Band Saw

Milt · Post by **Milt** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:11 pm

Building RV-8 ... discussion between my son and myself ... do you\we really need a band saw?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:15 pm

Absolutely not. However, I have one, and I'm glad I do. It's not necessary by any means, but it takes a lot of work away from cutting thick AL angle with a hacksaw...

to Rivetbangers Milt!! Glad to have you here!

Post by **Spike** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:47 pm

Nope, dont have to *have* one. But then you dont have to have an electric starter on the airplane either.

I think the band saw is more important than other tools that people get (the fancydimplerdoohickey comes to mind.) The consistency of cuts with the bandsaw makes it advisable to have one IMHO.

- John

dons · Post by **dons** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:50 pm

Not an absolute requirement, but nice to have, most things that you would use a bandsaw for can be down with snips, table saw, cut off wheel, dremel, or hacksaw. That being said, I bought one, it was only about $130, and I ... well ... wanted one

.

BTW,

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:06 pm

I use mine a lot. When I first bought it, I wasn't sure I would use it very often. I'm glad I decided to get it. I find myself using it more to cut other things beside actual RV parts. Various brackets and blocks used to shim this or that or to clamp things together with. I used it a lot this last weekend when I built the wing stands. Very handy.

TomNativeNewYorker · Post by **TomNativeNewYorker** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:26 pm

cjensen wrote:from cutting thick AL angle with a hacksaw...

Phenolic cut off wheel!

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:45 pm

Yeah, I need to get me one a 'dem! My cutoff wheel sucks, and I never use it.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:56 pm

Spike wrote:Nope, dont have to *have* one. But then you dont have to have an electric starter on the airplane either.

I think the band saw is more important than other tools that people get (the fancydimplerdoohickey comes to mind.) The consistency of cuts with the bandsaw makes it advisable to have one IMHO.

- John

I will take my fancydimplerdoohickey over a bandsaw any day of the week!

I can tell you this, I have used the fancydimplerdoohickey more times than I would a bandsaw!

A hacksaw, cutoff wheel, Dremel, sawzall and or jigsaw can go a LOOOONG way! Anything I can't do with those tools I bring to school and use their bandsaw.

They don't have a fancydimplerdoohickey I can borrow!

Besides, the fancydimplerdoohickey is really cheap when you make it yourself!

The bandsaw is on the list of really nice things to have. If you know someone who owns one, you are good enough.

CJ

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:59 pm

I was not going to get a bandsaw and then while at Lowes, looking through the aviation tools, I happened to walk by a Delta bandsaw on sale for $69. For that price I took one of them home with me. Glad I have it as it has come in handy on many items. I use it almost every work session for something.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:06 pm

For $69 I would get one too!

CJ

TomNativeNewYorker · Post by **TomNativeNewYorker** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:21 pm

captain_john wrote:For $69 I would get one too!

CJ

That price has me looking online right now.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:30 pm

That was my reaction! I had looked before and they were around $129 so when I saw it for that price there wasn't much question about it being a good value. Maybe they had it mismarkd but I even checked and it showed on the receipt as a Delta bandsaw so I was happy.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:17 pm

Not really, unless you want one.

I've built my entire 8 so far without one, and just use a hack saw.

I'd still like to have one, but never got around to getting one yet, and I probably won't at this point since I'm far into the fuselage stage.

Still, a nice small one like Dan C. has would be my choice if I were to get one.

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:12 pm

The bandsaw is very useful for cutting the angles on the rudder and elevator stiffeners. In general it significantly speeds up metal cutting tasks. Besides for $69 it's a no-brainer.

I concur with John on the fancy dimpler doohickey. It makes dimpling easy and gives consistent results. Besides it is quiet. In my building situation it is necessary. I do much of my building while my wife is asleep. It simply would not be acceptable to be wanging things with a hammer while she is trying to sleep.

Antony

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:52 pm

I really lucked out with mine. It's a Sears Companion brand that I got on clearance at our Sears store for $49!!!

svanarts · Post by **svanarts** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:35 am

I'd definitely get a band saw and get one with the deepest throat you can find.

I have the strangest feeling I've just walked into something.

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:13 am

I picked up a Delta bandsaw from Lowes for ~$66. I would highly recommend buying a wider 18tpi blade for cutting aluminum. They are only about $8 and definitely cut like a hot knife through butter.

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:49 am

I buy my bandsaw blades from Carbide.com. Right now I'm using a 14tpi blade from there, and it is absolutely smooth as silk cutting AL of any thickness. They range from about $12-25 on Carbide.com.

Scott: I think I'll leave your comment alone...for now...but I will agree. I only have an 8" deck on mine, which leave's me rather limited.

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:07 pm

cjensen wrote:I only have an 8" deck on mine, which leave's me rather limited.

Heh, heh.. Beavis...

Did he just say DECK!?!

heh, heh... heh, heh...

CJ

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:16 pm

Damn it CJ, how are we ever going to get this site qualified as a family friendly site if you keep this up?

The next thing you know someone will go posting a clip of a flying squirrel or something.

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Band Saw

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