opinion on new bandsaws

[DME72]

kevin, i buy my blades from either woodcraft or rockler. woodcraft has both olson and timberwolf. i find the olson blades ok for general work but like the timberwolf for resaw work.really like my carter guides on my delta saw also. big improvement over the standard blocks. main reason i want a larger saw is to resaw. i have so much cherry,walnut, oak and other woods in 1 inch thickness that i cut down for my scroll saw work.

doug

[BadBob]

Bandsaw blades sizes are not an issue. You can buy any size you need for Timberwolf. I believe they will make them any length you need. I highly recommend them.

I have two Shopsmith band saws with different guides on each saw—one for resawing and the other for curves. It took me years to understand that if you buy a high-quality blade for resawing and use it for cutting curves, it will never track straight again.

I have never bought what I would call a quality blade from a store.

https://www.timberwolfblades.com/

 

[Phantom Scroller]

I have this one and love it.   https://www.charnwood.net/products/product/p14-woodworking-bandsaw-w730/category_pathway-101

[OCtoolguy]

4 hours ago, Phantom Scroller said:

I have this one and love it.   https://www.charnwood.net/products/product/p14-woodworking-bandsaw-w730/category_pathway-101

I have never heard of this brand. Thanks. How expensive are they? Looks like a great saw. 

 

Ah! Now I see they are British. No wonder I've not heard of them.

Edited April 30, 2020 by octoolguy

[flarud]

On 4/26/2020 at 9:51 AM, Rolf said:

My nephew bought the new Rikon 14 inch saw, A very impressive machine, with lots of great features.

Regarding Grizzly , a good friend bought a 8 Jointer, a brand new model,  vibrated like crazy, hard to believe considering how heavy it is. Grizzly was never able to resolve it. He basically ended up changing everything that moved and still no go. he even ordered the helix head from Grizzly for it only to find out from them that "oh yeah" it doesn't fit this model.

I am not sure what the final resolution was since I have not seen him since this Corona crap.

Bottom line not impressed with how Grizzly handled this. The machine is sitting on a concrete floor absolutely level and solid.

 

 

I have the 10-325 and love it.  the newer model, 10-326 has the easier to adjust rollers.  I've been thinking about getting the retro kit for mine. 

[flarud]

On 4/28/2020 at 4:55 PM, octoolguy said:

I just my Woodcraft flyer in the mail today and they have Laguna tools at 10% off. Might be worth looking into.

But Woodcraft is so expensive to start with on their tools.  I bet it can be found elsewhere cheaper.  

[OCtoolguy]

47 minutes ago, flarud said:

But Woodcraft is so expensive to start with on their tools.  I bet it can be found elsewhere cheaper.  

Just a thought, in case you didn't get their flyers.

 

[flarud]

1 hour ago, flarud said:

But Woodcraft is so expensive to start with on their tools.  I bet it can be found elsewhere cheaper.  

Now that I say that, I noticed that I have a Woodcraft flyer on the kitchen table... Rikon 10-324TG on sale for $849, not a bad price.  It is the model with the open base.  I think I paid $699 about 3 years ago for the 10-325 with the enclosed base from a local tool store. 

[Jim Finn]

On 4/28/2020 at 9:51 PM, dgman said:

Yup, I think you are right! That’s what happens when I’ve had my medicinal libations!

Been there done that....<grin>

[Rolf]

Why go 10"? Spend a bit more and go 14. You know you will need that extra in the future, 

 

[Woodmaster1]

I have the rikon 10-325 14” deluxe bandsaw. It will resaw up to 13”. I have the upgraded blade guides and a carbide tip resaw blade and it does an awesome job. I use it just for resawing . I have a porter cable with a carter stabilizer and an 1/8” blade. Keep the delta put a carter stabilizer on it and buy the rikon for resawing.

[OCtoolguy]

22 minutes ago, Woodmaster1 said:

I have the rikon 10-325 14” deluxe bandsaw. It will resaw up to 13”. I have the upgraded blade guides and a carbide tip resaw blade and it does an awesome job. I use it just for resawing . I have a porter cable with a carter stabilizer and an 1/8” blade. Keep the delta put a carter stabilizer on it and buy the rikon for resawing.

What's a good source & price for the Carter guides. I've looked at them for years but I didn't pay too much more for the whole saw. I'd love to find a deal on a set.

[DME72]

went yesterday to our local store to look at bandsaws. they had the rikon 10-326 on display and a new jet also on display.the new jet is the welded steel frame like the rikons and laguna and others. they had sold the laguna 1412 a few days ago.both the jet and rikon are made in china. the jet seems somewhat  more heavy duty in the manufacture. the guide post on the rikon seems kinda cheap. the rikon saw guide post looked to be about  7/8 or so but the jet was like 1 3/8 or so. the rikon  upper guides were also canted left and by the looks it has a set screw on the inside which was set against the flat part on the guide rod.i am not sure if it was just crap assembly by the workers or do you really have to fiddle with these saws alot?fence rails on the rikon was kinda cheap, but that is ok as i would probably get a carter mag fence.does anyone else have any experience with the 14 inch rikon saws? lots of people on other forums talk about laguna bandsaws, some rave, some rant about poor customer service after the sale.i go for function more than looks in my tools, if something looks really bad i would paint it or clean it up. never thought looking for a new bandsaw would be so difficult.all three brands of saws are about the same price give or take a hundred dollars.

doug

[Woodmaster1]

On 5/2/2020 at 9:32 PM, octoolguy said:

What's a good source & price for the Carter guides. I've looked at them for years but I didn't pay too much more for the whole saw. I'd love to find a deal on a set.

Carter products web site. I only paid $79 for the stabilizer. It is a single bearing you put on the upper guide and you remove the bottom guide. It is for 1/4" or less blades. I use an 1/8" blade with no issues. If you get one make sure you get the model for your brand of bandsaw. They have replacement guide sets but for my needs the stabilizer all I need.