Hello this is my first post but I've been coming to this forum for a long time. Always loved looking at all of your creations while hoping to one day build my own. So about a month ago I finally did and I was surprised by the results. So were a couple other people because now I've gotten requests to build a couple more cbg's. So having fallen in love with the process I've decided to invest in buying a couple of tools. 

So I was just about to buy a jigsaw at the home depot thinking it would be the best tool (at a modest price) to turn planks into necks, but knowing nothing about tools I was overwhelmed by all the differences: rpm, watts, amps, and prices.

In the end I decided not to buy anything without reading up on the subject first. So i've seen all sorts of different opinions, jigsaw, hand saw, band saw, table saw, even a guy (not on this site) who made some sort of table where he fixed his jigsaw upside down.   

So after reading THIS POST I've come to the conclusion that a band saw would be the most versatile tool, specially after  JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD posted on the second page that he can even cut really thin veneers.

So what do you guys think, I'm currently trying to decide between a few different 16 inch scroll saws, I live in Mexico most imported tools are twice as expensive. I'm currently looking at this one, only I'd be paying double plus shipping on mexican ebay, or a similar Delta brand 16 inch for half the price and no shipping since it's nearby. If anyone is interested here is the link, it's in spanish but the specs are 16" Delta blade, up to 2 inch cuts and 1750 rpm. Would that do the trick? From looking at both of these I'm assuming I would have to rig some sort of support to make straight cuts, is that right? 

So what do you guys think about these two? Am I better off buying a more expensive and used Makita? I've even seen one with a laser.

As you can see I know practically nothing about woodworking (learned quite a bit making my first cbg) so your help is greatly appreciated, I've already bought some really nice exotic woods and I'm planning on building some really good looking cbg's, I'll post pics if anyone is interested. Thanks in advance, and I apologize for my english, but it's not first language.

Edit: I now see the difference between bandsaw and scroll saw, is a scroll saw no good? Should i be looking at band saws exclusively?

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Just my humble opinion but I'm not sure a band saw would be a great choice considering your relative lack of experience with woodworking.

Band saws are awesome tools, but they can take off a couple of fingers before you realize what has happened. If you want a power saw, I would suggest a jig saw. That would give you several advantages; 1,fairly easy to learn how to use one, 2; not very expensive 3; portable 4;cuts straight or intricate curves 5; easy to change blades and they are not expensive 6; variable speed models (which I suggest getting) allow great control when cutting very soft,thin wood like a cigar box. 7; you can still cut your finger off but you would have to work harder at it. 

Add a mitre box and back saw and you would be able to do most of the work needed for a CBG for a very modest investment and a much higher degree of safety.

Keep in mind that JUJU is an experienced cabinet maker and has many years of woodworking under his belt.
If you look close, he is calling a scroll saw a bandsaw...so, a little confusion to clear up for him...two differant tools...and yes a jigsaw will be less expensive...and all the other good stuff you said...A scrollsaw will be a little to specialized to start with...
Thank you Cameron I have now edited my post.


Thanks Bluesheart, I guess my initial thought of buying a jigsaw was right, it's just that I was disuaded by another post where some people called jigsaws inacurate. And now that Cameron has pointed out that what I'm looking at are scroll saws, should i go with the jig saw or the scroll saw? Am i right to assume that the scroll saw is like a fixed jig saw?



 

Bluesheart said:

Just my humble opinion but I'm not sure a band saw would be a great choice considering your relative lack of experience with woodworking.

Band saws are awesome tools, but they can take off a couple of fingers before you realize what has happened. If you want a power saw, I would suggest a jig saw. That would give you several advantages; 1,fairly easy to learn how to use one, 2; not very expensive 3; portable 4;cuts straight or intricate curves 5; easy to change blades and they are not expensive 6; variable speed models (which I suggest getting) allow great control when cutting very soft,thin wood like a cigar box. 7; you can still cut your finger off but you would have to work harder at it. 

Add a mitre box and back saw and you would be able to do most of the work needed for a CBG for a very modest investment and a much higher degree of safety.

yes, Carlos, but less agressive...and of coarse upside down, so you have more control...you can see your work
Ok, I'm still not sure which way to go then. I suppose the scrollsaw would be more stable simply because it's not handheld, but i guess that also means the jigsaw would be easier to handle around curves. Right now I'm looking at the jigsaws they have at home depot (variable speed ones as per bluesheart's suggestion) and prices vary greatly, do i really need a laser guide and all that stuff? If it will give me more precision I'm willing to spend a bit more. In my experience its better to spend some more initially and be satisfied for a couple years than having to replace something later on. Or should I just get the scroll saw?
No you don't need the laser at all, variable speed is best, you'll be able to make more small artsy items like your saddle, nut, any trim pieces that require more precision with the scroll saw, where you will use the jigsaw for more basic cuts before using hand tools to shape your neck, or for fast cutting, but not as fine cutting...so....you'll probably use your scrollsaw for more things, but you won't do any of them very fast...personally and this is just me, but i have two bandsaws a 14" delta with a 6" addition for height which i use for straight fast cutting, and a chinese 14" bandsaw with a thin blade for scroll type work, very smooth...the delta i can feed 15" tall logs thru to make my own lumber, as well as make my own thin veneers...love them both, but a bit more money, and very versatile...now that your really confused...i guess i'd choose the scrollsaw with a good knowledge of what blades do what job for you...Hope this helps you...i also have two older delta scrollsaws that i use too...

TOOLS TOOLS TOOLS...GOTTA LOVE EM!!!!!

Thanks Cameron, you've been very helpful. I think I'll definitely go with the used 16 inch Delta scroll saw then. I dont mind it being slower and once I get a couple cbgs under my belt and feel more confident that I wont be loosing a finger I'll invest on the bandsaw.

Cameron Bleuer said:
No you don't need the laser at all, variable speed is best, you'll be able to make more small artsy items like your saddle, nut, any trim pieces that require more precision with the scroll saw, where you will use the jigsaw for more basic cuts before using hand tools to shape your neck, or for fast cutting, but not as fine Hope this helpscutting...so....you'll probably use your scrollsaw for more things, but you won't do any of them very fast...personally and this is just me, but i have two bandsaws a 14" delta with a 6" addition for height which i use for straight fast cutting, and a chinese 14" bandsaw with a thin blade for scroll type work, very smooth...the delta i can feed 15" tall logs thru to make my own lumber, as well as make my own thin veneers...love them both, but a bit more money, and very versatile...now that your really confused...i guess i'd choose the scrollsaw with a good knowledge of what blades do what job for you...

Okay, a scroll saw is called a scroll saw because it's intended for just that: executing scroll cuts in smaller pieces of wood.  It is considered more of a hobbyist's or craft saw.  It's really good for doing intricate cuts in thinner pieces of wood like f-holes, patterns with tight turns, etc, etc.  I wouldn't want to cut anything on a scroll saw that was thicker than 1/2" thick and even then, I'd be feeding it real slow.  All work that I do on my scroll saw is limited to stock 1/4" thick or less.

 

A band saw is a shop work horse.  You can put a scroll blade on it (very small, very sharp radius cuts) but you can also put huge blades on as well that will rip the hell out of wood.  Blades like this are really only good for cutting straight, and I believe it is this that Juju was referring to for cutting veneer (it's great for this kind of cut and, if you have a really big band saw - like saw mill size - you can resaw large billets and create book matched facings).  You can also put metal cutting blades on a band saw and work with metal stock.

 

So if you want to cut intricate patterns in thin pieces of wood, get a scroll saw.  If you want a powerful saw that can be quickly adapted to do a large array of tasks by changing out the blade, go bandsaw.  Try to get one with the greatest cutting height and deepest throat that you can afford (the greater these two parameters, the more money you will spend).

 

Also, any tool I ever bought that included a laser guide - the guide crapped out after a few weeks worth of use.  It's just some extra ten cent frippery that they're adding to the tool but in the end not worth a whole hell of a lot.

 

That's it, I'm done.  Choose well, Grasshopper.

If you'll indulge me, I cut the body for this guitar using a band saw with a scroll blade.  Very thin, very tiny blade but chewed through a thick one piece slab of African Mahogany like it was nothing.

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