# Craftsman 12" bandsaw



## Dal300

I have one just like it. I have really enjoyed mine for the last year or so. I do mostly resawing of hard woods with it and use 1/2" x 80" 3TPI blades.
It cuts through Osage Orange like it was butter and I've never had problems with a wandering blade.

One thing you need to do if it's been sitting very long, order a new belt. Also check the pulley on lower wheel. This saw is famous for that pulley wobbling and getting egged out of shape. Sears doesn't sell or make that replacement pulley any more. The best way to fix it is to have it bored and a bushing installed with a keyway.

Good Luck on your new toy! They are a really good saw for the price!


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## mustang958

Thanks for the input and the advice. The belt was something I hadn't even thought about. I will definitely add that to the list when I order parts. And I will be sure to check out the pully. I'm not sure how long it's been sitting but I'd rather order these items and have them to change than to be in the middle of a project and end up having to wait. Thanks!

George


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## Oldwest

I had one of these for 18 years before I upgraded last year, it worked great for most projects.

It was interesting because the who head moves when you cut an angle on it but once you get
used to it it works fine. I put a tooth brush on the wheel to keep it clean and put some Cool Blocks
on to make it cut a little better but a great basic machine.

You did well.


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## craftsman on the lake

I've got the 14", had it for 35 years and it's still running. I don't resaw trees with it but for regular use it's great.


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## GaryCN

See if Carter has blade guides for it, they will make for a great upgrade. I have them on a Skil bench top.


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## MakerofSawdust

I also have the same saw and was very disappointed for a long time. It was basically delegated to menial, non-precise work. I had been using multiple different blades over the years then I got the Wood Slicer Resaw blade from Highland Woodworking this past year. *Now I love my bandsaw!* I've had to replace a couple of the guide bearings, but that's it. You can get top quality guides for it, but they cost more than the saw. I now resaw 9" walnut without any effort and it's straight and smooth. It's a great saw for the money.


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## sgtq

I have this exact saw, I took it off its base and built a mobile base and I love it, (the base is in my projects gallery) One question, would you happen to have the model number of the fence, as I dont have one and would like to try and find one.


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## GlennsGrandson

I just bought one of these off of CL sight unseen. The lady says her husband was a woodworker and mainly did furniture and didn't hardly use this as much as he anticipated. She said she could probably count on one hand how many times he used it. It probably just needs a little cleaning up. I'm really excited to pick it up this evening. My first bandsaw, I've been scouting CL twice a day for a month looking for something like this. Hopefully your's is still doing well for you.


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## joewilliams

I just got one of these for free…need to replace the missing lower thrust bearing and come up with a fence of some kind. I'll definitely be looking into the Wood Slicer Blade mentioned above.


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## Howarddavidp

I also got one for free. The previous owner did not want to try and fix the lower pulley problem, so he gave the saw to me. I took it apart and inspected everything, looks like it is all there, just need to figure out what to do for the pulley. I hope to put it all back together and have it work over the winter, this is a cold weekend's project for me. I was able to get all the frozen and rusted bolts out with an impact driver, so when I re-assemble it will be with stainless hex bolts to make things easier to service in the future. Mine has the electronics, so it will tell you the blade rpm's and the angle adjustment of the blade, seems nice and it all worked when I stripped it down. I was not able to cut b/c of the pulley, but I think I can improvise a pully from something else.

Dave


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## mountainaxe

I've never used a band-saw in my shop, but have been looking to try one for a while. Reviews about this Craftsman model were relatively positive and, since they are available and cheap, I kept my eye out for one. This month, I noticed this exact model on Craigslist for $75 just a few miles from my home being sold by the original owner. It included paperwork, manual, and fence. I picked it up and am pleased so far. I didn't care for the rather flimsy metal stand, so replaced it with a mobile wooden stand I fabricated to match the height of my work counter (which extends the table by 8'). Seems like a good "starter" unit, so I'm excited about putting it to use!


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## RibsBrisket4me

These are just classic tools. This Sears BS was sold by the thousands and they just have a cool look to them. Glad to hear they work well. I have a Ridgid 14inch BS but for some reason always admired that Sears saw.


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## burlbeginner

anyone know what price these ran brand new? I'm looking at one on cl for $150 with less than 10hrs or work on it. Anyone think it's a good buy?


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## pathfinder027

I just acquired this same 12" Craftsman band saw last week. It cleaned up well and cuts straight. My neighbor, whom I got it from, said he'd sell it to me on the condition he got to use it once in a while if he needed to. 

One question: the Sears parts store had only one blade in their inventory, the 1/4", 80 tpi, p/n 9-26595, for $10.49 plus $6.99 shipping (not maintained in stock). That is an 80-inch blade. I checked some local stores and all they had was 64" and 93" band saw blades. My question is, where do you get 80" blades for this band saw? I would like to obtain a variety of sizes fro 1/16" to 1/2". I read about the Wood Slicer 1/2" blade in the 1999 book, The Bandsaw Book by Lonnie Bird. I would like to get one of them, too.


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## mustang958

That's a nice solid saw isn't it? And if it's like mine it was manufactured by Emerson Electric in the US. For what I do this is all the saw I need. It performs just fine. I never really looked in Sears for blades. I never trusted those kinds of parts from them. The big box stores carry some 80" blades but not a wide selection. Check online. There are a number of sites that sell the blades including Grizzly, Woodcraft, etc. There are even a few sites that only sell blades. I picked up a 1/2" blade awhile back. Forget where I got it but it was reasonably priced and works fine. Check around and compare prices. You'll be able to find whatever you need. And good luck with the saw. I think you'll find the more you use it the more you'll like it.


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## treelover

When I bought my saw the drive pulley was making a clacking sound. I think that's why the seller let the saw go for $75. I discovered the drive pulley is both keyed to the motor shaft and secured with a set screw. The set screw had vibrated loose. The pulley couldn't slip due to the key, but it could wiggle some. It's close to impossible to see thru the U-shaped access hole in the drive pulley, especially if you don't already know the hex key size and exactly how to locate the set screw. Far easier to totally remove the motor so you can discover how it's all set up. Remove the set screw, apply some epoxy or thread locker to the threads, put it all back together again. I only tightened the set screw the first time. It got loose again and I had to do the tear-down a second time. The epoxy has held for several years now.
I love this saw: the big table, the easy tilt for bevel cuts, the power of the motor. But tuning the lower blade guides is tricky. I wear a headlamp to see what I'm doing, but still I have a hard time getting both hands in there.


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