The bandsaw family photo (or first impression of Rikon 10-305)

[Richard Link]

Thought this was a cute photo. And I didn't even know the large bandsaw was pregnant.

At any rate, I decided to pick up a small bandsaw to complement my Agazzani B-24. I like to keep the large bandsaw set up for resawing (not in the photo) and thought it would be nice to have a small bandsaw set up for tight curve cutting to minimize setup time. Only problem was there just wasn't any space for a 14" floor standing model.

I decided to get the tiny Rikon 10" 10-305 bandsaw for this purpose and outfit it with a Carter blade stabilizer. The new 10-305 model has a few nice refinements over the older 10-300 model. Most notably, it has a nice, flat, polished cast iron table as opposed to the flimsy aluminum one on the older model. Other basic features include a 1/3 Hp motor, upper and lower ball bearing guides and a 2" dust port.

I opted to replace the guide system with a Carter Products blade stabilizer. This was a very easy thing to do and now the saw cuts curves on a rail. Very nice.

Pros:

1. Great build quality
2. Motor, despite being rather small, seems adequate for the small cutting tasks this saw is designed for.
3. Nice guides
4. Comes with a fence
5. Nice solid cast iron table
6. Easy to move around and store (ie tiny and not too heavy).

Cons:
1. Wheels are pretty low in mass as would be expected in a saw this size
2. Somewhat difficult to track very tiny blades. 1/4 inch was easy but I had some difficulty tracking 3/16" blade.

At any rate, happy so far with the saw and stabilizer system. Will post more detailed impressions after I've used it a while. I also have step by step photos of changing out the guide system if anyone is interested.

By the way, Highland Hardware (no affiliation) is currently selling this saw for $199, which is a pretty sweet deal (list is $279).

[Bob Noles]

Hi Richard,
Great looking set up and good choice of BS. Those bandsaws do multiply when you least expect them to. This is what I found in my shop a few weeks ago. :D

[Ray Bell]

Congrats Richard. I recently bought a Grizzly 19" bandsaw, and gave my 14" Delta to a son. I am missing it already for the same reason you bought the Rikon.

[Larry Fox]

Pretty cool Richard - interesting idea picking up a little guy and keeping the big guy setup for resaw.

The apparent neatness of your shop saddens me as it only serves to remind me what a disaster area my own is at this point. :)

[Richard Link]

Pretty cool Richard - interesting idea picking up a little guy and keeping the big guy setup for resaw.

The apparent neatness of your shop saddens me as it only serves to remind me what a disaster area my own is at this point. :)

Ahh...no worries about neatness. It only appears neat due to a VERY selective cropping of the photo. I'm sure I tripped several times on cutoffs and piles of sawdust while trying to take the photo.

Ray - I was kicking myself for doing the same thing. I sold my 14" Rikon before getting the Agazzani beast. Funny that one wheel of the Agazzani greatly outweighs the whole 10" bandsaw. Kind of miss that old 14" saw, though, but just don't have floor space for it. The little guy seems to be working out well.

[Joe Mioux]

Richard that looks like a mini-me. :rolleyes:

and.........Bruce Page might as well show his baby band saw with its older sibling as well. ;)

[Van Huskey]

The bandsaw is the one machine I am a big on having two of since I am not a shaper guy or there would be two machines on that list. I think a 20+ inch resaw and 14" "curve" saw is a great balance but with limited space the "BABY" Rikon is an excellent choice.

[Mike Wilkins]

Thanks for the post Richard. I have that same machine to compliment my Laguna LT-18 for the same reasons you stated. I have the older version with the flimsy alum. table and no fence. Thanks for the idea for the Carter guides; I may decide to upgrade.

[Richard Link]

Thanks for the post Richard. I have that same machine to compliment my Laguna LT-18 for the same reasons you stated. I have the older version with the flimsy alum. table and no fence. Thanks for the idea for the Carter guides; I may decide to upgrade.

Mike,

Have you had any trouble tracking 3/16" blades with the Rikon? I had an easy time with a 1/4" blade but not much luck with a 3/16. With the carter guide, the 1/4" blade really zips around corners with ease but for other folks who don't anticipate upgrading it would be nice to run a smaller blade for a curve-cutting only saw.

By the way, if you have any trouble upgrading the guide, I have step by step photos all the way. Actually, it's quite easy to do and took me only about 15 min.

[David Winer]

Richard, thanks for posting this information. I have read several comments here on the Creek about advantages of two bandsaws. Convinced that a second one for curve cutting is a good idea, I recently bought the same saw as you did (Rikon 10-305). It's as you describe and I'm very pleased to have it. However, when I changed from the 1/4 inch blade to a 1/8 inch blade I could not get it to track. That is, it would not stay on the wheels even after hours of struggling with the tracking and tension adjustments. (I removed the guides so these were not an issue.) Very frustrating. I really needed to cut tighter curves for a project than I could get with the 1/4 inch blade. But I changed back to and used the 1/4 inch blade and found no difficulties at all with tracking.

Why is this? Does anyone know what to do about it? If the Carter guide conversion is the only answer I will want to install it, but this seems wrong to have to do so.

[James Combs]

Had a similar population explosion problem myself a couple a months back. My "family photo" looks almost like Bob Noles.;)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=134189

[Michael Gaynes]

Mike,
Have you had any trouble tracking 3/16" blades with the Rikon? I had an easy time with a 1/4" blade but not much luck with a 3/16....

Are the wheels crowned? If the tires are flat, the blade won't track properly. A crown causes the blade to want to travel "up the hill" to ride in the center of the wheel.

The Old Woodworking Machines (www.OWWM.org) site has many threads on this issue. Might be worth a shot.

[Dick Aubochon]

Mike,

Have you had any trouble tracking 3/16" blades with the Rikon? I had an easy time with a 1/4" blade but not much luck with a 3/16. With the carter guide, the 1/4" blade really zips around corners with ease but for other folks who don't anticipate upgrading it would be nice to run a smaller blade for a curve-cutting only saw.

By the way, if you have any trouble upgrading the guide, I have step by step photos all the way. Actually, it's quite easy to do and took me only about 15 min.

I changed out to a 3/16" Timberwolf and have had nothing short of torture trying to get the blade to stop running off the lower wheel. I've gone through the recommended Rikon fixes of adjusting the lower wheel axle; and still no luck. :mad:

[Bruce Page]

Richard, I bought one of the earlier 10-300’s to compliment my MM. I replaced the horrible OEM table almost immediately. I think it is a decent little saw for the money. The only issue I have had with it was the tires; they dry rotted and came off the wheels after about a year. Rikon was good about it and sent me a new set of wheels.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Nice looking saw, I have a big Laguna and would like to get a good smaller one..

[Will Rowland]

Kind of miss that old 14" saw, though, but just don't have floor space for it. The little guy seems to be working out well.

Richard - not to worry, I've been giving your old 14" a good workout every weekend! Coincidentally, just last night I began toying with the idea of getting a second bandsaw that I could leave set-up for curve cutting...

[Mike Wilkins]

No trouble tracking 3/16" blades on mine. But the guides leave a lot to be desired, as I am unable to get them a dollars' thickness close to the guides.
Hopefully the Carter guides can solve this. Be sure to back off the tension on these tiny blades when done.

[Dan Karachio]

Richard, the Mother Bandsaw can be one of the most dangerous and unpredictable tools in the shop. Please, for God's sake, do not make any sudden or threatening moves toward the baby saw (and that includes cursing the guides).

[Richard Link]

I changed out to a 3/16" Timberwolf and have had nothing short of torture trying to get the blade to stop running off the lower wheel. I've gone through the recommended Rikon fixes of adjusting the lower wheel axle; and still no luck. :mad:

Same exact problem. I imagine that it is for the reason the other poster mentioned, namely that the wheels are not crowned. Seems like an odd design choice for a bandsaw designed for small blades..... I like almost everything else about this saw but having non-crowned wheels seems like a bad decision. I don't suppose there is a "market" for replacement wheels with a crown (maybe something heavier that will carry some momentum).

With that said, the 1/4" blade tracks easily and with the carter stabilizer it turns corners on a rail so I doubt there really is a need for the 3/16". Waste of money for the blades, though.

Someone did mention detensioning these smaller blades. Do the rest of you detension after each use? I'd be concerned that I'd end up constantly fiddling with the tracking if I had to retension every day. The tension setting mechanism on this tiny bandsaw is pretty rudimentary and repeatability is a problem.