# Skil band saw question



## johnnyrelentless (Oct 23, 2013)

I am going to buy an inexpensive band saw and I was thinking of this Skil band saw:

http://www.skiltools.com/Tools/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?model=3386

Does 9" band saw refer to the clearance height? Does this mean I can cut 9" wide boards on it?


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## Paarker (Mar 20, 2013)

9 inch means the size of the wheels. It's also the throat distance.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

johnnyrelentless said:


> I am going to buy an inexpensive band saw and I was thinking of this Skil band saw:
> 
> http://www.skiltools.com/Tools/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?model=3386
> 
> Does 9" band saw refer to the clearance height? Does this mean I can cut 9" wide boards on it?


I've got that saw and you can get about 9" between the blade and the neck... barely. It's not a bad little saw, it does have two speeds. Works well for small projects but if you are looking to get into any really serious bandsaw work you need to go bigger. Been awhile since I tried but I think resaw capacity would be about 3½".


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

9 inches is the throat depth, meaning its the limit for how wide a piece it can cut, as far as the rest of the saw goes, I've got one and I don't like it. Firstly, the motor is underpowered, it bogs down the slightest cut. Secondly, the table is rather flimsy aluminum, itflexes too easy for my taste. Lastly, the blade tracking mechanism could do with some improvements, as could the bolts keeping everything together. 

My two cents


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## Toolman2 (Jun 15, 2010)

How much room do you have? There seems to always be 14" bandsaws for sale, new and used and they usually hold up better and have more capacity.


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