Small Bandsaw Usability Feedback

[TK Donovan]

Hello,

I'm looking for some feedback from any small (14" Delta style) bandsaw owners. I'd like to hear your concerns / problems about your day-to-day use of the machine you own.

Some issues I've seen with these saws include: not maintaining guide alignment when changing guide height, various blade tracking issues, inability to tension properly, etc.

I'm thinking of buying a 14" bandsaw for general purpose work - I already have one for resawing so I'd be using a 3/8" blade or less only. The real point of my question is to find out how accurately your specific saw can be setup and how well it maintains that setup. (I know there was another thread like this one - but I couldn't find it.)

This is my first post to this forum - so thanks in advance.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

TK,

I only have an 18inch resaw master and a 9 inch table top bandsaw. I can't help you with the 14" models.

However, I would like to welcome you to Saw mill creek! You have joined a great forum! New members like you keep it going strong. I look forward to your furture posts!

[John Miliunas]

TK, I used to have a Jet 14" BS, with the enclosed cabinet. I upgraded it with the riser block, improved roller guides and a crank for the tensioning rod. I sold it when I bought my Laguna 16HD. Not necessarily the wisest move I've done!:o In other words, I miss it. It's very handy for doing smaller work, such as you intend to do. There is some tendency in having to re-track it when heights are changed, but typically, very minimal. Use a decent blade (Timberwolf, for instance) and you'll be OK. I was able to tension it enough for most everything I used for, though its main uses were for roughing out bowl blanks and some bandsaw boxes. It did just fine for those tasks and I have heard of many folks using such saws for smaller resawing. (The riser kit, in my instance, was primarily for the bowl blank cutting.) Some say that the lower guide setup on the Delta's is nicer, as it's closer to the table. I did not have issue with my Jet, but to each his own. One of the major drawbacks with most of the 14"-ers is dust collection. Like others have done, I punched a 4" hole in the lower wheel cover and attached a 4" dust port going to the rest of my DC system. Awesome improvement!:) In the end, the Jet and Delta's out there are pretty well proven out, though there's also Grizzly and now I hear the Rikon may be another to be reckoned with. Good luck in your search!:) :cool:

[Jim Becker]

I'll echo John's comments pretty closely...prior to buying my MM16, I owned and used a Jet 14" BS with the riser, et al. Nice machine, although not a good performer for resaw due to power, etc. But for scrolling and other "bendy" cuts...great machine. I would have kept it for that purpose if I had the room, frankly.

[Ray Dockrey]

I have the Grizzly G0555 14" and I love it. I have the riser kit on mine. I have been toying with getting a bigger bandsaw, but I wil definately keep my Grizz.

[Alan Turner]

I have a resaw BS, and a PM 141, and the 141 gets a lot of scrolling milage.

[Jules Dominguez]

My comments may not be pertinent to your quest, as my 14" Delta is about 25 years old, but for what it's worth..... It still has the open stand that came with it at the time I bought it, and I haven't upgraded anything on it, other than that I now use Timberwolf blades. I don't do any heavy resawing with it, but don't have much occasion to resaw anyway since I have a large stock of 5/4 lumber to work with.
I wish it had a larger worktable and less vibration, but I've never had tracking or blade tensioning problems with it.
I changed the blades from 1/2" to 1/8" to 1/4" this week without having to touch the tracking adjustment. The blade and the guides stay where I set them when I change a blade, except when I'm foolish enough to back a workpiece off of the blade before it's stopped. The blade tension gage puts you in the ballpark for tensioning.
I haven't looked at any of the new machines, so don't know what changes Delta may have made over the years.

[Mark Singer]

I have a 20" Agazanni and a 14" Jet ...the jet is great and they compliment each other.