Bandsaw: What do you recommend?

On Mar 10, 3:09=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:bb1d2c8d-c349-41eb-9934-aafde1fe4265@b64g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>
> Well, I did it: =A0bought the 14SE Extended. =A0I also got a deal on the
> mobile base and a 1" Resaw King blade. =A0Wow, that was the single
> largest purchase I have made for the woodshop and it was hefty!! =A0I
> won't see it until after April but I will let you know then how it
> turns out.
>
> Thanks again for all the advice and feedback, in particular, for
> taking me WAY out of my price range! =A0: ) =A0But hey, I should only have=

> to cry once, right?!
>
> You know Maico, you just bought yourself the "cabinet saw" of band saws.
> When I went 2.5 times past the 18" Rikon cost to get the 16HD Laguna I
> thought to myself, ahhhh no more compromises. =A0You are going to love the=
10
> point ceramic guides. =A0BTY don't be alarmed when you see a few sparks fl=
y
> from them, this is normal and typically dissipate as the blade breaks in a=
nd
> smoothes up a bit. =A0And yes, cry once, this is a piece that will pass do=
wn
> to your kids or relatives one day.

I truly believe you Leon! It was still very hard to swallow the price
being a hobby woodworker but I don't regret it (yet, ha ha). My
father will have a S**T when he sees it and figures out how much I
paid for it. I think his whole shop is worth less than this tool! My
wife was pretty good about it; she sees this as a hobby that the
family benefits from when I make things. Hopefully one of my three
daughters will take up woodworking and learn to enjoy my tools.
Thanks for the advice; I will keep it in mind when I start it up.

On Feb 21, 10:44 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:3950494d-3d13-440f-adf6-09f23d394f94@o10g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On Feb 20, 11:08 pm, DS <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Leon wrote:
> >> > Not a problem and no I don't work for them but I am very impressed and
> >> > pleased with the saw. No more putzing around with adjustments over and
> >> > over.
>
> >> Must be nice. My griz requires constant tweaking.
>
> > I use $20 blades almost exclusively with my Laguna and it works great.
> > But they sell a Resaw King blade which is carbide tipped. It is
> > pricey, about $130, but if you are looking to cut 1/16" veneers or
> > resaw large pieces of rough lumber, it is well worth it.
>
> > Good luck. You will love this saw.
>
> > Joe....
>
> Hey Joe, IIRC you were commenting about the thin veneer that you easily cut,
> 3/32". When I first got my Laguna and put one of the "throw in, included
> with the deal", blades on, I was cutting 1/256" veneer. Pretty much
> worthless but it was consistent in thickness through out the whole piece.
> If you paid $140 for your Resaw King you got a dandy deal. Typically the
> Resaw King sells for $1.60 per inch. My 16 inch HD saw uses a 150" blade
> and the blade cost me $225.00 about 2 years ago.

Leon,

You forced me to go back and look at my invoice, which took some time
to find. But you are correct. I paid $237 for the Resaw King. My bad
(or wishful thinking, or old age). The other blades cost $23.70 each.

As I said, I use the cheap blades most of the time. I don't think I
ever tried to resaw something as fine as you described, but I am not
surprised that you can, even with the cheap blades. The Resaw King is
very stiff (1 1/4" wide) and last far longer than the cheap blades.

I use my band saw for ripping and resawing rough lumber, almost any
size, and I often use it for finish cuts passing the edge over the
jointer once. I can't say enough good things about the Laguna, though
I can't speak for the 14" models. On the other hand I can vouch for
Laguna's technical support. It is very good.

Joe.....

"Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| On Feb 18, 6:28 pm, maico <[email protected]> wrote:
| > Hi Everyone,
| >
| > It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
| > am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
|
|
| I had a Jet 18" that never worked for me. I then bought a Laguna 18".
| It is well worth the money. Laguna's are pricey, but I believe they

Hmmm... I just resawed some 8" wide stock tonight on my first generation 18"
Jet and as usual it did a terrific job. My saw has never exhibited blade
drift and with 1/2" Timberwolf blades resawing wide stock using nothing more
than the factory fence is easy. Slicing off 3/32" pieces is no problem...

I'm wondering if there was either a problem with quality consistency or if
there were actually generations of the first generation saw before they
redesigned the saw...??? Of course we cannot rule out the possibility that I
got an exceptional specimen... ???

John

John Grossbohlin wrote:

>
> "Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> | On Feb 18, 6:28 pm, maico <[email protected]> wrote:
> | > Hi Everyone,
> | >
> | > It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
> | > am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> |
> |
> | I had a Jet 18" that never worked for me. I then bought a Laguna 18".
> | It is well worth the money. Laguna's are pricey, but I believe they
>
> Hmmm... I just resawed some 8" wide stock tonight on my first generation
> 18" Jet and as usual it did a terrific job. My saw has never exhibited
> blade drift and with 1/2" Timberwolf blades resawing wide stock using
> nothing more than the factory fence is easy. Slicing off 3/32" pieces is
> no problem...
>
> I'm wondering if there was either a problem with quality consistency or if
> there were actually generations of the first generation saw before they
> redesigned the saw...??? Of course we cannot rule out the possibility that
> I got an exceptional specimen... ???

Can't speak to the Jet, but I have a 14" Delta that is useable, but I
haven't been able to tune it to get thin veneers or resawing. I have put
on good quality blades, added Carter guides, and many hours spent tweaking
the alignment. Either there is something I just don't get or I'm expecting
too much from the bandsaw.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:w%[email protected]...
|
| "Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| news:3950494d-3d13-440f-adf6-09f23d394f94@o10g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
| > On Feb 20, 11:08 pm, DS <[email protected]> wrote:
| >> Leon wrote:

| > Joe....
|
| Hey Joe, IIRC you were commenting about the thin veneer that you easily
cut,
| 3/32". When I first got my Laguna and put one of the "throw in, included
| with the deal", blades on, I was cutting 1/256" veneer. Pretty much
| worthless but it was consistent in thickness through out the whole piece.
| If you paid $140 for your Resaw King you got a dandy deal. Typically the
| Resaw King sells for $1.60 per inch. My 16 inch HD saw uses a 150" blade
| and the blade cost me $225.00 about 2 years ago.

I mentioned 3/32" slices... they are useable slices. I've cut them much
thinner than that but they were useless... by the time they were glued up
and smoothed I'd inevitably blow holes in them so I stopped trying. ;~)

John

maico wrote:

> I still think the Laguna 14SE is the right saw for me but the
> Powermatic is the strong runner up unless someone has something to say
> about that. Please, any feedback would be fantastic!

Have you checked out the Steel City lineup? Their 18" is roughly in the
price range of the 14SE or the Powermatic 14". It's almost the same
price as the GI 240, but has better table support and a brake.

I bought the SC 18", but have cut off the left half of the blade guard
so that I can change large blades without taking it off.

Chris

On Feb 18, 7:11=A0pm, Phisherman <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
> I have a 14" Delta and it has performed well but Delta has slipped in
> quality over the years. =A0Today I'd consider the 2HP Laguna (/w a 220 v
> motor). =A0The Grizzly G0457 is the best value pick at about half the
> price of the Laguna. =A0General and Powermatic are decent brand choices
> as well. =A0An out-of-tune bandsaw can be the shop's most agitating
> piece of equipment, so resist the temptation to get a cheap one.

Hey Phish, thanks for your reply. Is the 14" Delta you're using one
of the units of poor quality but you find it ok? What model is it?
The Laguna is beautiful but out of my price range. I was hoping to
spend no more than $800 on a unit. I wish I could get the Grizzly but
they don't sell to Canada that I know of. What about Steel City or
Jet? Any opinions.

On Feb 20, 11:08 pm, DS <[email protected]> wrote:
> Leon wrote:
> > Not a problem and no I don't work for them but I am very impressed and
> > pleased with the saw. No more putzing around with adjustments over and
> > over.
>
> Must be nice. My griz requires constant tweaking.

I use $20 blades almost exclusively with my Laguna and it works great.
But they sell a Resaw King blade which is carbide tipped. It is
pricey, about $130, but if you are looking to cut 1/16" veneers or
resaw large pieces of rough lumber, it is well worth it.

Good luck. You will love this saw.

Joe....

"maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
> am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
> it. Are there any brands/models I should avoid? I avoid cheap tools
> typically and especially of this size. I would normally look for Jet,
> Delta, Powermatic and the like. Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
> an option.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.

If you are looking for a first saw or if you are looking for a second saw
and don't mind "fiddlin with it to keep it in tune, most any of the $1000
range saws should be a decent choice.

If you are looking to upgrade I strongly suggest looking at all the above
mentioned saws and then look at a MiniMax or a Laguna.

I had a 10"Craftsman with 1/2 hp for about 23 years. I did not use it much,
more so because of lack of power. Adjustments were not that tough, but like
most, it was a chore that gets old real fast if you intend to use the saw
more than occasionally. I wanted to up grade and 2 years ago I went with
the Rikon. A nice saw for the money but I wanted a total upgrade. The 18"
Rikon for the 2 weeks that I had it had plenty of power but was no less
trouble to keep set up than the old Craftsman.

I ended up buying the HD series 16" Laguna. You put the blade on, quickly
adjust the 10 ceramic guides and start sawing. The 10 ceramic guides adjust
much more quickly than the roller bearings did on the Rikon, IMHO.
Very pricey, but again IMHO it is to a typical $1000 band saw as a quality
Table saw is to a bench top table saw. It is as heavy as the typical
cabinet saw 450+ lbs. and can resaw to 16". So far nothing has hinted as
slowing down the 4.5 hp Baldor motor.

On Feb 18, 6:28 pm, maico <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
> am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
> it. Are there any brands/models I should avoid? I avoid cheap tools
> typically and especially of this size. I would normally look for Jet,
> Delta, Powermatic and the like. Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
> an option.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.

I had a Jet 18" that never worked for me. I then bought a Laguna 18".
It is well worth the money. Laguna's are pricey, but I believe they
are head and shoulders above the rest. For example, you never have to
worry about finding the right compensation angle for the fence. Just
adjust it for parallel to the blade and be done with it. I believe
this is because Laguna's have more spring capacity to tension the
blade correctly. See my web page for a better review.
http://www.srww.com/laguna-lt18.htm

Joe......

"maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:a4002019-ef15-4a1a-889b-37112806270b@o77g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

I have to say there has been some great feedback and advice!!!

I turned up my nose to the higher price of the Laguna but now that I
have looked into it somemore and heeding your advice, I may just
purchase one. The Canadian Homeworkshop show is on at the end of
February so I will see what I can get there.

The Laguna site offers several videos about their product. Additionally you
can order a DVD and get some very interesting details that simply do not
exist on the less expensive saws.
I waited until the show also as Laguna is sold out of California and IIRC
there are no stocking dealers. The saws look and perform magnificently.
I actually talked to Larry at Laguna and made a deal with him over the phone
with him understanding that I wanted to see the saw first. He would honor
the deal for 2 weeks after the show IIRC. If the show price was better he
would honor that also. I think I had to put down a refundable deposit to
have my name assigned to one of the saws that were in stock. Since it was
going to set for up to 5 weeks until after the show I did not want to have
to wait even longer after the show. The show was all it took to sell me on
the saw. MiniMax makes a great saw also and they were at the show however
they had broken units and units missing parts. Oddly the only saw that
Minimax had at the show that was operational was not performing very well.
Adjustments were obviously needed. The sales staff at the show seemed more
interested in showing how you could grab the upper guide bar and pull the
saw over on its side. Perhaps the demo saw had been handled this way a few
too many times. I might as well also add that MiniMax is based out of
Austin TX, I am in Houston about 150 miles away. I made a weekend trip of
visiting MiniMax with an appointment to see the saw and use the saw. They
talked to me Friday night to verify that I was coming and when I got there
the saw I was to test had been taken apart for spare parts. No demo. I
went with the Laguna.
Laguna has 2 lines of band saws. The heavy duty line is made in Italy, the
lighter duty line is made in Bulgaria IIRC. If you can afford it the HD
version will be the better saw. There are no compromises with these saws,
nothing cheezy, built to last like a quality cabinet saw.

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:41:12 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Feb 18, 7:11 pm, Phisherman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I have a 14" Delta and it has performed well but Delta has slipped in
>> quality over the years.  Today I'd consider the 2HP Laguna (/w a 220 v
>> motor).  The Grizzly G0457 is the best value pick at about half the
>> price of the Laguna.  General and Powermatic are decent brand choices
>> as well.  An out-of-tune bandsaw can be the shop's most agitating
>> piece of equipment, so resist the temptation to get a cheap one.
>
>Hey Phish, thanks for your reply. Is the 14" Delta you're using one
>of the units of poor quality but you find it ok? What model is it?
>The Laguna is beautiful but out of my price range. I was hoping to
>spend no more than $800 on a unit. I wish I could get the Grizzly but
>they don't sell to Canada that I know of. What about Steel City or
>Jet? Any opinions.

I have the Delta model 28-283. I bought it about 15 years ago (about
$600) and compared it to a Jet model (about $450) at that time. After
trying both models, the Delta was clearly the better of the two. The
Grizzly I mentioned would be worth a search if you can find one, plus
it has similar power of the Laguna. You might find a quality used
bandsaw.

On Feb 21, 12:58=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Larry Blanchard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:58:39 -0800, maico wrote:
>
> >> Hey Leon, are you sure you don't work for Laguna??! =A0Just kidding.
> >> You are really selling me on their product.
>
> > I have no experience with Laguna, but I remember an article in, IIRC,
> > Popular Woodworking last year where they reviewed steel frame 14"
> > bandsaws. =A0Their complaint about the Laguna was, again IIRC. that it
> > required the use of wrenches to change a blade - I think they said you h=
ad
> > to actually remove the guides.
>
> > I don't know if it the same on the model you're looking at, but if you
> > think you'll be changing blades frequently make sure yours doesn't requi=
re
> > that.
>
> Good point Larry, =A0I too looked at the smaller Laguna band saws, both th=
ey
> and the HD series have the ceramic guides and those ceramic guides were wh=
at
> peeked my interest in the Laguna over the MiniMax and less expensive saws.=

> The 14" saw is built in a different factory and in a different country. =
=A0I
> have 1.5 thumbs ;~) =A0and for me I could see how the smaller saw would be=

> more difficult when changing blades. =A0IIRC the lower guides were partial=
ly
> blocked from view by the front half of the trunion. =A0Additionally the gu=
ides
> on the smaller saws were smaller IIRC.
> Having said that, the HD series of Laguna saws have a clear plastic guard
> over the upper guide assembly. =A0Those guides IMHO served no purpose othe=
r
> than getting the way and obstructing the view specially when the guides ar=
e
> lowered close to the table. =A0I removed those guards immediately and have=
not
> replaced them. =A0Also, earlier models required the use of hex wrenches to=

> adjust the guides. =A0My HD saw had the newer design with thumb screws for=

> adjusting the ceramic guides. =A0A hex wrench is required however for
> adjusting the height of the lower guides. =A0Typically I take 10-15 or so
> minutes to change out blades and adjust the guides.
> That said, the smaller Laguna saws may still require more steps to change =
a
> blade.

Well, I went to the last big woodshow (Canadian Homeworkshop Show) in
Toronto this year thinking I was going to buy THE bandsaw but instead
I walked out without one. I was aiming for the Laguna 14SE as it is
close to my price range but there weren't any real deals to be had on
it. The salesmen offered the mobility kit and a few standard blades
but the price didn't change.

I have since looked into the Mini Max E16 bandsaw but have now found
that they don't ship to Canada. The dealers they point to in Canada
all buy from Mini Max Italy and the prices start at $3295 (CAN)!!!
Support/service/parts would also be a potential issue. Therefore,
Mini Max is not a contender for me.

I still want the Laguna but I was also very seriously looking at the
Powermatic PWBS-14CS 14" BS and it has a rebate and 6" riser block
included. I think it received a decent review recently in Fine
Woodworking. I have not yet pursued it as I was wondering if anyone
has any experience with it and/or Powermatic? Your thoughts would be
great.

I have also looked at the General BS lineup and really, I am not
impressed. Their 'lower end' BS's start at $700 plus riser block and
the wheels are cast aluminum. If you want cast iron wheels, their 15"
BS is $2000 plus. I just think that their BS offerings (pardon the
pun) are dismal at best and rather outdated when you look at what
everyone else has to offer.

I still think the Laguna 14SE is the right saw for me but the
Powermatic is the strong runner up unless someone has something to say
about that. Please, any feedback would be fantastic!

Thanks for all your input thus far.

"maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bb1d2c8d-c349-41eb-9934-aafde1fe4265@b64g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...


Well, I did it: bought the 14SE Extended. I also got a deal on the
mobile base and a 1" Resaw King blade. Wow, that was the single
largest purchase I have made for the woodshop and it was hefty!! I
won't see it until after April but I will let you know then how it
turns out.

Thanks again for all the advice and feedback, in particular, for
taking me WAY out of my price range! : ) But hey, I should only have
to cry once, right?!

You know Maico, you just bought yourself the "cabinet saw" of band saws.
When I went 2.5 times past the 18" Rikon cost to get the 16HD Laguna I
thought to myself, ahhhh no more compromises. You are going to love the 10
point ceramic guides. BTY don't be alarmed when you see a few sparks fly
from them, this is normal and typically dissipate as the blade breaks in and
smoothes up a bit. And yes, cry once, this is a piece that will pass down
to your kids or relatives one day.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
> am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
> it. Are there any brands/models I should avoid? I avoid cheap tools
> typically and especially of this size. I would normally look for Jet,
> Delta, Powermatic and the like. Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
> an option.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.
>

I don't know about 14" specifically - I bought a 19" Jet a while back, and it's
a very nicely made unit. Compared to all the other Taiwan made saws I looked at
before buying it had much higher production standards I thought. Still very
happy with it after 18 months or so ... and it gets a moderate amount of use.
Dumping the 20mm blade that it came with and going to a high quality 6mm blade
has improved the performance greatly b.t.w.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

"John Grossbohlin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I mentioned 3/32" slices... they are useable slices. I've cut them much
> thinner than that but they were useless... by the time they were glued up
> and smoothed I'd inevitably blow holes in them so I stopped trying. ;~)
>
> John
>
>

Yeah the thin stuff was simply to see how thin I could go.

Leon wrote:
> Not a problem and no I don't work for them but I am very impressed and
> pleased with the saw. No more putzing around with adjustments over and
> over.

Must be nice. My griz requires constant tweaking.

On Feb 19, 5:38=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > Hi Everyone,
>
> > It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. =A0I
> > am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> > advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
> > it. =A0Are there any brands/models I should avoid? =A0I avoid cheap tool=
s
> > typically and especially of this size. =A0I would normally look for Jet,=

> > Delta, Powermatic and the like. =A0Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
> > an option.
>
> > Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.
>
> If you are looking for a first saw or if you are looking for a second saw
> and don't mind "fiddlin with it to keep it in tune, most any of the $1000
> range saws should be a decent choice.
>
> If you are looking to upgrade I strongly suggest looking at all the above
> mentioned saws and then look at a MiniMax or a Laguna.
>
> I had a 10"Craftsman with 1/2 hp for about 23 years. =A0I did not use it m=
uch,
> more so because of lack of power. =A0Adjustments were not that tough, but =
like
> most, it was =A0a chore that gets old real fast if you intend to use the s=
aw
> more than occasionally. =A0I wanted to up grade and 2 years ago I went wit=
h
> the Rikon. =A0A nice saw for the money but I wanted a total upgrade. =A0Th=
e 18"
> Rikon for the 2 weeks that I had it had plenty of power but was no less
> trouble to keep set up than the old Craftsman.
>
> I ended up buying the HD series 16" Laguna. =A0You put the blade on, quick=
ly
> adjust the 10 ceramic guides and start sawing. =A0The 10 ceramic guides ad=
just
> much more quickly than the roller bearings did on the Rikon, IMHO.
> Very pricey, but again IMHO it is to a typical $1000 band saw as a quality=

> Table saw is to a bench top table saw. =A0It is as heavy as the typical
> cabinet saw 450+ lbs. and can resaw to 16". =A0So far nothing has hinted a=
s
> slowing down the 4.5 hp Baldor motor.

I have to say there has been some great feedback and advice!!!

I turned up my nose to the higher price of the Laguna but now that I
have looked into it somemore and heeding your advice, I may just
purchase one. The Canadian Homeworkshop show is on at the end of
February so I will see what I can get there.

On Feb 20, 10:23=A0pm, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:a4002019-ef15-4a1a-889b-37112806270b@o77g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> I have to say there has been some great feedback and advice!!!
>
> I turned up my nose to the higher price of the Laguna but now that I
> have looked into it somemore and heeding your advice, I may just
> purchase one. =A0The Canadian Homeworkshop show is on at the end of
> February so I will see what I can get there.
>
> The Laguna site offers several videos about their product. =A0Additionally=
you
> can order a DVD and get some very interesting details that simply do not
> exist on the less expensive saws.
> I waited until the show also as Laguna is sold out of California and IIRC
> there are no stocking dealers. =A0The saws look and perform magnificently.=

> I actually talked to Larry at Laguna and made a deal with him over the pho=
ne
> with him understanding that I wanted to see the saw first. =A0He would hon=
or
> the deal for 2 weeks after the show IIRC. =A0If the show price was better =
he
> would honor that also. =A0I think I had to put down a refundable deposit t=
o
> have my name assigned to one of the saws that were in stock. =A0Since it w=
as
> going to set for up to 5 weeks until after the show I did not want to have=

> to wait even longer after the show. =A0The show was all it took to sell me=
on
> the saw. =A0MiniMax makes a great saw also and they were at the show howev=
er
> they had broken units and units missing parts. =A0Oddly the only saw that
> Minimax had at the show that was operational was not performing very well.=

> Adjustments were obviously needed. =A0The sales staff at the show seemed m=
ore
> interested in showing how you could grab the upper guide bar and pull the
> saw over on its side. =A0Perhaps the demo saw had been handled this way a =
few
> too many times. =A0I might as well also add that MiniMax is based out of
> Austin TX, I am in Houston about 150 miles away. =A0I made a weekend trip =
of
> visiting MiniMax with an appointment to see the saw and use the saw. =A0Th=
ey
> talked to me Friday night to verify that I was coming and when I got there=

> the saw I was to test had been taken apart for spare parts. =A0No demo. =
=A0I
> went with the Laguna.
> Laguna has 2 lines of band saws. =A0The heavy duty line is made in Italy, =
the
> lighter duty line is made in Bulgaria IIRC. =A0If you can afford it the HD=

> version will be the better saw. =A0There are no compromises with these saw=
s,
> nothing cheezy, built to last like a quality cabinet saw.

Hey Leon, are you sure you don't work for Laguna??! Just kidding.
You are really selling me on their product. According to their
website, they sell directly to Canada and they take care of all the
shipping. All we pay extra is the difference in the dollar (next to
none these days) and $25 for the extra paperwork. They ship to
Mississauga once a month IIRC. I'd like to buy the HD but the price
is WAY to high for a hobby woodworker at this time so their LT14SE
seems reachable. My wife will have a sh*t but I only have to buy it
once, right?! I will see what they have to offer at the show. Thanks
again.

On Feb 19, 9:34 pm, "John Grossbohlin" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> "Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
> | On Feb 18, 6:28 pm, maico <[email protected]> wrote:
> | > Hi Everyone,
> | >
> | > It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
> | > am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
> |
> |
> | I had a Jet 18" that never worked for me. I then bought a Laguna 18".
> | It is well worth the money. Laguna's are pricey, but I believe they
>
> Hmmm... I just resawed some 8" wide stock tonight on my first generation 18"
> Jet and as usual it did a terrific job. My saw has never exhibited blade
> drift and with 1/2" Timberwolf blades resawing wide stock using nothing more
> than the factory fence is easy. Slicing off 3/32" pieces is no problem...
>
> I'm wondering if there was either a problem with quality consistency or if
> there were actually generations of the first generation saw before they
> redesigned the saw...??? Of course we cannot rule out the possibility that I
> got an exceptional specimen... ???
>
> John

John,

That could be. I know I have been on the other end of the good one/bad
one scenario. I bought a Grizzly G0586 8" jointer after reading
glowing reviews. The one I got had co-planarity problems between in
the infeed and outfeed tables, and a slight twist in the fence. Ahhh!
Such is life in the woodworking world.

Joe.....

On Mar 5, 6:47=A0pm, Larry Blanchard <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:27:13 -0800, maico wrote:
> > I still think the Laguna 14SE is the right saw for me but the
> > Powermatic is the strong runner up unless someone has something to say
> > about that. =A0Please, any feedback would be fantastic!
>
> I bought the two speed Rikon 14" steel frame with the 13" resaw capacity.
> No way is it the quality of the Laguna or the Powermatic, but IMNSHO it
> was the best for the money. =A0So far I've used it primarily to cut up gre=
en
> logs for turning blocks and 12" diameter walnut goes through on a sled
> with no problems.

Well, I did it: bought the 14SE Extended. I also got a deal on the
mobile base and a 1" Resaw King blade. Wow, that was the single
largest purchase I have made for the woodshop and it was hefty!! I
won't see it until after April but I will let you know then how it
turns out.

Thanks again for all the advice and feedback, in particular, for
taking me WAY out of my price range! : ) But hey, I should only have
to cry once, right?!

"Mark & Juanita" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Grossbohlin wrote:

>
> Can't speak to the Jet, but I have a 14" Delta that is useable, but I
> haven't been able to tune it to get thin veneers or resawing. I have put
> on good quality blades, added Carter guides, and many hours spent tweaking
> the alignment. Either there is something I just don't get or I'm
> expecting
> too much from the bandsaw.


Bearing guides look good on paper but in my reality they were noisy and
vibrated.

maico wrote:

> I truly believe you Leon! It was still very hard to swallow the price
> being a hobby woodworker but I don't regret it (yet, ha ha). My
> father will have a S**T when he sees it and figures out how much I
> paid for it.

Show your father what the guys around here are paying for Festool hand
tools. I don't know anything about your saw, but you can't have too
much quality in a band saw.

> Hopefully one of my three
> daughters will take up woodworking and learn to enjoy my tools.

Even if they don't, the resale value of a good tool is much better than
junk.
--
Jack
http://jbstein.com

"maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:b3b6dc34-40df-43ca-8d5b-369685de8739@q70g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

Hey Leon, are you sure you don't work for Laguna??! Just kidding.

Not a problem and no I don't work for them but I am very impressed and
pleased with the saw. No more putzing around with adjustments over and
over.
The free DVD that they sent me was very educational.

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:41:12 -0800, maico wrote:

> On Feb 18, 7:11 pm, Phisherman <[email protected]> wrote:
>> On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I have a 14" Delta and it has performed well but Delta has slipped in
>> quality over the years.  Today I'd consider the 2HP Laguna (/w a 220 v
>> motor).  The Grizzly G0457 is the best value pick at about half the
>> price of the Laguna.  General and Powermatic are decent brand choices
>> as well.  An out-of-tune bandsaw can be the shop's most agitating piece
>> of equipment, so resist the temptation to get a cheap one.
>
> Hey Phish, thanks for your reply. Is the 14" Delta you're using one of
> the units of poor quality but you find it ok? What model is it? The
> Laguna is beautiful but out of my price range. I was hoping to spend no
> more than $800 on a unit. I wish I could get the Grizzly but they don't
> sell to Canada that I know of. What about Steel City or Jet? Any
> opinions.

I've got the Jet 14" and have been very happy with it. Fit and finish
are excellent, and the alignment and tuning of the saw have been easy. I
added the 6" riser and have done quite a bit of resawing. My only
complaint is the dust collection, and only because I haven't gotten
around to adding a good 4" attachment. This isn't just a Jet problem and
like I said it is possible to modify the saw for better dust capture.

D.G. Adams

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:58:39 -0800, maico wrote:

> Hey Leon, are you sure you don't work for Laguna??! Just kidding.
> You are really selling me on their product.

I have no experience with Laguna, but I remember an article in, IIRC,
Popular Woodworking last year where they reviewed steel frame 14"
bandsaws. Their complaint about the Laguna was, again IIRC. that it
required the use of wrenches to change a blade - I think they said you had
to actually remove the guides.

I don't know if it the same on the model you're looking at, but if you
think you'll be changing blades frequently make sure yours doesn't require
that.

On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:27:13 -0800, maico wrote:

> I still think the Laguna 14SE is the right saw for me but the
> Powermatic is the strong runner up unless someone has something to say
> about that. Please, any feedback would be fantastic!

I bought the two speed Rikon 14" steel frame with the 13" resaw capacity.
No way is it the quality of the Laguna or the Powermatic, but IMNSHO it
was the best for the money. So far I've used it primarily to cut up green
logs for turning blocks and 12" diameter walnut goes through on a sled
with no problems.

"Phisherman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:41:12 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>On Feb 18, 7:11 pm, Phisherman <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> I have a 14" Delta and it has performed well but Delta has slipped in
>>> quality over the years. Today I'd consider the 2HP Laguna (/w a 220 v
>>> motor). The Grizzly G0457 is the best value pick at about half the
>>> price of the Laguna. General and Powermatic are decent brand choices
>>> as well. An out-of-tune bandsaw can be the shop's most agitating
>>> piece of equipment, so resist the temptation to get a cheap one.
snip

And when I was shopping for a bandsaw, the Delta had lost it's quality.
I ended up buying new old stock Jet. I have not regretted buying the Jet.
The Powermatic would be a good choice. The Laguna is a little pricey for me,
but I'm sure it's worth it.

On Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:28:31 -0800 (PST), maico <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi Everyone,
>
>It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
>am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
>advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
>it. Are there any brands/models I should avoid? I avoid cheap tools
>typically and especially of this size. I would normally look for Jet,
>Delta, Powermatic and the like. Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
>an option.
>
>Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.


I have a 14" Delta and it has performed well but Delta has slipped in
quality over the years. Today I'd consider the 2HP Laguna (/w a 220 v
motor). The Grizzly G0457 is the best value pick at about half the
price of the Laguna. General and Powermatic are decent brand choices
as well. An out-of-tune bandsaw can be the shop's most agitating
piece of equipment, so resist the temptation to get a cheap one.

"Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> You forced me to go back and look at my invoice, which took some time
> to find. But you are correct. I paid $237 for the Resaw King. My bad
> (or wishful thinking, or old age). The other blades cost $23.70 each.


IIRC I paid about the same and had the mobile base and saw discounted. the
3 extra cheaper blades were free.

> As I said, I use the cheap blades most of the time. I don't think I
> ever tried to resaw something as fine as you described, but I am not
> surprised that you can, even with the cheap blades. The Resaw King is
> very stiff (1 1/4" wide) and last far longer than the cheap blades.

So far I have only used the cheaper blades, I gotta try out the Resaw King.

>
> I use my band saw for ripping and resawing rough lumber, almost any
> size, and I often use it for finish cuts passing the edge over the
> jointer once. I can't say enough good things about the Laguna, though
> I can't speak for the 14" models. On the other hand I can vouch for
> Laguna's technical support. It is very good.

I am been pleased with the support also. Too bad the support was not on
hand to help bolt up the motor. ;~)

On Tue, 19 Feb 2008 22:38:55 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"maico" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Hi Everyone,
>>
>> It has been a while including trolling but now I'm on a come back. I
>> am in the market for a 14 in. bandsaw and hoped to get some insightful
>> advice on this tool and/or what you currently use and why you like
>> it. Are there any brands/models I should avoid? I avoid cheap tools
>> typically and especially of this size. I would normally look for Jet,
>> Delta, Powermatic and the like. Since I am in Canada, Grizzly is not
>> an option.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any advice you may have to offer.
>
>If you are looking for a first saw or if you are looking for a second saw
>and don't mind "fiddlin with it to keep it in tune, most any of the $1000
>range saws should be a decent choice.
>
>If you are looking to upgrade I strongly suggest looking at all the above
>mentioned saws and then look at a MiniMax or a Laguna.
>
>I had a 10"Craftsman with 1/2 hp for about 23 years. I did not use it much,
>more so because of lack of power. Adjustments were not that tough, but like
>most, it was a chore that gets old real fast if you intend to use the saw
>more than occasionally. I wanted to up grade and 2 years ago I went with
>the Rikon. A nice saw for the money but I wanted a total upgrade. The 18"
>Rikon for the 2 weeks that I had it had plenty of power but was no less
>trouble to keep set up than the old Craftsman.
>
>I ended up buying the HD series 16" Laguna. You put the blade on, quickly
>adjust the 10 ceramic guides and start sawing. The 10 ceramic guides adjust
>much more quickly than the roller bearings did on the Rikon, IMHO.
>Very pricey, but again IMHO it is to a typical $1000 band saw as a quality
>Table saw is to a bench top table saw. It is as heavy as the typical
>cabinet saw 450+ lbs. and can resaw to 16". So far nothing has hinted as
>slowing down the 4.5 hp Baldor motor.
>


The Baldor motor is one of the highest quality motors you can buy. I
have one of these (DC) Baldor motors on my lathe.

"Chiefwoodworker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:3950494d-3d13-440f-adf6-09f23d394f94@o10g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Feb 20, 11:08 pm, DS <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Leon wrote:
>> > Not a problem and no I don't work for them but I am very impressed and
>> > pleased with the saw. No more putzing around with adjustments over and
>> > over.
>>
>> Must be nice. My griz requires constant tweaking.
>
> I use $20 blades almost exclusively with my Laguna and it works great.
> But they sell a Resaw King blade which is carbide tipped. It is
> pricey, about $130, but if you are looking to cut 1/16" veneers or
> resaw large pieces of rough lumber, it is well worth it.
>
> Good luck. You will love this saw.
>
> Joe....

Hey Joe, IIRC you were commenting about the thin veneer that you easily cut,
3/32". When I first got my Laguna and put one of the "throw in, included
with the deal", blades on, I was cutting 1/256" veneer. Pretty much
worthless but it was consistent in thickness through out the whole piece.
If you paid $140 for your Resaw King you got a dandy deal. Typically the
Resaw King sells for $1.60 per inch. My 16 inch HD saw uses a 150" blade
and the blade cost me $225.00 about 2 years ago.

"Larry Blanchard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:58:39 -0800, maico wrote:
>
>> Hey Leon, are you sure you don't work for Laguna??! Just kidding.
>> You are really selling me on their product.
>
> I have no experience with Laguna, but I remember an article in, IIRC,
> Popular Woodworking last year where they reviewed steel frame 14"
> bandsaws. Their complaint about the Laguna was, again IIRC. that it
> required the use of wrenches to change a blade - I think they said you had
> to actually remove the guides.
>
> I don't know if it the same on the model you're looking at, but if you
> think you'll be changing blades frequently make sure yours doesn't require
> that.
>

Good point Larry, I too looked at the smaller Laguna band saws, both they
and the HD series have the ceramic guides and those ceramic guides were what
peeked my interest in the Laguna over the MiniMax and less expensive saws.
The 14" saw is built in a different factory and in a different country. I
have 1.5 thumbs ;~) and for me I could see how the smaller saw would be
more difficult when changing blades. IIRC the lower guides were partially
blocked from view by the front half of the trunion. Additionally the guides
on the smaller saws were smaller IIRC.
Having said that, the HD series of Laguna saws have a clear plastic guard
over the upper guide assembly. Those guides IMHO served no purpose other
than getting the way and obstructing the view specially when the guides are
lowered close to the table. I removed those guards immediately and have not
replaced them. Also, earlier models required the use of hex wrenches to
adjust the guides. My HD saw had the newer design with thumb screws for
adjusting the ceramic guides. A hex wrench is required however for
adjusting the height of the lower guides. Typically I take 10-15 or so
minutes to change out blades and adjust the guides.
That said, the smaller Laguna saws may still require more steps to change a
blade.