DELTA 28-206 Professional 14-Inch 1-Horsepower Woodworking Band Saw, 120-Volt 1-Phase

by DELTA

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The DELTA 28-206 Professional 14-Inch 1 HP Woodworking Band Saw, 120-Volt 1 Phase is an ideal tool for hobbyist woodworkers. The 1 HP, 120-volt motor works in harmony with the saw's nine-spoke precision-balanced wheels and cast-iron trunnions to reduce vibrations and create cleaner cuts. The band saw has a throat capacity of 13-3/4 inches and handles stock up to 6-1/4 inches thick. Curve and bevel cutting are simple tasks with the saw's 16-by-16-inch table with 45-degree tilt range to the right and 3-degrees to the left. Fully adjustable upper and lower blade guides support the platinum blade within 3/4-inch of your work surface for accurate cutting.

The saw includes a two-speed pulley system, and a rare but highly useful 4-inch integral dust port. A tension-release lever ensures quality blade life when the saw is not operational, and makes switching between blades a quick and easy task. The saw measures 65-1/2 X 31 X 17 inches, weighs 201 pounds, and comes with a 16 by 16-inch operating table.

From the Manufacturer

Delta’s 28-206 14 inch band saw is a central shop tool for sizing rough stock, cutting patterns and jigs, and for radius and corbel cutting in woodworking, cabinet making and remodeling applications. The 28-206 has a 1 HP, 120/240v motor, quick-release tension lever, and 2-speeds (2,500/3,300 SFPM). It also has a 4 inch dust collection port, balanced 9-spoke wheels, and wood cutting blade. It comes with a V-belt, and blade guides. The 16"x16" table tilts 45° right and 3° left. It handles stock up to 6-1/4" thick (12-1/4" with height attachment). For accurate work, the lower blade guides have micrometer adjustment. The maximum blade width is -3/4 inch. Five year warranty.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 45.1 x 28.5 x 19.2 inches ; 250 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 270 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00006JZZR
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 28-206
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,500 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #37 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Power Tools > Saws > Band Saws

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

186 of 189 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Value, excellent saw with some work., August 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: DELTA 28-206 Professional 14-Inch 1-Horsepower Woodworking Band Saw, 120-Volt 1-Phase (Tools & Home Improvement)

First, allow me to say that, in my opinion, this is by far the best value band saw in its class. Where else could you find a machine with these specifications and (most of) Delta's reputation for quality and service? After working out some of this new model's wrinkles, you can own a very versatile saw with a large 16" table, a quick tension release, and a good amount of power. But, for your savings, be prepared to do a little fussing to get everything just right with this saw.

Let me tell you about my experiences, and most importantly Delta's excellent response to some picky little problems I encountered. I can tell you that I am a very fussy guy and know quality when I encounter it, and will settle for nothing less than "how things should be." When I discovered this saw was totally manufactured in China, I decided I would hold Delta's feet to the fire and demand the same level of quality found in their U.S. made saws, and I think I'm close.

I have been in the machine tool business for 28 years, selling metal working machines, and I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. This saw is not bad and can be made good, very good with your effort and persistence. If you are not one to take on such challenges, you can purchase less saw for equal money, or plan to pay quite a bit more for something with equal specifications and fewer rough edges; Perhaps as much as $300-$400 more. For me, woodworking is a hobby and I would like to put that much money elsewhere.

The Good:

In most ways this is a typical Delta cabinet band saw. The 1 H.P. motor has sufficient power, the unit is beefy and most Delta parts and accessories are interchangeable.

The cabinet doors are on hinges, and can be easily opened; quite convenient.

The table is larger than their other 14" band saws.

The blade tension release lever is something I would never want to live without again, never. It's so convenient and would normally cost an additional $150 or so.

The saw is a two-speed unit.

The height adjustment is very accurate and doesn't require readjustment of the guides when the elevation is changed.

The Bad:

The lower blade support assembly is sloppy because the bar it connects to is a poorly, undersized and pretzel-shaped piece of sheared hot rolled steel.

The bottom, hinged door on mine was tight and would bind up, sometimes even popping open on its own.

It's hard (impossible in my case) to perfectly align the motor with the pulley on the saw, but with some fussing around, you can get it close enough.

The cast iron parts are not quite as refined as the American units, but acceptable.
The height adjuster is a bit stiff to move up and down, but I presume Delta wants it to be this way so it won't fall down and pinch my delicate fingers. I noticed it has a rubber surface inside its bore for better grip. With time it will probably work a little easier. Silicon lubricant might also probably help.

The saw is not quite as vibration-free as it could be, and Delta is working on this with me, sending me some new pulleys and an upper band wheel. I think the top band wheel is perhaps a bit out of round or out of balance. When I run the saw without a blade, it's quite smooth. I am confident I can resolve the very slight vibration I am experiencing. Also, to be fair to Delta, my saw is on a mobile stand, not the best base to minimize vibration, and I do have the height extension block installed, too.

Some comments about Delta's excellent service:

When I pointed out the problem with the lower band cover's hinge, Delta overnighted a new cover. It was there the very next day.

When I advised them of the sloppy lower blade guide assembly, they got with their engineering group to confirm my observation, and machined a high precision part that now works like a dream. I trust if you call them they will have this part (now) in stock. The American part won't work only because the holes are spaced differently, but the bar is the same dimensionally. It's a little tricky to install, but only about a 20-minute job.

As I said, I am confident I will be able to resolve the slight vibration problem I am experiencing. It's not really enough to worry about, but like I said, I will hold them to my standards.

Conclusion:

If you don't mind purchasing a Chinese built machine from an American company, and you are willing to work out or accept some of the rough edges, go for it. It's a great value, all things considered. The only thing I can imagine that may be a future problem is the Chinese built motor. It looks good, but who knows. Everything else should last as long as any other Delta 14" band saw. Hope this is a helpful review.

68 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Performer, September 4, 2004

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: DELTA 28-206 Professional 14-Inch 1-Horsepower Woodworking Band Saw, 120-Volt 1-Phase (Tools & Home Improvement)

Fortunately for me, I decided to purchase the 28-206 based on some actual use, otherwise some of the negative reviews here would have put me off. After all, a band saw is one of the most important tools one the powered side of the workshop, and a poor performing band saw is a disaster. Surprisingly, none of the flaws mentioned here have surfaces, although I have seen problems with the 206's lighter brother, the 28-276. Out of the box and assembled, even before tuning it, the 206 ran smoothly, with no unexpected vibration.

One of the reasons I bought the saw was the closeness of the lower bearing set to the work surface. This, coupled with and aftermarket ball bearing set (not the Carter set) means the blade runs vertically, under use, with almost no deflection - perfect for resawing and making veneer. Even when I am attempting resawing with a stock 1/4" blade. When I give in and put in the 6" extension (another good reason to buy this saw), I will probably switch to the carter bearings. But I'm very happy with what I have now.

Adjustment is quite easy, and necessary as well. Never expect to be able to put on a blade and not have to reset everything. The setting controls are easy to get to and very straightforward, so there is no excuse to have a blade out of adjustment. Which brings on safety lecture number one - a band saw is probably the most dangerous stationary tool in the shop. One where your hands spend a lot of time very close to a powerful, high-speed cutting edge. Most of the time the only thing between that blade and your fingers is your brain - keep it engaged.

The heavier version of this saw is the X5, which is about $300 more, and manufactured in the US. It is a better saw, although I wouldn't say it was 70% better. If you really are a perfectionist you may want to look at it. For me though, some compromises are necessary, and the 28-206 suits all of my needs.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good saw with some work, January 21, 2005

By 

Andrew Gleason (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: DELTA 28-206 Professional 14-Inch 1-Horsepower Woodworking Band Saw, 120-Volt 1-Phase (Tools & Home Improvement)

I purchased this saw vs other saws because I thought this saw was the best value for the money. I could not justify the additional $300-$400 for the X5 version. I knew this saw had some issues, but I figured if I was patient, I would have a great saw for a good price.

Out of the box my saw had several problems:

The table was not flat. I was able to slide a .035" feeler gauge under the worst spot. The table was so un-flat that the work piece would rock. No problem, though. I called Delta and they sent me a new table. Problem solved.

The lower wheel had a lot of wobble. This caused the blade to move forward and back when cutting. This made it difficult to stop the cut where you want it. No wobble was visible on the upper wheel, just the lower one. Once again, I called Delta and they sent me a new lower wheel. Problem solved.

The lower blade guide was very loose and sloppy. I thought about shimming it somehow, but then realized you can shorten the wedges that slide on the guide bar. Don't grind off too much material or you will have to stretch the spring that spreads the two wedges. Now the lower blade guide is rock solid. Problem solved.

I thought the saw had a lot of vibration. After all, it failed the nickel test. The nickel test is a simple test you can conduct to evaluate vibration. Simply place a nickel on its edge on the table while the machine is running. If it falls over, it fails the nickel test. Also, the upper blade guide seemed to shake a lot relative to the table. To be fair, I must point out that I have the saw mounted on the Delta mobile base. Mobile bases are not known for their stability. Also, I have the 6" height attachment installed. This makes the unit more top heavy than without it. After some investigating, I came up with several possible contributors to the vibration problem. First of all, I noticed the table sometimes vibrated against the table angle adjustment bolt. The table angle adjustment bolt had raised lettering on it. I decided to grind this lettering off so the table would make better contact with the table angle adjustment bolt. This eliminated the table rattle. Next, I realized the entire saw would sway forward and back on the stand due to the thin cabinet. I read another reviewers suggestion to add some angle iron to reinforce to top of the stand. I bolted on two pieces of 2"x2" angle iron. I can't believe how much of a difference this has made. Also, I noticed the saw rocked on the mobile base. I decided to bolt the stand to the mobile base. This made the whole unit more stable. Finally, I noticed the motor sometimes made contact with the top portion of the cabinet on the door lip. I solved this problem by installing a link belt. I made the link belt a bit larger, and now the motor clears the top portion of the stand. After all of this, the saw passes the nickel test easily. I am very pleased how smoothly the saw runs. I am glad I spent the time to make it right.

With these problems resolved, I am very pleased with this saw. I really like the 16" x 16" table. I have used older versions of this saw with the 14" x 14" table. Two inches makes a big difference. I also like the blade guide setup. I did replace the steel blocks with some cool blocks. The blade is held very securely with no side to side motion. When I change the height of the blade guide, the guides do not require additional adjustment. The quick release blade tensioner is a nice feature as well. You will appreciate this if you have ever had to turn the little tiny knob on the top of older model saws until your wrist cramps up. I must also give credit to Delta's customer service. They were very friendly and helpful. I hope this review helps.