# Whats the best Band Saw for $200



## RichardMu (May 17, 2010)

Looking to buy a new or remanufactured band saw for $200 or less. I'm not expecting a great band saw for that price, but I want a band saw that is usable for small projects without having alot of trouble out of it. Please list saws to avoid if you know of any that are not worth buying. I live in a rural area so craigslist doesn't really have many for sale around here. Thanks for any info you can give.


----------



## tyskkvinna (Mar 23, 2010)

I have the little Ryobi that was about $100. I've gotten some flak for it on here (why didn't I spend a little more money on a used one) but to be very honest- I love it. It's great for small projects and I use it for small projects. It balks if you try to use it for really big things or crazy dense things (it did not like me resawing 1" thick ebony) but for everyday work I totally love it.


----------



## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

Craftsman sells a 10" BS with a reg price of $199. It can typically be had on sale for $175. Its a pretty small machine though, and probably only suitable for the "small" projects you mentioned.

Long shot- Home Depot stores are clearing out their in-stock inventory of Ridgid bandsaws. I found one last week for $202 which was further discounted to $177. It might be worth your while to call the nearest HD to see if they have one in stock.


----------



## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

If you're talking new, I'm not sure how to advise. $200 could probably go pretty far on Craigslist if you're willing to wait patiently. What about a ShopSmith? I saw one the other day for $300 with the bandsaw attachment. I know nothing about ShopSmith other than that they have a strong following.


----------



## superstretch (Jan 10, 2011)

I got a new 10" Craftsman last year for $175.. scrappy little machine, but I couldn't stand it anymore and trolled CL until I got a used 16" Grizzly for $250. Patience and being willing to drive is key.


----------



## fussy (Jan 18, 2010)

Catch the Harbor Freight 14" on sale with a coupon for right about that. In spite of the anti HF bias, it's a great saw. Well made, strong, and nearly identicle to the Grizzlys. Go to the HF website and read the customer reviews. They are nearly all positive. Bandsaws, like jointers, are really simple machines. Properly set up and maintained, almost any will serve well.

The most critical parts of bandsaw ownership are LEARNING HOW TO SET IT UP, and PROPER BLADE SELECTION. For setup information, seek out "Five Tips For Better Bandsawing" by Michael Fortune in the Nov/Dec 2004 Fine Woodworking. For blades, a 3 tpi skip-tooth is the better allround choice. BC Saw in Toronto sells Carbon steel blades of Starrett stock for about $10 ea. They cut anything I have thrown at them, cut smoothly, and last well.

Steve


----------



## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

If you have a "factory outlet" center near by like Prime Outlets or Tanger Outlets many of them have a store called Tools Direct that sells reconditioned Ryobi, Rigid, and a few others. I have see the Rigid 14" bandsaw there for $225, I know its a little over but for that price nothing can touch it.


----------



## slotman (Sep 3, 2011)

Highland Woodworking has the 10" Rikon on sale for $219 , not sure what they want for shipping. I found one on e-bay for $240 & free shipping. I'm happy so far, but haven't used it a lot yet.


----------



## HalDougherty (Jul 15, 2009)

I bought a Rigid bandsaw on Craig's List for $125… I'd check your local Craig's List. You should fnd a good bandsaw without a lot of trouble. I have found so many good deals, I check 3 or 4 times a day.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Best and $200 doesn't really belong in the same ball park when talking about band saws ,in my opinion .


----------



## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

How about This one from www.woodgears.ca ?


----------



## None999 (Jun 1, 2012)

I'm working out of my garage so I needed a benchtop band saw, so recently bought the Craftsman #21400, which I understand to be a re-badged Rikon model. I haven't done more than make a couple of quickie test cuts on it but my first impression is a good one, given that the little beast is what it is.

I first took a look at it in the store (and pawed it a bit) where they had it on sale for $10 off the $199.99 regular price. I passed on that deal but later popped onto the website to read a little more about the saw…and discovered that they were having an online-only sale for an extra 15% off. I also found an online coupon code (SEARS2012) for an additional $5 off. With all the discounts, the final price wound up being $157.24…which I didn't think was too bad.

Sears is currently running another 15% sale on tools for Father's Day. Again, it's an online-only discount but if your local Sears has it in stock, you can order online for in-store pickup.


----------



## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

Best and $200 doesn't really belong in the same ball park when talking about band saws ,in my opinion

I agree with Jim.

If you really must buy one though at that price point, I'd stalk craigslist until I got a good deal (even though that's not a great option for you). Someone local let go of a 14" Delta for $250 a few weeks ago and there's an industrial bandsaw selling for $150 not too far away (I too don't see too many bandsaws pop up in my area).

If you are patient, those $200 new saws sometimes go for 75-125 lightly used on craigslist.

So, what am I saying? Wait for a larger, nicer one on craigslist and be prepared to move your budget up slightly to be able to grab it.


----------



## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Don't rule out Craigslist, the classifieds in your local paper or even flea-bay if you can find someone selling close by and can pickup instead of having it shipped. I was looking for a nice 14" band saw and had a $300 limit.. wound up getting a Delta 14" bandsaw *and* a nice boice-crane 6" jointer for half of my budget limit.. the band saw only needed a good cleaning, new tires and a belt (the usual 'goes bad over time' stuff).. and it was an older model so it's built like a sherman tank. It was sold because the motor didn't work, which turned out to be a blown thermal protector (easy fix!) due to incorrect wiring by a PO. If you don't absolutely have to have new, the used market is chock full of deals; you just have to be patient and diligent!

Cheers,
Brad


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

that really depends on what you need a bandsaw for - curved tight cuts? resaw? joinery? what is the general size of projects/boards you'll be using it with and what materials?

"bandsaw" is such a general term for such a vast family of machines -all excel at different things and vary in prices accordingly


----------



## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

If you are looking for a benchtop, I second Lis on her recommendation for a Ryobi. I had one for a few years and it was a convenient and solid benchtop bandsaw. Truth is, some people don't have the cash nor the space for a good, full sized model, and all the comments about spending more money don't really help because that is what they have, limited funds, limited space, and that is that.

If you have the space, take a look at craigslist and see if you can find a used, full size one. If not, a hundred bucks will get you a new benchtop that will have a warranty. If you go used, make sure you take a test run to see how it cuts. Also keep in mind that, like most other tools, the tool is usually the cheapest part of any purchase. Next comes blades. Ones that come with the saw itself usually are not that good. Many times, when people complain about cut quality, it is the blades not the tool that is giving them grief. It is better to spend less on a tool and more on the blades than the other way around, imho.

David


----------



## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

For small crafty things I used to have a 1985ish Black and Decker three wheel table top that was ok. That model is still made with different names on it, so people must still be buying it. A lot of older Craftsman 12 inch saws are fine machines and can be had for as little as fifty bucks. I'd troll the yard sales, auctions, whatever to find one. As far as Harbor Freight, I looked at one of their BS's and thought the wheels had too much play in them (bearings?) when pushed and pulled on. A lot of folks like it, so I may have just seen a poorly setup floor model. But I would still prefer an old Craftsman with an 80 inch blade to a newer Harbor Freight. That's just me.


----------



## Howie (May 25, 2010)

Lots of good ideas here and just remember the saw isn't worth much if you have a cheap blade.


----------



## RichardMu (May 17, 2010)

Thanks for all of the info, I have actually purchased the 10 inch craftsman band saw and it works great for the light work that I do. I'm not a professional woodworker or don't do any heavy cutting or re-sawing that would require a large band saw. Thanks for all of the responses, Great to have a place to get advice on woodworking and tools. Thanks to all.


----------

