Rikon - Rikon 10-326 14-in Bandsaw
Bandsaw has plenty of power and great guides
I’ve had RIkon’s newest 14-In. bandsaw in my shop for the past few months. Powered by a 1 3⁄4-hp motor, it has easily handled everything I’ve thrown at it, from ripping a bench’s worth of ash—some of it 10/4 thick—to resawing 10- and 12-in.-wide boards.
The large table, nearly 16 in. deep by 22 in. wide, is a great platform for working with such large boards. The table sits atop a rack-and-pinion trunnion that is easy to adjust with one hand. The locking lever can be operated with one hand, too.
Setting the blade guides was especially easy because it requires no tools. The guides are springloaded, with the spring pushing the guide away from the blade when it’s not locked in place. It was no problem to push in the guide with one hand and rotate the locking knob with the other.
All adjustments to the fence can be made without tools as well. The adjustments include switching the fence between its 1⁄2-in.- and 6-in.-tall orientations, and adjusting the fence for drift.
The saw has a single 4-in. dust port, and the dust collection is good. I also liked the power switch. The shut-off button is larger than the on switch and sticks a bit farther out, making it easy to push to turn off the saw.
I do have a small complaint. There’s an adjustment bolt on the bottom of the fence head that falls into the left-side miter slot every time the fence crosses over it. It makes moving the fence a two-handed affair. Still, this is a minor complaint about an otherwise great bandsaw.
—Kelly Dunton is a furniture maker in Terryville, Conn
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM
Starrett 12-in. combination square
Veritas Precision Square
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Adjust for drift. An eccentric cam in the fence’s head rotates to angle the fence, allowing you to match it to the blade’s drift.
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Big target. The large off button makes it easy to turn off the saw, a big plus when you are preoccupied with a workpiece and spinning blade.
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Snappy guides. Pinch the spring-loaded button to move the guide against the blade, and turn the knob to lock it in place.
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Big power. The 13⁄4-hp motor spinning the wheels on Rikon’s new bandsaw is more than enough for demanding jobs like resawing wide hardwood boards.
Comments
There are quite a few good reviews of the Rikon 10-326. However, I have not seen any reviews of the 10-353. Would it be possible to hear from one of your experts, what they think of the Rikon 10-353?
Thanks
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