The Rikon 18" 10-345 band saw is here

FINALLy.

Woodcraft called yesterday and I picked the saw up today. 3 of us tipped it
into my pickup and I got an idea of the amount of effort it was going to
take form my son and I to unload it and get it into the garage.

The saw was in a plywood crate that was well built and perfectly protected
the contents. My truck has a rubberized sprayed bed liner. My son and I
grunted and groaned for 20 minutes trying to slide the crate to the end of
the tail gate some 20 inches. Once the crate was at the end of the tail
gate, I lifted from the ground and he pushed from inside the bed. Another
12 inches in only 5 minutes. 30 more inches and the crate began to tip and
slowly it slid down to the concrete drive nice and slow. The crate sets on
3, 3x3 particle board skids that stick to concrete like Velcro. The crate
WAS NOT GOING TO SLIDE ANYWHERE. We tipped the crate over a bit and put
2x4's under it so that we could slide it over those. NOT. Velcro adhesion
still in effect. Finally I slipped a 2 wheel dolly under one end and lifted
while my son pushed from the other end. 1 minute later the crate is in the
garage.

A good 15 minutes to dismantle the crate and there sat a beautifully shrink
wrapped band saw. Clean, dry and no grease or preservatives gunking
everything up. As I was cutting the shrink wrap off I unwrapped and handed
off to my son on the other side of the saw. BLAM, and I go running around
the garage like a chicken with its head cut off. The shrink wrap was
holding the cast iron table on edge against the saw column and I had not
noticed that. It fell on my big toe, all of about 50# of it. The cast iron
top was in a plastic bag and covered with oil. The table was the only
thing that I had to clean.

Now I have to measure the base and assemble the Rockler universal mobile
base. The kit is well made but as usual the instructions were a hoot to
read. Step 3. When the machine is in resting position, take off the
Central wheel by "loosing" the 2 thumb screws for avoiding kicking and
saving spaces. I am calling Rockler tomorrow to get 2 new thumb screw to
replace the ones that I was instructed to lose.

Moving the saw from the crate bottom on to the mobile base was non eventful.
I laid 2 Ipe boards across the mobile base and under the crate. Slid the
saw onto the Ipe boards and centered the saw to the base, tipped the saw and
removed the Ipe boards one end at a time. Ahhh, a perfect fit.

The saw seems to be as well made as any tool that I have purchased. Look
out Jet and Delta. Fit and finish, paint, attention to details, perfect.
Cast iron table top finish almost comparable to a PM66. Grind marks still
visible but a mirror finish.
The trunion and been changed on this newer model. It is now cast aluminum
that is a minimum 1/4" thick. The blade guard has a small window at the
bottom so that you can see cuts on thin materials and the guard has a hinged
door to make blade changing a little easier. The tension release lever is
now at the bottom of the upper cabinet and moves left to right horizontally.
I was informed that the upper and lower wheel bearings are improved also.

I have not had much of a chance so far to test the cuts but I was able to
immediately cut 2" thick Oak in to slices 1/16" thick using the stock fence
and not having to adjust for drift. The surface was not smooth as I
expected but the thickness was consistent.

Now my toe is starting to swell. ;~(

tt

"tom"