# Which Bandsaw is best for Segmenting?



## DRAT (Jun 18, 2013)

Please don't send me to the Library.

I have been watching now for several months those who segment.  I own a 14" bandsaw (Jet Woodworking Bandsaw) that I absolutely cannot get to cut straight.  It appears that I will need a great cutting band saw to get the pen blanks to the segmented shape and size I need. By all means it appears I will need a Band saw that cuts as straight as an arrow when I need it to do so.

Is their one bandsaw which will do the trick better than others?

DRAT


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 18, 2013)

Jet is a very good bandsaw.  There is no reason it shouldn't cut straight with a good blade and the right adjustments.

I doubt that there is a single person here who will tell you you need a better or different saw.


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## HamTurns (Jun 18, 2013)

I think your saw is fine and like Dan said just needs a tune up and a new blade.

I was cutting a two foot chunk of dried Hickory last night and the "old" blade would only cut straight down the line by running the board at an angle. But I knew that the blade was getting dull and near it's end of life and sure enough it broke about half way though the cut.

So I put a new blade on and now it cuts straight as an arrow with no adjustments to the saw. Just what I expected.

Tune it up, put a good blade on it and you'll be golden.

Happy turning.
Tom


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## gbpens (Jun 18, 2013)

I agree with Dan. I use a 14" JET for cutting my segments as well as a chop saw. Sharp blades, proper blade tension and a slow feed rate will give you straight cuts. After you get the perpendicular cuts you need build a few jigs to get the angle cuts consistent.


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## KenV (Jun 18, 2013)

Anthony -- the serious precision segmented turners are not using band saws for more than breaking down wood.   They use table saws with jigs and miter saws with jigs.  Many use large disc sanders to refine angles and assure a more precise surface and angle.

With a wide, sharp band saw blade you can do a reasonable job on some segmented turning, but as the number of pieces increases and the precision needed increases, the bandsaw will become increasingly limiting.  

Try a 1/2 inch or wider blade and get a good blade -- The best premium blades for the buck I have found is from Ellis, but there are many premium blade brands available.


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## Russianwolf (Jun 18, 2013)

Bandsaws are for cutting curves and resawing larger pieces of wood.

Tablesaws are for cutting straight lines.


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## Dan Masshardt (Jun 18, 2013)

I just want to throw this out there even though I'm sure we all know this.  

In addition to good sharp blade, proper tension and properly adjusted guides, you need to make sure that the upper guides are lowered to be just a hair above whatever's being cut.


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## Sawdust46 (Jun 18, 2013)

I don't mean to pile on but your bandsaw is probably fine.  There are several tune up videos out there that can help you get your saw setup to cut a straight line.  I know it takes some time to learn but it is well worth it and your bandsaw will become a more valued tool for you.  I speak from experience.


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## wizical (Jun 18, 2013)

get a table saw if you can afford it, It will get you a straight cut every time with very little hassle!


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## Scruffy (Jun 18, 2013)

*While I like my band saw, ...*

I have  a Freud LU88R008 Thin Kerf blade on my table saw that I use for doing straight line segmenting work. The cuts are clean and glue ready


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## hobbyist2013 (Jun 18, 2013)

Wider band saw blades are used for straight cutting .


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## jttheclockman (Jun 18, 2013)

KenV said:


> Anthony -- the serious precision segmented turners are not using band saws for more than breaking down wood. They use table saws with jigs and miter saws with jigs. Many use large disc sanders to refine angles and assure a more precise surface and angle.
> 
> With a wide, sharp band saw blade you can do a reasonable job on some segmented turning, but as the number of pieces increases and the precision needed increases, the bandsaw will become increasingly limiting.
> 
> Try a 1/2 inch or wider blade and get a good blade -- The best premium blades for the buck I have found is from Ellis, but there are many premium blade brands available.


 
Here is a very sensible answer and I happen to agree 100%


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## mikespenturningz (Jun 18, 2013)

Well maybe I am not a serious segmenter but I get decent results on my band saw. If you have a jet 14" band saw you already have a great start. Now get a good 1/2" 6tpi blade, make a sliding table for it and you are pretty well set to do some really nice work. Look on youtube and find yourself several good tutorials on how to get your Jet cutting the best it can. I use a 14" jet wood/metal band saw for every bit of my segmenting. I use a Carter blade and it works great.


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## Dale Lynch (Jun 18, 2013)

Use a bandsaw or vintage backsaw and mitrebox for thin segments.Use a tablesaw or power mitresawfor fat segments.


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## jyreene (Jun 18, 2013)

Spanx said:


> Use a bandsaw or vintage backsaw and mitrebox for thin segments.Use a tablesaw or power mitresawfor fat segments.



I'm sure by this you don't mean the little yellow plastic ones at the big box stores...

Any suggestions on a brand to look for for both the mitrebox and backsaw?


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## StephenM (Jun 18, 2013)

jyreene said:


> Spanx said:
> 
> 
> > Use a bandsaw or vintage backsaw and mitrebox for thin segments.Use a tablesaw or power mitresawfor fat segments.
> ...



On vintage, brand doesn't really matter - Craftsman, Diston, Millers Falls, Stanley, Sargent, etc.  Just make sure all the pieces are there, and it's not cracked, twisted or bent.  Saws can be sharpened and new wood tables made for the miterbox.  

One thing you definitely want on a miter box is the ability to lock it at any angle - not just detents at 45, 30, 15, etc.


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## butchf18a (Jun 18, 2013)

Having segmented with both my band saw and table saw, I can say definitively that good results are achievable with either tool. Sharp blades and tool properly tuned are essential starting points. Next a good jig/cutting sled will greatly improve accuracy, and consistency of cuts. 

I like my two Jet band saws, still my favorite is my Laguna Tools LT18 HD. Powerful, and precise. Bargain at $3350.


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## Scruffy (Jun 18, 2013)

*You can cut veneer thin ..*

pieces on a table saw with the right jig and the high quality blade.


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## jfoh (Jun 18, 2013)

Does your band saw saw a straight line? Have you adjusted it to eliminate drift? Are the wheels aligned? Is there run out? How close are your cool blocks set or how close are the guide blocks or bearings set? Perhaps the first thing is to fine tune your band saw. Is the tension set right, the little indicator is not real accurate for many of the better blades.There are several places you can go to on the web to get information on how to do this. Before you try again see if you have your saw fine tuned to get the most precision out of it that you can.

A saw right out of the box will not even cut a decent line. After tuning my Powermatic saw up I can slice thin veneers without any drift. They are the same thickness end to end and top to bottom. They certainly were not that way when I started. My wheels are now perfectly aligned, run true and the blade is like on a laser beam. My fence and rip extension are adjusted perfectly to eliminate the blade drift as I saw. Just buying a better blade does not make the saw magically better. Your saw has the potential to be much better than you are describing. 

Same thing for a table saw. You can do little things to make it work much better. Adjust and get to know your equipment before you give up.


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## Russianwolf (Jun 18, 2013)

I'm not saying that you can't do it on a bandsaw, but I'm a fan of letting the tool do the work and a tablesaw was designed specifically for these type cuts. A decent tablesaw with a good blade and a simple jig produces repeatable results that are glue ready.

A decent bandsaw (which you have a nice one, Drat, unless something is REALLY off with it) can be made to do to the work, but it takes more effort to get there. And typically will need to be sanded before glue up (in my experience at least).

Also if you are wanting to do something like "celtic knots" then a bandsaw kerf may be too thin for what you want. The inlay material needs to match the kerf width in order for those to come out right.

Right tool for the job. For me segmenting is for the tablesaw (precision cut angles). Curves and resawing are for the bandsaw.


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## wouldentu2? (Jun 18, 2013)

There is a lot of information in the Library... I just had to say it.

Actually, if you have read everything above this post you have read everything you need to.


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## Dale Lynch (Jun 18, 2013)

jyreene said:


> Spanx said:
> 
> 
> > Use a bandsaw or vintage backsaw and mitrebox for thin segments.Use a tablesaw or power mitresawfor fat segments.
> ...




No I don't mean the plastic ones,although the $3.99  plastic is better than a $20 Jorgensen

I use a Millers Falls cast iron mitrebox and saw.They and others like it can be found on ebay for a steep price.I found mine at a auction for much less so keep your eyes open and you might score one dirt cheep that way.


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## Dale Lynch (Jun 18, 2013)

Scruffy said:


> pieces on a table saw with the right jig and the high quality blade.



Yes,I agree that you can cut slices of material veneer thin but can you slot a blank that thin with the same saw?


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## jttheclockman (Jun 18, 2013)

The saw you have is plenty saw. It just needs fine tuning and as mentioned a good quality blade. 

One thing has to be remembered there are many forms of segmenting. If you are doing bowls and platters and things of this nature the tablesaw is the tool or a good quality miter saw. As far as some of the things we do with a small 3/4" square piece of wood for a pen you can use any tool. Jigs are very important for repeatability and control. You are dealing with small pieces of material. I try to do all my segmenting on a tablesaw because of the more accurate cuts I can achieve. A tablesaw blade is much more stable than any size bandsaw blade. If I need a thin cut for some reason I then go to bandsaw.


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## TonyL (Aug 27, 2014)

*Segmenting Questions*



Scruffy said:


> I have  a Freud LU88R008 Thin Kerf blade on my table saw that I use for doing straight line segmenting work. The cuts are clean and glue ready




I am glad to read this...how thin of a segment would you cut. I would like to cut acrylic. I also own a micro jig. Thx!


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## mikespenturningz (Sep 4, 2014)

99% of a bandsaws accuracy is in the setup. You need to learn how to do that. I watched youtube videos and experimented. I also built a sliding table for my bandsaw and use it every day. I have a Jet Pro 14" bandsaw and love it. It is likely you have not tapped out the saw you have now as Dan said. Segmenting with with a bandsaw is not that difficult if you just think about what you are trying to get done. I do have a tutorial in the segmenting thread look it up and it will help you get started.


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## mikespenturningz (Sep 4, 2014)

didn't see this was an old thread


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## dogrunner (Sep 4, 2014)

heres what you do. take dollar bill put it between the guides and the blade lock then down pull out your dollar. if you still have the steel guides throw them away and get some cool blocks or the  space age ceramic guides and thrust bearings. make sure you do the lower one to. set the tension on you blade so you have a 1/8 to 1/4 deflection when you push side ways on the blade. take a 2x4 cut it part way through with 4 inch side up rotate the 2x4 180 degrees try to put the cut in the kerf if the blade doesn't fit in the kerf the table is not at 90. use the widest blade you can get.make sure your blade is centered the wheels  hope this makes sence . set the thrust bearings so the bearing starts to spin with light pressure is applied to front tooth side of the blade the thrust bearings should not be spinning if your not cutting


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