Bigger Band Saw

I’ve considered making one that uses a blade on a Woodmizer saw mill. You’ve got to be really careful with that much blade exposed. I’ve always used a hand saw for large cuts.

 

I got a grizzly with a 6” extension block. With the extension block you obviously will also need a longer blade. I’ve got 12” of clearance with the block.

 

Look for a meat saw , works threat

 

Would you have to change the blade on meat saw?

 

Not on foam and wood , but it’s easy anyway

 

I am talking meat band saw

 

I use grizzly can carve salmon to little tiny brookies

 

I got the grizzly
Handles large salmon, large grouper
Great saw

 

I was going to suggest a meat cutting band saw as well. My dad has a badass 220v one and I have used it a million times for all kinds of taxidermy related stuff. Every night during deer season I take all my deer heads (after skinning off the hide) and cut my skull caps off (then I go see what my momma made for supper that night lol). I have used it to slice and dice foam as well as most of the cedar peices I uses (I gather them when im out cutting firewood and use the meat cut saw to flat back them). TRUST ME, if it will ghost through notty cedar stumps and WT skull caps like a hot knife through butter you wont have any problems cutting foam.

(That said, I do endorce anything made by grizzly as being great quality high value, the only new large woodworking/shop tools ive ever bought have all been grizzly. I have a grizzly drill press, downdraft table, and my woodshop dust collection system is all grizzly. Back when I worked public work the heavy equipment shop I worked at had a grizzly band saw and drill press and parts washer and this old crazy grizzly sales rep would come twice a year to sell us blades and check in, he smoked like 3 packs of cigs a day, was the only person allowed to smoke in the office, and would always say "if its gonna be a bear, it might as well be a grizzly" haha he was a character)

 

Meat saws will work, and a used one will cost way less than a high end band saw. I had one once. The only negative was that the table did not tilt, so I had to "wing it" on beveled cuts. Again, count all your fingers and arms when using an open throat saw. Accidents can be ruthless.

 

You can find the old deltas with and without the riser block. If you can find a good one cheap without the riser block I understand that the grizzly riser block fits the delta and is less money. I had one of these saws for three decades and it's been really good. You have a little over 12" under the head with the riser.
If you punch in delta bandsaw under a craigslist search there is usually one for sale within driving distance.

 

There are a number of 14" saws that ought to work. 14" have around 12 to 14" of clearance. They are usually fairly pricey for the ones that work well. I've been watching facebook marketplace and craigslist for a couple years to find a decent one at a decent price that I can afford. I am hoping to start wood carving larger fish and clearance is pretty much a necessity.

 

Have you ever seen those piano type wire tools that upholsters use to cut their foam? I wonder if something similar with a longer heavier gauge wire might be possible? Heat the wire and cut through the foam?

 

Making a wire foam cutter is fairly easy but will just work on blue or white styro.Won't work on urethane foam. I'm sure there are some youtube videos. However the smell is horrible. You need really good ventilation or better yet outside if you go this route. The smell gave me a headache in ten seconds.