I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
HUH?
If they're under power, that means nothing except longer time to spin down
once the power is removed.
Last thing you want is some immense flywheel trying to stuff a flexible
blade into a closed groove.
"Layne" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Deltas are good BSes for the most part, but I'd stay away from any
> aluminum wheels. They're okay, but cast iron is better provided
> they're true and in round. Think of the wheels as flywheels that store
> energy once started rotating. Bigger, heavier wheels store more energy
> which helps the blade cut and not bog down in thick or difficult
> woods. Larger BSes can get away with aluminum wheels because they're
> bigger and heavier to begin with, but aluminum wheels on a 14" BS are
> too light in my opinion. Spend a little more and get a Delta with cast
> iron wheels.
"JT @yahoo.com>" <jrt2hoo<REMOVE THIS> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
> box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
> noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
> from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
> wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
Bottom of the line, according to the Delta web site. Probably means Chinese
foundry versus Taiwan or, in the case of mine, US, and possibly a greener
casting. From experience, no great fan of Grizz tools' castings, but one of
them might do. Move up the line with Delta or JET would be my
recommendation.
Mine had 3/4 for years until I finally put a 1 HP in to speed up cutting of
6" thick wet wood turning blanks. Didn't do much more than the 3/4, for
what it's worth. That kind of cutting is still a challenge, even with the
increased power consumption. As to cast iron wheels, unimportant as long as
they're balanced.
If I were you I would give strong consideration to the Grizzly G0555. It is
a lot of saw for the money, plus you can get an extension for it if you are
ever going to do resawing. It has a 1 horse motor on it too.
http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2005/main/067.cfm
"JT @yahoo.com>" <jrt2hoo<REMOVE THIS> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
> box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
> noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
> from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
> wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
Not necessarily. However, look for these features: a 3 HP motor, flat
cast iron table, good dust collection, a high quality fence, 10"
blades.
On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:26:22 -0500, JT <jrt2hoo<REMOVE
THIS>@yahoo.com> wrote:
>I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
>box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
>noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
>from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
>wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
I don't think cast-iron wheels should make or break your decision,
because it seems that you're on a budget. That saw usually sells for
$399 at the BORGs, sometimes $349 on sale.
What you might want to do is look for a lightly used upscale Delta, or
maybe look at the Jet JWBS 14X which does have cast iron wheels and 1¼
HP.
OTH, you might want to look at the new 12" Hitachi, which seems to be
made nicer than the cheapest Deltas. They are at the BORGs for $299.
Limited in expansion (no riser), but nice quality. I almost bought
one.
Mike
On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:26:22 -0500, JT <jrt2hoo<REMOVE
THIS>@yahoo.com> wrote:
>I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
>box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
>noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
>from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
>wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
Deltas are good BSes for the most part, but I'd stay away from any
aluminum wheels. They're okay, but cast iron is better provided
they're true and in round. Think of the wheels as flywheels that store
energy once started rotating. Bigger, heavier wheels store more energy
which helps the blade cut and not bog down in thick or difficult
woods. Larger BSes can get away with aluminum wheels because they're
bigger and heavier to begin with, but aluminum wheels on a 14" BS are
too light in my opinion. Spend a little more and get a Delta with cast
iron wheels.
Layne
On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:26:22 -0500, JT <jrt2hoo<REMOVE
THIS>@yahoo.com> wrote:
>I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
>box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
>noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
>from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
>wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
I don't think you can get cast iron wheels on a 14" Delta. I have the
Delta 28-475X (their signature line 14" bandsaw) and it has AL wheels.
Certainly at the price point you are looking at (around $400), I don't
think you have cast iron as an option if you stay with Delta.
Lars
On 2005-03-22 23:33:26 -0600, Layne <[email protected]> said:
> Deltas are good BSes for the most part, but I'd stay away from any
> aluminum wheels. They're okay, but cast iron is better provided
> they're true and in round. Think of the wheels as flywheels that store
> energy once started rotating. Bigger, heavier wheels store more energy
> which helps the blade cut and not bog down in thick or difficult
> woods. Larger BSes can get away with aluminum wheels because they're
> bigger and heavier to begin with, but aluminum wheels on a 14" BS are
> too light in my opinion. Spend a little more and get a Delta with cast
> iron wheels.
>
> Layne
>
> On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:26:22 -0500, JT <jrt2hoo<REMOVE
> THIS>@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
>> box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
>> noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
>> from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
>> wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.
On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 07:35:50 -0600, Lars S. <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I don't think you can get cast iron wheels on a 14" Delta. I have the
>Delta 28-475X (their signature line 14" bandsaw) and it has AL wheels.
>Certainly at the price point you are looking at (around $400), I don't
>think you have cast iron as an option if you stay with Delta.
Well, just to push a factoid, I have a Delta 28-262, a little oldish.
It works just fine and DOES have cast iron wheels. Wish I could get a
better-centered driving pulley, though.
James
[email protected]
The "feature" to stay away from is the BRAND. :) Look at a Powermatic 14
instead.
Dave
JT <jrt2hoo wrote:
> I recently began looking for a band saw and while at the local big
> box, I found a Delta 28-276. This unit has a 3/4 hp motor and I also
> noticed the wheels are aluminum. Are these features I should stay away
> from? I have been told I need at least a 1 hp motor and cast iron
> wheels should be the choice and at least a 14 inch saw.