Help from Rikon 10-325 owners

[Barry Lyndon]

I need help adjusting the Rikon 14" 10-325 Bandsaw. I've got everything together and have tried to follow the instructions as best I can (they leave a lot to be desired). I have two problems. First, the table rocks side to side (the opposite direction of the tilt) really bad. On page 10 of the manual Figure 8A I think is what I need to be looking at to adjust/stop this. Right now, the table is not square with the back of the blade. I can lift up the right side of the table to make it square with the back of the blade but don't know how to tighten it and make it stay there. The figure shows two bolt looking things that I don't see and it looks like a hole in between them and I have a bolt there. Where the two bolts are in the picture I have holes but there are some sort of bolts inside there that I can loosen and tighten with an hex wrench but I don't notice that doing anything.

Second issue is when tilting the table. It tilts with the adjustment knob just fine but the "Lock Handle" (pg. 11, fig 9) just goes from very very loose to just kinda loose. It doesn't really tighten. Is there something I need to tighten with a wrench or something to make this tight at first and then just turn it left and right to tighten/loosen in the future? Right now, that handle won't lock so I can't get the table to stay tilted and I can't put anything very heavy (like some lumber) on the end of the table because it will start to tilt.

Help...

[Bill Trouard]

Here is a few photos of my new out of the box Rikin 10-325. the saw has a bad wobble in the saw body around 3/8 of an inch, the lower cabinet square. the saw body seems to have bad welds, and the guides look like someone took a grinder to the slots in an attempt to square them with the blade. look at the angels of the roller bearings. Rikon put this off as hidden shipping damage. not shure how that is possible

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[Bill Trouard]

few more photos, look at the slides this is from a saw that I cut less that 1ft of wood with. looks more like a diegrinder than shipping issue.

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[Curt Harms]

.................
Second issue is when tilting the table. It tilts with the adjustment knob just fine but the "Lock Handle" (pg. 11, fig 9) just goes from very very loose to just kinda loose. It doesn't really tighten. Is there something I need to tighten with a wrench or something to make this tight at first and then just turn it left and right to tighten/loosen in the future? Right now, that handle won't lock so I can't get the table to stay tilted and I can't put anything very heavy (like some lumber) on the end of the table because it will start to tilt.

Help...
You know the "Lock Handle" pulls out and resets on the threaded hub? If I understand correctly, the table runs 'uphill or downhill' front to back? I dunno about that one--shims perhaps?

[Barry Lyndon]

You know the "Lock Handle" pulls out and resets on the threaded hub? If I understand correctly, the table runs 'uphill or downhill' front to back? I dunno about that one--shims perhaps?

Haha, no I didn't know that. I am an idiot... That actually fixed both of the issues, thanks Curt!

[glenn bradley]

Good news for Barry.

Bill, Rikon is replacing that assembly, right? That's a QA issue, not shipping damage but, whatever they want to call it, who cares as long as they make it right.

[Curt Harms]

Haha, no I didn't know that. I am an idiot... That actually fixed both of the issues, thanks Curt!

You're welcome Barry, I'm glad to help. I sure like my Rikon 10-325 and trust you will too. If I had $1 for every time I tripped the "stoopid" light I could afford one of everything Festool makes :o

[Dan Karachio]

Haha, no I didn't know that. I am an idiot... That actually fixed both of the issues, thanks Curt!

No your not, or then I am one too. :) I didn't quite figure this out right away either. Glad it all worked out. I was going to say that I had no problems with my saw and for you not to accept what you had, but it all turned out in the end. Enjoy the saw, I am having a lot of fun with it.

Please don't forget a bandsaw can do a lot more than resaw (or curves). When you have a good blade, try ripping some long heavy wood like oak or ash. You will be blown away at how fast and easy a BS can tear through this vs a table saw. Of course you don't get the perfect edge, but in cases where that isn't needed, the BS is my go to saw. I also like it for cutting tapers in legs.

[Steven Hess]

I just finished putting mine together. Have to clean and align still. I had two large washers left over, but couldn't find anywhere in the manual that talks about them. Didn't like the small metric bolts for mounting saw to base so used 5/16 stainless that I had. Otherwise, everything looks great. The 10-325 was my first choice, but Grizzly had a xmas sale and bought theirs instead. Day it arrived, the pallet broke and dropped it on its head. Grizzly said no problem 1st day, 2nd day they said tough luck when it leaves the trailer it's yours, 3rd day (after lots of yelling) they refunded my money and said they didn't want to sell to me anymore!!!! I got banned from Grizzly!!!! Then the Rikon went on sale! Cost me $20 more for a whole lot more saw. Talk about Karma. :)

[Barry Lyndon]

I just finished putting mine together. Have to clean and align still. I had two large washers left over, but couldn't find anywhere in the manual that talks about them.

I had those same two washers left over...who knows. I also wish they would have better explained where they wanted the different nuts and washers when attaching the saw to the base. Great saw, not so great instructions. Thank goodness for you guys.

[Bill Trouard]

I was less than impressed with the factory guides (even if they were not ground on). so I decided to also order a full carter guide conversion and a carter blade stableizer. should be here about the same time as the replacment saw


Good news for Barry.

Bill, Rikon is replacing that assembly, right? That's a QA issue, not shipping damage but, whatever they want to call it, who cares as long as they make it right.

They are replacing the saw with a new one. seems like some bad welding has caused my leaning tower of Rikon and someone used a grinder to try to make the guides line up. Rikon support said they got the QC guy at the factory on the phone about this saw to find out how it ever passed QC.


I had those same two washers left over...who knows. I also wish they would have better explained where they wanted the different nuts and washers when attaching the saw to the base. Great saw, not so great instructions. Thank goodness for you guys.
was it 2 large fender washers and one has a flat spot? if it was they go on the back/bottom side of the table attaching the fence bar. the one with the flat spot goes closest to the table support bar, the notch on that fender washer is to clear that flat bar on the under side of the table

[Ashwini Kaul]

This thread has me worried. My 325 is siting in the garage... still packed up!!
I dare not/without risking back injury move it to the basement. The friend who was supposed to help me move it today.. wussed out. I am wondering for folks who have done this recently, should I unpack it and try to move it in peices? Is this saw even amenable to that? Or is my best shot just waiting for some help and moving it in the carton?
Boy am I glad that I did not opt for the heavy duty Italian beasts!!

BTW has anyone ever wrtten the missing manual to setting up this saw. I have heard so many stories of the bad manual.... I wonder if anyone ever encountered a written/ video guide to address this shortcoming?

[John Oliver35]

Bill,

When you get the Carter guides onto the Rikon can you post on how it turned out here? I have had a 10-325 for a year now and really like it for the price. It can be a bit finicky to get the wheels and table aligned. I am thinking about upgrading the guides but haven't found any reports on how hte Carter's work out on the Rikon.

John

[Barry Lyndon]

This thread has me worried. My 325 is siting in the garage... still packed up!!
I dare not/without risking back injury move it to the basement. The friend who was supposed to help me move it today.. wussed out. I am wondering for folks who have done this recently, should I unpack it and try to move it in peices? Is this saw even amenable to that? Or is my best shot just waiting for some help and moving it in the carton?

You could, if you wanted, open the box up and take out the table which is pretty heavy and the box of base pieces which is also fairly heavy. If you do that though, I would leave the saw in the box and bring it down to the basement like that because I think it would be awkward to carry down the saw outside the box.



Bill,

When you get the Carter guides onto the Rikon can you post on how it turned out here? I have had a 10-325 for a year now and really like it for the price. It can be a bit finicky to get the wheels and table aligned. I am thinking about upgrading the guides but haven't found any reports on how hte Carter's work out on the Rikon.

I too am interested in your results with the Carter guides. I've been looking into them but haven't found that much info on them.

[Curt Harms]

You could, if you wanted, open the box up and take out the table which is pretty heavy and the box of base pieces which is also fairly heavy. If you do that though, I would leave the saw in the box and bring it down to the basement like that because I think it would be awkward to carry down the saw outside the box.

I too am interested in your results with the Carter guides. I've been looking into them but haven't found that much info on them.

I moved mine like Barry moved his-take the base & table out of the box. I used a couple straps with the ratcheting reels to hold the box closed and give me something to hang onto. Drag it to the top of the stairs, tip if down and hang onto the strap. It wasn't hard at all. I have a steel beam so hooked a come-along to the beam and used that to lift the saw onto the base. Pretty easy.

[glenn bradley]

Rikon support said they got the QC guy at the factory on the phone about this saw to find out how it ever passed QC.

That's good news. Any company can have an "oops" for a variety of reasons. Its how they stand behind the boo-boo that builds credibility. Glad to hear they are taking care of you. As to the manual, poor instructions are not fun but, Rikon is certainly not alone in the poor technical doc department. I am sure that between you and the current owners here it will all work out ;-)

[Bill Trouard]

looking forward to Tuesday. replacment saw arrives and both sets of carter guides along with some blades.

anyone use carter blades?

[Van Huskey]

looking forward to Tuesday. replacment saw arrives and both sets of carter guides along with some blades.

anyone use carter blades?

Carter blades are fine BUT not the best value, any prepackaged blade is generally significantly more expensive than a comparable blade that is cut and welded to order from a supply house. There are a number of these online that sale Lenox and all the comparable blades.

[Bill Trouard]

I sure hope saw #3 will be good, the freight company distroyed saw #2. I could see the saw before I even opened it. the base looked like it was hit by a fork lift it was bent about an inch causing it not to be able to stand on its own.

The new BS joy is turning into quite the problem child.

The carter guide conversion arrived. WOW are they smooth and look and feel very high quality. just need a saw to put them on now

[Steven Hess]

The 2 Large washers are 5/16"ID and 1 1/16"OD and they are supposed to be mounted between the middle shelf in front and the base frame to shim so when you tighten the bolt they don't pull the metal on the shelf outward. That's according to tech support Rikon. I'm putting mine in as it does pull the sheet metal on the shelf out. Had a few hiccups getting the table squared, but found if you go to next step, that it may help with the first problem. Worked with mine. Tech support very helpful. Saw looks great to me. Still have to bolt it down and do my "drift cut", then ready to work again.