Delta vs. Steel City

[goodbasil]

Can anyone give me an opinion on Steel City 14" band saw compared to a Delta 14"

Delta is US manufacture.
I think Steel City is US manufacture.

Delta has a cast iron table. (Advantage, i can attach magnets for jigs if I wish.
Steel City has a granite table. (Advantage, it won't rust.)

Price comparison, can't find a US price on SC.

Any other differences?

Thanks, Basil the dog.

[BobW]

Can't answer any questions comparing the two saws, but a google search for "Steel City band saw" turned up prices for SC 14" band saws. Sears: $799; Highland Woodworking: $749; Tool King: $799.

Bob

[goodbasil]

There is a place here selling the Steel City 50125 bandsaw for $599-- right now, plus 12% of course. Doesn't sound bad.

[David G]

I've not used the SC bandsaw, but did look it over casually. It seems fine, but I wasn't looking in earnest. I'm a little leery of the stone table. Seems like a gimmick. Just be sure to compare apples to apples. The Delta comes in several configurations - esp. regarding motor hp. The Delta is such an old standard that it's easy to get parts for, and easy to hot-rod with upgrade parts. The SC? Maybe not. G'luck.

[Lew Barrett]

Unless something changed for the bandsaws when they brought the Unisaw production back, Delta bandsaws are not made in the US. I'm not sure about the X series (1.5HP) but I'm pretty sure the lesser 14" machines are all made in Taiwan.

I'd be surprised....pleasantly.... if Steel City is made here as well.

[SMARTINSEN]

That is my understanding, also, Lew. I believe that the top of the line Delta is the only one that is made in the U.S. Steel City tools are also made overseas, but I do not know if Taiwan or China.


To keep prices competitive, {Steel City}manufacturing will take place in Asia, where the Steel City staff has many decades of cumulative experience

http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=26320
(http://www.finewoodworking.com/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=26320)

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

The Chinese stuff is getting very very good for the money now. The newest generation of Asian produced power tools have much better casting quality, and the machining is getting very accurate. I am looking for a new 8" jointer and a 22" bandsaw, and the Asian tools have a lot of value.

Basil, it's too bad you are so far... I would sell you my wood/metal 14 inch Rockwell bandsaw.

[michigangeorge]

I can't compare the saws but I am very happy with my Delta X-5. I do not have the resaw rizer and would likely want a larger saw if I were doing a lot of resawing. The EZ tension release lever is mandatory on any bandsaw IMHO and is standard on the X-5 along with the larger motor. All in all, a good tool for the money.

[goodbasil]

emailed Steel City asking where the stuff was made, here is what they said.

Sir,



Thanks for your interest in Steel City Tool Works and our products.

Steel City is approximately 5 years old and began as a partnership of a Taiwanese based manufacturer and several sales people that had a background with Jet , Powermatic, Delta etc. The owner(s) of the manufacturing plant had been a contract manufacturer for Delta going back to the early 1980’s and since that time had also manufactured products for Rigid, Ryobi, Sears, General, Black & Decker, and several others. In mid 2008 this original partnership was dissolved and the Principals in the Taiwanese manufacturing plant bought the remaining partners out. The last 18 months or so we have undergone a complete reorganization and redesigned our table saw line, band saws and jointers and we will be introducing several new products in the next couple of weeks which will be available within a month. We are in a position now to rapidly grow our business that had slowed down due to the reorganization and the economy and will be one of the stronger brands going forward because of our closely held ownership and the strength of our design team.

Steel City produces over 90% of the products that we sell and is in great position to be the most cost effective brand on the market due to the fact that we own our own factories in Taiwan and China. Our owners have been manufacturing quality woodworking power tools for over 25 years now and know the market inside and out. We offer a 5 year warranty on most of our products as well a ten year warranty on all the granite components in our products which is the best in the industry.

Our goal and commitment is to develop new and innovative products for our targeted market segments which is primarily the commercial and upper end home shop users.

Again thanks for your interest. If you have more specific questions or if I can furnish you any additional information please don’t hesitate to let us know. Thank you.

[Gary Davis]

I have a 14" SC with riser. Its well made, easy to maintain, and cuts like a dream.

I think I got a good deal.

Gary

[David G]

Gary,

What do you think of that stone table? Innovative genius? Or gimmick?

[goodbasil]

Maybe Bob could comment on granite tables. In one of his posts he showed a Rigid table saw with a granite top. Don't know if its his or if he bought it just because it won't rust, (he lives in the damp part,) or if it was on sale. I'd like to know the pros and cons.

[Don Z.]

The woodworking fori debate the pro/cons of the granite tables ad nauseum. I believe the real reason why is in the Freakonomics Realm.

In other words, yes, the cast iron tables can use magnets, and the granite tables don't rust and stay flat. So what's the real reason?

Consider: a cast iron table needs to be stress relieved. This takes time. OK, not geologic time, but still, time. I've heard "three years", but have no real clue if this is accurate, and Snopes remains silent on the point.

Granite does not need to be stress relieved. Interestingly, it was a start up company that developed the concept. Hmm... a company that did not want to wait, and wanted their own source of parts, where they could control costs...

[Lew Barrett]

There are other important steel parts that will corrode that can't be made from granite, whereas the table is (relatively) easily brought back when it becomes rusty. The table is just the part you see.
A coat of wax can go some distance in protecting the table in a damp or cold environment. A little heat in the shop is another solution, but of course that's going to cost you.

[Gary Davis]

My table is cast. I didn't pay extra for the stone table. Really didn't see any benefit for my uses.

Gary

[hoss]

I'm not sure I would buy either of those right now. Delta was just bought by an offshore company and Steel City seems to have been in and out of production. Personaly I would look for a used machine. Get a Delta 14 inch made before 1980 or so, or a General (not General International). Both of these machines will last for a lifetime.

If you really want new (General in still producing in Quebec, but are expensive) look at Grizilly tools. Most of their stuff is made offshore but they have begun to dominate the US market. Their Bandsaws are very highly rated.

As for the Granite table why would you want one? The first time you droop a board on the edge I think you will see why it's not a real good idea.

[troutman]

My delta 303F metal/wood saw was built in 1986 in Pittsburgh. I'd like one horse but with the kreg fence it's great. Good bandsaws are all over cl here in east USA. Mine was $200.00. I'm not buying into any of that granite table crapola. I'm a wood guy not a machinest at the Krupps Works. The contemporary deltas seem like toys compared to the ones as recent as mine.