Circular Saw vs. Band Saw

Circular saws and band saws each have their place in a machine shop, but selecting one over the other will affect your productivity, your capability for cutting certain materials, and the type of new business you can accept. How do you choose between the two? The best place to start is with an assessment of your productivity demands, materials, and overall business goals. The following factors should be considered when deciding which sawing system works best for your shop.

In the circular saw vs. band saw debate, ask yourself: what types and grades of material do you plan to cut with this saw on a frequent basis? Are you cutting tubes, solids, or both? Are you thinking about expanding into new markets that use different materials?

How many pieces do you need to run per hour to make a profit? What is the blend of   short runs, long runs, and individual cuts?

What are the tolerances for your cuts? Will a secondary operation be required to achieve the quality you want?

How much can you afford to spend? How long can you wait for productivity and cost-per-cut savings to offset the initial investment? What is your required cutting rate (square inches of cut per minute, factoring in the linear speed and the thickness of the metal)?

With these questions in mind, let's take a look at the pros and cons for each saw type.

If you’re looking for speedy cutting rates, a carbide circular saw machine is hard to beat. Circular saw machines with carbide-tipped blades cut through material faster without creating excess heat – especially in high alloy or stainless steel. This develops an accurate cut and high-quality finish that doesn’t require secondary finishing operations.

The blades on circular saws are thicker and more rigid compared to band saw blades. This diminishes vibration, which is a good thing. Vibration can dramatically reduce the effectiveness and tool life of the saw blade and increase the overall cost-per-cut.

Circular saws require more power consumption and a rigid machine structure because they cut wider slots. Cutting wider slots also means losing more material to scrap. Although the circular saw is initially more expensive than the band saw, the cost difference can usually be absorbed by the higher profit obtained from shorter delivery times.

Using a blade in the form of a continuous loop, band saw machines provide greater versatility in terms of capacity, layer-cutting, and bundle-cutting. They can also cut larger cross-sections than circular saw machines, which are limited to an 80” (2 m) blade diameter. Band saw machines use thinner blades and cut fewer chips. Because the band type blade needs to be flexible, it's not suitable for cutting hard steel.

The power consumption of band saws is significantly less than that of a circular saw, and the kerf loss (slot width) is about .08” (2 mm) compared to .25” (6 mm) or more for the circular type. If a job requires thinner cuts, the kerf loss will help determine if a band saw machine is a better option.

While band saws are less expensive, circular saw machines provide higher productivity. And if you're looking for a quality finish, a band saw is probably not your best choice.

Need some help deciding which saw machine is right for you? Talk to AME. Once we review your needs and answer your questions, you should be able to determine if a band saw machine or circular saw machine is the right fit for your shop.