for minimax 20" bandsaw owners

[Mastruca e Cambales]

Hi, creekers. anyone can tell me about height and weight of theminimax 20" bandsaw and his opinion about this italian made machine? Thank you all

[Jim Matthews]

My MM20 is the only stationary power tool in my shop.

I keep it in the back of my two-car garage, and wheel it out when needed.
It clears the overhead garage doors, and at just under 800 pounds/350 kg I can move it myself.
(It was supplied with a set of wheels on the back.)

It cuts straight, and starts every time.

I would say that the stock blade guides on mine (Centauro made it) are ineffective.
The very expensive roller guides I purchased are now more common, and easier to adjust.

When resawing boards that expose more than 25cm of the blade, I doubt the guides do much.
At that point the basic alignment of the blade, blade tension, tooth sharpness and feed rate are what determine straightness in the cut.

It's an excellent machine that exceeds the quality needed to make my clumsy furniture.

Do I need all the capacity it offers?
Certainly not.

Do I feel limited by what it can or cannot do for me?
Not yet.

[guy knight]

top quality saw cant imagine how anyone could make a better saw love mine

[Mastruca e Cambales]

Thank you fo your answers. What about the exact height of the machine? My shop's roof is not much high...

[Michael Mahan]

Thank you fo your answers. What about the exact height of the machine? My shop's roof is not much high...


specs as posted by MiniMax SPECIFICATIONS:
Table size: 19.75” X 27.75”
Table height: 35”
Table tilt: +45 degrees
Blade speed: 5000 fpm
Blade capacity: .125”-1.25”
Suggested blade length: 171”
Maximum cutting height: 20”
Maximum cutting width: 19.50”
Machine shipping weight: 755 lbs.
Net weight: 635 lbs.

I love my S500P (MM20)

[Mike Heidrick]

My MM20 labeled saw is 800lbs not 635lbs. i will get the height of it later.

[Bernie May]

83" tall for MM20

[Mastruca e Cambales]

Thank you all. I own an acm star 400 and i'm considering to sell it and buy a mm 20 alias s500p. I have to resaw a lot of wild ulivo wood ( here in sardinia called olivastro), leccio ( a kind of oak) antd ginepro, all very hard wood, and the common carbon steel blade i use dull very quickly. The acm star 400 can not fit the bimetal and carbide band 1" wide becouse the small diameter of flywheels. Do you think this is possible by the minimax s500p?

[Michael Mahan]

Thank you all. I own an acm star 400 and i'm considering to sell it and buy a mm 20 alias s500p. I have to resaw a lot of wild ulivo wood ( here in sardinia called olivastro), leccio ( a kind of oak) antd ginepro, all very hard wood, and the common carbon steel blade i use dull very quickly. The acm star 400 can not fit the bimetal and carbide band 1" wide becouse the small diameter of flywheels. Do you think this is possible by the minimax s500p?
I'm sure Erik will chime in here , but the MM20 will handle all large 1" carbide blades with no issue , Lenox does now make 1" carbide blades that will work in 16" wheel bands saws

[Mastruca e Cambales]

I'm sure Erik will chime in here , but the MM20 will handle all large 1" carbide blades with no issue , Lenox does now make 1" carbide blades that will work in 16" wheel bands saws
Thank you, Mike. I visited the Lenox web site but i don't understand what's the band ( trimaster?) Can handle my star 400

[Mastruca e Cambales]

I'm sure Erik will chime in here , but the MM20 will handle all large 1" carbide blades with no issue , Lennox does now make 1" carbide blades that will work in 16" wheel bands sawsWaiting for the 'opinion of Erik

[Chris Padilla]

I concur with everyone else regarding the MM20: excellent excellent saw! In fact, I just ran mine through the ringer last weekend resawing some 12" wide maple into 3/4" boards. I had my trusty 1" Lenox Trimaster carbide blade on there and it sang right through the maple. One thing I'd suggest is upgrading the fence to the nice Laguna one (Driftmaster I think it is called).

[Chris Padilla]

I would say that the stock blade guides on mine (Centauro made it) are ineffective.
The very expensive roller guides I purchased are now more common, and easier to adjust.

Mine still have the stock guides on it and I've always been happy with them. What did you upgrade to, Jim?

[Jim Matthews]

I bought from Carter.

Euro 5, if I recall correctly.
http://www.carterproducts.com/band-saw-products/band-saw-conversion-kits/euro-5

I can't say that it tracks better with these, but it does make less noise.

I suspect that proper alignment between the wheels, tension and feed rate are more important.
By the time the guides engage, I'm already off track.

[Erik Loza]

No problem with the 1.0" Lenox Woodmaster CT or Tri-master on our 400 and 500mm saws. I recommend them, in fact. Just de-tension at the end of each use.
Hope this helps,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Mastruca e Cambales]

No problem with the 1.0" Lenox Woodmaster CT or Tri-master on our 400 and 500mm saws. I recommend them, in fact. Just de-tension at the end of each use.
Hope this helps,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA
thank you, Erik. Are the tires of the minaimax band saws totally flat or have they a light crown? I recently replaced the crown tires of my acm star 400 with a flat cork made strip glued onto the whells. Now the tracking of the blade is more difficoult

[Erik Loza]

thank you, Erik. Are the tires of the minaimax band saws totally flat or have they a light crown? I recently replaced the crown tires of my acm star 400 with a flat cork made strip glued onto the whells. Now the tracking of the blade is more difficoult

Totally flat.

Best,

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Mastruca e Cambales]

Erik, what do you think about the acm star 400 bandsaw: are it's performance equivalent to minimax 16 or not?

[Erik Loza]

Erik, what do you think about the acm star 400 bandsaw: are it's performance equivalent to minimax 16 or not?

"Performance" in what way?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[David Kumm]

ACM star is their lighter duty series machine. Not the equivalent of the Centauro based MM. I had the heavier model ACM 440 and it was lighter than the MM16 as well. Dave

[Mastruca e Cambales]

"Performance" in what way?

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

Attitude to resawing work, independently to maximum hight cut capacity