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Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 3:07 pm
by Kevin in California
These bandsaws show up on craigs list all the time. I see now why?
Woodcraft has a 14" Steel City saw for under $500 right now and I think the shipping is free, but it not the tall resaw size saw, it is the 6" capacity saw.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 3:34 pm
by Dave Bagwill
Kevin, where did you see the free shipping notification? That's a big savings all on its own. I notice that the 12" resaw capacity model is around $600 or a bit more.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 4:41 pm
by Kevin in California
I have the bigger version without the steel base, what they are calling a hybrid, and it is a pretty good saw.
I'll look and see if I can find it again, it was a few days ago.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 4:47 pm
by Kevin in California
Sorry Dave, I must have been imagining the free shipping.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 4:59 pm
by Dave Bagwill
There was a lot of free shipping going around for a while before Christmas. I've been tempted a few times with that Rikon with the large re-saw cabability, at $799 - but never free shipping, dang it.
Then again since I do 'double' back and sides at 2 x .045" I don't really need more than 5" re-saw. But it would be nice to have.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 7:16 pm
by Kevin in California
I've resawn so far with this machine a billet of Sapele, a billet of redwood, and a bunch of walnut and cherry for a friend. It has ripped a lot of maple for binding, and cuts through MDF like it was butter.....nice to have the ability to do it.
Re: Oh man, did he have to use MY bandsaw for this??
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2015 11:30 am
by John Link
I have an old Craftsman Contractor band saw. It has features you don't always see today - cast iron throat and table, 1 1/2 horsepower motor, for instance. And it cuts quite OK. But last night I ordered the Carter guide upgrade for it, after comparing their parts to simple ceramic replacements (which were much less expensive). The Carter design difference is rotating the rear thrust bearing 90 degrees so that it works better with the back of the saw blade. I selected the Carter upgrade, despite its cost ($179), because of the demos I watched RE: resawing. I also read a couple of reviews where the only complaints were about the cost, the fact they don't include allen wrenches in their kits, and the black and white photos in the instructions.
IT APPEARS THEIR UPGRADE WILL ELIMINATE DRIFT. None of the reviewers challenged this assertion. If it does this, I will not consider the cost excessive. In one demo, an obviously expert operator skewed the fence by a quarter inch off plumb and seriously reduced the tension on the blade, and still cut off a perfect 1/16th inch thick piece of veneer from a hardwood block. (He was using a Powermatic saw, no slouch of a tool.)
Carter is an interesting company, located near where I live. They don't make bandsaws, but are devoted to upgrading those made by others. They stock parts for many models and say they will make custom parts if one of their stock kits does not fit.
A review:
http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/crtrlrguidrvu.html