# Ridgid Band Saw - mixed reviews, clearance price. Worth it?



## kalapolo (Jan 14, 2011)

Months ago, I noticed the 14" Ridgid Band Saw marked down $70 at my local HD. Did some research and found lots of mixed reviews, so I decided to save up for a Grizzly. In the meantime, the Ridgid came off clearance and returned to the normal price ($399), and I read some unfavorable reviews regarding Grizzly and their customer service, which just left me to further ponder a band saw purchase. Yesterday, I noticed the Ridgid is marked down again, but this time to $276. I could get it under $250 (+ tax) with military discount or possibly $220 (+ tax) if they would take a competitor's coupon.

I foresee doing normal band saw type things: shaping and resawing wood. Should I go for the clearance priced Ridgid or continue saving for the Grizzly (or something else all together)?

Thanks in advance - the LJ community has been an enormous help as I've slowly built a shop


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Many people moaning about 14" bandsaws have never owned
and tuned a bandsaw before.

China-made tools are all over the map in terms of quality control.
Perhaps the Ridgid is a poorly made saw, but I'd wager some
of the complaints are from people with unrealistic out-of-the-box
performance expectations.

If in doubt, get a vintage Delta or similar. They were mostly
very well made.


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## saddletramp (Mar 6, 2011)

I noticed a while back that ridgid no longer offers a band saw on their site. To me, this says something about the quality of the saw that they no longer produce.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

From my personal experience and based upon the comments of most (but not all) the people who deal with Grizzly customer, the satisfaction level is very high. The person who had a bad experience with Grizzly customer service is the rare exception. It's quite common to hear people rave about how good their customer service is. I do.

I think one important bandsaw feature is roller bearing guides. The alternate approach is guide blocks. I suspect the Ridgid has guide blocks. Every Grizzly, except their cheapest, has roller bearing guides.

I'm quite sure this is not in your plans or budget but, IMO, stepping up to the 17" Grizzly is a great idea. The price is not much higher than a 14" with a riser block and what a 17" can do greatly exceeds what you can do with a 14".

I've never heard anyone who bought a 17" or 18" bandsaw wish they had bought a 14" bandsaw but I have heard the opposite many times.


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## reggiek (Jun 12, 2009)

Rich is absolutely correct. I have both a jet 14 w/riser…and a grizzly 17" extreme….I have kept both because I use the 14" to do scroll type cuts (plus I would not get much out of selling it….and it doesn't take up much floor space on rollers) - it has a carter guide and thin blade. The grizzly does all the hard stuff…and it can handle it. What I noticed in the 14 is that it is underpowered to do decent resaw….and to cut some of the hardwoods that I use alot. It will cut them eventually….but at an ever slowing rate (subject to burning the edge as one point or another)....the 17 goes through them like ********************e through a goose.

I have had nothing but excellent results from Grizzly's customer support…the call when they say…they send what they promise….and go hard at it to give you what assistance you require….One bad review does not convince me of a trend - just take a look at Laguna….one nightmare after another for customers….it is sad as they used to be top notch.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Don't forget Rikon is on sale at Woodcraft. I think they have a nice 17" saw, and they have a extra capacity 14" as well.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

If you have never seen the Grizzly and Ridgid up close and personal, do so. The Ridgid is okay, but drastically under powered, and is known for vibration problems. The Grizzly is a top notch saw not known for problems. However Grizzly does tend to keep a short supply line, so any shipping interruptions translate pretty quickly to shipping and delivery delays to the customer… Of the two problems, I would rather be patient and wait for the Grizzly…


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

On the Rigid, I doubt that you get a fence or miter gauge. Be sure to factor that into your cost assumptions. Personally, I would save more money and go for the Rikon or a similar Grizzley saw that can cut at least 12" thick material. But there is a big cost difference…


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

$220 is still too much to take a risk with IMO.


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## Chipy (Apr 20, 2011)

Ridgid makes many fine tools but this one I am vary Leary of.I have their Planer and jointer and I am pleased but this band saw cries Lemon! like saddletramp I do not seen the saw on there web site any longer.It screams out REDESIGN,too many inherent problems.I am about to buy my band saw from Grizzly its either the G0555x or the G0513p.I know that thees two saws are not in that price range but i am looking at their(Grizzly) catalog right now and the G0555 1hp 14" band saw is 450 beans with 69 dollar shipping.Awards from American wood worker(best buy),Wood magazine(top tool),Popular Wood working(Best new tool)I have herd no good reviews for the Ridgid but like Loren said a lot of grumbling.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

Assuming your HD is conveiniently located, you could always buy the Ridgid and try it out. Then return it if it sucks. I've bought clearance and scratch/dent stuff from Lowes before. It almost always comes with a factory warranty and is covered by the Lowes return policy. However, aditional discounts are usually not applied. HD might be different.

However, even with that said, I'd skip the Ridgid. While reviews must be taken with a grain of salt, that particular machine gets a disproportinate amount of bad press. The Grizzly models, on the other hand, get a disproportionate amount of good press. Between the two, Grizzly wins every time even though it costs a couple hundred more. It very well be the last bandsaw you ever buy. 
of course, there is always used, which tends to be the best deal going…...if you know what to look (out) for.


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## JasonIndy (Dec 29, 2008)

I own a Ridgid planer and jointer and have been very satisfied with them. That having been said, I've heard more negatives than positives in regard to power and vibrating in Ridgid's bandsaw. Those are two pretty big issues to deal with in a bandsaw IMHO. I say hold off, FWIW I'm saving for a Grizzly too.


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## azal (Mar 26, 2008)

I have the G0555 had for a long time and it works like a dream. Have several Grizz. machines never a prob. great out of the box.


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## Fireguy (Jul 17, 2009)

I just bought a Ridgid bandsaw and I am not sure I woudl buy it again if I had it to do over. This is my first bandsaw so I dont have alot to compare too. It takes alot of work to get it set up and you will need a belt and blade defore you make your first cut. I had to beef up the base to cut down on vibration, change the belt, and replace the blade, now it makes a decent cut and a nickle will sand on end while I make a cut of I cant complaine about the vibration much anymore. It dose not come with a fence or a miter gauge, so you will have to buy that if you think you need it. The belt and blade will run you another $50 or $60 to get started so add that to the cost up front.

I own a Rigid 3650 TS that I love and a Ridgid bench top planner and it works great, so do like the ridgid tools but this is not their best and at around $250 you might not me that far away form a better machine.


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## kalapolo (Jan 14, 2011)

Wow, thanks for so many replies! Here is the link to Ridgid's band saw on their site FWIW (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/14inch-Band-Saw/EN/index.htm). Seems like it's definitely worth saving up for the Grizzly (I was looking at the G0555/G0555P). I knew I could count on my fellow LJ's to point me in the right direction! The 17" Grizzly looks very nice, but it's nearly double the price before shipping.


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## syenefarmer (Dec 19, 2009)

The Ridgid bandsaw is still shown as a current product at the Ridgid website, Ridgid Bandsaw. However, I would not recommend you buy this bandsaw. By the time you put additional money into it to make it run right you'll end up spending more than the saw is worth. If you ever decide to upgrade to a better saw your return on investment on this saw will not be good.


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## Vrtigo1 (Mar 18, 2010)

I have the Ridgid 14" band saw, I think I paid under $200 for it with a coupon while it was on clearance a year or two ago. For the price I would say I am satisfied with it. I wouldn't say I'm thrilled, it does vibrate a bit, doesn't come with a fence or miter gauge, the table could be bigger (although as far as 14" saws go, I think it is pretty standard), the sheet metal stand leaves a bit to be desired, and it seems underpowered. If I had to do it again and the Ridgid was still under $200 vs $400 for a Grizzly I would probably still go with the Ridgid. It does what I need it to do. It's on my list to get a bigger saw one of these days when I find myself with some extra disposable income, but it's definitely not a priority on my wishlist.

I have not done anything to my saw other than take it out of the box and put it together. I did change the blade because the one that came with it was horrible. A new belt would probably help reduce vibration, but it's one of those things where I'd rather keep my $25 than eliminate some vibration which is mainly just an annoyance.

I have the Ridgid jointer and OSS and those are both good tools, but if I was rating out of 10, I would probably give the bandsaw a 5 or 6.


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## Durnik150 (Apr 22, 2009)

My first 14" BS was the exact one you are looking at. I was very happy with its performance for several years before I upgraded. It isn't a Powermatic but served its purpose very well.


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## ferstler (Oct 5, 2008)

I did a lengthy review of the Ridgid bandsaw at:

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/465

After the diddling I describe in the review the thing works just fine, with no vibration and rock-solid tracking behavior. As the review notes, I did modify the table to make it bigger and less likely to ding workpieces. (Any metal table can do that, so mine is rimmed with wood.) As for roller guides vs solid blocks, I think that blocks are better (I purchased the cool-blocks versions), because they scrape the blade clean of build-up pitch and dust, whereas with rollers (and this is mainly conjecture) they just squeeze the stuff against the blade and eventually there might be a build up of resistance to movement between them.

The Ridgid comes out of a generic Chinese factory, and I would not be the least surprised if many of the competing brands that people rave about come from the same place. My only real beef with the saw involves the dust port, which is rather tiny at the top where it intersects with the cutting area. A bigger hole would have been better.

Howard Ferstler


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## Murf2499 (Sep 18, 2010)

I own the Ridgid and am very disappointed. I have spent alot of time "tuning up" the saw including replacing the belt to redue vibration. Now my big issue, this weekend my saw broke. The housing which tensions the upper wheel and controls the tracking snapped. It is not available from Ridgid parts or any other place on the web . When I spoke to Ridgid they told me they had no date specified when the part will be back in stock. The good news id while it sits in the corner of my shop waiting for a new part the vibration issue will not be an issue. I'm moving to the Grizzly, everything I purchased from them has exceeded my expectations including the customer service. Good luck!


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## NANeanderthal (Jun 2, 2011)

I have the Ridgid bandsaw, it did take some work, but I am as happy with it as I could be for the price. I would recommend and link belt and a new blade, but I would recommend that with any saw near that price. You probably will need to true the wheels, and do some other setup. However, I have the carter guides on it and the kreg fence and it works without fail. I have not had a situation that I wished the saw was better (wish 'i could say that about my skills). The guy that does the Carter videos (sorry, forgot his name) said he has a Powermatic and a Ridgid as his two saws in his shop, and the Ridgid is rock solid if set up correctly. I couldn't agree more.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I love my 17" extreme series Grizzly. Consider what it comes stock with vs. having to add to the Ridgid: resaw fence,double ball bearing guides above and below the table,12" resaw capacity,.........and it looks a lot cheaper! I researched my buy for over a year before I bought it. Buy Mark Dijensky's bandsaw book. It really helped me with my decision.He doesnt push brands but explains what features you require for different applications.


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## Kevin_WestCO (Jun 5, 2011)

I have a Ridgid BS1400 14" band saw. I bought it new in the box from someone that purchased it new 6 yrs prior. I set it up and have been using for about two months now. It does not come with a fence or a miter gauge. It's going to need an aftermarket, Ridgid sells a very low quality fence for it.

Setting this saw up has been a challenge. Both of the wheels were out of balance pretty bad and I have added lead weighs to balance it out. It now runs pretty smooth. The blade guides are fairly cheap, but in that price range, I don't think anyone offers bearing roller guides.

Personally I will be selling this saw in the next couple months to upgrade to a Rikon or Grizzly. I think the Ultimate 14" by Grizzly will be my next purchase.

Hope it helps. 
Kevin


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## clrcopy (Sep 2, 2012)

I know this was an old post but I was looking for some info on guide blocks so I thought I would post. I bought my first Ridgid bandsaw about 11 years ago and loved it. Now I didn't have much experience with bandsaws other than the bench top kind, but the Ridgid was a DREAM to use. Yeah, there is a bit of balance issue, but I didn't find it that hard to fix. I lost all my tools in a divorce, and have been looking for another bandsaw, and found the same saw on Craigslist for $200. The guy I bought it from used it 4 hours for a deck build and it's been in a garage ever since, so i jumnped at it, knowing the tool very well from previous ownership. This one I had to do some minor surface rust removing, but it performs perfectly with a quick tune. Now I don't have experience with the higher end versions, I do realize you get what you pay for and after looking through the Grizzley catalog last night I do see several bandsaws in the same price area (retail) as the Ridgid, but since I knew the tool I grabbed in quick. Not looking to replace it anytime soon. I will agree it's not the best power, I have resawn on it, but larger pieces bog down some, and probably on the Griz equivalent it wouldn't, but I don't know for sure. Anyhow, thought I would post given I've owned 2 and maybe someone might be on the fence as well


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

Yow, Doug! You lost all your tools in your divorce and your ex-wife got all of them? She must be woodworking now!


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Look hard at the Grizz 0555LX. Bargain price with a lot of upgrades.
Got mine this year, and I'm very well pleased.
Bill


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## clrcopy (Sep 2, 2012)

Well, the judge said I could get them, but she would NEVER be there when she said, even when I had the sheriff's there… ugh, I had that place locked down tight to keep someone from trying to steal it, and well, that meant I couldn't either, LOL! good news is I have basically rebuilt close the same woodshop for a fraction of the cost, with Craigslist and Facebook for sale groups I've scored almost the exact same tools I had before for the cost of the Tablesaw, lol… gotta love for sale groups  I love my ridgid bandsaw, it was a great saw for 6 years before, and this one is going on a whole 2 weeks, but so far so good I've used the heck out of it and it's doing great.


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

Good for you, Doug. But aren't you missing your old saw? I suggest you call her so you can get your old saw back.


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

clrcopy ….. is your band saw one of the gra colored emerson electric built units?


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

You passed up a new 14" bandsaw for $70???! i wouldn't unpack it and id put it on CL for $250! $70 is how much i paid for my powertec 9" bandsaw on sale.


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

just realized how old this post was


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

I just picked one up from craigslist last weekend for just a little less, but its missing the base. I just ordered cool blocks, urathane wheels, and new blade guide bearings. Its my first bandsaw, but so far I really like it.


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## Surfside (Jun 13, 2012)

Older than your LJ years, Cole.


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## Fishinbo (Jun 11, 2012)

I'd save up and go for a Grizzly.


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## clrcopy (Sep 2, 2012)

Toolie, the bottom is gray, does say it was made in China. Serial # is am034716382 I tried to find more info on that serial but didn't find anything.

I've seen a lot of negative on these machines, but this being my 2nd, I have no issues whatsoever. The vibration is only minor and I only notice that starting and stopping, but while running it's perfect. Maybe if I got a chance to use a Griz or other I might think different. but I guess if I don't know better, I don't care, lol


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## jtm (Dec 2, 2013)

nevermind…

wrong thread


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

This is the Ridgid 14" bandsaw I bought on clearance from HD a few years ago. I made some modifications on it like relocating the motor, replacing the wheel bands, guides and a 6" riser; added a high quality blade and now I am very pleased with this machine. Like most imported machines, you have to be prepared to do some work on it. The only complaint I have is the lack of power. It could profit with more hp when resawing.


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