Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying a bandsaw in the near future and would like your
opinions.

BusyBee Tools (a Canadian tool store) has a Craftex 15 1/2" 2 HP bandsaw
(model CT082)on special for $650 (= US$515) till tomorrow. I've not heard
of Craftex before, as it seems to be their house brand. From the ad copy,
it's "a full size single speed (3000 fpm) band saw with a heavy pressed
steel frame and an oversize (19 3/4" x 15 1/2", 45 degree right hand tilt)
cast iron table." It has a 2 HP, 220V with magnetic starter, takes a 116"
blade, comes with a fence (21 1/2" x 2 1/2" with optical cursor), mitre
gauge, rack & pinon upper blade support & ball bearing guides. Its
capacity is 14 3/4" by 8".

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws? For the same money I
could get a Jet JWBS-14CS, 14" Closed Stand Bndsw, 1HP, 1Ph, 115/230V at
Summit Tools (which "American Woodworker" Oct. 2004 ranked right beside the
Delta 206, which sells for $790)

I like the idea of Craftex as it's 220V (though the Jet could be rewired
to 220V) and 2 HP though it only has an 8" resaw capacity. The Jet can
take a riser block for a 12" resaw capacity. But I don't want to buy
inferior tools, however neither do I know if I'll ever need 12" resaw
capacity. It also strikes me that 1 HP isn't sufficient for 12" resawing.

What say you? Thanks!

__
Cheers,
Rob

Check out this forum for more "canadian focused" discussions:
http://www.workshopbuzz.com/forum/

No offense to the guys in here, but the percentage of Canadian posters (and
therefore, people who might have heard of Craftex) is probably higher in
that group.

Clint

"Rob Fargher" wrote in message
news:nvoje.1421133$Xk.885827@pd7tw3no...
Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying a bandsaw in the near future and would like your
opinions.

BusyBee Tools (a Canadian tool store) has a Craftex 15 1/2" 2 HP bandsaw
(model CT082)on special for $650 (= US$515) till tomorrow. I've not heard
of Craftex before, as it seems to be their house brand. From the ad copy,
it's "a full size single speed (3000 fpm) band saw with a heavy pressed
steel frame and an oversize (19 3/4" x 15 1/2", 45 degree right hand tilt)
cast iron table." It has a 2 HP, 220V with magnetic starter, takes a 116"
blade, comes with a fence (21 1/2" x 2 1/2" with optical cursor), mitre
gauge, rack & pinon upper blade support & ball bearing guides. Its
capacity is 14 3/4" by 8".

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws? For the same money I
could get a Jet JWBS-14CS, 14" Closed Stand Bndsw, 1HP, 1Ph, 115/230V at
Summit Tools (which "American Woodworker" Oct. 2004 ranked right beside
the
Delta 206, which sells for $790)

I like the idea of Craftex as it's 220V (though the Jet could be rewired
to 220V) and 2 HP though it only has an 8" resaw capacity. The Jet can
take a riser block for a 12" resaw capacity. But I don't want to buy
inferior tools, however neither do I know if I'll ever need 12" resaw
capacity. It also strikes me that 1 HP isn't sufficient for 12" resawing.

What say you? Thanks!

__
Cheers,
Rob

Craftex have a good reputation and I know some professional that use these
products.They are very satisfed for the quality and the low prices.

I think your bandsaw is a good choice.

S.B.


"Rob Fargher" a écrit dans le message de
news: nvoje.1421133$Xk.885827@pd7tw3no...
Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying a bandsaw in the near future and would like your
opinions.

BusyBee Tools (a Canadian tool store) has a Craftex 15 1/2" 2 HP bandsaw
(model CT082)on special for $650 (= US$515) till tomorrow. I've not heard
of Craftex before, as it seems to be their house brand. From the ad copy,
it's "a full size single speed (3000 fpm) band saw with a heavy pressed
steel frame and an oversize (19 3/4" x 15 1/2", 45 degree right hand tilt)
cast iron table." It has a 2 HP, 220V with magnetic starter, takes a 116"
blade, comes with a fence (21 1/2" x 2 1/2" with optical cursor), mitre
gauge, rack & pinon upper blade support & ball bearing guides. Its
capacity is 14 3/4" by 8".

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws? For the same money I
could get a Jet JWBS-14CS, 14" Closed Stand Bndsw, 1HP, 1Ph, 115/230V at
Summit Tools (which "American Woodworker" Oct. 2004 ranked right beside
the
Delta 206, which sells for $790)

I like the idea of Craftex as it's 220V (though the Jet could be rewired
to 220V) and 2 HP though it only has an 8" resaw capacity. The Jet can
take a riser block for a 12" resaw capacity. But I don't want to buy
inferior tools, however neither do I know if I'll ever need 12" resaw
capacity. It also strikes me that 1 HP isn't sufficient for 12" resawing.

What say you? Thanks!

__
Cheers,
Rob

On 20-May-2005, Rob Fargher wrote:

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws?

They are mediocre, Chiwanese products.

For the same money I
could get a Jet JWBS-14CS, 14" Closed Stand Bndsw, 1HP, 1Ph, 115/230V at
Summit Tools (which "American Woodworker" Oct. 2004 ranked right beside the
Delta 206, which sells for $790)

I'd get the Jet in a second. Note: I have a Craftex 15" that was given to me
as a gift.

Mike

Hi Rob,
I have had a 14" Craftex BS for several years and I would hesitate before
buying it again. It is a pretty rough piece of work. The quality of their
product line varies so maybe that model is better. I have a DP by them which
gets the job done and an OSS which I really like. JG

Rob Fargher wrote:

Hi folks,

I'm thinking of buying a bandsaw in the near future and would like your
opinions.

BusyBee Tools (a Canadian tool store) has a Craftex 15 1/2" 2 HP bandsaw
(model CT082)on special for $650 (= US$515) till tomorrow. I've not heard
of Craftex before, as it seems to be their house brand. From the ad copy,
it's "a full size single speed (3000 fpm) band saw with a heavy pressed
steel frame and an oversize (19 3/4" x 15 1/2", 45 degree right hand tilt)
cast iron table." It has a 2 HP, 220V with magnetic starter, takes a 116"
blade, comes with a fence (21 1/2" x 2 1/2" with optical cursor), mitre
gauge, rack & pinon upper blade support & ball bearing guides. Its
capacity is 14 3/4" by 8".

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws? For the same money I
could get a Jet JWBS-14CS, 14" Closed Stand Bndsw, 1HP, 1Ph, 115/230V at
Summit Tools (which "American Woodworker" Oct. 2004 ranked right beside the
Delta 206, which sells for $790)

I like the idea of Craftex as it's 220V (though the Jet could be rewired
to 220V) and 2 HP though it only has an 8" resaw capacity. The Jet can
take a riser block for a 12" resaw capacity. But I don't want to buy
inferior tools, however neither do I know if I'll ever need 12" resaw
capacity. It also strikes me that 1 HP isn't sufficient for 12" resawing.

What say you? Thanks!

__
Cheers,
Rob

Clint wrote:

Check out this forum for more "canadian focused" discussions:
http://www.workshopbuzz.com/forum/

No offense to the guys in here, but the percentage of Canadian posters
(and therefore, people who might have heard of Craftex) is probably higher
in that group.


Thanks for that pointer, Clint. I've bookmarked it.

--
Cheers,
Rob

JGS wrote:

Hi Rob,
I have had a 14" Craftex BS for several years and I would hesitate before
buying it again. It is a pretty rough piece of work. The quality of their
product line varies so maybe that model is better. I have a DP by them
which gets the job done and an OSS which I really like. JG


I went back to look at it again yesterday and found out that they wouldn't
have stock till June 30th anyway. So that made the decision easy. :-)

The Jet that I was considering is pretty much bare-bones: no quick release
tension, no fence, no mitre gauge, no riser block. I'm now raising my
sights a bit higher and am looking at a General 90-125 14" BS. It's more
money but, I think, a better saw. There's also a King Industrial 14" on
promo (free riser block for 12" resaw capacity) that has a better fence
than the General. It's also signficantly less expensive than the General.
Decisions, decisions. :-)

--
Cheers,
Rob

Michael Daly wrote:

On 20-May-2005, Rob Fargher wrote:

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws?

They are mediocre, Chiwanese products.

That's pretty much what I expected to hear. Once I realised that the saw
lacked any sort of tension gauge and, according to the salesman, I was
supposed to judge blade tension by ear from plucking the blade, I gave up
on it. That sort of ability comes from experience, which I lack.


--
Cheers,
Rob

SBO wrote:

Craftex have a good reputation and I know some professional that use these
products.They are very satisfed for the quality and the low prices.

I think your bandsaw is a good choice.


Thank you for your thoughts. They've just celebrated 29 years of being in
business so they must sell some decent stuff. However, they won't have
stock for a month and a half so I've decided against that model.

--
Cheers,
Rob

Tension springs lose their tension with age (Familiar sound?) and many
rely on sound from the getgo.

On Sat, 21 May 2005 14:12:34 GMT, Rob Fargher
wrote:

Michael Daly wrote:

On 20-May-2005, Rob Fargher wrote:

Does anyone know anymore about Craftex bandsaws?

They are mediocre, Chiwanese products.

That's pretty much what I expected to hear. Once I realised that the saw
lacked any sort of tension gauge and, according to the salesman, I was
supposed to judge blade tension by ear from plucking the blade, I gave up
on it. That sort of ability comes from experience, which I lack.

Rob I am looking at the saem saw and have mixed feelings no hurry though I just receieved a new flyer and this model with the same price is extended to the end of March. Sure wish there was feedback one way or the other.

good luck shopping

yogi