I have been looking for a bandsaw and came across a jet jwbs-1205 for sale at a fair price. It has a 1/2 hp motor and I assume the 12 in the model number stands for 12". Anybody got any input?  I was originally looking for a craftsman 12" with the 1 1/8hp but I hear a lot of good things about jet products. 1/2hp jet vs 1 1/8hp craftsman?

Jet makes good products but I think 1/2 hp and 12inch is smaller than I would want.  I think a 1 hp and 14 inch at least.

I have been hearing bad things about the craftsmen saws. Too many internal plastic parts. Anyone hear anything like that?

Thanks for the advice- as much as I would like a 14" grizzly its just not in the cards. Interesting point about craftsmans power ratings-

every tool in my shop is jet  wont touch a grizzly them are all plastic part,, some delta tools iv had were fine  sold em replaced em with jet ill swear by jet any day you wont be dissapointed brock

I absolutely love my 14" Jet.  You could probably do a lot with that 12"er, but it's going to have it's limitations.  I was really fortunate to find mine on craigslist, barely used for a very good price.  Watch craigslist religiously for a month or so, and I'm pretty sure you'll stumble on a bigger one.

Dave.. like anything it's all about how you take care of it.

Yes, Jet is the bomb.. but you pay for it.  I bought a 12" Craftsman used and it works awesome.  There really is not to many parts at all.  I find the blades are a snap to replace and I have cut 7" boards to make lams out of...

Sooooo.. eye of the beholder.  I do feel that grizzly is the same stuff they sell at Harbor Frieght.. I have done a bit o' investigating.  If you look closely, you will see the same exact tool but in different color.

Here is the way I have researched:

Harbor Frieght / Grizzly tools
Skill / Ryobi / Black and Decker
Delta / Craftsman / Rikkon
Jet and others for professional use.

ya hit it  right on the nail bradford   brock

I should have asked this a few days earlier- 12" jet GONE from craigslist.... booooooo- oh well I guess I keep looking.  Thanks for the input guys

eagel  take a look on flea bay ha  iv seen a lot of thetre just be carfel  what  ur buyin  brock

I have the new style 12" Craftsman.  Model 22400  Didn't like the older ones.  I can't think of any plastic parts in it, although I did not specifically look for them.  This one has 6 roller bearings.  Three above and below the table.  Easy to adjust. I just looked at an expensive one at Woodcrafter and it didn't even have roller bearings, just those slabs of material the blade rides against.  Looked cheap to me.

QuoteOriginally posted by Dave Bowers:
I have been hearing bad things about the craftsmen saws. Too many internal plastic parts. Anyone hear anything like that?

i just bought an older 12" craftsman bandsaw/sander on craigs list. no internal plastic that i can think of. the only plastic i can think of is the removable housing and the on off switch. the stationary part of the housing is metal. i checked out a lot af saws on craigs list before i bought this one. some were newer models but were not taken care of. the one i bought may be an older one but it was very well taken care of. the owner even vacuumed out the inside on a regular basis.