Band saw issue again

[john mclane]

I'm a new member

I did get a Woodcraft gift certificate for Christmas with the intent to get a new bandsaw.

Woodcraft has a choice between the 14 in. Powermatic or a 14 in Rikon or, a little less expensive, is the Jet 14 in. JWBS 14 dx or 14 Closed system

Grizzley has on there web site a 16 in G1073Z bandsaw in their discontinued list for about the price of the Powermatic including shipment.

Any preferences?

Reviewing the earlier links more pople seemed to recommend the Grizzley. I have been going all over the web for different reviews and they all seem pretty good.

I will be doing some resawing as well as curved works (end tables and such)

One component to consider is picking up at the local Woodcraft vs mail order from Grizzly?

I could use the Woodcraft gift certificate to get a full shop vacuum system which is next on my list of large shop items.

I currently have a Powermatic table saw and router end table, small drill press, Shop Fox mortiser, Delta 12 in planer in a small cellar shop.

Definately not fully experienced but have been cutting wood for years.

[Mike Circo]

Hope I can cover everything in one message.

I always buy big machines locally. Woodcraft has excellent support and sometimes you need it. Long story very short.... I bought the Jet 14" had it for 3 months, the casting broke, Woodcraft replaced it no questions asked. The second Jet wouldn't tune up well, never could figure it out. Woodcraft took that one back, no questions, and allowed me to buy a Delta 14" instead. They even price matched a local sale price. Each exchange took all of an hour, including loading the old one in the van and driving to Woodcraft.

As you can tell, I would not recommend the Jet, Not as rugged as I would have hoped. The Powermatic is an excellent bandsaw. If it was available when I bought my Delta, it would have been high on the list.

Rikon may be okay, too new to tell. They are made in China and include all of the production shortcuts and quality questions of any product coming from there. Tuning a bandsaw is fussy, and any manufacturing errors show up in your cut quality.

Just one man's opinion.

Oh, and if "full shop vacuum system" means the 2 1/2 inch piping system for a shop vac, don't bother. A true dust collector with 4" inch ducts is FAR preferred. Save up for that.

[John Bailey]

John,

Welcome to the "Creek." What you'll learn here will make your head spin, and it may not make your decision any easier. I don't have a bandsaw. I've been researching for about a year, so any knowlege I have is "book" knowlege. Others will have more practical advice.

The reviews I've read would put the Powermatic at the top of the list. With the riser, you will get 12" of resaw and have an outstanding machine. I would worry about the limited resaw capability on the Grizzly 16" and for just a little more, the Grizzly G0513 seems to be a real good buy. If you're looking at the Grizzly's, you owe it to yourself to check out the ShopFox bandsaws also. If you have a dealer around, the cost is about the same as the Grizzly's with shipping and the saws are an upgraded model. Hopefully Vaughn McMillan will chime in here, he just purchased the ShopFox 14". He ought to post more pictures anyway.

Good luck in your search, I don't think you'll go wrong with anything on your list.

John

[Vaughn McMillan]

Welcome to the Creek, John. Mike brings up a good point about buying big machines locally, and if possible, I'll continue to do the same, although there are a lot of folks who've purchased big machines through the mail with no problems or complaints. For the right price I wouldn't hesitate to buy Grizzly stuff via mail-order based on their reputation. As John Bailey mentioned, I recently went through a similar buying decision as you, except it looks like you might have a bit more budget that I did. After looking at several saws, I ended up buying the Shop Fox cousin to the Grizzly G0555 (with a riser kit, so I have 12" resaw capacity), and have been very pleased with the purchase. I paid around $650 by the time I included a mobile base and local taxes, and that was only about $50 more than the Griz similarly equipped. I've not looked at the Powermatic 14" in person, so can't offer any advice on that one, but the Grizzly G0513 looks pretty nice, as does the similar Rikon (which seems to be getting good magazine reviews). I've been very impressed with the Shop Fox, but all in all, I don't think any of the saws you mentioned would be a disappointment.

Hope this helps -

- Vaughn

[Jim Davenport]

I'm a "New kid on the block here", but I'll add my two cents. I've had a Jet 14" closed stand for about ten years. After I bought it I "tuned it up" with the info from "Mark Duginske's Band Saw Handbook". I also installed a set of "Cool Blocks" guides.
It has given me excellent service over the years.
When I'm not using it I take all the tension off the blade, (I Have a big note on it, to remind me to tension the blade before I turn it on.)
I believe that you have to "tune" any of them these days even the Delta.

[Frank Hagan]

I'm a "New kid on the block here", but I'll add my two cents. I've had a Jet 14" closed stand for about ten years. After I bought it I "tuned it up" with the info from "Mark Duginske's Band Saw Handbook". I also installed a set of "Cool Blocks" guides.
It has given me excellent service over the years.
When I'm not using it I take all the tension off the blade, (I Have a big note on it, to remind me to tension the blade before I turn it on.)
I believe that you have to "tune" any of them these days even the Delta.

Like Jim, I've had a Jet 14" closed stand BS and it has served me well for about 5 years. I'm using Cool Blocks or quarter-sawn oak as guides, and equipped with a Timberwolf blade, it works well. I have not been successful at resawing with it, but that may be "operator error" rather than the saw's capabilities.

I don't know the Rikon, but the Powermatic has a good reputation. Take a look at the adjustments under the table. See how easily you can tilt the table ... my Jet saw uses two knobs you loosen to tilt the table, and it isn't as smooth an operation on mine as I saw on a Delta saw at the store. This wasn't a big deal to me, since I rarely tilt the table (maybe 10 times over the 5 years).

The other thing to look at is where the lower blade guides are. On my Jet, they are down under the table an inch or so, but I understand on some saws the guides are much closer to the table, which supports the blade better.

You will have to adjust the guide blocks and thrust bearing under the table every time you change the blade, so play with them a bit in the store. I can do the set up fairly quickly now on my Jet, but it took me a while ... the first guides they provided were a Cool Blocks copy, and when I tightened the thumbscrews to lock the guides in place, it moved them slightly into the blade. I switched to quartersawn oak, which I actually like a lot as guide blocks. Use a dollar bill, and see if you can adjust the guides one-dollar-bill's width from the blade, and have the guides stay in place after tightening them down. Also, try adjusting the thrust bearing so that it doesn't quite touch the blade, closer than the dollar bill test. Also check how easy it is to tension and de-tension the blade ... one of the things I really like about my Jet is that the knob extends up above the top of the cabinet, so I can spin it fairly easily. Some have the knob beside the cabinet ... so its less convenient, and you should loosen the tension after each use.

[Ryan Ricks]

I have the Jet 14DX. I have been really happy with it. I personally would have gone with the Powermatic, but we adopted a little girl about 2 months earlier and I was not able to spend the additional money. One nice feature on the 14DX (and the Powermatic) is the quick release to release the blade tension. As several posts have mentioned, it is nice to detension the blade when not using the saw. In all honesty (and in all laziness:rolleyes: ) without the quick release I would probably not detension the blade.


-Ryan

[john mclane]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm gogin down to the Woodcraft today and touch and feel as recommended. Then in my typical pattern will not buy until I have a few more sleepness nights considering if I'm doin the right thing. It is the Scot in me; I hate spending money on myself.

I'm gogin to try to download a picture of my last project. I have had problems getting this forum to download my photographs.

[Frank Pellow]

Welcome to Saw Mill Creek John! It sounds like you think about buying tools as long as I do before finally doing so. It seems to me that I research and rersearch and research, then wait a while then research again. :o

I expect that whatever is in your very very small picture is worth looking at, so I hope that you manage to get a larger picture posted. :D

[Greg Heppeard]

WOW Everyone has such great advice, all I can add is Welcome to the Creek

[Jason Sanko]

Take a look at the Delta also. I personally feel the closed base more top end

Mine was made in 1953, been refurbished by me. Newly rewound original (with original tage still hangin on it) 1953 motor. My father in law bought the X5 Delta 14" and looking at it the castings are indentical to mine. Only difference between his and mine is I have all metal knobs and his are plastic, mine you bust your knuckles tensioning the blade, his extends above the top of casing. Only upgrades I have are cool blocks and a riser block all else is 1953 original. I was resawing QS 7" wide white oak last night and it cut great.

As to tensioning. My grand father owned a saw mill and knew more about wood and machinary than I will ever even begin to think I know. He never detensioned his bandsaw at all. Check prior to use doing the flutter test and start cutting. I know lots of others including some guys who have cabinent shops also and they also do not detension. Other swear by it. Personally no one I know or have read ever gave me a reason one way or the other as to why or why not. Personally it is convienence for me. I only detension to change blades. I leave a 1/4" blade in mine all the time ready to cut.

[Ron Robinson]

I just received a Woodcraft flyer in the mail and the Powermatic is on sale for $899. With the $100 rebate that is $799. I'm thinking hard about that one myself.

Ron

[Mark Rios]

Maybe the wheels were covered with something different back then. Aren't they covered with that new fangled polyurethane now? Softer and maybe doesn't like being sqeezed all the time.

[Brad Townsend]

I'm going to stick my neck waaaaaay out here and suggest another option. I just bought a Craftsman 14". Now, before everyone laughs, it appears to be a dead ringer for the Rikon 14 except that it has a larger resaw (8" instead of 6" - hence a longer blade), and cast iron wheels instead of aluminum. It's a sweet machine, currently on sale at $429. If you were seriously considering the Rikon, you should check this one out. If cost is not a major issue, definitely go with the PM.