Building Out a Workshop

[apb2390]

Originally Posted by popnbrown

Any reason why you are recommending this model? I've seen Jet in many shops and know they're a well-used brand.


Also do you have any suggestions for a bench-top or floor-standing bandsaw?

I linked the Jet because it was the first thing to come to mind as a decent, robust floor-standing drill press, and is generally available semi-locally to a lot of US teams. JETs are also sold, often more cheaply, as Grizzly or KBC (I think there's a couple other rebrands, too) - be sure to look for that kind of tool at a cheaper price.

As far as a band saw goes, a good floor-standing 13 3/4" Delta (or equivalent Jet/Grizzly) can sometimes be had for $250-300 from Lowes or equivalent. Surprisingly, I hear the Harbor Freight 9" benchtop bandsaw or MSC/Northern equivalrnt is pretty good. It is harbor freight, though, so keep that in mind.

You might also consider a horizontal band saw, instead of (or in addition to) a vertical one. Horizontals are nicer for cutting thick materials and pieces with larger structural cross sections, and can cut longer sections off without having to waste material with angle cuts. Basically, anything you'd do with a hack saw is work best suited for a Horizontal. They're not suited for more delicate work, though - you can do a lot on a vertical bandsaw with a steady hand. Many horizontals can be changed to be vertical position, and come with a table for this use. Brand recommendations are the same.

Used band saws can be a good idea in some cases, if you can find a robust older machine. You can often get a hold of well-used but still-good band saws for a decent price - local auctions and repocast are the places to look. Keep in mind you might be getting into a little restoration work if you go that route, but it can be well worth it. I was spoiled... we got to use a wide-mouth bandsaw that looked something like this. The thing cuts like a dream, and has a mouth wide enough to accomodate any work you throw at it. Finding a machine like that (hopefully not that big) is a great pickup.

For all bandsaws, remember to get wood or soft material blades (large tooth) instead of metal blades for cutting aluminum - see here for why.