Bandsaw Recommendations

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warreng8170

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Joined
Feb 6, 2008
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454
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I am looking at buying a benchtop bandsaw. This will strictly be used for cutting pen blanks and other small blanks for turning on my Jet mini. I have access to a full size bandsaw for bigger jobs. This is just for convenience.

Sears has a 10 inch Craftsman which actually has pretty good customer feedback, but I have also been looking at a Rikon at my local Woodcraft. The Craftsman is $169.00 and the Rikon is $200.00, but this weekend my local WC is having a 10% off sale that includes power tools. Makes them only 10.00 apart.

Any recommendation for either one of these or would you go with something even cheaper like the Ryobi 9 inch ($99.00) since it is just for cutting blanks?

Thanks,
Warren
 
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I wouldn't buy any. I bought the Ryobi 9", the same as someone recently showed in their 'Shop' post. I too have a 14" but wanted something smaller. I have posted here a couple of times about problems getting a straight cut and each time I have had a several posts from others using small BS that they are a PITA. Mine, still brand new, is just taking up counter space. I have since bought a small chop saw.

2c
 
Originally posted by rlharding

I wouldn't buy any. I bought the Ryobi 9", the same as someone recently showed in their 'Shop' post. I too have a 14" but wanted something smaller. I have posted here a couple of times about problems getting a straight cut and each time I have had a several posts from others using small BS that they are a PITA. Mine, still brand new, is just taking up counter space. I have since bought a small chop saw.

2c
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if the ryobi 9" is anything like the delta 9 inch I had for my first, it's a pain in the butt to get tuned (you can't adjust where the blade is riding on the wheels except by trial and error) and the guide blocks aren't great either, but it can be set up right.

I use a Hitachi 12 inch now (discountinued I beleive) and it's a slightly smaller 14" machine in my opinion. all the adjustments are easily made with the saw running. I did upgrade the guides though, but then, I would have on any of the 14 inchers too. Cool-blocks are just too good to be without.

Ruth, try loosening the blade and pushing it back to the rear portion of the wheels, then tightening back up. See if that makes a difference on the straightness of the cut. (I'm assuming its cutting towards the users left right now, if to the right the blade may need to come more forwards). On the hitachi and likely on your 14incher you make this adjustment by turning a knob on the back of the upper wheel which adjusts the pitch of that wheel :). No knob on the delta 9 incher. [B)]

But yeah, the 9 inchers are barely okay machines for roughing things out.
 
Originally posted by rlharding

I wouldn't buy any. I bought the Ryobi 9", the same as someone recently showed in their 'Shop' post. I too have a 14" but wanted something smaller. I have posted here a couple of times about problems getting a straight cut and each time I have had a several posts from others using small BS that they are a PITA. Mine, still brand new, is just taking up counter space. I have since bought a small chop saw.

2c
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Could you provide more info on the small chop saw you have? I am not insistent on a band saw, I just need some thing small to use in my turning shop. My full flat-work shop is a good walk from the house and I hate wasting time walking back and forth making 1 inch cuts. [:p]
 
I have a 14" Rikon and it cuts straight, even through very hard wood. I simply tuned it when setting it up and once a month I check the adjustments, clean out all of the saw dust that is remaining after my daily clean-up. Wipe off the tires and clean the tire brushes monthly. I use a dollar bill to measure adjustment for the bearings. I have fond that Rikon tools work well, are reasonably priced and in looking at various comparisons in various wood magazines they come out in the upper 5 range of comments. I also use a Rikon mini lathe, their small disc/belt sander, and a table top drill press. Have only had to do monthly cleanings and tune-ups.[:p]
 
We have both of the saws in one of our shops. They are basically the same saw other than the craftsman has 2" more resaw capacity. We are going to replace them both, but only because we need a bigger saw for the work we will be doing. Other than that, they are both okay for what they are.
 
My first band saw was a 14" tilt head craftsman. it was nothing but a complete disaster. It was completely dead in just about every way a band saw can die within 100 hours of use. I also have a craftsman table saw. it does the job it was built to do very well. but is not nearly good enough for what I need. anyway my opinion of craftsman is pick the wrong tool and you will be very sorry. stay with the basics as they really do not know how to design quality fancy features. and if you went with the Rikon it would probably be the best $10 you ever spent on equipment.
 
You could cut better with a hatchet than the Ryobi 9" could ever manage. You get what you pay for with that one... I did [B)]
I'm waiting for it to die so I can justify a better (bigger) band saw. Does anyone know any voodoo spells to make it kick the bucket sooner?
 
Originally posted by Vince_Hoffmann

You could cut better with a hatchet than the Ryobi 9" could ever manage. You get what you pay for with that one... I did [B)]
I'm waiting for it to die so I can justify a better (bigger) band saw. Does anyone know any voodoo spells to make it kick the bucket sooner?
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accidentally plug it into a 220v outlet, it'll die quick enough.
 
If you just want to cut blanks to length, get something other than a band saw. I don't think any of them will cut as true and as a chop saw.

I have the Rikon 10", only use it for curves when I don't want to change out the 1" carbide Resaw blade in my 16" saw. Compared to the MiniMax, well, there is no comparison. But for curves small pieces of plywood or 4/4 lumber, it's ok.

Dan
 
Originally posted by warreng8170


Sears has a 10 inch Craftsman
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I have a Craftsman Tilt Top bandsaw that My father bought me. If it weren't for that I'd scrap it.

It has an aluminum top which is not flat. Thin stock will get caught under the saw guide. I have made as many mods as I deemed necessary and it works OK. But like many Craftsman power tools, that's about it.
 
Warren,
I started with a little 9" Ryobi that I picked up in a pawn shop. For cutting blanks to length or small cuts, it works fine. I haven't had any problems with set up or anything like that. Since I bought my 14" Delta, I only use the Ryobi to cut deer antler and plastics. It isn't any good for any kind of re-sawing.

A chop saw will give you a much squarer cut on the ends, but I don't like getting my fingers that close to a high speed spinning blade with lots of teeth... I'm pretty partial to my fingers.

If you are going to do any segmenting, I think a chop saw is essential.
 
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