Craftsman 14" bandsaw... a deal?

[Dan Hintz]

Not from a price standpoint, but from a "quality" standpoint. For the next couple of days, Sears has some stackable discounts running that bring their 14" bandsaw down to $385.

Here's it is:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00922401000P?prdNo=33

I realize Craftsman power tools have become almost synonymous with Chinese knockoffs, but anyone believe this unit holds good "value" for the money? Is this a unit that would give decent cuts with some tweaking? <$400 is pretty cheap and would hold me until I can find that perfect deal on a Laguna :) ), but I don't want to throw away even a few hundred dollars on something that is going to be junk or require constant fiddling.

Typical use will be for cutting wood thins, some non-ferrous metal stock (cut to size), and Corian.

[Dan Hintz]

I think I'll be skipping this one. First, they use a somewhat odd-length blade for a 14", so not as great a selection for quality blades. That alone is a problem, IMO, but there is also a lot of chatter in the reviews section about heavy vibration, bad bearings, and lots of overall general tweaking.

[Curt Harms]

I think I'll be skipping this one. First, they use a somewhat odd-length blade for a 14", so not as great a selection for quality blades. That alone is a problem, IMO, but there is also a lot of chatter in the reviews section about heavy vibration, bad bearings, and lots of overall general tweaking.

Blade length is not an issue; you can get any length you want. I don't know about build quality but it seems to be made by the same company that makes Rikon. The Rikon 14" bandsaws get quite good reviews. Nothing says Sears didn't spec cheaper bearings etc. You mentioned metal. Non Ferrous, I hope?

[Dan Hintz]

Yep, non-ferrous (brass, aluminum, etc.)

I'm now looking at the Grizzly G0513P ($800 shipped) and the G0513X2 ($1k shipped) as possibilities, though I'm not sure if the small differences warrant the $200 price difference. The biggest performance difference (i.e., other than table sizes, etc.) appears to be the use of "Euro-style roller disc" blade guides versus the X2's double ball bearings, and the aluminum wheels versus the X2's cast iron wheels.

[scott spencer]

< $400 is a good buy on that BS IMO. It's essentially a Rikon clone, and most owners report positive experiences. The guide bearings are the weak link, but are a $15/10 minute upgrade. There are better saws, but not a lot of competitive choices in that price range.

[Van Huskey]

Obviously the 513s are better saws but the price is really good for that saw and Sears is pretty good about standing behind their stuff.

One thing I would never let bother me about a BS would be the odd size of the bands, the best blades at the cheapest price are sold by those that weld their own bands and can give you any size you want, either local of via mail order.

[Matt Logana]

You dont ness. need to use their band size. Just lower the upper wheel to its lowest point, add 2 cranks on the tensioner, then measure the distance between wheels(Use a string, mark it, then measure it..) And bingo.. you have a blade size that will work... You can really use any number blade between that number and the one listed. When I bought my Delta, it gave a range of sizes...

[Dan Hintz]

I have a line on something nicer... I'll let you guys know in a few hours...