Resaw capability of a bandsaw.....

[Josh Goldsmith]

I am thinking about buying a ridgid bandsaw. Mainly becuse of the cost and being able to pick it up and take it home.:D I am impacient but trying not to be stupid. My question to all you is, I am just getting ready to pick up my new jointer 6". The ridgid resaw capability is only 6" also. Why would i need a bigger resaw capability if my jointer is only a 6". If i truley need a bigger resaw capable bandsaw what one would you recommend. Hopefully something not too expensive. Thanks

Josh

[Jim Becker]

I'll not go into the "there are many ways to flatten a wide board" thing as there are already some excellent threads on that subject here at SMC. But I'll offer this: how much resaw you want depends upon what kind of work you do or plan to do. 6" can be quite adequate for many folks, but having more is sometimes nice. Since you generally resaw something that is already flat on one side, your planer width is going to be the factor in limiting your resaw desires. One other thought...that extra few inches of resaw height is also useful when scrolling flat, thin work as it makes everything easier to see.

The downside to increasing the resaw on many 14" saws is that they are signficantly underpowered to do more than occasional resawing when you have the patience to go slow.

[Josh Goldsmith]

The ridgid is a 3/4 hp. do you think that is enough. Most of the 14" bandsaws had either 1/2 or 3/4. Thanks

[Mark Rios]

On my old G0555 I found that, at times, I would bog down the 1 hp motor. However, I had the riser installed and so could resaw taller stuff. IMAO, I wouldn't have wanted anything less than the 1hp.

[lou sansone]

hi josh
have you considered how you might grow into your hobby in the future? is it possible that you might quickly outgrow that saw ? Some things to consider in the purchase.
lou

[tod evans]

josh, i`ve helped more than one guy retrofit underpowered saws. a common mod. is to stick a 2-3 hp american motor with a mag contactor on a 14" saw just to get it to cut well.... with a real motor you still have a 14" saw but one that will cut whatever you throw at it....02 tod

[Jim Becker]

The ridgid is a 3/4 hp. do you think that is enough. Most of the 14" bandsaws had either 1/2 or 3/4. Thanks

Most 14" saws have 1hp or 1.5hp motors these days (Jet, Delta, PM, General Int, Grizzly, etc.)...the Ridgid sounds a bit underpowered. It may not be worth getting a riser block for it unless you plan on changing out the motor.

[Don Baer]

Josh;
Todd is correct about the 3/4 HP. I looked at the Rigid at the local borg then I bought the Craftsmen 12" and it has a 7 in. resaw capacity. Came standard with a 1 1/2 HP motor. For the money your going to spend on the Rigid I'd look around a little more. My 12" craftsem was less then $300 has a stouter base, bigger table and better blade guides. Their 14" is only a few $$ more then the Rigid and again is better constructed and has an 8" resaw capacity and has a bigger motor.

[Ted Christiansen]

Josh - my Jet 18" is 1-3/4 horsepower and it isnt enough. The new 18" Jet is 3 hp, which should be about right for 12" resaw capacity.

For a 14" bandsaw with riser block I would get the largest power motor you can. In that case I doubt Rigid will be in the running.

If your primary reason for getting a bandsaw is for resawing, I suggest you look at something other than Rigid.

Ted

[Mike Cutler]

Josh.
In all honesty, if you are really looking to primarily resaw on a bandsaw. I don't believe that you will be happy with that choice, down the line.
I have a 14" Jet BS.I added a riser block, Carter Guides, Iturra Spring. I remachined the lower guide mount to make the Jet like a Delta. Added a bigger table, because the table on the Jet was too small. Remachined the thread tension rod assy, and converted it over to 3/8", I also had to make my own square nut for this mod. I tried at least a dozen times to use a 3/4" blade, before I finally gave up and started using a 1/2" Woodslicer. I also had too make my own fence
After all this, the resawing was always so-so.I gave up and bought an 18" Rikon. I added a Lennox blade, set the fence to dead square, and Voila, I could resaw.
I still have the 14" Jet. It's too nice a machine not to have around. It's set up for the small curvy stuff, and the Rikon is set up to resaw. This gives me the best of both worlds and minimal blade changes.
The cost for both machines, in time and parts was about equal, approx. $1k for each.

Point is. If you know that resawing is what you really want to do with a bandsaw. I say save your $$$ until you can find a used 2-3HP machine, with 12" of resaw capability, that can properly tension, at the minimum, a 3/4" blade.

My .02, fwiw.

[Chris Barton]

Josh,

I have the exact same band saw and recently added a Laguna 16HD. The Ridgid is not a bad saw but, it is under powered and will not be very satisfying as a resaw machine. I would suggest that you buy all the saw your budget can stand. Frankly, I would suggest that most folks considering a saw under 1K think about the Rikon 18".

[Mark Singer]

I have a 20"Aggazani and should have got the 24" or bigger! I kept a Jet 14" for smaller stuff..

[Travis Porter]

I heavily agree with everyone saying look at something else. I like a fool had the opportunity to buy a Minimax, Agazzani, or Laguna and decided to save the money instead and upgrade my Delta 14 inch. After building a new stand, installing a new motor, fence, upgraded bearings, and many, many other things that I found were inadequate and causing me problems, I have spent almost as much as I would have to buy a high end saw in the first place. If you are just doing curved cuts, the Rigid will be great, if you want to resaw, horsepower, frame stiffness, and quality of the bearings and other mechanisms are key.

[Jamie Buxton]

Josh, I say you're on the correct track. That is, it makes sense to me that your jointer width, your planer width, and your bandsaw resaw height be the same. Having one be a whole lot bigger than the others generally means that capacity is unusable.

The argument for non-matching capacities is that you think it will be a transitional state -- that eventually you'll upgrade the smaller ones to match the larger ones.

[Josh Goldsmith]

In your opinions what is the best saw for under $500. I recently got married and bought a house so money is kind of scarce. I am buying a jointer within the week. So that makes money more scarce. I thought about buying a craftsman because i could finance it. I can always build something to pay off the bill. The kind of resawing i am planning on doing is ripping a 1 3/4 pice of wood into thinner pieces ranging 3/16" to 1". I don't rip fresh cut lumber. At lease not yet. I don't think anything i buy will have more that 1hp becuase of my budget. Talk to you all soon.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!
Josh

[Mark Rios]

Grizzly G0555! But you have to live with the two-tone paint. I like the two-tone but some don't.

[Jerry Clark]

I have the Rokon 14 inch and it is an OK saw for $500. Not a lot of power but I don't do much resawing anyway. :rolleyes: Service is real good also. :D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Josh I just got the Griz G0555. I went and tried a Ridgid, Delta and Griz. Of those three Griz was the way I went because it gave me the most bang for my buck. The Ridgid was the worst of the 3 for power in my opinion. The G0555 has met and exceeded all my expectations. Right now they have them on Holiday special for $372.25 shipped and riser is $57.95. I don't think you could go wrong.