Hello, all:
I am as novice as novice can be. To be sure this is my first post ever and, fittingly enough, it concerns what will be my first major tool purchase.
Should that purchase be a 14″ bandsaw or a lathe?
I am sure some of you are scratching your heads. My reasoning is this: At this point in my life I have neither the time or resources (obviously) to commit to large projects. In my thinking, the best I can manage are “skill builders”- very small projects- maybe even outright practicing on scrap. In that I have always been drawn to woodtruning and it will take more time to master, am I then to first purchase a lathe? Or do I purchase a bandsaw for the versatility it allows?
Please include any specific recommendations you might have with your replys. I am constantly searching for side-by-side product comparisons and would appreciate any periodical or web locations any of you might have as well.
Forgive any perceived naivete and thanks for your input.
Replies
If I were forced to choose only between those two tools it would be the bandsaw. Together with handtools--backsaws, chisels, planes, you could make virtually any piece of furniture, except of course those using turnings.
z-
What Steve said. Besides, you will want to have the bandsaw for cutting your turning blanks when you do get your lathe. It is safer than a tablesaw, more civilized than a chainsaw, faster than a handsaw.
Bill
zloydtaylor,
A reasonably good bandsaw all set up will cost about 1/2-2/3rds. that of a reasonably good lathe with tools and sharpening equipment.
Both tools will allow to recycle timbers into useful projects.
The bandsaw will/can be all you really need for furniture...the lathe is a bit more limited in its project scope.
It really comes down to what do you like doing best?
For me, I'd give up my lathe before the bandsaw...but I ain't giving up either...lol
If you are attracted to turning, get a lathe. Any pursuit has it's learning curve. The lathe can be a very satisfying hobby and you can produce some great pieces with that alone. You won't need a truck load of lumber to get started. If you are inclined towards cabinets and furniture, I'd look at a table saw before a band saw. You'll need a lot more tools and space if you pursue cabinet and furniture work.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
from what it reads like you're saying, go with the lathe.
a bandsaw alone doesn't seem to me to be something you would be able to use that much to make anything nice - you would need several other tools to complete/refine whatever it is you want to make. besides, from what I have read, most people say to get a table saw first, then a bandsaw is maybe #2 through 4 on the list, depending on who writes it.
with a lathe on the otherhand, with a few turning tools you can make bowls, spindles (for stool legs that you can finish with a few hand tools), candle holders, vases. I find it for the most part relaxing as there is usually no worries about exacting measurements to make.
zloydtaylor
I think the question you need to ask yourself is "what do I want to make?" If you are attracted to the idea of making bowls, pens, and small round objects, then a lathe makes sens. But in the whole arena of woodworking, it seems to me to a lathe a tool that you might eventually come across a need when you need to make table or chair legs or other parts of bigger objects.
I started out not long ago from the home-handyman area into making furniture repairs and small boxes, frames, clocks, etc., now moving into larger furniture things. My order of purchase was:
cheap bench top table saw, miter saw, router, clamps, orbital sander, shop-vac, dust collector, second router, drill press, jointer, planer, better table saw, disk sander, air filter, third router, handplanes, hand saws, better measuring tools, bandsaw, and maybe someday soon, a lathe.
If you want to make furniture, then you need to be able to square up your stock. This can be accomplished solely with a bandsaw and hand tools (jointer plane and shooting board), but nowadays, nearly everyone uses a jointer, planer, bandsaw/table saw combo to accomplish this task.
So unless you have a lot of time to make your stock square and straight with hand tools, you will need some other machinery as well for general woodworking. A 14" bandsaw, 6" jointer, and 12" bench planer would get you started -- at a cost of $1,200 - $1,500 if you buy new. For woodworking, a band saw is deifinitely a priority over a table saw. The exception is if you intend to focus on cabinets and will use mainly sheet goods and small (1x2, 1x3) solid wood for face frames, etc. In that case a good table saw is pretty critical.
If you just want to turn, then get a lathe and you're done. You could get by with a circular saw and a sawzall to rough out bowl blanks and other stock for your turnings.
Have fun.
Thread 6995.1 covered minimum tool requirements for woodworking in a lot of detail. The conclusion was that you don't "need" a lot of machinery to get started.Pete
Edited 11/30/2005 7:45 pm ET by PeteBradley
I don't think I have ever heard of a choice between those two for the first power tool, but if you really want to do wood turning you will end up with both. With those two and a good collection of hand tools, you could build just about ANY piece of period furniture you wanted, and anything else for that matter.
Look for good used stuff, I preach the gospel of older Delta 14" bandsaws and the Ittura Design catalog as the BEST way to get into hi performance bandsawing. Used older lathes are around that are in great shape.
I started woodworking about 5 years ago. I used to build street rods. Sold my last one and was walking through home depot one day and saw the Ridgid lathe setup on display. I bought it and have loved turning ever since. I have since added just about every woodworking tool out here except for a jointer. I had a benchtop Delta that just took too long to use. I build about everything now but turning is still my favorite. HOWEVER, for regular turning on a part time basis, the ridgid has served me well. If you can afford a better lathe then go for it. One of these days I will replace the ridgid with a bigger more versatile lathe, but don't know what brand it will be.
Edited 11/28/2005 8:10 pm ET by papadan
I have to agree with the posters who say the decision is based on outcome.
I love my lathe, and use it a lot to embellish furniture, make legs, knobs, handles, etc. But those items are typically part of something else. Purer turning tends to be either "artistic" bowl turning, or more project driven (how many more peppermills can I make??).
My bandsaw is a godsend. The 15 years I went without one was a self-inflicted torture that pains me whenever I think about it. I think of it as a power-hand-saw. I can freehand all the precise cuts that need jigging or setups on the tablesaw or other machines. But- those are furniture parts. Not standalone projects (how many plywood reindeer cutouts do you plan on making??)
Enjoy either purchase. buy wisely, buy once.
The older I get, the better I was....
definitely a band saw, the best you can buy!
Reading this thread was very educational.
I don't know if this helps but the very first "woodworking" power tool I purchased was a router, a PC 690 to be exact. I actually purchased it to help me in my installing as a locksmith. A Locksmith/installer does a LOT of mortising, with and without templates, shallow and deep.
As a locksmith I also carry, drills, grinder, jigsaw and many, many hand tools.
When I got the woodworking bug my first dedicated purchase was a benchtop table saw. With that and my router I built my nephew a toybox. It was made with solid oak and oak plywood.
next I dropped down about $750 for a basic 6" jointer and 12" planer from grizzly. I started using rough lumber after that. Made 3 tables. Got a contractor table saw and gave the bench top to my brother in law.
Rumor has it My wife-to-be may be getting me a SCMS for Christmas. My next Big Machine will definitely be a Band saw. I use one in a park district shop from time to time and I always leave with a longing for that big beautiful saw. I will most likely save my pennies until I can afford an 18"er. I have dreams of resawing and bookmatched panels.
BTW... Best thing I ever did, and still do, to build skills is build small decorative boxes. you use very little lumber, get to practice lots of different joinery, and they make great presents.
Muleboy.
Lathe.
Harbor Freight #34706. Lists for $279 but goes on sale for about $150-160. If you go this route don't buy their other lathes. Just this one. Do a search in this forum to get an idea of other users opinions.
If you find you don't like woodworking (or turning) then you could sell it and not suffer a great loss.
With a lathe, you can make a complete project in a single sitting as this is more of the nature of a lathe then, say, a bandsaw. Start with small bowls, round boxes, pens, baseball bat key chains, Christmas tree ornaments, etc. You can make these in minutes or hours using found wood or something good from the lumber yard.
Woodcraft has numerous books, videos and classes to get you started.
Note: I don't currently own a lathe but there is one planned for in my future; probably the one mentioned above.
The lathe will enable you to make creations in a shorter time frame. If you do go with a lathe, invest a weekend taking an intro class. Many Woodcraft stores have classes. Or hunt up a local chapter of the AAW where you can get some first hand advice and pointers. Turning isn't that hard, but it has to be experienced--you won't learn as easily from a book or video as you will with someone experienced standing next to you. Otherwise, you might get frustrated and give up.
[URL=http://www.jameseddywoodworks.com]James Eddy Woodworks[/URL]
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