Bandsaw Maintenance

[MaryD]

I am considering buying a bandsaw, but have been told by several sources they require a lot of maintenance as far as constant cleaning. Any input from the group is certainly appreciated.

By the way, this is my first post. I stumbled upon this forum about a month ago...what a great place to get reliable information!

MaryD

[John Lucas]

Hi Mary,
That comes as a surprise to me. It makes sawdust (some very fine sawdust) so you have to clean that up and it has moving parts so it requires a bit of lubrication and it has a steel table so it needs waxing....but those things are required for all the shop tools. I personally love maintaining these tools...sort of like powdering a baby's bottom...there is joy to having it squeeky clean. [admitted a long time ago.]
I will look forward to other peoples' responses. That is what is great about this forum -- different woodworkers coming together with different experiences.
John Lucas
www.woodshopdemos.com

Maureen at work on bandsaw in shop:
http://woodshopdemos.com/adirk-10.jpg

[barbsiddiqui]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-24-02 AT 11:27PM (CDT)

Mary- As John says, any machine requires at least some maintenance. The bandsaw is one of the most versatile tools in any woodworking shop, and buying a good one opens new possibilities in dimensioning your own wood as well as working sculpted joints and many adaptations of curved work. They come in all sizes, and I'd suggest buying the best you can afford. Here is my Laguna 16SEC I am so proud of. Another forum member, Raven Tekwe, outdid me and bought a big Agazzani bandsaw I am jealous of. I guess there is always one more 'step up' you can take! -Barb S.

Oh, and I forgot to add: a Hearty Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us. -BAS

[David Yoho]

Hi Mary,

I suppose it all depends on how meticulous you are about your shop being clean. Some folks don't mind having sawdust and mess everywhere. In fact, they probably work better that way. Others use a clean-as-you-go system and that works for them.

When it comes to cleaning and maintaining equipment and tools, I figure they will take care of me if I take care of them. After using my bandsaw, and I know I won't need it again for a while, I release the tension on the blade, vacuum the dust out and off of it, blow anything left after vacumming with the air hose, and make sure I remove any wood dust from the rubber tires the blade tracks on. That's about it and it's ready for use the next time I need it.

Don't let some of the things you hear or read determine what you should or should not do until you've had the chance to do exactly what you've done here - - Ask! I think you'll enjoy using a bandsaw and it can really add a lot of capability to your woodworking.

David

[Raven]

Glad to have you here! Bandsaws can be wonderful machines! I agree with others, I don't think they require more maintenance than any other machine. They do have their peculiarities, like blade changing and tensioning, but once you get the hang of it, they're pretty easy. I'm trying to figure out why you were told they need constant cleaning. The only thing I can think of is that they do create a lot of fine dust, so good dust collection is a must. All bandsaws are not created equal, however, and if you get a cheap machine, you'll be tearing your hair out with frustration. What saw are you thinking of getting?

Raven

[MaryD]

Thanks to everyone who responded. This is an investment for me so wanted to get as much info as possible. I came to the right place for input.

I am not yet sure what brand I will buy, but rest assure I will be adding one to my workshop.

MaryD

[David Yoho]

Hey Mary,

Good to see another VA person here. I'm in Mechanicsville, which is not right around the corner but still not too far.

Do you know about Northland Forest Products up there in Manassas? They have a nice selection of domestic hardwoods there and their prices aren't too bad. I have been to the location in Troy which is closer to me (still an hours drive one way).

Here's their Home Page for the Manassas location:

http://www.northlandforest.com/manassas.html for Manassas Retail Outlet ***ONE***

David

[MaryD (Guest)]

David,

Thanks. I have been looking for a place near by to buy reasonably priced hardwoods and have not been too successful. I certainly will check this place out.

Mary

[Barbara Gill]

Yeah, there don't seem to be too many of us Virginians around here. I am glad to see another one. I will ditto what David said about Northland Forest Products. I have bought hardwood from the Troy location occasionally for flooring jobs. Not only do they have a good product but also they are very nice to work with.
Barbara
www.velvitoil.com

[MaryD]

Is Troy close to Lake Anna (Louisa County)? If so it would be great since my workshop is at Lake Anna.

Mary