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#1
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
I wrote to Rikon to see if there was a dealer near me where I could actually
look at one of the bandsaws. (This is the model that got a "Best Buy" rating in Fine Woodworking a month or so ago.) Anyway, while there isn't one around here yet, they said Woodcraft is going to start carrying them in about six weeks. Retail is about $1000, I think. If anybody's interested.... -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#2
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
thanks alot I was hopin for some info on a smaller Rikon saw 14", if
woodcraft is going to carry them I'll try to contact them. happiness!-Frank "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message r.com... I wrote to Rikon to see if there was a dealer near me where I could actually look at one of the bandsaws. (This is the model that got a "Best Buy" rating in Fine Woodworking a month or so ago.) Anyway, while there isn't one around here yet, they said Woodcraft is going to start carrying them in about six weeks. Retail is about $1000, I think. If anybody's interested.... |
#3
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Check out the Woodtek also at the same price. Notice the cast iron fence on
it as opposed to the Rikon's aluminum... Cast iron wheels too. Not sure if the Rikon has the same. Anyhow, the Woodtek will be mine when money permits. http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPR...9&LARGEVIEW=ON Brian. "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message .com... I wrote to Rikon to see if there was a dealer near me where I could actually look at one of the bandsaws. (This is the model that got a "Best Buy" rating in Fine Woodworking a month or so ago.) Anyway, while there isn't one around here yet, they said Woodcraft is going to start carrying them in about six weeks. Retail is about $1000, I think. If anybody's interested.... -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#4
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Brian wrote:
Check out the Woodtek also at the same price. Notice the cast iron fence on it as opposed to the Rikon's aluminum... Cast iron wheels too. Not sure if the Rikon has the same. Anyhow, the Woodtek will be mine when money permits. http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPR...9&LARGEVIEW=ON I'm going on the recommendation of the author in Fine Woodworking. If money were no object, I'd go for the Laguna. Unfortunately, I'm not as independently wealthy as I'd like to be. Besides, I'm a relative newbie. I've never used a bandsaw; never took woodshop in high school. Most of what I know I learned by reading and stumbling around the shop. I figure this'll be like when I got into computers: spend the money and then I'll be obligated to learn how to use it. But I digress.... The author specifically mentioned the ease of changing the blade. I can't remember any of the rest right now. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#5
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Brian wrote:
Check out the Woodtek also at the same price. Notice the cast iron fence on it as opposed to the Rikon's aluminum... Cast iron wheels too. Not sure if the Rikon has the same. Anyhow, the Woodtek will be mine when money permits. http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPR...9&LARGEVIEW=ON I'm going on the recommendation of the author in Fine Woodworking. If money were no object, I'd go for the Laguna. Unfortunately, I'm not as independently wealthy as I'd like to be. Besides, I'm a relative newbie. I've never used a bandsaw; never took woodshop in high school. Most of what I know I learned by reading and stumbling around the shop. I figure this'll be like when I got into computers: spend the money and then I'll be obligated to learn how to use it. But I digress.... The author specifically mentioned the ease of changing the blade. I can't remember any of the rest right now. -- And minimal deflection when tensioned and put under load (resaw). Good resaw capacity. The Rikon looks like a nice saw... Tom Work at your leisure! |
#6
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message .com... Brian wrote: Check out the Woodtek also at the same price. Notice the cast iron fence on it as opposed to the Rikon's aluminum... Cast iron wheels too. Not sure if the Rikon has the same. Anyhow, the Woodtek will be mine when money permits. http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPR...9&LARGEVIEW=ON I'm going on the recommendation of the author in Fine Woodworking. If money were no object, I'd go for the Laguna. Unfortunately, I'm not as independently wealthy as I'd like to be. Besides, I'm a relative newbie. I've never used a That's fine. I'm just trying to point out another option in your price range. Did Fine Woodworking include the Woodtek in their writeup? Brian. |
#7
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Brian wrote:
That's fine. I'm just trying to point out another option in your price range. Did Fine Woodworking include the Woodtek in their writeup? Yes, they looked at the Woodtek 118-199, along with the Agazzani, Bridgewood, Craftsman, Delta, General, Grizzly, Jet, Laguna, Lobo, and Rikon (all 18" models). They found the Bridgewood PBS 440 and the Laguna LT18SE the best overall and the Rikon the best value. The best overall cost 2-3 times what the Rikon does. This is not to say that the other saws were deficient. The bitches had more to do with the ease of changing and adjusting blades and frame deflection. BTW, the article puts the street price of the Woodtek about $100 more than that of the Rikon (they say $900). List price is higher, of course. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#8
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
I'd be curious to hear what they had to say about the Woodtek, if you
wouldn't mind. Thanks. Brian. "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message .com... Brian wrote: That's fine. I'm just trying to point out another option in your price range. Did Fine Woodworking include the Woodtek in their writeup? Yes, they looked at the Woodtek 118-199, along with the Agazzani, Bridgewood, Craftsman, Delta, General, Grizzly, Jet, Laguna, Lobo, and Rikon (all 18" models). They found the Bridgewood PBS 440 and the Laguna LT18SE the best overall and the Rikon the best value. The best overall cost 2-3 times what the Rikon does. This is not to say that the other saws were deficient. The bitches had more to do with the ease of changing and adjusting blades and frame deflection. BTW, the article puts the street price of the Woodtek about $100 more than that of the Rikon (they say $900). List price is higher, of course. -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#9
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Brian wrote:
I'd be curious to hear what they had to say about the Woodtek, if you wouldn't mind. Woodtek 118-199: They scored it as good in the resaw test, excellent in the curve following test, and very good in table lock effectiveness. On the negative side, it scored only a fair in blade changing ease and was ten out of eleven tested in frame deflection (lower is more desirable). -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#10
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message news:kJbMc.178446 Woodtek 118-199: They scored it as good in the resaw test, excellent in the curve following test, and very good in table lock effectiveness. On the negative side, it scored only a fair in blade changing ease and was ten out of eleven tested in frame deflection (lower is more desirable). Found the article. Here's a direct link: http://www.dropship2u.com/rikon/10-340review.pdf They must be hosting that page from a dialup connection. Anyhow, give it a chance to load. Now a couple things... (1) I honestly think these machines are now so similar (minus the higher end makes, Laguna, Agazzani, etc) that the deflection is going to be roughly equivalent. And any variance you see from brand to brand is also likely to be seen from machine to machine within the same brand. I have no way to verify this, but I'd bank on it being true. (2) I think there are other considerations when shopping for a bandsaw. I do believe that the Woodtek has cast iron wheels and trunions while the Rikon has aluminum wheels and stamped steel trunions. Would need more info from Rikon to be sure, but to me this is significant. (3) I think the equivalent Grizzly model to the tested Rikon is in fact the G0514. Not the more expensive G0506 they actually tested. Check the specs. I wouldn't be surprised if the G0514 and the Rikon were in fact the *identical* machine with different name tags with the exception of the slighter larger Rikon table. The Grizz currently runs $925, and I can't find the Rikon online for less than $999. FWIW Brian. |
#11
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
And as I typed this, I see that the Rikon does indeed have cast iron
wheels... Hmm, that machine is looking better and better.... "Brian" wrote in message ... "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" wrote in message news:kJbMc.178446 Woodtek 118-199: They scored it as good in the resaw test, excellent in the curve following test, and very good in table lock effectiveness. On the negative side, it scored only a fair in blade changing ease and was ten out of eleven tested in frame deflection (lower is more desirable). Found the article. Here's a direct link: http://www.dropship2u.com/rikon/10-340review.pdf They must be hosting that page from a dialup connection. Anyhow, give it a chance to load. Now a couple things... (1) I honestly think these machines are now so similar (minus the higher end makes, Laguna, Agazzani, etc) that the deflection is going to be roughly equivalent. And any variance you see from brand to brand is also likely to be seen from machine to machine within the same brand. I have no way to verify this, but I'd bank on it being true. (2) I think there are other considerations when shopping for a bandsaw. I do believe that the Woodtek has cast iron wheels and trunions while the Rikon has aluminum wheels and stamped steel trunions. Would need more info from Rikon to be sure, but to me this is significant. (3) I think the equivalent Grizzly model to the tested Rikon is in fact the G0514. Not the more expensive G0506 they actually tested. Check the specs. I wouldn't be surprised if the G0514 and the Rikon were in fact the *identical* machine with different name tags with the exception of the slighter larger Rikon table. The Grizz currently runs $925, and I can't find the Rikon online for less than $999. FWIW Brian. |
#12
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
Brian wrote:
And as I typed this, I see that the Rikon does indeed have cast iron wheels... Hmm, that machine is looking better and better.... I swear I saw a Rikon ad that said the 18" saw listed at $899. Now, of course, I can't find the damned thing. This is going to drive me crazy. They seem to have a real low profile in the marketplace, though Woodcraft should fix that. The $999 price at Toolcenter.com at least includes delivery to a business loading dock; it's another 75 bucks to get them to bring it to your house. (What in hell's the difference?) -- Mortimer Schnerd, RN http://www.mortimerschnerd.com |
#13
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Rikon 18" Bandsaw
In article ,
Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote: Brian wrote: And as I typed this, I see that the Rikon does indeed have cast iron wheels... Hmm, that machine is looking better and better.... I swear I saw a Rikon ad that said the 18" saw listed at $899. Now, of course, I can't find the damned thing. This is going to drive me crazy. They seem to have a real low profile in the marketplace, though Woodcraft should fix that. The $999 price at Toolcenter.com at least includes delivery to a business loading dock; it's another 75 bucks to get them to bring it to your house. (What in hell's the difference?) the difference is that a 'business loading dock', which is at trailer height, they can just run the pallet off, with a pallet jack or fork-lift (usually supplied _by_ the dock . takes all of about 3 minutes 'Residential' delivery, involves getting it from truck-bed height down to ground level. "Somehow". whole bunch more time/effort and tools/machinery that 'somebody' has to supply. Often takes a _lot_ more time -- like 20-30 minutes. They may have to use a lift-gate truck -- more expensive, and maintainence-prone, probably have to pay the driver a higher rate, per union contract. For trucking companies that deliver _primarily_ to commercial locations, residential delivery is a _major_ pain in the anatomy. They _do_ it, because it is necessary, but they don't *like* to do it. Probably 2/3 of that surcharge is 'justified' by additional direct costs incurred. The remainder is 'nusiance' factor, to 'discourage' people who "don't really need it" from using the service. |
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