The Band Saw

The Horizontal Band Saw
Busy Bee Tools, Craftex Item No: B2214

My Horizontal Band Saw (Click for larger image)

The horizontal band saw is an important part of any shop, even for one as small as mine. I started out cutting material using a thin-disk on my angle grinder, but this left a crooked and hot cut. I quickly realized the need for a band saw, and bought a 4" x 6" Power Fist band saw from Princess Auto. Unfortunately the quality was so poor that the saw could barely make a cut, but it showed me how useful a band saw can be in the shop, and I immediately missed it once I had returned it.

I set out to find a replacement that would be able to complete cuts without hours of frustration. I turned to Busy Bee tools, as I bought my lathe and mill/drill there and have been extremely happy with their quality. They offer three versions of the 4" x 6" band saw which may have been fine for my uses, but I was so sick of my first 4" x 6" band saw that I skipped over them.

The Craftex 6-1/2" x 11" band saw is the next level up from the 4x6, and features flood coolant, hydraulic down-feed, and a quick-change gear box. This saw is truly industrial grade, which makes it pure joy to run in my little workshop. The price was definitely a lot higher, but I can't see myself ever needing to upgrade from it, and so far it has required exactly zero minutes spent fussing with the guides. It was shipped ready to cut, and hasn't required adjustment yet. I can't see how any saw of similar size can out-do this little powerhouse.

The band saw setup for vertical cutting. Note the coolant tank stored underneath. (Click for larger image)

The other feature that this saw has compared to larger saws in this price range is the fact that it can be set-up for vertical use. I have used this feature multiple times, mostly for cutting sprues off aluminum castings and for cutting pieces of aluminum into smaller pieces to fit into my crucible. For more information on my aluminum foundry click here.

The saw comes with four wheels mounted to it's base. My basement floor isn't perfectly level, so I had problems with the saw rolling around. To solve this I simply stuck pieces of 2x2 lumber under the front to raise it up. You could also take the wheels off, but they're handy if you want to move the machine since it weighs quite a bit.

The blade for this saw is a bit unusual, being 3/4" x .032" x 85". Looking in catalogues for industrial suppliers, I haven't found any that offer a pre-made blade in this length, but you could easily have one custom made. I have just been buying my blades from Busy Bee, and so far the bi-metallic one has been sufficient for everything I do.

The band saw in action!

Overall, this machine is definitely one of the best purchases I've made in my shop, and have no serious complaints. The price is a big jump up from the 4" x 6", but there is really no comparison in quality and features. Every time I use this machine I'm delighted with the results and with how simple it is to operate. I'd happily buy another one.

More Pages: The Lathe The Mill/Drill MIG Welder How I moved my machines Choosing your first machine

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