What saw would be best

[JRC]

I'm know both a scroll saw and a band saw would be capable of cutting out a pattern out of 1/2" stock but I want to know which saw would be easier to make the cuts. The pattern does NOT involve tight turns and is about 12" wide and 8" tall.

My thinking is it would be easier to control a scroll saw such as a dewalt DW788 verse a band saw.

Any thoughts?

[Neal Moore]

The band saw and scroll saw are each designed to perform a different job. In many applications one may be used in place of the other; however, if you plan on making tight turns or inside cuts a band saw just ain't gonna do it. If you want to cut anything much over two inches thick, re-saw boards or make compound cuts in large pieces of wood, the band saw is what you want. If you need a narrow kerf, tight turns and inside cuts then the scroll saw is the tool to use. It's also much safer than a band saw. If most of the work you plan to do is with 1/2 inch stock then the scroll saw would probably be the best choice based on the information you provided. The 788 is also an excellent choice of saw.

[GrayBeard Phil]

To restate the obvious:
Band saw and scroll saw are different tools.

The band saw will be faster, because of the motor and constant speed and rotation of the blade.

The band saw will have less of a problem with chip clean out over a scroll saw because the gullet between the teeth is deeper on a band saw (this results in less chance of wood buring in the kerf.)

The blade of a bandsaw can get as small as 1/16 inch front to back. Only the very largest blades on a scroll saw are that large. Nomal size range is between 3/64 inch to about 1/64 inch (or less) front to back. Kerf is a lot thinner on a scroll saw also.

But the biggest difference you will find is a DeWalt 788 can produce a cut that needs almost no sanding or clean up (not none, just almost none.) A band saw will mostly leave a cut that needs to be cleaned up. Time is money. You pay with slower cutting, or pay with extra step cleaning up the cut; your choice.

Phil