Hunting for a Good Bandsaw

Mike Turner

Member
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361
Location
Laurinburg NC
I am looking for a pretty good bandsaw . I cant afford a high dollar so I am looking at CL and other sites...Is this one a good one for the price?
http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/rikon10bandsaw.aspx This one is on sale while supplies last. I need one to prep rough bowls blanks mainly..It wouldnt be a high use item like my lathe but then you never know...I might start doing more bowls and then it would be a high use tool....Any ideas??


Scratch this saw...not big enough...
 
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Mike, don't get anything less than a 14", and that should just be the starting point. A riser will help. Overall quality is important, a shoddy bandsaw just never cuts right.
 
Mike, I agree with Ken. The Rikon 10" is a good little saw, but it would probably leave you disappointed when it comes to cutting turning blanks. It really doesn't have the strength or the capacity to handle blanks much bigger than pen blanks.
 
I'd have to agree with the above responses. You would out grow that saw real quick. Minimum of a 14" is a starter for bowl blanks. I'd keep looking at CL. I'm using a Rigid 14" which is far from the best but the price was right (free). So far it has answered everything I have asked of it. I see those quite often on Cl for around $200. Be a good starting point.
 
Does that little saw have enough resaw capacity for bowl blanks? That one, and the nearly identical 10" Cman are nice saws within their capacities limits compared to other small saws, but I'd think you'd need more beef and capacity for bowl blanks. Guess it depends on the size of the bowl! :dunno:
 
Wonder if this is a good model or junk ???
http://eastnc.craigslist.org/tls/3260083324.html

I think the Rikon you linked to earlier is a better saw. And neither one of them would really be suitable for cutting bowl blanks. Plus, that Delta 3-wheeler is priced about $250 too high, in my opinion. For that $300 price tag, you should be able to find a decent used cast iron bandsaw with 14" wheels and a 6" cutting height (the typical 14" saw). You night even find one with a riser block, extending the cutting height to 12".

For bowl blanks, I'd recommend nothing with less than 6" cutting height (12" is better) and at least a one horsepower motor. I don't think you're going to find that in any of the benchtop models.
 
I have the 10” Rikon as a secondary saw to my MiniMax. It is a good little saw but underpowered for any serious cutting. I use it mostly for scroll/curvy cutting in ¾” material.
 
Some of you may think me out of my mind, but I got a 14" VS from Harbor Freight almost 10 years ago and I wouldn't take $1000 for it! I have upgraded it with the riser block and Carter guides, and it does everything I want it to without hesitation. I know a few others who feel the same way about theirs, and they too have made many of the same upgrades. They go on sale regularly and the riser kit runs about $50. IMO, the Carter guides took mine from being a decent band saw, to a great one.
 
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