CL Score

[durango dude]

Finally think I found a decent set of deals!

a) Craftsman 12" 1 HP Band saw ----- used maybe 10 hours

http://westslope.craigslist.org/tls/3145970504.html


b) Ridgid 13" Planer - same as above -- just a few hours

http://westslope.craigslist.org/tls/3145978881.html

[chopnhack]

hmmm.... "Husband hates to give it up, certainly couldn't replace it with anything near the quality for the asking price... "

is the husband out of town!???

The man is obviously some type of woodworker, he has a dedicate clamp rack in the background and a log splitter on the floor, off cut bins, nut and bolt storage, circular blade storage above the workbench that's against the wall which is fairly well organized...

[durango dude]

they have a nice Ridgid table saw that husband will not give up......

He's down-sizing for medical reasons.

[dbhost]

I think the medical reasons I'd have to give it up would include being slumped over the table saw stone cold...

[cabinetman]

They both look like a good deal (if they work). If you could get them to budge a bit down on the planer, it would be a better deal.

.

[kramer katt]

Did you get the saw and planer?

[cabinetman]

Did you get the saw and planer?

+1. Are both from the same poster?

.

[durango dude]

I picked up the band saw.

The planer blades had a few issues (reclaimed decking with nails)

The band sa is a Craftsman 137.224120.

12", 1 HP. Owner's manual and 3 blades included. Tires were in great condition. Motor runs smooth.

Has a miter slide, but no fence. Owner's manual does not mention or show optional fence. Not impressed by guide pins.

Tried to cross-cut a white oak 2x4 --- wasn't too impressed at first glance. It pulled to the left (certainly not square).

Of course - wheel alignment is everything in a band saw - and this one just came out of the back of my 4Runner. Likely needs some tuning before I can really use it.

Will install a new blade, and then go through setup. and will come back to try again.

Only moderate enthusiasm about this at the moment.

[cabinetman]

Congratulations on the new additions. New, or sharp planer knives, and a new BS blade appropriate for the material and cut should make an appreciable difference.

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[greenacres2]

Alex Snodgrass from Carter Products has a great BS setup clinic on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU

You may find it helpful. I'm still really new at this, but after walking thorugh his method--it's spot on.

earl

[durango dude]

DRAT ----

The saw band is 91" ----- i.e. --- only way to go is a custom made blade.

[LCHIEN]

DRAT ----

The saw band is 91" ----- i.e. --- only way to go is a custom made blade.

Not a big deal. they don't really cost more custom made than precut to an specific length except you won't find them at Sears or Home Depot. Which is not where you want to get BS blades anyway.

I recommend Highland Woodslicer - $29.95 for 70.5 to 137 inches, a 1/2" blade for making straight, rip or veneering cuts.

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/w...aw-blades.aspx

[cabinetman]

I would order Timberwolf blades. Custom lengths aren't a big deal. If you have a local saw sharpening service, they might be equipped to cut and weld if necessary.
http://www.pswood.com/timber-wolf-band-saw-blades/

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[mpc]

As others have noted, it's fairly easy to order custom length blades. One thing I'd do though:
Although your saw takes 91 inch blades... find out just how long a blade it can actually tension. if you can get 91 1/2 inch blades tensioned for example, that means you have an extra half in to work with for blade repair.

It's fairly easy to break blades, especially the smaller ones. Over-tensioning or just binding in the workpiece. First time it happens it'll scare you - a loud pop and then nothing. Fortunately the blade generally stops instantly (as I once feared) - it doesn't shoot out and become a hazard. If you can braze your own blades you can quickly repair busted blades. It's pretty easy to learn and do. Woodcraft has a small kit that includes blade solder, flux, a plastic gizmo to turn a certain cig lighter (Criquit or something like that) into a mini torch, a filing stone on a stick, and a metal jig assembly to hold the blade. See WoodRiver kit for an example. None of these pieces are particularly fancy and you can easily rig up your own. I've seen examples in bandsaw how-to books, on the web, etc. Some folks use those heavy-duty paper clamps (triangular cross section things) as blade clamps - works fine. The flux & solder can be bought as a refill kit at Woodcraft too. I use the Harbor Freight pencil-style butane torch, works fine.

Each time you repair a blade it gets a tad shorter - you have to file the ends to make a nice scarf-style joint. Which is why I recommend ordering your blades a little oversize if your saw will tension them properly. You're likely to bust smaller blades (fine curve cutting blades) as opposed to big resaw blades so you'd probably end up with something like 91 1/4 inches for big blades (since they're harder to tension... you'll need a blade closer to spec) and 91 1/2 inches for smaller blades.

For "I gotta have it today" blades... I've bought too-long blades at local stores and then cut out an inch or two and re-brazed them to make blades to fit my saw.

mpc

[durango dude]

Okay - band saw is up and running.

Cut out a beginner band saw box.

One big challenge ---- the blade is angled a couple of degrees off of perpendicular.
I checked the blade's alignment with a combination square, and it's off.
The blade is good, at 90 degrees to the surface of the table. However, it's not 90 degrees from the edge of the table. (parallel to the miter slot).

Can't figure out how to adjust the table (found the angle --- that was easy --- but can't rotate the table compared to the blade).

I centered the blade on the upper wheel, just like the Carter video showed. also tuned the guides so there's no contact. All of that worked great.