So I'm looking at a bandsaw upgrade.

[collinb]

Leaving that old Delta BS100 starter for something both well-constructed and precise.  So far the base unit is either the Rikon 10-305 vs Craftsman 21400.  These units have a cast iron working surface and can support a fence, as well an adequate(-for-me) resaw height of 4.625".  It also appears that these two units have gone up significantly in price over the last couple of years.

From all that I can gather they're identical, at least in design and maybe construction.  Am planning to get a hands-on look at them this weekend to compare things like bearings and structural material. But so far the only diff I can find is the 1-year warranty at Sears vs the 5-year from Rikon.  Given the $60 price difference that seems to be the diff.

Alas, I missed the $180 sale last week on the Sears.

Are there other units *in this class* that should be considered?

[Jfitz]

I have not paid much attention to the 10" class of bandsaws - although I own the Ryobi 10" saw from Home Depot.  I wish I knew more, so that I wouldn't have bought it  but that's a topic for another thread.

Looks like the Rikon and Craftsman are identical except for color and warranty.  Worth the 60?  that's up to you.  5 years is a pretty good warranty - as long as it covers 'real' issues.  One review I found indicated the Rikon had less power than the Craftsman - although if they're the same, I'm not sure how that could be.   I'd suggest strongly looking at the table truntion to see if you like how it's adjusted and aligned; the blade guides to see how easily they adjust; the wheels to make sure they seem well aligned and balanced (not sure if they have aluminum or cast iron wheels); and finally the motor, to make sure you're comparing apples and apples.

 

As for other units "in this class", Skil makes a 9" saw, and Jet makes a 10" saw.

 

(curious - is this price point, or being benchtop,  a must?  no interest in going to a free standing 14" saw?)

[collinb]

2 minutes ago, Jfitz said:

I have not paid much attention to the 10" class of bandsaws - although I own the Ryobi 10" saw from Home Depot.  I wish I knew more, so that I wouldn't have bought it  but that's a topic for another thread.

Looks like the Rikon and Craftsman are identical except for color and warranty.  Worth the 60?  that's up to you.  5 years is a pretty good warranty - as long as it covers 'real' issues.  One review I found indicated the Rikon had less power than the Craftsman - although if they're the same, I'm not sure how that could be.   I'd suggest strongly looking at the table truntion to see if you like how it's adjusted and aligned; the blade guides to see how easily they adjust; the wheels to make sure they seem well aligned and balanced (not sure if they have aluminum or cast iron wheels); and finally the motor, to make sure you're comparing apples and apples.

 

As for other units "in this class", Skil makes a 9" saw, and Jet makes a 10" saw.

 

(curious - is this price point, or being benchtop,  a must?  no interest in going to a free standing 14" saw?)

Benchtop is the must for my garage shop.  Not enough floor for the things I roll around. Some stays on top for its. After that comes price point.  But given that a taller saw wouldn't work well being on a bench it seems (to me) that this 10" style will be most suitable.

The Wen 3962 has caught my eye as well.  Again similar construction but needs a direct examination.  And is has a 6" resaw capacity.

The Jet looks to be much better unit, but significantly more expensive.  I'll have to consider whether or not it's worth the extra time to saveup  for.

[CandorLush]

What about getting a 14" like the G0555? The motor is attached to the saw, not the base so I would think you would be able to ditch the base and the table would be like 15" off of the surface it was mounted on, maybe?

[collinb]

4 hours ago, CandorLush said:

What about getting a 14" like the G0555? The motor is attached to the saw, not the base so I would think you would be able to ditch the base and the table would be like 15" off of the surface it was mounted on, maybe?

Only the price. Unless I could find a used one and adjust my workbench to be lower. :-(

[davewyo]

I have an older version of the Craftsman saw. It's alright for what it is. Getting the guides and bearings set is a little tricky because there is slop in the fitting. It's one of those things where you set it just right and it moves when you tighten the set screw. It's not a show stopper, you just have to see which way it's deflecting and then readjust until you get it where you want.

It was my primary band saw until I got a 14". I even did some re-sawing of narrow strips. If you use a 3 tpi blade and go very slow the motor has the power to re-saw 4" wide White Oak.

Now that I have a 14" saw for re-sawing I keep a narrow blade(1/8") with a higher tooth count for cutting curves in 3/4" stock. In  most cases it allows me to keep the re-saw blade on the larger saw.

Recently I broke the block which holds the lower guides and bearing by over tightening. It's cast iron and fairly fragile. I got the part from SearsPartsDirect and it's back up and running.

The blade guides are little stainless steel cylinders(pins) rather than a block, so you can't replace them with something like Cool Blocks.

[collinb]

Found this locally.

http://columbus.craigslist.org/tls/5871753554.html

Same as the WEN 3962. A bit taller that I'd like, but clearly better. Easier to connect for dust, 6" cut height, etc.

Going to see it Sat.

[Don Z.]

If you're looking for a 10" bandsaw, I would look for a (used) Inca 340.