Rikon test drive

[Robert Johnstone]

It would be a real service to interested SMCmembers if one of the recent Rikon 18" bandsaw purchasers would take the time to really put the machine through its paces and report the results. I would be especially interested to know if it resaws true using only the rip fence without a pen. Thanks

[Ted Shrader]

Hi Robert -

Welcome to the Creek. Lots of good information from lots of good folks.

The resaw part of any saw depends mostly on the blade. If a blade develops any kind of set the the fence will have to be adjusted or else use a pin. Don't know the status of the rip fence on the Rikon ans far as ease of adjustment.

Mike Cutler did a pretty good review available here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17055

Welcome,
Ted

[joseph j shields]

Hey Robert,

Check out this thread here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17141)

Lots of info on the Rikon.... I looked at it very seriously

It was #2 on my list.... ended up buying a mm s16.

Mike Cutler did an awesome review here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17055&highlight=rikon)

This should get you started.... plus the search engine on this site is very good!

Good luck!

-jj

[Mike Cutler]

Robert. The Rikon 18" can resaw properly, within limitation, using just the fence alone. The limitations I refer to are that the fence is only 2 3/4" tall, ergo a wider piece of material will require a taller fence. The fence also does not lock on the rear rail, so a stop block will need to be used to stop the fence from deflecting in the rear.
I used a 1" lennox 2/3VP Bi Metal and Tri Master and could hold the deviation to < 1/32" on a piece of jatoba 5"x 36" with no problems, using the fence right out of the box with no adjustments.

[Robert Johnstone]

Thanks gentlemen. Just the info. I needed. I looked at the Rikon last week at Woodcraft but time did not permit a thorough exam. I will go back tommorrow to check it out more closely. If it looks good I may load it in my truck and take it home. Or I may save my money for the MM or Laguna.

[Kevin Beck]

Welcome to the Creek Robert. I grew up in your neck of the woods and learned to ski on the Blackwater River in Milton. I grew up in Walnut Hill, Florida which is north of Pensacola near the Alabama line.

[Robert Johnstone]

Hello Kevin. I used to ride my dirt bike in the Walnut Hill area. Naval aviation brought me to this area in the early 70's and here I have stayed.

[RichMagnone]

It is interesting that the Rikon is regularly compared to the Laguna and the MM. IMHO (as a Rikon owner who is axiously awaiting some "real" blades and thus cannot contribute much in the way of how good the Rikon cuts), the Rikon is meant to be measured against the Jet, Griz and General. In those comparisons, I think it beats up on them pretty good. Compared to an MM or a Laguna, the Rikon is a toy (just like the Jet, Griz and General when similarly compared).

The interesting part is that Rikon would even be considered with those two names. That sort of tells me that there is a feeling out there that the Rikon is the name to beat when compared to its "aspirational peers".

To make the comparison, I'd say that among the bigger saws, the Laguna and MM are like a PM 14 while the Rikon is like a Griz 555.

[Robert Johnstone]

Rich, good comparison. I compared the Rikon side-by-side at Woodcraft and it compared well with the Jets, Deltas and Powermatics. No doubt the Rikon is less a production tool than the Laguna or MM, but I'm only a hobbyist. Let me know how your Rikon does when you get your blades. By the way, I HIGHLY recommend the Woodslicer blade from Highland Hardware for resawing. The max width it comes in is 1/2" but does much better than my 3/4" Timber Wolf resawing on my Delta 14"; much smoother cut at the same feed rate.

[Bart Leetch]

Robert

What you say about the woodslicer makes sense. When I had a 3/4" Timber wolf on my Grizzly 14" saw I had problems & when I switched over to a 1/2" Timberwolf I can now slice nice thin 1/16" & 1/8" even 12" wide slices while re-sawing. As I understand it from Timberwolf a 14" saw will tension a 1/2" blade blade better the a 3/4" blade. So my thought is what difference the width of the blade as long as it does a nice job re-sawing like you need it to.

I always recommend to call Timberwolf & tell them the saw you have & what you plan to do with your saw & let them tell you which blade to purchase, Don't just order what you think you need or what you think will work, let them advise you.

[Mike Cutler]

As a new Rikon 18" owner I have to echo Richs' comment. Comparing the 1K Rikon to a 2k-3k Laguna or Mini-Max is like comparing a contractor saw to a Powermatic cabinet saw. It's not a fair or valid comparison. There is a reason why the Laguna's Mini-Max's and Aggazani's command the prices that they do. They are very versatile, powerful, and reliable units that are meant for everday production use. The bearings, tolerances, construction and balancing of these saws out of the box is superb. I'll say it again, The Rikon will be great for my informal hobbiest use, but if you are searching for a bandsaw to make your living from, this may not be it.