Bandsaw Decision Help

[Mike Goetzke]

As a favor I looked at a Uni for my friend that was in a storage facility 5 min. from my work. Ended up being a RT and he wants LT.

Here is where the trouble begins, the guy had a 1-yr old Powermatic 14" BS with light, dust blower, but no riser. It did have speckles of paint overspray on the front (seemed to be easily removable). I think these list for $1200 and he went from asking $800 to $700.

I have a Delta 14" with riser. My delta has a 1HP motor and the Powermatic has a 1-1/2HP. I would also have to spend approx. $100 to get a riser for the Powermatic.

Is the Powermatic that much better of a saw than my Delta to justify, I'm guessing, around $400 out of pocket.


Thanks,

Mike

[Barry Vabeach]

Mike, not having owned either, I don't see why you would make the move. You have all the resaw capacity you need now, so why would you switch. I know that the Jet may have cost more, but so what. I often see that the Festool line of tools costs way more that other well known brands, but I don't recall seeing many, if any, reviews, that show they work better. It may be that the Powermatic is priced higher because their quality control is higher, or because it will last longer. So long as you Delta works fine, neither of those "advantages" would justify switching. If you want to spend more money to get better results, go to a bigger machine ( by definition, a 14 inch machine can rip less than a 17 inch machine ) or buy better blades.

[John Bailey]

I think that the Delta is just as good as the Powermatic. I've not used the Powermatic, but I've used the Delta and it's a good machine. I would say the Powermatic has a better fit and finish and may have a few more features, but it's basically the same machine and not worth the extra money in practical terms.

I would agree with Barry, if you want an upgrade, it makes much more sense to go to a larger machine.

John

[Wilbur Pan]

Also, don't think you're missing much because you don't have a 1-1/2 HP motor like that Powermatic. Back in the day, these bandsaws would have come with only a 1/2 HP motor, and still were expected to resaw with a riser.

I agree -- if you want to upgrade, get a larger bandsaw. I would look at this deal only if I didn't have a bandsaw at all.

[Mike Goetzke]

Thanks for the replies - my biggest, I guess, question was really about the power. Guess if it was a problem a replacement motor would be more economical.


Mike

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Stick with the Delta and save you money. If the saw is set up right the 1hp motor you have is plenty big.

[David Peters]

I often see that the Festool line of tools costs way more that other well known brands, but I don't recall seeing many, if any, reviews, that show they work better.

Am I correct in assuming that you've never used a Festool tool? In particular the circular saw, domino joiner, or sander?

[glenn bradley]

Am I correct in assuming that you've never used a Festool tool? In particular the circular saw, domino joiner, or sander?

The three Greenies that David lists do review well. There are exceptions like their router, which doesn't but, I have seen poor tools review well so I only factor this info in. Reviewers can be quite subjective. FWW rated a Laguna BS top tool and it was the only one that stalled during the tests(?)

Back to the OP; I would keep your Delta. That is not a big upgrade. For that kind of money I would move to a larger saw. JMHO. ;)

[Alan DuBoff]

I agree with Glenn, and in fact you should be able to upgrade to a larger saw for less $$$s. But it won't be a PM...

I would take a modern 18" chinese saw over a 14" PM, given the choice.

I'm seen some PM 20" saws going for about the price your talking for the 14". Why is his asking price so high? I honestly think he'd be very lucky to get that much. Sounds ambitious on his part. If you look around you might be able to find a PM 20" for around that.

[Peter Quinn]

I have the PM 14 BS, it has a 1 3/4HP motor, came stock with a carter quick release tension device, carter bearing guides, a multi-v pulley for smooth power transfer, oh and a light that is always in my darn way though does brighten things up. Having used a delta 14" briefly I would say the PM is definitely a better saw both in terms of performance and convenience but feel it would hardly be the kind of upgrade that would be worth your money unless you are very unhappy with your current saw and have room only for a 14" model. In the heaviest of cuts you might get a little better feed rate with the PM, but beyond that the differences are incremental.

For reference I paid $599 NEW for mine a bit over three years ago during a WMH promotion. I know the price nearly doubled in the last several years versus what I paid, I don't imagine I would have ever paid $1200 for the saw. At that price point it is a short reach to a much more powerful machine. For the price I paid I could almost have gotten a Festool jig saw!:D

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Am I correct in assuming that you've never used a Festool tool? In particular the circular saw, domino joiner, or sander?

You may be correct in assuming that he's not used a Festool but you're missing his point. The original question was should he switch from the Delta BS he's got and spend $400. for the PM? And Barry is saying, if I may carry his point forward, "To what end". What exactly is he getting for his money, and he's making a legitimate analogy.

For instance, by most accounts the Domino joiner is a terrific tool, but it starts at $800. My guess is that for most non-professional woodworkers who are not doing production work it's an extravagance, there are plenty of other ways to do that kind of joinery. So is that $800.money well spent for the average woodworker; like getting the PM saw to replace the Delta, is it money well spent.

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less what tools people buy, and I buy plenty of things I don't really need. But at some point the acquisition of tools becomes almost perverse, and when it supercedes the making of things it has become something else altogether.

Maybe we should live by some axiom that says if you’re spending more on tools than materials, you should rethink what you’re doing.

[Barry Vabeach]

David, sorry for the dig at Festool, and no I haven't used the 3 you mentioned, which do have obvious advantages over the competition. On some of their other products, the benefits that justify the price premium were not so obvious ( I was thinking in particular of the old model 12 volt drill that never ranked at the top of the cordless battles, and instead fell in the middle ) I also confess that I have bought some things ( for example a Viking stove ) knowing full well that the performance increase over a competitor stove was extremely slight, despite a 100% increase in price. My point was that for the most part, the two saws in question were not different enough to justify the price difference in my opinion.


Am I correct in assuming that you've never used a Festool tool? In particular the circular saw, domino joiner, or sander?

[Jim Becker]

I don't see any gain at all with this transaction. Keep your eye out for a "big saw" to do your resawing down the road, keeping the Delta for your wiggly-work!

[Ken Casser]

What model is your Delta? How old is it? (Selfishly I can't help with your question, but have questions of my own about upgrading:o)

[george wilson]

The powermatics are made in China,just like every other brand. I have had an old model 14" Delta with riser block that I bought used in 1964. They are better than the new ones. The new Deltas have that open side column,and I doubt they are as heavily cast as the old ones with the all closed column. I bought an 18" Jet bandsaw for my job at Williamsburg some years ago. It was peculiar: Unless you had the base shimmed up so all 4 corners were snug against the floor,you could EASILY push the top part of the bandsaw back and forth. I hated the guides too,European style. I gave that new saw to another shop in Williamsburg. We had an old,but excellent 20" Delta from the 50's. My favorite bandsaw. I had thought it would be a bit large to move it where I had wanted to place the Jet. Well,I just moved the Delta there anyway,and shrugged by.

That Delta did wonderful work. One time I was asked for a thin veneer like slice from a piece of figured genuine Cuban mahogany I was hoarding. With a 1/4" 6 tpi. skip tooth Lennox blade,a new one,I cut a very accurate slice 1/16" thick off one side of it,12" tall. It was nearly as accurate as if sliced. That saw was great. Now,I have gotten an old 20" Delta of the same vintage,and am repainting it slowly. Was painted by a barn brush in some school shop before. But,it's all there,even the often lost guides that Delta wants a fortune for(Historic parts,you know.) My 14" has been a great performer,and I have resawed much thick Brazilian rosewood with it. It has only ever had an old,heavy duty 3/4 hp. motor from the 50's (about 10" in diameter,real quality.) The 20" Delta only ever had its original 1 hp. motor. It has done just fine. There is so much more emphasis on power these days. I never found it necessary.

I have a Hardinge HLVH metal lathe,a 1964. It has a 1 hp. motor. The Taiwan knock offs have 5 hp. motors. And mine is the real deal!! They now cost $49,000 dollars,and you have to wait till Hardinge has 12 on order.

I'm rambling,but my point is,I don't think you need huge power,and if you can get a vintage machine,by all means,do so. Just try to get one with all the parts!!