Laguna LT16HD Band Saw Package Deal

[Brent DenHartog]

Laguna has a deal going on now for an LT16HD with two blades, mobility package, and free shipping for $3145. I watched the recent thread discussing the merits of Laguna vs Minimax vs Agazzani. I was just wondering what people thought of this deal. If one decided to get a Laguna is this too good to pass up, or wait around a similar deal will happen every six months or so?

[Dan Hintz]

Can that be right? I haven't priced Laguna in over a year, but I seem to recall the LT16HD by itself to be about $2,900. Unless prices have gone way up or my initial pricing was wrong, I wouldn't call that a killer deal.

[Brent DenHartog]

LT16HD - $2995
mobility kit - $205
shear force blade - $45
resaw king blade - $260
shipping - ?????

package deal = $3145

[Craig Kalkman]

Laguna has a deal going on now for an LT16HD with two blades, mobility package, and free shipping for $3145. I watched the recent thread discussing the merits of Laguna vs Minimax vs Agazzani. I was just wondering what people thought of this deal. If one decided to get a Laguna is this too good to pass up, or wait around a similar deal will happen every six months or so?

I'm in a similar situation, but I also added Grizzly's G0636X to the mix. With a coupon the price is $1900 for a VERY heavy 5hp saw that gets great reviews. I certainly see the Laguna, MM and Agazzani quality, but I can't for the life of me see how they can be worth more than 50% more. Spec for spec they seem pretty darn close (maybe a slight edge to MM???), yet I haven't heard anyone talk bad about the G0636X. Can someone enlighten me as to why any of the other three are worth 50% more?? I'd really appreciate a Grizzly owner weighing in.

[Brian Ross]

I have the GO514 X that I bought about 4 years ago. It came with the taller fence. I have been going to woodshows for about the last 35 years and was always amazed at sales people demonstrating bandsaws and blades at these wood shows when they would continually slice paper thin veneers. I always figured they were using trick blades or some other bit of snake oil.I also have a Craftsman bandsaw and we all know how they slice veneer. When I got my Grizzly home I immediately put on a quality blade and sliced 12 in wide american chestnut. When I looked at the veneers I was in awe, there was no blade drift and no sign of any descrepancy in the thickness from one edge to the other and there was no snake oil involved. I build kitchens full time and it does not get a lot of use other than ripping 6/4 maple down the middle for drawer boxes. I spend way too much time on forums and continually read of how the other brands are so much better and terms such as " king resaw blade " I recently bought a" Morris " carbide blade and paid $130 for it. It is a 3TPI blade. Not a brand name I was familiar with but it is made in the USA. Bought it from a local distributor of industrial woodworking equipment, BC Saw. A couple of weeks ago I took a piece of 2 x 10, 30 inches long Oak and ripped 3 pieces of veneer 1/16th thick and after cutting I took a micrometer and measured both edges and along each side All the measurements were within 3 thousands of an inch and some of that can be attributed to the fact that I was hand feeding the wood without a feather board. The saw runs very smoothly and quiet almost too quiet as I had an employee release the tension when the saw was still powered, scratch one blade. I have a mix of European, North American and asian equipment in my shop and have no particular loyality to any one brand but the $900 I paid for this bandsaw is one of my better bargains and would have no consideration to any other brand should I need to purchase another. I am not sure what a $3000 bandsaw would do for me that I can't do on my Grizzly unless I needed to rip something wider than 12 inches.

Brian

[Scot Ferraro]

That seems like a good deal for a new machine, especially with free shipping. This machine weighs a lot so free shipping adds value to the price IMHO. The mobility kit is so/so -- it works, but if I had it to do over again I would opts for Zambus Casters instead -- much easier to navigate the machine. The Resaw King blade is awesome.

Scot

[Van Huskey]

I'm in a similar situation, but I also added Grizzly's G0636X to the mix. With a coupon the price is $1900 for a VERY heavy 5hp saw that gets great reviews. I certainly see the Laguna, MM and Agazzani quality, but I can't for the life of me see how they can be worth more than 50% more. Spec for spec they seem pretty darn close (maybe a slight edge to MM???), yet I haven't heard anyone talk bad about the G0636X. Can someone enlighten me as to why any of the other three are worth 50% more?? I'd really appreciate a Grizzly owner weighing in.

Actually the price of the 636 is usually about 1/3 less and the margin is even closer with the current Laguna deal if you want the extras. A very good deal on the Laguna BTW.

As a resaw bandsaw the 636 stands up very well against the MM and the Laguna but I am not as big a fan of it for non-resaw work. The Laguna has significantly better guides for 1/4"-1/2" blades and the weakness of the 636 is how far away the lower guides are from the bottom of the workpiece.

In the current example I give the nod to the Laguna guides, the Laguna's motor, fit and finish, and resell. In the end the 636 is probably poised better to take on the Italians than its big brother with nearly matches their prices.

If you are wanting to stay near the $2K price point another saw to consider is the Hammer.