Guide Blocks on Laguna HD18

[Trevor Walsh]

Hey Everyone,

I run a school shop, I'm partial to old equipment, but we're not really allowed to buy used things here, when replacing our large bandsaw I got a Laguna HD18" saw. I've worked on one before, redoing the tires and tuning it. I'm really impressed with it, but I hate the guide blocks now that I've been able to use it a bit. The students are not always as sensitive as someone who knows what they are doing, (what you mean I can cut that fast, why not?:confused:), I made cocobolo blocks for an old Powermatic 141 we used to have once upon a time (which I'd kill my younger self for replacing) and really liked the way it worked. I'm right now considering designing and manufacturing similar guides for the Laguna and making it all tool-less. Before I get into all of that I was wondering if anyone knew of other alternatives to the standard guides.

I'm thinking I could instead make the "C" shaped pieces out of a dense wood and replace the stock aluminum and ceramic bits with those. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Andrew Hughes]

When I had a Laguna I thought the ceramic guides where great. I have even thought how nice my Aggazani saw would be if it had them.
What are they doing to them running the blades tooth set into them.

[Geoff Crimmins]

You might take a look at the Cool Blocks kits Laguna sells for their guides. They might work for you, or it might give you inspiration for making something. Basically, they replace the ceramic guide blocks with adjustable phenolic rods. They still use the ceramic thrust "bearing."

https://lagunatools.com/accessories/bandsaw-accessories/ceramic-guides/cool-block-kits/

The ceramic guides are great, but not if the kids are going to do something that would cause the blade teeth to hit the guide blocks.

--Geoff