First Bandsaw Help

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Hey guys,

Technically new here, long time browser, first time poster.

I am finally in a house with ample space to setup a nice shop and have pretty much everything powertool wise MINUS a BS. Which is why I am here to pick yalls brains and get any input I can.

I am looking to buy my first real bandsaw (bigger than 10”) and am fully aware I may upgrade or add a second to the repertoire later, but keeping that in mind I am buying right now with a one saw mentality. I will be doing some resaw, some contour/intricate cutting, etc. I want something that will do pretty well at everything since I don’t and may never have a purely dedicated purpose for it. If and when that time comes though I will adjust accordingly.

So, with that being said, I have been doing a lot of second hand window shopping. I have seen a lot of stuff come and go but here in the past week I have a plethora of options and has me a bit on overload and trying to weed through them has been slightly stressful. So without further adieu, here is what I am looking at.

Second hand options:

1) Grizzly G0555x, 1.5HP with riser block and mobile base. Hardly used, looks like it has hardly even been touched.
-Listed at 800 but would realistically want it in the 600-700 range but wouldn’t be necessarily opposed at 800

2) Laguna LT16 3000, 3HP with mobility kit and a plethora of blades. This is the china built model. Definitely used but very, very well kept, most of the wear is typical tabletop wear but no rust or major damage in sight.
-Listed at 1,200, but would push for 1,000 ... MAYBE lower but feel its not likely to make it past 1000

3) Rikon 10-326, 1.75HP brand new in box but buying it second hand.
-Listed at 1,100, but would push for 900-1000, since I can get the 10-324 (essentially same saw but open stand and 1.5HP) to my door for 900 currently

4) Rikon 10-353, 3HP brand new in box but buying second hand.
-Listed at 1,600 FIRM, with me being the type of person I am I would still try and knock it back 100 but for all intensive purposes lets just say 1,600.

5)Grizzly g0514xf, 19" 3HP this one just appeared in my searches like as I was in the midst of writing this actually, so don't know much seems to be in good condition, maybe missing the fence but waiting for a response about it
-Listed at 600, so if this guy checks out then this alone may change the trajectory of my choice all together haha

Anyways, these are the current “USED” options I am looking at. And out of the bunch I originally was most excited about the Laguna LT16 but the more I read and see and research and the more I look at it…. I am super iffy on if I am going to have regret/buyers remorse later on due to build quality, table size, etc. (Although now the g0514xf has my attention.) The grizzly is the option my wallet likes the best (Again pending the g0514xf update lol) but the g0555x is also the saw with the least rigid wheels and build design as it is a C style body and the lowest in power. Between the Rikons, both are worth their price point and the difference but 1,600 is stretching a bit more than I originally wanted to but its not completely unmanageable if its really worth the extra 500-600 hundred over the other Rikon and Laguna.
But also during all of this I keep looking at new saws too. Specifically the Laguna 1412 and 14BX (2.5HP, 220v) which I can have to my door currently for 1200 and 1500 respectively. As well as a few grizzlys but once I add freight and taxes in the grizzly options I begin treading back into this rikon/laguna pricing territory and am leaning more that route with that being the case.

Also, out of curiosity the Rikon 10-353 is normally 2-2200, and I feel like maybe I am missing something but except for 2 inches of resaw and 0.5 horsepower what is the reasoning for the 600 dollar difference between the 10-353 and the 14BX 220v for example …. ? Like I was saying though, maybe I am missing something…

Anyways all that being said, which do you guys think is the best route for a one saw system, and any others I may be missing that you would suggest? IF you made it this far I very much appreciate it and look forward to any and all input to come. Thanks in advance!

[Clark Hussey]

Have the grizzly 513x2. Which I am very happy with. With shipping and tax it should be under $1500.00. Money well spent.

[Sam Force]

I bought a G0513ANV from grizzly and am really pleased with it. I have resawed some 11 inch black walnut and it cut like butter. Milled some big hackberry logs into turning blank. Resawed a lot of hard maple, 6 inch was the biggest I had. Right now that saw is on sale for $975

[Matthew Curtis]

The Laguna sounds good to me. I almost bought that saw but opted for the 18BX instead.

[glenn bradley]

Having run a couple of G0513's or a number of years I really feel I got the best bang for the buck back when they were purchased. This would make me lean toward the G0514 at that almost-too-good price; I would check it, or the story of why, very carefully. Middle tier bandsaws are not the mystery folks seem to make of them. As long as the saw is well made and in proper working order, a proper setup and alignment will lead to a happy owner. Upper end saws, like most upper end things, are very nice and operate with expectations on a different plane with a price to match. Lower end saws get "if-y" with unreliable consistency of product; not to say that even the big boys don't have QA problems now and again.

[Orrion Kuykendall]

I guess the first thing is; out of all the saws, the g0555x at 600-700 (all other options considered) is definitely a no, right? At this point I think I am gonna narrow down the list by no's first. Haha. Hearing a lot of thumbs up for the grizzly so I feel if the 514 condition and story checks out I would be a moron to get the 555x at the same price... Lol

[andy bessette]

...Hearing a lot of thumbs up for the grizzly... Lol

Lots of people are satisfied with the poor quality Harbor Freight tools too. If you decide to buy third rate machinery, at least look for heavily discounted prices, so you can afford to upgrade to quality later.

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Lots of people are satisfied with the poor quality Harbor Freight tools too. If you decide to buy third rate machinery, at least look for heavily discounted prices, so you can afford to upgrade to quality later.

LOL Ouch. I will say, I have a 8 inch grizzly jointer and from my experience with it I have absolutely no complaints about finish or performance of the machine.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

I'm a hobbyist and I have the 14" G555LX and I'm very happy with it. Once set up correctly, it tracks very true. I added the H7587 resaw fence, a Bear Crawl mobile base, but I haven't bought the riser kit since I haven't found the need to resaw 8"-12" boards yet. Additionally, I followed the recommendations made by Alex Snodgrass for setting it up (search YouTube) which I found to be very helpful.

[Bill Dufour]

Location? I would wait 6 months to a year and see what shows up. Those all sound high priced to me. But I live in the USA. Your options may be more limited. I would look at a delta or powermatic 20" BS for around 1,000$. Grob, Doall, would be similar price, or cheaper, and higher quality.
Bill D

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Location? I would wait 6 months to a year and see what shows up. Those all sound high priced to me. But I live in the USA. Your options may be more limited. I would look at a delta or powermatic 20" BS for around 1,000$. Grob, Doall, would be similar price, or cheaper, and higher quality.
Bill D

I am in the US, Georgia specifically. When is the last time you've done any looking though? I have been watching the market since about January and that seems to be about what the market is. I have heard some of it is due to the China tariffs, some people think its just the economy in general. But not just BS but everything tool related in the entire Southeast seems to be higher price and holding resell value. Seeing decently used stuff move at just 100 or 200 under retail within days. Dunno, think we just may be in a bad time all around for being on the buying side at least, but I need a bandsaw my patience is running thin haha.

[Dave Cav]

I'd take a hard look at the 19" Grizzly. I had the 17" model for years and it was fine; the only reason I sold it was I upgrded to a Minimax 20" The 555 is overpriced and only an OK, not great, saw. Don't know anything about the others.

[Mike Kees]

Rikon 10-326 is a good one. Get on that grizzly for 600,at least check it out .

[Rod Wolfy]

The 19”Grizzly & if it doesn't work out, keep an eye on CL for a few months and get a 16” to 20” saw, so that you don't have to buy twice. An 18” Laguna BX was $1800 new on sale a couple weeks ago, so something similar would last you for years. I use a 14” for tight curves & a 21” for lumber processing or a large throat cut.

[Orrion Kuykendall]

The 19”Grizzly & if it doesn't work out, keep an eye on CL for a few months and get a 16” to 20” saw, so that you don't have to buy twice. An 18” Laguna BX was $1800 new on sale a couple weeks ago, so something similar would last you for years. I use a 14” for tight curves & a 21” for lumber processing or a large throat cut.

Thoughts on that Laguna lt16?

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Also is it just not possible to run as tight of curves on these biggers saws or just not as clean of a finish or what's the reason everyone goes to a smaller saw for the curves? Im missing the catch obviously haha. Blade width?

[Jim Becker]

Also is it just not possible to run as tight of curves on these biggers saws or just not as clean of a finish or what's the reason everyone goes to a smaller saw for the curves? Im missing the catch obviously haha. Blade width?
You "can" use narrower bands on most of the larger saws, but it's not as convenient. Many of them run flat tires, instead of crowned, so with a wider band, the teeth hang slightly off the edge, but the flat tire has full contact with the rest of the band. With a narrow blade you can't track that way so you have to do a different setup in addition to the obvious readjustment of guides, etc. Crowned tires are a little better for more universal blade width situations. Many folks prefer to have a big saw for big tasks and keep a small one for scrolling simply because it avoids all the setup stuff.

[Orrion Kuykendall]

You "can" use narrower bands on most of the larger saws, but it's not as convenient. Many of them run flat tires, instead of crowned, so with a wider band, the teeth hang slightly off the edge, but the flat tire has full contact with the rest of the band. With a narrow blade you can't track that way so you have to do a different setup in addition to the obvious readjustment of guides, etc. Crowned tires are a little better for more universal blade width situations. Many folks prefer to have a big saw for big tasks and keep a small one for scrolling simply because it avoids all the setup stuff.

Ahhhh okay I figured it had to do with blade width but didnt know why. The wheels make complete sense.

So that bringsbro two questions.

1. Whats the benefit of a smaller BS vs say a scroll saw? Or vice versa.

2. And are any of the bigger models equipped with crowned wheels or what size is that breaking point? Is 14 the largest you'll find crowns on?

[Matthew Hills]

Used tool pricing is very local.

For my area, the g0514 is the only one listed at a very attractive price that would have multiple people chasing it. I like the large, high table on this saw for use as a general-purpose bandsaw.

I believe the new pricing (https://web.archive.org/web/20140214141717/http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws) for LT16-3000 was comparable to the 19" grizzly.
This isn't a resaw monster, but you might want to check it out and see how it works.

I'd probably choose these over 14" saws at similar pricing:
The Rikon 10-326 is cheaper, new, at woodcraft.
The G0555x and Rikon 10-353 seem pretty high - essentially at retail prices.

A vintage delta or jet 14" could be attractive, but should be in the $400-600 range, depending on condition and base.

Matt

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Used tool pricing is very local.

For my area, the g0514 is the only one listed at a very attractive price that would have multiple people chasing it. I like the large, high table on this saw for use as a general-purpose bandsaw.

I believe the new pricing (https://web.archive.org/web/20140214141717/http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws) for LT16-3000 was comparable to the 19" grizzly.
This isn't a resaw monster, but you might want to check it out and see how it works.

I'd probably choose these over 14" saws at similar pricing:
The Rikon 10-326 is cheaper, new, at woodcraft.
The G0555x and Rikon 10-353 seem pretty high - essentially at retail prices.

A vintage delta or jet 14" could be attractive, but should be in the $400-600 range, depending on condition and base.

Matt

Which are you saying isnt a resaw monster? The grizzly or the Laguna? Or both?

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Also guys keep in mind the "used" rikons are both new for all intensive purposes. Never been used. Never even been assembled lol.

And I'm seeing the 353 at around 2k it's actually on sale at woodcraft for 1800 currently but still 200 over what this person is asking.

[Jim Becker]

1. Whats the benefit of a smaller BS vs say a scroll saw? Or vice versa.?

While there may be some overlap in use, these are different tools. The latter is better suited to really small detail work in thinner stock while the bandsaw is better for cutting straight and curvy lines in more substantial material.

[David Buchhauser]

I've got two of the Grizzly 17", and one 14" band saw. I think they are great - I couldn't ask for more!

David

[Orrion Kuykendall]

Okay so never ended up hearing back about the grizzly but the post disappeared, so not sure where they went but pretty bummed about it.

But all that being said I got the 10-353 down a few hundred to where I'm pretty much at the price of the 14BX on sale.

These are the two titans I'm looking at right now. I dont think the couple inches of throat not going with something bigger than 14 will bother me long term with what I'm doing and the few times it could be helpful I'll just work around it.

So heres the question, rikon 10-353 or laguna 14bx, at the same price...

The rikon gives me the ability to go up to 1" blade (3/4 for laguna), extra .5 hp and an extra 2 inches of resaw, with everything else being essentially the same (except we could start talking about guides). So would yall take the laguna purely because its laguna or get the rikon with a few extra benefits? Decisions.