bandsaw wanted...but can't decide, help!

[Dave Carson]

I have been lurking for a while and finally registered to post this question.

I mostly build hardwood furniture and boxes out of cherry, oak, and walnut. I am planning to purchase a bandsaw. Any thoughts between the Grizzly 0555 or the Craftsman pro 14"? I see someone just bought the 12" and I will be looking for his comments on the saw. I have the Craftsman on reserve for $435.

I don't forsee much need to resaw other than an occassional box bottom or lid. Why else would I? Especially more than 8"? I start with 4/4 rough for most of my projects and 8/4 when I need to make posts.

Thanks
Dave

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I have the Grizzley G0550 with the riser block. With the small increase in price, the investment was worth it. I don't just Resaw. I also cut turning blocks out of logs/half logs. The extra height is a BIG help.

Bruce

[Bernie Weishapl]

Dave I just got the Grizzly G0555 with the riser kit. I am extremely happy with it. The fence is good, the table is stable and a good blade makes it a smooth cutter. It also has the Carter bearing blade guides. I cut a lot of veneer for boxes and clocks. I cut a lot of 6" to 10" veneer for clocks especially looking for nice bookmatched veneer for the doors. So that is why I got the riser block. I looked at the Craftsman 14" and the Ridgid 14" really hard when I was looking but the Grizzly just looked better plus found a lot of good reviews on it. I definately would go G0555. Just a happy user and my 2 cents.

[Steve Stube]

Just want to say Welcome to Sawmill Creek (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/index.php)

[Bart Leetch]

I would go with the Grizzly G0555 with the riser block don't limit yourself to between 7" & 8" depth of cut just because you think now that you'll never use it you will.

[John Cavanaugh]

Ill put in another vote for the Grizzly. I just got one myself with the riser kit and have been happy with it thus far. All in all I really think the grizzly is the best value for dollar available...

--
John Cavanaugh

[lou sansone]

welcome to the creek... can't help you on the grizzly info. if you are interested in larger band saws I can, but it sound like folke really like that saw you are thinking about.
best wishes
lou

[Jim Becker]

The Griz is a known quality and well spoken about by owners. It would get my nod of the two for that reason alone, but also because I feel the source is more predictable, strangely enough.

[Dave Carey]

I've had my Grizzly G0555 for about a year. Don't use it a lot but when I do I'm very happy with it. Also glad I got the riser block. Have also had very good service from the customer support people at Grizzly, another reason in my view to give them serious consideration.

[Charlie Plesums]

I had a benchtop Delta bandsaw (useless), that I upgraded to a Jet 14 inch. Then I saw the Grizzly G0555, which is made from the same castings as the Jet, but the Grizzly has more features (better guides, dust collection, fence, tension release), and I regretted the Jet choice. A few weeks later someone was touring my shop and said "if you ever want to sell that Jet bandsaw..." and a week later I had the Grizzly.

I have enjoyed the G0555 (with riser block) for a couple years - great saw. That doesn't mean that I dont dream of a 20 inch MiniMax, but in the meantime the Grizzly is serving me well.

[Jesse Cloud]

Welcome to the Creek! Its a great place to learn and share.

I can't help much with your options as I haven't used either the Griz or the Craftsman. I am a little leery of Craftsman in general, just doesn't have the quality it used to. I've been burned a couple of times and I'm very skeptical now. I have the 14 inch Delta and it does everything I need to do (general furniture making).

A couple of general comments though, if you are at all interested in a riser block, get it now, otherwise you will be buying some blades that will be useless when you do add the riser. Secondly, I resaw a lot, generally buy the thickest wood I can find and saw it in the most economical fashion to get exactly what I need.

If you are new to bandsaws, get a good book on how to tune and use them. Mark Duginske has one, so does Lonnie Bird. Bandsaw tuning is like religion and most discussions quickly turn up the heat (if not the light). There are different theories, try a few and go with what works for you. There are folks out there getting good results with just about any brand of bandsaw. There are folks getting good results with moderate tension and others who do best by cranking the tension up.

Final advice (sorry I'm so long winded this a.m., must be the coffee), go slow on all the add-on gadgets (fences, tables, rollers, guides, etc.). Most of these can be shop made and a few of them, for me at least, are just bad ideas.

How about some pics of your boxes??

[David Boland]

Another vote for the Grizzly G0555 with riser. Also, make sure you pick up some Timberwolf blades (makes resawing like slicing cheese).

[Don Baer]

My decision was a matter of economics. I have been shopping for a BS for some time. That said I always try to get the most bang for my buck. I look for value. I looked at some of the lessor saws at the bogs. I shopped the used equiptment market.The best deal I found in the used market was a 1950's Duro 16" saw for $250. It needed new tires, blades and had no fence system the condition of the bearing was in doubt since I couldn't run it. I almost got it anyway and figured I could fix it up over time. Then I saw the Sears 12" and compared it to the 14" model both within my budgetto my eye it was a very well made piece of equiptment. I was critical of the Craftsman products and find many of them to be kind of cheesy. I looked at it in the store compared it to other models I was willing to spend a litlte more but not a lot more my budget was $300-$350. Tonight will be the acid test as I plan on testing it. If it doesn't meet my needs it will go back but from what I have seen since assembling the saw It looks to be well made. The fence is very rugged. The 15x24" table if fairly big for a saw of this size and the fact that it is cast Iron should make it very stable.

[Bill Fellmy]

Dave, welcome to the Creek, and I'll add another vote for the G0555 w/ the 6" riser block. I struggled with that same BS question last spring before deciding that for my hobbyist needs, I didn't really need to go with a high end machine. The Griz is a good value which I noticed was on sale in the latest Amazon flyer for $395.

And I second what David Carson said about picking up some Timberwolf blades. They definitely improve the machine's performance. And by the way, David Carson, welcome to the Creek to you too. I noticed that was your first post.

[Bill Fellmy]

Make that a welcome to David Boland. Nice first post with a Timberwolf blade recommendation!