Table saw or band saw?

[HardDrive]

I need to mill my own trim pieces to finish off a laundry room I am working on. I had intended on getting a cheap table saw and putting a finishing blade in it.

But I noticed that the band saws also have a reasonable large surface to work on, and an adjustable guide as well. I don't need to rip plywood, just trim pieces under 8 inches.

Any thoughts on this? Will I be able to cleanly split trim pieces with a band saw? Or will it be to squirrelly?

Any guidance appreciated.

[rsNINESOOPER]

Definitely a table saw, It's much more accurate for what you are intending to do. A band saw is for cutting curves and re-sawing lumber so by design it is not as accurate as the table saw or as versatile a machine for the once in a while wood worker.

[s_wilwerding]

Why not a chop saw/power miter saw? They are generally more usable than either a tablesaw or bandsaw, and take up a lot less room. They work perfectly well for the making trim cuts, though some may argue that a table saw is a little more precise. But unless you're building finish cabinetry, the miter saw would probably be fine.

[rsNINESOOPER]

Oh and as your pieces are under 8" I would build a little jig to hold the piece as it is pushed through the table saw, a lot safer that way. Simply a piece of plywood about 6 inches wide and 18" long with the long side going against the fence of the saw and some smaller pieces of wood tacked to it's surface to provide a holding fixture for the trim pieces you will be cutting.

[RWebb]

look like the clincher here is that you want to 'split' the wood - i.e you have some special wood you want to use and you want to cut it in 1/2 or more in terms of thickness?? is that right?

otherwise you just 'need' a chop saw -- or an angle guide and a hand saw...

There is a book on simple band saw usage but it points out the versatility of the things in the Time-Life series "Art of Woodworking."

I usually think of them for finer work.

Also, depending on how fine - one of the woodworker catalogs now has a complete trim 'kit' available with a fancy sanding disc for $600 or something -- looks like you do things to the precision of a machinist with it - think it was that Canadian company - sorry cannot recall name.

Maybe milt will chime in...

also...

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~alf/en/en.html

[rsNINESOOPER]

I interpreted the question as needing to do a rip cut on the 8" trim pieces but if its a cross cut then a chop saw would be much better as others have mentioned.

[John_AZ]

HardDrive,
I use a standard table saw-10 inch. I have blades to mill/mold stock-Craftsman-3 blades screwed on the holder. Many different styles of cuts. I have done a lot of interior trim and exterior work like custom veranda railing.
This is a basic as it gets.

Available on Ebay as well.

Caution: Any molding device is dangerous. The wood will grab, fly, tear.
Wear all protection and maybe steel mesh gloves or this will happen:
.

Molding devices are among the No.1 hospital emergency room woodworking accidents. The two stubs on the left are mine.

John_AZ

[HardDrive]

Thanks guys.

I guess I wasn't being clear. I have a chop saw for creating miter cuts.

I need to take long strips of trim, and shave off part to get the correct width. So for example, I have a 3" piece of trim, but I need to be 2.25" wide.

Sounds like table saw is the way to go.

[gassy]

Definitely in that case. John, I have a stub--from a table saw tho!

[rsNINESOOPER]

Yes, definitely a table saw- Enjoy the project!

[slodave]

Buy a Sawstop. It'll give you a better chance at saving your digits. I would use (and have) a bandsaw for what you want to do.

http://www.sawstop.com/

[johnco]

was a finish carpenter for 12-15 years. I've been thru at least 4 table saws. wore them out. about the only thing I can remember using my bandsaw for in all that time was cutting some swing parts and some pvc pipe I needed to use as a drain under a pool. get the table saw, unless you do arts and crafts to sell at a fleamarkets, the band saw will just be taking up space. I've got 2 of them pushed aside collecting rust and dust. come to think about.. so are 3 table saws, 6" table sander, routers... a truck load of woodworking tools. carpentry work sort of got pushed aside for pool work.

[slodave]

To each their own. It's easier for me to go to the band saw, flip up the bar to tension the belt and make a few cuts.

The real question is.... Are you planning to use the item after this project?

[WI wide body]

For what it sounds to me like you want to do there is little doubt that a table saw would work better. Make a fixture of some type and it will be an easy job on a table saw.

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by slodave

Buy a Sawstop. It'll give you a better chance at saving your digits. I would use (and have) a bandsaw for what you want to do.

http://www.sawstop.com/

That hot dog demo is pretty incredible. I gotta say, I would like to see that demo in person - if I spent any kinda time on a table saw I would buy this thing without hesitation.

[911Rob]

Tablesaw for sure.
How about dropping the pieces at your supply store or a millshop?
My supply store would do this for free and a millshop would be cheap.
No worries, job done

[slodave]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

That hot dog demo is pretty incredible. I gotta say, I would like to see that demo in person - if I spent any kinda time on a table saw I would buy this thing without hesitation.

We have one. No, we have not tried the hot dog demo, as it'll destroy a blade and the expensive cartridge that stops the blade. I will take pics of the workshop I have access to.

The SawStop is a great table saw. We sold our perfectly working Delta for it.

Dave

[don911]

I have a Bosch table saw that is portable with a colapsable stand.
I bought it for the exact same purpose but was trimming a large house. You're welcome to borrow it if you want.