Promise, last bandsaw question
#11
First, ever notice that there is no universal agreement on bandsaw vs band saw? Makes searhing a real bear.

Anyway, from comments/suggestions on this forum I think I've settled on the 14" Delta as best all around for my needs. But, has anyone had any eaperience with Wen or Porter Cable? Specifically these models:

Lowes bandsaws

I've read some good and bad about Wen, seems people either really love it or hate it, but no good reasons either way. Never heard of a Porter Cable bandsaw before.
Mike

I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time!
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#12
I would look for a used US built 14" Delta.  They are typically available for around $400.  Ones owned by a hobbiest will be good for several lifetimes.  Simple, reliable machines.  Keep in mind that while any cast iron machine in this size can do resaw work that's certainly not their strong suite.  If resawing is something you plan to do much of you would be better served by a steel spine saw with at least 2 HP.  

As for the WEN.  No knowledge but I really chuckled when I saw it could use a 1" blade.  

John
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#13
(11-06-2020, 07:34 PM)jteneyck Wrote: I would look for a used US built 14" Delta.  They are typically available for around $400.  Ones owned by a hobbiest will be good for several lifetimes.  Simple, reliable machines.  Keep in mind that while any cast iron machine in this size can do resaw work that's certainly not their strong suite.  If resawing is something you plan to do much of you would be better served by a steel spine saw with at least 2 HP.  

As for the WEN.  No knowledge but I really chuckled when I saw it could use a 1" blade.  

John

Yeah, the Delta is my top consideration right now, I like the steel frame. My resaw is casual, not for the bookend effect as much as getting stock to near thickness before putting it through the planer. My current 10" Delta does a decent job, but it's from the 50's and it's getting too hard to find parts.

Not any experience with WEN, never heard of it before I searched BS's on Amazon, something about it just doesn't sit right, but that could just be me, which is why I asked.

Porter Cable seems nice, with a 1-1/2 hp motor, but like the WEN I have no experience, and the only reviews I can find are on Lowe's site and talk more about its assembly than actual use.
Mike

I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time!
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#14
The Porter-Cable saws I've seen in Lowes were, IMO, junk
Thanks,  Curt
-----------------
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
      -- Soren Kierkegaard
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#15
Scouter,  I bought a bandsaw at Lowes many years ago - I think it was the Porter Cable , but can't be sure.   I took it back within a few days.  The wheels were aluminum and way out of true, so when you turned it on, the blade jumped all over the place. Completely unusable as a bandsaw.  I looked at a couple of reviews, and did see some complain about assembly, but don't recall that being a problem.  While many suggested an older 14 Delta,  I never found one locally on Craigslist.    I have never seen the Grizzly G0555LX   but it has cast iron wheels, a nice fence, and roller bearings, and my guess it would be much better that the Porter cable, and is on sale for $700 including shipping.  I have a different model Grizzly, the GO513x2,  but there are many happy Grizzly bandsaw owners here. 
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#16
(11-06-2020, 08:36 PM)barryvabeach Wrote: Scouter,  I bought a bandsaw at Lowes many years ago - I think it was the Porter Cable , but can't be sure.   I took it back within a few days.  The wheels were aluminum and way out of true, so when you turned it on, the blade jumped all over the place. Completely unusable as a bandsaw.  I looked at a couple of reviews, and did see some complain about assembly, but don't recall that being a problem.  While many suggested an older 14 Delta,  I never found one locally on Craigslist.    I have never seen the Grizzly G0555LX   but it has cast iron wheels, a nice fence, and roller bearings, and my guess it would be much better that the Porter cable, and is on sale for $700 including shipping.  I have a different model Grizzly, the GO513x2,  but there are many happy Grizzly bandsaw owners here. 

I looked at the Griz, but the weight backed me off. They said 225 lbs without the stand, I'm not sure how i'd lift it up onto the stand by myself.
Mike

I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time!
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#17
(11-06-2020, 08:44 PM)Scouter Wrote: I looked at the Griz, but the weight backed me off. They said 225 lbs without the stand, I'm not sure how i'd lift it up onto the stand by myself.

The one I got at Lowes was pretty heavy, and I used a hydraulic lift ( similar to an engine lift ) to get it out of the car.   The Grizzly I got was heavier and taller, but had an eye at the top, I used a rope and a winch to get it up and under a mobile base.  My guess is you could do something similar - even though it does not have an eye at the top,  you could probably use some rope, and a pulley,  if you had something above to tie it to.   Unfortunately, in my limited experience,  weight is a really good thing in a bandsaw, it makes it sturdy and less likely to bounce around.
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#18
I have a Laguna 14-twelve that I assembled myself. It weighs 312 lbs.

To get the top (without table) onto the stand, I laid the top over on it's back onto some 2x4 lumber to position and cushion it from my concrete floor. I bolted on the base when it was on its side, then tilted the assembly upright. It was easy.

This was all in the instructions, I believe. However I didn't have to get it out of the delivery truck. I had tailgate delivery, and the driver rolled the box into my garage. I used a two-wheel cart to take separate parts around the side of the house into the basement entry.
Bill Schneider
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#19
(11-07-2020, 10:12 AM)Bill Schneider Wrote: I have a Laguna 14-twelve that I assembled myself. It weighs 312 lbs.

To get the top (without table) onto the stand, I laid the top over on it's back onto some 2x4 lumber to position and cushion it from my concrete floor. I bolted on the base when it was on its side, then tilted the assembly upright. It was easy.

This was all in the instructions, I believe. However I didn't have to get it out of the delivery truck. I had tailgate delivery, and the driver rolled the box into my garage. I used a two-wheel cart to take separate parts around the side of the house into the basement entry.

I was thinking about doing it that way, though I didn't think about doing it before putting the table on, would probably save a few pounds. I have a hand truck to move the box around.

What is tailgate delivery?
Mike

I work on the 50-50-90 rule: If there's a 50-50 choice, I'll pick the wrong one 90% of the time!
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#20
(11-07-2020, 12:23 PM)Scouter Wrote: I was thinking about doing it that way, though I didn't think about doing it before putting the table on, would probably save a few pounds. I have a hand truck to move the box around.

What is tailgate delivery?

I meant to say liftgate delivery - sorry. I purchased mine from WoodWerks in Columbus, Ohio where they offered (at the time) $75 delivery anywhere in the country. The truck that came had a lift on the back of it to lower the pallet, the driver, and his pallet truck to the ground, .

[Image: laguna_bandsaw-truck.jpg]

The driver used his pallet hand truck to wheel the box into the garage, where I opened and tilted the box up to remove the top of the saw.

[Image: laguna_bandsaw-6tsml.jpg]

[Image: laguna_bandsaw-16tsml.jpg]

I "walked" it out from there onto my hand truck for the rest of the trip to the basement.
Bill Schneider
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