Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Careless John on January 6, 2013 at 2:35am

Hi Paul, A band saw would without doubt be a big bonus when it comes to building, but you can make a really good build with minimal tools also. i.e.: when I do my necks I use a simple spoke shave to remove the bulk of the wood and then various sandpapers to smooth off. The result is the same ... but it does take longer.

I would only recommend buying a large amount of electrical tools if you plan on doing a lot of builds.

My 1st build was all by hand, and although it took a while to finish it came out really nice. I now have, a small band saw, and thats all, the rest is done using hand drills, hand saw, and files etc.

Good luck with the build Paul and don't forget to show and tell lol.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 6, 2013 at 11:20am

I have a 12 Craftsman band saw that I've owned for over 30 years. Recently I bought a 16" scroll saw at Harbor Freight and I'm finding it very useful. Besides that I have a chop saw, small table saw, small drill press, table sander, small shaper, and a good quality table router. All have their place. 

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on January 6, 2013 at 11:26am

Band saw, without a doubt.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 6, 2013 at 11:47am

A good band saw is extremely versatile. You can scroll, cross cut, rip, resaw, and much more. It's probably the tool I'd least want to lose. 

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Permalink Reply by Brendan deVallance on January 6, 2013 at 2:18pm

I do it all with a table saw, drill press and bench sander, electronic tool speaking. But a band saw definitely would be a blessing in some situations. Im adapting to what I have and really have no room for a bandsaw. My shop is in the back yard.

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Permalink Reply by Niels Vaillant on January 7, 2013 at 10:43am

6m2 is enough for a bandsaw 8 (and a lot more) ..... still hoping to get a bigger workshop this year.

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Permalink Reply by wormil on January 6, 2013 at 5:39pm

I've never owned a Ryobi tool but on the woodworking sites I frequent they get the most complaints.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 7, 2013 at 1:17pm

Just discovered that the orbital sander I recently purchased at an auction is a Ryobi. I tried it out today and it worked fine. Don't know how old it is but it doesn't look abused and it runs strong. I have a larger Black & Decker I bought used at a yard sale and it too works well. Yard sales and auctions are great places to find bargains on wood working tools, both hand tools and power tools. 

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 7, 2013 at 4:00am

My only Ryobi experience was with a weed wacker and it didn't last long at all. But it was very cheap and I got what I paid for. Replaced it with a Stihl and it's lasted for years. If I wasn't going to work a tool hard I would probably buy a Ryobi. 

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 7, 2013 at 7:18am

I think the most repeated complaint on the review sites I've seen about the Ryobi bandsaws (which appear attractive, price-wise), is that it's difficult to keep the blade from drifting, resulting in cuts that are not straight. I'd give it a pass. You can build a great git with the tools you have. Instead, search eBay, Craiglist, and local auction houses for pre-1970s bandsaws, if you're set on getting a tool that is definitely nice to have.

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Permalink Reply by David McQueen on January 7, 2013 at 7:26am

Yup, I also want to get a band saw ... Again. The one I used to have was a three wheel band saw. I could not get the blade to stay on. Next time, a two wheel one.

Ryobi is a budget brand. I would treat it the same way I used to treat Black and Decker. I would buy B &D first. If it did not break, fine. If it did, that meant I really needed a better grade of tool. Over years I saved a lot of money. It was surprising how often I did not need the latest and greatest.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Chapman on January 7, 2013 at 9:44am

Never had a 3-wheel band saw but the first one I bought back in early 80s was a 4-wheel and it was horrible. Impossible to keep the blades on. Sold it and bought a 2-wheel 12" Craftsman and it has been fantastic for over 30 years. The only thing I ever did to it was replace the motor with one of greater HP because I was using it for heavy-duty commercial purposes and the original motor was too small. 

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