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my new bandsaw

1K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Willscary 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am new to woodworking. I have always wanted to get into it, but finances and life never really allowed it. I had brought it up to my wife and she said that she would enjoy it also, so I purchased a Lowe's special Delta 36-725 table saw. I was very happy with the purchase and that led to a Dewalt DW-735 and a shelix head. Next was a fantastic lightly used DJ-15 jointer with another shelix head. A Wen oscillating sander rounded things out. this all went well with my Delta scroll saw (the Dewalt clone) and my older drill press and hand tools.

The one thing I did not have was a bandsaw. I have been scouring the internet for a used one, but they are usually priced more than what they were when purchased new. The bandsaw would really pretty much complete the shop for what we would like to do (at least for now as we are just learning!) So, with what used prices are, we decided that instead of paying more for a used machine than the original purchaser had 20 years ago, we would invest in a modest but decent current machine. I had decided that I liked the Rikon 10-326. My wife was on board.

So, a large WW place has them on sale right now for 10% off list price. We happen to have this store within a few hundred yards of my closest Menards. Menards also carries Rikon and has an 11% rebate going on now. Menards price matched the 10% sale price plus gave me the 11% rebate. I paid with my credit card that gives me cash back.

About a week from now I will be cutting curves with a bandsaw!!! This post is to gloat a little and to let others know about the current available pricing!
 
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#4 ·
Congratulations on your purchase, and on rounding out your shop. The bandsaw is my favorite tool to use.
Since you have planer and jointer too, don't stop at using it to cut curves - find some firewood and make boards out of it! The bandsaw is awesome for use as a (very miniature) sawmill.
Good luck!
 
#5 ·
Thanks guys! this is mostly a retirement thing. I have about 10 years until then, but it would be nice to learn it now and be halfway decent at woodworking by then. We also purchased 40 acres of white oak, sugar maple, red oak, ash, birch, basswood, aspen and white pine (mainly white oak and sugar maple) for our retirement property. Our thoughts are that we have more wood than we could ever use!

Plant Natural landscape Terrestrial plant Tree Trunk
 

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#7 ·
Buy some good blades for the Rikon. You ll be better pleased.

- Bill White
For my first blade, I am thinking of a Lenox 1/4" 6 TPI bimetal blade. When I get into resawing, then I will look for a blade better suited to the task. The saw comes with a 5/8" 3 TPI blade that is supposed to be better than the average OEM supplied blades.

I see a lot of opinions about which blades to get, but I am new to this. What would you recommend?
 
#9 ·
Your choice of blades sounds good to me. I have a Rikon manufactured band saw of the same size as yours and I put a 3/4 inch, 3 tpi resaw blade on it to begin with. It turned out to be too wide to tension adequately. I now use 1/2 inch resaw blades.

- ArtMann
Thanks! I have looked at 1/2" 3TPI carbide tooth resaw blades from Highland Woodworking, but for right now, resawing is not a need. It will be in the future once the retirement house is built, but for right now, I want to be able to make curved cuts that are too thick to be done well on a scroll saw. I have read quite a bit of comments about 5/8" being the max width on most 14" saws, even if machine specs say that 3/4" is ok. I have also read that anything over .025 thickness will be stressed by the smaller 14" wheel size as compared to bigger wheeled saws.

I feel that I have the basics that I just listed down pretty well, but still…while everyone has their favorite blades, there must truly be some that last longer, cut better, run smoother and cost less than others. It seems to be a balancing act, sort of like buying tires for a vehicle…no one tire does everything the best. There are always compromises for fuel economy, road noise, ride quality, snow traction, wet traction, dry traction, cornering, etc.
 
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