Laguna 18bx ?

[John Sayen]

I was looking at buying the 14 SUV and stumbled across the 18bx.

Is the 18bx brand new? I can't seem to find a single review of it online.

https://lagunatools.com/laguna-machi.../18bx-bandsaw/

Has anyone seen or read about one?

Thank you.

[Victor Robinson]

Looks like it's brand-spanking new. Replacement for the Asian LT18 3000. The 14bx seems to be getting decent early reviews at its price point. This new 18bx adds those features (mainly the disc brake), cuts the HP from 4 to 3, and the price tag from the LT18. A decent option for those of us considering 16-18" saws in the 2k range, but that Grizzly that a few folks on here have been very pleased with (0636?) would be worth a hard look if shopping this saw. I suspect you won't be seeing too many reviews for a little while since it appears to be so new.

Personally I'm saving my pennies until I can afford an Italian Laguna or Minimax.

[Chris Hachet]

Looks like it's brand-spanking new. Replacement for the Asian LT18 3000. The 14bx seems to be getting decent early reviews at its price point. This new 18bx adds those features (mainly the disc brake), cuts the HP from 4 to 3, and the price tag from the LT18. A decent option for those of us considering 16-18" saws in the 2k range, but that Grizzly that a few folks on here have been very pleased with (0636?) would be worth a hard look if shopping this saw. I suspect you won't be seeing too many reviews for a little while since it appears to be so new.

Personally I'm saving my pennies until I can afford an Italian Laguna or Minimax.

Probably going to go with a vintage American machine myself, but I absolutely love the Italian Laguna 18. I have a good friend who has one, it is enough to make you fall in love with woodworking all over again.

[Van Huskey]

It just popped up on their website last week. I suppose the closest direct competition would be the Rikon 10-346 which has a similar shipped price and has 4hp and 18" of vertical capacity. IN any event if the quality is similar to the 14BX it will be a solid saw but well into the used Laguna HD and Minimax MM territory.

[John Sayen]

Thanks all. If you weren't planning on resawing over 12" would you get the 14 SUV or the 18bx?

Or would you drop down to the 14bx or maybe the 1412?

[Art Mann]

I resaw hardwood up to 12 inches on my Laguna 14/12 and it works fine. More horsepower will obviously produce faster results but it won't do a better job. If I had it to do again, I would probably buy the 14 SUV or 18bx . The reason is extra horsepower. The 14bx doesn't have that and is, therefore, not much more desirable than the 14/12 to me. I would also take another look at Rikon. When I was shopping two years ago, the Rikon offerings were inferior in several ways.

[Victor Robinson]

Thanks all. If you weren't planning on resawing over 12" would you get the 14 SUV or the 18bx?

Or would you drop down to the 14bx or maybe the 1412?

It depends on how you like to use a bandsaw. Personally I have no need for >12" resaw height but find the small throat and table size the things I find limiting about my 14" bandsaw. If you don't intend to crosscut on your saw or work on larger pieces the throat may not matter as much to you. The 18bx has 4.5" more of throat and a significantly larger table than the 14 SUV. Those are two major considerations that would tip me towards the 18bx. Of course, if you are wanting a smaller height or less weight for whatever reason, then the SUV would be the better choice.

[John Sayen]

Which Rikion would you look at?

[Van Huskey]

I resaw hardwood up to 12 inches on my Laguna 14/12 and it works fine. More horsepower will obviously produce faster results but it won't do a better job. If I had it to do again, I would probably buy the 14 SUV or 18bx . The reason is extra horsepower. The 14bx doesn't have that and is, therefore, not much more desirable than the 14/12 to me. I would also take another look at Rikon. When I was shopping two years ago, the Rikon offerings were inferior in several ways.

That is only the case with the 120v 14BX the 240v 14BX has 2.5hp vs 1.75.

To the OP resawing on the bandsaw side (blade is at least 50% of the equation) is basically down to horsepower, frame rigidity and tension ability. In the past the Laguna Asian saws had increasing rigidity and tensioning ability with increasing wheel size, I have no way to know this is the case with the new 18BX but chances are good this is the case.

Table size and height are also considerations, the 18BX has a significant increase in table size, all the BX saws are around 38" table height which is a little tall for heavy resawing (the SUV is more of a resaw height at 35"). I am a big fan of foot brakes on bandsaws which allows me to handsfree stop the saw from the side which I often work on and the off switch is all the way on the other side of the saw.

Having not touched one I can't really recommend the 18BX but based on paper specs and past saws I would say it will be a better saw for resawing than the others if one's budget permits. Once you are at this price point the Rikon 10-346 18" saw (19" of resaw and 4hp) and the Hammer N4400 are also to be considered, though the Hammer is a little pricey when not on sale.

[Art Mann]

Right now, Highland Woodworking in Atlanta has the Rikon 10-353 on sale for $1400. It has all the upgrades I would be looking for in a 14 inch full featured saw. I live close enough to the store that I can go inspect the machine. I prefer a smaller footprint than the 18 inch or bigger saws. I don't resaw long heavy pieces so that is big enough.

Which Rikion would you look at?

[Patrick Curry]

I've owned my LT18 3000 few a few years now and have been very happy with it. It was intended to be used mostly for roughing reclaimed hardwood to size but now that I'm temporarily without a table saw I turn to it or my track saw for near everything.

It's a nice size saw, the finish is a step above my other machines, has plenty of power, and tracks wonderfully. There's really nothing I don't like about it. I've never used the 18" Rikon but would definitely compare the two. And as for Italian band saws, I don't know what the differences are other than a higher resale value.

[Van Huskey]

And as for Italian band saws, I don't know what the differences are other than a higher resale value.

Outside of generally better build quality it mainly comes down to being built more substantially. The ACM built Laguna saws are about 25% heavier than their Chinese cousins, the Centauro built Minimax saws are about 20-25% heavier than the Laguna HD saws. There are lots of other details like more substantial guide posts, better brakes etc.

[Edwin Santos]

Once you are at this price point the Rikon 10-346 18" saw (19" of resaw and 4hp) and the Hammer N4400 are also to be considered, though the Hammer is a little pricey when not on sale.

Does Hammer/Felder build their own saws or does another manufacturer build them for Hammer?

[Van Huskey]

Does Hammer/Felder build their own saws or does another manufacturer build them for Hammer?

Sticky issue. Hammer bandsaw are built by Felder in Austria from "global" components.

[Victor Robinson]

Outside of generally better build quality it mainly comes down to being built more substantially. The ACM built Laguna saws are about 25% heavier than their Chinese cousins, the Centauro built Minimax saws are about 20-25% heavier than the Laguna HD saws. There are lots of other details like more substantial guide posts, better brakes etc.

Those factors are certainly not debatable, but what does merit at least some discussion is whether that robustness of build is really necessary or even detectable at the hobbyist level. I think there's a certain fit and finish to the Italian saws that is noticeable when one touches and uses the saws, but at what point does it become subject to the laws of diminishing returns? I ask myself this nearly everyday as I lead up to the eventual purchase of a ~18" saw -- still probably a year away. The Asian Lagunas certainly ain't bad, and neither is the Grizzly 0636.

Are the Italian saws smoother running? Less prone to vibration? I know in theory this should be true on the basis of the gross weights, but does it really translate into real world differences? I'd be curious to hear from folks that have extensively used a machine like the LT18 3000 as well as an Italian HD or MM.