Rikon 10-305 Band Saw Review

Technical Feature

Without further ado, let us go into the details about this Rikon bandsaw.

Power

Power is not the Rikon 10-305 strongest feature. It sports is smaller 1/3 HP that is still adequate for cutting through low-density materials like wood, and even high-density material like metal sheet at the lowest speed. It will not stall and produce a clean and professional finish cut especially when doing pen blanks and bowls. Just don't use it on thick and high-density metal.

Cutting Capacity

This model has a wheel diameter of 10-inch with a cutting capacity of 9-5/8 x 4-5/8 inches. With this dimension, it will manage to cut through thick and wide stock with great ease.

Base

The whole frame of this Rikon 10-305 bandsaw is made from steel that guarantees durability. It is solidly built and will last a long time. Furthermore, the 21-inch base is equally made from steel and provide a large surface area for maximum stability. It will sit flush to a workbench or can easily be retrofitted to a stand. The heavyweight of 68l bs and the solid steel construction do a good job of minimizing vibrations. In turn, you get more stability which directly translates to more accuracy when using this small bandsaw.

Table

Lastly, the table can tilt to the right providing you more versatility when cutting stock. The cast iron table can only tilt 45 degrees to the right. You will how to take this single tilting position into account when working with material.

Other Features

• Fence: this model has a metal rip fence that easily guides your stock so that you obtain more accuracy during your cut. Making straight lines with a bandsaw is generally very difficult, but with the inclusion of this metal fence, we are confident that you can make extremely straight and professional lines with his benchtop band saw. 

• Adjustable Guide Post: The guide post allows micro adjustments by simply turning the handle. This provides a lot of versatility when working with material of different thicknesses and allows you to get the exact result you want. Of course, you can automatically lock it into position once you have made your height adjustments.
• Paddle Switch: The safety paddle switch is situated right at the front of the unit and when pressed, it will automatically lock the blade. This is an excellent security feature as well as a function that will prevent you from ruining your work.
• Dust Port: A standard 2-1/2 inches dust port is included so as to help keep your cut clean from debris. The size of this dust port matches the cutting capacity of this Rikon bandsaw perfectly. With a smaller dust port, this also means that this unit works more silently than a model with a 4” dust port.

Accessories

Right out of the box, you get the post guide and a metal fence. However, to get the most out of this bandsaw we recommend that you get a miter gauge as well. The miter gauge is not included and you will have to purchase it separately. Furthermore, you may want to get a stand for this band saw as well. But this is not an absolute necessity as this benchtop bandsaw can easily be fitted on top of your workbench If you do not want to use a stand.

Price of Rikon 10-305 Band Saw

The price of the Rikon 10-305 bandsaw is what we like the most. It is competitively priced and offers a lot of value for money. When compared to similarly priced band saws like the Skil 3386 - this model runs circles around it. It is more powerful, has a more solid and durable build construction as well as offer more useful features that directly translate to benefits. All in all, considering what this bandsaw brings to the table, with think that it is an excellent purchase especially considering its affordable price.

Expert Reviews

As this bandsaw is quite popular, many experts use and have reviewed this product. One such expert is KroyWoodWorks who reviewed this Rikon 10-305 bandsaw on his YouTube channel. He gives his honest opinion as well as a hands-on demonstration of how he uses this bandsaw.

But first, he goes into great detail about the innards of this bandsaw. He opens it and gives his opinion about how well-built and solid the wheel of this bandsaw is.

​KroyWoodWorks also likes how compactness but high effectiveness of the blade guard. This compactness is enough to give an additional boost in accuracy and performance when cutting through stock, since there are fewer vibrations.

​He also talks about subtle features like the thrust bearing and ball bearing guides that contribute to a smooth motion of the blade as well as help make it last longer. Those are the little details that you can only notice when doing a hands-on review like the one you can see from KroyWoodWorks.

​All in all, the reviewer is very fond of this bandsaw and recommend it to anyone. You can watch his review video of the Rikon 10-Inch bandsaw below:

Pros/Cons of Rikon 10-305 Band Saw

Pros

• High-quality and solid steel frame construction. Durable and will last a long time.
• Large cast-iron work table of 13-3/4 x 12-1/2 inches can accommodate fairly large material. It provides great maneuverability when working with long and thick stock.
• Decent blade speed of 2780 FT/MIN allows you to cut through material fast and easily.
• Table can be tilted to the right for more versatility.

Cons

• Motor is only rated at 4.5-Amp and delivers 1/3 HP. This is not the most powerful model, but despite that it gets the job done and can go through wood, plastic and even soft metal quite easily.

Who Should Buy?

The Rikon 10-305 is an excellent benchtop bandsaw for making intricate cuts in wood or plastic. It is quite affordable and has a rich set of useful features that makes it very competitive. We recommend this model for beginner to semi-professional use.

>> Read More: Band saw vs. Table saw - Here's the Difference

Image source: highlandwoodworking.com