Alex’s Homemade Bandsaw

Viewer Project - By Alex Harris from Hook, Hampshire UK
Added on March 13, 2012

The project has taken a while, I started last year and since then, off and on, I have been working on my homemade bandsaw. I have just recently finished the bandsaw at the age of 16 and it is a great addition to the workshop. It is really rewarding using a machine which you built yourself. I found the design at Woodgears and although I don’t usually follow plans, these were really comprehensive.

Discussion

Shannon March 13, 2012 9:29 am

Well done Alex! This give me an idea of attaching a treadle to something like this just for fun. Now I’ve gone too far.

Reply
Dean March 13, 2012 9:34 am

That’s one awsome bandsaw Alex! I’m glad you didn’t paint it green.

Reply
MikeM March 13, 2012 10:07 am

That is a really cool project. Looks like it is really well done! Great job!

Reply
Carl Olsen March 13, 2012 11:08 am

Really cool to see it working. Well done

Reply
Greg F March 13, 2012 11:52 am

Very nicely done and you will not have to worry about where to obtain replacement parts! Slightly off topic, but I enjoyed your music choice for the video.

Reply
Dan Drabek March 13, 2012 4:56 pm

Good for you! I like your gumption to take on a project like this at your age. I have a friend who built his own band saw and he’s still using it 40 years later.

DD

Reply
matt March 13, 2012 5:43 pm

That thing is awesome. I’ve seen a few kicking around the net in the past and have always wondered what they really would be capable of. Great videos showing the processes.

Reply
Sean Rubino March 13, 2012 6:35 pm

I saw that first video after the first videos from woodgears.ca. I wonder how difficult it is to make without a bandsaw or a large lathe to make the wheels true? If the plans are in Imperial Units, I may consider purchasing and building my own provided I can find a sizable motor for a reasonable price.
Nice work, Alex.

Reply
Ludovic March 14, 2012 1:36 am

Hi

I’ve also made this bandsaw (see my website, in french).

It’s not very hard to make, and doesn’t requires a bandsaw to do it.
The plans are metric, Matthias (the autor) explains why, but all the bolts and screws are imperial…

I’ve powered mine with a 500W Motor, and it works fine !

I recommand everyone to make one !!

Reply
Uffe March 14, 2012 4:17 am

Very cool! Congratulations on your new bandsaw! Wish I had one too… ;-)

Reply
Michael Agate March 14, 2012 5:00 am

Very Cool Alex. That’s one way of getting a new tool. Great build, look fantastic.

Reply
Mark Loughran March 14, 2012 6:59 am

Well done Alex, its a great achievement to make a machine that complex, so well, and all the more impressive at such a young age. Congratulations!!

Reply
lynxsg March 14, 2012 8:25 am

I’m very impressed! Thank you for sharing. I understand how difficult it is to film the planning and build progress of a project. You have inspired me to do just that in my current project.

Steve

Reply
Mike_M March 14, 2012 9:04 am

Well done Alex. You should be very proud of your accomplishment. Thanks for sharing your build with our little woodworking community. Keep up the good work and I look forward to following you in the future.

Reply
Michael March 14, 2012 2:15 pm

One Word Awesome!!!

Reply
MikeD March 14, 2012 6:10 pm

Who says woodshop is dead!!!!

Reply
DukeG March 15, 2012 4:29 am

Well let me see!!!! What was i doing @ 16… not that. Get job Alex.

Reply
Gary Bell March 15, 2012 5:46 am

Alex,
Totally awesome!!!!! That is what “woodworking” is all about. I have a very old woodworking book with similiar plans and have always thougth it would be fun to build one.

A word of safety advice though. When you are cutting a log like that shown in the video you need to hot glue it to an ” L ” shaped scraficial jig so it will not roll on you. Cutting a round object like that on a band saw can be extremely dangerous. [I know from personal experience]. The blade can bind and roll the log and pull your hand into the blade. I was lucky but have learned a lesson even at my ripe old age of 59.

You are an inspiration to woodworking!

Reply
- Alex Harris March 16, 2012 9:25 am
  
  Thanks Gary for the tip, I do not want to take any more risks than we already to.
  
  Also thanks to everyone else, your comments and feedback has been really great!
  
  Reply
TerryMcK March 20, 2012 3:36 am

Great work Alex

Reply
Arnold March 23, 2012 9:54 am

Very impressed. Would like to give it a try.

Reply
BradL May 2, 2012 10:12 am

Alex, that is amazing idea and awesome job. I would have never thought to make a bandsaw. I do understand the feeling of using a tool that I made. If you look back under workshop projects, you’ll find my Brad’s Router Table. I use it on just about every project I make.

On a side note, I’d love to feature your project on my website. It will also put you in the running for a Gift Card from Rockler in August.

Again awesome job!!

Reply
- Alex Harris May 4, 2012 12:41 pm
  
  Thanks, really appreciate it.
  Love to feature on your website, just so you know though the plans for this did come from woodgears.ca -designed by Matthias Wandel who desrves credit.
  
  Reply
Mike November 24, 2013 8:57 pm

Awesome job, Alex!!!

I was busy getting into trouble at age 16. Wish I did something similar back then!

Reply

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Alex’s Homemade Bandsaw

Advertisers