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Thread: Budget Jointer and Bandsaw options?

  1. #1

    Budget Jointer and Bandsaw options?

    About 2 years ago, I decided to dive deep into DIY/Woodworking. By no means am I attempting to become a full time woodworker, it's more-so a hobby that I have found to thoroughly enjoy. The concept of just getting lost in a project, where all that is on my mind is the piece of wood I'm working with and the tool I'm using I find to but relaxing! I've slowly been acquiring the necessary shop-style machinery to make projects happen. Up next on my hit list is a jointer and a bandsaw.

    Since I'm not looking to go professional; I'm also not looking to drop a ton of money. I was looking at either the Grizzly GP0814 or the Ridgid JP0610 Jointer. They are pretty similar in price and look to be pretty similar in size. The major differences I see is that the Grizzly table is a little bit wider and is a full-fledged cabinet. It also comes on casters too, which is a MUST for my garage not that large and move things around often). However, putting the Ridgid on wheels wouldn't be all that difficult either...

    Is there any major difference which would sway me towards one over the other? I do plan to upgrade the cutter head (eventually) to a spherical model. I know Byrd makes one for the Ridgid, haven't confirmed for the Grizzly yet though.

    In regards to a bandsaw, I was also looking at Grizzly, this time the G0555LA35, 14" saw which seems to be a lot of saw for a great price. Any comments on this particular model or one you may recommend other than this, for a similar price point?

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
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    John if you are looking to buy tools on a budget ,look used. There are tons of 14"Delta bandsaws around. Also not sure if the jointer you are looking at is 6" wide but if it is,they are the easiest size to find used as well.

  3. #3
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    What tools are you currently using, and what types of projects are you gearing up for?
    This will affect the tool recommendations.

    Mike's advice to buy used is good, assuming you have a viable local market for used equipment...

    I'd probably recommend against planning to update a 6" jointer to a helical head, unless you are only working with narrow boards.
    I did have a 6" jointer that I got a lot of use out of. I'd bought it used (even had a member from a forum offer to come out and help me check it out), so that worked on multiple counts. I switched to a (used) 12" jointer/planer combo this past year, but that required some saving to be ready for.

    Grizzly G0555 was a very popular recommendation for a value bandsaw some years ago, but the Rikon offerings seem to be getting more recommendations these days.
    If buying used, I think it is ideal if you can buy from an owner who has it already tuned up, as they are more fiddly than a table saw.


    Matt

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Kees View Post
    John if you are looking to buy tools on a budget ,look used. There are tons of 14"Delta bandsaws around. Also not sure if the jointer you are looking at is 6" wide but if it is,they are the easiest size to find used as well.
    Thanks, Mike. The problem with used for me is there aren’t many in my area. My options are either destroyed rusted out hunks of steel or higher end equipment for a higher price. For example, a 1HP power metic for $800 used....I’d rather buy new for that price.

    Quote Originally Posted by Matthew Hills View Post
    What tools are you currently using, and what types of projects are you gearing up for?
    This will affect the tool recommendations.

    Mike's advice to buy used is good, assuming you have a viable local market for used equipment...

    ....I switched to a (used) 12" jointer/planer combo this past year, but that required some saving to be ready for.

    Matt
    I currently have a Delta 36-725 tablesaw, dewalt 735x (just got it!), ryobi 10” sliding miter and a mix of ryobi and Milwaukee cordless tools. I primarily am looking at furniture projects (bed for the kid, night stands, eventually a dining table and outdoor patio table).

    At the moment, I was looking to score the bandsaw to make lap joints easier. However I’m wondering if it makes more sense to pickup a dado stack and do it that way for now, and then get the bandsaw in the future, when a larger need arises.

  5. #5
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    John not trying to sway you one way or the other,only you can decide how to spend your money. My experience was I bought a 6" Delta jointer and a 12'' potable planer new,cost me about $1100 twenty years ago. I could easily find both of those for $500 used. I discovered when I sold those tools that I lost a bunch of precious cash. Often since then when I sell used tools to move on to bigger stuff I now make money. This strategy has allowed me to build a shop of my dreams over the last twenty years. If I bought everything in my shop new,there is absolutely no way I would have been able to get to where I am now. YMMV.

  6. #6
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    If you live in USA or Canada I would look for used machines. I kniow New Zealand is a lot less used stuff on the market. Other countries I have no idea.
    Where do you live? Are there any major sellers who will ship to your location?
    Bill D.

  7. #7
    If you want new, Woodcraft is offering 15% off on all Rikon tools from august 9 - 18. I have a couple of their tools and like them. (I have no affiliation with Woodcraft or Rikon.)
    Fred
    Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 07-27-2019 at 7:40 AM.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

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  8. #8
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    I just purchased a Rikon 10-326 Bandsaw and will be setting it up today and tomorrow. For my money it's a well made and full featured saw. I'm looking forward to using it.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    I just purchased a Rikon 10-326 Bandsaw and will be setting it up today and tomorrow. For my money it's a well made and full featured saw. I'm looking forward to using it.
    I'll bet you'll like it. I have the previous model (10-325?) and it does everything I ask of it. Enjoy!
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  10. #10
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    John, Congrats on upping your game. What you plan to do and what space you have to do it in will contribute directly to your machine selection. We can't always take the better path due to budget, space or shared space restrictions. I will be a little more abrupt and try to save you the lost money I experienced so please don't think I'm a jerk. People told me the same things in the same polite manner and I didn't listen. Result? Lost cash.

    Sorry your area doesn't offer a good used market. There are folks taking the loss on their 6" jointers on a pretty regular basis in the used market most places. They are almost always out there and if I had to drive for a few hours round trip to save a few hundred bucks I would do it. Unless your projects use fairly small pieces of hardwood, a 6" jointer will plague you. I survived with a planer-sled while I waited on a larger machine. A planer-sled takes a few hours to build and lasts for . . . well . . . 12 years so far for me IIRC.

    Also, I would add a spiral head to a 6" jointer only for the purpose of making some sort of task-specific sort of workstation. The need for the cutterhead in a narrow machine doesn't make much sense to me and what I do (but, you are not me ). To be even more blunt, adding a spiral head "later" is a false economy. The savings and const effectiveness of spiral heads is well documented. Buy once, cry once ;-)

    The defacto standard cast iron 14" bandsaw is a good choice. Again, these are generally available used if you widen your search base. There are many after-market goodies for the 14" cast iron format so tuning things up is pretty easy. The downside of the Grizzly (and I like my Grizzly tools) is that for $800 you are still at a 1 horsepower machine with almost no resaw capacity. For another 100 bucks (don't you hate that statement) a Rikon 10-324 gets you 1-1/2 HP and over a foot of resaw height (if you're patient).

    It is always easy to spend someone else's money and that is not my intention. I just wish folks hadn't been so polite when trying to steer me away from spending almost the amount of money for a better solution when I bought my first few tools (all gone now, at a loss, of course). I am just trying to save you from that expensive in-between step if you can make that happen.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 07-27-2019 at 8:48 PM.
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  11. #11
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    With your tablesaw, you could forgo getting a jointer for a while by building a jointing sled. I have a small 6" benchtop and find I use the sled more often.
    It's never too late to have a happy childhood.

  12. #12
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    Good used tools, there is never anything local to me I just pay to have it shipped.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  13. #13
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    I hate to pile on, but I am strongly in the used camp as well. Like Mike, I typically make money off selling my tools when I upgrade. Also like Mike, I would have tools 1/4 as nice if I strictly purchased new.

    A 6” jointer should be pretty easily had in the $300 range. I think I bought that same 6” rigid model many years ago for $250. Had the Dewalt 735 too, also purchased used but it was new in box. I think all told I was in for about $550-600, and building furniture. 6” jointers aren’t ideal, but if you are careful you can run them without the guard and surface a 8-9” board pretty well. It creates a lip that you need to take off with a hand plane or build a little jig for your planer. There are definitely work arounds for working with a 6” machine.

    I would really try to get one of the steel frame 14” machines. Either rikon or laguna. Resawing is something I find myself doing about 50% of the time at my bandsaw and 6” would never cut it.

    You didn’t say, I don’t think, but what is your budget? Where are you located?

  14. #14
    I like you, have no machine market in my area. Used tools are unknown here. So I had to buy new. Don't regret it. Had warranties and I'm not a machinist nor do I want to fool around with rusty stuff that needs bearings. I have a griz 555 and it is a good simple machine. I upgraded to a rikon 325 2 yrs ago for resawing. Great bandsaw. I have a 35 yr old 6" delta cast iron floor model jointer, built like a tank. And recently because I hate sharpening the jointer blades and reinstalling, I bought a table model 8 inch Cutech jointer. WOW what a finish those carbide inserts give. You have so many choices in the machinery market today than I had 35 yrs ago, I am jealous ...the rigid, griz, and rikon are great tools for homeowner type work
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  15. #15
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    Like most I have a very small used tool market. Either they are near the price of new (recently was a guy trying to liquidate his shop (mostly Grizzly tools) for the same price as new (just minus the shipping and tax). But the few things that come up on Craig's list if I widen my search is 6" jointers and older Delta 14" bandsaws.

    I'm firmly in the camp of spend money on what you want and then save up for the enxt piece vs buying multiple pieces that are barely going to fit your needs. Buying new to sell down the road because it didn't fit what you needed is always a money looser. Of course only you know what you are going to do.

    A coworker loves to make small boxes. Mostly ornate jewelry boxes that are not much bigger than 6"x12". A nice 12" jointer would just take up way too much room in his shop and have too much capacity. If he came here asking advice and wasn't 100% clear as to what he does the advice he would be given wouldn't come close to what he would need. I know it's not easy to try and see into the future when you are just picking up a hobby but try to envision what you think you will want to do and then worry about funding it (as I said maybe buying one piece now and a year or so baying a second piece vs buying two pieces).

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