Ridgid Band Saw

[Rudy_R]

Found a guy locally that is selling a Ridgid band saw for a fairly reasonable price. I'll be stopping by tonight after work (not too far from my house). It needs some work, for sure. Have a number of projects in mind that would make good use of a saw like this once the shop is all done. Would certainly look good beside the B&O turret lathe (when I get that going).

Information online is rather sparse. I can only find listings for used machinery auctions and other people looking for information. I know it takes a 107" x 3/4" blade and originally has a 3/4 hp 120v motor, but that's pretty much it. The attached picture is more or less the exact same machine.

Anyone have any pointers as to what to look for? Grab it? Run away?

 

[sanddan]

I wouldn't touch anything made/sold by Rigid. I have a 14" bandsaw and the floor drillpress and they are both cheap chicom tools. I have a Jet 7x12 horizontal bandsaw made in Taiwan, they are better quality than the chicom ones but very similar in design. I'd stick with something you can get information and parts for if I was you.

 

[Rudy_R]

I went and had a look last night. He only wanted $50 for it, and I wasn't gonna haggle at that price. It's not your normal Home Desperate plastic and pot metal junk kind of Ridgid.

It looks rough, but it works. With the exception of the descent cylinder, everything is there, and working. All the shrouds and covers, all the handles and knobs. Has a coolant pump that still works too. I don't think it's seen a terrible amount of use, has just not been kept looking pretty. Someone slopped baby blue paint all over it sometime way back, and it's faded and flaking. He used it up until this spring sometime when he found a bigger saw, which was pretty nice. He did give me a few big air cylinders to use in place of the original. Don't know how well an air cylinder will work, but we will see.

For now, I'll just tuck this one away in the shop until next year after my floor is poured. I plan to go through the whole thing and make nice. Will likely end up the same colour as the lathe will end up being.

 

[Dabbler]

What you have found is a real bargain. It is a Rigid from the 70s or much more likely much earlier that was actually a rebranded Emmerson model. I own one of these Emmersons of a slightly later vintage and I can assure you that after you clean it up and do the necessary repairs it will give you great service. The original took a hydraulic self contained downfeed that had an overpressure let-off for easy positioning.

The only weakness in the design of the Emmersons is that the gears in the gearbox (if you have the same type as I do) is that the gears are very soft, so ensuring the lubrication in the box is essential. Mine had filings in the oil when I got it. After cleaning and relubing it, it has worked very well.

 

[JimDawson]

Looks like a nice heavy saw. I use an air cylinder on mine, just filled it with AW32 hydraulic oil.

 

[Superburban]

Here is a downfeed assembly that is on my to-do list for this winter. I especially like the one way valve for lifting the saw.