Bandsaw Comparison

[fredg50]

I am looking at buying a bandsaw and need some help. What's the best bang for the buck, the Ridgid or the Grizzly G0580? I do woodworking for a hobby and I am looking for the best deal for under $400. Also can anyone tell me why HD raised the Rigid jointer price $50? No one in the store seems to know.

[DSSOKHEY]

I hope you have'nt bought the ridgid Band Saw. I have one and it has vibration. The Ridgid Warranty won't pay for onsite service. they expect me to carry it (like 150 lbs) to their service center. If you think yu can carry around a tool that is supposed to be a stationary tool, good luck. Imagine what you will do with a table saw that weighs like 350 lbs.

[BadgerDave]

DSSOKHEY, I'm curious, what tool manufacturers offer onsite service? I'm sure that its possible that some individual service centers may offer that service but I've never heard of a manufacturer offering it.

fredg50, if you're dialed into just the two band saws you mentioned then the Ridgid would be my choice. The two saws are probably a wash when it comes to features and performance. The Ridgid can be purchased locally so you won't have to deal with any shipping damage or back order problems. If you would experience a service or warranty related problem, Ridgid has, inconviently for some, locally located service centers while Grizzly has none that I'm aware of. However, if you want to throw the Grizzly G0555 into the picture than Griz wins hands down.

[Rafael]

Sears offers onsite service for extra money, but you have to by a craftsman to get it.
I have the ridgid BS and have no vibration problems. It is underpowered but I have better things to do with my money than spend $1100 + on a good BS.
If you can find a BS for about the same price with more power I would consider that.
Also, setup and adjustments on a BS are numerous and somewhat irritating, but they do affect performance and vibration dramatically. If you get the ridgid, the manual does a good job of getting the saw adjusted well. Also, get a good blade, it makes a difference.

[Hector B]

Food for thought here. I was talking to a salesman(of course), and he was pushing a 14" Delta that cost about $200-$300 more than the Ridgid, and he said that you can spend the money now on the Delta and get all the bells and whistles, better belts and tires, better OEM blade, deluxe guide blocks, and less setup, than buying the less expensive Ridgid/Grizzly/Craftsman and having to do all the upgrades to get it to the quality of the Delta.

I don't know what to make of it.

[Rafael]

THat's $750 BS. I'd spend a little more and get a Rikon 18" 2hp BS. On sale they can be had for about $899.

[fredg50]

I hope you have'nt bought the ridgid Band Saw. I have one and it has vibration. The Ridgid Warranty won't pay for onsite service. they expect me to carry it (like 150 lbs) to their service center. If you think yu can carry around a tool that is supposed to be a stationary tool, good luck. Imagine what you will do with a table saw that weighs like 350 lbs.

Check out the article in the October issue of Wood Magazine on getting the most out of your bandsaw. He uses the Ridgid bandsaw.

[fredg50]

THat's $750 BS. I'd spend a little more and get a Rikon 18" 2hp BS. On sale they can be had for about $899.

I have not found many good reviews on the Delta bandsaws in the $400 range and really can't afford the $750 and up. There's a Grizzly store abuot 2 hours from me in PA and they are having there tent sale the end of the month. I might just take the ride and check it out.

[DSSOKHEY]

FREDG, Thanks for the infor on wood magazine article. I wil try to find it in the library. But otherwise I have tuned my saw pretty well. I am sure the article in wood won't tell you how to remove the run out in the lower wheel and the pulley. and then talk about an out of balance lower wheel too. This is a manufacturing defect and can only be corrected by proper machining--or replacing with correct parts. The articles usually tell you how to set up the guide blocks and blade tension and replace the tires and v belt to a link belt.
I have heard mixed reviews about the grizzly. You could try ridgid and if it does'nt perform you can return it within 90 days. I procrastinated and now I am stuck with it. good luck

[woodypa]

FREDG, Thanks for the infor on wood magazine article. I wil try to find it in the library. But otherwise I have tuned my saw pretty well. I am sure the article in wood won't tell you how to remove the run out in the lower wheel and the pulley. and then talk about an out of balance lower wheel too. This is a manufacturing defect and can only be corrected by proper machining--or replacing with correct parts. The articles usually tell you how to set up the guide blocks and blade tension and replace the tires and v belt to a link belt.
I have heard mixed reviews about the grizzly. You could try ridgid and if it does'nt perform you can return it within 90 days. I procrastinated and now I am stuck with it. good luck

I bought my BS14002 (orange model) with a riser block and oem fence for a total of $369. Yes, I only paid $369. At the time they were clearing out the old grey stuff and gave me the BS14002 instead of the BS14001. I thought it was a good deal but the BS14002 had lots of vibration. I did a lot of tuning to balance the wheels, replaced the drive belt, replaced the wheel tires, replaced the blade (first thing I replaced), and more. The two most significant changes that helped were stiffening the base with a piece of plywood and replacing the wheels. I believe one of the original wheels were out of round. I think there were some serious QC problems. I don't know if that has changed. I probably spent an extra $100 over the initial purchase and the blades, not a big deal. It took me months to solve the problem though. That is what really bugged me. Oh, and dust collection is nearly nonexistant. I added a 4" port to the bottom door and it made a significant improvement. I think experiences have varied and it is hit or miss. It is a good saw if you get one without bugs or once you get the bugs out yourself.

[DSSOKHEY]

woodypa, try putting a cost to the process of debugging and you will find the machine is not worht it.

[MrZ]

I have a Grizzly (G0555). It is a great saw. Ball bearing guides, nice fence and the 1hp is plenty of power for me. I looked at the Ridgid BS, but the Grizzly band saws had more features.

Shipped right to my house for $69. Handed the driver a $10 and he wheeled it right into my garage.

My .02

[Rafael]

Fred,
I'm just saying I wouldn't spend $750 on a BS, at that point I'd save my money and get something much better.
My only complaint about the ridgid is it is underpowered.

[woodypa]

woodypa, try putting a cost to the process of debugging and you will find the machine is not worht it.

I agree. The actual work hours and duration it took to get there wasn't worth it for me. I don't get to spend hours a day in my shop. I just don't have the time. Spending it trying to fix something isn't worth it. Hindsight says I should of returned it once I noticed the problem. Everyone I asked said it is a simple fix, just.... Unfortunately, most everything I tried didn't work.

There is an article in Wood magazine that discusses maximizing bandsaw performance. They show a picture of a Ridgid bandsaw with some of the modifications I mentioned. There is a dust port in the lower wheel cover. There is a piece of plywood between of saw and its base. I was reading it in Walmart and didn't get a chance to digest all of it. Looked like a good article though.

I think they mentioned making sure the blade is tracking on center to get rid of drift. I don't know why more people don't mention this instead of recommending an adjustable fence. I have the OEM fence that doesn't adjust for drive and I never worried about it. Maybe I am missing something.

[swampyankee]

This is a post I wrote at the wooden boat bulletin board, concerning the issue of vibration. This has been my experience. Most people had told the poster to replace the bearings, I disagreed. These are some simple useful fixes for the vibration problems. Personally, I was leery of this saw, but the price was right and it's been very reliable. hope this helps, I hope it's not too off topic.
Barry


Bandsaw Vibration

I have the same saw, and had similar problems. I don't think it's the bearings.

Here are some fixes.

1) check your pulleys for alignment. Not the best castings and they some times slip on the shaft. I replaced mine with a matched pulley set. http://www.tufftooth.com/
2)Replace the drive belt with a link Belt (world of difference). Plus you can move the motor further back,and the lower door will open further for easier access
3)Replace the cheap rubber grommets on the motor. They pretty much are worthless. Go to a local auto parts store and purchase 4 shock absorber bushings(cheap item about $2.99 a pair and you can use the same hardware).
4) check the tension spring they sometimes become weaken and I know of a couple cases where the springs broke.
5) I put a shelf on the stand with 3/4 melamine from the local recycling depot, it really helped to stiffen it up. and gave me some storage. If you have a mobile base make sure it's bolted to the stand.
6) Do you have a Riser Block? make sure it's bolted tightly. I also used some rubber gasketing between the block and the base. It seemed to help.
7) check the wheel alignment. are they coplaner? you may need to shim one or both. Just some flat washers will do.
8)Check table and blade for squareness.
9) Check the guide support bar for squareness.

If you need wheel bearings, don't purchase from Ridgid parts you can get them much cheaper elsewhere.

All this being said it's a Ridgid and I still have some vibration, but nothing like before.
I bought my saw used for $200.00, so the pulleys and link belt didn't add much to the cost. I will say that It's a pretty good saw and I've resawn mahogany,spruce and some white oak with no problems. I go to it first for most cuts over the table saw, except ripping.

Hope this helps

[hewood]

Hi Fred - I recently bought a Craftsman 22400 12" BS that's made by Rikon. So far I'm really impressed for the price. It has a huge cast iron table, 7" resaw, and 3/4hp motor. It's on sale for $270, so after blades and even a mobile base you should come in at or under budget. It's looking like one of their better tools IMO.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0291.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/000_0295.jpg

[ironhat]

If Cummins Tool Sales come your way you can pick up one of Ridgid's re-certified saws for $249. The question to me, at least, is that if they are re-certified then why is the warranty only one year on parts and labor. Hmmmm, I bought it anyway. The price has left a lot of room for the needed improvements on these saws.

[Hector B]

If you got a vertical bike rack I bet you could squeeeeze another tool in your shop.:D :D :D

That is one sweet looking saw.

[fredg50]

I was looking at the new Sear's bandsaws and they are nice. I was still trying to decide untill a friend of mine said if I wanted a band saw to take his. He never uses it and wants the room in his garage. It's a old Black & Decker 14" stationary saw with a open stand. It only has a 1/2 hp motor but it runs good. The motor has four different pulley sizes for different speeds. I did some research and found out the saw is about 25 years old and there are no parts or manuals available for it. It looks like a Delta knock off. I cleaned it up and put on a Timberwolf blade and it cut good. There is a little vibration. The belt I think may be original. The tension is applied by the weight of the motor. You just have to lift the motor to change pulleys. I was thinking of getting a link belt and replacing the tires. The guide blocks are ok but one of the thrust bearings has a little play. I can get the blade to track dead center on the top wheel but it tracks off a little on the bottom wheel. So far I have the cost of a blade invested. I can upgrade the motor and still be ahead of the game.

[ironhat]

Hey fredg50, give the Mark Duginske book, "Bandsaw Handbook" a look. There are plenty of fine tuning point that I wouldn't have come up with myself which give you the most bang for the bug out of your saw. With your no price purchase cost you can add tires, cool blocks, link belt and anything else without getting your costs out of hand. Personally, I'd get the fine tuning issues addressed before changing out motors unless the current one is totally trashed or dog-tired. The best thing I did for mine was balancing the wheels. I did far better with this than the factory did and the vibration reduced considerably
Later,
Chiz

[fredg50]

I have a copy of the Bandsaw book. I'll have to check that one out. How do you determinethe size of the belt? The circumference of the belt on the saw is 53". I've seen a link belt advertised at 48". Do I have to by two and add the links I need or can you buy them by the foot?

[ironhat]

I have a copy of the Bandsaw book. I'll have to check that one out. How do you determinethe size of the belt? The circumference of the belt on the saw is 53". I've seen a link belt advertised at 48". Do I have to by two and add the links I need or can you buy them by the foot?

You're going to like the book. There's something useful in nearly every chapter. I just finished removing the nicks from the back of the blade and rounding over the back edges to prevent cutting the bearing faces during tight turns.

[swampyankee]

Chances are its a DeWalt knock off. Dewalt made the B&D Radial Arm Saw as well as the Band Saw. My dad had a B&D Radial arm saw when we were kids, first power saw I ever used; those things still give me the willies, although I haven't used one in a while.
Try Looking for info Here:http://www.owwm.com/
Ask around here:http://www.owwm.org/

Best regards, Barry

[fredg50]

I called a Dewalt service center and gave them the model and serial # of the saw and they told me it was obsolete and parts and manuals are no longer available. Anything I need I should be able to get aftermarket. Speaking of a RAS, this has been my lucky month for free tools. One of the guys at work gave me a old Craftsman RAS. I found out that the saw was made by Emerson and contacted them. There was a recall on a lot of their saws from the early seventies into the early nineties for the blade guard. I gave them the model and serial # and they sent me the updated guard assembly along witha a brand new table for free. They even sent the right manual for the saw which I did not have. The saw was made in 1978 and was used in a cabinet shop. I haven't had a chance to set it up yet. I here a lot of scary stories about these saws so I plan on doing a lot of research before I use it. Here is the link if anyone has a sears saw and wants to check on the recall.
http://www.emersontoolcompany.com/ Just go to legal and click on recall.

[ironhat]

(<snip>)I here a lot of scary stories about these saws so I plan on doing a lot of research before I use it. (<snip>.

Bah! They are no more dangerous than any other machine with a sharp blade whirring at more than 1K rpm's. Seriously, all machinery is dangerous if used without the cautions common to all power tools as well as those peculicar to that specific machine. We all get into trouble when we get in a hurry and lose concentration on the task at hand; safely cutting a piece to proper length. Yep, read up and proceed as you would with any machine giving due respect for the potential dangers. BTW, I think you're going to love your RAS.

Later,
Chiz

[Rafael]

I'd say a BS is far safer than most saws. Any saw if not used correctly can remove body parts very quickly.

[Tom W]

On Sunday I put together a new Sears 14" bandsaw. I bought it based on a review in American Woodworker and a conversation with a friend who had just bought one. The first thing I cut was a small piece of walnut on which I had drawn some squiggly lines. The thing did well. I have wanted to be able to resaw for a long time so the next thing I cut was a resaw of one inch wide from some 8/4 walnut 7" wide/tall. The cut was 12" long and the deviation from end to end and top to bottom was less than the width of one of the increment marks on my ruler. All this was with a 3/8 " blade that came with the saw. Based on my limited experience I anticipate great things to come from the saw.

I bought it on sale from Sears for $430.

[TomSeaman]

I also have the Ridgid 1401 (Gray one) and love it. If anyone is looking for a riser Kit for one, I have a brand new one , still in the box that I'm not going to ues. E-mail me at tes55@verizon.net if interested.

[Trainer3]

I found the Ridgid to have vibration, but was able to quickly take care of it. I used a red link belt to replace the v-belt supplied, making sure to tension the belt fully. One other thing I do with bands saws and lathes is hang a bag of dry sand on the leg supports. The price is cheap enough and the saw is actually well rated by many mags.