Bandsaw Risers - Grizz, Ridgid, & JET

Ron Magen wrote:
> I've been 'following' the recent thread about the Ridgid Riser Kit with some
> interest.
>

My advice is to just bite the bullet and buy the Jet kit. I don't know
if I read your post wrong, but it seems like you are only going to save
$35. To me, that's just not worth spending a day trying to jerryrig
something that was not intended to fit perfectly. Also, remember that
you might compromise the safety of your saw by jerry-rigging it.
The idea of possibly having to drill extra holes into my bandsaw does
not appeal to me in the least.

I'm sure some people have gotten it to work. But is it really worth it
to save $35 ?
Surely, you could save that much at the grocery store in a few weeks
and not risk screwing up your machine or having a potential safety
risk. Even if you get it to work, there's the risk that it might be a
bit quirky and throw the wheel alignment slightly off, or some other
headache...

>I remembered some discussion about the Grizzly and using their 'kit'.
>Following this recent thread led back to a similar comment. I had contacted
>Grizzly a while back and asked about this. Needless to say . . . they
>side-stepped the question quite well !! Anyhow, yesterday I looked at their
>web site. They had two Saws visually very similar to mine . . . and TWO
>different 'kits' listed. Asked what the difference was, the answer I got was
>NO difference in the 'Riser Block'. The only part difference was the
>DIAMETER of the 'Guide Post'.
>
>Now, MY question to the 'Group' is basically trying to get CONFIRMATION that
>the 'Riser Block' in fact DOES FIT the 14inch JET Open Stand bandsaw {I'll
>measure the Guide Post for the 'proper' one}. I don't mind a roughness in
>the casting, or a slight mis-alignment of the outside edges, as long as the
>mating faces match and the STRUCTURAL integrity isn't compromised.


I got into this with my King saw. It is an 'older' model with no
riser available, but there are 2 kits for newer saws. I bought one
of those kits (pick one) with the OK to bring it back if the thing
would not work out. The riser has 2 guide pins that are drilled in
the wrong locations to work. The kit's guide post was 3/4" round
while mine is 1" square. These were the two 2 major issues.

I ended up mounting the riser without the guide pins. They seemed to
be there for assembly more than alignment ( the holes the pins drop
into were larger that the pin and allowed for movement). I measured
and redrilled the pin holes and got it wrong - I couldn't get the saw
wheels in coplaner. I took it apart and removed the pins. If
someone can logically point out a realworld need for them, I will
drill holes and drive in roll pins.

The blade safety guard (blade moving up) was modified slightly (read
sawing and filing) as the mounting holes were a bit off. The blade
guard at the guide post was redrilled to fit the post.

The guide post was a bit more work. The round kit post would not
work in a square hole. And my post was solid 1" square steel with
another steel block welded at the bottom to mount the blade guide
bearing/cool blocks/ blade guard . I hacksawed the weld off this
small mounting block, eyeballed the location and rewelded it to 1"
square pipe (heavy wall). The square pipe is strong enuff to take the
pressures of the blade.

Total working time to do this was maybe 1/2 a day not counting the
coffee and cigarette thinking time and having to disassemble the riser
because I screwed up. It includes the time to fine tune the bits
that didn't quite fit right.

Why go through all this work? I just bought this saw thinking (after
a phone call) that the correct riser was available. No way my wife
would let me buy another saw. And I buggered up the riser kit as I
was 'test fitting' it and it wasn't returnable.

Buy a riser kit that isn't listed for your saw??? Sure, but buy it
with the OK to return it - if it will not work. Buy it locally if
you can because returning things mailorder is a pain. The extra
couple of bucks may be better than return shipping cost. Lay it all
out in front of the saw, get the coffee and cigarettes and think it
through how you will proceed and make you decision.

Pete

>
>Maybe I'm just being 'foolishly cheap' ?? If the Grizz Cost, plus Shipping,
>plus Tax , plus 'Time & Grief' comes out to 2/3rds the price of the Jet . .
>. why not just buy the Jet and 'drop it in' ??
>
>Regards & Thanks,
>Ron
>

Nothing wrong with being cheap. It's buying cheap that's a problem.
And being cheap myself, I have bought cheap tools to my great waste
of money. Buying sight unseen is the other issue. Would be nice if
you could get the kit laid out in a photo and dimensioned to help make
you choices. Ask about the return policy before you buy anywhere.

good luck
Pete

Pete,

Thanks for the quick response.

I've already contemplated most of the things you've mentioned. {Except for
the cigarettes - gave them up more then 20 years ago . . . can't even afford
them, now. However, every boatshop has a 'Moaning Chair' . . .}. What you
say makes a lot of sense, and anybody who has spent any amount of time in a
shop has LEARNED {hopefully} to take a long think BEFORE picking up that BIG
HAMMER !!

I remember a story, or article, about a similar 'guide pins' situation.
That's why I said that a little cosmetic mis-alignment of the frame edges
didn't matter - as long as the MECHANICAL INTEGRITY wasn't effected. I have
to think a little longer and harder then guys like you . . . I DON'T have
access to welding equipment.

Also 'local' and 'cheap' are mutually exclusive for me. I think there are a
couple of JET dealers locally {probably don't 'stock' things like riser
kits, would have to 'special order' them}and I'm sure they will NOT be
'discounters'. The nearest Grizzly operation is about 300 miles away -
around 2/3rds of the way across Pennsylvania {I'm in suburban Philly}. About
half of what Amazon wants for the JET unit, but not only will I have to pay
shipping BUT State Tax as well !! THAT's 'insult to injury' !! Also why I am
trying to justify going for the Grizz vs. the Jet.

Maybe I'm just being 'foolishly cheap' ?? If the Grizz Cost, plus Shipping,
plus Tax , plus 'Time & Grief' comes out to 2/3rds the price of the Jet . .
. why not just buy the Jet and 'drop it in' ??

Regards & Thanks,
Ron


<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> >I remembered some discussion about the Grizzly and using their 'kit'.
> >Following this recent thread led back to a similar comment. I had
contacted
> >Grizzly a while back and asked about this. Needless to say . . . they
> >side-stepped the question quite well !! Anyhow, yesterday I looked at
their
> >web site. They had two Saws visually very similar to mine . . . and TWO
> >different 'kits' listed. Asked what the difference was, the answer I got
was
> >NO difference in the 'Riser Block'. The only part difference was the
> >DIAMETER of the 'Guide Post'.
> >
> >Now, MY question to the 'Group' is basically trying to get CONFIRMATION
that
> >the 'Riser Block' in fact DOES FIT the 14inch JET Open Stand bandsaw
{I'll
> >measure the Guide Post for the 'proper' one}. I don't mind a roughness in
> >the casting, or a slight mis-alignment of the outside edges, as long as
the
> >mating faces match and the STRUCTURAL integrity isn't compromised.
>
>
> I got into this with my King saw. It is an 'older' model with no
> riser available, but there are 2 kits for newer saws. I bought one
> of those kits (pick one) with the OK to bring it back if the thing
> would not work out. The riser has 2 guide pins that are drilled in
> the wrong locations to work. The kit's guide post was 3/4" round
> while mine is 1" square. These were the two 2 major issues.
>
> I ended up mounting the riser without the guide pins. They seemed to
> be there for assembly more than alignment ( the holes the pins drop
> into were larger that the pin and allowed for movement). I measured
> and redrilled the pin holes and got it wrong - I couldn't get the saw
> wheels in coplaner. I took it apart and removed the pins. If
> someone can logically point out a realworld need for them, I will
> drill holes and drive in roll pins.
>
> The blade safety guard (blade moving up) was modified slightly (read
> sawing and filing) as the mounting holes were a bit off. The blade
> guard at the guide post was redrilled to fit the post.
>
> The guide post was a bit more work. The round kit post would not
> work in a square hole. And my post was solid 1" square steel with
> another steel block welded at the bottom to mount the blade guide
> bearing/cool blocks/ blade guard . I hacksawed the weld off this
> small mounting block, eyeballed the location and rewelded it to 1"
> square pipe (heavy wall). The square pipe is strong enuff to take the
> pressures of the blade.
>
> Total working time to do this was maybe 1/2 a day not counting the
> coffee and cigarette thinking time and having to disassemble the riser
> because I screwed up. It includes the time to fine tune the bits
> that didn't quite fit right.
>
> Why go through all this work? I just bought this saw thinking (after
> a phone call) that the correct riser was available. No way my wife
> would let me buy another saw. And I buggered up the riser kit as I
> was 'test fitting' it and it wasn't returnable.
>
> Buy a riser kit that isn't listed for your saw??? Sure, but buy it
> with the OK to return it - if it will not work. Buy it locally if
> you can because returning things mailorder is a pain. The extra
> couple of bucks may be better than return shipping cost. Lay it all
> out in front of the saw, get the coffee and cigarettes and think it
> through how you will proceed and make you decision.
>
> Pete