# A Review of My new Rikon Bandsaw.



## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

I decided to post a review of my Rikon.

I just bought my machine back in March of 2007. Woodcraft had a weekend discount, plus free freight so I jumped at the deal. I saved $75, just on the freight.

I've had an old Taiwanese machine for many years, but I figured I owed myself a new saw, So I did a lot of research, & decided on the Rikon. 
Now I have to decide on what to do with my old saw, because it still works.

The saw comes with about the lousiest manual, for such a nice piece of machinery.

The pictures are very unclear.

I called Rikon right after I got the saw, & they said they were working on a new manual.

They've been kind of slow about it, because I haven't seen a new edition yet.

I haven't had a chance to use it much yet, but the times I've used it, have been very favorable, meaning *Man*, do I ever like it.

Heres some things I've found out about this machine so far.

After setting it up, the first thing that happened to me, was when I hit the start switch, nothing happened it blew out the circuit breaker. *Now what?* I tried a couple more times with the same results, so I called Rikon, he asked what size breaker I had. I told him 20 Amps. He told me to go to 30 Amps, because of the heavy starting load, even with the motor being rated less than 20 Amps. I change too 30 Amps, "problem solved".

Since I made this review. I've had a chance to test it on some projects. & I'm very satisfied with it.

*I recently re-sawed some 9" Maple, & it sliced it like butter, with no blade drift whatsoever. *

I had a question about the blade guide setting, I didn't think they were right, so I did some checking, & now I use the thickness of a dollar bill for blade clearance setting,
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*I like the large highly finished cast iron table, & an excellent fence.*









*The heavy cast iron wheels run very smooth.* 
The inertia in the wheels allow it to coast almost 30 seconds after shutting down. That also helps with the power with heavy work loads.









*The windows for tension adjustment, & centering the blade are also good features.*








*Blade check window.*









There's one thing I discovered with the dust collector port.
It has a steel baffle welded about 1/2" in front of the hole. It stops the air flow, & it did a poor job of sucking away the dust.
I called Rikon ,& they said it was a safety feature specified by OSHA, to prevent getting fingers in the wheel spokes. 
I suggested drilling holes in the plate would allow air flow, & he agreed with me. He said he'd pass it on to his engineers.

*This is the dust port with the holes drilled in the baffle.*
I put a board between the wheel to prevent damage to the wheel.









* I have completely removed this baffle since this picture was taken, & now I'm much more satisfied. I've noticed in advertising their latest model, they've relocated the dust port. They must have gotten complaints about it from others.*








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Here's a review of this tool, by Fine Woodworking."


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

how exciting
your photo series reminded me of when Rick and I had to get our bandsaw down into the basement-no cart … and then when we finally got it all set up we saw that it required the higher amp service and we couldn't use it until we got the electrician in.. argh.

So, Dick .. what have you made with it?


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Deb,
Like I said, I haven't used it much yet, but I used it while making my Thorsen table.
I also re-sawed a bunch of Brazilian Cherry flooring.
It sitting there, & waiting for me though.


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

Hi Dick;

Keep us posted on the saw, when your able to use it.

Good luck with it.

Lee


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

Very nice bandsaw Dick.
I am certian you will really enjoy it.
It seems to have most of the features I got with my new saw.
Man, what a difference vs the old Delta "knockoff"

Guess who got to use it first? <g>


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Thanks Dick. I have my eye on this one too.


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## Treefarmer (Mar 19, 2007)

While it's my 1st bandsaw and I don't have anything to compare it too I'm a little disappointed in my Grizzly G0555. I've had problems getting the guides to align properly when switching blades and I don't see how it can be adjusted any further. I'll have to take some photos. I installed an 1/8" blade and the guides just simply can't be aligned properly.

I stuggled 1st with tensioning and blade alignment when I installed the 6" riser block and installed the 3/4" resaw blade. I finally got that solved with lots of head scratching and poor directions. But the problem with the 1/8" blades I don't think can be solved with these guides.

I hope most of this is simply my inexperience with a bandsaw and not the saw itself. I may end up looking for a cheap benchtop on craigslist to just keep an 1/8" blade in if the problem persists.


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## cajunpen (Apr 9, 2007)

Nice saw Dick - what is that white stuff on the ground? We rarely see any of that here in Southeast Louisiana - but we do see our share of water!!!!. Hope you enjoy your saw.

Bob, I have the Grizzly G0555 saw too and absolutely love it. I haven't tried the 1/8" blade though - have you called Grizzly's Tech Support? I've had pretty good success with them. I also have not added the riser block yet - but it's on my list of things to do. I assume it's not an easy job?


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## bmorris999 (Jun 7, 2006)

Bob, the narrowest blade I use is 1/4", I've had no problems with this size, most of my cutting on the GO555 is resawing 8 1/2" wide stock. Must say after many years useing a 12" Craftsmen the GO555 is just great. 
Bill, adding the riser block is quiet easy, just have a strong friend to help steady things until the mounting bolts are tightened.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Fww, has an article, The new Breed of Bandsaws

It gives a fairly good explanation on saws in this category.

The Rikon has dropped in rating by them, it was rated first this spring, but I'm still glad I bought mine.


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

I am finding that many of the so called comparison tests appearing in these magazines are fairly subjective rather than objective.

By that I mean, that unless the products being tested are all identical in power and it's distribution to the cutters there is bound to be numeric differences that could be attributed to performance.

If a BS is cutting at say 1000 feet per minute with 1 hp at 1:1 ratio it will not seem to be as efficient as a different saw cutting at 1200 ft per minute with the same specs and 1:1.2 ratio
Even if they use the same blade.
The other thing that rankles me is when they limit the tests to primarily the advertisers in their magazines and then choose the best from the select group.

Not long ago, FWW did a piece on large format lathes and did not even mention One way lathes which are considered by many to be the "Cadillac" of the breed.

Bob


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## Treefarmer (Mar 19, 2007)

I actually installed the riser block by myself with the help of a couple of pipe clamps to steady things. That part was easy. I had some problems (probably more me than the bandsaw) with adjusting the tension after, finally fixed that. I had gone from a 3/8" blade to a 3/4" blade during the switch and the guides adjusted fine. The biggest problem is the 1/8" just can't be guided properly. I haven't called tech support yet but I will.

I hear you Bob…sometimes you have to wonder about the tests.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

when I spoke with Robin Lee, he too was concerned with the "testings" and ratings. If you test only one tool, then you are not testing the tool in general, but that particular tool. You might have a really good one or you might have a really poor one; it may not be representative of all of the tools. A true test tries several.


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

Thanks for the additional commentary Dick. I almost bought this model but ended up with a similarly designed 16" Jet (I got a good deal). I lack a blade tracking window in the cabinet of mine and I do have a regret there. I'm considering a little action with my dremel tool to make my own. LOL

I share the sentiments others expressed about the reviews. In my research, I tried to read as many different articles and reviews as I could, both older and more recent. I distilled the info the best I could. I still was unsure. It can be a tough thing avoiding buyer's remorse…


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hi Jeff, 
I remember seeing that nice new Jet in your workshop. I looks like all steel framework similar to my Rikon.
I think jet makes good quality tools.


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## USCJeff (Apr 6, 2007)

You're right Dick, the latest rating had it in the middle of the pack. 2 other publications ranked it first in performace and value. The reason for the drop according to the article was that the guides are difficult to tweak. This is true and untrue. Yes, they take more time than saws without bearing guides. However, the time is negated by better performance vs. nonbearing models. I don't change blades too much, so it might be a hassle if you had to change blades a bunch.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

I'm with you about adjusting guide clearance, Jeff. It sounds like they couldn't find anything really wrong with it, so they chose this.
I do have a question on the amount of bearing to blade clearance. Don't you think 1/32" is quite a bit?

That's my feeling, I've been thinking of calling Rikon about this.


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

1/32" seems like a bit much -

1/128" to 1/64" would seem more appropriate, and it sounds like that's more along the lines of your thinking too.


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## oscorner (Aug 7, 2006)

It always amazes me how OSHA makes them put a baffle that defeats the purpose of the port to begin with and you had to tell their engineers how to fix it. That's the kind of stuff that worries me when buying equipment. LOL I like that saw, too. Thanks for telling me that it takes a 30amp circuit to run it. Most of mine are 15 amp except for the 220 volt service and one 110 volt that I put in for a future window unit.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

*Here is what the instructions say for adjusting guide bearings :
*

Set both bearing guides to within 1/32" of the
saw blade by releasing the guide adjusting screws
(B-Fig.12) on each side of the saw blade, then by
turning the micro-adjusting knobs(C-Fig.12). Do
not set the bearing guides too close as this will
adversely affect the life of the saw blade.

*I believe that this is too much clearance. You would think your cuts would wonder, with that much clearance.
My only experience with bearing clearance on band saws was a metal cutting saw. They recommended zero clearance, just enough so when the saw was running you could stop the bearing with a light touch of your finger. I never noticed any undo wear on the blades.*


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## USCJeff (Apr 6, 2007)

I'm no expert about the clearance issue. I've watched two podcasts that have basically said the same thing. The WoodSmith guys put a piece of paper between the blade and guide and they close the gap until the bearing just barely holds the paper to the blade. I've also seen (WW - Marc - I believe) use a dollar bill folded in thirds. The same procedure as above was used.

The rear guides are a lot easier. If the blade is tensioned right, they really don't due much unless a lot of force is applied. Perhaps a tough resaw would push the blade into the bearing??

Then again, if you don't mind buying blades every so often, let the bearings barely touch. It would guide the cut better, but I'm told it will shorten the blade's life.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hey Bob B.
I was doing some reseach on blade clearance, & found this. A guide for small sized blades.
By Carter Products, that's if a person wants to spend a little.

Jeff, I'm still mulling around about what blade clearance I should use.


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## Sawdust2 (Mar 18, 2007)

Dick
I could see your quandry - Do I call a friend to help or keep the joy to myself?

Re small blade - Carter has a guide for small blades that just uses one wheel that rides against the back of the blade. It would be virtually impossible to get the side guides to hold a 1/8th inch blade. I've seen it at every woodworking show I've been to. (By golly, I went back and looked at your link and that's just the one I was commenting on.)


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Xavier, 
I hardly ever use a small blade, but I thought this would be a good thing to show for those who do.


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## Treefarmer (Mar 19, 2007)

I think I'm just going to get a scroll saw for fine work. The guide costs almost as much.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Bob, I agree.
That's why I don't use thin blades, because I use the scroll saw. 1/8" blades don't last very long.


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## Caliper (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi, Dick. I'm pretty happy with the Jet. It did a great job out of the box although I could do a little adjusting yet. I need to take the time to do it. As for the blade adjustment, I've heard "the width of a business card" can be used. I don't know what width blade that applies to though.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

When I was making toys and puzzles, I used a 1/16" blade. It was about 32 teeth to the inch, because any less teeth and you wouldn't have much (if any) blade left. I set up the blade guides to where it was just back of the teeth.

I only got about 1 hr blade life before they shattered into many pieces. The blades were metal cutting blades and were tempered, so the blade fatigue between bending and straightening made them crack into lots of pieces.

I welded them up myself. I got the blades in 100' coils and made many blades.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

I've decided I'm going to use the clearance that Carter Guides uses.

They recommend the thickness of a piece of paper.

The same as I always used on the guide blocks on my old saw.

I believe 1/32" is to much.


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

On my old Delta Rockwell Milwaukie we just set them against the blade and back off til it turns free so about the thickness of a piece of paper.


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## jude (Aug 3, 2007)

Hey Dick ~
Can I have your permission to post this review on Toologics.com?
Your photos are fantastic!
jude


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## Dorje (Jun 17, 2007)

A little math for fun:

standard paper/dollar bill is approx. .004" or 1/256"

doubled, at .008", you're at 1/128"

folded four times: .016" or 1/64"


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

*Thank you Dorje!!* Good things to know.


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## Drew1House (Mar 18, 2007)

I think the Rikon sounds like a great saw… I ended up with the delta because I could get a 17 inch saw that was supposedly a refurb…. (it was brand new) for $750. I had considered a 14 inch powermatic or this Rikon before I found the deal on the 17…

Drew


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Take a look at Bob's Sawmill sled, it looks pretty good


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

Whats your re-saw capacity Dick? mike


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hi Mike, it's nice hearing from you.
My saw cuts 13 inches, that's why I bought it. 14inches was plenty for inside because I hardly ever cut that wide inside the post.

Here's Rikon, you can look up specs. on it.


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

Wow, thats very nice, gives you lots of room. Yea, been on vacation up north. Was going to my brothers place at Houghton Lake then go to Frankfort for salmon, but had a bit of the old bit of the slip and fall out of the boat getting ready and got 27 stitches in my right shin, bone deep, 2 layers of stiches. Kinda put an end to things. First day at my brothers place. Then fell when I got home into the wood pile gotta get xrays for that. I see you did'nt wheather the storm well yourself. But thanks good to be back with friends where its semi safe. mike


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Sorry about your accidents, It seems like it takes forever to heal a cut on the shin. I guess there's not much circulation there. Watch out for infection.
I guess you better stick to your shop, it's much safer there.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hi Lumberjocks, Jude just posted this thread on Toologics.com, & she gave Lumberjocks a plug.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

I recently completely removed the baffle on the dust port, I chiseled it out.
The efficiency of the suction has greatly increased. I am now satisfied. There is no sawdust pile down in the wheel compartment anymore.


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

My old AMT bandsaw is limping along. After reading this blog many times, I'm thinking Rikon is what I'll eventally get to replace it.


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## USCJeff (Apr 6, 2007)

Dan,
I still stand by my old review of the Rikon. I haven't had a job that I wish had somethng different. Ive resawn 5" cocobolo with no problems. That's probaly the toughest test so far as cocobolo is abnormally dense. I've resawn 11" walnut into veneer. The only drawback for me is blade changes. The guides are time consuming to adjust, but work great once set.


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