# Ridgid R474 Bandsaw



## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

This saw is on sale, ending today, for $399 (free shipping, too). I know the older Ridgid bandsaws were awful, but it seems like those issues have been fixed with this saw.

I've got reluctant permission from the wife (rolling her eyes, shaking her head while saying "if you really need it..." is permission, right?)

I know the Grizzly is only about $150 more. The biggest advantage I see is the Griz comes with a fence, but the Ridgid comes with a mobile base. 

Anyone care to talk me out of it?


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

To throw fuel on the fire, have you considered the craftsman 32607? It's a virtual carbon copy of the rikon 10-321 and is currently 414.96. Both it and the ridgid have a 4.5 star rating, but the craftsman has a bigger table and 8 inches of resaw instead of 6. The ridgid does have a mobile base though.


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## sweensdv (Mar 3, 2008)

My only question would be, what makes you think that the issues with the past versions of this bandsaw have been fixed?


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

The reviews seem to point to that it has been fixed...also the wheel castings are not the same, which wheel balance was the issue the last go around.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

I've definitely considered the Craftsman, and if I don't buy the Ridgid today the Craftsman is still a player. The biggest negatives on that saw is the lack of fence AND the lack of a mobile base.

As far as the new Ridgid saw vs. the old, I'm comparing the reviews, both on Youtube and the HD site. It seems like most of the complaints on the old saws were uncontrollable vibrations, and it sounds like that's been fixed with the larger base.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

The ridgid looks like a decent saw, but I'd want the larger table and resaw capacity for the same price over the mobile base. You can add a base, you can't add the other things. Neither have a fence, so it comes down to the base or more capacity and larger table.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks for pointing out the resaw capacity and table difference, I had missed that.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

No problem. I just went through what your going through about a month or so ago....I looked at about 10-12 different models from jet, steel city (RIP), delta, Laguna, grizzly, ridgid, craftsman, rikon, baleigh and powermatic. I'm a hobby user with not a ton of need for a bandsaw, and quickly ruled out Laguna, jet, powermatic and baleigh as all too much money for my needs. I was real close to buying the craftsman when sears ran the rikon 10-325 at a stupid low price so I opted for that upgrade. 

Had the price not been what it was on the 10-325, Id have the craftsman in my shop right now. I felt it was by far the best value out there right now.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Good deal, I'll hold off and pick up the Craftsman when I actually need it. :thumbsup:


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Just an FYI...the craftsman is usually 469.99. Right now it's 414.96. It fairly regularly goes on sale for 425.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Figures, lol. I just got "the look" again.


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## honesttjohn (Jan 27, 2015)

Tell her you got to hurry up and get it before the sale ends or they're out of stock.

HJ

Sometimes they buy it!


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I get the look all the time. Pick up flowers on the way back from picking up your saw.


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## sweensdv (Mar 3, 2008)

I say buy what you want and then practice the look so you can use it the next time she wants something. :devil2:


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

sweensdv said:


> I say buy what you want and then practice the look so you can use it the next time she wants something. :devil2:


I keep using the hot tub we got last year (her idea), the trip to the Dominican last year (her idea) and now I get to use the brand new third row SUV in the garage (her idea) 

I nickel and dime with my expensive hobbies, but she knows the look is futile :laughing:


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## jdonhowe (Jul 25, 2014)

Agree with Ryan that the C'man is the better saw, but for completeness, it appears that the new Ridgid is designed around the same cast iron frame as all the Delta clones. As such, a riser block could probably be added to increase the resaw capacity.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

The 474 seems to get good reviews everywhere I looked, and given how hard it is for a manufacturer to screw up a bamdsaw I wouldn't be too worried. That said, I'd say go with the grizzly. A mobile base is a lot cheaper than a fence system, and adding an aftermarket system can be a pain. 

Whenever a woman says, "do whatever you want", DONT DO IT, its a trap


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## MrFrost (Nov 10, 2014)

I just purchased this bandsaw. I received Home Depot gift cards for Christmas and my recently passed birthday, about $400 worth total, so even after adding the Kreg Universal Bandsaw Fence to this purchase I'm only out of pocket a little over a hundred bucks. I don't have much need to resaw, aside from maybe pallet wood, and those are typically small enough to be within this saw's capacity. I truly wanted a better option than a jigsaw, or the 9" bench top 1960's bandsaw I am currently using.

Link for the Kreg Universal Bandsaw Fence:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Kreg-Precision-Band-Saw-Fence-KMS7200/100401233?keyword=kreg+band

Current bandsaw and the Kreg Fence;


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## honesttjohn (Jan 27, 2015)

Whose older, Mr F, you or the bandsaw??

HJ


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## MrFrost (Nov 10, 2014)

The band saw...I'm probably half it's age! It was a CL deal for like $30 that I couldn't pass up. It works. I've used it for various projects. But it's very limited. LOL. I'll keep it, as I like vintage tools, but the Rigid will be the work horse once I assemble it.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

The craftsman is in the back of the car now. Maybe I'll paint it Ridgid orange to match the rest of my tools, lol.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Congrats. Let us know how setup goes.


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## Bleedinblue (Mar 4, 2014)

Setup was pretty straight forward. It didn't need much adjusting at all...out of the box the blade was at 89.9* and 90.1* to the table, and the guide bearings were pretty well dead on to my inexperienced eye.

When I centered the blade on the lower wheel I was getting some rubbing (actually sounded like the upper wheel to the frame, weird) I adjusted the tracking back to slightly off center and the rubbing went away. I don't get it.

I built a nearly exact copy of your mobile base you posted a few days ago and it works well :thumbsup:


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