Any Powermatic 14" BS owners out there?

[Rick Schubert]

I'm thinking of purchasing one and wonder how your experience has been. Do you have a riser block and do you do much resawing? How was set-up? Table flatness? Enough power? 115 or 220 volts?

I was also thinking of the new Rikon 14" BS but the salesperson at Woodcraft thought the PM was a better saw for only $50 more right now. He likes the Rikon a lot, just thinks the PM is better built with a better motor. And normally $200 more.

Thanks for your help! Rick

[Homer Faucett]

Hi, Rick! I bought a PM 14" bandsaw about a year ago. I have been very happy with the fit and finish, as well as the power and quality. I did buy a risre block, which had to be shipped separately, so it was a bit of a hassle to set it up, then set it up again.

As I am told is the case with all saws, the stock blade is not worth a darn, and I had a terrible time cutting straight with that blade out of the box. A couple of Timberwolf blades has changed that, and I am pretty happy with the saw. The only thing that sits in the back of my head is whether I should have just bought the Jet 18" model for about the same price when a riser was figured in. A little more power, and most of the same features for about the same price. My FIL liked the PM 14" and both gave me the amount of resaw that I needed (with the riser), so I went with the PM.

If I was solely making the decision for me, it would have been the 18" Jet.

[Tyler Howell]

I can only speak for the company. You can't go wrong with the Gold Standard.
Don't even mess around. Get the riser block when you buy.;)

TJH

[Gil Liu]

I got the powermatic 14" BS earlier this year -- Amazon had the price listed at something like $1200 and they agreed to give me 10% of the difference compared with a Woodcraft sales price -- ended up $700 delivered.

I am very happy with the saw -- although I haven't done a lot of resawing. The table is flat, the overall finish is fine, and I've had no problem cutting straight or curved lines in quartersawn oak an inch thick with the stock blade and wired at 110V.

The new Rikon 14" BS got a good review in the Nov06 issue of Workbench.

[Andy Hoyt]

Mine (with riser block) is coming up on it's second birthday. Rigged it for 220. No complaints. Get good blades!

[chris fox]

The BS is the last big tool I need, curious to know the cost of the Rikon 14" and the PW 14". A local pawn shop wanted $800 for a 14" PW - not a very good deal to me.

[Rick Schubert]

Chris,

Woodcraft has the 14" PM BS on sale for $799 after a PM $100 rebate. The 14" Rikon is $749 at same store. Sale price is good to end of year.

Rick

[chris fox]

thanks Rick..

[Chuck Wood]

Chris,

Woodcraft has the 14" PM BS on sale for $799 after a PM $100 rebate. The 14" Rikon is $749 at same store. Sale price is good to end of year.

Rick

Rick,

You won't need riser blocks with the Rikon! I too bought my Rikon from Woodcraft while they were having there annual woodworking show, and they took an additional $50.00 off the price and extended the warranty to 3 years. And through in a mobile base. ($100.00 value).:)

[Rod Torgeson]

Rick.....I have the PM 14" bandsaw and am very pleased with it. Pretty much the same as Homer said, riser block and timberwolf blades.

[Rick Schubert]

Tyler, That is pretty much what the Woodcraft sales rep said about PM stuff.

Rick


I can only speak for the company. You can't go wrong with the Gold Standard.
Don't even mess around. Get the riser block when you buy.;)

TJH