Jet 18" bandsaw

[John Tallyn]

Does anybody know of any after market guides for the jet 18" bandsaws. I've been looking and cant find anyone that makes them. The existing guides suck to high heaven.

[Bill Trouard]

Carter Products list a guide set for a Jet 18"

http://www.carterproducts.com/product.asp?product_id=94&cat_id=13

[John Tallyn]

Thanks for the info

[Dan Hintz]

What about them don't you like?

[Bill Trouard]

I know the guides were changed on my Rikon a week after getting the saw

here are some photos of why. The machining was just horrible. The Carters are expensive but much better than what shipped on my Rikon. Tech support called down to the factory to chew some backside after seeing these photos.

191069191070
191071

[Chris Parks]

Does anybody know of any after market guides for the jet 18" bandsaws. I've been looking and cant find anyone that makes them. The existing guides suck to high heaven.

What is the problem, I would rate mine very highly, no drift at all which I find fairly impressive.

[John Tallyn]

I find them difficult to keep adjusted. On mine, the thrust bearing is located too far to the left of the blade (facing the teeth), and the blade has a tendency to slide off to the right. I do know that I can tilt the main guide stud, even so, the thrust bearing at 90 degrees to the table, the blade hits the far right side. I also prefer solid guide blocks as opposed to bearings. Might just be the way I learned, and got used to. Overall, I like the Jet bandsaw, just not real thrilled with the guides. Certainly willing to listen to any suggestions as far as the thrust bearing is concerned.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

If you think that was bad, check out the guides on my old Jet 18" cast iron C-frame bandsaw...


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[John Tallyn]

Thats about what mine do. I would really like to find a set of guide blocks that fit my jet, might end up getting them custom made at a machine shop.

[Joseph Tarantino]

Thats about what mine do. I would really like to find a set of guide blocks that fit my jet, might end up getting them custom made at a machine shop.

do the smart thing and dump the jet. if it's a jwbs-18 in good shape, it'll go on CL for between $600 and $700 in no time. i got mine off CL for around $40 (not a typo) and when the day comes that my woodworking calls for more reliable band saw work, i'll sell the jet and move to a rikon or a griz. even @ $40, i wouldn't put another nickel into it.

[Chris Parks]

I find it a source of wonder that the same machine can be so different. Or is it the same machine, there was a major upgrade a few years ago so I do not know what the earlier one is like to use.

[Dan Hintz]

Chris,

They were upgraded a few years ago (the triangular form to reduce vibration being the most well-known)... contrary to Joseph's suggestion, you won't find a newer model Jet 18" on CL for $600-700 unless the seller is moving or getting a divorce. Older stuff, possibly...

[Joseph Tarantino]

dan.. i was referring to a saw of the same vintage as mine (jwbs-18, square column) and not the newer triangular column model(s), which have model designations of "jwbs-18qt", different from the earlier saw's "jwbs-18" designation.

[Bruce Kohl]

Bill -
I have a Rikon 10-345 18" band saw with the Carter-like blade guides. The guides on my Rikon saw were machined accurately, and are as good and work as well as the true Carter guides that I have installed on my 14" Rockwell. Yours must have been done on a bad day, and from what I've seen are not typical of Rikon quality.