Smaller bandsaw... 3 wheel maybe?

[Andy Fox]

With my 14" Delta bandsaw out of commission waiting on Delta "backordered" parts (it seems that means they'll have to get someone to make the part :rolleyes:) , I'm thinking about getting a second bandsaw. I won't resaw at all on it. It will be used for everyday curves, maybe some scrolling, and bandsaw boxes. Once fixed, the Delta 14" will be my dedicated resaw/straight cut saw. I could probably get by with a smaller 10-12" one? I'm leaning more toward cheaper than better. There are some 3 wheel Craftsman bandsaws on Craigslist, but I've heard these break blades easily and are difficult to get working right. I like the 3 wheel design and large table area for the price though.

[james bell]

I have a mm16 which I love for resawing but is too large for bandsaw boxes and everyday curves. I took my old 12" craftsman, cheap on Craigslist, and put a 1.5hp grizzly motor and she hums. The 1/3 or 1/2hp that came with it was just too underpowered, especially for bandsaw boxes. You can get smaller blades and at 80" are inexpensive.

The only minor problem I have with it is the aluminum table which means I can't use one of the magnetic fences, but other than that, it is my go to saw for minor cuts and boxes.

[Lee Schierer]

As I recall, the 3 wheel band saw went through blades rather quickly due to the tight radius bends the blade had to go through. The welds would fatigue quickly.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I like my 10" Rikon bandsaw. I believe that Craftsman sells a variant. It has guide bearings stock. Mine cuts straight. Aluminum table though. They do sell a cast iron table also. Costs more. Check it out.

No direct experience with the 3 wheels, although a friend of mine tried to give his away.....

[Bill Wyko]

I have a 3 wheel you can have here somewhere. It was constantly breaking blades.

[Rick Potter]

As mentioned, the smaller you go on a three wheeler, the tighter the curve, and the more blade breakage. I had a little 10" sears that I gave away. Be carefull on the cheapies....lots of plastic parts. Craigs list is loaded with small bandsaws in my area.

I have a 16" Delta that is about 20 years old. It has been pretty good on blades, and I keep it with a 3/16 or 1/8 blade in it. It's a pretty nice saw, cast iron table and good stand. I have seen them on CL occasionally.

Phill Thein has a Ryobi he seems to like also, you might check his site.

Rick Potter

[Myk Rian]

What parts are you looking for?
If you can accept used, they're probably available.

[Gus Dundon]

I high recommend to avoid 3wheeled band saws . They're not that useful , IMHO. They break blades,very often .

[Bob Vavricka]

+4 on avoid 3-wheeled bandsaw. A friend let me borrow his Delta 3 wheel bandsaw. He said he couldn't keep the blade on. I thought, "I can fix that." I wasted a lot of hours and never did make a full cut on it. I gave it back to him and commented that I didn't think it would even make a good boat anchor.

[John Bailey]

The Sears thats selling for $179, or the Rikon selling for $265 on Amazon look like the best deals going right now. They look exactly alike and both list a cast iron table.

If it were me, I'd look for a used 14" without the riser. I think you'd pay about the same and have a better Machine.

[Jim Matthews]

-1 on three wheelers.

The little Ryobi bandsaw at the Borg stores is surprisingly competent for not much money.

[Rich Riddle]

The only three-wheel machine I would consider is an old Inca. You said you wanted cheap, so the Inca isn't the answer. Like countless others, the advice would be to keep away from the cheap three-wheel units. If you belong to a woodworking club perhaps someone will let you borrow a backup saw. I let someone borrow one of a backup bandsaw for quite some time from one of my clubs.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Two happy days of owning a three wheeler - The day you get it, and the day you get rid of it!

[Rich Riddle]

There is a 3/4 HP old Craftsman 10" saw for sale in Newark/Heath for one hundred dollars on Craigslist. It's one of the older heavier construction ones compared to the new ones. It could serve as a temporary saw and you could sell it for every penny you have in it. It's in good condition. The motor's nearly worth the asking price.

[Andy Fox]

Thanks guys! I'm going to try to go with an older 2 wheel model, particularly the one Rich pointed out! (Thanks Rich!)


What parts are you looking for?
If you can accept used, they're probably available.
Good point... I need the trunnion support for a Delta X5 band saw (28-475X), trunnions, and clamp shoes. I might be able to get everything except the trunnion support from Iturra Design.

426-02-314-0008 TRUNNION SUPPORT ASSY

[glenn bradley]

I too have a small saw I picked up used and re-furbed as a go-to one-off or quick-curve cut saw. For curves that count or something like a bandsaw box, I put a small blade on my 17" saw. So much smoother and offers more control than the smaller machine. I do love having both saws though and whenever people ask what to do with their 14" saw once they've upgraded; I always say "Keep It!".