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Craftsman 12" Bandsaw

Review by DennisC posted 279 days ago 946 views 0 times favorited 3 comments Add to Favorites
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DennisC

7 posts in 285 days


Craftsman 12" Bandsaw Craftsman 12" Bandsaw Craftsman 12" Bandsaw Click the pictures to enlarge them

This is everything you could expect from 12” saw. It is manufactured by the same factory that makes Rikon saws. It has good power, 3/4 horse; capacity, 7”; and can be adjusted to cut pretty straight. The guides work nice and can be adjusted up tight.
The factory fence is junk. I built one to use with the factory front rail and it works just fine. I’m using a 1/2” 3 tooth blade and have my fence set for about 1/8” drift from front to back.
The trunion can be adjusted, with 4 set screws on each corner of the mounting plate (they are the little black dots beside the mounting bolts in the picture) , to get the table exactly 90 degrees to the back edge of the blade. However, it’s a little finicky. When you loosen the trunion to tilt the table, the table flops around like it’s ready to fall off. It can’t fall off, but it feels like it. Once I got it set for 90 degrees both directions I have left it alone.
The dust ports are not very effective. There are to many places not sealed up in order to get good removeal under the table. Most of the dust ends up in the floor.
I included a picture of a piece of 6” black walnut that was resawn using this machine. Took 5 or 6 minute to get through this piece. Not perfect but close enough for the planer to clean up.
I looked at all the 14” saws but came back to this for the cost per inch of resaw capacity. You can find these on sale for $300. It’s been worth that price, but the fence, trunion and dust problems don’t allow me to rate it a 4 or 5.

-- Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.


3 comments so far

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DennisC

7 posts in 285 days


posted 279 days ago

That’ is a 6 inch, not 6’, pieceof walnut. It was 24’ long.

-- Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

View jeff robinson's profile

jeff robinson

18 posts in 267 days


posted 266 days ago

just bought one have’nt used it much yet

-- jeff robinson, panama city, fl

View pashley's profile

pashley

389 posts in 257 days


posted 257 days ago

I agree with your assessment. I think the fence is ok, but you just can’t use it the full length of the table, because it will fall out. Other than that, I think for $300, it’s a good value.

-- -Be Blessed!, Patrick

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