Help with JET Bandsaw. The good kind of help.

[John Hain]

OK, here's an opportunity for all of you do to something we all LOVE to do......

Tell me I should buy this bandsaw.

http://omaha.craigslist.org/tls/545813817.html

I've been wanting a MM16, but I don't think that's going to happen for awhile. So this thing popped up on the list and brought a smile to my face. I haven't seen it yet......maybe tomorrow if I can.

Talk me out of this, or not.

[Bob Hampton]

Run! to your ph very fast and buy buy buy! ..lol
Seriouly ...a very good deal for all thats there ..i have the same one ..paid $500 for it 3 yrs ago ..another $100 for the riser..another $100 for the fence..so ya id say a good deal ...motor is 120/240 switchable..does do better on the 240volt..quicker start up and runs smoother...
I have cut 11" blanks for bowels no prob...havent done much on the resaw end but what i have done hasn't been a problem at all

Bob

[Doug Shepard]

The 6 - 93 1/2” blades are sort of useless unless you plan on taking the riser block back off. Other than that it's a pretty fair price. I had it's older blue predecessor for quite a while. Not the best saw for resawing, but a decent 14" bandsaw. Go for it, before somebody else does.

[John Hain]

bump.

Would appreciate any other opinions. Thanks.

[Mike Cutler]

Okay.

I'm going to try to talk you out of that saw.

I own that saw. It cost $600.00 new. I added a riser kit to it $129, Carter guides $150. Rebuilt the tension mechanism, added a Cobra Coil tension spring. Put link belts on it. Had to modify the lower enclosure and build a table to accept a form of dust collection. As is it has virtually non existent DC capabilities. That tension knob on the saw, with the riser kit installed, is fairly high off the ground. I'm 6'3" so it wasn't a problem for me to reach it, but someone shorter may have issues reaching it. You will want to put a quick release tension mechanism on it. Tensioning with that knob gets old quick.
I've taken it completely apart and aligned it from the ground up. I've tried virtually every type of resaw blade made for it, and mine is just not capable of resawing consistently.
It will cut thin veneers very well, but if you want to bookmatch 8/4 material, of any length, it will be an exercise in frustration.
For small curvy work, it's a great machine. An 1/8"-1/4" blade on that saw is capable of some extremely fine work. I have a 1/4" blade on mine most of the time.

For resawing work though, It's just not powerful enough, or heavy enough. If you think you want to resaw. Wait on the MM16.

I still have my Jet, but I bought an 18" Rikon for resawing.