craftsman 14" professional band saw 22401

[toolguy1000]

in reviewing the above band saw, i found 2 owners manuals on the sears site.

http://www.managemyhome.com/mmh/owne...raftsman+22401

note that one has a model # starting with 351, the other has a model # starting with 119. according to this reference list:

http://professional-power-tool-guide...-product-code/

351 means the saw was built by colovos, and 119 means it was built be frigidaire(?). any one have any insights into what causes this to show up like it does and what company actually builds the captioned craftsman BS reviewed in this popular woodworking article?

http://www.rikontools.com/articles/popwoodarticle.pdf

[charliex]

I have the 119 model. Good machine. I've done some 8" resaw in oak and maple with good results. I use a 3/4" 2/3 pitch TW blade, cuts clean and true. Good for cutting tenons but not so good with curves. But then I have trouble with curves with the jig saw also.. Might be me.
Chas.

[toolguy1000]

but are there really 2 saws built by 2 different manufacturers in the same craftsman clothing? and is one of those compaies fridgidaire?

[Knottscott]

I thought the current Cman bandsaws were made by Richen Enterprises, who owns Rikon. I could have sworn that I even compared parts lists on a couple of owners manuals and found several part numbers in common.....but . Is it possible that the manufacturer's given for those numbers are incorrect on that website?

Either way, it's generally a well regarded tool. The guide bearings need to be replaced, and the stock blade needs an upgrade, but otherwise most people are generally happy with this entire series of BS.

[toolguy1000]

does rikon manufacture their own tools? i know grizzly doesn't. griz offers a 13" planer that is the same as the cman pro 13" planer i picked up a few weeks back for $120:

here is the craftsman:
http://www.mysears.com/Craftsman-Pro...ws?tab=details

here is the griz:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/13-2...llection/G0689

with the exception of the auto lift on the cman and the placement of the depth gauge, they are the same tool, alledgedly made by an outfit called colovos co.

so back to the original question about the subject band saw. is it made by two companies for sears?

[LCHIEN]

1. its not unheard of that Sears will have functionally identical models with identical key specifications supplied by two different contractor manufacturers so the leading three digit number can identify the specific parts lists, manuals etc for that particular version of the model. The full xxx.mmmmm0 is considered a part number, not a model number which is the mmmmm. THis accounts for more than one sears product review being completely off base, when the model number reviewed was not made by the same mfg. when readers of the review bought the same model but different part number unit at the store.

2. I would not give abolsute credence to the list of Sears three-digit prefix to manufacturer tables you can find on the internet. There's different versions floating around, I have seen a lot of the ones i've looked up be completely non-sensical, and the list is old and unofficial. I suspect a lot of numbers are starting to be reused what with company mergers, acquisitions, spinoffs, OOB, and stuff; there's a lot more than 1000 suppliers out there. About the only thing you can hang your hat on is that if the prefix is different, its a different supplier.

3. a lot of companies are just marketing companies, they sell products they buy outside or even buy from their parent company that owns them. Or both. Its not real clear and they do it on purpose, whether its inside or outside made... they would prefer you think its made by themselves - if you think someone else made it then you could get the same thing cheaper elsewhere.

then there's some people think that every tool in the world is made by the same two guys in china.

[Hoover]

so back to the original question about the subject band saw. is it made by two companies for sears?

Information put out on the internet, unless it can be verified, is hit or miss; often just a rumor mill. Contact Sears and ask them.

[Knottscott]

....then there's some people think that every tool in the world is made by the same two guys in china.

flat earth society folks....