This is 10 Helpful Tips for Buying a Cheap Band Saw. This is your helpful guide to knowing the tricks to getting a good Bandsaw on a deal, and saving some of your cash for other tools and materials. I’ll show you several good methods. Enjoy.

Buying a Cheap Bandsaw

A bandsaw is an awesome tool to have in the shop for a lot of reasons. First, it will allow you to make curved cuts in many different thicknesses of wood. In addition, it will also let you make straight cuts using a fence.

The saw and be outfitted with a number of different blades for different tasks, and it’s a very good general woodworking tool that covers a lot of bases. Most saws either allow you to work with straight cuts or curves, but not both…not the case for the band saw.

The bandsaw has a distinct advantage in this case, because it lets you do both styles of cuts, and it does them both really well. In the beginning, when money is tight as you buy your first tools, it can save you quite a bit and still give you a lot of capability.

That being said, it’s still an expensive tool when you find a nice one, so in order to find a cheap bandsaw that still good, you need to go a little above and beyond. That’s OK though, because I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to be successful.

Here are all of the tips and I’ll cover each one of them in detail coming up further down in the post.

• Look for a Used Bandsaw Online First
• Have Patience and Look for Deals
• Wait for a Seasonal Sale at a Store
• Find Tool Stores that Sell Second Hand
• Don’t Buy Anything that Was Not Cared For
• Don’t Buy Anything That Doesn’t Work
• You’ll Have to Tune it Up Most Likely
• Buying a Small Cheap Bandsaw New
• Buy a Brand That You Recognize and Trust
• Cheap Won’t be the Best but It Can Be Good

See Also: A Beginners Guide to Woodworking

Look for a Used Bandsaw Online First

The very first thing you need to do is look online to try and find a used bandsaw that you can pick up for a deal. The online market places have connected the world together and that’s great because you now have access to a lot more tools.

Another nice thing about looking online is that it’s really easy to do, and you don’t actually even need to leave your house. You can dig through several different models, and make decisions right from your smart phone.

The reason I say this is one of the best deals that you can look for is because a well cared for used tool is about the same as a brand new tool. In some cases it can be better to because any defects would’ve probably shown themselves by now. In that way, it’s less of a gamble.

When you buy from the used market, you may end up getting a several hundred dollar band saw for half the price or less. That’s a huge deal, and you’ll get a much better tool to enjoy in your shop.

See Also: How to Buy Reconditioned Tools the Safe Way

Have Patience and Look for Deals

Another tip for finding a cheap band size to be patient. When you have time on your side, and your patience, you can wait for the right deal to come along. This puts all of the cards squarely in your hand, you just have to play them right.

This means if you have someone that’s just asking for too much money, but you’re a patient person, you can say no to that deal and wait for another. You might even end up with that person coming back to you with a lower price.

When you have time on your side, you control where you spend your money. More people will be competing for your dollars instead of you competing against other people for one band saw. It’s definitely good to be patient, so remember that when you’re haggling.

You’ll never get a great deal on a bandsaw if the money isn’t right. You’ll also never get a good deal if the tool is not right. Have the patience to wait for both to align properly, and to get a good tool for a good price.

See Also: How to Price Handmade Items

Wait for a Seasonal Sale at a Store

If you’d rather buy brand new, another thing that you can do is wait for a seasonal sale on a bandsaw where the price is significantly reduced. Many major stores have sales like this, and they’re usually around holidays.

In a case like this, you may end up saving a couple hundred dollars or more buying a bandsaw just at the right time of the year. The product itself is no different, the only thing that changes is when you bought it.

For that reason, you can pick up an inexpensive saw that just as good as the one you would’ve bought six months ago, only because you bought it during an event. It’s definitely worth looking at past sales to see what might come up in the future.

See Also: 6 Huge Tips for Buying Woodworking Clamps

Find Tool Stores that Sell Second Hand

Back to the secondhand market, there are some physical stores that sell items that are used either on consignment, or they buy them outright and sell them themselves. This is good for you, because it widens your selection.

While you’re in the store, take a look at some of the new bandsaw’s and see if there something that makes sense for your budget. If there’s not, you can find a cheaper alternative in the used section possibly.

You can also ask the person that runs the store to be on the lookout for a good cheap used bandsaw because that’s what you’re in the market for. They may even take your contact information and call you.

See Also: Woodworking Power Tools List

Don’t Buy Anything that Was Not Cared For

No matter what you do, don’t buy anything from anyone that looks like it hasn’t been cared for. The last thing you want to do when looking for a cheap tool is end up with junk. No matter the price, junk is still junk.

The other burden of something that was not well cared for is that you may end up spending more time fixing the thing than actually using it. You might also end up sinking so much money into fixing the saw that it wasn’t worth buying it in the condition it was in.

When in doubt, walk away. Unless you know for an absolute fact that you can restore the tool you’re buying without over shooting your budget, or your abilities, it’s safer just to have some patience and wait for the next deal.

See Also: 15 Easy Ways to Hang Your Tools on the Wall

Don’t Buy Anything That Doesn’t Work

It should go without saying that if the tool doesn’t work, don’t buy it. Unless you have pre-existing knowledge in motors, wiring, and actually building a bandsaw from the ground up, then you probably aren’t qualified to fix it.

There’s something to be said about tinkering, working with your hands, and figuring things out. While I encourage that tremendously, I also encourage you to be realistic about your abilities.

You don’t want to end up in a situation where you get all excited about this new tool, and then are crushed by the fact that you can’t get it running. Again, be patient, move on, and wait for the next deal.

See Also: How to be a Modern Renaissance Woodworker

You’ll Have to Tune it Up Most Likely

No matter what you end up buying, for the simple fact that it’s used, you will probably end up having to do at least a little bit of tuneup and maintenance to the saw. A cheap bandsaw will run really well with a little bit of maintenance.

Maintenance on a bandsaw is fairly simple, and it really starts with wiping the unit down and cleaning it up. After that, you might end up replacing some bearings and/or guides, and adding some lubrication.

Most maintenance is really cleaning and lubricating. This helps your stuff last longer, work better, and serve you the way that you hoped it would. Take a look online for some videos, and download the original manual for help getting started.

Between the videos and the manual, you’ll see what type of maintenance you need to do, and you’ll be able to do it carefully and safely. Make sure you think about safety, because it’s very important when you’re doing maintenance.

See Also: Why I Wear Safety Glasses

Buying a Small Cheap Bandsaw New

If you’re absolutely against waiting, and you are dead set on buying something right now, though I highly advise against it, there are some things you can do. You won’t get the best bandsaw, but you will get a cheap one.

Quite possibly the easiest thing you can do is just pick one up off of Amazon. You’ll definitely get the lowest price, and nearly all of the tiny bandsaws are about the same. They’re going to be good for thin pieces of wood, and basic cutting.

They might be fine for you in the very beginning, but you’ll outgrow it very quickly. If you plan on doing small stuff for a very long time, it may last you a little longer. However, most woodworkers end up throwing this money away on their first saw.

See Also: 15 Amazing Tips on How to Become a More Productive Woodworker

Buy a Brand That You Recognize and Trust

No matter what you do, try and buy a brand-name that you recognize and trust. The really random off-brand stuff that doesn’t have a track record can be good sometimes, but it can also be really bad.

The other issue is that most of your aftermarket accessories are meant to go with the mainstream brands and they oftentimes don’t fit the random stuff. This means immediately you are not eligible to use any of these sometimes needed add-ons.

Though you don’t need to have that many bells and whistles that you can add after the fact, it’s nice not to be penciled into a certain area where you have no freedom. Check the track record online, and if it feels fishy, avoid it.

See Also: 9 Detailed Tips for Building a Work Table in Your Shop

Cheap Won’t be the Best but It Can Be Good

Finally, understand that the cheap band saws probably won’t be great, but they can be good. The only exception to this, and the reason I start out in the beginning of the post by telling you to do this, is when you find a used band saw that’s a good deal.

In a case like this, you can get a very good tool for a cheap price. However, if you are buying the lowest price point offering, just be aware that you’re not going to get the absolute best tool in the world.

That’s fine though, if you know what you’re doing and you’re making a calculated decision, just know what you’re getting. If you know that for a fact, and you’re happy with it, that’s all that matters.

See Also: 19 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Woodworking

Your Action Assignment

Now that you know these 10 different tips and tricks for finding a cheap bandsaw, it’s time to get out into your shop and take action. Start online, and check out some of these secondhand market places to see what they have.

If you’re lucky, and patient, you’ll be able to find a good deal on a used bandsaw that would normally be out of your price point if you bought it brand new. That’s a great deal for you, and a well cared for used tool will normally function about as well as a new tool.

If you have any questions about finding an inexpensive bandsaw for your woodworking shop, please Post a Question and I’ll be glad to answer them. Happy building.

Post Author-

• More than 20 Years Woodworking Experience
• 7 Woodworking Books Available on Amazon
• Over 1 Million Words Published About Woodworking
• Bachelor of Arts Degree from Arizona State University

Buy My Books on Amazon

I receive Commissions for Purchases Made Through the Links in This Post.

Come See What I'm Making on Etsy!

Check Out My Shop!

 

You Can Find My Books on Amazon!