Customer Reviews

JET 708749 JWBS-16 16-Inch 1-1/2-Horsepower Woodworking Bandsaw with Guide Blocks, 115-Volt 1-Phase

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set up was extremely fast. 15 minutes including removing the rust coat on the table.
I didn't have any trouble dealing with saw on my own. I put the feet on by myself and managed to remove the wooden packing feet by myself. I'm not a championship weight lifter, but I am a pretty big guy 6' 1" 230 lbs.
I also thought adjustment on the guides lower and top was fairly easy.
My first cut was a 3 X 3 x 36 piece of curly rock maple. I sliced a thin 1/16 X 3 X 36 veneer from the face. No burning, minimal chatter considering the blade, and no noticable load on the motor.
I guided the piece through at about the same rate I would a similar piece of wood through a 21" Oliver I use to use at a shop I worked at.
No doubt about it, the machine is quiet and almost vibration free. I am very impressed with the smoothness considering the price, and the type of construction; the saw is not a cast iron monster like the olivers and deltas I am used to working with, it is fabricated metal.
The blade tracks perfectly with out adjusting anything but the blade tension to the exact marker for the blade size. That's a thrill.
The saw was delivered right to my garage, the package was somewhat damaged and they only strapped one 40" pallet right smack in the middle of the box (which didn't give me much confidence I expected it to come on a full pallet or crated)but the contents was not damaged, not a scratch or a ding.
I would give this bandsaw a 5 based on it's price and size if it weren't for the table. I took a Starett 36" straight edge and some winding sticks and the table is tweaked about 1/32" on one corner. Doesn't make for very accurate cutting. Hopefully it won't take too long to get a replacement table.
Have I used better saws? Yes
Have I used better saws at the same price range? Definately not.
The bad table aside, I would highly recommend this saw for any woodworker on a limited budget who wants the features of a resaw and bandsaw all in one inexpensive unit.

UPDATE Dec 20, 2004
For historical reference please read my review above. Jet makes a good bandsaw, and they responded promptly to my problem with the table. However Amazon does not allow Jet to replace defective parts. All replacement orders must go through Amazon.

Since Dec 1 I have been trying futilely to get the table replaced.
The first time I called their 800 number the rep never sent my request ahead to the "Appropriate Department". I have called once a week religiously and still no satisfaction.
I wouldn't be so bothered if this was just a cosmetic issue, but the saw is unusable without a flat table, it is just setting in my shop taking up space and collecting dust.
I would say to you, buy a Jet, but don't buy from Amazon unless you are ready for a lot of headaches and frustrations.

UPDATE Dec 28 2004
The manufacturer is finally sending me a replacement table. Got the saw Nov 24 2004, set it up Nov 25 2004 and hopefully I will be able to use it by January 5th 2005. Only 47 days after it arrived!

I purchased this bandsaw because I burned out the smaller Delta I had. I thought it might be too big for my small space but once I set it up I found it does not take up a lot of room. I also thought its weight might be too much to handle but I can slide it without too much trouble when I need to. I have not yet entered onto a larger project but the dozen or so times I've used it, ranging from 3/4" stock to 2x4's, it cut smoothly and effortlessly. The blade does not wobble at all so it is no problem cutting a straight line. Large curves were easy (I have the 3/4" standard blade now) but I will be getting a 3/8" blade for finer work. Also I thought the 1 1/2 HP motor would be loud but it is not as loud as a circular saw. All in all, it seems to be a powerful, smooth, efficient saw that I envision using for many, many years.

My budget didn't allow me the dinero to purchase a Laguna, so this was my second choice. And what a great second choice it is - I am not the least bit disappointed. While not an industrial-grade machine, the Jet does everything a hobbyist like myself could want.

Unpacking and assembly took about an hour. The crate weighs in at 300 pounds plus, so unless you are a champion weight-lifter, better get a few pallbearers to help you lift this thing.

Fit and finish were excellent, and I had no trouble setting it up and tweaking it. The unit comes mostly assembled; the user need only attach the table, feet, and a few knobs. Adjust the guide blocks and blade tension, and you're in business. The optional fence and rail assembly is definitely worth getting, and I had it installed in just a few more minutes.

I plugged it in, started it up, and began my resawing fun. I pushed a 4 foot long piece of 6" wide quarter-sawn white oak through the saw, and made up a nice little stack of 1/16" thick veneer. The 1-1/2 HP motor provided plenty of muscle to cut through the wood. All this using the standard-issue Jet 3/4" blade. And without adjusting the fence. No drift. I didn't even install the little resawing bumper thingy. Just resawed boards flat against the fence. I can't wait to see how it performs with a nice 1" Timberwolf blade.

This is the third Jet stationary tool I have purchased, and every one is a champ.

The Jet 16" machine is very solid, and well made. There is only one problem. Just try getting the blades. It uses a 123" blade which most stores including online never heard of. You either have to order them from Jet or get them custom made. Something to think about if a blade breaks and you have to wait a week to get another!

I've used bandsaws of all shapes and sizes for many years, but I'm quite impressed with this one. I decided to get into wood turning and I needed a saw for roughing bowl blanks. I did a lot of research and settled on this Jet model. I'm glad I did. The resaw capacity is great. From box to cutting took all of a half hour. Blade runs true and pretty quiet for the size motor. Fit and finish is excellent. Due to the odd blade length, I suggest you order at least one spare. It comes with a 3/4" for resawing. Order a 3/8" for finer scroll work. I also ordered the fence and it went together easy and seems to work okay(haven't used it much). I haven't found anything about the saw I do not like!

I agree with all the good things said about this saw's power, smoothness, and quietness. BUT... the odd blade size means you'll pay more and have to special order - that's takes time.
But the real killer design flaw in this machine is the lower guide arrangement. It's virtually inaccesible, even with the special hex wrench Jet gives you (lose that puppy and you're SOL). The guide wheels secure with thumbscrews that an average hand can't reach without mangling your flesh, and there's so little room you can't wear gloves. The guide base flops all around and is hard to see and almost impossible to align properly. I've been using bandsaws for 40 years - so I KNOW it needn't take half an hour to change a blade, then another half hour to readjust it over and over.
If you change blades often, stay away!

I purchased this saw from Amazon.com (The Tool Crib). It arriveded in good shape no dings or dents. It went together easily. I have been cutting slabe of 50+ year old Desert Ironwood and Osage Orange of the same vintage and the saw hasn't even hiccuped. I've ordered a Woodslicer blade for it which should do a better job of resawing in this hard wood. All in all I couldn't be more pleased with the machine. However the Shop Fox mobile base I biught for it is another mattter entirely.

I recently purchased this bandsaw from my local Rockler store. It was sold at the same price as Amazon. In general it is a very good saw for the price. The first thing I did was replace the stock blade which helped.
The first problem came when I attempted to mount the fence accessory kit that I purchased from Amazon. It turns out that two of the bolt holes in the table were not tapped! Therefore I could not mount the threaded 1/4" bolts. To their credit, the folks at jet shipped me a new table based on my word and the machine serial number.
The next problem came after I successfully mounted the rails for the fence kit. Most fences are locked down with a lever that rotates a cam, pushing a plate up against the rail. When I tried to do this, there was too much space between the plate and the rail and the plate would not lock down the fence. I had to jury rig it by putting several layers of foil tape between the plate and the rail, which filled the space, allowing the cam to bear against the rail the way that it was supposed to do.
After all that I still like the bandsaw. Of course if I wanted the best, I most likely would dhave bought a Laguna, but of course those are much more expensive. This saw should do the trick for a long time. Just make sure you spend time tuning it up, and practice a bit. I have been doing that, since I am a novice bandsaw user.
If you decide buy one, check for quality control issues. The problems that I mentioned should have been picked up in an inspection before shipping.
Good luck! Keith T.

I agree with much of what has already been said. This is a good saw for the bucks. That being said, we also have a LT14se Laguna in our professional shop which resaws 12" and has a 2hp motor and much better guides. The overall quality is the best you can get. It costs $1145 with free shipping. More money - yep, worth it - yep. If you intend to resaw thin veneer, buy the Laguna. If you add the beefier motor and better guides to the Jet, it will wind up costing you about what you will pay for the Laguna. As for the Jet's 123" blades being hard to find, we have Lennox, Timberwolf, and Jesada, all of which we found easily on the net. Local shops in metro areas will cut you any length blade you need. If $800 is your top limit, the Jet is certainly one of the better choices. Don't expect much in the way of support however.

Airborn Freight delivered the saw right on time. With the help of a friend, had the saw uncrated, together and runing in just over 1 1/2 hours. This included installing the Jet fence that I ordered separately. The saw was in excellent condition, no scratches, dents or anything else. Resawed a 1/32 slice of 6" red oak with the factory blade. No problem other than very shallow blade marks. (This will probably be resolved when the 3/4" Wood Slicer is installed) I have a set of Carter Style Blade Guides ordered, but I'm not convinced that this may be neccessary. After reading some other negative comments about this saw, I checked it out very carefully. The table went on with no problem and was flatter than pee on a plate! Jet provided all the tools necessary for set-up other than a phillips screw driver and a square (for table set-up) Getting the protective coating off the table was no problem at all. I just soaked some paper shop towels in a citrus degreaser, and layed them on the table for about 10 minutes, then scraped off the stuff with a single edge razor blade. This saw is a fantastic value for the money and will do everything a somewhat serious woodworker would want.