Lowes

[ndj]

Was in my local Lowes this morning and they had their Tradesman brand 9" Band Saws marked down to $71.00.

[kbyter]

Perhaps this is the wrong place to ask...But I will anyway. I would really like to have a band saw but I just don't have the room for a 14". How do these smaller saws perform? Does it perform and function in scale of course to a larger saw or are there major functionalites left out?

Thanks,
kent

[buckeye95]

Kent,

I would do a search as the 9" benchtop vs. full-size bandsaw issue has been discussed before several times.

As I recall the jist of it was that they were OK as long as you replaced the stock blade (which is universally junk on the smaller bandsaws from what others have said). Many have used them for a period, but then upgraded to a larger BS (maybe the 14" HF model, for example), when their skill level and needs (say, resawing) exceeded the limited nature of the benchtop.

I have seen some nice items made on these smaller bandsaws, as long as you keep in mind their inherent limitations.

Regards,

Pete

[SteveJ]

I've had a Ryobi 9 inch band saw for three years and I'm happy with it. Someday I'd like to cut some larger stock and cut "book plates" like I've seen done on tv, and for that I think I'd need a larger saw but for general use I think the Ryobi is adequate. You should know that you can't use a 1/2 inch blade with the Ryobi and there is a limit to how much you can tighten the blade... but the Ryobi is a good bandsaw. it really depends on what you plan to do with it.

Steve

[cwsmith]

I've had the Ryobi BS902 bandsaw for a couple of years now, and have been very pleased with it. It has totally convinced me that a bandsaw is an essential tool for almost any workshop. There is nothing that will cut as efficiently or as safely as a bandsaw in my opinion.

Of course the bigger the bandsaw, the bigger the projects it will handle and you certainly can't expect a little 9-inch bandsaw to do the resaw projects that a 14 or larger saw can handle, not only in depth capacity, but also in horsepower. But that said, you'd be surprised at how well the little BS902 does, and I've actually ripped 2 x 4's with it, albeit at a slow feed rate.

While the BS902 sells at $99, it has decent power, a fair sized table (for a 9-inch) and it comes with an elementary fence and a worklight. The the cast-aluminum frame and plastic cover are adequate and the saw is vibration free. You can actually leave a piece on the table in the middle of a cut and it doesn't move... try that with any other kind of saw and you're in big trouble. I've used mine for small trim items, a couple of stools and birdhouses and a couple of toys. I've also found it to be the perfect cutting tools for quicky things that don't require the table or radial arm saw. Very little kerf and very quick cutting! I'm very happy with it. The quick release handle and tracking window are advantages over other models. I might add that I looked at the Delta, Tradesman, and the Sears offerings at that time, and the Ryobi offered the best bang for the buck, so to speak.

While I would recommend the BS902, you might also want to check out the new Craftsman 10-inch bandsaw (Catalog # 0921400, Page 105 in the 2006 catalog). At $150, this thing is built like a tank with a fabricated steel frame and cast iron table it is extremely sturdy with less flex than the typical aluminum framed units. As such, you can put more tension on the blade, which is often a fault of many bandsaws. The Craftsman also include ball-bearing blade guides in a design similar to that of the Ryobi 12-inch bandsaw. I believe, like the Craftsman 12- and 14-inch bandsaws, this unit is made by Rikon to Sears' specifications.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[sacherjj]

I looked at all of the "smaller" saws and I couldn't find anything better than the 10" Craftsman. However, make sure you don't have room. I would have now rather put that $130 towards a 12 or 14" model. As they say, it is cheapest to upgrade when you buy.

[Russianwolf]

If you can, see if Lowes has any of the Hitachi CB13F 12" bandsaws left. You'll pay an extra $50, but the saw has alot more potential. It can take a riser block and all the doodads. There is also a Delta 12" that is a near clone, but I'm not sure about the price. The Hitachi was being closed out and most of us got it for around $120

[kbyter]

If you can, see if Lowes has any of the Hitachi CB13F 12" bandsaws left. You'll pay an extra $50, but the saw has alot more potential. It can take a riser block and all the doodads. There is also a Delta 12" that is a near clone, but I'm not sure about the price. The Hitachi was being closed out and most of us got it for around $120

I tried a few months/weeks ago when I saw so much traffic about it. But, there was none to be found in my little piece of the world.

I think I'll stop by sers and take a look.

THANKS!

kent

[LCHIEN]

If you can find a sale on the 12" delta, i think its the shopmaster line model BS220LS, that's an OK BS in a little smaller size than a 14". GIves up a couple of inches on clearance from the arm for larger pieces, but still has the abbility to resaw up to 6" tall pieces. No riser, and a little less power than your 14" saws. I wish for a 14" from time to time but my delta definately gets it done. I use it for curve work and some resaw but mostly for notches, tenons, and stuff like that.

Certainly a lot better than those 9" saws.