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Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
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Author:  John A [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Hi -

Does anyone have recommendations for 10" band saws ? Preferably in the $200 range.

I am considering a 14" Delta - but I am not sure I want to go that large in my garage, just yet... may be after a few guitars. I like the idea of resawing wood.

On a 10" I maybe able to resaw 5" an under stock, and make 3 piece or 4 piece backs - which is fine with me. I also want to be able to make and cut my own bind and purflings. And my table saw is a contractor model and sucks, and frankly I dislike that machine more and more due to the potential danger factor, of course realizing each machine has a danger factor - just the table saw seems like more.

Any recommendations ?

I was thinking along the lines of the Craftsman (which I think is the same as the Rikon) -- good reviews on it -
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or the Hitachi - but I have been reading bad reviews about it -
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thx !
Author:  letseatpaste [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I love my little Craftsman/Rikon, it does great if you use good quality blades (Timberwolf from Suffolk Machinery). The only thing I've had go bad is the thrust bearings, and those are available cheaply since they are just regular skateboard wheel sized bearings. I've cut through 3" thick mahogany with mine.

That said, it doesn't take up any less floor space than a 14" saw. I'd definitely prefer a 14", but my shop is an upstairs spare bedroom on a 100+ year old house so I have to watch the weight and power requirements.
Author:  JohnAbercrombie [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I had a Black & Decker 'benchtop' small bandsaw years ago and it was really lightly constructed. Perhaps small saws are much improved now.....
I think you'd be much further ahead buying a 14" saw and putting it in the garage. With a bigger saw you will have more options in the future and will be able to use a bigger variety of bands.

If you really want a small saw-those little bandsaws turn up often on Craigslist and on sale in my area- I often see them used for $50 or so.

Cheers
John
Author:  woody b [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I'm pretty sure the only blades that fit the sears will have to come from sears. I'm also pretty sure if you buy a 10" you'll be replacing it with a larger one.
Author:  Edward Taylor [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
If it were me I would make do in the meantime with a coping saw and a jigsaw and wait for a 14" down the road. Unless like John said you can find one real cheap on craigslist.
Author:  letseatpaste [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Quality blades of any custom size can be easily ordered online for a reasonable price, and will be better than what you could buy off the shelf from Sears anyway. I didn't even bother with the stock blade. http://www.suffolkmachinery.com

The Sears/Rikon really is a step above most other small saws and is a pretty good deal for the price (at least if you get it on sale). It's got a nice sized cast iron table and that makes a big difference in how solid it feels when you're using it. I picked up mine as an open-box item for $105.

I had a Ryobi 9" and it did OK but wasn't near as sturdy. I bought the Grizzly 9" and never really even used it and it is to date the most disappointing tool I've ever bought. The saw itself was sturdy but the table was complete garbage. It was impossible to get the table to stay tight.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I have the 10" Craftsman and love it. It is a nice little saw. You'll have to replace the guide bearings, with sealed bearings pretty fast, but you can get bearings from MSC for pretty cheap, that work fine. Buy your blades from a place that sells custom lengths. I buy mine locally from a place called Carlotte Saw & Knife, and they will weld 1/4" blades to the required 70 1/2". The Sears blades aren't bad, but not as good as the Lenox blades. I looked at this saw and the Rikon, and went for the Craftsman. I didn't like the grooved aluminum table on the Rikon, and this saw has a nice cast iron table, which gives it a little bit of weight. Consider blades as a supply item. They will break, but in my case if they break at the weld, my guy will re-weld for free, and they always do.

Check out this place. They even have a carbide tipped 1/2" blade .025 band, 3 tpi for $93.00. I didn't even know you could get them. They have all the other Lenox blades too. http://www.toolcenter.com/070_5_Band_saw_Blades.html
Author:  Alan [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I have the Craftsman (Rikon) and it's a nice little saw. I use it a lot for cutting out backs and tops, plus other smaller parts. I also have a 14" saw and an 18" saw in my garage, but I use the 10" that is in my "inside shop" (converted bedroom) a lot.

As mentioned earlier, you can get Timberwolf blades from suffolkmachinery.com.
Author:  jhowell [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 10:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I have the Craftsman also and like it. It gets used a lot more than the bigger saw. The 70 1/2" blades are kind of a pain, but now that I have figured out brazing, I just get 100' rolls of Starrett and I don't look back. You can get 70 1/2" blades from Peachtree in Atlanta.
Author:  Lillian F-W [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 3:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Stay away from the 9" Ryobi. It is not worth the money. I couldn't tension the blade on my because the frame would flex.
Author:  Fred Tellier [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Buy a 14" now, because you will soon wish you did, lots of good used ones around that you can get for 1/2 the cost of new check Craigs list. If floor space is an issue put a roller base under it and push it in a corner when not in use, that was my plan but I have never rolled it away because it seems it is always in use.

Fred
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
jhowell wrote:
I have the Craftsman also and like it. It gets used a lot more than the bigger saw. The 70 1/2" blades are kind of a pain, but now that I have figured out brazing, I just get 100' rolls of Starrett and I don't look back. You can get 70 1/2" blades from Peachtree in Atlanta.


Jim, check out Charlotte Saw & Knife Co., here in town. They carry Lenox, and weld to length. If you call in the morning, they usually can have them by the afternoon. If not, I've never had to wait more than a day. Also, the owner, likes guitars.

I don't know where you work, but if you are near down town, so are they.
Author:  Mike Lindstrom [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I've got one of those Sears saws. It's definitely way better than other small saws I've used. It also is clearly a small saw. I like mine and use it a lot, but I am frequently reminded that it is not a big saw.

Don't waste your time with the Sears blades. Suffolks are good and they make whatever size you want for cheap.

One other thing about the sears stuff. It's not just the blades that are special sizes. I have a bigger craftsman saw that needs a motor. The ONLY motor I can find that will fit is the Sears motor. Unfortunately, they're back-ordered indefinitely.

Mike
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Just for fun, I was cutting a piece of Sp Cedar today on my Sears 10", and it was 4" thick. Worked fine. 1/4" 4 tpi blade. A bigger blade would have been better, but takes twice as much set up. I can swap out 1/4" blades with minimum adjustments. I use 10 tooth, 6 tooth, and 4 tooth wood blades and 10 - 14 and 14 - 18 bimetal, metal cutting blades, and swap them around a good bit, depending on what I'm doing. The bimetal blades are great for purfling and binding, and fine trimming.
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Author:  John A [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Looks like it will be the Craftsmen for me. Not sure how the Delta 14" would go over "politically" at my house just yet... :oops:
Author:  Kevin Mason [ Mon Feb 08, 2010 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I also recommend the Craftsman 10". I have a really small shop and a 14" is out of the question. Although it is heavy, I can move it from one table to another lifting very carefully to prevent back issues. Yeah, it has limitations, but it is much better than not having any band saw and trying to cut things by hand. I have found I can cut lumber for neck blanks, cut neck scarf joints, head blocks, tail blocks, and endless small bracing parts. And the dust is very easy to control. I don't know how I lived without it before.
Author:  JohnAbercrombie [ Mon Feb 08, 2010 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
kmason wrote:
Yeah, it has limitations, but it is much better than not having any band saw and trying to cut things by hand.

Kevin-
Good point.
That little B&D I slagged in my post actually did a lot of work for me at home in the basement shop when my 'big bandsaw' (14") was away at the boat-building shop. I did a lot of cutting with it, including trimming many bronze castings !
A bandsaw is a very useful tool, and though no tool is entirely safe, it's less menacing (and quieter) than a table saw as well.

Cheers
John
Author:  Yukon [ Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I'm very happy with the Jet 10". It's has a very heavy duty feel for a small saw. The fence is a bit flimsy but works fine anyway. I think the best would be a small Inca but good luck finding one.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
I just got a notice from Highland Woodworking that the Rikon 10" bandsaw has been upgraded, to include a cast iron table, like the Craftsman. Don't know if other things are better or not, but it looks better than it used to when I bought my Craftsman over the Rikon because of Rikon's Aluminum table with grooves in it. Anyway, Highland is selling them for $199 plus shipping for $35 in the lower 48.
Author:  jhowell [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Recommendations on 10" bandsaw ?
Waddy--

Thanks for the info. I'm working in Belmont at Belmont Abbey College as their DBA and we live in Stallings, so I'm through uptown everyday on 85. I'll be checking them out.
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