Rikon 10-324 upgrade-220v wiring and blade size increase

[Stark Suggs]

The decision to go with a Rikon 10-324 seems to have been a good choice. Being on sale, reduced shipping cost + tax landed it on my doorstep at just over 900 total. Cuts are highly accurate and as a starter bandsaw it seems to be the correct choice. The shop is currently wired for 220v. Since this saw has the option of making a simple upgrade from its 110 to 220 I see no reason not to....my understanding is that it will run better, ie more torque etc... please correct me if I am wrong. As well, the stock 5/8 blade doesn't seem to perform that bad when considering all the bad press out there re stock blades shipped with all new bandsaws. When considering the fact that most of my work will be resawing, an upgrade to a (ie Timberwolf) might not be a bad idea. It seems that moving up to a 3/4" (max width for this saw), would be fine for resawing purposes. The 220v upgrade with a better performing blade would help...I think? Any thoughts? Thanks

basic specs

Motor 1.5 HP, TEFC
Motor Speed (no load) 1,720 RPM
Volts 115 / 230 V
Amps, Hertz, Phase 14 / 7 A, 60 Hz, 1Ph
Blade Length 111” (2,819 mm)
Blade Width 3/16” - 3/4” (4.78 - 19 mm)
Blade Speed 2,950 / 1,445 ft/min (899.2 / 440.5 m/min)

SWS

[Frederick Skelly]

I have a similar Rikon bandsaw. Agree you should set aside the stock blade immediately. I bought a 3/4" Olson (because it was what they stocked where I bought it) before I even turned on the saw.

There are several other good choices for blades - search the archives if you need/want advice on brands. I normally buy Timberwolf too, but this Olson has been fine. Have also heard good thing s about Resaw King and Woodslicer but check the archives..

[Steve Eure]

Stark, not to dispute your choice of blades, but I would think that trying to tighten a 3/4" blade for re sawing would be pushing it with that saw. Not saying it won't do it, but my choice is the 1/2" wood-slicer from Highland WW. It does dull rather quickly with some woods, but I've had good results with it on most hardwoods I've resawn.
BTW, I am running the 10-325 which is the same saw with an enclosed base.
Irregardless of your blade choice, I think that saw will surprise you at what it can do, and should serve you well.

[Jack Lilley]

I've had the 10-326 for 4 or 5 months now, I used the blade supplied with the saw quite awhile, it worked pretty well. I just put on a wood-slicer and have been re-sawing 11" cherry with no problems, no bogging or loss of power. I still have my saw wired for 110, not sure if I will change to 220 or not. I'm really happy with the saw.

[John K Jordan]

I agree that a 3/4" blade may take a lot of tension do it right. I know for a fact that my cast iron 14" Delta cannot handle the 3/4" blade but works well with 1/2" and 5/8". I damaged some tension parts on my saw trying. One thing the experts agree on - you cannot trust the tension gauge built into a typical bandsaw.

As for the power, you might see a big difference when switching to 230 volts IF the saw is a long way from the breaker or the voltage is a bit low. I saw a huge difference in starting and running in a radial arm saw years ago, but the shop was a long way from the breaker box and the voltage drop was significant. If you know the distance (and the wire size, of course, including any extension cord) you can calculate the voltage drop given the amperage draw of the motor. You can also monitor the voltage when starting and running, best with an oscilloscope. If the wiring is properly sized and the distance short you may not see a difference in going to the higher voltage.

Another factor, of course, is whether you have a handy 230v receptacle in the right place but have to compromise if using 115 volts.

JKJ

[Art Mann]

If your 120VAC wiring is adequate, then you will see zero improvement by switching to 240VAC. The best way to tell whether your wiring is adequate is to use an AC voltmeter. I see no need for an oscilloscope since you really just need to check steady state conditions. Measure the voltage on the other plug in the same box with the bandsaw when it is under heavy load. Check it again with the saw off. If the voltage drop is only a volt or two compared to the no load voltage then you will not see any improvement in performance. There is another reason to convert from 120 to 240, even if your wiring is sufficient. It could help prevent a current imbalance situation between the two voltage legs in a sub panel.

[Stark Suggs]

Appreciate the input. I agree that the 3/4" blade, at least at this point, might be a bit too much. Ordered a 1/2" Olson last night to see how it works especially when I observed the amount of tension necessary to get the stock 5/8" running well. I agree with John that the tension gauges between manufactures is a shot in the dark at best. I ran into this with another bandsaw this year...confused with that tensioning system I tried the flutter test... , 1/4" deflection test....etc...it just muddied the water. My experience has been that working with everything over time, carefully tinkering will work these things out.

Since I plan to resaw up to 12" bowl blanks, my thought was that 220 might help keep the feed rate from slowing down....needless to say, Im no electrician here. As I understand, the voltage increase would not increase the power, but help the engine keep up with the task at hand...ie, cutting thick stock without slowing down as it would have at 110? Ill say that if 110/15 is all I need, im good to go.

[Frederick Skelly]

Stark, not to dispute your choice of blades, but I would think that trying to tighten a 3/4" blade for re sawing would be pushing it with that saw. Not saying it won't do it, but my choice is the 1/2" wood-slicer from Highland WW. It does dull rather quickly with some woods, but I've had good results with it on most hardwoods I've resawn.
BTW, I am running the 10-325 which is the same saw with an enclosed base.
Irregardless of your blade choice, I think that saw will surprise you at what it can do, and should serve you well.

Hi Steve,
I just went out and confirmed that I have an Olson 3/4" on my 10-325. It cuts through whatever I ask it to. I havent seen any problem. But I think I'll try your suggestion next time I buy a blade - could be I don't know what Im missing. So thanks for the tip. And I agree with you - this saw does everything I ask it to.

Merry Christmas.
Fred

[Stark Suggs]

It seems that the stock blades work well for some and not for others. Keeping in mind the universal tensioning gauge variances, ive been trying to get the stock blade, 5/8", to perform as it should. What Ive noticed is a clicking which occurs on a specific location somewhere on the blade. Ive checked the entire blade and see nothing that might be the problem. The upper wheel was manually turned and the blade was marked with a sharpie when the noise was heard. when turning the wheel the same noise/click/scrape occurred when the marked area came around at the exact location. So, somewhere the blade is scraping something somewhere within the upper wheel. I have not removed the wheel or anything like that. When tensioning the blade Ive taken the scale to the end of the 5/8 range, just to the 3/4 and stopped. It was very tight and the knob was hard to turn. So I backed off. A 3/4" blade, from what I know thus far would not work...when compared to the stock blade, tightening the tension to accept that 3/4 would certainly be too much....as Steve mentioned earlier. Maybe the new olson on the way would answer a question or two.

[david privett]

one thing I did not see was what gauge wire do you have? If it is 14 gauge I would strongly suggest that you make it a 240 volt circuit.(but you will need a separate 120 volt one also for other items.) As a rule of thumb if you are over 100 ft. from your panel go up one gauge of wire on how many amps you are going to need. like I used # 10 wire on a 20 amp circuit because of distance at max load. but I have separate 240 volt circuits also.

[Steve Demuth]

Stark, not to dispute your choice of blades, but I would think that trying to tighten a 3/4" blade for re sawing would be pushing it with that saw. Not saying it won't do it, but my choice is the 1/2" wood-slicer from Highland WW. It does dull rather quickly with some woods, but I've had good results with it on most hardwoods I've resawn.
BTW, I am running the 10-325 which is the same saw with an enclosed base.
Irregardless of your blade choice, I think that saw will surprise you at what it can do, and should serve you well.

I would second Steve's recommendation of the Highland 1/2" Woodslicer for resawing with your Rikon. Unless you're sawing a lot of really tough wood, I suspect you'll find it an ideal fit for your saw. I have. Properly tuned and tensioned with that blade, the Rikon 14" is an outstanding saw.

[Reed Gray]

I have upgraded a couple of my machines from 120 to 220, a 1 hp jointer, and a 1 1/2 hp drum sander. I have proper sized wires, and short runs. There is a big difference in performance, mostly no bogging down at all or tripping the circuit breaker which the drum sander used to do frequently. I am not an electrical engineer, but when first starting up my shop, in 1993, every single book I read about machines said that any motor 1hp and above should be run on 220.

As for blades, I have used the Lennox Diemaster Bimetal blades. The teeth are M42 HSS. They cut longer and straighter than any other blade out there, and can be resharpened, but I take them to a saw shop for that.

robo hippy

[Stark Suggs]

Ive decided to operate the Rikon on an existing 220v 12g circuit that is well under 25' from the panel. Other dedicated 110/20's available, but I decided to take this route. If the extra voltage is ever needed, it will be there. The 1/2" Olson should arrive today. As it turns out, the "clicking" noise was the weld in the stock blade that was lightly scraping against one side of the thin plastic guide at the lower bearings. An adjustment I missed when setting up the saw and those bearings. Any additional info is always welcome. Thanks everybody for the needed info. Merry Christmas!


SWS

[Curt Harms]

Stark I think you did the right thing. A 1 1/2 hp motor on a 120 volt circuit needs to be about the only thing on that circuit. If the 120 volt circuit is 15 amp that's probably not enough even if the saw is the only load. Doing it right is easier and cheaper than doing it twice. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Art Mann]

It is doing a disservice to stationary tool buyers to tell them that a 240VAC circuit is necessary, or even beneficial, for a 1.5 hp motor or imply that a 15A circuit is not adequate. The truth is (coming from a career electrical engineer with lots of experience on the subject) for most people with house wiring conforming to the National Electrical Code, there is no practical difference between operating a tool on a 120VAC and 240VAC circuit if it was designerd for both. In house wiring, wall outlets are almost always run with 12AWG wire and the motor can't tell whether the current feeding it is coming through a 15A or 20A breaker. Furthermore, a 20A circuit can have many, many loads on it simultaneously as log as only one is used at a time. A dedicated circuit is desirable but not necessary.

Stark I think you did the right thing. A 1 1/2 hp motor on a 120 volt circuit needs to be about the only thing on that circuit. If the 120 volt circuit is 15 amp that's probably not enough even if the saw is the only load. Doing it right is easier and cheaper than doing it twice. Merry Christmas to you and yours.