Is a riser block for the 3/4 hp delta BS a good idea

[hugh lonner]

Hi all, the Delta 28-276 Band Saw is on sale at some Lowes stores as documented in the deals and discounts thread. It sounds like Delta is discontinuing the saw.

Would it be a good idea to get the riser blocks that can go with the saw or is this saw underpowered to take advantage of such riser blocks anyway so are you giving up a trade-off in price and something else (accuracy?) in exchange for a feature that doesn't add much to this saw anyway?

I'm afraid if I got the saw and didn't buy the riser blocks now they might stop making them if they are stopping making the saw (or perhaps they will still make other saws that are higher end that use the same riser blocks?

thanks for your wisdom - I've learned a lot here!

Hugh

[Joe Scarfo]

I'll never regret the lift kit I added to my band saw... it's been very very handy.

Tks and good luck
Joe

[Britt Kelch]

I have the same machine thought it was a pos but had patience with it. Its not the perfect machine for heavy duty resawing but it is not what it was designed for its for the home hobbiest who makes an occasional resaw cut oe to make bookmatch veneer The saw is close to junk with the stock blade . I took the top wheel off changed the tires and made sure the wheels were coplaner. took off the excess casting from the forged part on the adjusters. Also use powder graphite in the slider. Change the blade make sure it adjusted correctly. and dont force it to work like a 19"I ripped a 3" piece of white oak and I am now impressed adjust for drift and
it will cut a very straight line. But 3/4 hp is not made to be a professionial saw No matter what they call it. If you can get for a good price and arent going to be using for professionial work this is a good saw at a good price. Throw out the junk blade
Britt T Kelch

[Van Huskey]

My .02 s put on a good blade get some 6" think hardwood and resaw it. Now think about would you really want to push something thicker through a saw with 3/4 hp. If the answer is yes then get a riser block, if not be happy with waht you have.

[hugh lonner]

Thanks for all the advice - I do plan to toss the blade.

As for power, are motors interchangeable enough that you could just put on a better motor down the road for better resawing?

I won't do lots of resawing, but upon occasion it would be nice (perhaps for a dining room table to have matching grain, for example?).

Also I saw a video on wood magazine of a jig for taking a log and turning it into nice slabs of wood and that seemed to need more than 6 in and certainly looked like fun and something I could imagine wanting to do.

[Jerome Hanby]

I think as long as the RPMs are the same (or you change to appropriately sized pulleys) then changing out motors is fairly straight forward. If you have a factory base, actually mounting the motor could be tricky. On a shop made base, should be no problem.

[Myk Rian]

Even though the Delta riser kit is pricey, it's a good investment.

[Paul Ryan]

I would agree in adding the riser now. The chance of them discontinuing the riser is slim in my book. Don't exepect that saw to be resawing 12" but if you want to resaw slightly larger it will come in handy. Personally I like the bigger opening, I don't use the larger capacity on my saw very often at all. But the larger opening feels less restrictive when cutting.

[Eddie Darby]

I would ask you how much re-sawing do you plan to do, and if it is a fair amount, then I pass on this deal and instead look at getting a steel frame bandsaw. Laguna 14" or Rikon 14" come to mind in the small sized bandsaws.

If you look at he aftermarket parts for these 14" Delta "C" frame saws, you will notice that they have lots of replacement upgrades because to get them to performs real well they need them.

http://www.carterproducts.com/

In the end you end up spending more to get a Delta /Jet "C" frame saw to cut like a steel frame saw than just buying a steel frame saw in the first place.

If you plan to just do small hobby scrolling work then this saw should do.

[Glen Butler]

+1 eddie and van.

The motor is not powerful enough to do heavy resawing, and if you plan to do a lot of resawing you should look into something more professional.

[Van Huskey]

Thanks for all the advice - I do plan to toss the blade.

As for power, are motors interchangeable enough that you could just put on a better motor down the road for better resawing?

I won't do lots of resawing, but upon occasion it would be nice (perhaps for a dining room table to have matching grain, for example?).

Also I saw a video on wood magazine of a jig for taking a log and turning it into nice slabs of wood and that seemed to need more than 6 in and certainly looked like fun and something I could imagine wanting to do.

Eddie makes a good point, I have seen people spend a lot of money on small (new not old small but serious machines) cast frame BSs to get them to cut like the better quality saws. My suggestion would be to sock away the money you would spend upgrading it then move up to a higher qualty saw.

[Eddie Darby]

I would ask you how much re-sawing do you plan to do, and if it is a fair amount, then I pass on this deal and instead look at getting a steel frame bandsaw. Laguna 14" or Rikon 14" come to mind in the small sized bandsaws.

If you look at he aftermarket parts for these 14" Delta "C" frame saws, you will notice that they have lots of replacement upgrades because to get them to performs real well they need them.

http://www.carterproducts.com/

In the end you end up spending more to get a Delta /Jet "C" frame saw to cut like a steel frame saw than just buying a steel frame saw in the first place.

If you plan to just do small hobby scrolling work then this saw should do.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=29458

http://www.rikontools.com/articles/popwoodarticle.pdf

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=68892

http://www.woodnet.net/plansnow/review-bandsaw.pdf