Band saw #1: What kind of bandsaw would be best?

HELLO YOSTRIKER I HAVE A 12IN AND 10IN CRAFTSMAN I USE THE 12 FOR RESAW 10 FOR CUT OUT,THEY ARE 3 YEARS OLD DO A GOOD JOB. THAT SAID NEXT TIME I WILL GET A 14IN OR BIGGER NOT SURE WHAT BRAND BUT NOT SEARS. GO AS BIG AS YOUR CASH WILL LET YOU AS FOR BRAND NOT SURE. CHECK TO SEE WHO HAS THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE GET A GOOD BLADE. FIREHOUSE

-- duke 66 ocala fl.

The Rikon 10-325 is a 14” that can resaw up to about 13”. I am very pleased with mine. Whatever you pick, get some good blades for it. Most bandsaws come with really crap blades. I use the Timberwolf and have 1/4”, 1/2”, and 3/4” which do everything I need.

Good Luck!

-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas

Ditto on Viking’s comments! I bought a Rikon 10-325 for my main shop bandsaw. For the money, I don’t think it can be beat. My main use for this saw was to resaw 3/4” thick boards 8 to 12” wide. It does a fine job of sawing through walnut, cherry and even hard maple. However changing blades from 3/4” to 1/4” to cut smaller radius curves takes about 30 minutes to swap blades and adjust both sets of roller guides. When the saw is set up with the blade teeth just past the bearings so the teeth don’t lose the ‘set’, the saw cut is straight down the center of the table, so you don’t have to adjust for drift.

I don’t switch to thinner blades now! I found a Rikon 14” bandsaw in like new condition for $125 last Fall. I keep a 1/4” blade on it to cut anything that needs a tighter radius cut.

-- Hal, Tennessee http://www.first285.com

Hal;

You have two Rikon’s? That is livin’. Woo Hoo!

-- Rick Gustafson - Lost Creek Ranch - Colorado County, Texas