bushwacked Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have been studying the 14" market for awhile and reading lots of reviews. I just want to make sure I have not missed anything before I pull the trigger in a few weeks. I am upgrading from a bench top ryobi and the awful squeal that thing puts out has done me in and I am over that POS! So I made a chart to compare a few 14" bandsaws in my price range. 6" resaw is fine with me. I figure if I need more than that it will be years away and I'll have a good reason to upgrade to something better. I would say the 2 major things for me is to 1) have a bandsaw that will cut without a window breaking squeal to it even on the thinnest of material. I am going for the quietest operation possible. Yes I know power tools are loud and noisy creatures but some are better than others. 2) have a machine that can run for awhile cutting material and not fall apart after a couple days of hard labor. Overall, I would say the Grizzly seems to be the clear favorite. I am not sure what the others provide that make it $100+ more. The blade sizes and ball bearings and motor size are matched all the way across. So to me, unless all the grizzly reviews have been wrong, it kinda seems like a no brainier. Now the going advice seems to be buy the best you can afford at the time and be happy. However, even though I can afford all on the list I am just not sure they outshine the competition to be worth the money. I'd rather save $1-200 and go buy some nice wood. Thanks for the thoughts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Just a couple thoughts here.. Grizzly does make a riser kit that will increase the resaw capacity. I think Mel (Fretless Llama) has one on his 0555 so would be better than I to tell you how he likes it. I see you've done your homework on these 4 saws but, you might be missing some on the list. Powermatic and Laguna goth have smaller saws as well. I'm sure they are considerably more expensive but, homework is homework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 If you don't care about resaw capacity and you're stuck on the list you posted, then I think the Grizzly wins. The Jets are probably higher quality than the Griz but I think the diminishing returns rule kicks in. Jet is overpriced IMO. I don't find them that special, but people are hooked on the white paint and cool name. If you DO want more resaw capacity, I personally wouldn't fool around with riser kits, but instead buy a different saw. The Laguna 14-12 is a great bang for your buck in the thousand dollar ballpark...it has a much bigger resaw and it's hands down a better saw than the Grizzly. I have a Grizzly and a Laguna so I can tell you from experience that Laguna is higher quality. But I'm perfectly happy with my Grizzly, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Just a couple thoughts here.. Grizzly does make a riser kit that will increase the resaw capacity. I think Mel (Fretless Llama) has one on his 0555 so would be better than I to tell you how he likes it. I see you've done your homework on these 4 saws but, you might be missing some on the list. Powermatic and Laguna goth have smaller saws as well. I'm sure they are considerably more expensive but, homework is homework. Ya I noticed the riser kit if I find myself needing it soon but I seriously doubt that for a few years. But I have also heard some not so good things about risers so I am shying away from them. I looked into laguna and Powermatic but both $1100 and up and knocks it out of affordability. Would love to have either but when doubling the price of the grizzly am I really getting at least 2 times the performance? I'm sure quality is noticeably better but 2x better in every regards? If you don't care about resaw capacity and you're stuck on the list you posted, then I think the Grizzly wins. The Jets are probably higher quality than the Griz but I think the diminishing returns rule kicks in. Jet is overpriced IMO. I don't find them that special, but people are hooked on the white paint and cool name. If you DO want more resaw capacity, I personally wouldn't fool around with riser kits, but instead buy a different saw. The Laguna 14-12 is a great bang for your buck in the thousand dollar ballpark...it has a much bigger resaw and it's hands down a better saw than the Grizzly. I have a Grizzly and a Laguna so I can tell you from experience that Laguna is higher quality. But I'm perfectly happy with my Grizzly, too. 6" resaw is fine for my needs at the moment. Not stuck on the list above but just seems to be the best I've found in my price range. I am thinking in a few years if I keep improving and getting better I will seriously consider the laguna. I would love one of those or the Powermatic haha. Glad to hear you are perfectly happy with the grizzly as well even having both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adambaum Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have the G0555 with riser kit almost 10yrs now and am quite satisfied. My resawing is pretty good. I find that the choice of resawing blade impacts me the most. The better the blade, the less sanding needed. My only hesitation with this saw is that it isn't big enough. I've found myself needing either larger resaw capability or a larger table depth a number of times in the past. Had to go to a friends shop that has a 19" saw (drool). Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Keep in mind they are all really swollen bench top saws. The resaw capacity is BS but having the upper wheel up and out of your vision is a good thing. Of the bunch the Jet CS would be my only choice. I would not buy a saw with the motor mounted above the stand. The Jet stands are higher quality since they need to handle the motor load, more weight down low is a plus. If your a fence junkie the Jet fence is not the greatest nor is the Powermatic. The Rikons are flimsy, I just would never consider any Rikon. Take a look at the parts that make a difference like axles, bearing, tensioners and the behind the scenes hardware this is where Griz saves on the dollars. All in all I'd say all of those are in the same class as far as performance goes with or without the riser block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 You have the Jet there at $749 if you can up your budget to $799 you can get the Rikon 10-325 which is a more powerful and larger capacity saw than all the others on that list. It's normally $999. Woodcraft has it on sale right now, and you won't have to worry about upgrading any time soon. Everyone I know that has one, loves it.. Myself included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raefco Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 If you're going to buy something in that list you owe it to yourself to check out the 14 inch craftsman, I have read and been told it is essentially the same Saw as the Rikon. I use a rikon miter gauge and rip fence set on for mine. At 400 bucks it's a steal 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Hmm well $750ish was top of budget. Was hoping not to spend a ton right now with the holiday season coming up. And maybe I could catch a sweet sale on one of these as well over the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Grizzly will be having a sale in December as well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodbutcher74 Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have been looking at the Grizzly G0555X. It has a larger table, cast iron wheels, 1 1/2 hp motor, enclosed stand and a resaw fence. It's $825.00 and right now they have free shipping on this model. Just a thought. It's also 115/ 220 V. If that's a consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Grizzly will be having a sale in December as well.. Oh that would be awesome. Is it normally across everything sale or just certain items? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I was there the other day and couldn't get them to tell me what would be on sale. A friend of mine is getting that saw for Christmas so, his wife has asked me to watch for when it goes on sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I was there the other day and couldn't get them to tell me what would be on sale. A friend of mine is getting that saw for Christmas so, his wife has asked me to watch for when it goes on sale. Oh ok. If you see it go on sale before me feel free to give a shout out .. I will do the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdolcourt Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Eric (and of course anyone else) any thoughts on the Rikon 10-325 on sale at woodcraft vs the laguna 14-12 or the Steel City 12 inch model 50114? Clearly the laguna is a higher quality, but is the additional 3-500 (mobility kit, taxes) worth the difference for a first time bandsaw owner? Height for me is a big issue, being 4'8. I have a contractor saw which came with stand and the two came up mid - chest. I've replaced that stand. But with a bandsaw it seems that comfort is more the issue with height than safety, since kickback shouldn't be an issue and in my case, sight line may be better than taller people? I was thinking about the resaw capacity and it seems to me that the extra height is useful in many situations. For instance I bought some 8/4 white oak which was 6.5 and and on one piece 7 inches wide for a project. That project is done and I have a good 5 board feet left over. To resaw that means ripping or jointing the board to meet the height requirement. So even if I don't ever get to 12 inch boards, the 6 inch limit means even more careful board selection and planning. Do you all find you use that extra height often enough to justify the extra capacity, or is it a feature that seems useful but isn't? Thanks for the insights you can offer. Cameron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdolcourt Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 My apologies for passing up several responses. I started writing, got distracted and didn't see the followups. So didn't mean to disregard the subsequent posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I've never used a Rikon or Steel City tool, so I'm not qualified to give an opinion on them. But I can say that I've never been impressed with the fit and finish whenever I see them in the stores. That means very little, but it's all I have to offer. Just like everything else, some people like them, some people don't. I personally feel like there are better options out there both in the quality and affordability departments. Perhaps you could build some kind of platform and set it next to the saw to help with the height issues. I personally like the bandsaw a little higher up, especially when I'm cutting curves. I like getting my face as close as (safely) possible so I can make accurate cuts to the lines. I think a lift of six or eight inches will get you within a comfortable proximity to the table. Resaw capacity...same as always...the more tool you can afford, the happier you're gonna be. Generally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwacker Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Platforms work real well. My grandson has spent a bunch of time in the shop. I don't know how tall he is but about shoulder high to me and I'm 5, 10. He uses the full sized cabinet saw, jointer and shaper with a platform. The bandsaw he doesn't need one IIRC the table is 34 or 35" high. The key is to make them deep so that you don't fall off backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firehawk Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Just a FYI. I believe Woodcraft has Jet and Powermatic 15% off for Black Friday 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have the Rikon 10-325. My thoughts on it. I've owned it for a year now, and overall I'm happy with it. It's powerful enough that I can resaw cherry and walnut with no issue. I have resawed 10" cherry to 1/4" pieces for guitar back wood. Initial setup was somewhat long, took about 5 hours to get everything setup and built. I did this alone and the machine is something like 300 pounds so most of that time was struggling to move it. Fit and Finish = 7/10, everything goes together with no issue. There are some pieces I feel like they just gave up on. The blade guard under the table is plastic and a tooth caught it and it got split apart. Laguna 1412 did it right with a little slide up piece. This however is no big deal as I don't hang out under the saw and push things under the table (You can make something for a couple of bucks to fix this. The blade guides are also a bit engineered oddly, but they work well enough. Power = 9/10 for a 110 saw, 1.75 is the highest you can really get out of a motor. At 1.5HP I haven't had issues cutting anything. (Blade selection is important here) Fence 7.5/10 = It's decent, there's a hi/low option, and the mounting system makes it easy to take on and off quickly and you can make taller fence for resawing if you want. Table 9/10 = It's large enough for a 14" saw and it's flat. Dust collection 6.5/10 = There is a 4" port, however there is a metal plate that covers over 3/4 of the port, there is a reason for this but it's dumb.... The port is covered about 1" from the outer wall of the cabinet to keep people from putting there hand through the dust port so you don't hit the wheel or blade, I guess for child safety or something. This can be solved by drilling holes through that little metal plate, or cutting it out completely. There is a tire brush to help get any dust and pitch of the tires before they complete each spin and contact the blade again. There is very little build up in the bottom section after a lot of cutting. Bandsaws are also notorious for getting lots of dust on the table from my experience. Without cutting the plate it still gets 95% of the dust out of the saw. The table being the bit part Some notable features - Cast iron wheels, 2 speed which is easy to change, blade tension release lever for easy changes and for when you're not using the saw to keep tension off the blade, 13" resaw capacity. Things I like about the saw - Blade changes are quick and easy, there is a tool holder to hold the allen wrenches to adjust things right on the side of the unit, the price I think is the best bang for the buck in this size machine, cast iron wheels and 1.5 HP which allows for smooth and faster cutting. Things I dislike about the saw, the light is in a dumb spot and requires a second outlet to plug in (1 plug for saw power, 1 for the light), the blade guard at the bottom is cheap, dust collection is decent but not perfect. Would I buy it again? If I was in the market for a sub $1000 bandsaw, Absolutely! When I bought it the Laguna 1412 wasn't available yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdolcourt Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 Thanks for the thoughts. I hate buying in a rush because it's on sale, such as the Rikon at woodcraft. Sounds like there are a variety of options at several times of the year. Interesting that the woodcraft Rikon sale ends 11/26, just before black Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 This was cut from a block of spalted maple on my Rikon 10-325 after i finished setting it up. This was with the stock blade after setting the saw up per the Alex Snodgrass bandsaw setup video. It's approximately the thickness of 4 pieces of printer paper. As you can see in the pictures, it's translucent in later spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdolcourt Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 One day I'll learn to review everything before hitting send. I appreciate your thorough review of your Rikon. That definitely gives some great food for thought in comparing things. As for a platform, I've thought about that for use with my workbench as well for use with the "neanderthal" tools. Guess step one is by a bandsaw, two is find a good height and three is build an adaptation. Seems how I do many things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have the Grizz G0555X with the riser kit. It comes with the aluminum re-saw fence. That coupled w/ the Woodslicer blade from Highland WW is all I could ask for. I get super smooth and consistent re-saw cuts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 I have the Grizz G0555X with the riser kit. It comes with the aluminum re-saw fence. That coupled w/ the Woodslicer blade from Highland WW is all I could ask for. I get super smooth and consistent re-saw cuts. I don't have the riser on mine but, I'm with you Coop! I really like by 0555! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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