First up on our list of the best band saws is a neat 10-inch from WEN coming with a stand and work light.
Not everyone wants a colossal powerhouse that costs a fortune. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a precise and capable saw for home use, the WEN 3962 is well worth popping on your shortlist.
With any budget power tool, you need to keep your expectations realistic so we’ll give you a frank and honest appraisal of the WEN and you can determine whether or not this smaller, lightweight band saw will be man enough for your cutting needs.
This superb, rugged band saw has a very capable 3.5-amp motor for a 10-inch saw. It runs on 120 volts. You can carve through boards as thick as 6-inches and 9 ¾ inches wide without needing multiple passes. The WEN has a 9 ¾-inch throat so you’ll be able to accommodate more material than with many comparable 10-inch band saws. It’s man enough to deal with a range of timber including hardwood.
Although the performance is impressive, the WEN has a fairly small footprint so it won’t eat up too much space in your workshop. The unit measures up at 20 x 25 x 58 inches.
Getting up and running is straightforward. Simply slip the cross supports and legs into place, slot on the work table and you’re ready to install and tweak the blade…
This is where a few issues come to the fore. If the adjustment is not spot-on, you’ll find this band saw pretty unforgiving. This model is extremely sensitive and setting up the stock blade is a tricky and rather tiresome procedure. For this reason alone, we’d suggest that the WEN is much better suited to woodworkers with at least some experience.
For such an affordable saw, you get plenty of bang for your buck…
The work table is substantial so you can accommodate large pieces of timber without a headache. You can bevel to the right anywhere from 0 through 45 degrees to the right. This allows you to make angled cuts 6 inches deep.
The work light illuminates your cutting line perfectly. This allows you to beaver away with precision in complete safety even if your workshop is a little on the dim side.
You’ll get a superbly solid and stable base to operate from thanks to the stand included. This will help you achieve strong, clean cuts without warping or skewing. It also adds a nice element of safety.
The WEN takes 72-inch blades which can be anywhere from 1/8-inch in thickness up to ½-inch so it’s a very versatile piece of kit. Band saw blades are rated according to TPI (teeth per inch) or PPI (points per inch). For most standard woodworking applications, 3 TPI will be adequate to deal with green wood and to make sure the sawdust is blitzed away and doesn’t clog up the works. For finer sawing, shoot for an extra set blade which has additional teeth.
You’ll get a miter gauge and rip fence thrown in for a bit of added cutting versatility.
Hooking up your band saw to a dust collection hose is a cinch. There’s nothing worse than working surrounded by sawdust and particles. Stay clean and stay safe. There are 3 differently sized ports meaning it will connect to most standard shop vacs.
There are a couple minor flashpoints with the WEN worth drawing your attention to…
The principal downside of this saw is that making adjustments can be a testing process. Take the time to become familiar with this procedure as it will make all the difference when you are cutting.
Several users have complained about light reflecting back in your face off the table.
These drawbacks are certainly not deal-breakers but worth being aware of so you don’t end with a nasty surprise.
The 2-year limited warranty means you can buy this band saw with complete peace of mind. You’ll also enjoy first-rate customer service if needed. If you’re based in the US, you can also avail yourself of the wide network of skilled WEN technicians at your disposal to right any wrongs.