new toys - need help

[Doug]

My oldest grandson (14) is an avid guitar player.  He recently sent me a video and said "Grandpa, I think you have all of the tools so that we can build an electric guitar."  Well, I looked at the video and it had some real serious workshop toys which are out of my reach.  After looking further I decided we might be able to build the guitar, it would give us a good bonding experience, and maybe if we were able to pull it off in 20 or 30 years he could tell his children what he and grandpa did.  Bottom line, I decided I might not again have this opportunity with him so I needed to give it a try even though it will stretch anything I have ever done and it will cost a lot more than just going out and buying him an extremely good guitar.

 

Having made that decision some of the nice but not necessary toys became, if not necessary, desirable toys as we are starting with mahogany blanks for the body and neck which need to be cut and shaped.  Jet is having their 15% off sale this weekend and I am contemplating getting their 10" bandsaw ($374.99 less 15%) and their benchtop oscillating spindle sander ($489.99 less 15%).  The 14" bandsaw would be nice but I would just not have enough use for it to justify the price difference.

 

Does anyone have positive or negative feedback on Jet or on the 10" bandsaw or benchtop oscillating sander or want to offer other suggestions. 

 

Thanks for any thoughts you want to share.

[Wilson's Woodworking]

Doug, Take a good look at the Rigid sander at Home depot. I got one about 4 months ago and have LOVED IT. It has all the round drums PLUS the belt sander. That is a HUGE BONUS in my book. I use the belt attachment way more than any of the drums.

 

 

 

http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/topic/8283-new-sander/?hl=%2Boscillating+%2Bsander

[Travis]

I would buy the Rigid Sander as well.  $200 from Home Depot, then take the money you save and buy a 14" Band Saw.  I have the Rigid Sander and LOVE it.  I found a ton of furniture makers that favor that sander too.  I know when I bought my bandsaw, I wish I would have gotten a better one.  I think once you have a good quality bandsaw, you'll use it a lot more than you think.  Plus you can resaw your own lumber to make scroll saw blanks.

[Doug]

I have several Rigid toys and am generally quite pleased with them.  I had thought about the sander but so often things that are designed to do two different things do neither very well.  You two and taking me to the prior thread has convinced me that my fears are unfounded so that is the way I will probably go so thanks Danny and Travis.

 

Now, how about Jet for the bandsaw?  Even if I save a couple hundred on the sander that does not get me from a $375 10 inch band saw to a $1,000 14 inch band saw.  I know Jet is generally good quality which is why I landed on them at sale time.  Any thoughts from anyone?? 

 

Travis - what bandsaw did you get and which do you wish you would have gotten?

 

Thanks in advance for any comments.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Doug

[Travis]

You can check around with the Rigid sander and get other opinions.  Lumber Jocks is a good place to ask as well as Wood Talk Online.  But I'm thrilled with mine.

 

I have a Craftsman band saw which I don't like very well.  It's a unusual size, so I can only buy their blades and they only have 2 types.  I can't add riser blocks.  All in all, it was a bad choice and I should have done more research.  I'd love to get a Jet brand band saw if I could swing it.  They make great stuff.  I've also heard a lot of great things about Grizzly.  Something like this and add a riser block looks good to me.  dansnow in this thread has one coming to his shop soon.  You can ask him how he likes it after he breaks it in a bit.

[Sparkey]

I also have the Rigid sander and love it. It is very quiet and I like the tilting table.

[amazingkevin]

Toys for big boys,lol Cheap Bandsaws are just that,a table saw is much better than the mini band saws.The 36" belt sander from harbor freight saved me lots of hand sanding but cheaply made and it broke soon.Ridged has great warranties.

[robbert100]

little tip electrice guitar kit are a lot  cheaper than new tools   
and you stil get quality time with your grandson 

[Sparkey]

little tip electrice guitar kit are a lot  cheaper than new tools   

and you stil get quality time with your grandson 

I agree. I have been thinking of building my next bass with a kit from www.carvin.com

[Kepy]

Several years ago I had a 12" Craftsman and a 9" Delta bandsaw.  They were both worthless.  Don't remember what happened to the Delta but I sold the Craftsman to a guy I didn't like.  Bought a Ridgid 14" and would never buy anything smaller.

[me5269]

I also have the Ridgid sander and love it. Woodcraft and Hightland woodworking both have the 14" Rikon Deluxe on sale for $799. Like Travis suggested, check out lumberjocks and woodworkingtalk for reviews/discussions on different bandsaws. I've read good things about Grizzly's. There's a Woodcraft near me so I got the Rikon.

[Wilson's Woodworking]

You can check around with the Rigid sander and get other opinions.  Lumber Jocks is a good place to ask as well as Wood Talk Online.  But I'm thrilled with mine.

 

I have a Craftsman band saw which I don't like very well.  It's a unusual size, so I can only buy their blades and they only have 2 types.  I can't add riser blocks.  All in all, it was a bad choice and I should have done more research.  I'd love to get a Jet brand band saw if I could swing it.  They make great stuff.  I've also heard a lot of great things about Grizzly.  Something like this and add a riser block looks good to me.  dansnow in this thread has one coming to his shop soon.  You can ask him how he likes it after he breaks it in a bit.

I purchased a 10" Grizzly table saw many years ago and have been very pleased with it. I have looked at the bandsaws many times but still haven't talked myself into making the leap.

[oldhudson]

You might consider a Shopsmith. They are available used everywhere. Prices vary quite a bit depending on the market and condition. But you can get a table saw (often the weakest part by it's critics - but I have modified my SS and can rip an 8 foot board by easily), a good drill press, horizontal boaring machine, lathe, disk sander, belt sander, drum sander, small (4") jointer, and bandsaw. I've had mine since '82 and only repair I've needed to make was to replace the on/off switch twice.

 

They don't take up much floor space when not in use, not much larger than a bicyle and can be configured in a number of ways. It's like the Swiss Army Knife of woodworking. Certainly not for everyone. -----   Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Great opportunity to work with your grandson, I'm jealous!

[campasano]

I have the Rigid sander and have been very pleased with it, I use it a lot. I also purchased the Grizzly G0555X 14 " Bandsaw with the 6 " riser kit. It is a very popular saw amongst woodworkers and I am very pleased with it.

Mike

[Doug]

Thanks to all of you for all of the good comments and food for thought.  Planning on a Jet spindle sander and Jet bandsaw and wanting to make sure I got their current 15% discount; I got neither.  With your help I decided on the Ridgid spindle/belt sander from Home Depot at $199.99 which was a significant savings over the Jet even with the 15% discount.  For the bandsaw the decision was much more difficult.  I finally came down to the Grizzly 14" anniversary edition ($525 + $79 shipping = $604), the 14" Jet ($749.99 at $637.50 after discount), or a 14" Shop Fox ($599.99).  I think the Jet was probably the better of the three, but not by a large amount.  The Jet does have a five year warranty, I can pick it up locally, and if I have problems I can get local warranty service.  The Grizzly has a one year warranty, no local warranty service, and I have to trust there is no damage in shipping which creates problems.  The Shop Fox has a two year warranty, I can pick it up locally at the same place which sells the Jet, and I can get local warranty service.  The Grizzly and Shop Fox both come with a fence and miter gauge.  The Jet comes with neither and it is about $150 just for the fence.  Both the Jet and Shop Fox are sold by a local hardwood store which I like to frequent and support whenever possible (you are right Danny - Midwest in the Big O).  Sorting through all of this and other miscellaneous details, I ended up going with the Shop Fox.  No discounts but at least the Jet discount weekend got me motivated to get something done and with all of your help I spent a lot less than I thought I was going to need to spend in order to get toys of reasonably good quality.  The Grizzly probably would have been a great buy and I probably would have not had any problems but dealing locally kind of swung the decision.

 

Now I just have to try and figure out where the new toys go.  Maybe some of the grandkid toys need to leave so there is room for grandpa toys - gonna have to work on that part of it.  I am not going to leave my vehicle outside of the garage/shop and I do not have the nerve to even suggest my spouse should leave hers in the driveway.

 

By the way - a kit would not be acceptable to my grandson although it would have been acceptable to me.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Doug

[Wilson's Woodworking]

You are going to love the Ridgid spindle/belt sander. Let us all know how the saw works. I hope to add one to my shop when I get a shop to put it in again.

[Doug]

I thought many of you might be interested in the information at this web site

 

http://grizzly-jet-shop-fox-tool-hunter.blogspot.com/2009/02/shiraz-balolia-owner-of-grizzly-imports.html

 

Apparently the same individual is the owner of Grizzly, Woodstock International, and Shop Fox.  Shop Fox has a dealer network Grizzly does not.  Shop Fox has a two year warranty, Grizzly has a one year warranty.  Although they may not be identical machines, I would venture that they have many interchangeable parts.  Just food for thought; especially when thinking about how happy you are you bought a Grizzly rather than a Shop Fox or bought a Shop Fox rather than a Grizzly.

[Travis]

Now you have the tools, you can save $$ on the wood.  This guy made one out of a single 8' 2x4!

 

[dansnow]

I too have the Rigid oscillating belt/spindle sander, and it is the most used tool in the shop.

 

I hope you enjoy the new bandsaw. I  believe you'll find that going with the 14" over the 10" is a very good choice. I had about used up the 12" craftsman I inherited from my Dad, so I am really looking forward to getting used to the new grizzly. I went with it for the power, 1hp, the cast iron table with an accurate fence system, balanced cast iron wheels, and especially the riser option that will allow resawing up to 12" thick!!