Band Saw vs Table Saw: Which is Best For Your DIY Project?

Any experienced woodworker might already have strong opinions on the differences between a band saw and a table saw.

But if you’re just getting into the hobby of woodworking, you might and ask “band saw vs table saw: whats the difference?”

You might have grown up seeing your father or grandfather or uncle and think, “can a band saw replace a table saw?” or “what might I need with both, what advantages does the band saw have over the table saw?”

The truth is, both are excellent for specific reasons, and both are used to perform certain cuts when woodworking.

Could you use one more than the other? Probably.

But having both at your disposable ensures you never have to make due with what you’ve got, and guarantees you’ll always be able to make the exact cut you need when working on whatever project you’ve got in mind.

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The Table Saw

Table saws are generally the most basic type of woodcutting tool you’ll find in any woodworker’s workshop.

They are rudimentary.

You wouldn’t get into baseball and not buy a glove, would you?

A table saw offers perfect cuts with a degree of ease, microscopic precision, and top of the line efficiency.

For woodworking beginners, it is almost a requirement to get familiar with the table saw. Peruse the table saw’s manual, get familiar with it, play around with it, and before long you’ll think you can craft together anything.

Table saws have a variety of options that make them the perfect choice for many different woodworking projects.

They have adjustable blade depth, you can swap out the different blade types for different cuts, and most have a fool-proof fence system that helps to protect the woodworker while making a cut, and safety is really a top priority when you’re working with a fast, rotating blade that won’t know the difference between a piece of wood and your flesh and bone.

Table saws are the go-to option when making a variety of cuts: they can produce precision squares, rips, grooves, bevels, miters — really almost anything you will need in the beginning stages of your woodworking journey.

If you’re looking for the perfect starting table saw for your woodworking workshop, then look no further. This DEWALT table saw will answer all of your carpentry needs.

The Band Saw

Now, just because you’ve got a table saw doesn’t mean you can do everything with it. It’s great to start with a table saw, but when it comes down to it, it’s not band saw vs table saw.

The two can work in conjunction to help you craft the most beautiful project you can imagine. So really, you’re going to want both, and you’re about to see why.

Band saws are not a replacement for table saws by any means, but they can certainly do some things that would be basically virtually impossible to do on a table saw.

Band saws are really good at doing two things that a table saw just can not do: one, is they can cut curves, or scrolls if you’re looking to brush up on your carpentry lingo, and two, they are able to cut really, really thick pieces of material, think something three and a half inches thick or more.

Band saw can be used for more basic cuts, like when you need to make long, straight cuts to make perfect rips or squares on standard pieces of material like 2 x 4’s.

However, because of how the blade is typically narrow and flimsy, a table saw is more practical and effective for these kinds of cuts.

Here is an excellent choice for those seeking a new band saw purchase. This Grizzly band saw (Grizzly G0555LX Deluxe Bandsaw, 14) has never let me down every time I go to use it.

Related: 10 Best Band Saw Reviews

What Works Best?

So different types of cuts will comes out better on a different type of saw. For basic woodworking, you know, rips and squares and the like, you’re going to want a table saw. A table saw is definitely the right choice when it comes to ripping lumber to a specific length, or if you need really straight and really long cuts.

If you’re cross-cutting, or just need a perfect square to fill in a corner piece somewhere, the table saw is what you’re going to want to use.

For grooves, dados, insets, instances where you need to cut only part of the way through your material, then the table saw is also the better option over a band saw.

The band saw comes into play when you need more specific or odd cuts in your material.

Miters and bevels, while they can be down with a table saw, you’re going to want to do these angled cuts with a band saw because you can angle the material in just the right way in order to get the perfect cut, and angling the material a particular way can sometimes be easier than changing the angle of your blade for each individual cut.

Then for things like scrolls, curves, or really any other irregular shape that you find yourself needing to cut, the band saw really is the only choice for those things.

Also, like previously mentioned, band saws are the better choice when you need to cut through really thick pieces of material. Standard tables saws usually have a max table height of about three inches, so anything thicker than that will require a band saw.

Conclusion

So there you have it. Can a band saw replace a table saw? Absolutely not.

That doesn’t mean that band saws don’t deserve a worthy spot in your woodworking workshop.

Band saws are crucial pieces of machinery when it comes to specific types of irregular cuts or working with thicker material. That being said, table saws are great for the basic types of cuts that you’ll find yourself doing every day when you’re working on a project.

Despite the every day usage you will get out of a table saw, their greatness falls short every so often, and that is when you will need a band saw.

Both table saws and band saws have their specific advantages and disadvantages.

Neither can replace the other. So, if you are a beginner woodworker or if you are someone with some woodworking experience under your belt, you will eventually need both a table saw and a band saw. It just comes down to which one you need.