Band Saw for Woodworking and Metal Cutting

A bandsaw is a tool that not only revamps a workshop but also increases its functionality. It also adds a top-notch appeal to your workpieces. So, if you like to dabble in woodworking from time to time or are a professional, getting a bandsaw will make your task a lot easier.

Be it occasional carpentry or full-time metalworking, everybody can benefit from this super handy device because of the flexibility it brings to their work.

Now, how to get the best woodworking bandsaw as well metal cutting applications for yourself? To help you make the right pick, here, we’ve compiled a list of top bandsaws out there. Let’s get to know them.

Quick Comparison of 5 Best Bandsaw for Resawing

Product	Key Specifications	More Info
WEN 3962 Band Saw	Blade Size:  72-inch Cutting Depth:  6-inch Speed: 2620 FPM Bevel: 45-degree Weight:  73 lbs.	Price
SKIL 3386-01 Band Saw	Blade Size:  59-inch Cutting Depth: 3.5-inch Speed: 2800 FPM Bevel: 30-degree Weight:  30.86 lbs.	Price
Rikon 10-3061 Bandsaw	Blade Size: 70.5-inch Cutting Depth:  10-inch Speed: 3280 FPM Bevel: 45-degree Weight:  82.8 lbs.	Price
JET JWBS-14DXPRO Bandsaw	Blade Size:  105-inch Cutting Depth:  12-inch Speed: 3000 FPM Bevel: 45-degree Weight:  247 lbs.	Price
Grizzly Industrial G0803Z	Blade Size:  62-inch Cutting Depth:  9-inch Speed: 2460 FPM Bevel: 45-degree Weight:  42 lbs.	Price

Top 5 Band Saw Reviews Fine Woodworking

If you are looking for a bandsaw for wood and metal, then you don’t need to look any further. After doing a lot of research, we narrowed our list down to 5 top bandsaws for anyone looking to make a purchase that will be worth every penny!

WEN Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand and Worklight 3962

Blade Size: 72-inch
Cutting Depth: 6-inch
Weight: 73 lbs.

Highlight Features:

• 1520 FPM to 2620 FPM dual-speed blade action.
• Miter gauge and adjustable fence.
• The table can be angled up to 45° right.
• Perfect for resawing wood.

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Resawing wood has never been easier because this workhorse of a tabletop bandsaw is all you need to shine! A 9-¾” throat, the distance between the blade and the vertical frame, leaves room for wide enough cuts.

Making 6″ deep cuts across the wood’s thickness and along its length takes a minimum amount of time. Needless to say, for a powerful tool like the WEN 10″ dual-speed bandsaw, you can do this in one go!

And make use of the 72″ blade for cutting materials anywhere between ⅛” to ½” in size. The table can be leveled up to 45° for creating angled slits up to 6″ in depth. Furthermore, the dust port fits dust collection hoses of three different sizes- 1-¾”, 2-¾”, and 4″ for effortless maintenance.

If you think that having a benchtop option means throwing the versatility of a bandsaw straight out of the window, this well-made one will definitely change your mind! The optional 25″ stand makes way for both floor-standing use and tabletop applications. And the work light features an individual power switch.

Another reason why this particular model is our favorite is that it has two-speed options. From 1520 feet per minute (FPM), the speed goes all the way up to 2620 FPM.

You will greatly benefit from its super speedy blade unless you prefer being stuck at the workshop all day long. The onboard measuring guide does take some load off your hands.

SKIL 3386-01 120-Volt Band Saw with Light

Cutting Depth: 9-inch
Cutting Depth: 3.5-inch
Weight: 30.86 lbs.

Highlight Features

• Aligning the blade is easy
• Miter gauge for making crosscuts
• Rip fence for making straight cuts
• Maximum 3-½-inch cutting capacity
• Single-speed motor
• 6TPI blade
• Without load speed (Feet Per Minute) 2800 SFPM.

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When converting your portable handheld bandsaw to a tabletop bandsaw is too big of a hassle, you can easily go for this benchtop bandsaw coming in a similar price range. You can alter the pinion table’s height and angle for comfortably sawing a workpiece.

This 120V bandsaw, however intimidating it looks, only works with a few types of wood. That said, you will have to check out other options if your work involves cutting thick metals. The teeth per inch (TPI) of this bandsaw is only 6, whereas 24TPI is preferable for cutting pipes, conduits, and steel.

Since tabletop bandsaws are best suited for a workshop, we guess that you would be using this one for long hours. Keeping the working area free of dust becomes a challenge when you have a lot of sawing.

Luckily for this bandsaw, there comes a 1-½” dust port for keeping sawdust at bay! Attaching a vacuum hose to this port means that you don’t even have to do all the cleaning by yourself.

Apart from ensuring a clean, visibly dust-free cut, this bandsaw features a cool LED work light for keeping the work station well-lit at night. When you cannot rely on the light source at the workshop or construction sites, turning on its light will be helpful.

Its adjustable rip fence helps guide your workpiece for straight, accurate cuts, and the miter gauge helps make crosscuts. So, you’re covered in all departments!

Rikon 10-3061 10-inch Deluxe Bandsaw

Blade Size: 70.5-inch
Cutting Depth: 10-inch
Weight: 82.8 lbs.

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Highlight Features:

• Two-blade speed.
• The blade length is 70.5 inches.
• The total speed of the Rikon is 1720RPM.
• Tilting table to 45 degrees.
• Safety paddle with on/off switch.

Safety paddle with on/off switches When you are looking for a high-quality machine, then the Rikon Deluxe bandsaw is the one to consider. It includes the 10-3061 deluxe bandsaw and 5/16” x 70-1/2” 6TPI bandsaw blade. These blades are great for creating smooth cuts in wood and metal.

Things that you will get with the bandsaw are the quick-release blade tension leer and the large blade tracking knob. Easy to set the tension of the blades and it offers a 45-degree tilt function.

JET Band Saw JWBS-14DXPRO Woodworking

Blade Size: 105-inch
Cutting Depth: 12-inch
Weight: 247 lbs.

Highlight Features:

• Dual speed settings
• 0″ to 12″ retractable blade
• Convertible from 110V bandsaw to 220V
• Great resawing capacity and well-spaced throat
• Cast iron made a frame for durability
• Wide range sturdy table
• Perfect for wood cutting.

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When you want two thinner blocks of wood of the same length, you know that it’s time to bring out the big guns. In this case, the JET JWBS-14DXPRO bandsaw is the one for some smooth resawing action. You get the feel of using a plasma cutter with this bandsaw.

Its striking 12″ resawing capacity allows you to cut large pieces of wood. The 12″ throat is indeed roomy enough to make that happen. So, this one is undoubtedly the best bandsaw for resawing.

The makers sure kept ergonomics in mind for coming up with a design so flawless and flexible as this. Moving on to the various workpieces that go well with this model, you can easily cut through many types of wood without having to deal with increased friction.

And the spacious 15″×15″ work table with a 43.5″ thumping great height tilts 45° to the right and 10° to the left for the times when a beveled cut is required.

The blade performance is excellent, thanks to its dual-speed setting combined with top-notch ball bearing guides. From 1500 SFPM to a hefty 3000 SFPM, the blade speed never disappoints.

You also get to retract the blade from 0″ to 12″ to fit the needs of your workpiece. The rack and pinion adjustment feature made us like the bandsaw even more.

While inaccurate blade tracking is a serious problem user of both handheld and tabletop bandsaws face, this one addressed the issue by attaching an easy-view blade tracking window.

Lastly, its efficient belt drive system and high-tension spring construction come together to produce precise results and powerful performance for comfortable, long-term use.

Grizzly Industrial G0803Z Benchtop Bandsaw with Laser Guide

Blade Size: 62-inch
Cutting Depth: 9-inch
Weight: 42 lbs.

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Highlight Features:

• Paddle safety switches with removable keys for preventing injury.
• The fence and rail are made from Aluminum.
• 2-inch dust port with a quick-release blade tension knob.
• Adjustable LED work light to see where you are working.

The fence is adjustable for blade lead the Grizzly industrial bandsaw is a bit smaller than the Rikon with a blade of 9 inches. The total weight of the machine is 42 pounds. The great thing about this bandsaw is that it comes with an adjustable LED light.

Because the bandsaw is lightweight and compact, it comes with a carrying handle to move it easier. The table size of the bandsaw is 12″ x 12″ x 5/8inches. The blade speed is 2460FPM, fast and powerful.

Things to Consider Buying a Best Woodworking Bandsaw

Powered by a robust electric motor, a bandsaw will be your pillar of support when it comes to woodworking, lumbering, and even metalworking! That’s right; the uses of a bandsaw are not limited to traditional carpentry, as you might have thought.

A good band saw that fits your purpose is not hard to come by when you know exactly what you’re looking for. Keeping that in mind, we have listed some of the features that make a band saw stand out!

Cutting Capacity

Cutting capacity indicates the depth the saw blade will be able to cut through. It is an important feature that you should most definitely look out for before making a purchase.

A bandsaw’s cutting capacity will determine the variety of materials you can comfortably use. A 3-¼” to 5″ deep cut is enough for plumbing to mechanical cutting needs.

Some handheld bandsaws are considerably lacking in this department. So, if your work includes regular garage-cum-workshop chores, going for a bandsaw with 2-½”, cutting capacity will suffice.

Retractable Blade

Since the saw blade is directly involved with precision, if you are a versatile worker dealing with not just one but many materials now and then, the blade’s retractability is something you want.

Keeping that in mind, some top-of-the-class bandsaws incorporates this feature to provide you with comfort and flexibility. For instance, JET’s JWBS-14DXPRO bandsaw has a retractable blade that you can move up and down from 0″ to 12″.

Blade tracking and blade guide rollers have to be of good quality. For making straight, neat cuts, a well-aligned blade not only does the job but also sustains its durability to a great extent.

Teeth Per Inch (TPI)

This is one of the things that bandsaw users are most confused about. If you are one of them and don’t clear the TPI concept, your workpieces have a solid chance of getting damaged. You need to avoid this sort of mistake if you want your products to show off high-class craftsmanship.

A coarse blade of 2 to 3 TPI is perfect for resawing and cutting very thick wood up to 8″. Thicker metals like steel pipes, angled iron, tubing, galvanized conduits require 14-18 TPI saw blades.

And a finer blade with 24 to 32 TPI is required for sawing thin metals, sheet metals as well as fine plastics. However, 8 to 10 teeth per inch on a saw blade is perfect for cutting aluminum.

Why you should pay attention to TPI is very simple. If you prefer a smooth cut but use a 3 TPI blade, your workpiece will likely get a rough finish with fraying edges.

In the same way, you will not prefer using a fine-toothed blade for splitting a piece of wood through its width for resawing – a quite early task in carpentry. So, you don’t want the smoothest finish right away. Please leave it to the sanding machine and settle for a low TPI blade for resaw purposes.

Frame and Base

Welded steel and cast iron are the two types of frames benchtop bandsaws come in. If you have a heavy load at the workshop, we suggest that you consider a welded-steel frame. It absorbs vibration for steady sawing and for reducing noise. Handheld portable bandsaws are usually made of reinforced composite materials or plastic.

But then again, they are not as powerful as their benchtop alternatives. For the latter, you will get open, closed, floor-based, and panel-based options. In terms of sturdiness, which has a role in controlling vibration, we prefer the floor-based and closed base styles.

Speed Settings

Feet per minute (FPM) is the unit denoting a bandsaw’s speed. For example, you get a 100 FPM to 350 FPM dual-speed setting in the top-rated high-powered portable bandsaws. It gets significantly higher once you settle for a tabletop one.

1000 FPM is the most common speed for a bench-mounted bandsaw. WEN 3962 features a two-speed option that allows you to level up the speed from 1520 FPM to 2620 FPM.

However, motor capacity also plays a role here. A high-torque motor ensures a higher cutting speed. Motors, with more horsepower, such as 1.25HP to 1.5HP, are necessary for industrial metalworking.

User-Friendly Specs

An independent LED work light, an easy-to-reach knob for tensioning, and hinged covers for the wheels can greatly elevate your sewing experience.

Raising the guard or lowering it is made easier with a rack and pinion height adjustment. Next up, we have the dust collection issue to cover. A dust box helps keep your workshop neat and tidy.

For on-and-off use, a 2-¼” port hooked to a vacuum hose will do. Resawing will require a heavy-duty bandsaw and a bigger dust port to manage a greater load of dust.

FAQs

Here we have the most commonly asked queries regarding the best band saws

What TPI is the best for cutting metal?

Bandsaw blades with 24 TPI are the best blades for cutting steel and iron. Sawing aluminum will take a 10 TPI blade.

How to cut circles with a bandsaw?

Draw a circle on a piece of wood, drill the center, and drive a nail through it. Cut a line tangent to that circle and fasten your bandsaw table to an auxiliary tabletop.

Position the cut against the blade. Turn the stock for making it pivot on the nail while the bandsaw cuts along the outline.

What are the uses of the fence and saw guides?

Properly set saw guides make resawing much easier. They keep the blade from sawing unevenly. The fence stops the saw blade from drifting and helps cut tenons, rough lumber, half-lap, and dovetail joints.

Can a 14 TPI bandsaw blade cut plastic?

14 TPI or less is a bit coarse for plastic. Use a 24 TPI or finer saw blade for cutting thin plastic and sheet metals.

What does bandsaw size mean?

The bandsaw size is the distance from its throat to the blade. A 14″ or 16″ bandsaw is perfect for moderate woodworking.

What is a riser block for bandsaws?

A riser block is an extension that goes in between the arm and base of the bandsaw frame. You can expand the resaw capacity with a riser block and resaw twice as much wood in the new version. Many 14″ tabletop bandsaws accept rise blocks.

How to reduce bandsaw vibration?

Get rid of the old, overused drive belt, and you’ll see that the problem is gone. Installing urethane tires also does the trick. Maintenance is important.

Why does my saw blade wobble?

If you don’t remove the blade inside the bandsaw after use, it can leave impressions on the rubber tire, which causes irregular tracking.

Final Words

Why build up the elbow grease using a hacksaw when you can have the finest budget bandsaw that does a neater job in a shorter time?

The finished wood or metal product you are going to have after incorporating a bandsaw in the making is enough to establish yourself as a high-value craftsman. We hope that our list helped you find the best band saw that ticks all the boxes!