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Thread: Out with the old and in with the new(er) -Or- dance with the one I brung?

  1. #1

    Out with the old and in with the new(er) -Or- dance with the one I brung?

    Hi everyone, first time posting after being a long time reader. I fall in the category of someone who's built up a modest basement shop over time with equally modest investments along the way. I grew up learning to use tools with my grandfather and I'm finally bringing most of what I've inherited from him up to their new permanent home in my shop (they're down in North Carolina while I'm up here in Maryland). One of those is the Craftsman 12" 1 1/8hp tilt-head bandsaw (without the digital readout) model 113.248320. 6" resaw capacity. Where I am now, I've more access to rough milled stock than ever and so resawing is a big interest. Now just as I'm ready to bring it on up and get rolling I've come across a FB marketplace post for a Jet 14cs and I imagine I could get it for somewhere in the range of $450-500.

    Its been a long time since I've used the Craftsman and I'm weighing the benefits and tradeoffs. On the face of it, the Jet would let me put in a riser block if/when I decide to work with stock larger than 6", and has metal casings and finishing vs the mucho plastic on the Craftsman. The Craftsman however has a very nice-sized work surface (23x27 minus the vertical for the head vs Jet at 15x15 nominally) and tilt-head keeps the work flat vs the Jet where I'd need to tilt the table and my work. Craftsman has a 1 1/8hp motor drawing 7.6amps vs Jet 1hp drawing 10amps.

    But that's all on paper specs. Things I can't really get a grip on (limited info on the 1993 Craftsman...) are comparisons like durability, build quality, stability while operating, trueness of cuts, ease of blade changes, etc. So I'm seeking advice from those who may know: Is the Jet 14cs a reasonable/worthwhile step up from the Craftsman 113 or am I just getting distracted by that attractive off-white Jet paint? If the Jet would be only a marginal improvement then I should likely stick with what I have (I hear there's an improved blade guide head I could add from Carter?) and put that $500 towards something else. Another factor is that with the small workspace I sadly can't just go for both.

    And just to say too, while I'd love a Beaver or Powermatic 17", they just aren't in the cards for me price-wise - so I'm hunting for that "magic" deal that sort of maximizes the value I can get within the confines of what I can afford.

    Many thanks for any advice.
    -Jesse

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,685
    The Jet is most definitely a step up from that old Craftsman (which I am familiar with from using one briefly in about 1997...and replacing it with a Jet 14" at the time) but if you have not already bought that Jet from the Marketplace, it's likely already gone. You cannot delay when it comes to used equipment these days because new equipment is in such short supply that folks are scarfing up good used. (That's also raise the prices, unfortunately) In some cases, new is looking pretty good price wise and comes with a warranty!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Thanks Jim, that helped me get off the fence. Amazingly this saw had been listed for 7 weeks (?!). I was in touch with the seller this morning and awaiting a call back now. Fingers crossed. It does mean I'm going to want to really go over it thoroughly - if its been out there that long is it really that much luck or is there a reason?

  4. #4
    Jim you were right in the end. Though the posting was still up, and though the fella selling it had to get home to his shop to see if the saw was still there - he couldn't remember if he'd already sold it (uh, really?) - in the end he confirmed he must've already sold it as it wasn't in his garage... Given how little this guy seemed to know about something he was trying to sell - ie, its basic status as sold or not, I decided it might have been a blessing in disguise anyway. So after all that, I have gone ahead and invested in a new Jet 14-sfx. It had built in a number of the upgrades I would almost certainly be moving toward (bearing guides vs blocks, no need for a riser block, quick release tensioner) plus a stronger motor for that resaw work. Plus the construction of it just makes me really confident about its overall strength and longevity. So, yeah - by the time I account for the upgrades to the 14cs, *new* did indeed look pretty good price-wise...and yep - the warranty seals the deal. Thanks again for your helpful advice earlier!

    -Jesse

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,685
    Dude musta been smoking some sawdust or something...how you you forget if you sold something like that or not? LOL

    Congrats on the new saw. You'll enjoy it Be sure you get some good bands...no saw comes with a 'good' band...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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