Was in Sears today and happened to notice that they have their 14 inch band saw on closeout for 428 bucks, marked "discontinued". The store I was in had two floor models and one boxed. For that price this is a really nice saw. Only thing it lacks that I would want is a tension release and there's no obvious way to add one. And yes, I do have one and have had it for over a year.
Note that there also appears to be a ten percent mail-in rebate on the Sears site--that would take the price to under 400.
I replaced the tension knob on my Jet BS with a crank. It works quite well and I take the tension off every time I quit using the saw. It is much cheaper than the tension release lever and I think it is less of a Rube Golderg arrangement anyway.
I did the same. Made a wooden crank from a chunk of pallet wood, screw, and washer. No modifications to the saw required. It was almost free or get a $150 lever attachment accessory add-on kit.
For $400 better quality used can be found, maybe a Jet, Delta, Powermatic, possibly a Laguna or General, if you keep looking in local classified ads.
Yeah, I looked at the Ridgid when I got mine. Even at the then price on the Sears with no discounts by the time I had an equivalent saw I'd have been out more money with the Ridgid.
Best of luck. I stopped buying any corded tool from Sears many years ago. I had a Craftman drill, skilsaw, and jigsaw that needed parts but instead were trashed. Guess what parts were available.... things like the cord and a chuck. They don't want you to fix them, they want you to buy new ones.
30 years ago sears tools were great I would not buy anything from them now except wrenches and sockets. Sears always has to put their own twist on things or there better idea . When it comes to Sears tools if it's electric it will break if it's gas don't worry it wont start. Sears needs to get back to their roots quality product and a decent price. I have some old craftsman's power tools 35+ years they just don't stop going.
Look, I didn't intend to start a pissing contest about how lousy Sears is. I was walking through the store and saw a price that I consider to be very attractive on something I paid more for and found to be completely satisfactory and mentioned it in case anybody might want one.
This brainless sears bashing is as tiresome as Mac and Linux advocacy.
I have NO intention of getting involved in that war.
But I did see an interesting tagline on another group. It went something like this, "If Macs are so good, why don't they run linux?" I am certain that will enrage some folks.
It reminds me of that vegetarian joke. If God did not intend for us to eat meat, he would not have made it taste so good.
Just being pedantic but OS/X is derived from BSD which was derived from AT&T source but has since been sanitized of that. Linux was always a clone with no AT&T code.
I'm not going to put a blanket bash on Sears/Craftsman, but I don't buy their mechanics tools anymore. The wrenches are not accurate and the metal is not hard enough. I know this from experience. For sockets etc, I don't mind them, but I'm constantly getting ratchets replaced. I recently got two slot screwdrivers replaced because the blade deforned (twisted) when I tried to remove a stubborn screw. I grabbed on of those cheap "checkout line" multiple bit screwdrivers and easily got the screw out without any visible effect on the tool. That's just sad.
I actually do a lot more mechanic work than woodworking (non- professional), but I am phasing out all of my Craftsman stuff.
I guess I ended up bashing after all, but this is from my own experience, and it's justified. What really galls me now is that they've added a new "professional series" of mechanics tools. When I was a teenager, the everyday Craftsman wrenches were top quality and there was no need for the "deluxe" series. Sigh.
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