Laguna Bandsaw Value?

[Geoff Crimmins]

A friend bought some hardwood from someone downsizing their shop, and he was telling me about a Laguna bandsaw that's also for sale. It's the 18" Resaw Master with the mobility kit and Resaw King carbide blade. The owner bought it about 10 years ago to mill logs into lumber, and after sawing one log realized it was the wrong tool for job. It been sitting unused for 10 years, and unfortunately there must be a leak in the barn roof because my friend said the table has heavy rust on it. I was considering going and looking at the saw, but I have some concerns about it. It sounds like the table is so rusty that there's probably pitting, and who knows what else might be rusty. If the carbide blade has been tensioned on the saw while it sat for 10 years (not sure if it has been or not), then the tires could have flat spots and the blade and motor belt could have a set in them. Are there any other possible problems to look for? With all of this in mind, what might be a fair price for the saw?

[Mike Wilkins]

I am not sure of a value to place on this machine, but I have had a LT18 since 2001 and it has performed well. But mine is in a protected shop away from the elements. Rust on the table top can be cleaned up with no problem; even some pitting will not affect the operation. Worn tires can be sourced from Laguna or outside sources easy enough. My biggest concern with a machine that has been exposed to the elements would be the electrical works. If the machine can be powered prior to a purchase consideration, I would seriously consider making an offer of around 30% of a new machine based on condition.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Mike...it's very likely you can fully restore that saw, but you don't want to pay top-dollar for it. 30% of new is a reasonable offer, IMHO.

[Mike Heidrick]

That sounds way terrible for you OP. Can I have the address?

[John Lanciani]

Vague answer but subtract the cost of repairs (time and materials) from what you would pay for it in perfect condition.

[Matt Day]

First of all, if you got it for a song, do you want to put the time/effort/money into it?

Now, we can’t really put a value on it without knowing more about it. What if the wheels are damaged, what if the motor is shot? What if you need a new table and of course the blade is trashed. If it just needs rust cleaned up off the table or even Blanchard grinding, then maybe 30% would be a good starting point.

[Jamie Buxton]

That back story sounds fishy to me. Would somebody spend $5K for a saw, and immediately abandon it to the elements? If that original owner did find that it wasn't the machine he needed, wouldn't he have sold it to recover most of his initial outlay? It would be much easier to believe that there's something seriously wrong with the saw, and that's why it just sat in the barn for ten years.

[Bill Adamsen]

Cast iron (the table top) can rust heavily if just left in a shop with considerable temperature swings. Corrosion is intensified by having dust on the surface which likely (ten years in the open) this saw had. It definitely doesn't need a leak in the roof to create that issue.

From my perspective a pitted top would not be an issue. Someone mentioned 30% of original purchase price. "Back of the envelope calculation" puts that at likely about what I'd expect to pay, $900-1200. After buying a new blade your investment will be $200 higher. And I would only "fix" the tool to the level of repair needed. For instance, if you only need the top clean and smooth (that would be my criteria), use a razor and synthetic scrub before waxing.

You'd be doing the owner a favor of taking it off his hands, and it would be used in your shop.

[David Kumm]

If my memory is right ( slim chance ) the LT 18 sold for about 2K and the resaw master was at least 3K if not a little more. It was a much heavier frame and more like the current MM16. Table pitting is irrelevant for a bandsaw as long as the motor is good. I'd be in the 1500 range if mechanically sound with good tires and guides in decent condition. Dave

[Geoff Crimmins]

Thank you for all the replies, you've given me a couple things to check out about the saw and an idea of a price range. It sounds like somewhere around $1200, but maybe as low as $900 or as high as $1500 depending on condition. Right now the seller is asking $2000 and is very firm about the price. But maybe that will change with time so I think I'll go take a look at the saw. Jamie, it is an unusual story, but they also have a couple of unused tools for sale that weren't even taken out of the shipping box. There must have been some unexpected change shortly after they bought the tools.

[Geoff Crimmins]

I stopped and looked at the saw the other day. It turns out that there's just light rust on the table and fence rail., which I think would clean up pretty easily. Other than that it's in excellent condition and was only used a couple of times before the owner moved to a new house, where she didn't have a chance to set up the shop again. It includes the mobility kit and carbide blade. The one catch is that the seller doesn't have a 220v outlet to plug it in, so I there is no way for me to see the saw running. So I'm not sure if their asking price of $2000 is fair or not. And it seems like I could find an OWWM bandsaw that would be more saw for less money.

[Dave Sabo]

A Resaw Master in good working order is easily worth 2 grand, especially with a Resaw King blade.

Light surface rust is easily dealt with in a couple of hours. A new motor is gonna cost you about $400-500 if it needs one though. Is it an Italian motor or a USA made one?

Which guides are on that saw? The ceramic Laguna Guides with blue anodizing , or the brass and steel Euro type?

If if the motor is rusty......If the wheels/ bearings are rusty , then that's a different story.

[Mike Kees]

This thread is breaking my heart. I have been looking for a used Italian saw for about 3.5 years. Buy the dang thing already.

[Jamie Buxton]

You can't run the saw before you buy it? Sounds even more fishy to me.

[Jamie Buxton]

I would not buy that saw without running it. I'd figure out how to find 230 volts at the seller's property. Or if the seller's property doesn't have 230 volt service, I'd move the saw to someplace that does have 230 volts. But I would not buy a used saw without running it first.

[John Lanciani]

If it were me and I wanted it at the asking price (which is high in my opinion considering the circumstances) I’d offer $1000 where it sits and the remainder after you move it somewhere and run it. If it doesn’t run the seller can come and get it and give you your $1000 back or keep the $1000 and call it yours.

Personally I would offer $1200 as is, final sale.

[Geoff Crimmins]

Light surface rust is easily dealt with in a couple of hours. A new motor is gonna cost you about $400-500 if it needs one though. Is it an Italian motor or a USA made one?

Which guides are on that saw? The ceramic Laguna Guides with blue anodizing , or the brass and steel Euro type?



It has a US-made Baldor motor and Laguna ceramic guides, and seems to be identical to the bandsaws they sell now. The light rust seems to be from condensation in an unheated garage, so I'm not too concerned about it.

[David Utterback]

Do the wheels turn freely and is there any evidence of them being out of round? Are the tires in good shape? Has the blade tension been released during the long storage?

I would most likely make any offer conditional on the saw running when power is supplied and that the level of vibration is acceptable. You might be able to remove the motor to move it where a power source is available. That would be a little easier than moving the entire saw.

[David Kumm]

Keep in mind the saw is $4500 new so you have room for some fixes. I've bought a lot of machines because others put too many conditions on a sale. Dave

[Dave Sabo]

It has a US-made Baldor motor and Laguna ceramic guides, and seems to be identical to the bandsaws they sell now. The light rust seems to be from condensation in an unheated garage, so I'm not too concerned about it.

Hope you’ve bought this already. Those two items would cost you $500-$1000 by themselves with the blade another $200.