Which bandsaw should get

I got my Porter-Cable at Lowe’s on sale for $199, about a year ago. Have had not one iota of trouble with it. Got a riser block from Grizzly – cheepist I could find ( the kits are all the same) – had to modify the pins to fit, but all went just like it was supposed to.

-- *Arachnoleptic*: The frantic dance performed just after you've accidently walked through a spider web.

of the ones noted above, skip the BS1400, unless it’s dirt cheap and you don’t mind investing time and money to make it function well. of all ridgid’s stationary power tools, the bs1400 is the weak link.

i saw a posting of a similar question on another forum about the PC and it turned out that the motor isn’t really 1.5hp. i’d humbly suggest investigating the rating of that motor before proceeding on it.

as for the c-man, it’s not a terribly bad little saw. it was better as the 22401, which i think popWW rated a top value in a comparison test a few years back. the BAS350 is a stripped down version of that saw. if time is not of the essence, wait for a good grizzly. they offer a great deal of value and are usually nominally reduced around year end.

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

I have the Porter Cable and love it. They have a riser kit available now for $80 that fits quickly – no modification needed. I resawed 10 inch board of walnut with little effort.

Also, some Lowes accept Harbor Frieght 20% off coupons. I heard about it too late for my bandsaw purchased, but tried it with my PC table saw and the manager accepted a 25% Harbor Frieght I had (saved $150). If the 1st Lowes managers says no try another Lowes. Some say they it took them 3 different stores to find a manager that accepts Harbor Frieght coupons.

I have the Ridgid. I got mine on clearance for $175. Even at the low price, I still consider it to be mediocre (at best).
If I were buying a new BS today, I’d probably go with the craftsman. I’ve looked at it in stores and was really impressed with the fit/finish/features. You can occasionally catch it on sale for under $400 and coupon codes for $40-60 off are pretty common. That said, it can be had for under $350. A great value.

Why not set up a few Google alerts for bandsaw on Craigslist and see what pops up? I think you could easily get way more saw for the same money or less used. Google alerts lets you set up a email notification the second an add with your keyword pops up. I got a great deal on a banjo with this and they guy was amazed at how fast I called. Within a few minutes of the add going up! With good used bandsaws this could be your advantage. Good luck.

I have noticed that Craigslist has gone nuts. !2” craftsman bandsaws for sale at 400$.. and if you see a jet or a delta used and about 20 years old they are going for around 8-900 here.

No way, where are you? Park Avenue? :-) Is SD for South Dakota? I have to believe those saws sit on CL for a loooong time.

I have seen a lot of really bad reviews of the BS1400. In particular castings breaking fairly easily, and no replacement parts available. (Granted this could be nothing more than the 5% of people who are unhappy posting reviews and the 95% who are happy not posting, but it is worth noting)

-- Robert --- making toothpicks one 3x3x12 blank at a time!

Keep on searching for reviews for the band saws you are eyeing on.

-- "someone has to be wounded for others to be saved, someone has to sacrifice for others to feel happiness, someone has to die so others could live"