# Craftsman Professional 14 in. Band Saw?



## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I am wondering what do you guys think of the Model# 22401 Craftsman Professional 14'' Band Saw? I am looking at saving up for a 14'' band saw, and I am wondering is the Craftsman a good choice?


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

Looks like a good 'un!!


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

It's a well regarded choice at the right price, but it doesn't accept a riser block so you're stuck with the 8" resaw capacity. At regular retail, there are others worthy of serious consideration too….Grizzly and Rikon come to mind.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Rikon and General has caught my eye to.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

i would go with the new jet as a matter of fact im gonna get that one the only thing i dont like is the color and make i wish it was a delta to match my saw but what can u do the jet has the 12" resaw cap. and enough hp to do it thats what u have to look for in a bandsaw hp and the resaw cap. but the craftsman is a nice little saw too


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## matt1970 (Mar 28, 2007)

my next band saw is going to have the maximum resaw capacity in my price range…


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## BeachedBones (Jan 31, 2009)

I have that band saw. Overall I'm pretty happy with it, I don't really care for the Crafstman blades for it, and will probably get a Wood Slicer blade at some point. I like the feel of the saw, the stock fence, the light is useful. To me it's as nice as anything else in that price range, but it doesn't have a lot of resaw capacity height wise, you can only resaw about 8". It's fine for what I'd call "normal" band saw cutting, but if you want to resaw a bunch of logs you might want to look at something else.


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## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

Charles, have you searched for reviews on the item? Below is a link to several reviews from people who bought the saw. Personally, given some of the reviews I read, I would not purchase this saw, but that's me. Woodcraft currently has the Rikon 14" saw on sale for $699. So for $170 more you would be getting a far better saw (again, in my opinion). Bottom line is to read lots of reviews and make a well-informed decision. You said you are saving up for this so it sounds like you have the time to research. Posting this question here was a smart start! Good luck buddy.

"Bandsaw" http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00922401000P#reviewsWrap


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

I am not a big craftsman fan. I would save a bit more and move up to one of the better 14" saws.

Oh and I would keep my eyes open on craigslist if it is active in your area.


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

I have that model Charles and it works fine for me.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I think there are better choices like grizzlt or Rikon


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## Roz (Jan 13, 2008)

I have one. I believe it is made by Rikon. I have had mine for about 3 years. It is a 14 inch and I wish I had waited and purchased a 17 inch Grizzly. The size of the throat limits some cuts. Now I am faced with upgrading in the future. I believe it is always best to but the best tool you can find, even if it means waiting a while. All these saws are within a few hundred dollars of each other until you get above the 18 inch range. The Craftsman is a good saw and has worked well for me. I have had some trouble with the bearings used as blade guides and Sears can not seem to identify the replacement parts I need. It is a pain. I have been looking to replace those bearings for 2 years now. I was use to a 20 inch saw and now the 14 inch seems small. The real advantage for guys living where we do is saving shipping cost. This point was a factor in my purchase decision. Good luck Roz


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

I have the 12" craftsman band saw. It's a real nice band saw for cutting shapes and contours. I have only used it to resaw 4×4 cedar and it did a good job. If you are interested in mostly cutting shapes and contours I think the saw is great, will last, and service you well. If you are more interested in doing veneers and resawing hard wood, then I think you need to look at the more high end laguna's, power matics, or something of that nature. No matter what your needs are, you'll be a happier camper with a band saw, it is an essential!!!


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## REK (Aug 30, 2009)

Extra-Craftsman band saws are not made by Rikon, they are a higher end beaste.


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## jack1 (May 17, 2007)

Check out the RIDGID. I have one I retrofitted with the Carter upper and lower blade roller bearings, tires when they were needed and a Cobra spring. It does have a 6" riser available (I have it) and I added a crank for blade tensioning in a hurry. A good fence is available or you can step up to a KREG setup. It's a good saw with an easy to use lifetime warranty (at Home Depot anywhere) if you ever need it. Works like a saw costing double or more.


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

I would comment but the bandsaws you all are talking about are not available here in the land down under..
I will say to you Charles Jackson the III … buy the best you can… horsepower.. rise… throat…table.. and make sure it is a name brand with good warranty…


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Jack! I have looked at the Rigid, I most just cut curves furniture parts, so I dont really need that much resaw high.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

AFAIK, that Craftsman bandsaw is made by Richen Enterprises, who also happens to own Rikon. A while back a check of parts lists reveals that the two saws do share several common part #s, but I can't recall whether I compared the 10, 12", or 14". IMHO, these days it's best to buy the saw, not the brand.

Roz - I think common roller blade bearings will fit your saw…ABEC 5 are what I put on my 12" saw….$10 and 15 minutes.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

charles ,
i'm with larry on this .
get the best tool you can find .

as your work gets better ,
you find yourself doing newer things ,
a " yesterday " tool ,
may not work " tomorrow " .

in our world ,
there is always bigger and harder things to make .

you don't want to be upgrading 
throughout your life .


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## Timber4fun (Jul 17, 2008)

I don't know much about this particular Craftsman model, but I had an older Craftsman floor standing model at one time. Seemed to have a lot of vibration. It got the job done. That being said, I now have a Grizzly 14" and I am very happy with it. Good luck on your decision.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

If I'm not mistaken Charles the people over at Rikon are the makers of the Craftsman band saw now. I just sold my 12"craftsman and I had no problem with it but it had its limitations mostly power wises. Also with like any band saw a better market blade is the first thing to address, the consensus here is a timber wolf or wood slicer blade. I've used timber wolf blades for years now and have no reason to change. It a good value saw and will handle most band saw tasks with ease. I hope this help good luck and be safe…Blkcherry


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

charles ,
don't worry ,
nototoman is going to buy us one for xmas !

just get your shop ready for yours ,
as i am for mine .

thanks mario !


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## Huckleberry (Nov 7, 2007)

Hey Charles, here is a link to a Grizzly 14" (http://grizzly.com/products/The-Ultimate-14-Bandsaw/G0555) this is one that I have worked on a lot. I have used several 14" saws and the one thing that stands out on this saw compared to the others is the quick tension release lever. And like many higher end saws it has bearing guides not cool blocks, which in my opinion are the best. Changing blades can be fun on this one, not bad just entertaining for everyone but you. There is also a Jet that I saw at Sears that is a few bucks cheaper than the Craftsman.
My 14" bandsaw is a Delta that is about 15 yrs old now. I like to buy old saws that are in decent shape and fix them. One thing I have learned is with the 20" Powermatic (made in 1981) I got, is that it seems they are the top dogs in wood working tools. So maybe give those a look also, if you have a Rockler or Woodcraft around give it run see what you think. It is a bit more dough and will give you the flexibility in the future. 
Like you I thought all I needed was one small saw because that is all that I do or should say did. But when you laminate table legs it looks a heck of a lot better when you cut veneer and make all sides face grain. Good luck Charles and let us know when you get it.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

I would buy an old 14'' Delta if I could find one.


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## JamesAustin (Sep 10, 2009)

I have that saw.. works fine for me…

By the way this saw is made by Rikon for Sears, has the Carter style guides….

I bought my extra blades from Olsen I think…


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Guys I am going to get the Rikon 10-325 14-Inch Deluxe Bandsaw, It seem to be the best choice for my dollars.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

charles ,
i've never used a rikon ,
but from what i have heard ,
it is a great choice !

way to go !


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## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

Way to go Charles. You will not regret this decision. If you haven't noticed, I am standing next to that very saw in my photo. This is a great saw that will serve you well for many years. As others have mentioned it has a large re-saw capacity and is just a quality tool. I just used mine tonight to re-saw some oak butcher block I am using on a project. One of the first things you want to do Charles is buy a good quality blade. I went with Timberwolf but there are others. Also, do some research on blade width for re-sawing. I thought, the wider the blade the better but learned from others that a 1/2" blade worked better for them than a 3/4" blade.

Will you be buying this soon enough to catch the current sale at Woodcraft?


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Lenny I am afraid that wont be happing, I wish I had the funds now but I dont.


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## Lenny (Sep 28, 2008)

Well when the time comes, just do your best to catch a sale. Woodcraft has them frequently. If you are known there you probably get the birthday 10% off. Depending on when your birhday, is maybe you can get it around that time. If the timing of that isn't right I am sure if you can find a good sale somewhere.


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## vegeta (Mar 10, 2009)

i also have that 14 inch craftsman i have had it for about a year price was my deciding point i got it for $350.00 
not a bad saw but i have replaced the roller guide brg,s already. detensioning the blade can be a pain at the end of the day. if you are not going to get a really good price on it i would stick with the rikon you are looking at now


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Yes I love the Rikon its a good saw!


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## gerrym526 (Dec 22, 2007)

I've probably ranted about Crapsman in another post, so sorry for the repeat. 
The major problem with Crapsman, is that Sears changes manufactures for their brands of tools about as often as I change my sox (in my case, every day).
Every, and I mean, every power tool I've ever had from Sears that has needed repairs breaks at that point in its lifetime after the original manufacturer has stopped making replacement parts for it!
There are fellows on LJ who's experience has been different, so don't want them to take offense with my remarks, But from my perspective, anything but Crapsman if you expect to use your tools for decades and occasionally need to have them repaired.
I could talk about how Sears makes sure the manufacturer's wholesale price to them is as low as possible-causing the inevitable "cheapening" of the components, but I'll leave that rant for another post.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Gerry, I understand your point of view.


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

I don't see how Craftsman can have the audacity to call any of their power tools *"Professional"*


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