I'm glad you've written on the C-man 10" bandsaw. I'm looking to buy one and have looked at this, the Ryobi 9", Hitachi 9" tilting head and shop fox 9". Are you satisfied with the c-man for the money? I've also seen some older 12" for sale in the paper. any advice?
I'm absolutely more than satisfied with the saw. Best bang for the buck in a while for me, beaten only by my TS/Jointer combo I got for a HF welder and $100.
Any of the Cman saws that have a similar design should be winners. They're made by Rikon. I can't comment on the others though.
January 10, 2009 at 6:02 AM
Sorry, no pics. I've been getting lazy with my camera.
Back in January of 08 I posted about buying a Craftsman Band Saw and even then I mentioned the cut quality was kinda crap.
Then a few days later, after much research online and some trial and error I talked about how to tune the thing. Again, I got the cut quality better, but still not perfect.
I used that band saw a lot. For resawing, pen turning, and so on. It's been a workhorse! And the 1/3hp motor hasn't been any kind of limitation either. But the cut quality still left a lot to be desired.
Last October I realized the blade that came with the band saw was pretty tired.
Pooped out.
Dull.
So I ordered a new one. The one I bought was a 3/8" "flexback" blade from Cyber Woodworking Depot. Total cost including shipping was under $20.
Product number: 80467-FLB5-1790 Manufacturer: Lenox Description: (70-1/2 in.) 5 ft. 10-1/2 in. x 3/8 in. x .025 x 3TPI, Hook, Wood Cutting, FLEX BACK
This blade is much stiffer and sharper than the stock Craftsman blade ever was. It also (after following my tuning process again) cuts a whole lot nicer! And faster! Resawing 4" cherry while doable, was pretty slow. Even when the blade was still sharp. With this Lenox blade I can't push the wood fast enough to bog it down.
Now, keep in mind that tuning the saw is important to get good results. Just slapping the blade on isn't gonna get you the quality of cut possible after dialing in the weels and guide blocks or bearings. But on a tuned saw, the difference between a crap blade and a quality blade are huge.
Give it a shot. It's only $20 (shipped) and you'll be amazed.
2 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formI'm glad you've written on the C-man 10" bandsaw. I'm looking to buy one and have looked at this, the Ryobi 9", Hitachi 9" tilting head and shop fox 9". Are you satisfied with the c-man for the money? I've also seen some older 12" for sale in the paper. any advice?
January 9, 2009 at 7:11 PM
I'm absolutely more than satisfied with the saw. Best bang for the buck in a while for me, beaten only by my TS/Jointer combo I got for a HF welder and $100.
Any of the Cman saws that have a similar design should be winners. They're made by Rikon. I can't comment on the others though.
January 10, 2009 at 6:02 AM