Bandsaw Purchase ??

[wjt]

One of our younger Guild members is in the market for a bandsaw. Available revenue is an issue as it was for a lot of us. Age vs revenue


I came across a listing on Craigslist for a $75 bandsaw. Here is the link:

https://wichita.craigslist.org/tls/d/che...51494.html

I checked out the mfg as shown on one of the photos.
Gillion Mfg. Co.
St. Charles, MO

The company is no longer in business but apparently manufactured kits to build your own bandsaw as well as other power tools. They were in business for over 60 years.

Thoughts about this being a viable option. Or better if someone has experience with this unit.

Thanks, Bill

[sweensdv2]

If it were me and $75 was really a lot of money to me I would pass and keep saving up for a known commodity. I don't know what the market for used bandsaws is like in Whichita but here you can find used 14" bandsaws in the $150 range.

[iclark]

"Needs work." should translate to: if you care about the young guild member, don't let the young guild member evaluate the condition of the BS in that offer by them self. Someone in the guild with experience with maintaining and fixing bandsaws should go along to do the evaluation of what "needs work" and whether or not the BS is worth the purchase price plus the repair cost.

I know that it is hard to believe, but we do keep hearing reports of people getting good deals on "needs repair" BS's because someone installed the blade upside down.

On the other hand, if a bunch of the woodscrews are stripped out, if the blade will not track on the wheels, or if there are structural problems with how the kit was assembled, then the cost and hassle of re-manufacturing the kit need to be factored in.

[wjt]

"Needs work." should translate to: if you care about the young guild member, don't let the young guild member evaluate the condition of the BS in that offer by them self. Someone in the guild with experience with maintaining and fixing bandsaws should go along to do the evaluation of what "needs work" and whether or not the BS is worth the purchase price plus the repair cost.

I know that it is hard to believe, but we do keep hearing reports of people getting good deals on "needs repair" BS's because someone installed the blade upside down.

On the other hand, if a bunch of the woodscrews are stripped out, if the blade will not track on the wheels, or if there are structural problems with how the kit was assembled, then the cost and hassle of re-manufacturing the kit need to be factored in.

Good response. All good comments.

I may go take a look at this bandsaw with another of our 'seasoned' members just for an article for our newsletter. It looks like there were a number of tools made from these kits over the years.

Bill

[jteneyck]

A thousand times "No!". 

John

[wjt]

A thousand times "No!". 

John

John:

As I said we are not going to suggest making this purchase but it does make for some interesting history. Now instead of making tools from kits such as this bandsaw where the builder learned what made a tool better we purchase cheap tools made with inferior materials by someone else and call it progress.

Bill

[Tapper]

John:

 As I said we are not going to suggest making this purchase but it does make for some interesting history. Now instead of making tools from kits such as this bandsaw where the builder learned what made a tool better we purchase cheap tools made with inferior materials by someone else and call it progress.

 Bill

I suppose it depends on what you're looking for and what the buyer's goals are, i.e. does he want a serviceable bandsaw that he can rely on or is this going to be a "teaching" moment? I would be interested in knowing what specific companies/manufacturers you're referring to in the above reference sentence???

Doug