works fine when I need it. But, I have become primarily a turner so my bandsaw and lathe get a daily workout. Tablesaw, planer, routers, etc. almost never. Eventually I will upgrade the lathe, but I will keep the one I have. My bandsaw does just fine for my needs and I may never need to upgrade it. That said I recommend getting a Delta midi lathe. http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Industrial-46-460-2-Inch-Variable-Speed/dp/B00309ZZRQIt won't break the bank and it is good quality. You will need to get a stand for it or bolt it to a heavy surface, i.e. not clamp it. For a bandsaw I got the Grizzly G0555LX - 14" Deluxe Bandsaw. Get the riser for it. FYI a bandsaw is necessary for turning, well not really necessary but practically so. It is a tremendous aid in cutting your bowl blanks to size which puts them in balance straight away and makes turning them much safer. Many other uses for a bandsaw too as others have noted. Cindy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strasberry Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 +2 on the Laguna 14 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 +3 on the Laguna 1412 It's a great saw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hey guys.....IT'S CINDY!!! She's been MIA for 6 months!!! Welcome back to the land of crazy....opinionated....sometimes misguided...but always confident! We've missed you girl.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDavS Posted July 23, 2015 Report Share Posted July 23, 2015 Don't have much experience with a band saw. My little Craftsman is a "beginner's tool" that doesn't track well. Impossible to use for cutting stock into veneer. With a lathe I have a little more experience. Of utmost importance in a lathe is a good solid bed. I have no experience with tube beds, but formed sheet metal has too much flex in it. A good solid cast iron bed is IMO necessary. A good support cabinet is also important. When you're roughing out large pieces, you don't want the lathe and cabinet to walk across the shop. I also like the banjo style tool rest base. Having to loosen and tighten a nut under the workpiece is tedious. Also important in lathe work is having a reliable and reasonably simple way to sharpen your tools consistently. You won't enjoy lathe work much if your gouges are dull or incorrectly ground. And learn how to use them correctly. (Many YouTube examples for this.) As for how much to invest in a "beginner's tool", just this: Get tools good enough to perform well. If you get a poor quality tool, your opinion of the work will be colored by frustrations caused by the poor quality of the tool. It doesn't have to be top of the line, but well made and reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Cindy Posted July 24, 2015 Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 Hey guys.....IT'S CINDY!!! She's been MIA for 6 months!!! Welcome back to the land of crazy....opinionated....sometimes misguided...but always confident! We've missed you girl.... Ha ha, too funny. Maybe a couple of months since I posted, but I've been checking in from time to time. Nice to be missed. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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