what kind of saw to purchase?

[jtrom]

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If you have more time than money, I'd be looking for a used 3 wheeled band saw, on craigslist or E-Bay[/QUOTE]


Is a 3 wheeled saw easier to slow down the blade speed?

[Eric Witherspoon]

Is a 3 wheeled saw easier to slow down the blade speed?

I believe the 3-wheeled saw is a work-around for getting a deeper throat with a relatively short blade than would be possible with that same length blade around only 2 wheels. As someone else said, the 3rd wheel is small diameter - purposely kicked way out to the side to expand the space that the part can be run through. If you haven't pictured/seen it yet, the size of part you can cut on a band saw is defined by what you can fit _inside_ the "racetrack" or "triangular" shape that the blade makes as it passes over the wheels.

My experience is, buy a longer-bladed 2 wheel saw - not just because it was said the small-diameter 3rd wheel can be tough on (break) blades, but because when you go into the local woodworking specialty shop, you will be able to _find_ blades. It seems to me those whose hobby is woodworking don't mess around with 50-odd-inch bladed saws. It's more in the range of 90-inches-plus. My saw takes a blade somewhere in the low 90's - 92, 93? Anyway, I go to the local woodworking shop, there's multiple blade widths, teeth-per-inch, brands, and price points of saw blade to choose from. With a "shorty" bandsaw, you walk in there, there can be ZERO blades to choose from...

Also, if I were inclined to spend a lot more money on the saw, when you get into 14"+ size band saws, the woodworking shops also sell a lot of "hotrod" parts that will fit the common/major brands of saws - smoother running blade guides, etc. All kinds of parts that can be replaced with higher-end stuff to make the saw cut straighter and smoother. If you have a little, tiny, cheapo saw, nobody's making any aftermarket parts for it, so you'll be stuck with trying to adjust and tune it rather than being able to buy outright better parts for it.