Question
I might be in the market for a new bandsaw. I have a 14'' Grizzly that all of a sudden has lost its power and is slow to wind up to full speed when it is turned on. I might put a new motor on it because it's really big enough for what we do. But I'd kind of like to have a 17 or 19 inch one with a 2 hp motor. If I go that route, I am looking at the Shop Fox version because I can get it local, which means no freight, or maybe a Grizzly. I have several Shop Fox and Grizzly tools and have been well satisfied with both. Are there any other brands out there that I should consider that are in the same price range, which is around a thousand dollars?
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor A:
It's hard to beat the 17" -18" Grizzly bandsaws that are around $1000. They may be the best tool Grizzly sells for the money. Jet costs a lot more and doesn't appear to be as good.
You say you have other Grizzly tools... I was wondering about their 36'' wide belt sanders - do you have one? How do you like it?
I don't have that widebelt. I recently bought a 26'' Shop Fox drum sander, and love it. I have two Grizzly shapers and a 6x80 edge sander, and this bandsaw. I am very well pleased with Grizzly tools.
I'm all for buying good old American cast iron; however, it's a hell of a lot easier to buy a brand new Grizzly. It's also a big improvement over the old 14". You've got to get a fantastic deal like $500 on a 20" to make it worth it in my mind.
My 2002 Delta Bandsaw which still had the packing grease on the table when I bought it in 2005 cost me $875. I plugged it in and haven't spent a dime since, except for new blades. Average price for a used American made version is under $1k, throughout the lower 48 anyway.
I also didn't bring up the old "buy American" issue. My Delta is not American made, it's made in Taiwan. As is my Powermatic line boring machine and drum sander (which I recently sold). Neither of which have significant quality differences from my American made Powermatic shaper. It's not so much where it's from, it's that you get what you pay for. The inexpensive Asian imports are inexpensive for a reason. I've bought several machines that fit this category over the last decade and regretted every one of them. The more expensive versions (like some Powermatic stuff) might not be the best on the market, but can still be very respectable machines.
I know used equipment isn't for everyone, and of course it depends on what type of machine you're buying. But for your basic woodworking equipment, I can buy much more machine than I could ever afford new.
A couple points I'd make:
1) This is a professional forum for guys who make a living with their equipment. Therefore equipment gets a lot of use, and maintaining equipment (like replacing bandsaw tires and/or guides if needed) is a part of the job.
2) Because our equipment gets a lot of use, lighter duty machines will wear out faster, thereby generating more downtime and less productivity. Heavier duty machines run longer and thereby produce more... Better return on investment.
3) Many of us will upgrade our machinery over time as we grow our businesses. I can turn around and recover most (if not all or more) of my total investment from every used piece of equipment in my shop. The few pieces of new equipment I've purchased lost 50% of their value within several years.
Like I said, used may not be for everyone, but there's more to consider than what it costs up front, and where it came from. The fact that the questioner may replace a Grizzly 14" (which may still be repairable?) with another Grizzly or Shop Fox, makes me think they're really just disposable machines?
The difference is long term use, parts and electrical parts. Powermatic can skirt some problems since their quality control is directly under their supervision, and they are using good US made electrical components. Other firms do this with varying degrees of success. Some Asian companies fail at parts, while some US excel at this.
Older US or German or Italian equipment - say form the late 60's to the early 90's - is very durable and parts are easy to get (stock type bearings, belts, guides and electrical components). This type of equipment is going for unbelievably low prices at auctions all over the US.
Even if you buy it and have to change bearings and a few other things, you end up with a real machine that will last forever and actually hold its (used) value. No Asian will do that.
Look at Ex-factory for price ranges, and then go to Industrial Recovery - IRS - to see what is coming up. Both companies are reputable and are sponsors of WOODWEB's machinery page.
My personal standard for equipment is that you receive it, set it up, and then put it into daily service. It should then be like your electrical or internet service - always there, always ready, with no fiddling or fussing. The machines need to work for us, not the other way around.
