Woodworking Machines: Bandsaw, Table Saw, Planer or Log Saw?

A bandsaw that can't cut a thick block, or a planer that dips at every board end: first machines are easy to get wrong. Buy for the cut you make most, then check capacity, power and dust extraction.

PartsForMachines lists 46 products from SIP, Draper, Sealey and TIGREN in its woodworking machines range, from bandsaws to log splitters.

Bandsaw or Table Saw: Which Should I Buy First?

Buy a table saw if most of your work is straight ripping and cutting sheet; buy a bandsaw if you cut curves, shapes or thick blocks. A table saw rips, crosscuts, mitres and bevels boards and sheet against its fence. A bandsaw makes rip and cross cuts too, plus profile cuts, and larger models cut far deeper: up to 254mm on the biggest in the range, against 80mm on a compact table saw.

Short of space? The 01480 compact cast iron table saw takes up little floor space yet still gives 750mm from blade to fence.

How Thick a Block Can a Small Bandsaw Cut?

About 80mm on the smallest bench models, and a slower feed won't add any depth. Those bandsaws have a 200mm throat, so a 100mm (4in) block is beyond them. The throat sets the other limit: how wide a piece fits between the blade and the frame.

For 100mm blocks, step up to a 245mm machine such as the 98468 245mm bandsaw, which takes them with room to spare. Some 245mm models stop at exactly 100mm, so compare cutting depth, not throat size.

Why Does My Planer Thicknesser Leave Snipe or a Rough Finish?

Snipe, the deeper cut at the start or end of a board, happens when the board isn't held flat and its free end tips up into the cutterhead. Support long boards level going in and out, and cut them over length so you can trim the sniped ends off.

If the finish has turned rough, check the knives: worn knives are one cause, and changing them is the fix. The 89156 330mm thicknesser comes with a blade setting jig to help you fit its two blades accurately.

Can I Cut Firewood on a Table Saw, or Do I Need a Log Saw?

Use a log saw. A table saw is made to rip and crosscut boards and sheet against a fence. A log saw holds the log in a fully enclosed cradle and pivots the blade into it.

The 08209 16in log saw cuts logs up to 140mm across and 300mm to 1000mm long. It needs both hands to operate, has a spring-assisted anti-kickback device and runs from a 13A supply. It can be bolted down through four pre-drilled holes (bolts not included).

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

• Your widest and thickest timber against the throat, cutting depth and planing width.
• Your supply: many machines run on 13A, but the 01332 and 01446 table saws and the 01456 spindle moulder need 16A.
• Dust: the outlet size, for example 35mm on the 01986 or 100mm on the 01480, and whether an extractor must be attached.
• Table material (cast iron, aluminium or plastic) and fence reach.
• Safety and noise: a no-volt release switch, guards and riving knife, plus ear protection, as some planer thicknessers are declared at 105dB(A).

Not sure which machine suits your timber? Browse the woodworking machines range or contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with your timber sizes and power supply.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a cast iron table worth having on a table saw?

It gives a rigid, stable working surface, as on the 01480. Other saws use a powder-coated aluminium table, such as the TS10P, or a lightweight plastic body, such as the 01986. Whichever you choose, check the rip fence locks parallel to the blade.

Is a laser guide on a mitre saw worth having?

It helps on layout-critical cuts, because the laser shows where the blade will cut before you bring it down. The 01505 12in sliding mitre saw has one. Check the line against a test cut before you rely on it.

What does a sliding mitre saw add over a fixed-head saw?

Cutting width. The sliding head extends the range beyond a fixed-head saw: the 01505 cuts 330mm by 105mm straight and 230mm by 105mm at a 45° mitre, and its head tilts both ways for double bevel cuts up to 45°.

Can I plane 12in boards on a single-phase supply?

Yes. The 89156 thicknesser runs on 230V and takes boards up to 330mm wide. For narrower stock, the 01558 planer thicknesser planes boards up to 252mm wide and runs from a 13A supply.

Do I need a dust extractor with a planer thicknesser?

On some it is required: SIP states that its 01557 and 01558 planer thicknessers must run with a dust extractor attached. Their outlet is 55mm internal diameter, with an expander adaptor supplied, so check your extractor hose fits before you start.

Can a woodworking bandsaw cut metal?

Not these ones. Draper designs its bandsaws to cut wood, wood-derived materials and plastics, and the bandsaws in this range are sold as woodworking machines. If you need to cut metal, choose a dedicated metal-cutting bandsaw instead.

Why is there a raised line along every board I plane?

Most likely nicks in the knives that line up across the cutterhead. Find the affected knives and resharpen or replace them, or shift them so the nicks no longer line up.

Do I need a log splitter as well as a log saw?

Often, yes: the saw cuts logs to length and the splitter breaks them down for the fire. Splitters run from 1.2 tonnes (foot-operated) to 8 tonnes (petrol); the LS520H 5 tonne splitter takes logs up to 520mm long and 250mm across.

What does "S2 15 min" on a log saw mean?

It is a short-time duty rating. The 08209's motor can work at its rated 2200W for up to 15 minutes at a time, then needs a rest long enough to cool down before the next session.

Does a new bandsaw come ready to use?

Largely, yes. The 01475, for example, arrives with a stand, mitre gauge and blade. Before the first cut, set the blade tension and tracking as the manual describes; both are adjustable on machines such as the 98468.