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Bandsaws, tips, upgrades and advice.

Ok, ive got an old sears craftsman 12" bandsaw on a floor stand. It gets used the most of my power tools. My upgrades are added wheels so I can roll it out of my harage to use. Now lets here your advice on bandsaws.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on January 7, 2017 at 23:13

WOW .. SWEET.
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Nicely done. As you've acknowledged .. your needs are not those of a production facility ..this will meet your personal needs for some time to come. Very very nice !!!

KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Carl Rechsteiner on January 8, 2017 at 6:26

Need + will = way

Actually many of us knifemakers take advantage of wheels (we tend to accumulate tools that need to be moved from time to time.

KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Carl Rechsteiner on January 8, 2017 at 6:43

Sounds like it's going to work just fine for you. I'd consider hooking up a shop vac if you do decide to use it inside the house. The "fines" will settle everywhere and you will get "we need to dust the house Dear" request much more frequently (even when you haven't used it for a while). The other thing is much handle material (wood/stabilized/other) can be very toxic. Just don't want that in the house at all, especially in the kitchen. Don't want to get the pox eating your Cherrio's.

Permalink Reply by allanm on January 8, 2017 at 11:57

Good points on dust and toxicity Carl. I had not thought much about stabilized materials since a lot of what I am looking at would be exotic woods. Or simple pine, using the band saw to cut little things like deer and other toys for kids.

But I see how even small amounts of stabilizer as in the bone (buffalo) I already bought for one knife could spread and be a problem very quickly. I don't expect to do a lot of sawing indoors, maybe more sanding. But that's probably an even bigger toxic dust risk. I do already have a supply of masks and might be looking into a better mask than the basic simple disposable ones before long as well.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on January 8, 2017 at 13:58

We bought that one at Harbor Freight! I think since it is only for when cutting steel he will be good. I was unaware until this discussion that his big one was supposed to be only for wood. Gotta have the right tool for the job
Carl Rechsteiner said:

Hey Jan, just watch CL, they pop up all the time. Not sure how a Harbor Freight one would hold up, but they've had a deep cut one on sale for <$100 with cupon lately.

Mine is just one of those "recycle" things I do. Picked it up at a yard sale for $20 - cord was chewed off, handle cracked and "On" switch hold device broken (hence sliding wire tie). Motor solid as are bearings and friction belt on drive wheel will eventually have to be replaced, but overall a solid machine with easily accessible parts. I use it all the time.

KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Carl Rechsteiner on January 9, 2017 at 7:18

Rule of thumb - if you can smell it through your mask filter then you are breathing in the toxic fumes. Yes, sanding dust will be even worse than the saw dust. All organic materials can carry bio. vectors that can breed in your lungs, even pine. Some exotics can be deadly depending on your individual genetics. The synthetic and mineral dusts will just accumulate in you lungs and reduce capacity, cause "black lung disease", or in the case of heavy metals like lead, chrome, etc. trigger carcinogenic growth.

Not trying to scare you.....wait, yes I am. We have to be careful with the things we do, we only get one run at this life. Some of the things we have done, do and will do should kill us outright. Amazing that we survive it all for any length of time. Just be careful my friend - I don't recommend running that kind of equipment anywhere in general living quarters. Get an easy-up with walls and an extension cord and move it outside if you can.

allanm said:

Good points on dust and toxicity Carl. I had not thought much about stabilized materials since a lot of what I am looking at would be exotic woods. Or simple pine, using the band saw to cut little things like deer and other toys for kids.

But I see how even small amounts of stabilizer as in the bone (buffalo) I already bought for one knife could spread and be a problem very quickly. I don't expect to do a lot of sawing indoors, maybe more sanding. But that's probably an even bigger toxic dust risk. I do already have a supply of masks and might be looking into a better mask than the basic simple disposable ones before long as well.