# PM Bandsaws or other brands



## Rifleman1384 (Feb 7, 2021)

Ok folks looking for experience and opinions. I'm kinda starting to think I HAVE to get a bandsaw. Preferably horizonal model but not liking the reviews on the HF ones, anyone have any good or bad experience on the PM or another brands/ suggestion. I have been looking for sometime locally on FB marketplace and CL with no luck everything is either a days drive or better or it looks completely worn out and missing parts for 2/3 price of a new one.
Budget around 1000.00 1500.00 would work for a good one, maybe.
Thanks
Steve


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## MtnBiker (Feb 7, 2021)

I'd encourage you to look for an older, used but well designed band saw if you are handy and can spend a little time on cleanup, tuning and replacing a few parts like bearing guides, etc.. Get something with as wide a blade as possible. My Ellis runs a 1" blade and cuts very very straight (and wobbly cuts seem the biggest complaint for this style of saw). We originally had an Evolution miter saw. Between the fire hose spray of molten metal in the shop, short blade life and the noise level of an F-16 at full military power - well, not a great fit for a residential (garage) shop. The bandsaw is amazing!


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## 7milesup (Feb 7, 2021)

You probably don't have a Northern Tool down there but I have been keeping an eye on their 7x12 bandsaw.  I have seen it on sale right at the $900 mark.
I currently have a HF 4x6 that I did some mods to and it does cut ok. 
So many of these are made in the same place,  you are just paying for the color of paint, although the PM has a gearbox that seems to be unique to them.
Northern tool bandsaw


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## Winegrower (Feb 7, 2021)

My opinion is that there is a big step up in performance for the saws that have a recirculating coolant system.
I concur with 7milesup that they can come in around $900.


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## Buffalo21 (Feb 7, 2021)

My Wilton/Jet 7 x 12 has been excellent


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## AGCB97 (Feb 7, 2021)

I found a Johnson model J for $400, put new guide bearings and a blade on it. Just adjusted and tweaked it. I use it ALL the time and just last week put the second blade on it after 4 years.


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## Rifleman1384 (Feb 7, 2021)

We do have Northern Tool here I will check them out as well. 
Thanks


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## slodat (Feb 7, 2021)

I know it blows your budget, but I highly recommend an Ellis. I recently bought one after fighting a nicer import for over ten years. I got the import saw cutting well enough. At its best it never cut as well as the first cut on the Ellis.


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## NCjeeper (Feb 7, 2021)

I have the 7x12 saw from Harbor Freight. Bought it in 2004 and it has been going strong. Made in Taiwan. Not sure the quality of todays saw.


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## Todd727 (Feb 8, 2021)

Buffalo21 said:


> My Wilton/Jet 7 x 12 has been excellent


Same here.  Love having this saw.


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## coherent (Feb 9, 2021)

I have a Grizzly G0561 7x12 I'm pleased with. Very solid and cuts straight. Quick release vice, 1hp with coolant system. No issues with it (2-3 yrs). I think the current price is  about 1k now but there are 5% off coupons on their web site.

​


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## finsruskw (Feb 9, 2021)

After 8 years my Jet is still on the job, although I don't use it in a production environment.
Vertical/horizontal model and it cut's just as square as the day I uncrated it.
I added a set of swivel casters under the front for easy steering. Makes it simple to store out of the way when idle.

The Grizzly G0561 7x12 appears to be pretty much the same as mine and the price is about what I paid for mine


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## 7milesup (Feb 9, 2021)

coherent said:


> I have a Grizzly G0561 7x12 I'm pleased with. Very solid and cuts straight. Quick release vice, 1hp with coolant system. No issues with it (2-3 yrs). I think the current price is  about 1k now but there are 5% off coupons on their web site.
> 
> ​


That looks like a decent deal too.  Do you know if it is Taiwan or China made?


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## coherent (Feb 9, 2021)

Taiwan. Grizzly seems to have pretty good quality control on their machines compared to some others. I can attest to great customer support if you have any issues. Anytime I have had an issue ( I have 4-5 of their machines) they quickly sent new parts free of charge and free shipping with very little in the way of questions or hassles. To the best of my research it is a variation of the Rong Fu 712N which is sold by about a dozen different companies with minor variations or paint like Jet, Shop Fox, Enco MSC etc.
Here's a link to the Rong Fu company RF 712N https://www.rongfu.com/product-rf-712n.html


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## 7milesup (Feb 9, 2021)

Right on Coherent.  I have a Grizzly 3hp cyclone dust collector for my woodshop.  I think shortly after the warranty was up the bearings started to go on the motor and after a call to them, they sent a new motor under warranty.  I was pretty impressed with that.


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## gmalcom (Feb 14, 2021)

I have the Harbor Freight 7x12 saw and it has been great.  Cuts straight and no issues yet  When I picked it up, had a 20% coupon then had them unbox before I took it since it had damage to the package.  One of the plastic knobs was broken and they gave me another $100 off for that, and didn't even ask them for for it.  Put a good bimetal blade on it and haven't looked back.

Agree HF is hit or miss, but got lucky on this one.


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## Aaron_W (Feb 16, 2021)

When I took welding classes they had a Jet 7x12 (very similar to the Grizzly and HF 7x12), and an Ellis mitering band saw. Those Ellis saws are really nice, but even the smallest 8x10 is double your budget. If you don't actually need a large saw, Grizzly has a couple of mitering bandsaws that fit your budget. After using both I really prefer the miter style. Since the head turns instead of the stock I found it much nicer to use.

Grizzly G9742 5x6-1/2"

Grizzly G0613 7x8-1/4"

Grizzly's 7x12 saw looks pretty much the same as the HF and Jet saws. Since it is only $30 more than the HF and several hundred cheaper than the Jet I'd probably go with that if you prefer that style of saw or a larger saw.

Grizzly G0561 7x12"


I've got the HF 4x6" bandsaw and yes they have their issues, but for the money they are a great saw. I also have a 50 year old Kalamazoo 6x10" bandsaw which is nicer in many ways than the 7x12 Jet saw I used in class and much nicer than the little HF saw. I would however happily trade it for one of those Ellis saws.


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## Todd727 (Feb 16, 2021)

gmalcom said:


> I have the Harbor Freight 7x12 saw and it has been great.  Cuts straight and no issues yet  When I picked it up, had a 20% coupon then had them unbox before I took it since it had damage to the package.  One of the plastic knobs was broken and they gave me another $100 off for that, and didn't even ask them for for it.  Put a good bimetal blade on it and haven't looked back.
> 
> Agree HF is hit or miss, but got lucky on this one.


I have the Jet, but looking at the HF and since I have three stores near me, I'd get that in a heartbeat.  One thing about HF, their customer service has been great.  Never had them question me if something broke.

Also, they almost always have 25% off coupons and just had a 30% off for President's day.


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## StevSmar (Feb 19, 2021)

I see Precision Mathews bandsaw has a gearbox to allow the speed to be changed. I wonder how essential it is to change the speed of the bandsaw?

Doing it by changing belts could get old pretty quick.


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## Todd727 (Feb 19, 2021)

StevSmar said:


> I see Precision Mathews bandsaw has a gearbox to allow the speed to be changed. I wonder how essential it is to change the speed of the bandsaw?
> 
> Doing it by changing belts could get old pretty quick.


Hmm, I've never felt the need, controlling the feed rate has always been enough IMO.


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## Aaron_W (Feb 19, 2021)

Belt changes are pretty easy, and like Todd I almost never change speeds. 

I mostly cut steel so I just leave mine set on a slower speed. When I cut aluminum or brass it is usually just a few small pieces so taking a little longer with a slower than ideal speed isn't a big deal.


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## jbrown97019 (Feb 24, 2021)

Having been spoiled running my brother's Ellis, I found it difficult to accept going back to a non mitering bandsaw.  So... I bought the Grizzly 9742 5x6 mitering bandsaw.  So far, I love it.  It cuts dead straight.  I can repeatedly shave 1/64 slivers off of 2 inch box tubing.  And it miters 45 one way and 60 the other.  Having the 60 on one side has been more helpful that I had expected.  It's "head" section is very similar to identical to most of the 4x6 dry saws.  The other nice thing about that size saw is blade price and local availability.


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## TX COWDOC (Mar 2, 2021)

A bandsaw is on my "wants" list.  In the meantime, I bought a cordless Dewalt 20V bandsaw and have been nothing but pleased.  Wishing I would have bought it sooner.....


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## springer (Mar 6, 2021)

TX COWDOC said:


> A bandsaw is on my "wants" list.  In the meantime, I bought a cordless Dewalt 20V bandsaw and have been nothing but pleased.  Wishing I would have bought it sooner.....


I say the same thing about my bandsaw now.  I found a used Enco made in Taiwan a few months ago and now i don't know how i lived without it.  Put a decent blade and its one of my most valuable tools now.


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