SKIL 2.8 Amp 9 In. 2-Speed Benchtop Band Saw for Woodworking - BW9501-00

This band saw has a half house power motor. In cutting 2x4s, it did not slow down at all. It also has three point bearings, both top and bottom to support the blade. Setup was minimal, and the unit works quite well. The unit also has a 3 year warranty extension, free.

Good quality and great price. Skil makes good quality products that last.

This is basically an upgraded version of the WEN 3959. I bought this saw because it has 2 speeds vs. the single speed of the WEN. The addition of the tension release lever is also a nice feature. It would be nice if Skil sold it with a fence, but the one that comes with the WEN 3959 fits it perfectly and can be had for somewhere around $20-$25 if you order directly from WEN. The blade that comes with the saw is 59-1/2 x 1/4 x 14. It's a decent general-purpose wood blade and seems to be of decent quality. As for assembly, all you have to do is remove the saw from the box and attach the table. It's just a matter of putting the table assembly in place and installing the two locking knobs that secure the tilt adjustment. That being said, it's easier to adjust the thrust bearings and blade guides before the table is in place. Surprisingly, the blade guides and thrust bearings are not even close to being in approximate adjustment from the factory. Be sure to calibrate them or the blade is going to wander everywhere. It's not necessary to follow the instruction manual exactly. Just make sure that the thrust bearings barely miss the back of the blade and that the guides don't pinch the blade when the splice comes around. Once adjusted the saw cuts well. The first thing I did with mine was to resaw some teak, and the saw barely slowed down even going through a 2-1/2" thickness. All in all, it's a well-designed saw that should give years of service if you take care of it.

I’m never quite sure what to leave in a review like this, or if I should leave one at all. The product (or at the very least the box) came damaged. It was smashed in on one whole side, upon opening, the styrofoam on the inside was broken as well, and I could hear metal parts jangling around. I wouldn’t buy it from a brick and mortar store, so back it went. I’ve kept damaged products in the past where I didn’t see any damage, and it came back to bite me well after the return window. I have several Skil products (a drill press, a router, router table, drills and the like) and I am a big fan, they have never let me down. They are all quality products from the budget price range. I obviously can’t tell where in the process the box took the hit (as a former factory guy, it looks to me like someone got in a hurry on the forklift) so based on previous Skil performance I will assume it’s a 5 star tool and I got a bad beat. I don’t want to leave a bad review for something that might not have been Skil’s doing.

This Skill bandsaw is fantastic. It replaced my 35 year old Delta that was about same size. This Skill bandsaw is definitely better than the old Delta, even when it was new. Build quality is great. All ball-bearing blade guides unlike the Delta that used plastic set-off blades guides that were always a PIA. Swapping blades on this Skill is so much easier than my old Delta. Larger sawing work area too. Glad I purchased this one!

To cut 2 by lumber, I bought a 3/8” blade because the saw came with 1/4” blade. When cutting 2 x 4’s, the saw motor struggles.

My 30-40 year old full sized bandsaw died and I decided to down-size. I shopped around and chose this one for its features. Am I glad I made a good decision. It had no rip-fence, but I made a clamp on fence that is self-squaring (see photo). This saw does everything I want it to do, and has features I didn't have on my old dinosaur that I replaced.

I love this benchtop band saw, it fits in my small space. It cuts clean and fast. I ordered a rip fence because it didn’t come with one (wish it did, but no biggie). This saw has a smart design that allows for personalization. I bought a couple of different size blades. I use this to cut some 2x4 and some 4x4 no problem. To say I am happy with this saw is an understatement.

Es una buena herramienta, muy bonita y funcional, pero no es para carpintería, es para manualidades, como decoraciones de bodas, XV años y cosas de ese tipo, puedes trabajar en madera o MDF, pero con una sección menor a 1/2 pulgada ó 12 mm máximo, más de eso será un problema para la cinta que dejara de estar a plomo o vertical, no es problema para el motor, creo que si jala, el problema es para los baleros que sujetan la cinta, y tendrás un mal corte. Mejor usarla para lo que es, MDF de 6mm. A mí no me sirve, pues intento hacer carpintería y esto es muy pequeño... Si a alguien le interesa le paso la mía, fortunato rosauro junto sin espacio, arroba el correo más grande de América que empieza con g

Works great, have no issues. Make sure you put it on a decent stand and bolt it down. Covers are plastic...but the frame is solid.

Muy útil si estás experimentando con curvas en la madera. Corta muy fácil el pino, aunque debe ajustarse cada cierto tiempo.

Very happy with this product

excelente producto corta muy bien y no es dificil de armar, como detalle dire que la base donde se corta tiembla un poco por la vibracion del motor pero es muy poco fuera de eso es muy buen producto por su precio.