Bandsaw vs. Scroll saw?

[rallen]

I am contemplating starting on some doll furniture and was giving some thought to buying a scroll saw. Then I started to think about the capabilities of the bandsaw, which I already have (though dating back to the early 60's with the Magna nameplate), and I wondered whether I could get by with a narrow blade. Since I don't know alot about the capabilities of either saw, I wondered if someone could tell me the advantages of one over the other for different types of work.

Thanks.

Robert

[james.miller]

The bandsaw will cut signifficantly faster but leaves a roughtr cut that needs to be sanded. A scrollsaw in the hands of an experianced user will leave a very smooth cut but takes a while to finish the cut and it also takes a while to master.

Jim in Tucson

[a1gutterman]

A scrollsaw can make "internal" cuts that a bandsaw cannot.

[deanthom]

Jim & A1G got the big points for sure.

If you use a 1/16" blade on a bandsaw, you can cut really really smoooooothly, actually. You can get those blades in up to 24 tpi. That's about the same as you have for really fine scrollsaw blades.

The main deal is that, as A1G said, you can't do inside cuts. You can't cut the inside out of the letter D, in other words. If you want to do gingerbready work, "fretwork" as most know it, you should go scrollsaw.

Get all the machine you can afford. For a few extra bucks, you can get variable speed. It's a very valuable assett, especially with specialized materials like thinly veneered plywood, plastics and more. The stand-alone units can go really sloooooooowwwww, and that's a good thing.

[rallen]

Thanks for the advice. How does the shopsmith scroll saw perform? It sounds like it would be a great tool for my current set of projects, though as long as I avoid the inside cuts I can get by with the 1/16" blade on the bandsaw, once I recondition the machine (when I took the cover off, it is missing the upper tire, the lower tire is not in good shape, it doesn't have cool blocks [yet], doesn't have the dust collection shute, and it has a tensioning guide assembly (?) just below the upper tire-less wheel that doesn't look right/original). Guess I have a little work to do on that bandsaw before I start the new project!

What about the old tubular model vs. the new one with the rectangular arm? Does it make sense to consider a used old style one, or should I bite the bullet and save for the new one? Anything to look out for on the used ones in particular?

Robert

[paulmcohen]

For the bandsaw get the urethane tires (522458) you will be very happy, expecially since you don't have to remove the old tires (which is a real pain and yours are already missing). I prefer Carteraftermarket bearings (SHS1) to the Cool Blocks for very small blades, I still use Cool Blocks (555374) on larger blades for resawing. The new bandsaw cover (522221) with solve the duct collection issue and allow adjustments without removing the cover.

[reible]

I think I read here twice that you can not do internal bandsaw cuts... well that is true if you think "inside the box" or is that "outside the box" but anyway as you know wood workers often do things that are not as they seem. A case in point are bandsaw boxes. You do need to make a cut thru the material to get inside but you just glue it up when you are finished doing the inside cuts.... Also take the letter D, it can be done in two pieces like |) and then glued... So while they are not really internal cuts the finshed project looks like they were...... (Use your search engine to look up bandsaw boxes if you do not know what I'm talking about.)

I have the older jig saw version (610) and it had been over in the corner for several years (I'm not sure but 7-10 years but I just got it out and working again last year) while the bandsaw (non-shopsmith) is used all the time, it just depends on what projects you are working on at the time. Both have a place in the shop.

I a lot of projects I use to do with the jig saw I now do with a router. In fact one of the main uses of my bandsaw is ruff cutting patterns to be sanded up or work pieces ruff cut to finish with the router.

Ed

[s.henderson]

reible is right about the ability of the band saw. Haveing said that, you realy need tolook at what you want to do for a project and what tool would be best suited. My thoughts are that the fret saw or scroll saw would be best suited for miniature furniture. I think that reglueing the saw kerf in a small chair for example would be noticable in the way that you would be able to see the one side of the cut bent out if alienment to be joined with the other side of the cut. The glue joint is not as noticeable in the larger bandsaw boxes. By the way the web sites for them are really worth checking out. I have made quite a few of them and they are realy fun to do and beautiful when finished. Good luck with your decision making.

Scott

[rallen]

Guess I better start taking that bandsaw apart to see what it needs to get it up and running! Oh, and when I said one of the tires was missing, I didn't say that it had been CLEANLY removed LOL. But I am up to the challenge!!!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Robert

[paulmcohen]

My son found out a Dremel with a brass brush makes it go quickly, once it if scuffed up he used goof-off.