Good 10" benchtop bandsaw

[Prashun Patel]

I need to purchase a second bandsaw for home use. I don't have room for anything but a benchtop model. Are there any good models available?

This machine will be used on 3" and thinner material.

[Steve Eure]

Rikon makes a nice 10" benchtop model. It is priced in the 200-250 range. I almost bought one but wound up getting a 14" saw. The saw has many of the larger saw features.

[John TenEyck]

I have a friend who bought the Grizzly 9" benchtop BS. It's pretty nice and would be a strong consideration if I buy a jobsite BS.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/9-Benchtop-Bandsaw/G0803

John

[Steve Demuth]

My son, who does his woodworking from a graduate student's apartment, has the Rikon 10". He uses it mostly for curve cutting for carving - so up to about 4". He uses the Carter single-wheel "guide" and finds it a very solid, reliable tool.

[Bill Adamsen]

If you are willing to consider used machines, the now defunct Swiss company Inca, made a small benchtop (or table mount) bandsaw of 10.5" which has a reputation for outperforming its size. A neighbor had one that I used as a teenager, though the impressions of a teenager from almost fifty years ago may not reflect today's expectations. The part numbering varies based on whether it is a Euro or USA model but you'll find it listed typically as a 260 or 342. It was a bit odd to use because it is a left hand model. I see them listed on CL and Ebay for between $300 and $750. The low range would likely be reasonable if it didn't require a total rebuild.

[Andrew Hughes]

+1 Inca my friend Hal has one and it's very nice.

[Mike Wilkins]

Have had a Rikon 10" model for years as a compliment to my 'Papa Bear' 18" Laguna machine. Works great for the small stuff, curve cutting and joinery.

[Jim Becker]

I've heard good things about the Rikon, too.

[Tom M King]

I bought a 12" to use up on a roof, and it gets used more often than the large ones. Rikon and Craftsman are the same saw, only with different colored doors, and name badges. Sears often has them on sale. I think the 12" weighs about 65 pounds, and when I was looking at them, I remember liking the 12" a lot better than the 10". Sears has the 12" on sale fairly often for around $165. It's a decent little saw.

[Frankie Hunt]

The Rikon 10" is a good saw for the money. It has a cast iron table vs cast aluminum on a lot of saws in that size. Craftsman used to sell that saw for less money than the Rikon. The only difference was the paint scheme. I looked on the sears site and can no longer find it. It was usually $199 vs the $250 for the Rikon.

I had that saw for a long time, recently selling it as I have larger saws now. It was a decent saw.

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsman-1-3-hp-3-5-amp-10-band-saw-21400

[Bob Faris]

Do you enjoy restoring old tools? Delta Homecraft 28-110....

https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/tools/power-tools/vintage-power-tools/1111677-delta-rockwell-28-110-10-band-saw

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=9391

[Brett Luna]

I got by with the 10" Craftsman 21400 for quite some time before upgrading to a 14" full size model. It's a pretty solid little saw for the price point and power rating. I think it came out of the same factory as the Rikon 10-305. If you were local, I'd make you deal on it.

[Roger Marty]

Do you enjoy restoring old tools? Delta Homecraft 28-110....

https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/tools/power-tools/vintage-power-tools/1111677-delta-rockwell-28-110-10-band-saw

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=9391

My only bandsaw. Nice machine. Not exactly benchtop.

I use it for resawing 5" oak!

[Randy Heinemann]

Do you mean for scroll saw type cutting or resawing? My understanding is that 10” model motors would make it difficult to do any resawing. I can see the 10” as a saw used just for cutting curves to allow a lager saw to remain setup for resawing

[Prashun Patel]

No resawing. General purpose.

[Larry Frank]

I have the 10" Rikon with the Carter Stabilizer and works extremely well for all kinds of work. It fits well in between my 16" Jet Bandsaw and my Hegner Scroll Saw. I have had it for a couple of years and no problems at all.

[dennis thompson]

I have had the 10" Craftsman for about 10 years and I am very happy with it.

[Tommy Martin]

I have the Craftsman 10". Good saw for the money. Comes with a crappy blade though. Recommend getting a better one as soon as practical.
Appears identical to the Rikon.

[Bruce Page]

I bought one of the early 10” Rikon’s that came with a cheesy cast aluminum table which I quickly replaced. The tires lasted ~2 years before they dry rotted. I replaced them with new urethane tires and have been good to go since.
The new Rikon’s come with a cast iron table and hopefully, better tires.
It’s a great little secondary saw to my MM.