Suggestions for a 14 inch bandsaw?

[Jesse Tutterrow]

The time has come to replace my 12" craftsman bandsaw with something a little bit bigger.

Since Jet and Woodcraft/Powermatic are having sales of 15% off this coming week (today thru next Friday). I looked at the budget and decided that I could afford around $1,200, maybe a little bit more.

Mostly, I am looking for resaw capacity. I need at least 12". I would like a quick tension level. I would like a clean saw kerf, so I don’t have to do a lot of sanding.

I do a lot of resawing of 8/4 inch oak, maple, walnut and hopeful I will start on the exocits. I resaw to 1/8" and 1/4" for scroll saw projects and 1/2" for boxes. Actually, those would be finished sanded thicknesses.

In the future I may start doing bandsawn boxes and need the ability to replace the top and bottom barring guides with one of the carter free style (top only) guides.

I talked to the Carter people at the Woodworkers Show and the guy that does the bandsaw clinic and bandsaw box demonstrations said to get the Powermatic. I have done some research on the Internet and Powermatic seems to be the most expensive brand.

I plan on purchasing new. I don't want to get involved in restoring a old machine or hoping I am not getting someone else's lemon.

What would you suggest?
Brand?
Do I need to retrofit it to use the Carter Guide System?

Thanks in Advance, Jesse

[Prashun Patel]

I would look at the Grizzly G0513 series and the Rikon 14" and 18". They are both regarded as good 'value' brands.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have a PM 14 with riser. It's certainly a good saw, but given the choice, I would take a serious look at the Rikon. It already has the resaw capacity you want. A friend has the Rikon, and I think it has less power than my PM, and the stock blade sucks, so change it out. BUT at half the price, it worth a look.
If you have the bucks, sometimes the PM comes with riser, and a tension release. It has Carter guides. It is a nice saw. You pay for what you get.

[Steve Meliza]

If you are planning to resaw a lot of 12" boards you're going to need at least 1.5HP per Mark Duginske's band saw book. It also seems like these 14" saws don't always have a flat enough wheel crown and sufficiently strong blade tension system to handle the 3/4" wide blade they often claim can be used. I would think you'd be better off with a 17" to 20" saw, but your budget appears to dictate 17" Asian saw at most.

EDIT: Cast iron wheels may also be a good idea to keep your cuts smooth since minimal sanding is important to you (eg. G0513X2 for $1194 shipped).

[Brian Kent]

I agree with Prashun (as always). In that price range I would buy this one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/17-2-HP-Bandsaw-Polar-Bear-Series-/G0513P
for $994 including shipping and have enough left over for the plug of your choosing and several blades from Timberwolf.

[Van Huskey]

The reality is if you really plan to use 10-12" of resaw height on at least a semi-regular basis forget all the 14" Delta cast clone saws. I am not saying you can't resaw 12" on one of them but you are pushing the saw way past what it was designed to do.

My first suggestion is to look for a used saw the Delta 28-350 amd PM 81 are great 20" saws both with 12" of resaw height and would be perfect for what you describe. The Delta in particular is abundant and usually sales in good shape well under your budget, the one thing you mention that they will lack is a quick release for tension, something that the better built and heavier bandsaws almost universally lack.

If you decide to buy new then I suggest you look at the Rikon 10-345, on sale this month at Woodcraft for $1,099 with 2.5hp and 12" resaw, note the saw is 240v only. The next suggestion would be the Grizzly G0513X2 for right at $1,200 shipped, 12" resaw 2hp motor and 120v/240v. My rule of thumb is 1hp for ever 5" of resaw so you don't ever really ever have to worry about power, these saws are right in that area. Neither of these saws is perfect but will do the jobs you plan a lot easier than a cast clone saw.

[Van Huskey]

The G0513P saw has come up, it is the most budget oriented of the 513 series and I think the farther you go up in the series the better value you get for money. The G0513X2 costs $200 more but you get:

Bigger table
Cast iron vs aluminum fence
A resaw fence extension
Cast iron vs aluminum wheels
Cast iron vs aluminum trunnions
Much better guides


If ones budget allows I think the X2 makes a lot of sense. Normally, Grizzly offers the best bang for the buck in this size and level of saw, with the WC sale price I think the Rikon is currently better bang for the buck IF you have 240V available.

[Carl Beckett]

The reality is if you really plan to use 10-12" of resaw height on at least a semi-regular basis forget all the 14" Delta cast clone saws. I am not saying you can't resaw 12" on one of them but you are pushing the saw way past what it was designed to do.



+1

I have a 14", 1.5 hp saw and around 8" is starting to push it.

[Jim Matthews]

Are you set on buying new?

The Delta/Rockwell saws were built to last. With a little TLC, a riser block and a new blade you could be money ahead.
The catch is you would need to move it, yourself. There's so little to go wrong with these things, but it bears to check if the table is flat.

For example... (http://stlouis.craigslist.org/tls/2802667983.html)

[Guy Belleman]

There have been some nice used saws on CL in your area over the last few months. You might find a good deal.

I have the G0513X and have been very happy with it. After having a 14" for a long time, I would never go back to a 14". It is not just cutting ability, it also the additional features and reliability that a bigger and better saw provides. Considering your resaw needs, I think you would be very happy with the 19" G0514 series, and would never look back. You will also need some very fine blades.

[Alan Lightstone]

The Laguna LT14SUV would be a decent step up in a 14", but price would be about $1600. Used, if you could find one, could be a good deal. With its 3HP motor, it easily resaws that height.

If I had the room, though, I'd go bigger than a 14" to be able to properly tension a larger blade. So in that regard, a used quality larger bandsaw might be a better find.

[David Kumm]

There has been a 20" Griggio for sale at $1000 in Michigan. Need another 150-200 for a vfd but you now have a serious machine. Dave

[Timothy Wolf]

I just bought a rikon 10-325 this month I turned an ash log into some nice boards today. It is well priced and feature packed I would highly recommend it over any other saw that has to have a riser block installed on it for resawing.

[Peter Quinn]

I had the PM 14" for several years, and it's a fine saw in that weight class. Mine could be set to make fairly precise veneer cuts, resaw was no problem up to its capacity though a bit slower than on a bigger machine. If you were going to resaw mountains of lumber, this is the wrong saw size regardless of brand. But for your average hobby use, more than enough. The recent social trend towards "needing" too much of everything seems to have reached the bandsaw market. You don't need a 20" saw to cut wood. That said, I bough it when it first came out for around $675. Faced with the choice today I'd buy a bigger grizzly saw if room allowed. Keep in mind that a bigger saw takes up more room, may not be an issue, depends on your shop space. I stepped up to a 20" Italian saw couldn't be happier. Most of my need is thick ripping, resaw, or accurate joinery. The bigger motor helps with all that, but what I really like is the large table and the lower working height. The PM has a pretty tall table height which I found more challenging to use.

[glenn bradley]

Another Grizzly 513 owner here. Mine is the G0513X which is no longer made. It is identical to the G0513X2 but has steel trunnions instead of cast iron. I run 2-3tooth Timberwolf's for speed and Highland Hardware's Woodslicer for a thinner, smoother kerf. I resaw regularly and although the saw has done everything I have ever asked of it, another pony would be nice at times. With your described use I would pass right by the 14" models.

[John Coloccia]

The recent social trend towards "needing" too much of everything seems to have reached the bandsaw market. You don't need a 20" saw to cut wood. That said, I bough it...

ROFL. This, right here, is the true spirit of woodworking.

[Myk Rian]

I agree with Prashun (as always). In that price range I would buy this one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/17-2-HP-Bandsaw-Polar-Bear-Series-/G0513P
for $994 including shipping and have enough left over for the plug of your choosing and several blades from Timberwolf.
I believe that's the same one Harbor Freight sold. Just a different color.

[Joseph Tarantino]

as the owner of an 18" jet BS, i'd suggest the rikon 10-325, or the 10-345. both are on sale this month @ woodcraft (at least, based on woodcraft's confusing flyer, i think they are). each will outperform comparable jet/powermatic models, and cost less, providing a better value. when i need a really good bandsaw, i'll sell the jet and move to a rikon. good product and what appear to be really favorable CS comments on several forums.

[John Coloccia]

Given a choice between the Rikon and the Grizzly models, I would probably lean towards the Grizzly. The fit and finish on the Rikons are a bit better, but my experience is that the Grizzlys are better where it counts....for example, the guide systems on the Grizzlys seem to be much better than the comparable Rikon models.

As others have said, if you're going to buy an Asian saw, don't buy a Jet, Powermatic or Delta. It's just very poor value for the money. Definitely don't buy the Laguna. Stick to Rikon and Grizzly. If you're going to spend more than, say, $1200 for a saw, go straight to a high end saw like an MM16 and either buy it used or maybe even new.

[John Kaye]

I've owned Grizzly and used a Delta. By far the Rikon. It's easy to set up and maintain. I do 1/16" veneerd in 8" wide, 2"thick, 4' long birdseye maple with no problem. No matter what I tried, I could not do it with the Grizzly. Also, with the Rikon I now use it instead of my tanle saw for many cuts.

[John Coloccia]

Which Grizzly vs which Rikon? You're not comparing a smaller, cast iron Grizz to a steel Rikon, are you? I don't want to put you on the spot. I just want to be sure we're comparing apples to apples.

[Van Huskey]

It seems the consensus of the thread is not to get a 14" cast saw for the OPs needs.

Within the budget that leaves used and 4 (from the major players) saws that fit the bill.

There are two steel spined saws the Rikon 10-325 which is 799 at WC right now and the Grizzly G0457 at $950, of the two I think the Rikon is the much better buy.

Then in the 17/18" arena you have the Rikon 10-345 18" saw and the 513 series Grizzly 17" saws. The Rikon is on sale for 1099 at WC and the Grizzly 513P is 895 between the two I think the Rikon is the much better saw. The G0513x2 matches much better with the Rikon at 1095. Given the choice I would take the Rikon at the same price due to the bigger motor and slightly larger capacity though the Grizzly has an advantage in guides and fence. Picking the 18" Rikon requires 240V if one only has 120V then my choice would be the G0513X2 or if space is a premium the Rikon 10-325 is an excellent deal while it is on sale.