Jump to content
Ryandr3

Apartment Bandsaw and other work are tips?

Recommended Posts

Right now I have a detached garage workshop in my apartment complex. Over the next 4-7 years as I go through graduate school, my access to a workshop will be unreliable(as well as my free time but that's another issue). I am trying to transition to apartment only bait making in preparation for this. One of my bigger problems is rough cutting the dimensions (length, width, taper ect...) of out a block of wood. I mainly use balsa and basswood so nothing too hard. This is doable with handsaws but takes a while. I've though of getting a quiet scroll or bandsaw for the apartment but not sure how that would work out. 

Any advice or tips from apartment baitmakers? Been building my apartment work area up and any advice would be appreciate. I hope to be able to make a post after I get my apartment workshop setup outlining best practices. 

 

-Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a scroll saw and two band saws in my shop.  I can't recall the last time I used the scroll saw and never found it a value able tool for bait making but some like them.

Boils down to what you are looking for and what you want to spend.  Personally I would look at a Rikon 10 inch  (10-306) model.  Just a solid little saw and one that likely would be a one and done in regards to smaller band saw use.   A little pricey but solid warranty,  use able fence, quick release, 1/2 hp motor, dual speeds, decent dust collection system, tool less blade guides and a few other features.   It will overall be slightly quieter than cheaper saws as bearing and other components specked better but likely only a few decibels difference.   A vacuum cleaner will be louder than the band saw.   Easy enough to cut out a lot of blanks in an hour or so and not have to run it very often.  In regards to small table top saw don't see ever wanting to replace it with a similar saw.   

A cheaper saw will work also  as one of my band saws is a small 9 inch delta from Lowe's bought about 20 years ago.  It is far from quality and have had to replace stuff here and there and was under 100 bucks if I recall correctly.  If I used it frequently I would replace it but currently I use it probably only a few times a month. 

If not getting a solid small band saw I would spend the money on some good japanese hand saws and  a coping or fret saw.   The Knew Concepts fret saws are very nice and very enjoyable to use.  Once again it comes at a price but teamed up with some good blades and fret saw table a very good set up that will make short order of cutting out cranks.  If you buy wood near desired width gets a lot easier.

Edited by Travis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Neither a scroll or band saw make much noise.  I use a scroll saw ‘cause that’s what I own but most guys would prefer a band saw.  For balsa, either is about as fast.  For basswood, the band saw is much faster.  The scroll can cut exact curvatures better. A lot of power tools can work fine in an apartment setting BUT sawdust and finish fume control can be more difficult.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might be able to make something similar to a spray booth for an airbrush that would hook up to a small shop-vac.  If you had a cardboard box that enclosed the top and three sides of your band saw with a hole for a shop-vac hose I bet you could control both your noise and your dust.  My older band saw has a hole for a vacuum hose built into the housing of the saw itself.   I would think the loudest part of the entire operation would be the vacuum cleaner, but hey - who doesn't vacuum their apartment from time to time?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From personal experience, your biggest problem is going to be dust, as covered in previous posts. Most electric tools have a dust collection nozzle for use with a shop vac. Just make sure you get the floor sweeping attachments for the vac as dust collection is not 100%.

Vacs are noisy, just tell your neighbours that you have OCD and have to vacuum a lot :)

Dave

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't think of any band saws that don't have dust collection so shouldn't be an issue add some padding just to absorb any vibrations and sound transfer.  If using a shop vac for dust collection you can make a box to house it in that drastically reduces the sound.  Fine Woodworking had  plans in  issue 195 on constructing a box that reduced the shop vac by 25 decibels. 

 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Travis said:

I can't think of any band saws that don't have dust collection so shouldn't be an issue add some padding just to absorb any vibrations and sound transfer.  If using a shop vac for dust collection you can make a box to house it in that drastically reduces the sound.  Fine Woodworking had  plans in  issue 195 on constructing a box that reduced the shop vac by 25 decibels. 

Clearly whoever designed the shop vacuum didn't value either their lungs or their hearing!  I have owned and used shop vacs for more than 40 years, and I haven't found one yet that can do the job without the noise.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Festool dust extractor and Fein make some that are 70 or below compared to the ~90 most off the self brands.  Now you pay a lot more for that but both are top notch units.  I think the Festool C26 is around 62 decibel and still has enough CFM and static pressure to really perform well.   Add a seperator and cleaning up becomes a lot easier.

Edited by Travis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Travis said:

 

Festool dust extractor and Fein make some that are 70 or below compared to the ~90 most off the self brands.  Now you pay a lot more for that but both are top notch units.  I think the Festool C26 is around 62 decibel and still has enough CFM and static pressure to really perform well.   Add a seperator and cleaning up becomes a lot easier.

I guess I've always used job site construction shop vacs.  I should have known that there were quieter vacs made for using inside a shop.  Doh!!!  Hahaha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, mark poulson said:

I guess I've always used job site construction shop vacs.  I should have known that there were quieter vacs made for using inside a shop.  Doh!!!  Hahaha

I use the job site construction shop vac as just didn't want to justify the money.  The Festool C26 is 700 dollars.  I think it mainly ends up getting used by contracters doing interior work in finished houses.   You plug your tool into it and it starts when the tool starts and has a HEPA filter.  Really close to dust free cuts.    All of their stuff is really expensive so I don't own any of it.

Another option for small apartment would be a small wall dust collector.  About the same noise level as a shop vac but a lot more CFM (4x).  

I ran my small band saw in my house one winter and jut hooked up our vacuum cleaner (hepa filter) to it and had no issues with dust.  I also ran a box fan with furnace filter to further collect any fines.  They perform surprisingly well  considering how basic it is but really just for fines not collected by point source vacuum.  I ran it sitting  on a card table next to the band saw.   

Ryan there are a lot of guys that do wood working in their apartments.  No different that lure making in the grand scheme of things.  Hand tools become typically more important due to space, noise, mobility and cost.    I would probably look into a cheap work bench or build one.  Can  serve as home base to work and store equipment and parts.  If you don't have the space very easy to build a small table to bench for cheap to use for basic hand tool work.

63395_W3.jpg

DSC_0850.thumb.JPG.137a1f8a7237897cb00a3fb7f878a9c3.JPG

 

 

 

  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

All this is pretty but you can always start with purchasing good quality plastic lures from a number of suppliers, eliminating dust making tools. Then all that is left to contend with is paint smell. Don't want to break anyone's bubble but in a apartment you are limited.

Just my 2 cents.

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As @BobP said the scroll saw will work well for balsa and isn't very loud. For basswood you are going to make significantly more noise with a scroll saw and in my experience with basswood and a scroll saw anything over....maybe an inch thick may be rough on the saw. I've broken several blades on my scroll saw even with basswood.

I agree also with what others have said here. Your problem, once you have a solution for cutting the blanks quietly, is going to be all of the dust. Then again, you can just vacuum that stuff up. Even in an apartment building people must be used to the sound of a vacuum cleaner. 

Another option could be to just talk to your neighbors. Introduce yourself and let them know about your hobby and explain that you are a student without much time or a dedicated workspace so you have to work in your apartment, as quietly as possible. Tell them it's the only way you'll ever be prepared for your future job at Savage Gear:)   

Edited by fishordie79
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/17/2019 at 6:49 PM, Travis said:

I have a scroll saw and two band saws in my shop.  I can't recall the last time I used the scroll saw and never found it a value able tool for bait making but some like them.

Boils down to what you are looking for and what you want to spend.  Personally I would look at a Rikon 10 inch  (10-306) model.  Just a solid little saw and one that likely would be a one and done in regards to smaller band saw use.   A little pricey but solid warranty,  use able fence, quick release, 1/2 hp motor, dual speeds, decent dust collection system, tool less blade guides and a few other features.   It will overall be slightly quieter than cheaper saws as bearing and other components specked better but likely only a few decibels difference.   A vacuum cleaner will be louder than the band saw.   Easy enough to cut out a lot of blanks in an hour or so and not have to run it very often.  In regards to small table top saw don't see ever wanting to replace it with a similar saw.   

A cheaper saw will work also  as one of my band saws is a small 9 inch delta from Lowe's bought about 20 years ago.  It is far from quality and have had to replace stuff here and there and was under 100 bucks if I recall correctly.  If I used it frequently I would replace it but currently I use it probably only a few times a month. 

If not getting a solid small band saw I would spend the money on some good japanese hand saws and  a coping or fret saw.   The Knew Concepts fret saws are very nice and very enjoyable to use.  Once again it comes at a price but teamed up with some good blades and fret saw table a very good set up that will make short order of cutting out cranks.  If you buy wood near desired width gets a lot easier.

I think I am going to go with the rikon band saw. I was needing a bandsaw upgrade anyway. Thank you for your comment. I'll update the post when I get everything situated the way I want. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...


×
×
  • Create New...
Top