Bandsaw advice: Laguna 1412, bigger, or old iron?

[Matt Krusen]

This seems to be a fairly common question recently. I'm in the market for a new bandsaw. I like to incorporate a lot of curves into my work but I definitely want good resaw capability. I believe the Laguna 1412 would resaw fairly well with the 1 3/4 hp motor and it'd be beautiful for curves. However, I would certainly jump on the opportunity for something like an MM16 or larger and I'm always tempted by old iron. I would also consider the larger Grizzly, Jet, and Rikon models if anyone can tell me their experiences with those.

Any advice, opinions, reviews etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks everybody.

PS: The walls are still open in the new shop so I can wire in whatever I need. Three 220v 30amp circuits in already.

[Jim Andrew]

I have only experience with a 12" Delta, which was ok, and an old 14" Powermatic from 35 years ago, and a MM16 which I currently have. The old Powermatic was in a school shop when I taught guess it was 40 years ago. It was not a bad saw, problem was getting blades that had decent welds. I can only remember one blade that ran smooth. Rest were all like a bang bang bang as the weld went through the guides. Kids were afraid of the bandsaw, and I sawed just about all the bandsaw cuts in the shop. I got pretty good operating it over a couple years. We did not resaw, just curves and angles. That old Powermatic was no comparison to my MM16, but was ok on angles and curves. I can make lumber from logs with my MM16. Thing is a tank.

[Loren Woirhaye]

I think it's hard to wrong with an Italian steel-frame saw. Larger industrial old American iron-framed band saws over 20" may be a real hassle to move and if the saw requires new tires that's an added expense. Even though I have many vintage machines I'm not real attracted to big vintage band saws because they are hard to move around. If you have a good-sized shop and can set up a big band saw and leave it in one place, I've seen 32" and larger saws sell for crazy cheap. There was even a 36" Agazzanni on my local CL for $500 and it took a few months to go away.

A lot depends on the work you do. I don't do a lot of resawing these days. Mostly I use the band saw for making shaping and bending jigs, but that's perhaps just a phase I'm in. They can do a lot of cuts well, including dovetails, tenons, duplicate parts.

[John Lanciani]

I won't post a link for obvious reasons but a lightly used MM16 popped up for sale on Woodnet at a fair price last night. Located in WV, may be worth a road trip.

[Matt Krusen]

Thanks for the info guys. I check all of the CL ads in about a 150 mile radius every day. There's so much junk...

John, that MM16 is a pretty good price. Very tempting. Just have to convince my soon to be fiancé that I'll have to downsize her ring for "yet another tool" ;)

[Loren Woirhaye]

There was another thread where a lot of other sources were announced. Several machines I've bought lately have been via auction sites, which is admittedly nerve wracking because you usually can't easily look the machine over personally, but they are bigger, more specialized machines. Often businesses and other entities clearing out unused machinery don't want to deal with a machine sitting around for several months fielding inquiries and they just put it up with no reserve and let the market set the price. Band saws are actually pretty simple machines so if a saw on an auction site looks like it hasn't been run hard, it probably hasn't been. On newer machines factory paint jobs and decal condition can indicate a lot about overall condition.

[John Lanciani]

Just have to convince my soon to be fiancé that I'll have to downsize her ring for "yet another tool" ;)

Meh, can't do much with a big rock except for maybe use it to dress a grinding wheel.

(Buy a CZ, if she ever figures out that it's fake it just means that she cares more about what the rock is worth than what it represents.(before you ask, 23 years and counting, never bought a diamond))

[Jon McElwain]

The Laguna 1412 looks like a decent machine, but it is NOT one of their Italian saws. I own the Laguna 14 SUV (Asian Manufacture), and I would give it a "middle of the road" rating for fit and finish. I have not put my hands on the 1412, but I suspect that it is of similar quality. That said, once I got it set up and tuned, and now that I am over being frustrated by a few fit and finish issues, it is a solid performing machine. I mostly do resaw and cutting of bowl blanks with it.

[Gus Dundon]

I prefer larger band saw for bunch of resawing and small band saw for cutting curves.

[Jamie Buxton]

Just outside of your 150 mile search radius, in Dundee, MI, Craigslist has a post of a 24" SCMI bandsaw for only $1350. That's a terrific price on a good big saw. Yes, it is 3-phase, but you can buy a converter for $150 or so.