I finally got around to establishing the rikon 10-347 in the shop, and honestly, it's a little bit of an animal compared to the standard 14-inch saws most associated with us are utilized to. If you've been scrolling by means of forums or watching woodworking videos, you've probably seen this particular model appear because the "step-up" edition of their popular 10-326. While these people look similar from a distance, the particular 10-347 is really a various animal when you in fact start pushing a few thick walnut via it.
It's marketed because their "Professional" 14-inch bandsaw, and after spending some quality time with it, I could notice why. It's not merely about having the bigger motor or a fancy paint job; it's about those little frustrations that disappear when you move in order to a machine that's built for heavy use. Let's jump into what makes this thing mark and whether it's actually worth the particular extra floor space and cash.
The Power Factor and the 220V Requirement
The first thing a person need to know about the rikon 10-347 is it isn't a "plug it into any wall" kind associated with tool. It runs on a 2. five HP motor, which is a substantial jump from the 1. 75 HEWLETT PACKARD you find on the smaller models. Because of that extra muscle, it demands a 220V store. If you're such as me and only acquired 110V running in order to your garage, you're going to need to call an electrician or do some wiring yourself just before this thing also hums.
Is the 2. 5 HORSEPOWER overkill? For slicing curves in 3/4-inch pine, absolutely. Yet that's not why you buy this saw. You buy it for resawing. When you're trying to slice a 12-inch wide board into thin veneers, you want that extra torque. I noticed right away that the particular motor doesn't also flinch when I'm feeding it heavy stock. It doesn't bog down or give that terrifying "I'm about to stall" groan. It simply eats.
Resaw Capacity That Actually Works
One of the biggest marketing points for that rikon 10-347 will be the 13-inch resaw capacity. Now, plenty of saws claim they can handle tall wood, but there's a difference between "fitting" a board under the guides and in fact "cutting" it accurately.
Mainly because the frame on this model is therefore rigid, you don't have the same type of flexing you see on lighter saws. When you're tensioning a 1-inch blade—which this saw can handle comfortably—the frame stays real. This means your cuts stay straighter, plus you spend way less time at the planer later upon looking to fix a wavy mess. I've found that along with a good razor-sharp blade, I can get veneers slim enough to light through, which is definitely pretty impressive regarding a 14-inch device.
Those Tool-Less Blade Guides
If there's something that usually makes me procrastinate upon a project, it's changing a bandsaw blade. Fiddling with Allen wrenches and trying to get the clearance "just right" on the thrust bearings is a pain in the neck. Rikon solved a lot of that frustration here.
The particular rikon 10-347 uses their trademarked tool-less ball keeping guides. You just switch a few knobs to move the particular guides forward, backward, or side-to-side. It's incredibly fast. I can switch from a 1/4-inch scrolling blade to the 3/4-inch resaw blade in about 3 or four minutes now. This might sound like a small factor, but when you're within the flow of a project, not really having to hunt for a specific wrench tool is really a massive gain for the sanity.
The Fence and Table Setup
The table on this saw is usually massive—21-1/2 inches by 15-3/4 inches of solid cast metal. It's ground smooth and feels extremely stable. Something I really appreciate is the "Pro" fence program it comes with. It's 6 ins tall, which provides you plenty associated with support when you're standing a wide board on its edge for resawing.
What's even cooler is that will the fence may be used in a "low" position for thinner stock. This lets you get the particular blade guides nearer to the workpiece without the fence getting in the way in which. It furthermore has a move adjustment. If your own blade starts tugging to 1 side, you don't have in order to do the older "hammer the fence" trick; you just tweak a few bolts on the wall rail and you're back to cutting straight lines.
Cast Iron Tires for Momentum
Underneath the hood, you'll find heavy cast iron wheels. A lot of basic saws use light weight aluminum wheels to conserve weight and price, however the weight is actually your friend here. The bulk of the toss iron acts just like a flywheel. Once these wheels get re-writing, that momentum helps carry the cutting tool through tough take away the or dense grain with no motor having to do all the heavy lifting. Plus, it makes the whole machine feel more planted plus reduces the vibration you feel in your hands.
Quick-Release Tensioning
Rikon included a quick-release blade tension handle on the back of the found. This really is pretty standard on high-end saws now, but it's still worth bringing up. When you're done for the afternoon, a person just flip the lever to get the strain off the blade. This helps prevent the blade through stretching and maintains your tires through getting flat places. The 10-347's lever feels chunky plus solid, nothing like a few of the flimsy ones that sense like they could click off following a yr of use.
The Little Advantages
There are usually a few "quality of life" features around the rikon 10-347 that I actually didn't think I'd care about but now use constantly.
- The Feet Brake: This is the game-changer. On old saws, you'd turn the power away from and wait 30 seconds for the particular wheels to cease spinning. With all the foot brake, you simply phase on it as well as the blade stops very quickly. It's a huge safety feature and a time-saver.
- The LED Light: It comes along with a built-in versatile LED light. It's actually bright sufficient to be helpful, unlike those dim little bulbs several manufacturers throw in as an afterthought.
- Dust Collection: This has two 4-inch dust ports. One particular is right underneath the table where the majority of the dust is produced, and the other will be at the bottom of the lower cabinet. It's not perfect—no bandsaw is—but it's significantly better than the old single-port designs.
Is This the Right Noticed for You?
Look, the rikon 10-347 isn't exactly a budget hobbyist machine. It's a serious investment decision. If you just make a birdhouse once every six months, you'd much better off with a 10-inch benchtop design or even the 10-326.
However, in case you're getting straight into furniture making, or even if you're tired of being restricted to the lack of power in smaller saws, this can be a fantastic "forever" tool. It bridges that space between the light-duty 14-inch saws as well as the massive 18-to-20-inch commercial machines that require a forklift to move.
A single thing to maintain in mind may be the weight. This thing weighs around 285 pounds. If you're working in the small shop plus need to shift your tools around, you'll definitely wish to put it upon a mobile foundation. Trying to "walk" this machine throughout a concrete floor is a recipe for the pulled back muscle.
Last Thoughts
The particular rikon 10-347 has definitely gained its spot within my shop. It feels like a tool that was designed simply by people who really use bandsaws. The tool-less guides create setup easy, the 2. 5 HP engine provides more than enough grunt regarding resawing thick hardwoods, and the general build quality will be just solid.
Yes, you need 220V power, and yes, it's a bit of an investment. Yet once you make that first effortless cut through a 10-inch thick piece of oak, you'll forget about the price tag. It's just a smooth, reliable machine that will precisely what it's expected to do with no fuss. For a professional or the dedicated woodworker, it's hard to discover a better 14-inch saw available right right now.