Laguna Bandsaw - Made in Bulgaria?

[Willard Foster]

After searching Laguna threads I see that some Laguna bandsaws may have been made in Bulgaria.

How can I tell were the saw ( I'm thinking of buying a used LT16) is made? It's an eight year old saw and the motor has "Costruzioni Meccaniche" on it. The seller sys he's going Neanderthal. Asking price is $750.00



Thanks,

Bill

[Van Huskey]

The motor would be Italian then. From memory the whole machine is Italian.

[John Mark Lane]

I was under the impression the 3000 series were made in Asia?

[John Thompson]

The newer LT 16's have an American Baldor motor I believe. That one is Italian as stated. Regardless if the saw is in good condition I personally think it is well worth the $750.

Good luck...

[Van Huskey]

I was under the impression the 3000 series were made in Asia?

The 3000 series are Asian, this is not a 3000 series.

It is possible that this is a Bulgarian saw with an Italian motor, I am not sure when they started using Bulgarian companies for the European saws below the HD16. Those saws are where I get fuzzy on the origin.

[Dan Friedrichs]

My LT14 says "Made in Bulgaria" on the nameplate on the back of the saw.

As John said, though, it's well worth $750, no matter where it was made.

[Van Huskey]

My LT14 says "Made in Bulgaria" on the nameplate on the back of the saw.

As John said, though, it's well worth $750, no matter where it was made.


The LT14SE and SEL are definately Bulgarian, the current LT16 HD is definately Italian. The LT16 sits in the middle and I think the current LT16 (no HD) is Bulgarian but the question I can't answer is where this older LT16 with an Italian motor was actually made.

[Carl Knapp]

It is easy to tell where the saw was built. It will state meeber (Italian) or Stomanna (Bulgarian) The older LT16s were made in Italy by Meeber, They had a round plastic throat plate a rectangle type tube steel guide post and stamped steel trunion. Make sure it has a 12 inch resaw with euro guides and foot brake. (LT16SEC) The older Meeber (LT16) had 10 “ resaw . Carter roller guides were installed to get the 12 “ . If I remember correctly the earlier ones sold on sale for around 900.00 and the newer ones (LT16SEC)1200.00
Hope this Helps

[Chip Lindley]

Those Bulgarians do well by "Bs"! They are famous for their Buttermilk, why not Bandsaws?!?!

[John Shuk]

I have an LT16 of that approximate vintage. It is made in Bulgaria and I would just keep on looking. I've never been impressed with my Laguna saw. They switched to Baldor motors in the updated version but they also jacked the price if you wanted one. The quality of the screws and washers is crap, adjustments are not simple, yet are frequently needed. I could go deeper into but I would not buy the same saw again....not even for $750 which is alot less than I paid.

[Dave Sabo]

"Costruzioni Meccaniche"

just below this on the plate is the logo "ACM" which Laguna went to after they dropped Meber as their producer. I'm not sure when the exact cross over was but it seems like the late 80's early 90's. The same plate should have the blade lengths / width, manuf. year, and a serial #.

$750 for an ACM LT16 is a fair price. What else is in that price range? The Italian motors from that vintage run hot and sometimes melt their plastic control boxes if pushed hard and run continuously for long periods of time. Like any saw , check the guides, tires and bearings. ACM makes stout equipment.

[Willard Foster]

Thanks for all of your help. The owner sent the following:

There's a plate on the back of the saw reading, Anno (i.e. year) 2000, serial # is 36528, Type 400.

I have emailed Laguna to see wherre the saw was made. Not sure what a type 400 is.

Bill

[Jamie Buxton]

Not sure what a type 400 is.


Type 400 is probably the wheel diameter in millimeters. That's how almost all of the European bandsaws are named -- wheel diameter in millimeters. 400 mm is 15 3/4", which gets rounded up to 16" for US sales.

[Carl Knapp]

Willard,
Laguna sold meeber as there LT 16 in 2000, They also sold ACM which was the Laguna 16 Hd and larger.That saw is now called the LT 16 HD Classic because it has 12" resaw. Back then it had a 3HP Italian motor. It is also easy to tell. It will state ACM on the tag, have a yellow blade guard, rack and pinion with a round steel guide post, a foot brake with micro switch and a square plastic throat plate. If it is the old HD, Buy it!

[Gary Max]

I have an LT16 of that approximate vintage. It is made in Bulgaria and I would just keep on looking. I've never been impressed with my Laguna saw. They switched to Baldor motors in the updated version but they also jacked the price if you wanted one. The quality of the screws and washers is crap, adjustments are not simple, yet are frequently needed. I could go deeper into but I would not buy the same saw again....not even for $750 which is alot less than I paid.

I agree-----keep hunting. I can't even keep up with all the broken stuff on my saw. The fence is just a little bit better than nothing but not much.

[Steve Rowe]

Willard,
Laguna sold meeber as there LT 16 in 2000, They also sold ACM which was the Laguna 16 Hd and larger.That saw is now called the LT 16 HD Classic because it has 12" resaw. Back then it had a 3HP Italian motor. It is also easy to tell. It will state ACM on the tag, have a yellow blade guard, rack and pinion with a round steel guide post, a foot brake with micro switch and a square plastic throat plate. If it is the old HD, Buy it!

I agree with Carl who definitely knows about this topic. I have the LT-18 ACM made machine of the same vintage and it is top notch all around. If that is what it is, $750 is a steal.

[Rick Berman]

325247325248325249Hello All
Can some one tell me what I have. This is the machine label from a Laguna 16” band saw for sale near my house.
Rick
325246

[Matt Day]

Are you asking what model it is or where it was made? The latter seems pretty obvious.

[Patrick Walsh]

I don't know much about the saw in question but i can tell you this.

I have a new 14/12 and although it can slice a 3/16 veneer out of any wood i throw at it by almost any height i have been quite disappointed with the saw.

From day one it ran rough. After further inspection one of the tires had 1/4 dip in it side to side. I replaced them with the Carter True Blue and it is now much much better. Still runs a rougher than i would like though.

The bottom door does not open without forcing it past a bolt that secures the upper saw to the mobile base.

The magnet immediately fell off the blade guard.

The gauge for table tilt is far from accurate rendering it useless.

Now granted a superior replacement will cost 3-4K. And yes the machine after all the fuss does cut very well. On the other hand had i know i would had just sprung for the MM, Felder or Anagazzani or however you spell it from the get go.

To be honest a new band saw will be one of my next purchases. Probably the Felder 610....

[Peter Quinn]

Looks like a meber. The third picture, upper left, that's the bottom of the meber logo....which I know well because I have. Meber 20" in my shop which was sold and marketed under the meber name, no Laguna involvement. The mebers are decent saws, I've never found mine lacking, the guides and upper arm that hold he guides are quite stiff, very smooth. Don't know how different the Laguna 16's made by meber were from their own saws.

[Erik Loza]

Yes, that's a Meber. Good machine, worth hanging onto.

Erik

[Thomas love]

Thread is from 2010

[Peter Quinn]

Thread is from 2010


Post 17, from Rick, is from yesterday. He has a question related to the OP's original topic, he has chosen piggy back it here probably after a search on the subject...who am I to judge. But my comments were relative to Ricks recent query, not the OP's.