# Craftsman 17" Bandsaw



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

About 4 weeks ago, i sent an e-mail on a CL ad for a 20" Craftsman Industrial drill press about 2 hours from me. Never heard back, ended up buying a different one (fair deal on a 17" Delta). The guy just called me a few minutes ago, had been out of town for a few family emergencies and a funeral--he's 85 so i can forgive that. In his favor is that he is a retired machinist and woodworking was a hobby--they tend to be more fastidious than most tool owners/users. Anyway, he mentioned a need to downsize, and was talking about a few tools in his way.

Catching my attention was a mention of a 17" Craftsman bandsaw--he's thinking from the mid-90's, and like the drill press claims very little use. Also mentioned it was a steel frame. He's going to call me tomorrow night with a model number, in the meantime when i googled Craftsman 17" bandsaw (or band saw), nothing came up for 17", i pretty much only saw (pun intended) 14" and 10". I know that we can't tell more without the model number, but i'm wondering if a mid-90's C-Man 17" bandsaw rings a bell with anyone--since i am too impatient to wait a day!! 

Thanks!!
earl


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Earl- Good find! 

Craftsman had some 18" bandsaws: 351.243.396, 351.243.961 and 351.243.371 were single speed 18" bandsaws. 351.243.981 was a 3-speed 18" bandsaw.


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Thanks Mike, that's encouraging coming from you. Company named Colovos in Chicago is the listed vendor for 351. products, but if i understand correctly they arranged the import and rebadging of various tools. Using your info to search with, mid-1990's to early 2000's 18" saws may have been German made by Meber. 

The guy suggested $350 to me on the phone--if the right model number comes up when he calls tomorrow, it could be worth the drive to look at. 

earl


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Especially if it is that 3-speed model!


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

MAFoElffen said:


> Especially if it is that 3-speed model!


No kidding!! He was thinking he paid about $700 +/- around 20 years ago, so it was pricy in its day.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

A saw that size would have to be a piece of crap not to be worth $350. He doesn't sound like the kind of guy that would buy or own a piece of crap. Most machinists are fussier than I am about their tools.


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## pagedeveloper (Sep 17, 2014)

Where is this at, I would be interested in it. I think it will be way to far away, I am in So Calif.


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Well, i finally got the model number last night. He thought it was a 17", turned out to be a 14" model 119.224010, not an improvement over my Ridgid 14" so i won't have to drive to Indianapolis. Couldn't find much in the way of specs, but seems like it has an 8" resaw and 1 HP motor (as disclosed by Craftsman--hard to say if that's real horse or max developed from them). If i had no BS, i'd consider it, but not at $350.

The drill press i originally e-mailed about is a 20" model 137.229200 that he had listed for $450. I'd guess he'd take less as it's been over a month and i was the only person to ask about it. But...while i waited i picked up a 17" Delta, Rockler DP Table, heavy mobile base and a set of Sommerfeld arched door templates for $300--all virtually unused. So i'm out of the DP market. 

Nice old guy--wish he'd been closer on the size of that band saw. Thanks for the input!!

earl


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

That turned out to be a great deal. It's a floor model , right? Have you restored it?


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

bosox said:


> That turned out to be a great deal. It's a floor model , right? Have you restored it?


Well, i spent a half hour or so dusting it off and put a fresh coat of T-9 on the table before i put the head back on. Haven't considered a full restore yet--you think i need to consider it?? 

I thought i had a few more pics, it was in great shape with no surface rust other than that little stain on the column. I did look at the Delta and ereplacement parts sites to see what it would take to add the forward tilt table like the 18-900 or 20-950--crazy money and i'd have had to piecemeal the assembly. Not worth it in my opinion!!

earl


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## bosox (Jun 12, 2012)

greenacres2 said:


> Well, i spent a half hour or so dusting it off and put a fresh coat of T-9 on the table before i put the head back on. Haven't considered a full restore yet--you think i need to consider it??
> 
> earl


I think you don't have to. It looks like new. Enjoy!


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

I'd agree Jack. He said he hadn't drilled 100 holes with it, all in wood, and never used as a spindle sander. It was in a heated/cooled building that was pristine. The guy is a consulting engineer, and his wife is a surgeon--his shed was nicer than my house!! He's also got a Powermatic 66 with an Incra on it tucked in a corner--waffling on whether to sell that. If he does decide to, he said he'd call me--but has already told me that the "deal" would not be nearly as sweet as the DP!! Excellent CL score.
earl


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## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

What a sweet looking DP. How about the band saw?


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

steamfab said:


> What a sweet looking DP. How about the band saw?


Ended up being a 14", not 17 or 18". I've got a Ridgid 14002, okay saw but it struggles on hardwood at anything beyond 4 or 5" resaw (no disrespect to the saw--that is what it was meant for. I just did some 4" pine tonight--amazed me how easy it cut. But, the same cuts in poplar, white oak or cherry would have been a fight. 

I've got a line on an 18" about 2 hours away at a pretty good price, but the logistics of getting there are not working for me right now. Got the feeling it's not the right one.

Thanks for the words on the DP. I ran out of steam tonight, that was going to be the next tool to get plugged in. It'll be first tomorrow.
earl


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