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The Bandsaw Book by Lonnie Bird The Bandsaw Book
by Lonnie Bird

Paperback: 208 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.47 x 9.93 x 7.96
Publisher: Taunton Pr; (October 1999)
ISBN: 1561582891

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Book Description: The bandsaw is one of the most widely used woodworking tools, found in 3 out 4 home and professional workshops. Although deceptively simple - a steel blade rotating around two rubber-clad wheels, the bandsaw does its best work when it's tuned properly. Unfortunately, most owner's manuals provided by tool manufacturers are difficult to understand, and the drawings and photos are unclear.

In this book, professional woodworker Lonnie Bird gives all the information bandsaw owners wished came in the owner's manual plus much more - what to look for when buying a bandsaw and how to tune it up for optimal performance. The information is presented in an accessible, easy-to-understand way, making this a quick reference as well as comprehensive handbook. All the information is up-to-date and thoroughly researched. Excellent color photos by the author and a clean, friendly layout gives this book on a classic woodworking subject a fresh modern look. This clearly illustrated and photographed volume will quickly become the standard reference and is a must-have title for any woodworker.


Customer Reviews
Buy It ... Period, February 1, 2003
Reviewer: Ken Frengs from Stafford, VA United States
Having also bought Duginske's Bandsaw Handbook (and recommended also), Bird's effort here is a real value for the dollar. Kiss and a kick here though ... the information clarity and photo quality are top notch but chapter after chapter are filled with redundant explanations. If you are the type who likes the repetition from various angles, this book may not be a problem for you - others like myself may feel that the 200 page volume could have been done in 125 pages, or more information could have been added. Also, while its a sincere attempt to help the novice bandsaw buyer, it still fell short for me. Not looking for a guide to suggest exactly which namebrand and model to buy ... that's simply unrealistic as most woodworkers have different needs, interests and varying budget constraints to deal with. But these types of books are marketed upfront as "how to choose" bandsaws among other things and leave as much uncertainty as buying knowledge in my view. To be fair, however, novice woodworkers are novices for a reason so can't expect to not learn many things the hard way. Expanded focus on purchasing lessons learned would really up the content. Considering the abundant positives, if you are looking for general reference information to get oriented to the world of bandsaws .. buy this book, it's very informative on the basic fundamentals of the tool, procedures, watch items, safety tips, and bandsaw applications. Definitely worth purchasing.

Pretty complete...., January 11, 2003
Reviewer: krassel from SPANAWAY, WA USA
This is a good book for those of us who thought we knew band saws. The tune up section alone is worth the price of the book, especially if you are trying to use a 40 year old saw as I am. I have found myself trying to figure out ways to make cuts on the table saw that I should have been doing on the bandsaw, because I could not get good results with the bandsaw. This book changed all that. After following Mr. Bird's guidelines for tuning up the saw, and replacing a few worn out parts, my old gray ghost is once again singing. I too noticed the absence of a mention of Timber Wolf blades, but you can't get everything into one book. These blades are great on old saws because you don't have to tension them as much as standard blades. I have a new bandsaw in my future, and the chapters on whats good and whats not and how to buy a new saw are invaluable. Photo's are excellent and just enough of them to get the point across. I highly reccommend this book to "experts" and amateurs.

Helped in Finding, October 7, 2002
Reviewer: knmi from Blue Springs, MO USA
Well-written reference book written in a sequence that allows each chapter to build on the previous. Purchased this book as a help in determining what type (size, model) of bandsaw to purchase. The book provided guidance in what is important, what is marginal engineering and what is well engineered. It describes each component of the bandsaw, how it works and the effect it has on the final result. Does a great job of describing the importance of blades, various types and their application. I had not thought much about blades; however, by the time I got to the section I was paying attention. The author is very good at describing a component, how it works, how it applies to the machine and its effect on cutting wood. I purchased an additional book on bandsaws; The Bandsaw Book is the best.

great book., June 15, 2002
Reviewer: candyman909 from RiverSide, California USA
i dont have a bandsaw just yet but i am getting one in about a week. i wanted to learn about them a little before i did so would be better prepared to make the right decision on which saw to buy. this book was very helpful. it has everthiong you need to know in general about bandsaws blades and how to tune your bandsaw. i was able to make well educated decisions on which saw to buy and what blades i needed to do certain jobs. this book tells you all the things the bandsaw can do and how to do them and which blades are recomended to do it. he is very clear on his directions and the overall quality of the book is excellent. color photos are great too. mostly for someone who is new to bandsaws this book will teach you everything you need to know. i read this book cover to cover and now i know what i need to know about bandsaws. now all that is left is getting the actual experince using it. something no book can teach you. definatly one of the best books in my woodworking library.

This is the only Bandsaw book you need, September 30, 2001
Reviewer: M. Morrison from The South
I've purchased several books on the Bandsaw. This book is the only one you will need. It covers, CORRECTLY, how to set up, tune, adjust, look for, and operate new or used bandsaws. The photographs are excellent as is the writing style. The information is up to date...very important in light of the many changes in this tool recently. The only thing Lonnie missed was an inclusion of the style of Blades manufactured by Timberwolf (Although he included everything else)which require LESS tension than carbon or carbide blades while still retaining beam strength. This is HUGE for those of us who cannot afford the bigger machines but still want to resaw on our 14" saws using riser blocks.

If you're interested in learning about the bandsaw or are about to purchase one...this is the book to buy.

Everything you need to know about bandsaws, March 27, 2001
Reviewer: A reader from Houston, TX USA
This book has all the information you need to know to buy a saw that suits your needs and tune it for greatest accuracy and efficiency. It is clearer and better formatted than the other texts I've bought and read in the past. The organization of chapters and articles set apart in the chapters on various topics make this a useful reference for specific issues. Selection of blades gets a thorough and very up to date treatment. You'll also gain valuable insight into application of different guide systems, why wheel diameter matters and how much power your machine should have to accomplish various cutting tasks. The photographs in the book are a great compliment to the clear, logical text.

A great book for someone needing practical information, April 16, 2000
Reviewer: A reader from New Zealand
I bought this book hoping it would assist me in buying a new bandsaw. It did that and more! I was able to spot minor, but annoying flaws in 3 new saws after reading the book. The bandsaw I eventually purchased responded well to the improvements suggested by the author. I'd recommend this book to anyone considering buying a bandsaw or looking to get the best from one they already own.



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