Table Saw vs Band Saw – Which Saw is suitable For Your Next Project?
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Which one is better? It depends on you. Some people suggest your band saw, and some will table saw, and it makes you more confused, right!
If you are debating on band saw versus table saw, you first think about your working needs, working technique, and the workspace. The comparison only depends on the aspect of looking. There can be many differences between table and band saw according to your usage or need of work.
In this article, I will highlight every single point and features that you need to know for your projects and which one is best for you according to the situation. So, let’s get an overview.
Contents
Quick Overview
Table Saw
Pros
- Produce perfect straight cut.
- Changing the blade is super easy.
- Perfect for grooves, cross, and squares edges cuts
- It can produce a clean and sharp cut.
- Great beveling power
- The right choice for compound cuts
- An excellent option for squaring edges
- It comes with adjustable depth.
- Blades can be Re-sharpened and Re-tensioned.
- Perfects and essential need for the newbie woodworker
Cons
- Cannot achieve curved cuts
- It can be dangerous
- Only ideal for wood
- Higher noise and vibrations
- Need large workspace to setup
- Not ideal for thicker objects
Band Saw
Pros
- Produce both straight and curved cuts
- Work great for designing purposes.
- Has a great depth of cutting
- Blades and replacement blades aren’t expensive.
- No need for large floor space
- Blades available in a large variety
- Enables versatility in work
- Perfects for thicker materials cutting
- Safer than the table saw
- Produces less noise and vibrations
- It has smaller kerfs and produces less waste.
- Works for various materials
Cons
- It can’t produce clean cuts as the table saw.
- The blade changing process is slow and difficult.
- It can’t cut repeatedly accurate and produces rough edges
- Lack of cutting power
- Can’t produce grooves cut
The Comparison Table
| Choosing Factors | Table Saw | Band Saw |
| Versatility | More | Less |
| Cutting Edge | Precise and delicate | Rough edges |
| Beveling cuts | Easily | Difficult |
| Scrolling cuts | Great | Not that good |
| Ideal Rip Cuts on | Larger materials | Thicker materials |
| cutting power | Great | Less |
| Blade Change | Easy | Difficult |
| Adjustable depth | Yes | No |
| Vibrations and Noise | High | Less |
| Thick materials cutting | Cut easily | Limited |
| Workspace | Larger | less |
| Cutting Materials | Wood, plywood, MDF, melamine | Wood, Plastic, Metal, meat, aluminum |
| Wastage Amount | Larger | Less |
| Safety | Safe | Comparatively Dangerous |
Features Comparison between Table Saw vs Band Saw
Construction Specifications:
The band saw uses a serrated blade, and this blade is attached to two rotating wheels, which look like the band. The cutting blade can function in both vertical and horizontal directions.
On the other hand, the table saws use the circular saws blade. This blade is attached to a table; that’s why it is called a table saw. Cutting with a table saw is more comfortable and convenient than the band saw.
Type and Quality of Cuts:
In general, the table saw is excellent for both cross cuts, rip cuts, and it’s going to get you a precise cut across a lot of different cuts that you need to make. The bandsaw is also good for those things that bring the added element of resawing, and it can make curved cuts.
If you talk about cut quality, the table saw produces sharp, square, and straight-edged cuts and gives you the perfect option for precise cuts, straight cuts, miter, and bevel cuts by using its miter gauge slot or the fence.
It’s an ideal tool for making straight, accurate, and smooth cuts. As I mentioned earlier, the table saw is a fundamental tool. It is used for constructing an element, cutting slots, and so on.
The band saw is used to make the piece more delicate and attractive. Straight, miter, curved cuts, designer cuts, curved design cuts can make with the band saw.
Scrolling Cuts:
If you are going for scrolling cuts don’t go for a table saw. A band saw can make tight radius curves cut, and a much accurate scrolling cut than a table saw.
Cutting Depth:
The cutting depth band saw is more versatile and wins the race clearly in this case. Compare to the table saw, a bandsaw is more beneficial in the field of cutting depth.
Most of the table saws ensure 3.5 inches cutting depth, and the valuable part is its produce adjustable depth. The modern table saw models offer an adjustable wheel to set up the blade height according to the owner’s need. The band saws can cut through much thicker lumber therefore band saw is more compared.
Cutting Edge:
The edges bandsaw produce is not up to the mark like the table saw. In fact, you will have to do a finishing job to make the cut properly.
On the other hand, the cut produced by the table saw is more delicate, precise, and there will be no need for any further finishing work to get the element in the assembly line. Besides, the band saw will take more than the table saw to cut the same piece of wood.
Changing Blades:
The blade changing process of a table saw is much easier than a bandsaw. In a table saw, the changing process is super easy. First, undo the nut on the arbour, take off the blade, install the new one, and tighten it. That’s it.
With bandsaw most of the situation, you have to reset the tension, bearings, fence, and tricks. Because of these facts changing blades in bandsaw is more hassle than the table saw.
Kerf:
Bandsaws have smaller kerf because they have much smaller blades than table saws. Smaller kerf means less amount of waste, remove less materials, and less wood dust. Comparatively, the table saw have wider kerf.
Beveling:
In the parameter of beveling, the table saw must win this battle. No one can say that they had better beveling experience in the band saw than the table saw. A table saw gives more precious accurate straight pieces of cut.
Rips and squares:
Ripping is a vital factor for compression between both of the saw. In this feature, people are divide into both potions. Because of the different points of view, I’ll focus on both of the saws ripping aspect.
Band saws serrated blades can rip through the materials without damaging them. Ripping in thicker materials like a long log will be easy on band saws because of it’s thinner blades.
For those who need to rip a larger wood table saw will be the best option for you. Ripping the lumber, long cuts, miters, bevels, grooves, crosscuts, and perfect squares are ideals for table saws.
Noise and Vibrations:
Vibration and noise are considered a vital factor when we are working with saws. If you have to set up your store on any other floor than the ground floor, you must consider this parameter.
The vibrating energy is much higher in the table saw as it is a bulky machine. If you are looking for lower noise and lower vibrating saw, the band saw would be the best option.
Materials:
In this section, the band saw is the right choice. If you’re thinking of cutting more than wood, then bandsaw is the only option. Bandsaws can cut wood, plastics, meats, and even metal. Usually, a table saw can’t go for these materials. So for cutting through different material band saw is the right potion.
Amount of Wastages:
The blade of the table saw is much bigger than the band saw. As the table saw is used for more bulky works, the amount of wood wastages and wood dust is more than the band saw.
Working variety:
Table saw or band saw, well both are good in their field. If you want to make furniture with sharp edges or only have jobs like that, you must choose the table saw.
Besides, if you only have jobs like designing the wooden piece or making the fillet in the edges, you have to go with the band saw. But the fact is table saw is more versatile and more needed around the globe.
Safety:
The security measures must be maintained while operating these tools because those are highly risky and hazardous tools. Table saws are more dangerous the band saw.
The table saw is comparatively more dangerous than all other saws, with almost seventy percent of its accidents. That’s why stay focus when you’re using these saws.
FAQs
You might have plenty of additional questions about this topic. In this portion, I would like to answer those questions of yours.
Which one is a better table saw or band saw?
It depends on the work’s purpose, but the band saw is safer and used for delicate curved cuts on the contrast table saw produces many clean, sharp cuts. Every saw has its pros and cons.
If you need only a straight cut with square edges, then a table saw is better for you, and if you need curved cuts, then the bandsaw. So, like this example, both have many examples, as I mentioned earlier. Before buying, you need to identify which fulfill your recommendation.
Do I need a bandsaw?
If you’re comfortable with hand tools more specifically handsaws and work with only thinner objects, then you don’t need a band saw. If you’re going to work with one inch of timber, then you don’t need the bandsaw. Handsaws are more efficient for thinner materials. Band saws can cut two inches thicker materials.
Which to buy first band saw or table saw?
If you’re going to start your carrier or already have, but you’re a newbie, I strongly recommend going for a table saw. It is easy to use and a fundamental tool for a woodworker. If you have a budget, then it is good to have both of the saws.
Can a band saw replace by the table saw?
These are two different saws for different purposes of work. More or less, both saw ideally do for the same type of work, but they have their pros and cons both. The band saw has the power of making the curved cut that the table saw might not.
But you can’t have smooth cut as the table saw. Not only that cutting depth of the table saw is much higher than the bandsaw. So, the answer is No. you can’t replace a table saw with the band saw totally.
What is the difference between a band saw and a scroll saw?
A scroll saw is a thin-bladed saw used manually, but the band is a scroll saw used along with a motor in a machine.
Conclusion:
As a woodworker, you have a vast thing going on your mind, and you need to do various work, and that’s why you need various off tools. I’m not suggesting buying both of these options if you have a tiny budget.
If you’re going to start a woodworking shop, I recommend you start with a table saw. Don’t get confused with too many options when you have a limited budget, but if you don’t have any budget issue, you can add band saw and table saw both into the shop.
It’s good to have outstanding design options, smooth cut, comfortable work, and many more. I strongly suggest that the versatility work bandsaw is excellent. If you need a straight, clean, sharp, and accurate cut, the table saw the handy choice.
Happy Woodworking!
