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My personal experience using the Rikon 10-305 band saw was terrific. I found it effortlessly glides through the thin wood like a hot knife through butter. I was thoroughly impressed with the number of features and durability.
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Solid Steel Design
While many band saws around this price point tend to lean towards heavy plastic construction, Rikon has outdone themselves with a durable, reliable, sturdy steel construction. This particular band saw is a smaller version of the 10-345, one of Rikon’s most popular band saws. Even all of the plates are made of steel.
Cast Iron Table
It’s thoroughly surprising to see a cast iron table on such a low priced band saw! However, yet again – Rikon has provided premium performance at a low price tag. Its large size allows for any project to be completed, and a cast iron table is typically not found on a band saw of this size or price for that matter.
Rip Fence
The rip fence on this tool is of industrial quality. It’s nice to see that Rikon has included this within the standard machine, many manufacturers sell it at a premium as an additional accessory. However, it can be easily removed if not needed, or do to free handwork.
Motor
This machine doesn’t sport the latest, high-power motor; however, it’s adequate 1/3 horse-power motor is enough for most projects, it’s perfect for cutting bowl and pen blanks. There are no problems with the motor, I have heard no reports of them burning out like many band saw motors do. It fits for the purpose, and of durable, excellent quality as you would expect from Rikon.
Adjustable Guide Post
The adjustable guidepost is a nice feature included with this machine; it effortlessly allows the user to raise and lower the guide post height with a simple turn of the handle. Even when heavy wood is already on the table, the guidepost is still easily adjusted.
Rikon 10-305 Features and Specifications
- Durable Motor with Ample Power
- Effortless Blade Adjustment
- Easy Guide Post Modification
- Product weight – 73.6 lbs.
- Product size – 35.5 x 18 x 13 inches
- Voltage – 115
Rikon 10-305 Customer Reviews
At the low price of this machine, you honestly cannot fault it. In terms of build quality, you cannot tell the difference between this and a more premium model. The stable cast iron construction is wonderful, and while this tool may be heavy – it simply shows the extreme build quality provided by Rikon. Even the doors are made of steel, which is a nice touch. I found the table adjustment slightly gimmicky. Despite that, it only takes around a minute or so to adjust the table to your project’s desired needs.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, I couldn’t recommend this product enough. It has the same level of build quality as a $1,000 model, for less than a third of the price! Who wouldn’t want that? It has the signature Rikon paint job, which I must admit – is very stylish. The tool looks the part and performs like a champ. However, the included blade is a bit cheap. However, you can get a premium quality blade for cheap, and easily swap it out – so that’s not a problem. The bearings tend to get a little noisy when cutting large pieces of wood. However, they’re not the loudest on the market. These can also easily be swapped out. This machine will easily cut larger wood than you will ever throw at it, and at this price point – you’ll find no better machine than the Rikon 10-305.
Hi, I am Jay. I am the creator of Knife Guides, your one-stop site for everything related to knives. I am a computer engineer by profession, knife aficionado by passion. Here I work with a group of people who’ve always had a passion for knives and blades. Over the years we’ve kind of become experts and decided to share our knowledge and ideas. I am also an avid hiker and enjoy offshore gamefishing.