COMO Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 As evident by all my newbie questions I am very new to woodworking. When I started I kind of jumped in with out really doing enough research. One of the first tools I bought was a Rigid 3612 TS used off Craigslist. So far it has been a great saw but after reading more I have seen people saying one could start with a band saw and maybe be better served. Right now I work in about 2/3 of a 1 1/2 car garage so space is somewhat limited. I have been kicking around the idea of buying a bandsaw. I am beginnig to wonder if it would be wise to sell my table saw and use the money and shop space to look at higher quality bandsaws? Right now I primarily want to learn to build furniture as well as good quaity cabinets. My first few projects were some end grain cutting boards as well wine boxes and picture frames. I currently have a router, jointer, planer, mitre saw as well as various hand held power tools and wood tools. Thanks for the help. Seems like this 2 week vacation to visit inlaws and parents has left me a lot of time to think of all the what ifs. Garrett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Your probably going to be better off keeping the table saw if your going to do cabinetry or maybe think about a tracksaw like the festool. Your saw is really a little small to be cutting full sheets of plywood anyways so festool may be the way to go. I'd keep the tablesaw and just get a bandsaw. Don 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Brickl Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 I would not sell the table saw. It will be the workhorse of your shop once you really get into woodworking. Don't get me wrong, I love my bandsaw, but I did without it for quite some time. I do not cut full sheets of plywood on my table saw. I break them down into rough pieces using a circular saw and a straight edge guide first and then move it to the table saw. I have learned to be patient when I am looking for tools. I always keep my eye out and sooner or later a good deal comes along and is meant to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jab73180 Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Keep the table saw you can do a lot more with that then you can a bandsaw. I find myself in a similar situation as you. I think a grizzly 555x with a riser block would suffice for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckkisser Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 i use the table saw more then the band saw......just keep you eyes open in paper/cregs list/ebay/garage sales people are selling tools all the time. if funds are limited i say make some simple projects on table saw sell them to slowly make money for new tools. thats what im doing i invested in a lathe and going to make iteams to try and sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorslammer Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 I too first purchased a table saw long before my bandsaw. Looking back, I wish I had done the opposite. Lately I find myself using the table saw very little, but using the band saw increasingly. Just as versital as the table saw just maybe not at the same tasks. Part of the reason for my evolution is an increased usage of hand tools for tasks that were previously done on the TS so that could be a factor. That being said, I would keep your table saw and keep looking for a bandsaw now that you already have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotscott Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 A TS gives a glue ready finish. A BS will not, so every edge needs to be dressed prior to gluing....a jointer is a good tool for that task. A BS won't cut dados at all, and won't cut miters precisely enough...at least mine and the one's I've used won't. Get the BS for curves and resawing, keep the TS for rips, xcuts, dados, miters, grooves, etc.....park the cars in the driveway where they belong! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmac Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 I'm in the same camp as knotscott. -- Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Palmer Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 I too agree with scott. I build furniture and only use my band saw for curves and resawing stock to size. Occassionally use it for through dovetals and finish the dovetail with chisels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsiard Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 I'm with doorslammer on this one, I believe the band saw is far more versatile that it’s given credit for. There are not many things that a table saw can do that a band saw and router can’t. I think one reason why it gets a bad rap is that most saws aren’t tuned properly. A TS is great for cabinet or box projects but it can’t cut a cabriole leg like a BS, where a BS can cut a taper, tennon and rip as well as a TS. As far as a glue line goes I’ve never glued a table top together without tuning the edge with a plane. Don’t get me wrong, I love my TS and wouldn’t part with it, but give the band saw some credit as the well rounded workhorse it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 A 19 or 20" BS is on my list. I have a 12" that has 12" resaw capacity. I'm primarily interested in furniture and not any cabinet work, so just having a BS would work for me. Since your mentioned cabinets, get a cabinet style TS. (null) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
areynoldsre Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 I do a lot of cabinetry for my house and am starting to work on smaller projects - boxes, cutting boards, serving trays. I started out with a table saw and a router. Then I built a router table. I keep saying I'll buy a band saw as soon as I have a project that I can't do with my existing tools (okay - a requirement from my budget keeper). It's been a few years and I am still looking for that project because I'd really like to have a band saw in my shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ironman50 Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 I got by without a table saw. My band saw – Trajan 914 serves me well. What I like about a band saw is that it takes up less space and less dangerous. Through time, I found out that it is the most versatile tool in the shop. Since I am an average hobby woodworker, a band saw suits me perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted July 23, 2012 Report Share Posted July 23, 2012 The table saw is the workhorse in my shop. I have made many cabinets (both kitchen and other style) using cabinet grade plywood, and the TS is the perfect tool for dimensoning stock. I would find it very difficult to survive without it. I also have a ridgid, but mine is the "contractor saw" - model 3650. If I were you, the only reason I would sell a TS is to buy another one! The table saw is a versatile machine - perfoming repetitive task easily (joinery, crosscutting, ripping, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuxleyWood Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 The interesting thing is when you visit hobby shops (mine included and I am a self professed bandsaw addict) they tend to be TS oriented shops, the more studio furniture builders shops you poke around in the more you begin to see bandsaw centric shops, part of it is the lack of sheet goods use and the higher appreciation of the versatility of the bandsaw. One key difference is the size of the bandsaw, most hobby shops have 14" or smaller saws, I don't think the one can resonably build a bandsaw only shop (without a lot of handtool concentration) unless the bandsaw is in the 24" or larger range. If I was limited to one stationary saw and my focus was fine furniture built from solids a large bandsaw would be my choice but a typical woodworker starting their first shop and not planning to be mostly handtools will probably benefit from a tablesaw far more than a bandsaw due to a lot of factors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JusticeBeaver Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 I sold my table saw and got a nice bandsaw. Better option for real small spaces. But you have to know that magazine tips and plans usually assume a tablesaw centered shop. So you have to get creative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted July 24, 2012 Report Share Posted July 24, 2012 I sold my table saw and got a nice bandsaw. Better option for real small spaces. But you have to know that magazine tips and plans usually assume a tablesaw centered shop. So you have to get creative. Good point, never considered that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tintin Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hi Como, I do my woodworking in a two bedroom apartment. So I pretty much use all Festool... it's pricey but has small footprint and gives me precise results. I would highly recommend the TS55 with the MFT and and parallel guides. Best Regards, - Tintin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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