Bandsaw choice, which one,,,

[Doug Jones]

I have a choice between the
Delta 28-206 14" saw for $409, no shipping
Or,
Grizzly GO555 14" saw for $375 plus shipping.

Which saw would be the better of the two in your opinion?

[Glenn Clabo]

I can't give any input on those specific BS...but I can comment on Grizzly. I recently bought the 17" and am VERY satisfied with both the saw and customer service. If it comes down to performance and customer service...I'd vote Grizzly.

[Aaron Heck]

Remember, there's a $50 rebate on the Delta, too. Guess that just about evens out the costs of the risers.

I'm thinking about one of these 2 saws, too. Or maybe that 17" Grizzly. :)

Aaron

[Jim Becker]

My opinion is that if buying the Delta benefits a local dealer and you like doing business with them, that's not a horrible thing. You also don't have to deal with receiving the shipment, etc, which depending on where you live will be more or less work. (You do need to pay sales tax, however) Griz generally ships on larger trucks in my experience...when I bought my G1276 sander, I was happy I had the front end loader to take it off the truck and move it about 250 feet to the shop from the place along the road where the delivery vehicle had to park. In fact, many times it's better to pick up at the truck terminal if you have the difficult logistics of a residential situation.

These two saws are similar with little differentiation, frankly, so some of the "little things" would weigh more into the decision for me at least. Both should serve you well, so pick based on your order fulfillment preference, color and other aspects that fit your personal needs.

[Julie Wright]

Doug,
I have the Grizzly 14", it is a solid piece of equipment. Great fence too. Grizzly is easy to work with, fast on replies. I believe Kevin G has the same BS too.
Oh yeah, I would pick the grizzly anytime. :)

[Mark Singer]

Doug,
Take a look at the Jet from Amazon shipping is free and the reviews are excellent. There is also an additional $25 off and $100 offon the next Jet tool.Adan Madrid a new member got one and loves it!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006ANS4/qid=1074449722//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl60/103-2958571-6494204?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846

[chris toomey]

i have the grizzly. now i must say its the first bandsaw i've owned, but i'm very pleased. i think its a lot of saw for the money. quick delivery, easy setup, good manual. it does what i ask it to do, but i'm not resawing veneers either...

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Doug, I checked them ALL out before I bought my Griz 0555 Band Saw. I have been TOTALLY pleased with the saw from day one. I recently added the riser to it, and I have used it to resaw lots of wood. Some of the more difficult Exotics I have resawn with the Griz were a breeze. I picked mine up at the Truck Terminal, mostly because it was on the way home from work, and it was just easier for me to do it that way. I love the quality, fit and finish of this saw. IMO, it has a ton of features for the money. Using a WoodSlicer Blade for resawing, this saw performs flawlessly. Good dust collection, ease of setup and great support from Grizzly is also a plus. If I had it to do over again, there would be NO question that I would buy this saw again. Did I mention that I REALLY like the G0555 Bandsaw? :D

(I also cut Bowl Blanks on this Bandsaw, and it has handled anything I have thrown it's way, without so much as a wimper.)

[David Rose]

Since everyone is pointing to the Griz, I'll give my 2 cents for the Delta. I like mine fine. How's that? :D Well, if you want a little more info... I bought their cheapest model 14" and soon upgraded the motor, added a riser kit, put on a good blade, and upped the blade speed a little and added a larger table and link belt. I would likely want to do the same to the Griz so that is not a negative for me.

I have a 195x vintage jointer (Delta/Rockwell) and I can still buy the head for it if needed. I'm not sure about Grizzly's outdated parts, but Delta will likely have at least some down the road.

I want a MiniMax some day. Until then the Delta keeps humming.

David

[CPeter James]

One feature that only the Delta has is the lower blade guides. That is a Delta patented feature and they are closer to the table top than any other brand. Aslo, I too have a 1953 Delta Rockwell 8" jointer and when I emailed them, they sent me a new manual and parts list, free of charge. All the impotant parts are still available. I don't like ophans- things that you can't get parts for. That is why I drive American made cars. I have had my 14" BS for about 5 years and did some hard looking before I bought it, and still think it was the right thing to do. My only real gripe is dust collection. The tiny port under the blade is not big enough. A 4" hil in the lower door would do the trick, but I haven't done that yet. I use the low tension Timberwolf/Viking blades that I get from Lee Valley.

CPeter

[Jim Becker]

One feature that only the Delta has is the lower blade guides. That is a Delta patented feature and they are closer to the table top than any other brand.

Can anyone confirm that this new overseas-produced Delta model has those same lower guides as the more expensive USA-produced saw? Yes, they are a unique feature, but only if they are actually on the machine!

[CPeter James]

Can anyone confirm that this new overseas-produced Delta model has those same lower guides as the more expensive USA-produced saw? Yes, they are a unique feature, but only if they are actually on the machine!


From the Delta Web site on the 28-206

• Nine-spoke wheels.
• Full 16" X 16" cast-iron table tilts 45° right and 3° left for beveling operations.
• 4" integral dust port.
• Cast iron trunnions.
• Lower blade guides have safe, accurate, micrometer adjustment
• Lower guides angled to support blade to within 3/4" of table work surface- assures accurate cutting.


http://www.deltawoodworking.com/index.asp?e=136&p=918

CPeter

[Jim Becker]

• Lower guides angled to support blade to within 3/4" of table work surface- assures accurate cutting.

Thanks, Peter. It's good to know that the Delta folks kept this great feature in play.

[John Weber]

Doug,

Get the Delta, I believe it's the new imported saw, however, with a local dealer, Delta's great customer service, and in most cases long term parts availability, the 14" saw is a great buy. If you ever want to upgrade to a larger saw, Delta generally has much better resale, then other brands. And supporting a local dealer is great, that way they are there when you need a clamp, or last minute piece of hardware (is it Rockler?). If you want the US built model, I believe Lowe's still has some open stand 3/4 hp units for $399. While it's not loaded, a very nice saw for the money.

Good Luck - John