Bandsaw favorites?

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Rob in Ontario

>Hi Larry. I have been using a Delta 20" for the past 3 years. Lots of power, no complaints.

Rob.

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Robin Corell, Atascadero CA

>I recently upgraded to a 1951 parks 18" it was sold as a craftsman and has a resaw height of 12" and a 1 hp monsterous old craftsman motor. shiping weight is listed as 420 lbs. It is a hybred "c"frame uper and box frame lower. same class as what you are looking at and it was pretty much plug and play for $400 plus $55 for new urethane tires.

thought I would mention another option.

Robin Corell

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

knotscott

>In fairness, I've only used a couple of decent bandsaws...an MM16 and a Griz G0513. At half the price, the Griz is a good value, but in absolute construction and performance terms, there's not much comparison...the MM16 is a tank, and their CS is tops from what I've witnessed.

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Gary Tenney

>Larry,

I have the MM16 and am very happy with its performance. I paid just under 2500 early 2006 with shipping included. I think it is the only 16" with 16" resaw capacity. Thats as much or more height than most 18" saws. With the wood-slicer blade from Highland Hardware it resaws large stock quietly and quickly.

Gary

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Howard

>I have the Aggazanni from Eagle Tools and it is a superb machine. Of all of the machines I have it is the only one that has worked flawlessly from the time I bought it about 4 years ago. Take a look at one before you make your decision.

Howard

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Norb - Atlanta

>Larry, I have a MM20 and it has lots of power and plenty of capacity. Its the last one I will own (I'm 38) and I too would like to hand it down to my son. It resaws great and is generally a solid machine (weighs close to 800lbs). If you want industrial quality, look at both the MM and the Agazzani - some say the Agz is the best out there.

That said, there are a lot of really good bandsaws out there.

BTW: Before year end, MM had a deal on their bandsaws including shipping and a carbide blade for right around $2,500(ish). Work the Deal!.

Re: Delta 18" Industrial

Al Stokka - Cambridge, Iowa

>Delta's model 28-682 18" Industrial Bamdsaw.

Has everthing you need except a tall resaw fence. It does come with a short (4"?) resaw attachment for the fence.

2 HP motor

136" blade

Magnetic starter

Solid guide/blade guard

Roller guide bearings

Two 4-inch dust ports

12" resaw capacity

Two speeds (2300/3250 SFPM)

Tension-release lever

Haven't priced the saw in a few years but, I imagine that it's still well under $2000.

Geez, I'd better quit...it's beginning to sound like I'm trying to sell you on this saw. ;^)

Al

Re: Bandsaw favorites? Rikon *LINK*

Mkauder, Phenix City, AL Back From Europe

>Larry,

Let me tell you my story, and maybe it will work for you. I have a small shop, doing mostly woodturning. I have had an old Craftsman 12" BS for 3-4 years, that worked for everything I needed - regular shop junk, roughing out blanks for turning, and some resawing up to 5" with a Highland Hardware Woodslicer. Never a problem. However for some reason ( ;>}} ) while at the IWF show in Atlanta last August, I was looking at bandsaws. I saw the new Rikon bandsaws and among them was the new Rikon 14" Deluxe. It is a welded steel, with 1.2HP motor, and 13" of resaw capacity. It has all the bells and whistles. I have resawn up to 9" Oak without a hit of a struggle.

The Customer Service is first class. You actually talk to one person - Rod. He is first rate. I got one of the very first models off the boat, and with all new products there can me problems. I had a seal fall off one the blade guide roller bearings and I called them - he shipped me all new roller bearings from a different manufacturer in two days. Later, I put a small blade on the saw, and found I could not move the lower blade guides back far enough to be behind the saw teeth. I emailed him, and he told me that some of the first models had been assembled with lower guide assemblies for the 18". I was in China when I emailed, and he brought back some of the correct ones and then expressed shipped them to me.

They were minor issues - it did not stop me from using the saw - no big deal the bearings worked, just not sealed, and just backed the bottom guides off because I was not doing any precision cutting at that time.

This saw is in the $750 range. It had want I needed: great resaw capacity, I did not need a greater width than 14", a 110v motor, storage cabinet underneath, steel frame, windows to see the blade tension and for centering the blade on the wheels, and a great quick tension release.............

I like it alot, as do most of the WW magazine reviewers I have read.

Mark


http://www.rikontools.com/

Re: Bandsaw favorites?

Fred West in West Chester, PA

>Larry, I know the cost is somewhat prohibitive but I must weigh in on the side of the MM16. If you want one that will last a lifetime I would be hard pressed to say you could do much better. I have had mine for three years now and it is indispensable. Fred

Re: Bandsaw favorites? Rikon

Glen Huey

>I have to agree with the Rikon comment. Popular Woodworking magazine tested the 14" Rikon against many others and this BS rated the best. to quote David Thiel's comment "In testing, this saw was impressive. It moved through 7" oak without a problem or a hesitation. Even more impressive was that the preformance in 11" oak was just as smooth. This saw's preformance beat out that of Luguna. That earned our respect � and our Editor's Choice award."

I liked the saw so much that it is sitting in my shop awaiting further use.

Thanks for all the responses.

Larry Clinton in Frankfort, Indiana

>Looks like several saws represented, apparently all work pretty well. I will be going to the WW show at Indianapolis in a couple weeks. I will look there before I purchase a saw. Might have a demo unit for sale!

Re: Bandsaw favorites? Rikon, ya baby!

Kevin French

>Want the 18 but will most likely have to settle for the new 14