Craigslist Kalamazoo Bandsaw, evaluate for me please

A

akajun

Stainless

Joined

Jul 1, 2011

Location

Brusly, LA

• Mar 12, 2013

• #1

Looking to get a better bandsaw, found this Kalamazoo 8cw for sale locally, asking $600. I have not seen the saw yet, looking at the add, does anything stand out? anything about these saws/ models that is a problem? Price?
KALAMAZOO METAL CUTTING BAND SAW MODEL 8CW

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Mar 12, 2013

• #2

A really good way to evaluate something is to go run it.

 

JRIowa

Diamond

Joined

May 27, 2003

Location

Marshalltown, Iowa, USA

• Mar 12, 2013

• #3

It's old, dirty, missing the cast iron vise jaws, and part of the coolant tank. Probably needs all new guides (bearings) and seals in the cylinder. Price is on the low end. Cleaned up and pretty, with the correct jaws, probably worth $1,200.
JR

 

wgnrr1

Hot Rolled

Joined

Feb 14, 2008

Location

Spooner, WI

• Mar 12, 2013

• #4

A good saw in working order. That one, not so much. But, parts are available for the Kalamazoos. I only paid $600 for my Johnson J, ready to rock.

Josh

 

P

PaulM

Stainless

Joined

Feb 16, 2007

Location

upton ma

• Mar 12, 2013

• #5

Some parts are available - later model gearbox parts seem to be available but early versions are not, I think the quick release parts for the original vise are no longer available as well. Early version has ~8" dia worm gear and they don't have that anymore. Bearings are easy and cheap. I think I saw one local for about 1/2 that in the last few days on craigslist. They are really solid I believe weighing somewhere around 500#.

Paul

 

A

akajun

Stainless

Joined

Jul 1, 2011

Location

Brusly, LA

• Mar 13, 2013

• #6

thanks, Im supposed to go look at it friday, Ill let yall know.

 

F

Fabitfast

Aluminum

Joined

May 2, 2012

Location

Dallas, Texas

• Mar 13, 2013

• #7

That looks like an old working band saw. I think it's a real deal.

 

tnmgcarbide

Diamond

Joined

Jul 6, 2004

Location

N. GA- 33.992N , -83.72W usa

• Mar 14, 2013

• #8

doesn't look like it has a band on it . also....looks like the vise is hunks of angle-iron. if the machine is good, though, it might
be a diamond in the rough . that saw is solid cast iron .. so if it runs at all it could be ok with a few hundred $$$ thrown at it.

vise , guides , band ,bearings, motor?~ $350 for parts . i'd pay $400 for it - you'd have to spend some time on it too....
it could be a sweet machine ( or a rusted pile of crap ) go see it and take pics and post them here . i'm sure everyone will
be brutally honest .

good luck.

 

F

Feed

Aluminum

Joined

Sep 6, 2007

Location

Western NY

• Mar 14, 2013

• #9

well, i paid asking price of $75 for this 9ad but that's probably not a fair comparison.

 

TFPace

Stainless

Joined

Oct 11, 2003

Location

Pinnacle, NC USA

• Mar 15, 2013

• #10

Like the guys have said, this saw has earned its keep.

The wheels need to be checked too. I have a 9AW that I let the blade run up on the tension wheel. IOW I screwed the wheel up. I was able to clean it up on the lathe. Does the cylinder hold the saw head up?
To get the vise back to original would be big $$$ also. The Kalamazoo has an excellent vise.

I would keep searching CL and sale flyers. You'll stumble up on one in better shape for the same bucks.

Be patient and good luck!

Tom