Just a note, from a another TH-cam 'band saw' guru who suggests setting blade tension on bottom wheel, against the side. I don't see the difference myself, but either way should be good. Took some tweeking, but I'm very happy with my purchase and have been 'playing' with it for sometime now. Thanks for vid
SmarT Odd, thanks for sharing. I certainly don't consider myself a bandsaw guru, this might be the 3rd new saw I've set up from factory aside from typical tuning/blade changes. I'd be interested in learning more about those tuning techniques. Clarifying, are you referring to keeping the bottom blade guides tight to the band of the blade? Thanks for watching and taking the time to share.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to post such a thorough video. Much appreciated. I have been looking at band saws for a long time now. Yesterday I cut my hand pretty badly while using a jigsaw. Right before making the cut, I told my son (7 years old) that the cut would be much safer with a band saw, despite me taking a considerable amount of time setting up the cut to make it as safe as possible. Time for me to take the plunge and purchase a band saw. I’m going with this Ryobi….was considering the Jet.
Hey Chris, I wanted to mention that I’ve gone ahead and purchased this saw. Your detailed review really sealed the deal. Looking forward to following your TH-cam channel.
Really appreciate this video. I've been researching for a while which bench top bandsaw would be the best and at a decent price. This helped immensely in my decision.
Could not ask for a better or more complete guide to setting up the 3061. Excellent job. I just unboxed mine and have it up on my main bench table. I'll fine tune it using your video and the manual. We all know having a tutorial video like yours makes life easier. Could you give some details on the bench you made for your bandsaw? That's what I plan on doing next. Keep up the good work. Like others have said, you are an excellent teacher.
Thanks, Jim! That was my goal. Here's a video on my bench: th-cam.com/video/_gPS1j8UhFE/w-d-xo.html and mount: th-cam.com/video/NDLd_qXriko/w-d-xo.html
great video! I have been looking at this bandsaw and the grizzly GO803Z with the purpose of have a smaller bandsaw to use now and later buy a bigger one for resawing and processing some of my own lumber. Great timing as I think I am going to go with the Rikon based on your video. It seems more robust and another selling point is the 2 blade speeds so it has the ability to cut steel as well. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for watching @Shiltz00. Glad to help! I'm a big Grizzly fan on some of their larger models. It is nice to have a small machine setup for smaller cuts. Best of luck!
Just made my first re-saw cut today on my new 10-3061. Got quite a lot of blade drift. After watching your vid, I can see that my guides are not properly aligned. I'll get that fixed and have another go at it. Thanks Chris!
I recently bought this bandsaw. I like it. I've used it to resaw 5" of Jatoba, a very dense tropical hardwood. No problem. I only wish it had a standard miter slot.
@@benchtopwoodworks thats awesome. I've been looking to get one myself but cant decide on the size. I want something with larger resaw capacity than 5" just so i can grow into it. Really like the 10-326 from Rikon...
Thank you for your video. I used it to set up my band saw….. it’s a really nice saw. I was on the boarder line of which saw to buy and you made my mind up. Thanks
Hi Chris, Great video very in-depth and precise. Looking forward to purchasing one of these in the near future. You briefly mentioned resawing near the end of the video. Can you use the blade that came packaged with the tool or must you buy a separate resaw blade? Have you used it to resaw yet?
I have done some resawing with the saw (only small sized pieces of course). I used both the stock blade and a 1/2" 3TPI Starrett blade. Both worked but the surface finish and stability was a little better with the wider blade
I was watching another video last week and on it, it was suggesting that the lower blade guides be set before setting the table in place. Strictly for the convenance. No need to crouch down and work under it. Think that’s a good idea? Looking forward to receiving my saw Next week. Doug
Maybe for first setup, Doug. I didn't fully tension my blade until after I adjusted my table, so I suppose user preference. Blade changes have been VERY convenient with this saw. These are the easiest guides I've ever had to adjust on any saw, so I personally don't view it as a concern. Hope that helps.
Thanks for showing the adjusting of the fence carrier. I was assembling mine today and this part was too tight. I could see the set screws and figured they had to be the way to solve this problem but it would have been nice if the instructions had mentioned this.
Thank you really enjoyed your presentation a very informative video. Did you consider the WEN 3962 and if so, why did you choose the Rikon instead ? Also, is the blade that comes with the saw good quality ? Thanks in advance.
Rexest Christus, the WEN 3962 was a model I strongly considered. My two main factors that pushed me to the Rikon were: 1. Motor Power (Rikon 5.5A 1/2HP vs WEN 3.5A) 2. Unknowns about the WEN. My goal was to find the best bandsaw in the class and the quality adjustment features (not overall quantity of features) sealed the deal for me. The extra inch or so of resaw capacity was tempting and WEN's saw is very feature packed for the price. At the time, I had never owned or used a WEN tool. I now currently own a benchtop belt/disk sander and it works EXTREMELY WELL for the price. I think the WEN 3962 is a better direct comparison to the Rikon 10-305's features (except the work light) I went with the Rikon because I could put my hands on it and check out features in a woodcraft store. I really liked the blade-guides and it felt like I was interacting with a larger saw. I also have used several small / up to 14" bandsaw that were wanting for power. I figured the extra inch of resaw/rip height might not matter if power was unable to back it up. I've been using the stock blade primarily the last 5 months. I bought a Starrett 1/2" blade for resawing which cuts like a dream for a small saw. I hope that helps inform your decision, unfortunately that was mostly one-sided since I've never touched a WEN. If you or others have experience with the WEN or decide to purchase it, please add info to the comments. I know many others are likely making the same decision. Thanks for watching/ the question!
Thanks so much for this Awesome, informative video. I am ready to pull the trigger on this Band saw. Rikon should give you some sort of comp. for helping to sell their products...
Thank you for this excellent review and set up...I'm looking to buy this and because of your video (amongst others) has made me think this might be the one for me! Great explanation video, much appreciated! New sub here, and thank you for your service....greetings from Canada!
I might be getting this saw as well. The one's I've checked out this is the one I would want. One question would be what types of blades do you use for different cuts or woods?
Most operations I use a 3TPI 3/8" blade. I also use a 1/4" woodcraft brand for curves and Starrett 1/2" for for "re-sawing" Saw only has a 5" re-saw height. All blades listed have 3TPI
Thanks for a very detailed video. I am considering this saw although i am wondering about getting a bigger one too. I was wondering what would it take to upgrade the motor since i think the size is fine for what i am planning to use it for - but am worried about the (lack of) power of the 1/2 HP of its motor. Any thoughts about that?
Thanks for watching and the question. If I had more space I would go with a larger machine vs upgrading this one. For the cut capacities it has a good bit of power, so in my humble opinion resaw and throat capacity are the main limiting factors for this saw's capabilities vs power. I have not bogged the stock down even with some pretty thick hardwood cuts. With welded frame there's no option for risers or other upgrades. I think Rikon and Harvey both have quality 14" with beefier motors and all the bells/whistles.
John, I'm still happy with my own 2 years later. I understand they have gone up even higher in price from when I purchased. Not a small price, best with your decision-making
Hi Chris - Thanks for sharing this video! I see you posted this video 2 years ago. I'm on the fence with buying a 10" or 14". Anytime you wish you have more capacity? That said, I'm not familiar with most of your cutting needs. Please let me know - thanks!
great guide. thank you! What saw blades would you recommend for cutting circular shapes in about 5 inch thick plywood for this saw model? I am new to band saws.
Cutting thick material with curves is always a challenge to balance. I recommend something in the ~4TPI range for that thick of plywood. Are they glued layers to form a thick block like that? How tight/ small are your circles? This saw uses a 70 1/2" (1791mm) blade length up to 1/2" wide (12.7mm) I'm currently using a1/2" Starrett 4 TPI hardwood rip blade for resaw-type cuts. You can still cut sweeping curves with this blade. I'm using a 3/16" wide (also 4 TPI) blade for very tight curves and bandsaw box type cuts. I hope that helps, thanks for watching!
I've always used Johnsons plain paste wax, but that's typically what I have on hand. I think even car wax can work. Basically anything that will seal the metal with a hard film coating and prevent moisture/ humidity from getting to the iron.
What are the dimensions of the miter slot? Of the 10” band saws this one seems to be a premium version. It’s crazy how similar these 10” bandsaws are but the Rikon has better features; the cast iron table, guide bearing assembly’s, blade tension release. This 10” saw punches above its weight.
Chris, I thought I showed that in the video. Will check to see if I can find it. If memory serves me correctly, I used a combination square and referenced from the front edge of the table and along the edge of the blade between teeth. I confirmed the front of the table was perpendicular to the miter slots. There are 4x bolts that secure the table to the top of the trunk on, tightening them can throw things off a bit. You may want to put a bit of torque on them and then tap the table/ miter slot square with a mallet. This can help you get your final alignment without the table moving all over the place while tightening the bolts. I don't want to minimize the importance of getting it as square as possible, but this is a band saw and will never leave a final finished surface. As long as your table and fence are parallel to the blade, you should be able to get fine cuts. I hope that helps, please let me know if that didn't help or you have another question.
@@benchtopwoodworks I noticed you doing it in the beginning of the video, but it was done quickly. Didn't watch the whole thing, so don't know if you did it again, or explained it later on. I do plan on using it for resawing as well. I know it will only be a max of 5 inches, which is fine for now.
Great video. Couple of questions: do you get vibrations and fence rattling when motor is running? Also is your table top straight or bowed? Currently setting up my 10-3061 and ran into these 2 issues
Alex, I recommend you call their tech support/customer service. Most machine companies are really good about making things right. I don't have any vibration at all, in fact I was impressed with how quiet and balanced everything was. Where is your bow? Make sure the leveling screw is installed (presuming you did)? Best of luck with everything. If you have a moment when resolved I'm sure we'd all like to know how the resolution process goes!
Thanks for the informative video! I noticed that the slightly older Rikon 10-306 is still available at some retailers. Any thoughts on why/how the 10-3061 is improved?
Jeff, thank you! I couldn't tell you for certain...one difference I'm aware of is the bushings on the fence were replaced with nylon set screws. I think Rikon may have a video on the differences...or at least they do on the 305 vs 306. Both of their manuals are available on their website which should allow you to directly compare.
hey chris! im watching your video now, but i have a craftsman 10 inch which is a clone of the rikon 10-305 im trying to use an 1/8th inch blade for fine cutting around corners and such, but i have a major issue, i inherited the saw from my father so the bearings are going bad however i can get replacements for those thats not the biggest issue, my issue is that when i have tuned the saw with the snodgrass method, i get my two thrust bearings about 1/16-3/32nds away from the blade with no way to push them up any further. about a year ago i saw a video where some guy actually ground out the slots to allow the bearings to move further forward but i find that as it is with the bearings as far as they naturally go, tend to flop over the edge of the corner and become unstable. short of ordering 2 new bearings at the right size for i believe motion industries said dollars a piece, id rather actually get a new set of guides for the saw. do you know if anyone makes a retrofit guide upgrade for this saw? or am i missing something in the tuning. also, if i simply move the whole guide blocks further forward it pushes the blade's teeth into the other bearings which only move laterally on their own. so im screwd one way and the other. so far my only seeming option is to go for the expensive bearings and change bearing sets each time i want to change my blade size. thanks for any advice at all that doesnt include chuck it and get a new one lol.
Hey Anthony, I don't know about specific aftermarket parts specifically for the saw, but I do have a few ideas. One option might be to look on Mcmaster-Carr or another engineering supplier for bearings that have the same axial diameter and thickness but are ~1/8" larger in diameter to close the gap. That might be similar to the expensive bearings solution but should only cost a few dollars. Roller bearings can generally be had for very cheap when you're not buying them in a specific kit like I think you're describing. You might have to change them back when you go to a larger blade if you don't have enough rearward clearance for the larger blade width. There are also some companies that make aftermarket blade guides that clamp on. I have not used any and I'm not familiar with what might be best for your specific setup with the Craftsman (10-305 equiv.) saw . I do know that some using small blades for a lot of curve work on larger saws use add-on guides. You might also try making some sacrificial hardwood guides similar to a Mattias Wandel or other improvised guides. I hope that's some help, best with solving this and keeping your father's saw going! Thanks for watching and taking the time to write.
I've had this saw for about 6 years, and I want to know wtf the black slider that catches on the guide assembly does. I've wondered on/off but I just literally watched this to see if I missed what it was, checked the manual and ended up emailing them. It's part #41, "slider" and it's driving me insane that I have no frixking clue what the functionality of this part is and if there isn't one, wtf is it doing on there? Is it a leftover from manufacturing that a different model would end up using?? The only thing I can think of is it can hold a certain thickness of material when the guide assembly is completely raised
Why they put the blade changing slot on the side and under the rip fence track is dumb. My Delta 14” had it in the front. By the way, on a band saw you don’t square the fence to the table. The work doesn’t always track straight. The usual technique is to make a straight cut and then align the fence with with the edge of the work. This technique is in the Band Saw Handbook by Mark Duginske. Highly recommended book! Once I had my Delta 14” tuned up (and with a taller fence attached to the factory fence) and a riser block, I could perfectly resaw wood 6”+ wide.
Hi Chris I’m in Australia we can get them here as well I went for the Woodfast brand which from what I can tell is the same as Rikon I’ll use your info to tune mine as the info for mine was a bit short on info Thanks
Phil, thanks for watching. I feel honored by your compliment. Still am a military man, never an instructor. I've been in the Army for ~11 years and learning from great military trainers and for 15 years. Learning by observing them, I suppose. I'm glad some of their great style may have rubbed off enough to be noticable.
I am debating between this or a 14 inch Grizzly. I would use the bandsaw to mainly cut out legs, tapers, and radiuses on hardwood. How does this do for cutting 3/4-1 inch hardwood like Maple/Walnut, will it do a good job? Thank you for this!
Gabe, So far its great on everything I've thrown at it (Baltic birch plywood glued and laminated to 1.5" & 2.5" thick Cherry/oak are the hardest things I've cut so far. ) I used both a 14" Delta and 14" grizzly both with 110v motors growing up, the motor on this saw / blade speed is MORE powerful than those older models of both. Maybe compare linear blade speed and motor amperage for a direct comparison. There are definitely some trade-offs with throat width and resaw height you may want to consider.
Sorry, I made it as detailed as I could. I'll keep those kinds of angles in mind for future videos. I appreciate the v feedback and you watching Collin, it helps me improve! Cheers
I just bought a sears craftsman 10 inch band saw, 1/3 hp. I later saw that some say my saw is the same as a rikon. Mine has a broken drive belt but for 1$ I couldn’t pass. Do you know anything about the sears being like this rikon?
Sounds like a great find, Franco. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with that model. Best of luck as you get it repaired and back into operation!!
I just got this saw and your video was super helpful. The music was way too loud and distracting, had a hard time hearing you (I had to turn it down bc it was annoying, then I really couldn't hear you!)
Sorry, Patricia. I appreciate the feedback. I'm new to mixing and I think my audio was different than many viewers. I'll work to improve it for next time
@@benchtopwoodworks Your video was really helpful - thank you. Just unboxed and assembled my Rikon and your instructions and tips made it much easier! Your content is appreciated :)
I am about to buy this saw. Imagine my joy at getting to watch your video. Now imagine my disappointment when I had to struggle to hear you over the back ground music. Why the need for music? Secondly , as you were adjusting the blade and parts, you pointing to it only blocked what I was trying to see. May I recommend using a pointer instead of your finger , also a closer view of what you were adjusting would be very helpful. Thank you , I did enjoy what I did watch.
Excellent instructional vid...lose the music...edit the video so that things like degreasing the table are shortened. Otherwise, well done and very helpful!
I use a 3/8" 3TPI for almost everything. I've really liked the "timberwolf" brand. Not sure if that's exclusive to Woodcraft or available online, but I bought mine at Woodcraft. I also have had great experience with Starrett.
Awesome overview Chris...after seeing your video, and reviewing several other sized bandsaw brands my mind was made up for the Rikon 10-3061. Heading to Rockler now to pick up my new addition to my woodworking shop!
Appreciate the video, but it would've been more helpful with clear closeups of the bearing/tracking adjustments without the digital zoom since you lose a lot of quality.
Right around 5" ...I think that's slightly less than some competitors. I think the 10-3061 is top end for motor power in its class. I weighed power higher than capacity when making my decision.
Yes Sir, very similar if not identical. From the basics of the industry that I know, many makes are often nearly the same or even same production lines with rebranding. I think company's also add/remove certain features as they negotiate with manufacturers. I think it often has to do with who owns which patents and has production capacity.
Rikon and Laguna are not the same at all. For one, Laguna bandsaws use ceramic guides and rikon’s use sealed ball bearings. The cheapest Laguna bandsaw is $1600. The cheapest Rikon bandsaw is $350. I own both brands. I’d say dollar for dollar the quality from Laguna is a little higher than Rikon. Nothing wrong with either brand.
Thanks for watching/taking the time to comment. I have a set of feeler gages, but I tried to follow the manual and recommend something that anyone with the saw could use as opposed to specialty tools. Nice use of gage! Many people use gauge and gage interchangeably.
I appreciate the feedback. Hard to gauge tone from typing so I don't want to be assuming. Respectfully, this is a setup video and review of the features. I wanted to focus the video time on detailing the setup for others. What you're recommending was outside the scope of this video. Thank you for watching, I'm sorry if you think my title or description were somehow misleading. If you want to know my opinion on it a few years later, I've enjoyed using it. Cuts well. Many materials and thicknesses, plenty of power.
This thing sucks butt. I've had nothing but problems for 5 months. It drifts no matter how well you tune it. Tensioning and tracking do not work. Blade pops off the wheels constantly during blade change and sometimes during use.
Wow, definitely call the manufacturer. Thanks for sharing your experience here for others! I'm pretty happy with my own, I know small bandsaws are generally prone to power / drift issues but my own experience has been better with this saw than other BenchTop models. It sounds like a tracking issue. (no sponsorship or anything else that might sway me)
Yeah, they certainly need to hear about that! I've spoken to their customer service, they're pretty responsive... should not be how your saw is performing.
After actually buying the saw, your video came in super handy. Excellent, educational informative for setting up the Rikon 10-3061.
Thank you, Lilo! Glad to help and that you found some value in it.
Just a note, from a another TH-cam 'band saw' guru who suggests setting blade tension on bottom wheel, against the side. I don't see the difference myself, but either way should be good. Took some tweeking, but I'm very happy with my purchase and have been 'playing' with it for sometime now. Thanks for vid
SmarT Odd, thanks for sharing. I certainly don't consider myself a bandsaw guru, this might be the 3rd new saw I've set up from factory aside from typical tuning/blade changes. I'd be interested in learning more about those tuning techniques. Clarifying, are you referring to keeping the bottom blade guides tight to the band of the blade? Thanks for watching and taking the time to share.
Excellent video! Thanks for taking the time to put this together. You're a very good teacher!
Thank you for watching and the kind words, Raul. I'm glad you found some value in it!
Thank you for taking the time and effort to post such a thorough video. Much appreciated. I have been looking at band saws for a long time now. Yesterday I cut my hand pretty badly while using a jigsaw. Right before making the cut, I told my son (7 years old) that the cut would be much safer with a band saw, despite me taking a considerable amount of time setting up the cut to make it as safe as possible. Time for me to take the plunge and purchase a band saw. I’m going with this Ryobi….was considering the Jet.
Thank you for watching, i appreciate you taking the time to comment! I hope your hand heals quickly! All the best in your saw search!
Hey Chris, I wanted to mention that I’ve gone ahead and purchased this saw. Your detailed review really sealed the deal. Looking forward to following your TH-cam channel.
Thanks for the kind feedback, Tim I was trying to make it as informative as possible! Glad to help you and really appreciate you subscribing!
Really appreciate this video. I've been researching for a while which bench top bandsaw would be the best and at a decent price. This helped immensely in my decision.
Thanks for watching, Amber Sky. I really appreciate it!
Could not ask for a better or more complete guide to setting up the 3061. Excellent job. I just unboxed mine and have it up on my main bench table. I'll fine tune it using your video and the manual. We all know having a tutorial video like yours makes life easier. Could you give some details on the bench you made for your bandsaw? That's what I plan on doing next. Keep up the good work. Like others have said, you are an excellent teacher.
Thanks, Jim! That was my goal.
Here's a video on my bench: th-cam.com/video/_gPS1j8UhFE/w-d-xo.html
and mount: th-cam.com/video/NDLd_qXriko/w-d-xo.html
great video! I have been looking at this bandsaw and the grizzly GO803Z with the purpose of have a smaller bandsaw to use now and later buy a bigger one for resawing and processing some of my own lumber. Great timing as I think I am going to go with the Rikon based on your video. It seems more robust and another selling point is the 2 blade speeds so it has the ability to cut steel as well. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for watching @Shiltz00. Glad to help! I'm a big Grizzly fan on some of their larger models. It is nice to have a small machine setup for smaller cuts. Best of luck!
Just made my first re-saw cut today on my new 10-3061. Got quite a lot of blade drift. After watching your vid, I can see that my guides are not properly aligned. I'll get that fixed and have another go at it. Thanks Chris!
Thanks for watching Oscar!
Great video! I have been researching 10 " bandsaws, and am now convinced Rikon is what I need. An informative set-up video, and I am now a subscriber.
Thank you, Jim! I'm glad it was helpful, grateful to have you along!
I recently bought this bandsaw. I like it. I've used it to resaw 5" of Jatoba, a very dense tropical hardwood. No problem. I only wish it had a standard miter slot.
+George Lowrey I agree!
Just bought this bandsaw, your sharing is very helpful! Great video.
Nicely done. I appreciate the time you took to go over the final blade & bearing setups.
Thanks, Mark
Thank you so very much for your calming insightful video. Especially for the link to the manual since I just purchased a used one. Much appreciated
I just set up my new Rikon band saw. Thank you so much for this great video. Nicely done! It really helped me
Thanks Paul, glad to help! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
My next purchase. Thanks for the in depth set up video on the Rikon 10-3061 bandsaw..
Thanks for watching, I'm glad you found some value in it!
Thanks for the detailed look. I'm probably going to be buying one of these soon, and your vid will come in handy.
Thanks David, happy to help you in your shop!
Great video Chris. Lots of good info. Great choice on Rikon, great products. Keep up the great work !!
Thanks, Mark. Pretty happy with it so far, huge improvement in power and cut quality from my old saw!
@@benchtopwoodworks thats awesome. I've been looking to get one myself but cant decide on the size. I want something with larger resaw capacity than 5" just so i can grow into it. Really like the 10-326 from Rikon...
Thank you for your video. I used it to set up my band saw….. it’s a really nice saw. I was on the boarder line of which saw to buy and you made my mind up. Thanks
Very glad to hear it, happy to help how I can!
Great video, thanks! I'm new to bandsaws and I just ordered this one. Your video has been a big help with learning how to tune it up.
Thank you, very glad to help! Thank you for watching!
Hi Chris, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am getting one of these in a couple of weeks, and thanks to you, things should go along smoothly :))
Cheers, best of luck with the setup!
Hi Chris, Great video very in-depth and precise. Looking forward to purchasing one of these in the near future. You briefly mentioned resawing near the end of the video. Can you use the blade that came packaged with the tool or must you buy a separate resaw blade? Have you used it to resaw yet?
I have done some resawing with the saw (only small sized pieces of course). I used both the stock blade and a 1/2" 3TPI Starrett blade. Both worked but the surface finish and stability was a little better with the wider blade
Nicely done! Thanks so much for posting. I have this exact saw arriving tomorrow.
Brett, thanks for watching, glad to help. Excited for you and your new tool addition! Best of luck with the setup
I was watching another video last week and on it, it was suggesting that the lower blade guides be set before setting the table in place. Strictly for the convenance. No need to crouch down and work under it.
Think that’s a good idea?
Looking forward to receiving my saw
Next week. Doug
Maybe for first setup, Doug. I didn't fully tension my blade until after I adjusted my table, so I suppose user preference. Blade changes have been VERY convenient with this saw. These are the easiest guides I've ever had to adjust on any saw, so I personally don't view it as a concern. Hope that helps.
I'm planning to get one of these babies! Can't wait! :) thanks for the video!
Very welcome, Sandra. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for showing the adjusting of the fence carrier. I was assembling mine today and this part was too tight. I could see the set screws and figured they had to be the way to solve this problem but it would have been nice if the instructions had mentioned this.
Thank you, glad to help!
Excellent setup video, thank you very much. Mine is arriving tomorrow.
Thanks, Ian. Glad to help!
Thank you really enjoyed your presentation a very informative video. Did you consider the WEN 3962 and if so, why did you choose the Rikon instead ? Also, is the blade that comes with the saw good quality ? Thanks in advance.
Rexest Christus, the WEN 3962 was a model I strongly considered. My two main factors that pushed me to the Rikon were:
1. Motor Power (Rikon 5.5A 1/2HP vs WEN 3.5A)
2. Unknowns about the WEN.
My goal was to find the best bandsaw in the class and the quality adjustment features (not overall quantity of features) sealed the deal for me.
The extra inch or so of resaw capacity was tempting and WEN's saw is very feature packed for the price. At the time, I had never owned or used a WEN tool. I now currently own a benchtop belt/disk sander and it works EXTREMELY WELL for the price. I think the WEN 3962 is a better direct comparison to the Rikon 10-305's features (except the work light)
I went with the Rikon because I could put my hands on it and check out features in a woodcraft store. I really liked the blade-guides and it felt like I was interacting with a larger saw. I also have used several small / up to 14" bandsaw that were wanting for power. I figured the extra inch of resaw/rip height might not matter if power was unable to back it up.
I've been using the stock blade primarily the last 5 months. I bought a Starrett 1/2" blade for resawing which cuts like a dream for a small saw. I hope that helps inform your decision, unfortunately that was mostly one-sided since I've never touched a WEN. If you or others have experience with the WEN or decide to purchase it, please add info to the comments. I know many others are likely making the same decision. Thanks for watching/ the question!
We are! Great video. Just got this bandsaw and this video was perfect!
Thanks Darryl! Glad to help.
Thanks so much for this Awesome, informative video. I am ready to pull the trigger on this Band saw. Rikon should give you some sort of comp. for helping to sell their products...
Thank you Randy, that's very kind. I just figured I'd share where I chose to spend my money and why. I'm glad you found some value in it!
Thank you for this excellent review and set up...I'm looking to buy this and because of your video (amongst others) has made me think this might be the one for me! Great explanation video, much appreciated! New sub here, and thank you for your service....greetings from Canada!
Very welcome Evelyn, I'm happy to help and glad you found some value in it!
I might be getting this saw as well. The one's I've checked out this is the one I would want. One question would be what types of blades do you use for different cuts or woods?
Most operations I use a 3TPI 3/8" blade. I also use a 1/4" woodcraft brand for curves and Starrett 1/2" for for "re-sawing" Saw only has a 5" re-saw height. All blades listed have 3TPI
Outstanding video. Thank you for the effort you put into this.
Thanks Tim, very welcome!
Thanks for a very detailed video. I am considering this saw although i am wondering about getting a bigger one too. I was wondering what would it take to upgrade the motor since i think the size is fine for what i am planning to use it for - but am worried about the (lack of) power of the 1/2 HP of its motor. Any thoughts about that?
Thanks for watching and the question. If I had more space I would go with a larger machine vs upgrading this one. For the cut capacities it has a good bit of power, so in my humble opinion resaw and throat capacity are the main limiting factors for this saw's capabilities vs power. I have not bogged the stock down even with some pretty thick hardwood cuts. With welded frame there's no option for risers or other upgrades. I think Rikon and Harvey both have quality 14" with beefier motors and all the bells/whistles.
Nice video. Looking at this saw for a second, smaller shop.
John, I'm still happy with my own 2 years later. I understand they have gone up even higher in price from when I purchased. Not a small price, best with your decision-making
Hi Chris - Thanks for sharing this video! I see you posted this video 2 years ago. I'm on the fence with buying a 10" or 14". Anytime you wish you have more capacity? That said, I'm not familiar with most of your cutting needs. Please let me know - thanks!
great guide. thank you! What saw blades would you recommend for cutting circular shapes in about 5 inch thick plywood for this saw model? I am new to band saws.
Cutting thick material with curves is always a challenge to balance. I recommend something in the ~4TPI range for that thick of plywood. Are they glued layers to form a thick block like that? How tight/ small are your circles?
This saw uses a 70 1/2" (1791mm) blade length up to 1/2" wide (12.7mm)
I'm currently using a1/2" Starrett 4 TPI hardwood rip blade for resaw-type cuts. You can still cut sweeping curves with this blade.
I'm using a 3/16" wide (also 4 TPI) blade for very tight curves and bandsaw box type cuts. I hope that helps, thanks for watching!
@@benchtopwoodworks this helps a ton. Thanks for getting back to me. I’ll give a 4 tpi blade a go.
Glad to help, thanks for reaching out
Exactly what I needed. Great explanation. Thanks!
Thank you, I'm glad it helped!
Just pick this up. In the process of setting it up. What is your recommendations for the paste wax you use.
I've always used Johnsons plain paste wax, but that's typically what I have on hand. I think even car wax can work. Basically anything that will seal the metal with a hard film coating and prevent moisture/ humidity from getting to the iron.
What are the dimensions of the miter slot? Of the 10” band saws this one seems to be a premium version. It’s crazy how similar these 10” bandsaws are but the Rikon has better features; the cast iron table, guide bearing assembly’s, blade tension release. This 10” saw punches above its weight.
How did you square the miter slot to the blade? I am trying to follow the directions in the manual but I'm going crazy trying to get it squared.
Chris, I thought I showed that in the video. Will check to see if I can find it. If memory serves me correctly, I used a combination square and referenced from the front edge of the table and along the edge of the blade between teeth. I confirmed the front of the table was perpendicular to the miter slots.
There are 4x bolts that secure the table to the top of the trunk on, tightening them can throw things off a bit. You may want to put a bit of torque on them and then tap the table/ miter slot square with a mallet. This can help you get your final alignment without the table moving all over the place while tightening the bolts. I don't want to minimize the importance of getting it as square as possible, but this is a band saw and will never leave a final finished surface. As long as your table and fence are parallel to the blade, you should be able to get fine cuts. I hope that helps, please let me know if that didn't help or you have another question.
@@benchtopwoodworks I noticed you doing it in the beginning of the video, but it was done quickly. Didn't watch the whole thing, so don't know if you did it again, or explained it later on. I do plan on using it for resawing as well. I know it will only be a max of 5 inches, which is fine for now.
Great video. Couple of questions: do you get vibrations and fence rattling when motor is running? Also is your table top straight or bowed? Currently setting up my 10-3061 and ran into these 2 issues
Alex, I recommend you call their tech support/customer service. Most machine companies are really good about making things right. I don't have any vibration at all, in fact I was impressed with how quiet and balanced everything was. Where is your bow? Make sure the leveling screw is installed (presuming you did)? Best of luck with everything. If you have a moment when resolved I'm sure we'd all like to know how the resolution process goes!
@@benchtopwoodworks yep will call them Monday . It’s bows in the middle. Middle is lower then front and back. Leveling screw is in.
No good. Best of luck, Alex.
Great review, thanks so much for doing this!
Thanks Craig for watching!
Thanks for the informative video! I noticed that the slightly older Rikon 10-306 is still available at some retailers. Any thoughts on why/how the 10-3061 is improved?
Jeff, thank you! I couldn't tell you for certain...one difference I'm aware of is the bushings on the fence were replaced with nylon set screws. I think Rikon may have a video on the differences...or at least they do on the 305 vs 306. Both of their manuals are available on their website which should allow you to directly compare.
@@benchtopwoodworks Okay, thanks!
hey chris! im watching your video now, but i have a craftsman 10 inch which is a clone of the rikon 10-305 im trying to use an 1/8th inch blade for fine cutting around corners and such, but i have a major issue, i inherited the saw from my father so the bearings are going bad however i can get replacements for those thats not the biggest issue, my issue is that when i have tuned the saw with the snodgrass method, i get my two thrust bearings about 1/16-3/32nds away from the blade with no way to push them up any further. about a year ago i saw a video where some guy actually ground out the slots to allow the bearings to move further forward but i find that as it is with the bearings as far as they naturally go, tend to flop over the edge of the corner and become unstable. short of ordering 2 new bearings at the right size for i believe motion industries said dollars a piece, id rather actually get a new set of guides for the saw. do you know if anyone makes a retrofit guide upgrade for this saw? or am i missing something in the tuning. also, if i simply move the whole guide blocks further forward it pushes the blade's teeth into the other bearings which only move laterally on their own. so im screwd one way and the other. so far my only seeming option is to go for the expensive bearings and change bearing sets each time i want to change my blade size. thanks for any advice at all that doesnt include chuck it and get a new one lol.
Hey Anthony, I don't know about specific aftermarket parts specifically for the saw, but I do have a few ideas. One option might be to look on Mcmaster-Carr or another engineering supplier for bearings that have the same axial diameter and thickness but are ~1/8" larger in diameter to close the gap. That might be similar to the expensive bearings solution but should only cost a few dollars. Roller bearings can generally be had for very cheap when you're not buying them in a specific kit like I think you're describing.
You might have to change them back when you go to a larger blade if you don't have enough rearward clearance for the larger blade width.
There are also some companies that make aftermarket blade guides that clamp on. I have not used any and I'm not familiar with what might be best for your specific setup with the Craftsman (10-305 equiv.) saw . I do know that some using small blades for a lot of curve work on larger saws use add-on guides. You might also try making some sacrificial hardwood guides similar to a Mattias Wandel or other improvised guides. I hope that's some help, best with solving this and keeping your father's saw going! Thanks for watching and taking the time to write.
I've had this saw for about 6 years, and I want to know wtf the black slider that catches on the guide assembly does. I've wondered on/off but I just literally watched this to see if I missed what it was, checked the manual and ended up emailing them.
It's part #41, "slider" and it's driving me insane that I have no frixking clue what the functionality of this part is and if there isn't one, wtf is it doing on there? Is it a leftover from manufacturing that a different model would end up using??
The only thing I can think of is it can hold a certain thickness of material when the guide assembly is completely raised
Why they put the blade changing slot on the side and under the rip fence track is dumb. My Delta 14” had it in the front.
By the way, on a band saw you don’t square the fence to the table. The work doesn’t always track straight. The usual technique is to make a straight cut and then align the fence with with the edge of the work. This technique is in the Band Saw Handbook by Mark Duginske. Highly recommended book!
Once I had my Delta 14” tuned up (and with a taller fence attached to the factory fence) and a riser block, I could perfectly resaw wood 6”+ wide.
Hi Chris
I’m in Australia we can get them here as well
I went for the Woodfast brand which from what I can tell is the same as Rikon
I’ll use your info to tune mine as the info for mine was a bit short on info
Thanks
Great to know, thanks for watching and taking the time to reach out!
Late getting to this. Great video! Were you a military man that was a training instructor? You remind me of the instructors I had in the Navy.
Phil, thanks for watching. I feel honored by your compliment. Still am a military man, never an instructor. I've been in the Army for ~11 years and learning from great military trainers and for 15 years. Learning by observing them, I suppose. I'm glad some of their great style may have rubbed off enough to be noticable.
I am debating between this or a 14 inch Grizzly. I would use the bandsaw to mainly cut out legs, tapers, and radiuses on hardwood. How does this do for cutting 3/4-1 inch hardwood like Maple/Walnut, will it do a good job? Thank you for this!
Gabe, So far its great on everything I've thrown at it (Baltic birch plywood glued and laminated to 1.5" & 2.5" thick Cherry/oak are the hardest things I've cut so far. )
I used both a 14" Delta and 14" grizzly both with 110v motors growing up, the motor on this saw / blade speed is MORE powerful than those older models of both. Maybe compare linear blade speed and motor amperage for a direct comparison.
There are definitely some trade-offs with throat width and resaw height you may want to consider.
@@benchtopwoodworks Awesome thank you for the detailed response - really appreciate it!
Would be great if we could see the fine tuning.
Sorry, I made it as detailed as I could. I'll keep those kinds of angles in mind for future videos. I appreciate the v feedback and you watching Collin, it helps me improve! Cheers
I just bought a sears craftsman 10 inch band saw, 1/3 hp. I later saw that some say my saw is the same as a rikon. Mine has a broken drive belt but for 1$ I couldn’t pass. Do you know anything about the sears being like this rikon?
Sounds like a great find, Franco. Unfortunately, I don't have any experience with that model. Best of luck as you get it repaired and back into operation!!
I just got this saw and your video was super helpful. The music was way too loud and distracting, had a hard time hearing you (I had to turn it down bc it was annoying, then I really couldn't hear you!)
Sorry, Patricia. I appreciate the feedback. I'm new to mixing and I think my audio was different than many viewers. I'll work to improve it for next time
@@benchtopwoodworks Your video was really helpful - thank you. Just unboxed and assembled my Rikon and your instructions and tips made it much easier! Your content is appreciated :)
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Ej
Excellent video. You may want to consider zooming in when talking about the guides. Can't see what you're doing.
Do you know the table weight? I have limited space and not sure I can move the whole thing easily.
I don't know the weight of the table specifically, but I think the assembled saw weighs around 80lbs.
Really nice video!
How do you get it to track? My blade flies off
I recommend manually with the saw off. Tracking should be adjusted with the top wheel and the tracking adjustment knob on back of saw.
Excellent presentation
Thanks, Rod!
I am about to buy this saw. Imagine my joy at getting to watch your video. Now imagine my disappointment when I had to struggle to hear you over the back ground music. Why the need for music? Secondly , as you were adjusting the blade and parts, you pointing to it only blocked what I was trying to see. May I recommend using a pointer instead of your finger , also a closer view of what you were adjusting would be very helpful. Thank you , I did enjoy what I did watch.
Excellent instructional vid...lose the music...edit the video so that things like degreasing the table are shortened. Otherwise, well done and very helpful!
Thanks for the feedback. I'm not a professional, but your feedback will be incorporated
Awesome video!
Thank you!
Is there any difference between the Rikon 306 and 3061?
As I understand minor improvements, sizing of nylon bushings on fence is one I know of.
This is a great video. My only thought is the music is distracting. If nothing else maybe it could be quieter.
Thanks for the feedback
Sold...this really is the best BS for the money...the closest competitor is way more expensive. Do you recommend any additional blades?
I use a 3/8" 3TPI for almost everything. I've really liked the "timberwolf" brand. Not sure if that's exclusive to Woodcraft or available online, but I bought mine at Woodcraft. I also have had great experience with Starrett.
Very good! I am going to buy it
I'm glad you liked the video, SJ. Thank you for watching!
Awesome overview Chris...after seeing your video, and reviewing several other sized bandsaw brands my mind was made up for the Rikon 10-3061. Heading to Rockler now to pick up my new addition to my woodworking shop!
Best with the new saw, Michael!
Appreciate the video, but it would've been more helpful with clear closeups of the bearing/tracking adjustments without the digital zoom since you lose a lot of quality.
Thanks for the feedback, definitely noted.
Wonder way they say it’s a 10” when it measures 9 5/8 “.
Ha, I'll bet there was a solid corporate engineering vs marketing team debate over that. I hope I didn't forget that detail in the video.
What the highest for rewsaw
Right around 5" ...I think that's slightly less than some competitors. I think the 10-3061 is top end for motor power in its class. I weighed power higher than capacity when making my decision.
I believe the Company that makes these Ricon also makes the LaGuna brand too.I have owned both and they are identical!
Yes Sir, very similar if not identical. From the basics of the industry that I know, many makes are often nearly the same or even same production lines with rebranding. I think company's also add/remove certain features as they negotiate with manufacturers. I think it often has to do with who owns which patents and has production capacity.
Rikon and Laguna are not the same at all. For one, Laguna bandsaws use ceramic guides and rikon’s use sealed ball bearings. The cheapest Laguna bandsaw is $1600. The cheapest Rikon bandsaw is $350. I own both brands. I’d say dollar for dollar the quality from Laguna is a little higher than Rikon. Nothing wrong with either brand.
Great video. Google feeler gage
Thanks for watching/taking the time to comment. I have a set of feeler gages, but I tried to follow the manual and recommend something that anyone with the saw could use as opposed to specialty tools. Nice use of gage! Many people use gauge and gage interchangeably.
Great video, but could you edit out the music...its quite distracting
Sorry, I can't change it once posted. Thanks for the feedback, noted for future.
used to be under 400 few months ago now over 570 for no reason
Ouch. Supply chain issues? Thanks for sharing.
@@benchtopwoodworks Ha- Aha
I know many folks have machines on container ships with big delays!
Please NO MUSIC on your video’s.
I can’t hear you.
Thanks for the feedback, Doug
please. no music. I could not hear you as much as I wanted, so had to find another video
Fair enough. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Good review but what’s a review without actually using the tool? Cut something on it
I appreciate the feedback. Hard to gauge tone from typing so I don't want to be assuming. Respectfully, this is a setup video and review of the features. I wanted to focus the video time on detailing the setup for others. What you're recommending was outside the scope of this video. Thank you for watching, I'm sorry if you think my title or description were somehow misleading. If you want to know my opinion on it a few years later, I've enjoyed using it. Cuts well. Many materials and thicknesses, plenty of power.
Buy a used Lady Kenmore bandsaw and you will have 10x better saw than Rikon ever built . They are the nearest thing to nothing I ever owned .
+Robert Smith definitely something to look into!
This thing sucks butt. I've had nothing but problems for 5 months. It drifts no matter how well you tune it. Tensioning and tracking do not work. Blade pops off the wheels constantly during blade change and sometimes during use.
Wow, definitely call the manufacturer. Thanks for sharing your experience here for others! I'm pretty happy with my own, I know small bandsaws are generally prone to power / drift issues but my own experience has been better with this saw than other BenchTop models. It sounds like a tracking issue. (no sponsorship or anything else that might sway me)
I was pissed off when I wrote this but no doubt brother. The quality is good overall. Ive clearly got an individual issue.
The drift is insane. Even drifts through paper 😂
Yeah, they certainly need to hear about that! I've spoken to their customer service, they're pretty responsive... should not be how your saw is performing.