On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 14:33:54 -0500, "Daniel A. Mitchell"
wrote:

I too have one of the backgeared 14" wood/metal Wilton vertical
bandsaws. I'm also generally satisfied with it, for what it cost. It's
doing what I bought it to do.

It's hardly fair to brand it as a "ready to rebuild" import (though it
is made overseas), it's far better built than the average low-end import
machines. The HF and similar saws aren't nearly as nice (or as
expensive), and they don't offer a backgeared version anyway.

Actually, it's a near part for part copy of our *VERY* similar Delta
machine. I've had the Wilton at home for about two years, and the Delta
at work for about 30 years ... so far, what one can say about one, can
be said for the other.

And yes, the Winton's dust collection is lousy, but the Delta has NONE
at all.

The only improvement I made to my saw was to lose that triangular
plastic blade-tensioning knob and replace it with a larger aluminum
knob with a little "spinner" handle on it. It makes blade changes a
lot faster because I can wind up the slack and some of the tension
using the spinner.