Here is one for free:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/tls/4739016704.html

If you don't like that one, there appears to be a bunch of saws for sale in your area within your price range..
Like this Jet: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/tls/4739016704.html
Or this Cman Delta clone: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/tls/4733008881.html
Or this old Shopmaster: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/tls/4732200948.html
Or this old Cman 12": http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/tls/4724135021.html
Or…

Cheers,
Brad

 

I have an old Delta 14" that I completely restored after purchasing for $100. It does a good job with a quality 1/2" 3tpi blade and Carter guides. Most of the older saws can be picked up for $100 or under and with a little elbow grease and cash it can be made to cut anything you want.

 

Brad - I considered that free one, but I'd rather pay for something a bit better than drive way out to Hugo for that one.

I'll keep checking CL over the coming weeks, but in the meantime - what should I be looking for in terms of brands/size/HP, and what sort of work should I expect to put in on a used saw? I don't think I've used one since I was 13.

 

What do you think of this saw?

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/tls/4712966507.html

I've seen (presumably) the exact same model listed with blade for $200, and since I'm probably only going to be resawing for now I'd end up replacing the old blade with a Woodslicer anyway. For $120 it seems like a good deal, but what should I be on the lookout for when testing it out - especially since it doesn't have a blade?

Thanks!

 

That free one looks like a vintage classic.. I'd be all over it!

Pretty much any 10" or larger bandsaw will resaw 4" stock without too much trouble.. maybe even a 9" one could do it depending on design. As long as you have a sharp blade, HP should not be much of a concern.

Cheers,
Brad

 

How about this Craftsman, it's made by Rikon. I have this bandsaw and I think it's good for the price. Downside is it doesn't come with a fence so that will cost another $75.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-14-inch-band-saw/p-00932607000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

 

While I agree with WhyMe in regards to the Craftsman and would go as far as saying it is currently the best value in its price point, I am very intrigued by the new Rigid. Home depot advises that it will be available online in late November.

 

Any bandsaw with a good blade (3 TPI skip tooth is a good choice) and a fence can resaw. I've gotten perfect cuts off a Craftsman 9" benchtop model with the only downside being a 3" height limit. A standard 14" model based on the old Delta design works fine. It's all about having a good blade and knowing how to setup the machine.

Some nice features to have would be good tires, tire brushes and dust collection at the bottom of the lower wheel.

Avoid the 3-wheel saws.

 

How about this Craftsman, it s made by Rikon. I have this bandsaw and I think it s good for the price. Downside is it doesn t come with a fence so that will cost another $75.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-14-inch-band-saw/p-00932607000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

- WhyMe

I have this saw and use it with a 1/2" x 3 tooth blade. I resaw walnut, maple, mahogany 5" tall boards, no problem. I made my fence about 5" tall.

 

I think a 14" saw would be minimum to resaw 4" stock. That is also one of the more common sizes of bandsaw and readily available in the used market, which is where $400 will lead you.

 

I have the Central Machinery 14" from HF.
It is basically a clone of a Jet.
You can re-saw about 6". I added a riser block and it will go to about 12".
I found it on CL for about 200 several years ago. I have been VERY happy with it.

 

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/tls/4719607997.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/tls/4719607997.html

HTH

 

While I agree with WhyMe in regards to the Craftsman and would go as far as saying it is currently the best value in its price point, I am very intrigued by the new Rigid. Home depot advises that it will be available online in late November.

- qpthigpen

But it's a Drill Press! From the info at the bottom of that linked page:
"RIDGID introduces the new 15 in. Drill Press. Fully equipped with industry leading features, it would be a great addition to any shop. With Registration, it qualifies for the RIDGID Lifetime Service Agreement, giving the user free part and service for life."

 

Stay away from the 12" bandsaw for resawing. They just don't have the capacity. 14" is minimum if you want it for resaw and get one you can put a 6" riser on. As you start resawing the lumber you want to resaw just gets wider and wider as you progress. You need that capacity of the 14" saw with the ability to expand. I sarted with a 12" craftsman (still have it). For resawing it has been retired and I have a Jet 14" with 6" riser.

 

Hmmm… thanks for all the input! So here's what I'm thinking:

(1) Check out that 12" Craftsman for $125 at http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/tls/4712966507.html. I may end up wanting something with more resaw capacity eventually, but assuming it's in good shape and I maintain it I'd imagine I could resell it for at least $125 if I decide to upgrade.

(2) Pick up the Ridgid 14" band saw from Home Depot when it comes out (I'd probably snag a 10% off "just moved" coupon to bring it down to $400). Since it's not out yet there are no quality reviews, but generally I've been happy with my Ridgid tools and I do love the LSA - especially since I live pretty close to a service center. Plus it's a drill press!

(3) Pick up the Harbor Freight 14" band saw - http://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-four-speed-woodworking-band-saw-60564.html - which is currently on sale for $355 and would drop down to $270 with a 25% off coupon. It would be the cheapest new saw with that capacity, but it has pretty mixed reviews on the HF website.

So, thoughts? Would you vote for one of the above, or should I keep waiting on new Craigslist posts? One factor is that with a three month old and a 2.5 year old I have VERY little free time, which swings toward buying a new tool that ostensibly requires no elbow grease beyond setup. I'm not opposed to doing a little work to get a used saw up and running if it's a great deal, but it looks like both the HD and HF saws might be viable new options.

I checked out that Jet, but it's pretty far away and I don't know when I'd be able to get to it.

 

A few things I don't like about the Harborfreight bandsaw is the plastic blade guides and it only has a 2.5 inch dust port and a 6" saw capacity. If buying new in the $400 price I think you should consider either the Craftsman 14" or Ridgid 14". Few things I really like about the Craftsman is the large table 15.75X20 and it has two separate dust ports 2.5" & 4' and will also run on 240V if needed. Also since it's a clone of the Rikon, accessories such as the fence and mobile base for the Rikon 10-321 fit.

 

If you can stretch above $400, I can recommend this saw.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/14-Deluxe-Bandsaw-Anniversary-Edition/G0555LANV

 

A few things I don t like about the Harborfreight bandsaw is the plastic blade guides and it only has a 2.5 inch dust port and a 6" saw capacity. If buying new in the $400 price I think you should consider either the Craftsman 14" or Ridgid 14". Few things I really like about the Craftsman is the large table 15.75X20 and it has two separate dust ports 2.5" & 4 and will also run on 240V if needed. Also since it s a clone of the Rikon, accessories such as the fence and mobile base for the Rikon 10-321 fit.

- WhyMe

The Ridgid definitely looks like a good option, but I thought it was possible to install a riser block on the HF saw to increase resaw capacity - no?

 

If you can stretch above $400, I can recommend this saw.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/14-Deluxe-Bandsaw-Anniversary-Edition/G0555LANV

- jmartel

I did look at that Grizzly. It seems comparable to the Ridgid for what I'd be doing, but I can get the Ridgid for at least $150 cheaper (using a coupon/buying gift cards at a discount) plus if I have issues I can just take it in for parts/servicing.

I upgraded my table saw from a R4512 to a G1023 because that's my "go to" saw for almost everything, but my band saw use really would be limited to the occasional resaw project. With that in mind, the Ridgid or HF saws look like the least expensive "good enough" new saw options, with the Ridgid getting a brand rep edge.

 

Hi Dan,

You've probably seen this, but here's a nice looking Jet (I had one like it for 10 years and loved it):

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/tls/4719607997.html

That saw has good resaw muscle with a 1HP motor. The 2.5" dust port is worthless, but I cut a hole in the front of mine and mounted a 4" port which worked much better.

and here's a riser block: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/tls/4712203404.html

I buy stuff from HF from time to time, but band saws can be finicky and I wouldn't buy a finicky tool from HF. Ridgid could be a good value based on what I've seen from their other power tools (table saw and oscillating belt sander in particular) but I don't know anything about their bandsaw specifically.

If you buy a good quality band saw, I believe that you will find that you use it much more than you are planning to. I bought my Jet with pretty much the same thoughts in mind as yours, and I ended up using it almost as much as my table saw. They are great for curves, small rips, small cross-cuts, and of course resawing.

 

The Rigid looks decent. If you don't want to spend more than $400 and don't need to cut more than 6", I would go with that.

Keep in mind, though, that it doesn't come with a fence, and it doesn't have the quick tension release. Also, it doesn't look like there will be a riser block available for if you wanted to cut more than the 6" (The description says 9", but comparing the two side by side it looks to have the same 6" of cutting ability rather than 9").

 

I broke down and emailed the seller about that Jet, even though it's probably too much of a haul for me. Still leaning towards the Ridgid, but might as well look into other options too.

I don't really care about the Ridgid's lack of a fence, since I assume it would be pretty easy to rig up a tall clamp-on fence for resawing. The lack of a riser block may be an issue since I'd like to have as much resaw capacity as possible. Why don't you think a riser block would be available? I Googled around and found this, which suggests that it can be expanded to 12" - http://workshopaddicts.com/toolnews/ridgid-14-band-saw/.

 

Hadn't seen that a riser block would be an option. Now that it is, that makes it a better choice.

If you don't care about a fence, then go with the Rigid when it comes out. The quick tensioner is a very nice thing to have since you should release tension off the blades when you aren't using them. It saves time and you always get the same tension. But, it's not necessary. The dust port looks like it's in a better location than on my Grizzly.

 

Fantastic - thanks so much for all of the helpful advice! At this point, I think I'm going to wait for the Ridgid and use it as much as possible during the return period. If it's up to par, great; if not, I'll return it and keep checking Craigslist.

 

Hmmm, the Ridgid R474 looks remarkably like the Steel City 50126SC