Laguna 14 SUV Bandsaw... Pro's and Cons?

[Rick Markham]

Howdy Ya'll, I have been doing a significant amount of research dedicated to the purchase of a new Bandsaw. I have decided that I want a Laguna 14 SUV, I was hoping that I could get opinions from owners of this model of saw, and owners of other Laguna Bandsaws. I respect what ya'll have to say, it's pretty pricey, but I think the value is there. I want to confirm that. I want good and bad experiences both with the saw and the company. Also I haven't had much of a chance to do a whole lot of research regarding blades, how hard is it to find 125" blades? It seems to be a slightly unusual size. I am looking for ideas on resaw blades, and also blades for general use, and scroll work. Please enlighten me before I take the plunge and throw money down on a machine that isn't even available until mid April! Thanks a bunch!

[Dan Friedrichs]

Re: blades
True, you'll probably not find them on the shelf at Woodcraft. But it's easy and common (probably more common than buying a blade off the shelf) to have a blade cut and welded to the length you need. People prefer different brands/types of blades - any cheapo 1/8" steel blade will work find for scroll work, and there are many choices for resaw blades.

Re: the company
In the past, they had a reputation for really awful customer service. This seems to be changed significantly recently. Many creekers have recently posted reports of good dealings with them. I think they "got the message" and are doing better.

Re: the saw
I have the older version (LT14SE). It is a very nice saw. I don't think I would have willingly paid full retail price for it, though (I bought mine used). It has quirks that I wouldn't expect for $1300. I think as the price increases, the quality of machine improves, but the bang-for-your-buck falls off significantly. If you're the kind of guy who would buy a Felder or a Festool, you would probably be very happy with this saw. If you're more likely to buy a Grizzly tool that represents a "good value", you may feel robbed after getting this saw. If you are committed to spending that amount of money, this is definitely the best saw you could buy.

[Van Huskey]

As Dan mentioned blades are a non-issue especally if you order them.


Laguna seems to have fixed or at least improved their CS issues.


The SUV is probably the best 14" saw on the market and the only question I would ask myself at the price is whether I wouldn't prefer a "lesser" but significantly larger saw like the Grizzly 19" 514.

I am looking hard at the LT18 and LT20, along with a couple of other options I think they are the best BS made currently. Even through the SUV isn't made by ACM it is still a very well made Euro saw.

[Tom A Brown]

I,m the owner of a new SUV14 and I can't say enough good things about it. The customer service and follow-up has been nothing short of spectacular. That said... how tall are you? The table is pretty low, so I had to build a platform for it. No big deal really, but something to think about. I'm 6' 1".

[Jeff Willard]

Even through the SUV isn't made by ACM it is still a very well made Euro saw.

Not Euro, is Chinese.

I have no complaints about mine('cept mebbe that China thing). The Laguna's are in a league separate of any other 14" saws out there. And the addition of a Driftmaster makes it all that much more pleasurable to use.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=115939

[Van Huskey]

Not Euro, is Chinese.

I have no complaints about mine('cept mebbe that China thing). The Laguna's are in a league separate of any other 14" saws out there. And the addition of a Driftmaster makes it all that much more pleasurable to use.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=115939


Thanks for the correction, it is the SE and SEL that are Euro saws.

[Alex Silva]

I bought a Laguna LT16HD last month (made in Italy).

I got an excellent service from the canadian reseller.

Faulty switch was replaced overnight so no problems with customer service.

The saw is excellent and I'm very pleased with it.

Now I wish I had a bigger table but I'm now building an 'extension' that will be 2x4'

Cheers

Alex

[Mike Archambeau]

As Dan mentioned blades are a non-issue especally if you order them.


Even through the SUV isn't made by ACM it is still a very well made Euro saw.

I thought the 14SUV was made in China....worth confirming this with Laguna if that will affect your decision.

[Eric DeSilva]

I bought my 14SUV through Tim here on SMC--PM "Laguna Tools" here or look in the deals and discounts, b/c they post discounted offers here regularly. I've bought other things through Tim as well, as I've always had a good experience. My 14SUV must have gotten manhandled a little in transit, because two spot welds on the movable blade guard broke. That got taken care of with a new one mailed out pronto. I'm also quite impressed by the fit and finish of the machine. So, CS in my book is tops.

As a comparison, I was also considering a more expensive machine from another company when I was shopping around, and I really got PO'd at their sales guy. When I told him I had decided to purchase a Laguna because they seemed like they wanted my business, he sent me an email that amounted to slagging off Laguna based on country of manufacture, saying I hadn't returned emails he sent, and implying that I wasn't ready for a real machine. The contrast was striking--Tim also knew what I was shopping for and was complimentary and fair about their brand, and his assessment of the relative pro's and con's was consistent with what I had heard elsewhere. Frankly, I've gotten less attitude at Mercedes dealers; it just boggled my mind--he seemed to forget that he should have been selling to me instead of me buying from him. The net result was that while before the email, that company still would have been on my list for other future purchases; now, they will now never get a dime of my money. Laguna, on the other hand, will be one of the companies I look to first.

[Van Huskey]

I thought the 14SUV was made in China....worth confirming this with Laguna if that will affect your decision.


You are correct, we got that cleared up a few posts ago, I had the country of origin of the SUV mixed up with the 14 SE and SEL which are made in Europe. None of the 14s are made in Italy. The LT16HD and above (except the 3000 series which are Asian) are made by ACM in Northern Italy.

[Alex Silva]

I don't think you can really compare the Laguna imports with the 'original' Lagunas made in Europe (LT16HD and over)

If you want to get a chinese made Laguna BS, you have to also check all the other imports : Grizzly, General International, etc. and If I were in your socks, I would get the cheapest one in the lot (other specs equal of course).

Alex

[Sean Nagle]

I purchased the LT16 Model 3000 last fall. Tim was great to work with for the sale.

As far as being Chinese made, I must admit that I'm very impressed with the fit and finish of the saw. The wheels are massive and run true. The saw works extremely well. The exceptional performance is really coming from Laguna's ceramic blade guide system which is the same as what is equipped with their other saws. A friend has the LT16HD which is a beast compared to mine, but they really do have a substantial similarity in performance.

Unfortunately, Laguna service has been overall very poor for me. It took multiple calls and emails to get the right mobility kit. There are also several cosmetic issues caused by shipping which still haven't been resolved.

[Lawrence Smith]

I purchased my Laguna 14 new at the wood show in Tampa in 2002 for $950. It was manufactured in Bulgaria and is a beast. I use a woodslicer blade on it for most everything except tight radius and small work. It resaws beautifully and has never given me any problems. If I were going to buy another saw Laguna would be at the top of my list. :)

Hope this helps in your decision.

[Van Huskey]

If you want to get a chinese made Laguna BS, you have to also check all the other imports : Grizzly, General International, etc. and If I were in your socks, I would get the cheapest one in the lot (other specs equal of course).

Alex

One issue is no one else makes something remotely similar to the 14 SUV, 14" of resaw and a 3hp Leeson motor. However, you can get a 19" Grizzly for less with a 3hp motor and 12" of resaw. You could even add Laguna guides and still not have much more money in it. From what I have seen the Laguna 3000 series are somewhat nicer than the other Asian saws and generally have higher capacities, but the cost is also higher.

[Eric John]

Hi folks,
Just quietly watching bandsaw threads, im not sure , I thought it was here but, in one reply I thought tim from laguna mentioned that the 14 suv was from bulgaria, allthe 3000 series from china and the 16's and up from italy. But i have been wrong b4 and sure to be wrong again in the future. Sure wish Laguna would just list country of origin on all their models. ( you there Tim?)
Eric

[Van Huskey]

Hi folks,
Just quietly watching bandsaw threads, im not sure , I thought it was here but, in one reply I thought tim from laguna mentioned that the 14 suv was from bulgaria, allthe 3000 series from china and the 16's and up from italy. But i have been wrong b4 and sure to be wrong again in the future. Sure wish Laguna would just list country of origin on all their models. ( you there Tim?)
Eric


I do think I was wrong and the SUV is a Asian saw. The SE and SEL are Bugarian and their description shows they are Euro saws. Their price is significantly more than the SUV and the SUV offers more features, larger specs and does not mention being a Euro saw in the description, pretty sure the SE and SEL are the only Euro saws.


I think all the 20" and above saws are Italian, the 16HD and the LT18 are Italian as well. The LT16, 14SE and 14SEL are Bulgarian. All 3 of the 3000 series along with the 14SUV are the Asian saws. I think I have covered them all and correct me if I am wrong.

[Geoff Chapman]

Ordered my SUV 3/1, in their 'March Madness' sale with the 5 blades, shipping, mobility kit all added free. Laguna sales (Chris, I think) was a pleasure to deal with, no high pressure, and even called me back to lower the price when the front office told them multiple add-ins were allowed.

The saw arrived a few days later in great shape - except for three small problems: first, the spot welds on the blade guard mount that Eric also had problems with. I decided to drill and bolt it on again rather than call for a new one - took 15 mins and better than new result I think. The second was that the tensioning guage indicator had popped out of its holder. Took me a bit to figure out how to get it back in. What I liked was that everything comes apart if you need to get it apart - and goes right back together. Everything can be adjusted, etc. Third, as noted, the table is lower, and in my shop my taller workbench is a couple feet away, so the short 6' cord (plug came installed) wasn't enough for me; a friend made me a 5' 12ga extension cord, which gives me the ability to roll it where I need it if I am ripping longer pieces.

Ordered new blades from Lennox, no problems with length or quality. Apparently the SUV will take a 1" blade, though I still wonder about metal fatigue on a .035 thick 1" blade. Watching to see how folks do with those blades in the long run on 14" wheels before considering a carbide. There is certainly no problem with tensioning or tracking a 1" blade! I'm running a 3/4" Lennox at this point.

As many have noted, fit and finish are excellent. Table alignment was spot on. Fence is good. Driftmaster looks great, and I am told it is being redesigned for 14" saws so you don't have to lift the table to open the lower door during blade changes. I don't have it. New ones arrive shortly, I hear. Design and build of the saw are high end. Mobility kit is great, but I'm glad I got it for free. 14" resaw capacity is inpressive, and a few inches more than I am likely to ever need. 3 HP Leeson, very substantial frame, full adjustment mechanisms, foot brake (I use it all the time), gas assist on table, etc, etc.

I've been practicing blade changes, and it is very smooth and reasonably quick.

I am a recreational woodworker, and I don't think I forsee any need to exceed the capacities of this saw. My only other BS experience is with an older 1/2HP Delta 14", and this is a different world with the SUV. I'm a very pleased new owner, and would do it again. Apparently they sold their remaining stock of these in a couple weeks. Interesting!

Geoff

[Eric Sayre]

I bought the LT18 two years ago despite all the warnings of terrible customer service.

I had trouble getting it into the garage; it didn't quite clear, so I had to struggle with it. When I tried to start it, it wouldn't come on. I spoke to a customer rep who gave me some ideas, and in the mean time he said he would overnight a new starter switch. I found that I had damaged the kill switch on top while trying to get it through the door, and had it fixed in just a few minutes. The customer rep followed up to make sure everything was OK.

For the last two years I've enjoyed everything about this bandsaw. Very solid, powerful, and accurate. You won't be disappointed with the quality.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks Ya'll I am talking with Tim now :D

[Alan Lightstone]

Got mine a month ago. Couldn't be happier with it. Fit and finish seem quite good, very solid. Packed like a tank in crate when it arrived.

Access to bottom guides could be a little better, but the sucker does make a real nice cut.

Not sure if the Driftmaster fence is worth the money at retail, but it does work well. Makes setting up repetitive straight cuts a breeze.

And I had a very good experience with customer service.

I got a bunch of free blades from Laguna with the saw as well as free shipping. Have ordered a few from them since (the easiest way to deal with the 125" size, I figure, is to buy from them.)

[Rick Markham]

Howdy Ya'll I thought I would update ya on the situation after talking with Tim. We spent some time talking, I might add that Tim is a great guy and did everything he could to answer my questions and get everything I needed situated. During the process he realized that the few that he thought were on hand were actually gone out the door already :( Bummer... right? Well Tim worked some magic with the numbers ;) and I ended up getting an amazing deal on the 16" 3000 series, with free shipping, five blades, mobility kit... and a super duper deal on the driftmaster (will ship in a couple weeks it's on Back Order right now) The saw shipped yesterday, Tim promptly forwarded me the shipping info and now I get to play the waiting game.

While I was speaking with him, I asked about whether they were redesigning the DriftMaster fence, he told me what they are shipping now is a redesigned version (can't recall the details at the moment, and I don't want to speculate and stir the pot). I am going to miss the added 2" of resaw capacity... but a larger throat, bigger table, and hopefully less stress on 1" blades, will definitely make amends for it. I am anxious to try the beast out, I just had my friend (an electrician) come over and give me an estimate on a 220 line. I will definitely let you all know when it shows up and how everything goes! I really cant say enough about how helpful and professional Tim is.

Thanks for all of your input too, ya'll are the best!

[Van Huskey]

Howdy Ya'll I thought I would update ya on the situation after talking with Tim. We spent some time talking, I might add that Tim is a great guy and did everything he could to answer my questions and get everything I needed situated. During the process he realized that the few that he thought were on hand were actually gone out the door already :( Bummer... right? Well Tim worked some magic with the numbers ;) and I ended up getting an amazing deal on the 16" 3000 series, with free shipping, five blades, mobility kit... and a super duper deal on the driftmaster (will ship in a couple weeks it's on Back Order right now) The saw shipped yesterday, Tim promptly forwarded me the shipping info and now I get to play the waiting game.

While I was speaking with him, I asked about whether they were redesigning the DriftMaster fence, he told me what they are shipping now is a redesigned version (can't recall the details at the moment, and I don't want to speculate and stir the pot). I am going to miss the added 2" of resaw capacity... but a larger throat, bigger table, and hopefully less stress on 1" blades, will definitely make amends for it. I am anxious to try the beast out, I just had my friend (an electrician) come over and give me an estimate on a 220 line. I will definitely let you all know when it shows up and how everything goes! I really cant say enough about how helpful and professional Tim is.

Thanks for all of your input too, ya'll are the best!

Like a kid waiting for Christmas! I think you will enjoy the saw!

[Rick Markham]

Absolutely Van! I have been waiting many years for a chance to get a really nice bandsaw, This one is far more than my needs for my home shop, so hopefully I won't be able to outgrow it. Now hopefully the fellow citizens of my town don't get irate when I am roaming around picking up logs from the local Oak trees that are getting trimmed, or removed LOL. I already have several projects I am antsy to get working on, once it is here and wired up... It's gonna be harder to deal with once it is sitting in my shop awaiting the electrician LOL:rolleyes:

[Van Huskey]

Only thing worse than waitng for Christmas is when mom and dad forget the batteries, or in this case the 220!

[Rick Markham]

Ha! True! I have no one to blame, but myself for that...

[Rick Markham]

I thought I would give a little update on this thread just in case anyone is doing some research. I chose the LT16 3000 series, it arrived without any damage in beautiful condition. The driftmaster showed up about the time the electrician did, and I decided to film a video of a nickel test I did. This is essentially the saw out of the box, with the 1" blade I got from Laguna with the saw. I made no major changes to the saw (other than the driftmaster fence) I am very pleased with this saw, and have been pleased with Laguna's service so far. Tim has continued to answer many of my questions. I have had nothing wrong with this saw, only minor "nit picky" things such as the difficulty of adjusting the table with the added 66lbs of the driftmaster fence. However the fence is well worth the money and the required extra force to adjust the table. I can live with that, and will figure out a way to compensate for it ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlM9Z1L0Ykc

Thanks Ya'll for your help!