Woodworking Talk banner

Bandsaw or Planer... I can't decide

5K views 35 replies 20 participants last post by  SIDDAVIS102 
#1 · (Edited)
I build cabinetry and furniture as a side job, and have slowly been building up the tools in my shop. For years I ran the business with my dad, and had access to the years of tool collecting he had in his shop. I was forced to move away, and have had to build up my shop project to project.

I recently finished up one of the bigger jobs I've gotten, and after allocating my proceeds to bills, etc, I have about $500-$600 to spend on a new tool. I can't decide between a Dewalt planer () or a Grizzly 14 inch bandsaw (http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0555LX?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=G0555LX").

I feel like the bandsaw would offer more versatility for me, resawing, cutting curves, etc, but I think the planer would offer better value. I don't currently buy rough lumber, as I can get it dressed from my local lumber yard without paying much more. But the ability to buy rough lumber, especially here in Western New York where I get a lot of wood movement, is intriguing to me. I do have a jointer, so there isn't an issue there.

I've heard good things about the Dewalt planer, but other than online reviews, I haven't heard anything about the Grizzly bandsaw. I fear I might get buyers remorse if I get the bandsaw and it sucks, but I would hate to buy the planer and end up not using it enough.

Anyone else have a similar dilemma or can anyone offer some advice? Outside of these 2 tools, I don't really have any other big tool purchases that I need. Both of these would be luxuries at this point, as I've gotten by for years without them. Which is the better luxury to have?
 
See less See more
#3 ·
Hey,

I have a different Dewalt planer that I have been very happy with -- knife changes are very easy, dust collection is excellent (except when the dust collector bag is full) and sniping is fairly reasonable. however, it is extremely loud.

With that said, unless you have a jointer, only getting a planer is not particularly useful.

A bandsaw will give you more flexibility than a planer alone.

Greg
 
#4 ·
I have an old Craftsman jointer I bought on CL a year or so ago. I cleaned it up and it runs great.

I tried looking on CL for a used planer and bandsaw hoping I could get both for the same as I could get 1 new, but I've been looking for about a month now and there hasn't been a decent band saw or planer posted.
 
#5 ·
I have both, a Ridgid planer and a Grizzly G0555G bandsaw. If I could only have one, and could get rough cut wood planed cheaply, I'd probably get the bandsaw. I use mine quite a bit for resawing, plus of course, cutting curves. However, I almost always wind up planing anything I resaw, as it leaves a fairly rough surface. So, kinda need both in my case. I got the planer first, and had a small benchtop bandsaw, which worked ok for cutting curves, but balked at resawing, probably due to the fact that I couldn't find a suitable blade for it. When I got the Grizzly, man, what an improvement.

So I can't really give you an answer, but those are my thoughts anyway.
 
#6 ·
How does that Grizzly do with resawing? That's something I want to be able to do after I get a planer. Is the Grizzly a good enough saw that I'm not going to have to worry about upgrading any time soon? I'd hate to spend the money on the band saw, only to feel like I need to upgrade to a better one in a year or so.
 
#8 ·
Ive sawed 6" thick stock without issue. Obviously you need to adjust your feed rate for stock that thick but it handles it pretty well. I wouldnt be afraid to resaw 10" stock but thats probably about the limit without a HP upgrade. It requires a riser block to saw thicker than 6".
 
#7 ·
I purchased my jointer and planer before my bandsaw but I needed them in that order.

I have the 555LX from Grizzly and I love it. The 555 series is a well regarded saw. The LX is just a version with cast iron wheels and rack and pinion blade guide. Its also on sale right now for a really great price! If I had it to do again, Id buy one with a little more HP but with proper blade, it does well in thick stock.

For a planer, I highly reccommend the Steel City 40200H over the DeWalt planers. Youll have to do your own research though, I dont feel like getting into that debate again. lol
 
#9 ·
I would buy a bandsaw myself. I dont have a planer and i buy rough cut almost exclusively. Don't plan to buy one either. And here's a Craigslist ad for a used Jet bandsaw that's worth buying. It's a 1hp JWBD-14CS. I almost bought it but decided to hold off for a bit.

On another note, where in western NY are you? And where do you typically buy?
 
#11 ·
I would buy a bandsaw myself. I dont have a planer and i buy rough cut almost exclusively. Don't plan to buy one either. And here's a Craigslist ad for a used Jet bandsaw that's worth buying. It's a 1hp JWBD-14CS. I almost bought it but decided to hold off for a bit.

On another note, where in western NY are you? And where do you typically buy?
So how are you surfacing your lumber?
 
#10 ·
I'm in Kenmore. I usually go to Mosher Lumber. Great prices, and I've gotten some really good lumber from there. I used to go to Advantage Lumber, but they now have a 100 BF minimum, and a lot of times I don't need that much, and don't have the money to buy in bulk.
 
#18 ·
I agree......I've tried using planes to get wood surfaced.......but I loose patience and just run it through my planer.

I did complete a smoothing job once with hand planes......but it was on cedar which I think I may have been able to surface with a butter knife....
 
#14 ·
I have a small bandsaw......i've never actually used it for anything I couldn't have done some other way.....but my planer...I use that on almost every project....

For me.....it'd be the planer hands down.......And I have the DW735X......I'd buy another.....

The bandsaw would be nice if you need to do a bunch of resawing....but otherwise i'd go planer....
 
#15 ·
Id agree with Ryan on the bandsaw if I didnt turn. I had almost no use for a bandsaw untill I started turning. The bandsaw just makes quick work of breaking down turning blanks. I like that I can collect chunks from peoples wood piles and turn them into blanks for the lathe. I do like that I have the ability to resaw now but If I didnt turn, I dunno that I would have purchased a bandsaw.
 
#19 ·
I own a delta planer, I use it on occassion. however, I do not own a band saw, If i had the oppertunity, I would trade the planer for a band saw.

I typically will surface and thickness boards by had, so I am used to that. I would however like the ability to have resawing thick stock much easier then by hand as well. And/or making veneers, etc.
 
#21 ·
I have a Delta 12" planner and a Grizzly G0555P Band saw. Board foot for board foot, the band saw gets far more usage in my shop.

I have the 6" riser on mine so I can resaw up to 10" wide stock and using a Wood Slicer blade, most times I can clean up what few saw marks I get by sanding!

Lately I only use the planner to make skinny boards out of thick ones. :laughing:
 
#25 ·
I build cabinetry and furniture as a side job, and have slowly been building up the tools in my shop.

I feel like the bandsaw would offer more versatility for me, resawing, cutting curves, etc, but I think the planer would offer better value. I don't currently buy rough lumber, as I can get it dressed from my local lumber yard without paying much more. But the ability to buy rough lumber, especially here in Western New York where I get a lot of wood movement, is intriguing to me. I do have a jointer, so there isn't an issue there.
If you are buying a lot of rough lumber, it may pay to have a planer. But, as you say, your charges for dressing isn't a big deal. Only you know what you have needed in the past that you didn't have. Was there times you stood back and said..."If I only had a __________." IOW, another way of looking at the choice, what would either do for you that would improve your work, or make you more productive, and ultimately make you more money.

For some work a bandsaw is not needed. Example: sheet goods flat work, like kitchen type cabinets. But you mentioned furniture, and for some, a bandsaw would be a good investment.







.
 
#26 ·
working with curved shapes?

If you have a need to cut curves, the bandsaw is the best way. Resawing, typically done with a bandsaw, can be done using a table saw up to about 6" wide stock by flipping the piece end for end and using a thin kerf blade. This will allow you to reduce the thickness of boards for smaller projects.

By combining a bandsaw, jointer and table saw you can do a whole lot of woodworking. A planer will just make thicknessing a lot easier in widths 6" and over. My sequence of purchases was... 10" table saw, 12" bandsaw with only 6" of height capacity, 6" jointer , then a 12" planer. I used sheet goods like plywood and pre surfaced wood from the home stores exclusively. Then I began to use rough sawn wood where a jointer followed by the thicknesss planer was required.

Hand planing can be rewarding if you develop the skills and acquire the proper tools and learn how to sharpen them eliminating the need for the thickness planer in all but the most demanding situations. Furniture making would probably be the best application for your hand planing skills.... cabinet making, not so much. :no:

A bandsaw with a cast iron frame can be found used on Craig's List. The welded frame types like Rikon and Craftsman and some large Grizzlys are newer and do not appear as often. Stay away from any bandsaw that is less than 14", they are just basically hobby type machines. The cast iron models can be extended with a riser block to increase their height and resawing capacity, very useful for future projects that are larger in size.

The bandsaw is vastly underrated in my opinion and with the right selection of blades can be used to resaw, make curved shapes, even tenons. :yes:
 
#28 ·
To me this isn't an either/or question but a "which one first". I have and use both a surface planer and band saw. It depends on which is the priority. I buy mostly unsurfaced lumber so I did acquire the planer first. In the meantime I used a jig saw whenever a curve needed to be cut and re-sawing was very limited. Now that I have both I feel there are no limits. If you ask me, it's more work to surface plane a wide board, or group of boards than it is to work around not having a band saw.
 
#30 · (Edited)
surface vs thickness planers

To me this isn't an either/or question but a "which one first". I have and use both a surface planer and band saw. It depends on which is the priority. I buy mostly unsurfaced lumber so I did acquire the planer first. In the meantime I used a jig saw whenever a curve needed to be cut and re-sawing was very limited. Now that I have both I feel there are no limits. If you ask me, it's more work to surface plane a wide board, or group of boards than it is to work around not having a band saw.
I don't understand the term surface planer. In a search the first 10 images show a jointer.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...v_prop=image&fr=moz35&va=wood+surface+planers

A "thickness" planer is the term commonly used to describe a machine where the stock is inserted between the table and the cutter head which is above the board and removes the material off the top.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...planers&fr=moz35&ei=utf-8&n=60&x=wrt&y=Search



A jointer is a machine with a cutter is below the table which can be raised to remove material off the bottom of the stock.

just to be clear .....:blink:
 
#31 ·
Without hesitation, I'd buy the bandsaw first. Then, I'd also try to look for both used on Craigslist and buy both for the same price as one of them new. But I'm cheap like that.

You can always sand/hand plane/route if you need thicknessing but bandsaws make very versatile tools, second only to a router, in my opinion.
 
#33 ·
between those 2, i think i'd go with the planer first. i had a bandsaw for a while and it saw very little use. granted, it was a little one that was not very easy to use, but i am still confident that i would a planer more than a band saw.

but that is just me.
 
#34 ·
Really it's going to come down to what kind of work you do. I do a certain type so a bandsaw would be better for me. Others might rarely use one.

What do you plan to build a lot of? Let's start there.

Edit: or I will have a shop and a bandsaw here in the next few months and you are welcome to come use mine if needed. We can work something out.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top