Band Saw Vs Scroll Saw Comparison
Band saws and scroll saws are similar in appearance, but they are used for different tasks. This article compares band saws and scroll saws to let you know which tool is more suitable for you.
Table of Contents
Scroll Saw
The scroll saw is like a double-ended jigsaw, it has a short and thin blade that can move up and down, and is generally used for small and precise complex cutting. The scroll saw can control the speed of the blade through the pedal, which allows you to better control the workpiece during the cutting process.
The key parameter of scroll saw is the throat size. The throat is the distance between the saw blade and the vertical column, which will determine the size of the material that can be used for the scroll saw. If its throat size is 12 inches, it can handle materials up to 24 inches wide because the blade only needs to reach the center of the material.
Because the saw blade is small and the workpiece is easy to control, Scroll saw is very suitable for complex projects, such as wood carving, wood art and other decoration production.
The advantage of scroll saw is that it can cut very cleanly and accurately, and it can also perform internal plunge cutting, which is not possible with band saws. But the scroll saw also has shortcomings. Its small, thin and flexible blade makes it not good at handling large pieces of material and not good at straight cutting.
Why not use jigsaw instead of scroll saw?
Scroll saw is suitable for long-term operation. You don’t need to bend down and feel uncomfortable. If you only do a small project occasionally, then jigsaw is more suitable for you.
Band Saw
The band saw looks similar to a scroll saw, it also has a flat worktable and a column. The saw blade of a band saw is driven by two wheels, so unlike the short blade of a scroll saw that moves up and down, its saw blade is a one-way continuous movement, which makes it more powerful to cut thicker wood. If you use the right blade, the band saw can even cut metal.
The band saw also needs to consider the size of the throat, which refers to the width of the material that can be cut, and it is determined by the size of the wheel. Since the back column of the band saw will not block long wood blocks, it can make long and straight cuts on large and thick materials.
One of the biggest advantages of a band saw is its versatility. It has many different blades that can be used for cutting softwood, hardwood, various metals, and even meat. Using thicker and more aggressive toothed blades, band saws can be used to resaw, that is, to cut large blocks of hardwood into smaller slices.
In conclusion
Scroll saw is a kind of light machine, mainly used for precise cutting of complex shapes. The band saw is a heavy-duty machine used to cut large pieces of wood. You can make a wise choice according to your needs.