Jet bandsaw deal?

[Tom Rash]

Somebody is selling a Jet Bandsaw 14", Model 14CS with a mobility stand, riser kit, and 3 timberwolf blades for $525. Is this a good deal? What would be a good price to offer? I am currently looking at the Grizzly G0555 w/riser or G0513, but I have to make a decision this week since Bing cashback is ending. It seems like the Jet would be a comparable price to the Grizzly, but I get the mobility (which I don't really need, but would be nice) and 3 blades. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

[Van Huskey]

The price is high to me, thats roughly $700 worth of stuff retail. Jet tools go on sale pretty regularly at 10-15% off so I see it as about $600 worth in reality. I would offer $350-$400 if it is in excellent shape. If it is in great shape and you are actually GOING to pull the trigger this week I might go higher. It is a solid saw but no better than the Grizzly.

[Karl Card]

IMHO if you do your reserach on the go555 you wont look at anything else unless you want a larger bandsaw. For the money that grizzly will out do the jet. I say this by reviews and test done in magazines, frankily grizzly is kinda like harbor freight in that some of there items are great and a great value and others arent. I also have a friend here that has a go555 and I have used it and you can cut some pretty then stock even thinner with a timberwolf blade loaded on it.

I ran a boat laod of wenge, brazilian rosewood, brazilian walnut. australian jarrah, purpleheart, redheart and some others and it did very well in cutting these huge boards in the middle to make book matched boxes out of them.

[Van Huskey]

IMHO if you do your reserach on the go555 you wont look at anything else unless you want a larger bandsaw. For the money that grizzly will out do the jet. I say this by reviews and test done in magazines, frankily grizzly is kinda like harbor freight in that some of there items are great and a great value and others arent. I also have a friend here that has a go555 and I have used it and you can cut some pretty then stock even thinner with a timberwolf blade loaded on it.

I ran a boat laod of wenge, brazilian rosewood, brazilian walnut. australian jarrah, purpleheart, redheart and some others and it did very well in cutting these huge boards in the middle to make book matched boxes out of them.

Actually, if you look at most of the reviews the G0555 sorta falls in the middle ground with most of the other 14" cast "Delta clone" saws. The salient differences in these saws are generally power and guides, the latter being a preference issue in most cases. There are a good many 14" saws that have significant advantages over the G0555, most of these are steel spined saws such as Grizzly's own G0457 along with the Rikon, General and certainly the creme de la creme of 14" saws the Laguna versions. As for a more direct comparison of the Jet and Grizzly I honestly can't find any difference in actual use, other than if you have a preference of guides. FWIW, Fine Wood Working in its review of 14" saws found the Jet and Grizzly cast clones fairly equal with a little swing this way or that depending on the specific criteria. The G0457 was given best value and the Laguna LT14SE best overall.

In the end either saw properly tuned and with a quality blade will be likely be almost exactly the same in use, they are in the end progeny of the same saw that has been in use for over 70 years.

[Karl Card]

Van,

I hear ya... I wished I could find the article i was reading but it has been to long ago. But basically the test team took 5 bs of the same price range and did some testing. But as you know the highest price bs not properly setup wont cut good either...

But anyway I do agree that with the right tuning and correct blade an inexpensive saw can do some really good things.

I have a 14 inch dayton and when I have a good blade on it and tune it up I can also cut super thin wood ideal for inlay etc.

I also have to wonder how many import saws can use the same riser block...

[Cary Falk]

If you are looking at the G0513 already, I wouldn't even bother with the G0555 and the Jet. They are in different leagues. I'm a current G0513X2 owner and former Delta 1hp 14" owner.

[Myk Rian]

I say this by reviews and test done in magazines, frankly grizzly is kinda like harbor freight in that some of there items are great and a great value and others arent.
Magazine reviews don't mean anything more than a reference. They get paid to review a tool higher than it's worth.

You want a deal? I'm selling my Delta for $525. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=144668

[Joseph Tarantino]

i currently own a jet band saw. it is the first, and last, jet product i will ever own. grizzly and rikon are the names on my short list. when i het tired of the jet's inadequacies, i'll get a BS from either of the previously mentioned distributors off craigs list.

whatever you do, do not, under any circumstances, buy a walter meier group (jet, powermatic, wilton) product. too long on price, too short on delivery and pricey for what they give you. and their tech support is, and dealers are, absolutely sub-par at best. HTH.

[Jim Rimmer]

Seems like your getting a lot of good suggestions and varied opinions. If you are considering the G0555 and can afford a $200 bump, I would take a look at the G0555X. I just got one - more HP, cast iron wheels, bigger table. I've never had a "good" BS or a large one so I am still learning. I did some resawing on quarter sawn white oak last night with Timberwolf blade and I am delighted. I think I'll go back through the tuning and it will be even better but for my first bs and first resaw I was thrilled. It is on sale right now $70 off which puts it about $200 more than the G0555. I was considering both and decided that what you got for the extra $$ was worth it.

[Tom Rash]

Jim any reason you went with that bandsaw over the 0513? I'm just trying to make the best decision for now, the future, and my wallet. Thanks

[Jim Rimmer]

Jim any reason you went with that bandsaw over the 0513? I'm just trying to make the best decision for now, the future, and my wallet. Thanks
I didn't look at 17" saws. At this point, with what I do, I don't foresee even using risers. Six inch resaw capacity will work for me. If I need more in the future I can go with risers.

I seriously considered th G0555 and fretted over the difference in price on the G0555X and what I got for it and finally decided the X was worth the diff.