Craftsman 10" bandsaw

Dale Johnson

Member
Messages
489
Location
lutefisk capitol, USA
I just picked up one of these on sale for $159 after looking at the Rikon for close to $300. Are they made by the same company? The two look identical except for the paint. Hopefully it works as good as it looks. The Powermatic my neighbor gave me is obsolete so I have to have the blades made for me. With the new one, I can just leave the big one set for making turning blanks and resawing.
 
I can see the pics just fine...

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Rikon-10-300-bandsaw-lg.jpg


Dale, I've not seen the Rikon in person, but the Sears saw sure looks the same in pictures. Based on what I've seen looking at it in the stores, it looks like a pretty decent little saw.
 
I just picked up one of these on sale for $159 after looking at the Rikon for close to $300. Are they made by the same company? The two look identical except for the paint. Hopefully it works as good as it looks. The Powermatic my neighbor gave me is obsolete so I have to have the blades made for me. With the new one, I can just leave the big one set for making turning blanks and resawing.


Dale,

From every thing I can tell, Rikon makes the steel frame/euro bandsaws for Craftsman. There are some differences, but mostly minor/cosmetic. I have the 14in Craftsman pro steel frame/euro bandsaw. It has the quality of a Rikon at a lower price. I have had quite a bit of hands on time on Rikons and I would say they come off of the same production line. Even the Olson blade sticker on the inside of the bottom door is the same.:rolleyes:
 
craftsman 10" bandsaw

Dale, that is a good little saw no doubt about it. I have had one for three or four years and it does a fine job so far. I got tired of trying to get a local sears to get the blades I wanted...gave up and started ordering them from a local tool supplier at a better price and they do a better job to boot!
 
Old thread revived.
BTW, the custom made blade thing is not a big deal. Many suppliers like Suffolk, the Timberwolf people, make the blades on order.
Personally, I would be leery of a small bandsaw like that. I once had a 12" Craftsman and considered it wuthluss.
 
Funny you say that. I have an 18" Rikon that I use for all the big stuff and some small stuff if its set up and handy but I have an older Delta 9" before they started making them out of plastic) that I have used both in my shop andin the field for all kinds of cuts. I have even used it like a portable band saw turning it upside down so the table rests on the stock and cutting freehand. It's a handy little guy that I just can't bring myself to retire since I got the Rikon about 6 years ago.

Oh and Laguna has a custom blade department as well. And they make a very nice carbide tipped blade that cuts through stock like butter! (not inexpensive though, at least for my saw at about 142 inches :( )
 
I've known of several guys who had the little Rikon or Sears benchtop bandsaw, and they've kept them (and used them a lot) even after getting bigger Euro-style bandsaws.

I had a cheap little plastic bandsaw from Lowe's (GMC, or whatever their house brand was at the time) that was pretty worthless, but the better-built small bandsaws can be handy additions to the shop.
 
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