Customer Reviews

JET 708115K JWBS-14CS 14-Inch 1 Horsepower Woodworking Bandsaw with Graphite Guide Blocks, 115/230-Volt 1 Phase

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've owned this band saw for a year. Before purchasing, I researched others, including Delta, Grizzly, Ridgid, and General. I've written this review to answer the kind of questions I had when I was still shopping for a band saw!

Assembly is simple. The manual contains photos of each step, with hardware and parts clearly visible. Aligning the upper and lower wheels is no problem -- they were aligned perfectly out of the box. Installing the rip fence is also easy -- all the mounting hardware are designed for this machine.

In your daily band saw setup routine, there are five main steps: (1) Install blade; (2) Tension blade; (3) "track" blade; (4) adjust blade guard; (5) adjust guides. These are typical steps in setting up any band saw, but the Jet is easier than other 14" saws.

Installing and/or removing blades on the Jet 14" is easy. The upper and lower guides loosen up, and the blade slips out through the table without a problem. When installing a new blade, it's easy to guide it into the blade guard, mount it on the two wheels, and center it. Hint: when installing a blade, make sure the teeth are pointing DOWNward. Every new band saw owner installs a band saw blade upside down once.

With your blade centered on the wheels, use the tension knob to tighten the blade to the correct level. Jet designed the tension knob so it is above the wheel cover. This sounds like a small detail, but other brands position the tension knob so you bang your knuckles against the metal as you turn it -- very annoying. There's a tension indicator showing blade width. According to the manufacturer, you can use blades from 1/8" to 3/4", but 1/2" is the widest I've used.

With the blade tensioned, adjust the "tracking" (removes any blade wobble). Jet has designed a great system for adjusting tracking. First, loosen a wing nut. Then, spin one of the wheels with your hand. As you spin the wheel, turn the tracking knob one way or another until you see that the blade stays in the center of the wheel. Then tighten the wing nut again, and you're done. This saw holds its tracking setting, even after hours of use.

The next step is to adjust the blade guard. Jet's blade guard is a step ahead of the other brands. Loosen a knob, then set the blade guard for the proper height (I set mine about 1/8" above the wood). What sets the Jet apart is that, even with the blade guard knob loosened, the blade guard stays in place if you let go of it. With the Delta, when you loosen the blade guard, it crashes down onto the table. The engineers at Jet were smart to design their blade guard differently -- it saves crushed fingers and dented wood!

Next, adjust the saw guides. Again, the Jet 14" is easier than others. The upper and lower guides are both very accessible. For both the upper and lower guides, there are side supports and a rear roller. To adjust the rear roller, loosen a wing nut, then turn a thumb screw until the guide is set, then re-tighten the wing nut. For the side supports, first position it properly frontwards and backwards, then push the block against the blade. For frontward/backward adjustment, there is a wing nut/thumb screw system; to set the blocks against the blade, loosen a couple of screws, slide the blocks, and re-tighten the screws. All of this is engineered well on the Jet, making the adjustments go quickly.

The rip fence that comes with this saw is solid and locks down securely. The design of the fence is almost like Jet's table saw fences. The fence comes with two steel rails, which bolt onto the table, one in front and one in back. The front rail has a built-in measure, and a pointer on the fence allows you to read precise inch marks. This fence is very accurate, and holds its settings, even after running several pieces through the saw. The fence comes with a re-saw feature, a "peg-style" attachment.

Ripping straight lines on this saw is a pleasant task. You read all the time about "blade drift," but if you take the time to set up this saw as described above, there's no blade drift. For cutting curves, I use a 1/8" blade and find it easy to follow my guidelines. The saw feels smooth and safe. The table on this saw is a couple of inches larger than other models -- a plus when working with bigger pieces of wood.

This saw has adequate power for everything I've cut. On 1X material, the saw cuts without bogging down, even when pushing the wood quickly. Even using inexpensive blades, the saw cuts smoothly. With Timberwolf blades, I've noticed smoother cuts.

The best test of band saw power is re-sawing. I've used the Jet 14" to re-saw up to 5" wide, using 1/2" blades. Push the wood slowly when re-sawing hardwoods such as oak. Don't try to rush this saw when re-sawing wide boards because it will bog down a bit. If I feed the wood at an even, slow pace, it's not a problem. I've used this saw to slice off 1/16" veneer, and it's performed well. Again, the blade you use makes a difference. With the right blade, very little sanding is needed.

Dust collection is, at best, decent. None of the 14" band saws I tested had adequate dust collection. The good thing is, a band saw does not produce much dust.

This saw has been a terrific addition to my woodshop. In almost every wood project I do, I have come to rely on this band saw to play a major role.

I purchased the Jet 14" bandsaw almost a year ago, use it almost daily, and it is going strong. It is used about 80% of the time resawing walnut, cherry and exotic woods like purpleheart, yellowheart and paduak. I am very satisfied with the peformance and repeat precision of the bandsaw. I just got done resawing 1/16" walnut blanks. Resawed the blanks into 3/32", then put them thru the Performax (Jet) Drum sander, and now have a precise thin stock 1/16" walnut blank for overlays and inlays! No high or low spots, just consistant precise thickness from the bandsaw.

The setup was simple, took about 2 hours, the manual is very self explainitory and easy to follow. I would suggest having a helper available, the base is very heavy. If you think you might ever put the bandsaw on a mobile base, do it now. For later would mean doing the heavy lifting all over again. Having the bandsaw on a mobile base allows for more options in your workshop as to the positioning and placement of the tools as you as actually using them and just having them sit there waiting to be used.

Blade changes are easy, taking less than 5 minutes to reduce tension on the wheels, remove blade, insert new blade and reposition the wheel tension to the proper level. I would throw the blade that came with the bandsaw away, and use either Timberwolf of Lennox carbide tipped blades. The Lennox 3/4" blades are perfect for resawing. I have not had must luck or quality production results from the Delta blades.

There is very little vibration in the machine, the powerful 1 hp motor cuts thru the purleheart with precision.

Are there better bandsaws out there ? There sure is, but not at this price. I am very satisfied with the Jet 14" bandsaw's performance and precision!

I just purchased the JET JWBS-14CSW Band Saw and sold my 4 yr old Grizzly G1019 14" Band Saw. After using the Grizzly for 4 years I can assure you this JET band saw is in a class all by its self. The Grizzly was an ok band saw for the price, but suffers from poor craftsmanship, proper wheel balance, difficult to keep blade in track and vibration. Getting a true cut was impossible. The JET band saw was easy to set up, took about 2 hours. The manual is easy to understand. The first thing I purchased with the saw was a "Link Belt"; all my power tools have the Link Belt. During set-up I used "liquid lock-tight" on all the bolts and screws (for assembly parts only) to ensure no loose hardware down the road. After set up was complete I was truly impressed with the very low to non-existent vibration. I can turn it on and balance a nickel on edge. The quality of craftsmanship, to include wheels, tires, guides, solid base piece, large tabletop, and the fine tune adjustment knobs for all the blade adjustments make for a "TOP QUALITY" saw for the price. This is not the only JET TOOL in my wood shop; I also have the Bench Top Mortise machine and 6" Jointer. I look forward to many years of use and obtaining quality woodworking results. Thanks JET keep up the good work.........

I've had the Jet 14" bandsaw for about eight months, and use it almost daily. I have the riser block and extender kit to increase its resaw capacity.

The first thing I would recommend to anyone who buys this saw is to replace the "cool block" type blade guides with roller guides. I just have the relatively affordable off-brand rollers that fit right in Jet's guide holders, and these improved blade vibration and reduced deflection substantially.

Also, buy good blades. I've been satisfied with Olsen, Timberwolf, and others but the premium blades don't cost that much more and do seem to improve the cut.

Be careful during assembly. Jet cheaps out on the quality of nuts and bolts. Though I'm not particularly strong, I managed to twist the heads right off three bolts during assembly; one is still in place today, headless.

The Jet folks really try to help if there's a problem. I needed a part that was back-ordered and they sent a whole assembly containing the part to avoid delay. Too bad there were no extra bolts in the package!

Dust collection on this unit is a joke. Be sure you have an ambient air cleaner or an outdoor opening near this saw so you don't end up with a lungful of sawdust.

All adjustments of blade guides can be done easily, from the table top, without tools. You look through the insert hole to adjust the bottom ones. This may not be true of the more expensive roller guide kits - if it's important to you, check.

The table is solid and it's easy to adjust the tilt. Fence is nicely square but can't be mounted at an angle for sawing veneer. Measuring using the standard fence is impossible. You will have to use a ruler or tape measure each time. With the riser block extender, blade size is 105" and the saw can use anything from 1/8 through 3/4 inch blades.

The tensioner is hard to use. It's on top, in the back, and the settings aren't visible unless you're over six feet tall. I keep a box behind the unit to stand on and built a wooden "wing" handle that fits over the knob. A tension relief handle would be a great addition to this design, hope Jet thinks of it soon.

In this price range, this band saw can't be beat. I've ued mine for ripping, resawing, precision work, hardwoods, softwoods, plastics. The only time the motor bogs down is when I'm resawing thick stock.

But there are a few things I'd change:

1. The guide blocks wear awfully fast. I bought a set of Cool Blocks and they are wonderful.

2. The fence isn't so hot. After just a few weeks, it wouldn't lock to the table. I now insert a piece of sandpaper in the locking cam. It works but this could be designed better. (Fences are not new technology--this really shouldn't be a problem.)

3. The table top is just too small.

4. Buy the riser (height extender). Before long, you'll want to resaw a 10" wide board. Trust me, you will.

5. The dust control port is stupid, awful and a waste of time. The port is 2 1/2" on the exit side. But, if you look inside the port, the internal restriction is 1" x 1/2" !!! Whoever designed this should be fired. (Don't designers test their products?) You will want to cut a hole on the door and install a 4" dust port. Relatively easy to do. And it is worth it. With a 4" dust port, you could run the band saw in the living room. JET really needs to fix the dust port.

Overall, I'm satisfied for the price.

I sat on the Delta/Jet fence for nearly 2 months before committing to this purchase (I got the Jet 14" Drill Press too). I think that the Delta and Jet are very comparable and side by side there isn't much difference. I am very pleased with my bandsaw, especially the fence and table (that feature deserves its own close up picture on the website). I am planning on a few upgrades such as: Carter guides, mobile base by ???, and a better blade. I had my tool in a matter of days and it arrived in great condition.
Aside on the Bandsaw:
For me, the bandsaw is the unsung shop hero. The tablesaw gets all the attention and is the star quarterback, but the bandsaw is like a great wide-receiver that scores all the touchdowns and stays with the ball. I go to the bandsaw to make cuts that can't be done anywhere else. The bandsaw isn't making the long rip/cross cuts or dadoes, but if you are serious about furniture/cabinet construction, you can't survive long without a good bandsaw.

I purchased this tool with the 6" riser block. The quality of manufacturing is great. I found no problems with the saw when I unpacked it and assemly was a breeze.

This saw is very solidly made, cast iron. I LOVE the fence. Blade tracking is true. The blade does not wander while cutting. Dust collection is not very effective but this seems to be a common problem on most bandsaws.

After using this saw for approx. 1 year, the only thing I would change is the motor. Although it comes with a 1HP motor, it has some trouble when resawing hardwoods. It does the job but not without struggling a little.

I consider it 'low-end' of the group because it lacks some of the features of the basic Delta, but also of the new 14" Jet which wasn't available at the time I purchased this one.

The Jet doesn't have cast iron trunnions which holds up the table, it's cast aluminum, so the table will flex under pressure. How much is ok depends on what you're doing and what you think you can tolerate. The Powermatic has cast iron trunnions, so do all of the Deltas, even the cheapest.

The lower adjuster is a little harder to get to than the delta. The knobs on the Delta are out of the way so you can get your fingers on them a little easier. That's perhaps splitting hairs but it also supports the blade lower on the bottom while the lower blade support on the Delta is higher which supports the blade closer to the table.

The Delta has a few extra spokes on its wheels so does the new Jet. Supposed to help cut down vibration. I haven't had trouble with vibration that couldn't be made better by adjustment.

In a nut shell, it works fine. It runs smooth and quite. I did replace the v-belt with a like belt. That quiets it down a bit more and reduces motor vibration. Which I should mention, getting the belt aligned and to reasonable tension is truly an art. I think some form of reengineered mounting/aligning method is well overdue.

At some point I'll get the Carter automatic tensioner. This will essentially make it the new Jet minus the 9 spoke wheels. I might even check the price of the Powermatics Trunion. They're exactly the same as the Jets as far as shape just better material.

Adding up the costs would equal a bit better saw with the payments spread out. A little more money will get you a "5 star" for this size saw.

This Jet performs very good and I'm pleased with the performance. it's just the details I wasn't aware of until I brought it home and putting it together. Then read "The Bandsaw Book".

I recently purchased this Jet bandsaw and it has quickly become the pride of my shop. It cuts like butter through even tough wood, runs quietly, and cuts straight. The saw will quickly pay for itself through its ability to do excellent resawing, and the fence and miter gauge which were included at the time are excellent. If there's a better band saw out there for the money, or even close to it, I can't find it. Wheels were perfectly co-planer right out of the box. Setup was simple except for tensioning the motor-belt assembly. I had to do it by myself, next time I will make sure there is someone there to help. You need at least four hands!
Can't praise the quality or the cuts enough - buy it! You WILL NOT regret it!
Robert

Shipping was faster than anticipated. Got a coordination call from FedEx heavy delivery to be home when it arrived--appreciated that. Came in two boxes, mostly in good shape except for the one containing the stand, which had a slight ding but no paint damage. Assembly was straightforward and quick with exceptionally well designed instructions. Blade and other adjustments were easy. Operation is quiet, particularly with the enclosed stand. Overall quality is excellent, and I'm comparing this with my dad's old Boice-Crane that he's had for 40 years. A very nice machine, easy to use, has plenty of power for all manner of cuts including heavier things like 4x4's with no sweat. Looks to me to be slightly better finish and quality than Delta, but certainly in the same ballpark. Based on my experience with this saw, I'm planning to get a Jet sander and maybe a drill press after this.