Band Saw

[Orange Apron]

I know the Ridgid 14" Band Saw isnt the most popular choice here, but Im thinking of getting a BS soon. What is everyones opinion of the following?

14" Ridgid
12" Craftsman
14" Delta
14" Jet

THe main thing Im looking for is a good saw for the money. Money is the key factor here. Once Uncle Sam returns my money this year I will have $500 to do with as I please. I will be using it to rough out carvings in softer woods and also for working with thinner oak boards mostly for alot of trimwork around my house. I dont want a bench top model, because I have more floor space than bench space in here, and I want something more durable than the plasticy (sp? plasticky?) looking bench top saws.

Thanks
Dan

[Ken R]

I would also reccomend that you consider the Grizzly GO555 band saw. I have one with the 6" riser block installed and have found it to be an excellent saw at a very good price.



Ken

[Rafael]

Think used.
On nearly any new saw you will need a new blade and maybe want to replace the tires, so dont let that affect your thinking about a used one.

[BadgerDave]

I agree with Ken. For what you're looking to spend the Griz is the better bang for you buck than the others.

[mreza]

I am looking for a 14" BS too. I have my eyes on the steel frame craftsman.
The popular woodworking magz did a review of these bandsaws in the Nov issue of 2006. Craftsman was the best value (and Rikon the best). For the money, craftsman seem to deliver far more than the similar ones (including Grizzly).
Check it out before you buy.

[bench dog]

I'd definitely add that Grizzly to your list, and up the Craftsmen to the 14".

[CWSmith]

From the many posts I've read over the last couple of years, the Grizzly G0555 is certainly one of the most popular (and recommended) band saws on the market. With it's current shipping cost, it would place the Grizz just above the $500 budget, but well worth your consideration, considering it's features. Here is a link: http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0555

I've been eyeing the Craftsman "Professional" 14" which is made by Rikon. While the Grizzly (like many other 14" band saws), has a cast iron frame, the Craftsman/Rikon has a welded steel frame. Advantage of the cast iron frame is that you can add the riser block option to increase the cutting depth. The welded steel design is fixed, but is reported to be more stiffer. I believe the Grizz has a standard cutting depth of six inches and can be expanded. The Craftsman/Rikon is fixed at eight inches. Rikon has announced a new "Deluxe" 14" with a cutting depth of around 13", as I recall. (The price is around $750 though.) Here is a link to the Craftsman model and also to the new Rikon.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Bench+Power+Tools&pid=00922401000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Band+Saws&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

http://www.rikontools.com/

I hope this helps,

CWS

[hewood]

I've got a fairly new 12" Craftsman 22400 that's been great. I think you're budget will allow going with a bigger saw though.

[Orange Apron]

Thanks everyone. I didnt see the 14" Craftsman when I was searching last night. The Grizzly looks good too. I will also keep my eyes on the local Craigslist around here.

Thanks again
Dan

[Bob D.]

"I've been eyeing the Craftsman "Professional" 14" which is made by Rikon. "

The Craftsman is not made by Rikon for Sears, it is made by the parent company of Rikon. So they share some of the same linage and history but the 14" Craftsman is not a copy of the Rikon 10-320 BS.

[CWSmith]

Bob (and anyone else),

Rikon is a division of Richen Enterprise, Inc. However, Richen Enterprise (according to Dunn & Bradstreet) does business only as Rikon Power Tools. There appears to be no other business entity of Richen Enterprise, Inc., except for Rikon Power Tools.

According to the "company" page on Rikon's web site (www.rikontools.com (http://www.rikontools.com)), "Our products are manufactured in Germany and China. We have warehouse facilities in Massachusetts, Washington, and Illinois." The headquarters of Richen Enterprise is the same as Rikon Power Tools, in Woburn, Mass.

Perhaps my post implied that the Craftsman was a clone, it's not. However, it is a pretty close copy with some changes in specification. For example, the depth of cut on the Rikon 10-320 is 6-inchs; on the Craftsman it is 8-inches. The Craftsman model comes with a fence, on the Rikon, it's an option. Craftsman warranty is 1 year and Rikon's is 2 years. There are probably other differences in the specs, but I haven't run the numbers.

Sears often works with it's suppliers to set specications that are different, and often higher, than the OEM's model. For instance, many of the Craftsman cordless tools are made by TTI/Ryobi, yet they are 19 plus volts, while the Ryobi version is 18 volts. The housing may sport slight differences, in addition to the color change and badge, but usually one can observe the kinship.

Sorry for any confusion,

CWS

[Orange Apron]

I think Im going to lean toward the Grizzly. I like the Sears 14" and if I needed it NOW Id go that way, but I usually feel old and might as well let someone else deliver it to my house. I also like that the Grizzly tilts to the left and right, has rubber coated wheels and a larger motor. Thanks for the suggestions and advice everyone.

[BadgerDave]

If you think that resawing over 6" might be in your future, order the riser block when you place your order for the saw. It will be much easier to install when you initially setup the BS then it will be at some time down the road.