Band saws worth considering ...

[Elle Sands]

Hi all,

I am shopping for a band saw for the woodshop I am building at home. I have access to pretty reasonably priced 8/4 hardwood (especially the maple) and I would really like to be able to resaw these 12"x48" pieces. I have been doing pretty well selecting tools that have great dust control, so I am interested in continuing that trend with this band saw. After looking around, I can see that the really inexpensive saws probably aren't going to do it for me. Given that I would like to resaw as well as use it for cutting curves, ease of blade changes probably matters. All that being said, several saws including the Laguna 14bx and the Hammer 4400 look like they might work. My question is this: For a home shop where the saw won't be in continuous use, is there a benefit to the European saws like the Hammer and the Mini-Max that would justify the price premium over a Laguna 14bx (or a Grizzly G0778)?

Thanks again in advance for your help ... this site is amazing!

Elle

[Paul Girouard]

I’m thinking of adding a band saw to my shop, the Laguna added HP would be nice , BUT seeing the Grizzly is only 1/2 HP less I wonder if the added cost of the Laguna is worth the added $300.00 or so of costs??

Also I can easily drive to Grizzly and pick up that saw where as the Laguna I’d be paying for shipping.

They both take up to a 3/4” blade for resawing, which would be my reason to get a bandsaw, I debate myself on that as well , as I’ve survived all these years without a bandsaw , I’ll be 63 in less than a month, so it’s hard to convince myself a bandsaw is worth the costs??

Maybe a upgraded spiral head 6” jointer to replace my old Sear’s 6” jointer would be a better way to spend my 10 year bonus check from the company I work for???






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Sorry for the thread drift, but it could lead to a more interesting thread.

[Bill Dufour]

Where do you live? In the USA I would look for a used rockwell 20" The powermatic 20 is nicer but bigger. A Doall or Grob are even better but you will pay a price and size premium for them. From my research Doall is the easiest to move because they have a tapped lift hole in the upper arm since the late 1950's.
Bil lD.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Good Luck cutting through 12 inches of Maple with 3hp.

[Van Huskey]

Note the G0778 has only 10" of resaw height. The G0817 is a more direct competitor to the 14BX. My two favorite 14" saws at the $1500 price point are the 14BX and the Rikon 10-353. The Hammer saws are over-priced now compared to when they were introduced. The Minimax now Formula saws are the best steel frame saws you can buy today but the 400 (16") is going to run you over $3500. I love them and have a pair of 500s and a pair of 600s. Myself 3hp is the least I want for 12" of resawing in moderately hard wood (1/4hp per inch). It can be done with less but it becomes more of a chore than a hobby IMO. I know people that do it with 14" cast saws and 1hp motors.

Used is also an option if you are interested in going that way but sometimes it requires being patient and looking at some bad ones.

As with any machine purchase I say first be honest with yourself about what your true budget is, then decide if you are going new or possibly used. Once that is ironed out just get the best one you can get for your money, but at this point it seems you are leaving your budget a little wishy-washy, shopping without a budget is a sure way to spend more money than you will be happy with afterward.

[Elle Sands]

As with any machine purchase I say first be honest with yourself about what your true budget is, then decide if you are going new or possibly used. Once that is ironed out just get the best one you can get for your money, but at this point it seems you are leaving your budget a little wishy-washy, shopping without a budget is a sure way to spend more money than you will be happy with afterward.

This is VERY good advice. I sat down and followed it. Now a 14bx is en route. I'm really looking forward to getting it set up.

I got the 2.5HP version, so yesterday I ran the Romex for the 220 circuit. Next stop: Home Depot to get a breaker and an outlet ... but the Laguna site says it takes a NEMA 5-15, which might be true for the 110V version, but can't be true for this one. I will look elsewhere for a better spec :)

Thanks again for your help!

Elle.

[Van Huskey]

This is VERY good advice. I sat down and followed it. Now a 14bx is en route. I'm really looking forward to getting it set up.

I got the 2.5HP version, so yesterday I ran the Romex for the 220 circuit. Next stop: Home Depot to get a breaker and an outlet ... but the Laguna site says it takes a NEMA 5-15, which might be true for the 110V version, but can't be true for this one. I will look elsewhere for a better spec :)

Thanks again for your help!

Elle.

I think you will be happy with the 14BX it is a great saw for the money. What you need is a 6-15 for the 240v 14BX not the 5-15 which as you note is a 120v plug/receptacle used on the 1 3/4hp saw.

[Andrew Seemann]

Good Luck cutting through 12 inches of Maple with 3hp.

Even if you could cut through it, I have no idea why you would want to. I can't imagine using a 12" wide 4/4 hard maple board on anything; it is too unstable and has too much seasonal shrinkage. Not to mention that it would immediately cup after resawing, the center of the board will almost certainly be at a different moisture content than the outside. Anything I would be using maple for, I would be ripping to rough width before resawing. You almost have to if you want the end result to not warp too much.

Be certain you really need 12 inches of resaw capacity before you decide. That is a lot to extra to pay for something that may not often be needed, if ever.

[Van Huskey]

Be certain you really need 12 inches of resaw capacity before you decide. That is a lot to extra to pay for something that may not often be needed, if ever.

I guess you would really freak out about my saws with 24" of resaw capacity...

[Chris Hachet]

Even if you could cut through it, I have no idea why you would want to. I can't imagine using a 12" wide 4/4 hard maple board on anything; it is too unstable and has too much seasonal shrinkage. Not to mention that it would immediately cup after resawing, the center of the board will almost certainly be at a different moisture content than the outside. Anything I would be using maple for, I would be ripping to rough width before resawing. You almost have to if you want the end result to not warp too much.

Be certain you really need 12 inches of resaw capacity before you decide. That is a lot to extra to pay for something that may not often be needed, if ever.

Cutting guitar tops comes to mind...something my Powermatic 20 will do just fine.

[Art Mann]

I am going to propose a radical idea for you. It is based on my own considerable experience. First of all, it is just plain wrong to imply that a low (1.75) horsepower can't resaw 12 inch hardwood. I know because I do that with my Laguna 14/12 all the time. You just have to use patience. If you are planning on both resawing and curve cutting, my advice is to buy two band saws and use one for each purpose. You can buy two for the same price as some of the more expensive saws you are proposing right now. The level of frustration created by using a low power saw to cut thick wood is nowhere near the level of frustration of frequently changing blades unless you mostly resaw. Even the easiest to change saws are tedious and time consuming.

[Van Huskey]

I am going to propose a radical idea for you. It is based on my own considerable experience. First of all, it is just plain wrong to imply that a low (1.75) horsepower can't resaw 12 inch hardwood. I know because I do that with my Laguna 14/12 all the time. You just have to use patience. If you are planning on both resawing and curve cutting, my advice is to buy two band saws and use one for each purpose. You can buy two for the same price as some of the more expensive saws you are proposing right now. The level of frustration created by using a low power saw to cut thick wood is nowhere near the level of frustration of frequently changing blades unless you mostly resaw. Even the easiest to change saws are tedious and time consuming.

I always agree on multiple saws, however, I find lower power resawing (anything less than 1/4hp per inch) to be more of a pain than changing blades on most of my saws. Lower handfed rates usually result in a poorer finish which is more of an issue with veneer. It really comes down to where your patience lies, in changing blades or slower cuts. 1.75hp will certainly cut 12" of domestic hardwood and with the right blade won't require shaving once you are done, unless you needed to shave before you started.

In the end, the OP made their choice and will have 2.5hp which is indeed a nice thing to have.

[Art Mann]

Van, you certainly know your band saws but I am going to have to disagree with your assessment of the time required to resaw with a Laguna 14/12 or the quality of the resultant cut. The Laguna was an upgrade! I used to resaw with a Craftsman/Rikon 1 hp band saw that would only handle 8 inches of height. It was even slower but still did the job I required of it. Heck, there was a time when 20 inch bandsaws came with a 1.5 horsepower motor and nobody complained back then. There is some context involved here that you aren't taking into consideration.

[BRIAN CASTLE]

Apologies for hi-jacking this thread for my own selfish interests… I have been looking at adding a 14" band saw to my shop to complement a vintage Power King 912—primarily for re saw capabilities, etc. Besides the 14bx mentioned above, it seems that the Rikon 10-326 and a few Grizzly models always come up in conversation as comparable to each other at this size and general price range $1300 +/-. Any advice or personal experience that people would be willing to offer regarding brands and/or specific saws to take a harder look at, or to stay away from would be greatly appreciated.

[Mark e Kessler]

? I have done 10-11" Walnut on a Laguna 1412 and I think its only 1.75hp and I don't even have it wired at 220v. If I was doing it all the time I would want a bigger saw....


Good Luck cutting through 12 inches of Maple with 3hp.

[Mark e Kessler]

My only comment is...I am confused by your response...It makes no sense...



Even if you could cut through it, I have no idea why you would want to. I can't imagine using a 12" wide 4/4 hard maple board on anything; it is too unstable and has too much seasonal shrinkage. Not to mention that it would immediately cup after resawing, the center of the board will almost certainly be at a different moisture content than the outside. Anything I would be using maple for, I would be ripping to rough width before resawing. You almost have to if you want the end result to not warp too much.

Be certain you really need 12 inches of resaw capacity before you decide. That is a lot to extra to pay for something that may not often be needed, if ever.

[Ben Rivel]

Guys, check the date on this OP. This is an older thread that probably shouldnt have been bumped...

[Randy Heinemann]

I am going to propose a radical idea for you. It is based on my own considerable experience. First of all, it is just plain wrong to imply that a low (1.75) horsepower can't resaw 12 inch hardwood. I know because I do that with my Laguna 14/12 all the time. You just have to use patience. If you are planning on both resawing and curve cutting, my advice is to buy two band saws and use one for each purpose. You can buy two for the same price as some of the more expensive saws you are proposing right now. The level of frustration created by using a low power saw to cut thick wood is nowhere near the level of frustration of frequently changing blades unless you mostly resaw. Even the easiest to change saws are tedious and time consuming.

I would agree. I have a Rikon 10-325 with a 1 3/4 HP motor. I have resawn 10" material and, while you need to go slow, the speed of feed isn't that bad and the result is great unless the saw isn't set up right or the blade is dull. I doubt my saw would work for you because I think the capacity is 11", not 12". However, my point is that, unless you are using it a lot to resaw the substantial material you are talking about, I wouldn't spend more than you need. Maybe a saw with 2 HP would be a good compromise. I also agree that I'd buy a saw with the capacity you need for resawing and buy a second, maybe lesser saw, for curve cutting. If you switch between curve cutting and resawing often, then you will get sick of changing blades and setting the guides, etc. each time.

[Nick Lazz]

I didn't read through all of the posts so this may have been covered...but when purchasing a saw that claims a certain HP rating, you need to actually do the math with the numbers indicated on the motor to ensure what they claim is actually true. Some manufacturers use a "saw duty" rating when claiming their HP with proprietary motors. Laguna is one of those manufacturers. Their numbers do not always add up to the HP they claim. Simple math will solve that problem.

There are 746 watts in 1 HP... so the calc looks like this: Power= Voltage x Current (amps) x efficiency x PF

disclaimer: I am not an expert in electrical theory but I got this information from an uncle who was (he is now passed). The math works and it has helped me. I am just passing it along. I am sure there are some experts here that may have more to add or can elaborate on this subject to make it more clear.
I used this to have Laguna replace a motor they claimed had 2.5 HP when in reality it produced a little over 1 HP. And that was on a brand new saw!

[Tom Bussey]

It is a matter of what you need to do with it. If I need to haul a lot of crushed rock I need a 10 tone dump truck. If I just need a little every so often for the end of my drive way then my Ford Ranger will work, even if I need to make 3 trips.

I have a Grizzly 17 extreme with a wood mizer blade on it for resawing, a MM S45 with a 1/4-6 blade and an Inca 10 inch saw with a 1/8 -14 blade on it. It is easier and faster to change saws than blades. Just for the record I have a complete set of kitchen cabinets to build in the spring and the last kitchen I did took 35 sheets of plywood. I buy 4/4 rough or skip planed wood from saw mills. I find it faster to flatten rails and styles on the jointer. Edge one side and then resaw the board to just over 3/4 thickness that way I send it through the planner once. Not many planner shavings to get rid of just strips from the band saw and I don't have to adjust the planner. Can I resaw the panel for a raised panel door? Yes, if it is 12 inches or less, It may take a few minutes more because it is a 2 hp motor but still no planner adjustment.

It comes down what will work for 90 % of your work and yet do the big job to.One does not need a MM 16 if 90% is 3/4 or less in thickness. Given space limitations is faster to changs saw than blades.

[Malcolm McLeod]

Apologies for hi-jacking this thread for my own selfish interests… I have been looking at adding a 14" band saw to my shop to complement a vintage Power King 912—primarily for re saw capabilities, etc. Besides the 14bx mentioned above, it seems that the Rikon 10-326 and a few Grizzly models always come up in conversation as comparable to each other at this size and general price range $1300 +/-. Any advice or personal experience that people would be willing to offer regarding brands and/or specific saws to take a harder look at, or to stay away from would be greatly appreciated.

Brian, I spent the day resawing 9/4 x 11-1/2"W white oak on a Rikon 10-345 (18" 2.5Hp & 1/2" carbide blade). It does an excellent job IMO - far better than the 14" Jet it replaced.

I have no experience with the old iron or Euro saws, so will have to defer to the 'big' users on them.:cool: