When is a bandsaw necessary?

[mdallensr]

Anita, scroll saws are also needed to cut blind holes (internal holes) in carving blanks. If you've seen fret-work, you get the idea. You have to drill a hole through the carving, feed the scroll saw blade through the hole, make your cut, then remove the blade. There is no practical way to do that with a band saw (see photo below).

Band saws and scroll saws are described by the size of work that will fit between the blade and the frame of the saw (throat size). Next is the thickness of the wood they can cut. Most bandsaws will cut up to 6" thick wood, and have at least a 10"-12" throat, so they will cut just about any blank needed for caricatures, in two dimensions. If you use your bandsaw much at all, you will start to care about the quality of the blade guides, vibration, dust extraction, and table flatness and alignment. Nothing makes a bigger difference than a good blade. Mike

[Kenny_S]

MDALLEn hit it on the head for sure. You can have the most expensivest bandsaw and a lousy blade and you will get lousy cuts. Personally, Wolf brand blades for the bandsaw and Flying dutchman for the scroll saw.

Anita, I still use the scroll saw to cut out a lot of my carvings as Lynn in his seminar, showed how to piece a caricature together. Again, A quality saw and blade. Learn the saws, meaning learn everything about it, its capabilities, what it can't do, and practice safety first and formost. Not to scared of the scroll saw but the table and band saw, I give them respect. Let me say that I respect the scroll saw also but the other two, more so.

[knightflight]

Originally Posted by RoadKingMN

Lakes Area Woodcarvers have an open carving night on Tuesdays. Those are fun.

What is an open carving night?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by knightflight

What is an open carving night?

Anyone can go, don't have to be a memberCowboy

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

A bandsaw is a convenience, as is a scroll saw. Some of the finest carvings in the world were done without the use of either. Some great carvings are done today without the use of either. Don't let the lack of either deter you. You can still do great carvings. Carvers from Grinnling Gibbons to Ivan Whillock didn't and don't use either.