[SML] Scene Shop Band Saw

[Alex Useted]

I own and am a big fan of the Laguna 14-12. It's a 14" but basically is
Euro style, with the height of a riser block already built into the frame.
I cannot emphasize enough how satisfying it is to be able to rip with its
stock fence and actually have it behave the way you want. It's well worth
the $1100 list price. I lucked out and got one on Craigslist lightly used.
For a budget, I wouldn't go cheaper than the Jet or Grizzly. I've purchased
a Jet 14" for a theatre and it serves a scene shop very well. Get it when
they are doing their regular 10% discounts.

Overall I agree that a 14" with riser block (or equivalent) is the smallest
you should go. We make too many weird funky large things in theatre to be
limited on size if it's smaller. A 17" is nice if you can spare the
footprint, which really isn't much if it's on wheels.

-Alex



On Mon, Feb 25, 2019, 5:39 PM Dougherty, Jim via Stagecraft <
stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

>  A decent 14” band saw will handle most of your needs; to go with that, a
> ¼” blade will do most cutting you need to, though you can change that as
> you need to. My big recommendation is keep your eye on the local Craigslist
> (though buying from Craigslist at an academic institution can be tricky).
> Older, well-made tools occasionally go on sale for far less than the cost
> of a new one, and the older ones used sheet steel or cast aluminum in
> places where current models sometimes use plastic or thinner sheet goods.
> You can purchase riser blocks for the 14” models that get you some
> additional throat height, for which you need additional blades.  Companies
> like Carter make upgraded guides for many brands of saws.  Some are two
> speed models, and you can put metal-cutting blades on those when using the
> slower speed (though that’s not a regular use or even a capability in our
> shops).  If I were buying new, I’d look at Delta, General, Grizzly, Jet or
> Powermatic then go from there.  You didn’t mention budget – if the sky’s
> the limit, go bigger (20” or more) and stick with better brands or Euro
> like Laguna.  Ideally, see the actual tool rather than buy from a picture
> in a catalog.  I bought a sander once thinking the picture looked great and
> the price was right; what I thought was cast aluminum turned out to be
> plastic.  Tool’s been fine, but not what I was expecting.
>
> Long enough, post up more questions if you have them.  For the record, our
> shops have a 14” Delta and a Powermatic 20” and my home shop has a Darra
> James 9”.  Go bigger than that last one, it’s too weensy and replacement
> tires and blades are a bear to find.
>
> - Jim Dougherty
> Middlebury College Theatre Dept.
>
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