Rikon Model 10-325 or Powermatic 14" Bandsaw?

[Ken Massingale]

Happy Saturday everyone.

I can get the PM with riser for a tad less than the Rikon, after rebate. My needs are for primarily resawing, I realize 1 1/2hp is minimal but ~$750 is all I can spend on the new bandsaw.
I would appreciate opinions from owners of these 2 saws and suggestions on other saws at this price range.
Thanks in advance, this is not a small purchase for me and hopefully I won't regret my decision.
ken

 

[Travis Porter]

I do not have either, but in looking at both of them at Woodcraft, the PM seems beefier and has more bells and whistles to me.

 

[Ken Massingale]

I agree, Travis. I had decided to go with the PM until I started seeing reports of owners having problems with wheel alignment when using the riser. Now I'm almost back to square one but leaning toward the Rikon.

 

[novice99]

Ken-
I am in the same spot you are about adding a BS to the shop. I have also been looking at the Griz 0555X, although the resaw capacity is less than the other two. As such, I am leaning toward the Rikon as well. If you go that way, I would appreciate your review. Thanks- Mike

 

[sapwood]

Ken,
I have owned a PM 14" with a riser for about 2 years now. The PM was initially setup without the riser as they were backordered at the time. After minor tweaking, it ran perfectly with the wheels coplanar and perfect 90º alignment of blade both front and side. Also raising and lower the blade guide assembly didn't require readjustment. I couldn't have asked for a better bandsaw.

However, repeated attempts to install riser block have left me far from satisfied. I am admittedly "engineering challenged", but have been through two riser blocks and even had a fellow NCWWer mill one down to perfection. The OEM riser was neither flat, nor parallel, nor square :crybaby2:I have spent many hours installing, reinstalling, shimming, and adjusting and I'm still a long way from the desired results. :roll: The wheels aren't coplanar and the blade guides have to be readjusted when height is changed. Someday, I'll tackle it again, removing the alignment pins and/or drilling out the holes to provide play. IMHO the process should not be this difficult.

In all other aspects the PM 14 is a well built, smooth running saw with lots of nice features . . . ball bearing guides, Carter Quick Release, fence included, etc. I've chatted with other folks on this forum (SteveD mostly) and Woodnet that installed a riser on the PM 14. They did not encounter the problems I've had and are very happy with the results. So this may say more about me than the product :lol: However, if your goal is resawing I would opt for a BS that has a solid frame construction and is designed for resawing. They will also enable you to use 3/4" or larger blades instead of 1/2" blade.

Happy shopping,
Roger

 

[Ken Massingale]

Thanks Roger. Where is the Powermatic made, Taiwan or China?

 

[sapwood]

Thanks Roger. Where is the Powermatic made, Taiwan or China?

Dunno :eusa_thin
However, I would guess you are aware that WMH Group makes Jet products as well. I had both Jet and PM riser block and they differ only in color.

Roger

 

[FIVEBYFIVE]

I dont have either, but i would love to have either. I'd wait and see what kind of feedback you get off here.

 

[Wildwood]

You can use most any 14" bandsaw for resawing wood. Having the proper blade and rate of feed has a lot to do with it too! Horsepower ratings on Taiwan and China electrical motors ( 1, 1 ½, and 2 HP) pretty optimistic. Still most will more than meet your needs.

Not a big fan of riser blocks on any bandsaw. When you install a riser block you lose your blade tension gauge. Yes, that gauge may not be the most reliable way to tension a blade. Still most tension gauges will get you in the ball park. I use the one that came with my bandsaw, and would be lost without it. Today for same amount of money can buy a bandsaw with bigger cutting height.

While not everyone has alignment problems installing a riser block, why risk the hassle of installing one. You can buy a bandsaw with bigger cutting height for the same money.

Know WoodCraft is having their big sale in April. Why not check the reviews on both the PM and Rikon bandsaw on the Internet before you buy. Think the Jet, JWBS-16 might be in your price range too! If you have a 220V line, Grizzly G0457, 14" Industrial Re-Saw bandsaw might be worth a look. Think all the bandsaws mentioned will also run on 220V too!

 

[Travis Porter]

Alignment isn't too bad to deal with. I didn't recognize my Delta 14" was out alignment for years until I tuned it up. I order a wheel shim kit and a table shim kit from Iturra for a few bucks (not a lot IIRC). I did learn before I shimmed the wheel, the table was square to the blade, but afterwards, it was not, hence I was glad I ordered the table shims.

Regardless of what you decide, the extra resaw heighth is nice to have, and IMO a 1 1/2 HP motor does a pretty good job at resawing. Do compare the amperage ratings of the motor as well as the stated horsepower. I haven't checked either, but I trust the amp ratings a lot more than the stated HP.

 

[michaelgarner]

I don't have either, but I would think that the Rikon might withstand deflection a bit better because of the solid frame body that does not need a riser. This is just my opinion, not a detailed review of either machine. But I think if you go into the PM with the Idea of taking your time tunning it after the riser you will be set. Keep us informed friend.

 

[Ken Massingale]

Welllll, I decided on the Rikon. I contacted Powermatic with my concern and their reply, although probably a valid solution, didn't leave me with a warm fuzzy that they are looking to eliminate the issue rather than provide a way around it. Here's the reply:

Hi Ken,
Thanks for your e-mail. There is a resolution to this issue. When you
install the riser block, you have to align to upper and lower frame
before you tighten the bolt all the way.

I picked up the Rikon yesterday morning, now here is Murphy at his finest!!

I can't get the saw off the floor up to the stand!!:rolf:

The assembly is probably around 180-200 lbs., I have 7 ft. ceilings in my shop so there is not enough room to use a come-a-long between the saw and joist. I have a couple of gorilla arm friends coming by this afternoon to help, tho. But I was a sad sight yesterday afternoon sitting in the shop looking at the saw assembly sitting on the floor, just 20 inches from BS Nirvana. So far I am really impressed with the stand tho!:crybaby2:

 

[NCPete]

Ken, you can't bolt the stand to the saw, and then stand it up??

 

[michaelgarner]

sweet, congrats friend lets see some pics of the slumbering giant on the floor!!!

 

[Toddler]

Pete,
Our friends' 3y/o son had a tee shirt on the other day that I need to get you.
It said, "Well it seemed like a good idea at the time."

200# at the lifting end of the lever is 200# Ken would have to lift. Although if you were thinking block and tackle/come along to stand it up part of the way, I'd be with you on that idea. Once you get to 45 degrees, it'd be easy to tip upright. I'd still wait for big friends myself.

Todd

 

[Travis Porter]

Ken, I will definitively agree Powermatic/WMH support is less that satisfactory. When I had trouble with my tablesaw, getting a response, and when I did get a response, getting an answer was a joke.

Good luck on your purchase. Looking forward to a review.

 

[Ken Massingale]

Pete,
Our friends' 3y/o son had a tee shirt on the other day that I need to get you.
It said, "Well it seemed like a good idea at the time."

200# at the lifting end of the lever is 200# Ken would have to lift. Although if you were thinking block and tackle/come along to stand it up part of the way, I'd be with you on that idea. Once you get to 45 degrees, it'd be easy to tip upright. I'd still wait for big friends myself.

Todd

That was my thought, I'm gonna love this thing but being 61 and still in reasonably good health, I prefer to stay that way. Besides I followed the instructions which said to leave all the bolts holding the stand together finger tight, sit the saw on the stand to let the saw square the stand, then tighten everything. I fear standing it back up with a squirmy stand wouldn't be a good thing.

 

[Toddler]

Ken,

I'm 39, and agree with you. We took my kids (5 and 7) to Cirque du Soleil last night, and I was watching the strong-men/acrobats doing handstands on each others heads and thinking how much worse their discs will be than mine are when they reach middle age, and I have one that bothers me already from a stupid mistake.

Now that you're "approaching" middle age, caution is the better part of valor in heavy lifting. My solution would have been a low fold open beach chair and using the saw on the floor until help arrived.

BTW: I forgot to offer a hearty: You Suck

Congrats on the new tool and be safe,

Todd

 

[NCPete]

yeah, I forget how wobbly a loosely assembled stand can be... I didn't leave mine loose when I flipped my table saw up... perhaps that explains the occasional wobble?

 

[Wildwood]

Best of luck with your new saw!