A bandsaw’s spec sheet is a short list of numbers, and they are easy to misread. The size in the name is usually the wheel diameter, not the size of the work it cuts; the “depth of cut” is a height, not a length. Here is what each number means, and which ones decide the blade you will buy.
Wheel diameter.
A “14-inch bandsaw” has wheels about 14 in (355 mm) across. The wheel size sets how sharply the blade bends on every turn, which limits how thick a blade the saw can run without it cracking, and it roughly sets the throat. It does not tell you the blade length: two saws with the same wheels can take different blades because their wheels are a different distance apart.
Throat.
The throat is the distance from the blade to the frame column: the widest piece you can cut through the middle of. On a typical two-wheel saw it is a little less than the wheel diameter. If you cut wide panels or long curves, the throat matters more than the height.
Depth of cut.
Depth of cut, sometimes called height capacity or resaw capacity, is the space between the table and the upper guide at its highest: the thickest piece you can stand under the guide. On a typical 14-inch saw it is about 6 in (150 mm); a riser block can double it, and it then takes a longer blade.
Blade length and width range.
These are the numbers BenchRefill documents. The blade length is the full loop the saw takes, fixed by its wheels and frame. The width range runs from the narrowest blade the guides can support to the widest the saw can tension. Some manuals also give a blade thickness. Check all three for your exact model; see understanding dimensions.
Motor power.
Power is given in watts or horsepower. More power helps when resawing wide hardwood or feeding steadily through thick stock; for curves in thin wood, a small motor is fine. Some figures are input power and some output power, so compare like with like. Large motors may need their own circuit or a three-phase supply; check before you buy.
Blade speed.
Blade speed is given in metres per second, metres per minute or feet per minute. Woodworking saws run fast, often with one or two speeds. Saws that also cut metal have much lower speeds, or a variable drive, because metal needs a slow blade. If you plan to cut non-ferrous metal or plastics, check that the saw offers a suitable speed and that the manufacturer allows it.
Table and fence.
The table size, how far it tilts and whether it has a mitre slot and a fence affect how easy the saw is to work with. A bigger, flatter table supports long and wide pieces; a tall fence helps with resawing.
What matters for blades.
When you look up a saw on BenchRefill, the blade length, width range and any thickness limit are what you need. The rest describes what the saw can do, not what blade it takes.
Look up a bandsaw’s blade size ↗︎