Here’s my dilemna.
For my last birthday (40) and Father’s Day, I get to get a new power tool. Woo Hoo. I’m thinking of a jointer or a band saw. The jointer I’m looking at is the Ridgid jointer. It’s ranked pretty well in the magazines, plus the fact that my sister is going to toss in $100 for the tool. I’ve also been looking at the Ridgid bandsaw and the Jet 14″ closed base bandsaw. A recent magazine voted them almost identical except for the closed vs. open base, and the fact that the Jet is 1hp vs. the Ridgid at 3/4hp.
Which should I get first? Is 1/4hp really a difference maker?
Thanks.
Replies
The bigger the motor the better it will handle larger stock, bigger blades and resawing. The jet is a good buy from what I have been told.
Scott C. Frankland
Newfoundland Wood Worker
What do you have now ? If you have a table saw then the natural choice is the Jointer but if you don't have a table saw then the Bandsaw is the first choice. As for Jet vs. Rigid, I own a Jet and a Craftsman but not a Rigid so my advice is biased. The Jet blows away the Craftsman and I have had good results with it. By the way, test runs at shows and show rooms don't count for advice giving. You have to use the equipment and adjust to the quirks, (which they all have), before you can really say one piece is that much better than another. You won't see any zine reviews that are based on a trip to a showroom. If saving a few bucks means you have to deal with a few more quirks and you don't mind that then buy the less expensive machine.
A word of advice about advice on equipment. I have heard comments like... "It was dead on out of the box and I've never had to readjust it in the past 5 years". This either means it hasn't been used very much in the past 5 years or the person doesn't care enough to check the machine. Its a simple fact that we live with friction. If not we would have perpetual motion. Things wear out and need adjustment to compensate for wear. How fast something wears out certainly depends on quality but the amount of use or, (god forbid), lack of attention are the bigger players. A less expensive machine might need more attention and you need to think about that because it is downtime.
Hope this helps and congratulations on your 40th...!
Steve - in Northern California
Edited 5/22/2002 1:49:28 PM ET by Steve Schefer
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled