Help with Bandsaw decision

[David Orr]

Hello Friends,

I am in need of some advice - I am a new hobby woodworker, I don't make any money off it. I would like to buy a bandsaw with the intention of doing some very light resawing for small boxes and such as well as curved cuts on crafts. I have been dreaming of a new Jet 14SFX, but since this is just a hobby and I only do a very small amount of re-sawing that is probably more than I need and more than I want to spend. Also my shop is very small so space is at a premium and the machine must be on a mobile base. I have been watching the used market but I live in a rural area so unless I get really lucky any used machine is going to be a 6 hour drive round trip and $100 in gas, and I have been burned a couple times with driving to get something that is in poor shape. With that said, I had decided on a grizzly g0555lx (my brother lives in MO and could pick it up from the retail store for me, he is visiting next month to deliver so I would save the shipping). However just today a Craftsman 22401 popped up used at a woodworking store for $500 (According to the internet this is a rebranded Rikon 10-321?). That seems high for a used machine, but the picture looks to be near new condition and since its a reputable woodworking store they will have checked it out and made sure its working. It also comes with a mobile base already. So would you pick the Craftsman 22401 or stick with the plan of getting a g0555lx - or is there something else in this price range I should be considering?

Thanks for your help.

[Jeffrey Hood]

My 2 cents... I had a Grizzly like you are looking at... 14" - 1hp... it kinda sorta worked for resawing, but was frustrating to use, only could resaw with a 3/8" blade half decently, and was underpowered... I upgraded a half year ago or so to a Laguna 14BX 2.5hp, and it is simply another world of difference between them for resawing... the Craftsman looks like a 1hp 10" saw, and that will surely be frustrating with any resawing...

If the Jet is within your budget at all, I would go towards that one, since it is a 1.5hp model and the frame design is similar to the Laguna and from my experience, it makes a big difference... It would probably handle most anything that you throw at it... that being said, the Grizzly would probably be a better bet if you don't want to wait and go to the next level... but being able to run a 3/4" resaw blade makes a world of difference, and I never had success with that with my Grizzly...

JH

[David Orr]

Thanks Jeffrey. The Craftsman is a 14" 1hp saw - but it has a steel frame and 8" resaw capacity. But you may be right, just keeping the money for now and saving for the bigger Jet or Laguna is the better idea. Any other opinions?

My 2 cents... I had a Grizzly like you are looking at... 14" - 1hp... it kinda sorta worked for resawing, but was frustrating to use, only could resaw with a 3/8" blade half decently, and was underpowered... I upgraded a half year ago or so to a Laguna 14BX 2.5hp, and it is simply another world of difference between them for resawing... the Craftsman looks like a 1hp 10" saw, and that will surely be frustrating with any resawing...

If the Jet is within your budget at all, I would go towards that one, since it is a 1.5hp model and the frame design is similar to the Laguna and from my experience, it makes a big difference... It would probably handle most anything that you throw at it... that being said, the Grizzly would probably be a better bet if you don't want to wait and go to the next level... but being able to run a 3/4" resaw blade makes a world of difference, and I never had success with that with my Grizzly...

JH

[Richard Link]

For a small shop and small budget with the intention of doing some resawing as the primary purpose of the saw, I would definitely wait until you can swing for a well built (maybe not fancy) 14" bandsaw. I've had 10", 12", 14", 18" and now a 24" saw. You really don't want to try to resaw on most underpowered 10" saws. A 14" bandsaw (maybe a rikon or a grizzly) isn't a huge item and can be mobilized easily on a rolling base. A bandsaw is so crazy versatile for so many woodworking tasks that it is almost always worth its size. But you have to start with something solid, rigid and large enough to do all the tasks you can ask of it. That can be an old saw or a new one but probably not a tiny one.

[lowell holmes]

Go to Lowes and Home Depot to shop. You will find something.

[Malcolm McLeod]

If you find one that's interesting on the used shopping sites, but too far afield to risk a wasted trip, perhaps a local Creeker could go inspect it for you ... perhaps even negotiate on your behalf? If they are truly woodly royalty - and have a truck, they could haul it to their shop - pending your arrival to p/u. This might get you into a better range of re-saw capable machines???

Some trust issues to work thru here, but options abound - as do good people.

Check CL. There is a 14" Rikon 1.5hp (tall for re-sawing) in McKinney TX (not mine, I promise!). A little pricey IMHO, but looks brand new...??

[David Orr]

Thats a thought Malcolm, there have been a couple that have gotten away because I couldn't get there fast enough.

[Jeffrey Hood]

Pretty sure you wouldn't be unhappy with the bigger saw... I keep my 3/4" carbide resaw king blade on 75% of the time, since I use it for ripping all the time... I use handsaws most of the time, but ripping white oak or pretty much any hardwood just isn't my idea of fun... and the cut only takes a few passes with a plane to get glue up ready... horsepower is key... I decided on the 2.5hp laguna (240v) and haven't regretted the decision... it can blow through 12" white oak for veneers without breaking a sweat... The other thing that a larger saw gives you is the ability to properly tension a blade... critical for accurate resawing... I think that quite a few of the problems that people have with their bandsaws can be tracked to not having enough saw... I know that my G0555 had that issue when making thicker cuts... it worked ok for general work, but just didn't cut it for resawing... I tried all kinds of blades, thinking that was the problem, but nothing ever really worked... then I got the Laguna and was blown away by the difference...

[Jim Dwight]

I have the Jet 14SFX, I bought it roughly a year ago for $999. It was on sale. I had not used it a lot until my current project which is making myself 8 dining room chairs. I could not find 5/4 or 6/4 cherry nearby so I have used it to resaw 8/4 boards. I cut blocks a little longer than the piece I am making, joint and plane the block and then resaw, then clean up the cut surface on the planer. Width has been up to 8 3/4 wide. I did one with a 1/2 inch 3 or 4 hoked teeth per inch blade and the rest with a 3/4 blade with about the same tooth count. I was pleasantly surprised that the saw does not bog down even with the wider boards. I feed it fairly slow, however, which seems to be what the saw wants. Cut quality has improved as my technique has improved. The 3/4 blade definitely is cutting nicer than the 1/2 inch blade, however.

I used to have a smaller home made 12 inch bandsaw and make 8 of pretty much the same design chair with it. But it is a lot easier using the Jet. I could not have resawn like this on my old bandsaw and even the curve cutting of the parts is just easier with the bigger, sturdier, smoother saw.

If you can catch the Jet on sale is is not even much more expensive. Dust collection is also good. It's a nice saw.

[David Orr]

I have the Jet 14SFX, I bought it roughly a year ago for $999. It was on sale. I had not used it a lot until my current project which is making myself 8 dining room chairs. I could not find 5/4 or 6/4 cherry nearby so I have used it to resaw 8/4 boards. I cut blocks a little longer than the piece I am making, joint and plane the block and then resaw, then clean up the cut surface on the planer. Width has been up to 8 3/4 wide. I did one with a 1/2 inch 3 or 4 hoked teeth per inch blade and the rest with a 3/4 blade with about the same tooth count. I was pleasantly surprised that the saw does not bog down even with the wider boards. I feed it fairly slow, however, which seems to be what the saw wants. Cut quality has improved as my technique has improved. The 3/4 blade definitely is cutting nicer than the 1/2 inch blade, however.

I used to have a smaller home made 12 inch bandsaw and make 8 of pretty much the same design chair with it. But it is a lot easier using the Jet. I could not have resawn like this on my old bandsaw and even the curve cutting of the parts is just easier with the bigger, sturdier, smoother saw.

If you can catch the Jet on sale is is not even much more expensive. Dust collection is also good. It's a nice saw.

Thanks for the review Jim, and everyone for your comments. I was getting impatient because I have a project that would be much easier with a saw right now, but I think I will just save up for one of the bigger saws and find a way to do this without for now.

[Rob Luter]

I thought long and hard about a bandsaw prior to buying. I'm a hobbyist too, but still wanted decent capabilities in a saw. I snagged a Rikon 10-326 (14") in the summer of 2019. I've never regretted it. It's a little more saw than I really need but that's better than a little less saw than I need, and it didn't cost that much more. With a good blade it resaws very well. I've resawn 8" Oak and it slices right through. The only gripe is that the fence is pretty fussy when you try and square it up.