Band Saw Blowout S C Band Saw Blowout CHOI

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RKBEN WO C H April 2002 ®

W A R D Y IT E O L D F Q UA I TO R’ E Band Saw Blowout S C Band Saw Blowout CHOI

and saws rank high on many ting, cutting circles and even intricate choosing which band saw isn’t nearly as woodworkers’ wish lists. And scroll patterns, there is no other wood- easy as deciding that you need one.That’s Bwith good reason. From resawing working machine that can match the because there’s such a wide range of band to cutting curves, ripping to crosscut- versatility of a band saw. Unfortunately, saws to choose from.

WHERE TO START I’d suggest looking at 14" band saws.There’s just no question that a 14" band saw is the right size for most home woodworking shops.The com- bination of power, features and price that these saws offer make them an easy choice. So with that as our starting point, we gathered up six of the most popular 14" band saws on the market and put them to the test. What we wanted to know is what qualities made one band saw better than another.

HOW WE TESTED Because band saws are so varied, even within the 14" size range, we needed a variety of opinions to best evaluate these tools.So we rounded up five experienced woodworkers to grade the saws in 12 different categories. Before the saws were turned on, we graded them on things such as ease of assembly,the clarity of the owner’s manual, and their overall fit and finish. Then we pushed each saw to its limit, making curved cuts and resawing thick stock (see Test Cuts). As we made our cuts,comparing power and precision,we also paid close attention to some of the finer details that helped us rank the saws. Several of those are featured in Details That Make a Difference on pages 3 and 4.

TEST RESULTS For a complete list of the categories we graded and the average grade each saw received, turn to the Band Saw Report Card on page 8. In addition to the final rankings and the details that make a difference, we’ll also tell you our overall impressions of each saw,along with the important facts and figures about each. Finally,we’ll tell you which saws we’d choose for own shop and why. Six band saws compete for top honors. Which saws make the cut?

From Workbench Magazine page 1 © August Home Publishing Co. ANATOMY OF A BAND SAW

Blade Tension Knob BLADE TENSION DETAIL

Blade Tension Upper Wheel Knob Upper Wheel Cover (backside) Blade Wheel Bearing Guide Post Tension Gauge Blade Frame Guide Post Tracking Blade (cast-iron Adjustment Lock Nut Tracking shown) Knob Knob Upper Blade Blade Guard Guide Carriage Frame

Trunnion Blade Table

ON/OFF Switch BLADE GUIDE DETAIL Guide Post Table Tilt Lock Knob Lower Blade Guide Carriage Thrust Thrust Bearing Bearing Motor Adjustment Dust Collection Knob Port Thrust Lower Wheel Bearing Lock Knob

Guide Block Carriage Guide Guide Block Adjustment Block Knob Lock Guide Block Screw Carriage Lock knob TEST CUTS Band saws are largely measured by their ability to cut clean, accu- rate curves and to resaw thick boards into thinner pieces with power and accuracy. To compare the curve-cutting abilities of the saws in this test, we cut elaborate patterns out of 3 /4" -thick red oak using identical 1 /4" carbon-steel blades (Fig.1). For our resawing evaluation, we 1 1 2 mounted a /2" carbon-steel blade on each machine. Then we CUTTING CURVES RESAW CAPACITY resawed 2"-thick oak boards at { Effective guides, a clear sight line, { Resawing requires a the maximum capacity of each and little or no vibration are essential well-tensioned blade, good guides, saw (Fig. 2). to making crisp, curved cuts. and plenty of power.

From Workbench Magazine page 2 © August Home Publishing Co. Details That Make A Difference

BLADE GUIDE SYSTEMS All band saws have blade guides at the top of Photo C or in the Blade which will limit the effectiveness of above and below the table. The Guide Detail on page 2. your saw. guides support the blade and limit In our test, we found that all of Our favorite guides were the side-to-side and backward move- the guides on the saws we looked at ones that required few or no tools ment of the blade during cuts. were able to support the blade to change the setup. Guide To keep the blade from moving through a variety of cuts.What dif- The guides shown in Photo B are Post side-to-side, there are two support ferentiated these guides from one the best example of easy setup.And members in each guide. These are saw to the next was how difficult it this same guide system has another Tension either block type guides (Photo B),or was to set them up and then keep feature we really like. The guide Bolts bearing guides (Photo C). them set up. block carriage and the thrust bearing Behind the blade is a thrust Remember, every time you are both positioned by turning a bearing.This bearing keeps the blade change a blade, you’ll need to adjust knurled knob (you can just see one from being pushed backward off the the guides. If that’s difficult to do, of the knobs at the right edge of wheel.The thrust bearing can be seen you’ll be less likely to change blades, Photo B).This makes positioning the guides much more precise than the type that slide back and forth by hand. Thumb Screws You’ll also want to take a look at Adjustment knob Thrust the guidepost on a band saw (Photo A). Bearing The post can be moved up and down to accommodate different widths or Knurled thicknesses of stock. Knob Guide Guide Bearings Because the upper guides are Block mounted on this post, it’s critical A B C that the post remain parallel to the blade as it moves. Otherwise, you’ll { General’s ten- { Thumbscrews on Ridgid’s guide { Adjusting the guides on the have to reset the guides each time sioned guidepost system make it completely tool-less. Powermatic proved to be a nuisance you change the height of the post. operates smoothly. A knurled knob positions the guides. because it requires wrenches.

WHEEL COVERS AND CABINET ACCESS Opening up the wheel guards or other cabinet compartments on your band saw isn’t something you’ll do everyday.But when you do need to get inside the machine for service, cleaning or blade changing, it should be as easy as possible. Wheel covers that are held closed with threaded knobs make get- D ting to the inside of the saw inconvenient (Photo D).The cam-style { Threaded knobs like those on the closures in Photo E,on the other hand,allow quick,easy access to the Powermatic make it inconvenient to wheels and still hold the doors closed securely. open the wheel covers. We also liked the large knobs and spring clips that were typical on the wheel covers of the saws we tested. < The cam- Among these saws, only the Jet has hinged lock knobs on doors on all of the compartments (Photo F). > The Jet the General Other saws require screwdrivers or nut drivers to makes it easy lock the covers to service the Snap-Out remove cabinet covers to get to the motor or Latch firmly, but still pulley compartments. entire saw by provide easy Jet also used a nifty snap-out latch on the hinging every E access. motor cabinet door for a professional touch. cabinet door. F

From Workbench Magazine page 3 © August Home Publishing Co. FRAME & WHEELS

The saws we tested have two types of frames:two-piece cast iron (Photo G) and welded-steel (Photo H). Quite honestly,we weren’t able to find any performance differences that we could directly relate to the Welded-Steel Frame frame type.There are, however, some important differences that you’ll want to consider when you select your band saw. The most important difference in the frame types is really resaw capacity. As a rule, welded-frame band saws have more resaw capacity right out of the box. Most two-piece cast-iron frames, however, have the option of adding a riser block that can as much as double the saw’s resaw capacity.Welded-frame saws cannot be expanded. Another important structural ele- ment of a band saw is its wheels. A nine-spoke wheel, such as the one in Photo G, is heavier than the six-spoke Cast-Iron wheel in Photo H. Frame The extra weight means the G H wheel will produce more centrifugal force, and thus more cutting force. { Cast-iron frames have less resaw capacity out { Welded frames start with greater resaw Heavier wheels also absorb more of the box, but can be expanded. The heavier capacity, but are not expandable. The lighter six- vibration. nine-spoke wheels help dampen vibration. spoke wheels absorb less vibration.

BLADE TENSION ADJUSTMENT < Ridgid’s large Quick-Release rubberized knobs Blade Tension Lever Band saw blades require a great deal of tension in order Blade make tuning the to resist flexing. If a blade tensioning knob is too small, Tension Blade saw painless. Knob Tracking poorly positioned, or uncomfortable to use, you may not Knob be able to apply the necessary force to tension the blade. > General’s Large rubberized knobs (Photo I) or the lever-style quick-release tensioner in Photo J ranked high among our testers. blade tensioner is I a pleasure to use. J

SIGHT LINES

If you can’t see the line, you can’t follow the line. It’s as simple as that. Some saws offered a clear view of the blade and cut line while still allowing the guides to come very close to the workpiece (Photo K). K L On other saws,the blade guard interfered with the line of sight (Photo L).This blade guard also held the guides { The Delta’s guidepost provides a { The Powermatic guidepost has a much further above from the workpiece, which makes clear sight line — even with the blade guard that greatly obstructs the blade more likely to flex. guides very close to the workpiece. the view of the blade and cut line.

From Workbench Magazine page 4 © August Home Publishing Co. JET JWBS-14CS The Jet impressed themselves are also locked RKBEN WO C us right out of the with thumbscrews. H At a Glance: ® box with its clear, The fit and finish of this

A W thorough assembly machine also earned high Price: $599 A R D Y IT instructions and marks. It has a flat, well-pol- Motor: 1 HP, 115V/10 Amp E O L D F Q UA I TO illustrations. ished table that tilts smoothly. or 230V/5 Amp R’ E S CHOIC Once it was put And every adjustment on this Resaw Capacity: 6" 1 together, the Jet’s per- saw is made with large com- Rip Capacity: 13 /2" 1 3 formance was second to fortable knobs. It was also the Blade Range: /8" - /4" none. It powered through only cabinet that didn’t Blade Speed: 3,000 SFPM every cut with ease.And even require tools to get to at least Weight: 185 lbs. during the most aggressive some part of the machine. Dim: 19"D x 26"W x 68"H cuts, it was one of the qui- Everything about the Jet band Warranty: 2 years etest, smoothest-running saw shows incredible atten- Virtues: Powerful, quiet-running machines we tested. tion to detail. motor; Tool-less blade guide The Jet also has one of the Amazingly,this is also one adjustments; Superior quality cab- best blade guide systems of of the most affordable saws of inet; Large, comfortable adjust- the bunch. It’s completely the group. Hard to believe ment knobs; Large table; Great tool-less, and fine tuning the they could deliver this kind price. guides is incredibly easy. of quality for under $600, but Vices: Lightweight The guide block carriages they did it. Verdict: This is a superior-quality and thrust bearings are So,if you’re looking for high band saw from top-to-bottom at an unbeatable price. adjusted with knurled knobs performance at a moderate and then locked with thumb- cost, this is your saw. Jet . . . 800-274-6848 screws. The guide blocks www.JetTools.com

DELTA 28-280 Delta has long The blade guide system, RKBE O NC made some of the while requiring an Allen W H ® best 14" band saws wrench to loosen the blocks, At a Glance:

A W on the market.This also impressed us. In terms of Price: $799 A R D Y IT tool continues positioning the guide block Motor: 1 HP, 115V/9.6 Amp E O L D F Q UA IT Delta’s fine tradi- carriages and the thrust bear- or 230V/4.8 Amp OR ’S CHOICE 1 tion, though it does ings, the large, knurled knobs Resaw Capacity: 6 /4" 3 come at a price. on the Delta were the easiest Rip Capacity: 13 /4" 1 3 This saw met or to reach and use. Blade Range: /8" - /4" exceeded every one of our Where this saw lost a few Blade Speed: 3,000 SFPM expectations in terms of per- points was with things like a Weight: 224 lbs. formance. And overall, many thumbscrew to adjust the upper Dim: 18"D x 25"W x 66"H of the testers felt it was the wheel tracking — it’s under- Warranty: 2 years best-built saw of the group. sized and uncomfortable to use. Virtues: Heavy-duty construction; The table had the nicest We all preferred the large plastic Excellent guide adjustment; Best grind and polish among this knobs common on the other overall fit & finish. group of saws.And the heavy, machines. Vices: Mild vibration; Tools are nine-spoke wheels — which The dust port on this tool required to adjust guide blocks and help dampen vibration and was also an issue; it just always to access the cabinet. increase cutting power — was seemed to be in the way. Verdict: This is an outstanding another feature we all liked.As But even with a few saw that has long set the standard was the resilient-mount motor, quirks, you’d never regret for what band saws should be. which also minimizes vibra- buying this first-class, solidly- Worth the higher price. tion and is further evidence of built band saw — no matter Delta . . . 800-438-2486 solid construction. what the price. www.DeltaWoodworking.com

From Workbench Magazine page 5 © August Home Publishing Co. GENERAL INTERNATIONAL 90-100 The General band saw has are secured with cam-lock At a Glance: several unique and worth- knobs that make opening up while features that earned it the machine a snap. Price: $650 third-place in our test. The solid cabinet con- Motor: 1 HP, 115v/11amp First, it has two speed set- struction was another plus. or 230v/5.5amp tings.The slower speed is for Finally,a smooth operating Resaw Capacity: 7" dense hardwoods.The faster guidepost,which is tensioned 3 Rip Capacity: 13 /4" speed is well-suited to softer to keep it from slamming 1 3 Blade Range /8" - /4" material. This is a nice fea- down on the table, also won Blade Speed: 2,300/3,250 SFPM ture that will appeal to many high praise. Weight: 210 lbs. woodworkers. Unfortunately, the guide- Dim: 25"D x 16"W x 67"H Another feature we liked post didn’t move exactly par- Warranty: 2 years was the blade tensioning allel to the blade. Virtues: Two speeds; Powerful; lever. The lever flips up to Another place the General Quiet & smooth running; Large instantly release the tension suffered was in its crude guide resaw capacity; Quick-release ten- for blade changes or when system. An Allen wrench is sion lever; Easy cabinet access. the saw is not in use. Oddly needed for most adjustments, Vices: Crude guide adjustments; enough, this band saw did not and the lower guides are dif- No tension gauge; Guidepost did have a tension gauge on it. ficult to reach. not stay parallel; Which puts an unfortunate Overall,the saw performed Verdict: A good saw with some black eye on an otherwise well, had some great features, disappointing flaws. well thought-out tensioning and a reasonable price.With a system. few refinements,it could def- General Intl. . . . 514-326-1161 On a positive note, the initely contend for a higher www.General.ca cabinet doors of this band saw spot.

CRAFTSMAN PROFESSIONAL The Craftsman delivered per- one point. BENCH formance that we all felt was well That also RK ® At a Glance: O beyond its reasonable price. speaks poorly W

Y Price: $499 T Despite being powered by what of the exces- I A L 1 W A Motor: 1 /2 HP*, 3 A U is essentially a /4 horsepower sive vibration RD OF Q 1 120V/10 Amp motor (Craftsman claims 1 /2 we experi- UE TOP VAL Resaw Capacity: 6" “maximum developed” horse- enced whenE 5 Rip Capacity: 13 /8" power, which is a bit deceiving making heavy cuts. 1 1 Blade Range: /8" - /2" when rating induction motors), Having to remove the Blade Speed: 2,700 SFPM this saw handled even our most blade guard to change Weight: 194 lbs. demanding cuts. It stalled only blades and the noisy Dim: 33"D x 21"W x 64"H when our feed rates outpaced our operation of the saw Warranty: 1 year good sense. were our other big Virtues: Solidly built; Nice guide Additionally,the Craftsman has complaints. adjustment; Heavy castings; a blade guide adjustment system Overall, the Sturdy open base; Great price. very similar to the much higher- Craftsman is not a Vices: Loud; Poor belt guard priced machines. particularly fancy design; Table adjustment knobs are The overall construction of the saw,but certainly too close to the table. machine also impressed us. The an effective one. Verdict: Not a fancy saw but per- castings were sturdy,and the large Based on that, formed very well. Top Value at table was nicely polished. and a price tag under $500. What cost the Craftsman a under $500, Craftsman . . . 800-549-4505 www.Craftsman.com higher ranking were things such as we awarded it 1 *Craftsman claims 1 /2 maximum-developed HP which a poorly designed guard for its drive Top Value honors. means the motor only reaches this output under extreme loads. belt, which actually shook off at

From Workbench Magazine page 6 © August Home Publishing Co. POWERMATIC 044 The Powermatic is best described Unfortunately, this saw was as equal parts good, and equal plagued by a few too many prob- At a Glance: parts bad. lems to be ranked any higher in On the good side, this saw was the test. Price: $669 far-and-away the quietest, For instance, the blade guide Motor: 1 HP, 115V/7 Amp smoothest-running saw we used. system was absolutely maddening or 230V/3.5 Amp That’s a huge advantage when to adjust.And the knobs for blade Resaw Capacity: 9" you’re cutting intricate tensioning and tracking were Rip Capacity: 14" 1 3 curves. almost painful to use. Also, Blade Range: /4" - /4" In fact, this saw ran so threaded lock knobs made getting Blade Speed: 3,000 SFPM smoothly that the minimal vibra- into the cabinet inconvenient. Weight: 212 lbs. tion in some of the other saws in And finally, the guidepost Dim: 27"D x 23"W x 71"H the test seemed downright intruded into the sight line so Warranty: 1 year annoying by comparison. badly that it made us all feel cross- Virtues: Smoothest-running Also in the Powermatic’s eyed (see Details That Make A motor; Large resaw capacity; Large favor was its enormous Difference, page 3). table; Strong tension spring. resaw capacity — nearly Just the same, this saw has a Vices: Difficult assembly; Poor 2" more than the next lot of potential. manual; Threaded knobs are incon- largest saw. If you want a powerful venient; Tensioning knob is uncom- The tension spring machine that’s solidly built,this is fortable; Guides are hard to adjust. Verdict: Some really good things in this saw was easily a good choice.And if you can jus- here, but overall, it’s hard to recom- the strongest. That tify the cost of an after-market mend this saw at this price. gives the saw greater guide system and friendlier knobs, ability to tension this saw could be as good as any Powermatic . . . 800-274-6848 www.Powermatic.com wide blades. we tested.

RIGID BS-1400 Except for a smaller motor and During the resaw testing, an open stand, the Ridgid is the Ridgid stalled easier than At a Glance: almost a clone of the Jet. we would have liked. Most notably, the Ridgid The saw also had an exces- Price: $499 3 boasts a nearly identical guide sive amount of vibration.That Motor: /4 HP, 120V system to the Jet. Interestingly may be due to its open stand, 10 Amp enough, Ridgid went which seemed too lightweight Resaw Capacity: 6" 5 one step further and to supporting a tool of this Rip Capacity: 13 /8" 1 3 rubberized all the size. Blade Range: /8" - /4" thumbscrews. In fact, Those things alone were Blade Speed: 2,800 SFPM every knob on this saw is rub- enough to knock the Ridgid Weight: 178 lbs. berized and extremely com- into the bottom spot. Dim: 32"D x 17"W x 68"H fortable to manipulate.These And yet, despite its poor Warranty: Lifetime are small touches, but good placement in this test,everyone Virtues: Guides are tool-less and ones. agreed that the saw would easy to adjust; All knobs and Another plus for Ridgid work well for occasional,light- thumbscrews are large and rubber- is a lifetime warranty com- duty use. ized; Good fit and finish; Great pared to the one- or two- We can’t recommend the price; Lifetime warranty. year warranties on all the Ridgid for resawing.But, with Vices: Heavy vibration; Excessive other saws in this test. the money you save on the noise; Lightweight stand; Underpowered for heavy resawing. Unfortunately, some price of this saw, you could Verdict: At this price, it’s a rea- members of our team buy plenty of high-quality sonable saw for light-duty use. 3 found the /4 hp motor blades that would maximize to be inadequate for the saw’s performance in all Ridgid . . . 800-474-3443 www.RidgidWoodworking.com aggressive cutting. other situations.

From Workbench Magazine page 7 © August Home Publishing Co. BAND SAW REPORT CARD Jet Delta General Craftsman Powermatic Ridgid Assembly/Set Up B+ B+ B C- B C Owner's Manual C+ C+ C C+ F C Fit & Finish B+ A- B B B B+ Table Tilt A- A- B B+ B- B+ Dust Port B C+ B C+ C- C+ Blade Guides A B+ C C+ D+ A Blade Changing B B B B- C C+ Blade Tensioning B B A- B C+ B Noise Level B B B- C+ B+ C+ Vibration B B B- B B+ C Resawing B+ A- B+ B- B- C- Curve Cutting B+ B+ B- B- B- C Overall Grade B B B- C+ C C Final Recommendations EDITOR’S CHOICE TOP VALUE Despite that, and a few other small Forgive me for riding the fence. If you want to spend as little as pos- quirks that we discovered during our There’s just no other way. sible to equip your shop with a testing, this saw impressed us. We The Jet is a great saw.The Delta capable band saw,then the Craftsman especially liked the way it handled is a great saw.I searched for a reason is easily the Top Value. fast feed rates when resawing. It also to give one of them sole claim to Admittedly,this saw isn’t as heavy- cut curves smoothly with little effort. the Editor’s Choice award. But no duty as the pricier models we tested. Overall, we felt that whatever lim- matter how I came at it, I just And its motor,which Craftsman mar- itations the Craftsman band saw may 1 couldn’t rationalize making either kets as a 1 /2 maximum-developed hp, have, they are more than offset by its 3 one of them the “bridesmaid.” actually produces /4 continuous hp. relatively low price. Unfortunately,my test group was JET JWBS-14CS DELTA 28-298 CRAFTSMAN PROFESSIONAL O no help in solving the stalemate. W ENC BENC ENC KB H ® K H ® B H ® R R RK O They liked them both, giving them O O W W W

Y Y

Y T T I I identical final grades. T A I A L L A L W A W A W A A U A U A U R Q RD Q RD Q D OF E OF So,is the Jet the automatic winner OF E IC C I E HO UE E HO DIT ’S C TOP VAL DITOR’S C OR because it is priced significantly E lower? For some people, yes. For others, the American workmanship and the heritage of Delta tools jus- tifies the additional $200. In reality, either of these saws should last you a lifetime. Both will handle the vast majority of cuts you can demand of them. The blade guides on both saws are effective and easy to use. The overall construction of both machines is nearly flawless. So rest assured, whether you choose the Jet or the Delta, either saw is worth every dime.