I went and did it now

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

After flapping my lips for several months about the Rikon 18" bandsaw, I finally put my money where my mouth is and bought one today. Woodcraft has them for $899 right now. I worked a deal with one of the guys there to bring it to me and help put it together... actually he's gonna put it together and *I'm* gonna help. I'd rather pay him than take a chance on screwing something up (which I have an unnatural ability to do).

Now I need to call an electrician; the beast requires 220 service. I will say this: looking at the saw up close is a lot more impressive than the pictures I've seen. It appears to be well made but I guess time will tell. Now I just have to hope the company doesn't go belly up just because I bought one of its products (I'm thinking of my old Lightcom modem...). I also have to extend the piping on my dust collector to accept two more 4" hoses.

BTW: Woodcraft is having a one day 10% sale on everything except Festool products on Thursday, February 24th. At least the Matthews, NC store is....

[skeezics]

let us know how it performs. i was gonna get one but they didnt have one on the floor and the sales person said it would be a order item only. i never buy big stuff sight unseen so i went to woodworkers supply and got the delta 18" instead. i get a little off with there through the buisiness so it was under 1200 with tax. a few weeks later i was in woodcraft again and low and behold they had one !! looks like a great machine. if i coulda waited i wooda saved a little huh ? so it goes ! :-] enjoy----

skeez

[Jeff P.]

Excellent Mort,

Can't wait to find out how it all goes. I would reconsider having it assembled for you, however, as I think the process of assembling can teach you a lot about how the tool functions.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Well, the plan is for me to be there through all of it. This thing is too big for one man to assemble by himself without risking life, limb or my new saw. So I'll be intimately involved with the whole process... no beer until the job is done.

[Silvan]

Hell, I had you figured for a Yankee. Well, living that close to Charlotte, you might be. :)

Where is that store, incidentally? I run up Independance just about every week. Not that I have any time to shop, mind you, but I like knowing what excitement I'm driving right past.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I'm an Air Force brat and lived in the North, South and even two foreign countries before my dad retired in NC. Both of my parents were Yankees. OTOH, I've lived here since I was in the 8th grade and consider myself Southern. My accent is sort of neutral but I use southernisms all the time: "y'all" instead of "youse guys", "ahl" instead of '"oyl", "greaze" instead of "grease".

In Matthews on 74, turn to the north onto Windor Square Drive and it's about about 100 yards up the road on the left. There's an Exxon station right at the corner where you turn off 74. It's within a mile of the interchange with I-485. I think it's well worth stopping by if you're in the area; I drive over from the South Charlotte/Pineville area myself. Since I-485 opened, I find myself less than 30 minutes from both happines and poverty. Right now I'm impoverished; I paid for the saw but don't have it yet. But they do... I saw it in its crate in the back of the store yesterday.

[Silvan]

Always good to know. We have one in the next big city, about 45 minutes from here, but I haven't made the trek. Generally speaking, our idea of a "big city" in these parts means we get baby versions of things. So your'un is probably much bigger, and, ironically, less out of the way than the one that's 200 miles closer to my house.

Not that I ever have any money in my pocket, mind you.