Iturra Bandsaw Catalogue available here...

[Jim Barrett]

If you are interested in Louis Iturra's Bandsaw catalogue I have a pdf copy of it located here:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25128636/Iturra_Design_catalogue_2010.pdf

It is a large file, ~39mb

Enjoy!

Jim

[Dick Mahany]

Thanks Jim,

I ordered a catalog from Iturra but gave up after repeated requests. Then, out of the blue, 2 yrs later!, I received a copy. By then I had already done all of the improvements through other sources, so the paper went to the recycling bin. The catalog had some good info, but I couldn't believe the lack of response. I'm sure others have had great experiences, but not here.

[Joseph Tarantino]

only positive experiences here with lou, but he definitely is different. FWIW, i think he tends to only ship the catalog with purchases. at least that's my experience.

[John TenEyck]

Yeah, Louis does just enough things right to stay in business. Of course, it's a recipe for minimal growth, too, but I guess he likes it as it is.

John

[jared herbert]

Louis has treated me very well over the years. I have bought a number of blades and some rather obscure parts from him. They arrive in a very short time and there is always a new catalog in the box, so I guess you have to know what you want before you make that first order. Jared

[Tom Henderson2]

Thanks Jim -- very helpful.

[John Bailey]

I've a band saw centric shop. I buy all my blades and anything else Louis has that I need. It's great to be able to talk directly to the expert. I imagine its costly to mail a catalogue by itself. Louis will usually use the "whatever you can fit in for one price" box and can add a catalogue with no extra cost. I've received 3 this year and give them away. I keep one right by my easy chair and have enjoyed reading it many times.

[John Coloccia]

I've a band saw centric shop. I buy all my blades and anything else Louis has that I need. It's great to be able to talk directly to the expert. I imagine its costly to mail a catalogue by itself. Louis will usually use the "whatever you can fit in for one price" box and can add a catalogue with no extra cost. I've received 3 this year and give them away. I keep one right by my easy chair and have enjoyed reading it many times.

If I recall correctly, people have offered to host his catalog on their website. I've never heard of anyone making things this difficult for potential customers.

[John Bailey]

If I recall correctly, people have offered to host his catalog on their website. I've never heard of anyone making things this difficult for potential customers.

You're right! Even someone like me that is a loyal customer has difficulty sometimes. I, almost, always have my iPad with me and rely on it for information. When I'm not home and want to check on an Iturra item, I just have to wait till I get home. Or, if I'm out of town, let's say at a friend's house, and we want to look at an item from Iturra, we're out of luck.

He's probably one of those guys that's not that motivated by money and is happy with his small shop and level of business.

I'll be ordering some blades soon, maybe I'll just ask him!

[David Kumm]

I take heart in the fact that when people who aren't the best business model people survive, it is generally because they are fair and sell good stuff. Sometime the businesses with the slickest promotional material and easy access are depending on an ever new supply of customers to compensate for selling average stuff. Louis, when you get him, is a valuable resource. Tough for him to compete on price for blades though. Dave

[Johnny Rowland]

Link doesn't work..

[Matt Day]

Probably because this thread is 1 1/2 years old and it was a Dropbox file? Did you pm the OP?

[bruce erdman]

It does work as of 4/14/2015.

[Dan Hintz]

Works for me... but yeah, the thread is over 2 years old.

[Frederick Skelly]

Works for me... but yeah, the thread is over 2 years old.

Thats odd, it doesnt work for me. Bummer!

[glenn bradley]

The site is slow but, it did download OK. It is the 2010 catalog so, not sure how useful it is.

[Erik Loza]

...I've never heard of anyone making things this difficult for potential customers.

Try working with the Italians...

Erik

[John Coloccia]

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to get my family to make a bandsaw, Erik. I may have to agree with you there.

[Peter Kelly]

Try having your family make the best bandsaw :)


Iturra 2010 catalog here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3YESquFADxsOEV3SlFvblhoVDQ/view?usp=sharing) if anyone is having trouble with the Dropbox link. Aside from a few additions and subtractions, it isn't hugely different from the newest one.

[Edward Oleen]

I called Louis a few weeks ago, and happened to mention the scarcity of his catalog. He laughed, and said that he sends them if you order something (as I recall). I can believe that he isn't going to send it for free - they are expensive to print. Just look at the size of it.

[John Coloccia]

How do you order something without the catalog? Anyhow, they're available online from various places these days, but a few years ago it was like some scene out of Catch-22.

a: "How do I get the catalog?"
b: "You have to order something."
a: "How do I order something if I don't have a catalog?"
b: "What are you looking for?"
a: "Well, I don't know just yet."
b: "When you know what you want, just let me know."
a: "But I need to see the catalog to know what I want!"
b: "So you don't actually want anything in particular?"
a: "Not yet. I just want to browse through the catalog."
b: "If you order something, I'll send you a catalog."
a: "But I don't know what I want!!"
b: "Think about it some more, then, and get back to me."
a: "I don't understand this at all."
b: "That's the beauty of it. NO ONE does. All you have to know is if you order something, I'll send you a catalog...."

[Erik Loza]

Actually, being a little mysterious and elusive is sometimes and plus in this market. Look at Agazzani bandsaws. Nicest fit and finish of any Italian saw ever built (the Minimax S45N is close, however). Far superior to Centauro and better than ACM. As nice as Agazzanis are or were, they were also the least robust of any of the Italian saws, yet people talk about them as if each one was hand-forged by a golden unicorn or something. "I'm gonna' hold out for one of those!"... Would hear that from time to time. Guys willing to wait longer, pay more, and get a less powerful machine in order to have that name, which is pretty enviable from a sales perspective. Personally, I think it was their elusiveness that kept them in the market. They were the smallest of any of the Italian mfrs. and represented by only one dealer here in the US, who actually had a worse website than Minimax USA (if that is even possible...), yet they still hold a cult-like status. I almost feel like they would have lost some of that allure if there were more of them out there and if they were eaiser to get info about.

I kind of view Louis' deal the same way (who I do not personally know but who many of my owners speak very highly of...): Perhaps the fact that he has so many cult-like followers, yet is still challenging to get info from, is what keeps guys talking about him?

Erik

[Rodger Kanis]

For those that can't access the file on Dropbox, are you trying to do so at work? Many companies block file sharing sites like Dropbox so that you don't send their data out (or bad data/files in) either on purpose or accidentally. It's a security and risk mitigation choice.

If you're at home, well, no idea then.

[Peter Kelly]

Actually, being a little mysterious and elusive is sometimes and plus in this market. Look at Agazzani bandsaws. Nicest fit and finish of any Italian saw ever built (the Minimax S45N is close, however). Far superior to Centauro and better than ACM. As nice as Agazzanis are or were, they were also the least robust of any of the Italian saws, yet people talk about them as if each one was hand-forged by a golden unicorn or something. "I'm gonna' hold out for one of those!"... Would hear that from time to time. Guys willing to wait longer, pay more, and get a less powerful machine in order to have that name, which is pretty enviable from a sales perspective. Personally, I think it was their elusiveness that kept them in the market. They were the smallest of any of the Italian mfrs. and represented by only one dealer here in the US, who actually had a worse website than Minimax USA (if that is even possible...), yet they still hold a cult-like status. I almost feel like they would have lost some of that allure if there were more of them out there and if they were eaiser to get info about.

I kind of view Louis' deal the same way (who I do not personally know but who many of my owners speak very highly of...): Perhaps the fact that he has so many cult-like followers, yet is still challenging to get info from, is what keeps guys talking about him?

ErikFunny, I never considered the analogy between Eagle Tools and Iturra Design but it's pretty accurate.

One thing that did strike me as odd about Eagle; last time I went in there a year ago they still had the full display of Italian-made Agazzani saws. When I inquited about price, Jesse's son said that they weren't actually for sale but he'd let me know when they'd be receiving the German-made Panhans branded ones.

What exactly would be the point in keeping older saws in the showroom if they weren't for sale and wouldn't likely ever be returing to the US market?

[Erik Loza]

...What exactly would be the point in keeping older saws in the showroom if they weren't for sale and wouldn't likely ever be returing to the US market?

That's an excellent question!

Erik

[Robert Sanford]

OK Guys and Gals I just received the Iturra Design Catalog Winter Issue 2016. It is very large (about 245 pages) but I will try my best to scan it and post to this forum. I will however call them and ask their permission first. For those not wanting to wait I just sent an email to KALLL@comcast.net asking for a catalog and received it in just seven days via Priority Mail.

[Van Huskey]

OK Guys and Gals I just received the Iturra Design Catalog Winter Issue 2016. It is very large (about 245 pages) but I will try my best to scan it and post to this forum. I will however call them and ask their permission first. For those not wanting to wait I just sent an email to KALLL@comcast.net asking for a catalog and received it in just seven days via Priority Mail.

The last one I have is 2012 and is 240 pages. There is a lot of useful (and controversial) info in his "catalog" especially for Delta 14" saws and the clones.

[Chuck Nickerson]

Eagle; last time I went in there a year ago they still had the full display of Italian-made Agazzani saws. When I inquited about price, Jesse's son said that they weren't actually for sale but he'd let me know when they'd be receiving the German-made Panhans branded ones.

What exactly would be the point in keeping older saws in the showroom if they weren't for sale and wouldn't likely ever be returing to the US market?

They'll be happy to sell them once they know that spare parts will be available. I want the Ag 18-18 they've got on display, but long-term customer service is important to Jesse at Eagle Tools.

[Robert Sanford]

Iturra Design asks that I do not scan and put the 2016 Iturra Design catalog online and to do so would be copyright infringement ( I don't even want to go there). Just email them at KALLL@comcast.net. It will be worth the time and effort.

["Felix Marti"]

Iturra is a small firm which I hoped to support.
Louis Iterra seems like a nice guy.
I bought Iturra's blade tension gauge, and later some blades.
One blade was a Lenox TriMaster for my 20" PowerMatic Bandsaw. Louis' price was better than most available.
A day or two after beginning use of the blade, the weld popped, cramming the broken blade into every crevice it could find in the bandsaw; fortunately didn't hurt either wheel tire. But required many bad words, an extra pair of hands, and about 20 minutes to extract it.
Louis said to send it back, he'd cut out the bad part and weld in a new section (he didn't address the fact that I'd have some slightly used teeth mixed in with new teeth) and pay postage both ways.
The "repaired" blade came back, was installed, drift dealt with, and rough cuts ensued.
Looked closely at "repaired" blade, discovered the new section was welded just short of two missing teeth.
"Send it back!" said Louis. I did. "repaired-twice" blade returned. rougher cut than ever. Here, let me say, the virgin Lenox TriMaster blade gave a fantastically smooth cut!!
I called Louis; no answer to my left message. I emailed, suggesting a new blade might be in order; no response. Nor did he ever reimburse me for postage costs.
So, maybe a nice guy, but crappy service & support. And in the end far more expensive than buying from Lenox.
Felix