# Band saw advice



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Ok, I'm tired of this. I keep trying to do projects, and finding that the thing I need to do would be trivial, if only I had a bandsaw. I don't, so they end up being a challenge.

There are two reasonable looking bandsaws on Craigslist within a reasonable (more or less) drive of me, and lots of possibly not great ones.

1) A Rockwell Model 10 for $60. After seeing this thread, I wrote to ask if he still has it. No response yet. The pictures aren't great, but it looks like it's probably the same model as in that thread. The table may or may not be rusty (I did mention the lousy pics, right?), but I don't mind attacking it with Naval Jelly, oil, and sandpaper, so as long as it runs I'm not too worried.

2) A Delta Model 28-245 for $200. He claims he used it about 10 hours and no longer needs it. It has a bunch of blades and a Clark STD1 Blade Stabilizer, still in the box. 

3) There are hundreds of old Craftsman tilt-head bandsaw/sanders. Hundreds. Always. Prices ranging from $50-$200.


So first off: are any of these terrible atrocities I should stay away from? My thoughts are pretty much that either option 1 or 2 would be great, and some of the ones that fall under option 3 are probably better than nothing. Any thoughts?

Next, and possibly more important: What should I look at to make sure they're going to be usable? I've only used a bandsaw once or twice, and I don't know a lot about them. I know the table needs to be flat. I know that, if possible, I should make sure they run. What else should I check?

Thanks, all! 

Also, I hope to go look at and buy something tomorrow, so brief advice tomorrow morning is better than more thorough advice Monday.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*This one!*

2) A Delta Model 28-245 for $200. He claims he used it about 10 hours and no longer needs it. It has a bunch of blades and a Clark STD1 Blade Stabilizer, still in the box.
Never mind the others.
Hope it has at least a 3/4HP motor. :thumbsup: bill


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> 2) A Delta Model 28-245 for $200. He claims he used it about 10 hours and no longer needs it. It has a bunch of blades and a Clark STD1 Blade Stabilizer, still in the box.
> Never mind the others.
> Hope it has at least a 3/4HP motor. :thumbsup: bill


Thanks! $200 is pretty far outside my hoped for range, but I have to admit I'm leaning that way.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

"Next, and possibly more important: What should I look at to make sure they're going to be usable? I've only used a bandsaw once or twice, and I don't know a lot about them. I know the table needs to be flat. I know that, if possible, I should make sure they run. What else should I check?"





First, check out all the videos on YouTube, and several other sources. You have a lot to learn.:thumbsup:


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

H. A. S. said:


> "Next, and possibly more important: What should I look at to make sure they're going to be usable? I've only used a bandsaw once or twice, and I don't know a lot about them. I know the table needs to be flat. I know that, if possible, I should make sure they run. What else should I check?"
> 
> 
> 
> ...



No kidding! I'll watch what I can, but as I said I'm hoping to go buy today. Any quick advice to start with would be great. If there isn't any... then I'll hope to get lucky with what little I have time to look at!


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Well, I hadn't heard from the guy with the Delta, and when I checked this morning the ad was gone. Bummer.

Still no word on the Rockwell.

Out of curiosity: what do people think about the old Craftsman tilt-head saws? There's a 12" 1 1/8 HP saw for about $150, which seems a bit high, and there are frequently 10" saws for under $50, which are tempting.


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## Chris86 (Aug 27, 2011)

$200 is not a bad price for a good quality saw.

Stay away from bandsaws with three wheels or more. two wheeled bandsaws are the most common and most reliable.

And if possible, get a floor standing bandsaw. Bench top saws are usually underpowered and have less capacity.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Chris86 said:


> $200 is not a bad price for a good quality saw.
> 
> Stay away from bandsaws with three wheels or more. two wheeled bandsaws are the most common and most reliable.
> 
> And if possible, get a floor standing bandsaw. Bench top saws are usually underpowered and have less capacity.


Thanks.

Turns out the Rockwell isn't worth my while. It's got a wood table that's apparently disintegrating, and he wasn't sure whether the tilt worked at all. The seller also didn't know what size it was or what size blade it took, so I decided not to look further. If it was nearby, it might have been worth looking at for $60, but over 1.5 hours away.... No.

Back to looking, or buying new.


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## Chris86 (Aug 27, 2011)

If you want to buy new, you should check out the Grizzly and Harbor Freight Central Machinery saws. I've heard good things about both. They might be more than you're wanting to spend, but compared to other saws, the price is good. Trust me, you will be happier in the long run if you save up and get a good saw, instead of trying to get the cheapest used one.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Yeah... new, I'm looking at the HF 4-speed 14", and the Ridgid 14" from Home Depot. They both take blades up to 3/4", they both mostly get good reviews, and I can use a 20% off coupon on either. Since the initial prices are only about $20 apart, they wind up being basically the same cost. Either one, judging by the reviews, will need some updating -- new belt, new blade, new fence, and possibly a few other things -- but will also be more or less usable quite quickly.

The Grizzly looks good, but nowhere local sells it, which means no coupon. And since it already starts out more expensive than the other two...

The real question is, what am I going to have to give up to squeeze it into the budget. That's what I'm trying to figure out now, while I hope for another good used one to come up. And believe me... I've already turned down a LOT of used ones. I learned that lesson a long time ago... there are places where buying cheap is fine, and others where it costs a lot extra.


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## Chris86 (Aug 27, 2011)

It is possible to find like new, quality used band saws for a good price. I recently acquired a like new 14" Delta from a friend of mine that bought it during a money blowing spree, then a year later decided he didn't want it anymore. It cost me a 9mm pistol I didn't want anymore:laughing:
We're both happy with the trade.

So I would keep buying new in mind, but also be on the lookout for good deals on like new used saws.


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## cocheseuga (Dec 15, 2010)

amckenzie4 said:


> Yeah... new, I'm looking at the HF 4-speed 14", and the Ridgid 14" from Home Depot. They both take blades up to 3/4", they both mostly get good reviews, and I can use a 20% off coupon on either. Since the initial prices are only about $20 apart, they wind up being basically the same cost. Either one, judging by the reviews, will need some updating -- new belt, new blade, new fence, and possibly a few other things -- but will also be more or less usable quite quickly.
> 
> The Grizzly looks good, but nowhere local sells it, which means no coupon. And since it already starts out more expensive than the other two...
> 
> The real question is, what am I going to have to give up to squeeze it into the budget. That's what I'm trying to figure out now, while I hope for another good used one to come up. And believe me... I've already turned down a LOT of used ones. I learned that lesson a long time ago... there are places where buying cheap is fine, and others where it costs a lot extra.


Even in large areas like Atlanta, good deals on used equipment can be hard to find. I would find Ridgids being sold for about $20 less than new, or rust buckets that I literally had an owner cut the blade off for me to inspect the saw because he couldn't get it off. If you have more patience than me, you can wait for Grizzly to have a sale or a great deal to show up on CL. I didn't have any luck with a bandsaw, but I did with a jointer. 

If you are down to a choice between Ridgid and HF, the Ridgid does come with a better warranty out of the box. In my situation though I got the HF on sale, plus coupon and three year no questions warranty for less than the Ridgid. Not to mention a link belt. If you don't mind being the quality control officer, the HF could be a great value. I added the link belt, nylon washers and insert plates so far to mine. Still running on the stock blade because I'm waiting to purchase the riser first. 

The only complaint I have had thus far is the dust collection, but I have plans for that. I think I have less than $375 invested.


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

amckenzie4 said:


> Well, I hadn't heard from the guy with the Delta, and when I checked this morning the ad was gone. Bummer.
> 
> Still no word on the Rockwell.
> 
> Out of curiosity: what do people think about the old Craftsman tilt-head saws? There's a 12" 1 1/8 HP saw for about $150, which seems a bit high, and there are frequently 10" saws for under $50, which are tempting.



Stay away from the tilt head saw.


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

amckenzie4 said:


> Out of curiosity: what do people think about the old Craftsman tilt-head saws? There's a 12" 1 1/8 HP saw for about $150, which seems a bit high, and there are frequently 10" saws for under $50, which are tempting.


I have a 12" Craftsman tilty. Had it for years, only bandsaw I own. It gets the job done but if I had to do over again I would have gotten something else. 2 things about it. One, it sometimes has a habit of working its way out of square, or rather perpendicular to the table. You need to check and fine tune with a small try square every so often. And 2, the motor is on the light side when it comes to resawing.
But its all I've got and I make do. If I ever replace it I would get a more conventional saw where the table tilts rather than the head. Interestingly enough the idea of a tilting head is nothing new. If you look at old photos of shipyards you'll often see enormous tilting bandsaws in the shipwrights shop. They're called ship saws.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Pirate said:


> Stay away from the tilt head saw.





JohnK007 said:


> I have a 12" Craftsman tilty. Had it for years, only bandsaw I own. It gets the job done but if I had to do over again I would have gotten something else. 2 things about it. One, it sometimes has a habit of working its way out of square, or rather perpendicular to the table. You need to check and fine tune with a small try square every so often. And 2, the motor is on the light side when it comes to resawing.
> But its all I've got and I make do. If I ever replace it I would get a more conventional saw where the table tilts rather than the head. Interestingly enough the idea of a tilting head is nothing new. If you look at old photos of shipyards you'll often see enormous tilting bandsaws in the shipwrights shop. They're called ship saws.


I guess that answers that question, then. I'll avoid those, especially at the prices I see around here.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*tilting head bandsaws*

Actually the tilting heads are a good idea. I designed one while at the University of Illinois, in the 1960's. Someone, one of my classmates ended up working for Sears/Emerson and copied some of the features, but didn't do a very good job on the "execution" and quality. I did a lot research on the concept, and discovered heavy duty metal cutting saws where the head tilted. The reason for this is simple, the table remains flat to hold heavy, slippery work pieces. I applied the same principle to wood working, and came up with this design:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/woodnthings-7194/albums/bandsaw/
The design is for a smaller hobbiest saw rather than a heavy duty
model meant for industrial use or resawing. The advantage is still the work won't slide off the table when cutting bevels or work on an angle. 
I agree stay away from the Craftsman tilt head saws, they may be OK for some folks, but "marginal" for a serious woodworker. 
:blink: bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

amckenzie4 said:


> The real question is, what am I going to have to give up to squeeze it into the budget. That's what I'm trying to figure out now, while I hope for another good used one to come up. And believe me... I've already turned down a LOT of used ones. I learned that lesson a long time ago... there are places where buying cheap is fine, and others where it costs a lot extra.


Making quick decisions may be disappointing. You are looking for a certain price range, with certain wants. If it were me, I would wait and keep looking for that happy medium. IOW, it may take saving up a bit and get one when you can afford what you want. Good machinery might be with you for a while...it should be what you want.












 







.


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## CNYCarl (Apr 16, 2011)

amckenzie4 said:


> Well, I hadn't heard from the guy with the Delta, and when I checked this morning the ad was gone. Bummer.
> 
> Still no word on the Rockwell.
> 
> Out of curiosity: what do people think about the old Craftsman tilt-head saws? There's a 12" 1 1/8 HP saw for about $150, which seems a bit high, and there are frequently 10" saws for under $50, which are tempting.


I have the 12" tilt head saw, bought on Craigslist for $50. For that money, it's a bargain. As purchased, the saw was barely useful.
I replaced the tires with the orange ones and replaced the brass guides with cool blocks- both mandatory modifications, IMHO. Then I started at square one and dailed in the saw. Since these saws were shipped knocked down, I tightened every screw and bolt. I downloaded the owners manual from Sears and tuned the saw just like the book says to. I think these saw get a bad rap because no one ever bothers to check the all of adjustments. The saw, like any bandsaw, has to have wheels that are coplaner and the guides and bearings must be reset every blade change.
For $50 and a few hours work, the saw now performs like a much more expensive new one.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> Making quick decisions may be disappointing. You are looking for a certain price range, with certain wants. If it were me, I would wait and keep looking for that happy medium. IOW, it may take saving up a bit and get one when you can afford what you want. Good machinery might be with you for a while...it should be what you want.



This is a good point; mostly my sudden search is prompted by the realization that I've given up on or compromised on half a dozen projects this summer, because doing them without a bandsaw was too much hassle. Mostly cutting curves, but I'm not real interested in resawing a lot of wood with a handsaw, either). I decided it was time to start looking seriously, and see what I could fit into my budget. If I can't... then I need to buy a much better jigsaw, and start practicing hand-resawing.



CNYCarl said:


> I have the 12" tilt head saw, bought on Craigslist for $50. For that money, it's a bargain. As purchased, the saw was barely useful.
> I replaced the tires with the orange ones and replaced the brass guides with cool blocks- both mandatory modifications, IMHO. Then I started at square one and dailed in the saw. Since these saws were shipped knocked down, I tightened every screw and bolt. I downloaded the owners manual from Sears and tuned the saw just like the book says to. I think these saw get a bad rap because no one ever bothers to check the all of adjustments. The saw, like any bandsaw, has to have wheels that are coplaner and the guides and bearings must be reset every blade change.
> For $50 and a few hours work, the saw now performs like a much more expensive new one.


If I was seeing 12" saws for $50, I'd probably take the risk. I'm mostly seeing prices above $100 ($125-150 range) for these, which seems high for a saw that's probably going to need a lot of adjustment and may never be that great.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

amckenzie4 said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Turns out the Rockwell isn't worth my while. It's got a wood table that's apparently disintegrating, and he wasn't sure whether the tilt worked at all. The seller also didn't know what size it was or what size blade it took, so I decided not to look further. If it was nearby, it might have been worth looking at for $60, but over 1.5 hours away.... No.
> 
> Back to looking, or buying new.


I look up the Rockwell Model 10 on google it say's that it is a table saw?? Not a band saw. As far as a jig saw goes thay in my opion not that good . No good for a good stright line sawing. Get a good delta band saw if you can it will do resawing. Once you get one you will find out how did i get along with out one. I have had 5 wood shop's in my time and always had a band saw. Don't get a 3 wheel one not as good as a 2 wheel.


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## eagle49 (Mar 22, 2011)

Pay a little more and get an old 14" Rockwell than fix it up. Use it till ya die or sell it and make some money.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

johnray said:


> Pay a little more and get an old 14" Rockwell than fix it up. Use it till ya die or sell it and make some money.


Hey, I'd love to! Got one you want to sell me cheap? 

Seriously... in three months of intermittent checking, this weekend was the first time I saw a Rockwell, and only the third or fourth time I saw something that wasn't either one of the small tilt-head Craftsman saws, so badly beaten that it wasn't even worth looking at, or both. Craigslist just isn't a very useful site near me for either tools or motorcycles, the two things I've looked for on it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Don't foget EBay*

Nice saw here for $300.00 buy it now...if you are local?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Delta-Band-Saw-/110763368443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ca02dffb


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

I did like Carl did: Bought a tilt-head Craftsman 12 inch for either $50 or $60, I forget. Replaced the tires with the orange urethane ones after one of the originals came off, added a Jet band saw fence and got cool blocks. Along with a good setup and making sure the pulleys were tight (they tend to loosen up), I got good use out of the saw for several years. But to be honest, I haven't used it since I got a 14 inch Shop Fox with a riser block. Wow, what a difference! So the Craftsman is a usable saw but pales in comparison to the bigger boys.

If you watch for an older 14 inch Rockwell/Delta, I think you'd be far ahead. As far as the 14 inch Ridgid, I have seen a lot of complaints about them, which is unusual as generally the Ridgid power tools are excellent. 

Bill


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> Nice saw here for $300.00 buy it now...if you are local?
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Delta-Band-Saw-/110763368443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ca02dffb


Nope... I'm in Massachusetts. Nice deal, though!



dodgeboy77 said:


> <snip> So the Craftsman is a usable saw but pales in comparison to the bigger boys.
> 
> If you watch for an older 14 inch Rockwell/Delta, I think you'd be far ahead. As far as the 14 inch Ridgid, I have seen a lot of complaints about them, which is unusual as generally the Ridgid power tools are excellent.
> 
> Bill


Right... and while I'm not going to buy a top-notch saw right now, I'd rather not buy something quite as far off as the Craftsman sounds like.

I'm interested to hear that you've seen complaints about the Ridgid. I know I've read that the belt that comes with it frequently isn't very good, but I hadn't heard much else bad about it.

I've gotta say, that HF saw is sounding better every day.

Out of curiosity: the HF and Ridgid saws I've looked at show a max blade width of 3/4". The Porter-Cable they've got at Lowes ($50 more than the Ridgid) shows a max width of 1/2". My understanding is that especially for re-sawing a 3/4" blade is better. Is that accurate? Any other thoughts on that PC saw? I'm getting further and further out of my intended price range, but then, that does tend to happen... and I tend to end up with better tools because of it!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Quick check this out*

Recond Rigid bandsaw here for $269.00!





shipping:


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> Recond Rigid bandsaw here for $269.00!
> Amazon.com: Factory-Reconditioned RIDGID BS1400 14-inch Band Saw: Home Improvement
> 
> shipping:
> Amazon.com At a Glance: ToolsNow



Oddly, I don't see the line about shipping in your post, only in the quote... weird.

Anyway, $134.52 for shipping brings it above the cost of a new one at HD. $0.55/pound is a decent rate, but it does ship at a weight of over 200 pounds!


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

The Ridgid band saws have a reputation for having vibration problems. Balancing the wheels helps but some guys say they have had to beef up the stand to help with the situation. One of the guys on this forum had the tension adjustment casting snap off. Here's a link with some information: https://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/t13847/

It seems like the older Ridgids (gray) have fewer problems than the newer orange models. I don't have any direct experience with them other than looking them over in the stores but when I was in the market, I did a lot of research.

All the above being said, if I was in your shoes and saw a good deal on a Ridgid, I would probably go for it, especially if it was an earlier gray one. Then make the proper adjustments and modifications to make a good saw out of it.

Bill


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## CNYCarl (Apr 16, 2011)

amckenzie4 said:


> This is a good point; mostly my sudden search is prompted by the realization that I've given up on or compromised on half a dozen projects this summer, because doing them without a bandsaw was too much hassle. Mostly cutting curves, but I'm not real interested in resawing a lot of wood with a handsaw, either). I decided it was time to start looking seriously, and see what I could fit into my budget. If I can't... then I need to buy a much better jigsaw, and start practicing hand-resawing.
> 
> 
> 
> If I was seeing 12" saws for $50, I'd probably take the risk. I'm mostly seeing prices above $100 ($125-150 range) for these, which seems high for a saw that's probably going to need a lot of adjustment and may never be that great.


Well, asking price and selling price are not always the same thing- your ability to negotiate determines the selling price.
Regardless of manufacturer, every bandsaw needs to be tuned to work correctly- they are not plug and play.


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## yocalif (Nov 11, 2010)

amckenzie4 said:


> The real question is, what am I going to have to give up to squeeze it into the budget. That's what I'm trying to figure out now, while I hope for another good used one to come up. And believe me... I've already turned down a LOT of used ones. I learned that lesson a long time ago... there are places where buying cheap is fine, and others where it costs a lot extra.


"squeeze", "budget", those terms imply limited funds and from the discussion in the thread $300 is a stretch.

I'm not sure what lesson you learned re' buying used? The lesson I learned that you get way more "bang" for your buck than buying new, and the major difference is the warranty. So if you buy a new cheap 14" bandsaw and overlook used 14" on CL, you may be comforted by the warranty which is generally good for 90days local, then you have to deal long distance with the mfg for the rest of the year, however what did you sacrifice to squeeze into that budget so you feel assured?

Often buying used allows you to step up in quality, possibly power & features too. From a variety of sources but primarily off Craigslist can be a challenge, mostly patience waiting for the right deal, but usually the effort is worth it. Unless you think you are good at tinkering and restoring equip, don't buy some guy's junk. Look for equip that looks new, runs like new, and all the accessories are included, and is a brand still being sold. Don't be afraid to walk away if the deal isn't right. I just walked away from a bench top drill press 3/4hp not very old, met all the specs I wanted. But the brand is no longer being sold anywhere, plus I would have to drive 200 mile round trip to get it. The guy wouldn't negotiate, however I would have been the one out if a major part failed and I couldn't find a source. So for me to buy that drill press I had to get it at a very good price, in case I didn't like it I would be able to sell it and get my money back a/nd go looking again.

So maybe you can't find your ideal bandsaw on CL, but there are dozens of 12",10", that can possibly get you by without resawing ability but do most of the other stuff, find one at an exceptional price where you know you can resell it for the same amount and use it until the ideal 14" shows up.

Since I don't know where you are at except Western MA, below are 3 14" I found but you will have to drive, the 2nd one looks really good. When negotiating the NO-name brand, and where do you get parts / risk are things that may make the seller drop his price a little. Let the seller know when you are on the phone, you are looking for a deal, ask if there is room to negotiate if you make the drive to see the saw. Find out if he is selling other stuff too, maybe he won't drop the price on the saw but might give you a great deal on the other stuff making the package a good deal.

Rockwell Delta Bandsaw 300.00 or BO - $300 (Uxbridge, M)
PostingID: 2663273633

No Name similar to Grizzly Bandsaw 
14" 1HP Band Saw w/fence - $350 (Hopkinton)
PostingID: 2653093370

14" Band Saw - $250 (Levittown)
PostingID: 2668583277

Good luck


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

yocalif said:


> Since I don't know where you are at except Western MA, below are 3 14" I found but you will have to drive, the 2nd one looks really good. When negotiating the NO-name brand, and where do you get parts / risk are things that may make the seller drop his price a little. Let the seller know when you are on the phone, you are looking for a deal, ask if there is room to negotiate if you make the drive to see the saw. Find out if he is selling other stuff too, maybe he won't drop the price on the saw but might give you a great deal on the other stuff making the package a good deal.
> 
> Rockwell Delta Bandsaw 300.00 or BO - $300 (Uxbridge, M)
> PostingID: 2663273633
> ...


Fun with Massachusetts geography... the first two are eastern MA -- Worcester is the dividing line, and about an hour and a half east of me. I'm not sure where Levittown is -- as far as I can tell there's no such place, and I'm not able to get Craigslist to show me that listing.

That said, it finally occurred to me that the Worcester area listings are probably worth a look, so I'll see what those have. I'm really planning to hold out for a 14" saw. There's not too much time left when I can work out in my shop (it's uninsulated and unheated, so by early December it's too cold to work out there for long), so I may end up waiting for spring. At that point I'll hopefully have enough saved to buy a nicer saw anyway. I'd just like to get a few projects done before I have to close down, or at least get the stuff that needs a bandsaw done. Final cleaning and glue-ups I can do inside, but power-tools throw too much dust around.


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## yocalif (Nov 11, 2010)

Yo amckenzie4, I'm out in calif, so I don't have to deal with the winter thing, besides a little rain. I am guessing that where you are the fall is when a lot of tools/equip come up for sale, owner decide to dump their stuff after the summer season (just like many boat owners).

Use searchtempest.com to locate stuff not in your immediate are on Craigslist.

Wishing you luck in finding your ideal bandsaw...


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Thanks.

A Jet jwbs-140s just came up about an hour from me for $300. I'll call this morning to see if it's there. It looks like the Hartford area listings are the ones I want... lots of better saws, some of them at reasonable prices. The Worcester area listings are full of things like "It's in a basement with no exterior exits, and it hasn't been run since 1972, and the rust is close to an inch thick. Asking $473, non-negotiable."

No photos of the Jet, but it could be worth it.... If not, I also just learned about Tool Consignment, which looks like a fun place to stop by this weekend. They've got a few things on the floor now, so that might prove a profitable trip.


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## CJWillie (Oct 31, 2011)

I just found a 1956 Delta/Milwaukee 14" bandsaw for $250.00 on CL. This thing is a monster. It's in excellent shape. I'll need to get some cool blocks and I need to find a fence and the mounting rails. Otherwise just a good cleaning and tuneup and it's good to go. I looked for a while and passed on a bunch of junk including a couple of ANCIENT Deltas that were beyond fixing!
Keep looking. There are deals out there if you look for them! I agree that by buying used, you can get more bang for the buck. My new saw is over 50 years old and will probably last another 50! (I know I won't!) Parts are still available but more than likely, nothing will wear out and need replaced! I figure this one's just through the "break-in" period! Good luck with your search!!!


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