The bandsaw is found in three out of four professional woodshops. In fact, its the most widely used woodworking tool of all. Although deceptively simple -- a steel blade rotating around two rubber-clad wheels -- the bandsaw does its best work when its properly tuned.

Enter Lonnie Bird: In The Bandsaw Book, Bird gives you all the information you may have wished came with the owners manual plus a lot more, like what to look for when buying a bandsaw and how to tune it up for optimal performance.

Organized for easy access, the book provides in-depth, practical information on setup, tuning, choosing blades, and operation. Also covered are all bandsaw techniques from basic to advanced. More than 225 color photos and illustrations.

Introduction

1 The Versatile Bandsaw

The Bandsaw Can Do the Work of Several Tools
Bandsaw Anatomy
Types of Bandsaws

2 Bandsaw Features and Options

Frames
Wheels and Covers
Tension Screws and Gauges
Guides
Guideposts
Tables
Motors and Drivetrains

3 Buying a Bandsaw

What Size Saw?
Blade-Changing Considerations
Choosing Guides
Rating Overall Quality
Shopping for a New Bandsaw
Shopping for a Used Bandsaw

4 Bandsaw Blades

Bands of Steel
Blade Width and Thickness
Tooth Form
Pitch
Choosing a Blade
Caring for Your Blades
Making Your Own Carbon-Steel Blades

5 Safety

Bandsaw Safety Guidelines
Fitting Dust Collection to Your Bandsaw

6 Tuning Your Bandsaw

Changing Blades
Tensioning Blades
Tracking
Adjusting the Guides
Vibration Problems
Tables
Thrust-Bearing Problems
Guide-Block Maintenance

7 Basic Bandsaw Techniques

How to Cut Curves
Stacking Multiples
Ripping on the Bandsaw
Removing Bandsaw Marks

8 Advanced Bandsaw Techniques

Compound Curves
Resawing
Bandsaw Joinery
Template Sawing

9 Bandsaw Jigs

Stops
Jigs for Arcs
Jigs for Circles
Fences for Resawing
Point Guides for Resawing Curves
Fences for Bandsawing Small Logs

10 Bandsaw Projects

Mitered Box
Connecticut Tea Table
Tea Caddy

Sources

Index

Without a doubt, the bandsaw is one of the most popular woodworking machines. In fact, surveys show that the vast majority of woodworkers own a bandsaw. Those who dont have one plan to buy one within the next year. Why is the bandsaw so popular? Certainly it must stem from the uniqueness of the saw and its application to so many areas of woodworking.

When it comes to cutting curves, the bandsaw has no equal: The narrow blade on the bandsaw can easily follow almost any contour. And the average bandsaw can cut much thicker stock than any jigsaw or scrollsaw. Yet the bandsaw can cut so much more than just curves. It also performs remarkably well while precisely cutting straight lines, such as when slicing veneer of uniform thickness or cutting intricate dovetail joints. In fact, many woodworkers would most likely be surprised to see how widely the bandsaw is used in industry for precision cutting of metal.

I wrote this book for several reasons. One was to help woodworkers explore new bandsawing techniques. Too often the bandsaw is viewed as a tool just for cutting curves. But the bandsaw, even an inexpensive one, is much more versatile than that. My aim is to help woodworkers expand their abilities by learning practical, useful methods. I also wrote this book to provide background information so that woodworkers can understand concepts essential to using the machine. For example, the success that all of us desire from the bandsaw depends on a precisely tuned machine. The bandsaw requires careful adjustmentas much as any other woodworking machine and more than most. When you understand concepts related to adjusting the machine, you can more effectively work with it.

Additionally, I wanted to provide insight into how the bandsaw works and to help woodworkers make wise buying decisions. There are a lot of manufacturers making bandsaws these days. Many produce a great saw; others produce an average saw. And, unfortunately, some just seem to want your money. Ive included information in this book to help you steer clear of the last category of manufacturers and their machines.

In the same vein, Ive also included information on bandsaw blades so that woodworkers can make informed purchasing decisions about them. The blade you select will strategically affect your bandsawing success -- or failure. Most consumer catalogs offer only a small selection of inexpensive carbon-steel blades, and while these blades work well for the average cut, they have major shortcomings when the cut is demanding.

Like all other woodworking tools, such as circular sawblades and router bits, bandsaw blades have become very sophisticated. If youre accustomed to using the blade that came on your bandsaw, youll be amazed at the success you can achieve with a great blade. Ive included information in this book to help you reach this level of mastery.

Finally, I wanted to combine this information in a useful, organized way. Dont just pour over this book while sitting at home -- take it to your shop and get some dust between the pages! Its my hope that this book will help you achieve the success you desire with your bandsaw.

Customer Reviews from Amazon

After having my bandsaw blade come off its wheels several times I figured I needed something more than the instruction manual to solve my problem. Lonnie Bird's reputation in the woodworking field helped make my decision to purchase this book.
I was expecting to get information on tuning up my bandsaw and keep the blade on the wheels...and I got that. But I got SOOO... much more!
This book is chock full of methods for tuning the bandsaw, how to use it effectively for a variety of cuts and some hints at interesting projects with the bandsaw. I found this book to be very useful in my woodworking hobby and I have referred to it numerous times. If I wasn't such a slob in my shop, I would certainly keep it there for regular reference.
I recommend this book to anyone contemplating buying a bandsaw, anyone who already owns a bandsaw, and anyone who wants to learn new and creative techniques for using the bandsaw.

Good book for a start on "how to" for band saws. Would have liked it to be a little more specific, but with all the different brands, that's difficult to do.

Most useful book I've read on the subject and I think that I have read them all.

I just finished this book and it seems to be fairly comprehensive. It covered several points about blades, tooth pattern, resawing, and tensioning that I had never considered. I bought this book so I would know what to look for when purchasing a bandsaw and I feel I learned enough to make an educated decision. I'll also be able to refer back to the tuning chapter when the time comes.
I only gave it 4/5 stars because it was pretty repetitious in places. A lot of the information in the sidebars was repeated almost verbatim in the text. That goes for the picture captions too. Come on, after you tell me three or four times that bandsaws are great because they don't kick back like table saws, I get it! Other than that little nit, I found it to be a useful book and I'm glad I bought it.

If you want to learn how to pick a bandsaw this hits all the main points. If you're trying to use your saw effectively this gives up-to-date information that is easy to follow. This book also addresses a variety of more advanced techniques that will help even a novice wood worker tackle some real projects.
A must buy if you have or plan to own a bandsaw.

Buy this Book  Add to Cart

Reviews provided by data from Amazon.com