Help buying my first bandsaw(s)

[Todd Sebek]

Hey everyone,
I am new to this forum but have researched through it for a while. What a great resource. I need y’all’s advice.
I am an amateur/beginner woodworker but truly value quality tools. My understanding wife has allowed me to try to purchase “forever” tools this year. Again, I’m an amateur but hate buying cheap tools twice, when I could have purchased a quality one once.
I have zero bandsaw experience but want to buy correctly. Here is what I’m looking for: if you were in my shoes, knowing what y’all know, what bandsaw would you get if you could get any one? Is it a better idea to plan on 2, as oppose to 1 - setting up a re-saw and detail separately, and if so, what’s the dream combo?
I currently am configuring one side of my 2-car garage for all of this, but we will only be here for another 3 years or so. I’m not completely concerned with the footprint of the bandsaw(s), because I don’t want this small space to determine my decision. I’m pretty set on most of the other major tools. I have been exploring the PM1500 bandsaw, but I want your expert opinions. I would like to not be limited on what I can do, when I start learning more about this beautiful hobby. Thanks so much!

[Chris Groer]

Hi Todd. I had a Jet 14" bandsaw with riser block for >10 years and recently upgraded. At first I was looking at the PM1500 but ended up going with a Minimax S440p. I can't even begin to describe the difference in overall quality between the Jet and this saw. Resawing used to be a very slow frustrating process and I am incredibly pleased with the results I have obtained so far with the Minimax. It is not a cheap saw and weighs almost 500 lbs, but I can't imagine ever needing to upgrade this. Good luck!

[Dave Mount]

Questions like this are hard, because not everyone defines "forever tool" the same way, and what you'll need/want depends on what kind of work you'll do. You might get at the first issue by telling us what other "forever" tools you have purchased or are considering (to give some context on what "level" you consider to be a forever tool). For the second, describe the kind of work you envision doing with your forever setup.

Best,

Dave

[Jim Becker]

The ideal setup will be different for everyone and the nature of projects certainly comes into play. If you have the funds, are serious about your woodworking and anticipate doing larger, more involved projects over time. the "ideal" may very well be a big saw with a stiff spine that can power through thick stuff and be accurate for resawing including thick veneers complimented by a smaller saw for "scroll" work and general small cutting with narrow blades. If you can only buy one and can afford the big saw, then know that a big saw CAN take a narrow blade, even though it's not always ideal for that. (flat rather than crowned tires, etc.) And you can start with a smaller, quality 12-14" saw and add the big iron later. Only you can make the decision that best suits YOUR needs and plans.

[Todd Sebek]

Thank you both already. A few of the tools I have gotten so far that I would put in the same category with the bandsaw are: Sawstop PCS 3hp, PM 2800b drill press, PM 60HH 8” jointer. Could I upgrade to something someday, sure - but it’s going to be a while.
I picture myself doing quite a bit of furniture-style works initially, and building my skills up through that school of thought. . I would like to get a lathe someday, but I’m not in a huge rush to go down mega-turning anytime soon. Does that help at all?

[Tom M King]

As an owner of four bandsaws, my suggestion is to get a Rikon 10-326, as the first one. If you really want a little more beast of a machine than that one, get an MM16.

[Mike Kees]

Sounds like you are trying to buy all the tools that you think you might need based on others advice. I would caution against this way of doing things. Slow down and buy what you need as you need it. Learn how to use the tools as you buy them,master one before collecting the next. Also would suggest buying used stuff as much as possible,no one knows exactly what they want the first time. If you need to upgrade you can always sell stuff and get most if not all of your cash back. For a bandsaw I like Tom's advice above. Check out Grizzly 513 and 514 saws as well. I would buy a 17-18'' wheel size,they are far more versatile than the smaller 14'' saws.

[Carroll Courtney]

Well if I were in your shoes and no limits on budget nor floor space and I would go after the Agazzani. I have never use one before,nor seen one in person but watching few Youtubes I see that some of the pro's use this BS. Since I never use one before and you never use a BS before we are kinda even so this BS would be my forever BS. I own PM 141,143,Delta/Milwaukee 14", Crescent 20,36 and a PM 87 over the yrs. I still would get the Agazzani. Good luck and with all these good suggestion you can't go wrong.

[Alex Zeller]

If you think you're going to have room for 2 bandsaws in your new shop I would look for a used 14" Delta cast iron bandsaw. It'll be a good starting point and most likely you'll use it even if you get a larger one down the road. They appear quite often on Craig's list and you should be able to get one for not a lot of money. My personal opinion on the PM1500 is it's a lot of money for what it brings to the table. For $1000 less you could get a Laguna BX18 or a Grizzly 514X2 type of saw with larger wheels (which means more cutting width capacity). With the 14" Delta option you could revisit getting a larger saw down the road when you do move into the new shop. By then you'll also have a greater understanding of what you're needs are.

The biggest problem with starting a hobby like this is seeing into the future. With what you listed I would be looking into a planer (if you don't have one). A 15" 4 post would probably be all you need but if you're thinking of a forever tool then stepping up to a 20" kind of makes sense. But a 18" used Powermatic (PM180) would be a nice forever tool. Since you have a jointer a jointer/ planer combo doesn't make too much sense. Dust collection and sanding would be places I would also be thinking about.

As Mike Kees said, try not to plan too far in the future. Get the few key pieces and learn how to use them. Usually (IMO) I would suggest a table saw, a jointer, and a planer. You can expand from there. You may find that what you like to do requires a mortiser and the drill press isn't going to cut it. Or you might find an oscillating spindle sander would really help with the sanding of curved furniture pieces.

[Todd Sebek]

Thank you all again. This is such a great resource, and I do appreciate the opinions of other with more experience. I know this topic is a can of worms.
I love buying high quality used tools and have found some gems in my past. I would actually prefer that if possible.
I recently saw a listing on CL for a Laguna LT18 (Drift Master, 2 Resaw King blades, mobile base) for $2,200. I also see several of the older Delta 14” saws that have been refurbished for around $500. I’m always looking but trying to dial in my focus to be ready to negotiate. That why I like asking people that know more than me. Thank y’all again

[lowell holmes]

I have a Jet 14 with riser block and have no issues. Maybe your blades were not good.

[Alex Zeller]

My personal opinion is I would buy that LT18 in a heart beat over the Powermatic as long as it was in good shape. I believe that it's an Italian made saw. I looked at a used one but waited too long and someone else scooped it up. While the PM will fit in fine in a commercial shop that LT18 is made for heavy use and much wider blades.

[glenn bradley]

I have a few. The main users are a 17" with a carbide blade for resaw and a 10" for quick cuts and curves. I'm waffling on thinning the herd. One thing I will add to your can of worms; I have never wished for LESS power at the bandsaw. 2 - 3 HP on a 14" machine is not a bad thing ;-)

[Rod Sheridan]

I would suggest somewhere around a 17” saw as a reasonable all round saw. I also have a 20” saw.

I use the saw for breaking down timbers, sawing logs into planks, re-saving, making veneer and cutting curves.

A saw in the 17” range will do all that well.

My brother has a hammer N4400 which he is very pleased with.....Both of my saws are no longer in production, a used older commercial saw can be a good choice depending upon condition....Rod

[mark downing]

Jim, On flat tire saws like the MM16, they recommend placing the blade so the teeth extend slightly beyond the front edge of the tire, different from the center tire placement on crowned tires, right? When mounting a narrow blade (1/4") on a flat tire saw like the MM16, where on the tire should the blade be placed?

[Mike Kees]

Mark it is possible to run a narrow blade on flat tires, kind of like it is possible to limp to a tire shop on your skinny spare tire. Flat tires work best in my experience with blades 3/8'' and wider,and yes I run the teeth off the edge of the tire. If you only have one saw and you need one that does most things well a 17"-19" wheel size with crowned tires will handle all appropriate blade sizes (1/4''-3/4'') better. Once you get to flat tire machines they are geared more towards Resaw and ripping so are designed more for wider blades.

[Mick Simon]

Both of my bandsaws (Inca 20" and SCM S500P) have flat tires. I have the SCM set up for resawing, teeth off the leading edge, but keep a ¼" blade on the Inca running in the center of the tires. The Inca is from 1983 and I've changed the tires once, about 7 years ago.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, On flat tire saws like the MM16, they recommend placing the blade so the teeth extend slightly beyond the front edge of the tire, different from the center tire placement on crowned tires, right? When mounting a narrow blade (1/4") on a flat tire saw like the MM16, where on the tire should the blade be placed?

Yes, and that's where running narrow bands is "more work" since it's nearly impossible to track a really narrow blade with the teeth hanging over like you would with a 1/4" or up band. The few times I've used my 1/8" band (yea, I have one for my MM16), I have to completely re-track the tool. The normal Euro guides are not the best for very narrow bands, either for similar reasons. I do have a "cool blocks" setup for mine, although I've never actually used them to-date.

This is why I typically say that folks who need to "routinely" work with a very narrow band are best served with having a smaller saw available for that work to compliment the larger saw for the heavier stuff. I most often keep a 1/2" or sometimes a 3/8" band on my MM16 and use that for "everything", honestly...but I'm not a frequent band saw user like some folks are.

[John Makar]

I have one of the last USA made 14" Delta cast iron band saws, a special limited run in 2000. Purchased off Craigslist, pimped out by me with add-ons by Carter and Kreg. I love that saw, it is perfectly in character with my shop, but I think you would be crazy to add one to a younger shop. They are noisy, you have to wear ear covers. They are underpowered, even with a 1.5HP limited edition motor resawing more than a couple of inches is a strain. They are completely hopeless on dust collection, even with added ports and nozzles. Parts are now from an old guy down in Florida that sells by paper catalog and the phone, no on-line, no web. Buying a good blade tensioning gauge would cost me more than the saw. I get close without, seldom break a blade, too old to know any better anyway.

I have to believe technology has moved on, probably, hopefully, a considerable distance.

[Jim Dwight]

I plan to buy the last band saw I will own soon. It will probably be the Laguna 14 12 or the Rikon 10-326. I don't have a Woodcraft in the town I live in so I may have to drive a little to get it. I will look at the one place in town that offers this type of equipment and buy from them if they have one of these at a good price. Both these saws have steel frames as opposed to cast iron that needs a riser block to cut over 6 inches. The cast iron type would probably work for me but I worry about rigidity, I want to be able to cut around a foot thick material (to make veneer).

I used to have a smaller home made bandsaw. It did some good work for me. But I want something that can resaw fairly thick wood. But the key project I am going to get it for is a new dining room table. The base I have in mind is curved and made from thick wood. I don't want to try and make it with a jigsaw.

I work on my shop sometimes but get impatient if I do not get something useful to other people done for too long. So I buy tools and make improvements to complete projects, mostly. I'm in the middle of a new built in cabinet 7 feet long with shelves above it for my great room, for instance. I have at least most of the material for it and need no new tools to make it. The bookshelves are up but the finish is drying on six of the shelves as I write this. Base cabinet is next.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

Todd,

I started with a Grizzly G0555 cast iron saw with a riser block. Upgraded to a Rikon 10-325 (pretty much the same as the current 10-326) to get a stiffer frame and more resaw capacity. Now I'm waiting on delivery of a Laguna 18bx. I'm getting more into slicing veneer and wanted a saw that could handle a carbide blade. I don't envision any upgrade beyond this. The saw will go down to a 1/8" blade which is narrower than I've ever used so curves shouldn't be a problem. I had narrowed it down to either the Laguna or the Rikon 10-347 but with the Laguna on sale the $600 price difference decided it for me. It would be hard to outgrow an 18" saw and if later you find you'd like a smaller saw for curves so you don't have to switch blades you can pick up any of the used 14" saws that sell for a few hundred.

At least that's how I see it.

Good luck.
Cliff

[Mick Simon]

I recently was added to the Harvey Tools email marketing list, probably because I'm on the Bridge City Tools list, and started getting their sale specials. The C14 (https://www.harveywoodworking.com/collections/bandsaws/products/new-ambassador-c14-3hp-14-band-saw) was on sale for $1299, list price $1699. Pulling up side by side photos of it and the Laguna LT14SUV (https://www.rockler.com/laguna-lt14-x-14-suv-bandsaw) ($1999 at Rockler) which is a very nice 14" bandsaw, they appear to be identical saws other than the blade guides. I prefer the Harvey style guides to Laguna's ceramic guides myself. The specs are the same - 3HP, rack and pinion table tilt, cast iron flywheels, dual dust ports, etc. I would take a hard look at that one if I were in the market.

[Bill Dufour]

Location? If you live in the USA I would buy a used 18-20 inch USA made saw for less then the new powermatic. Not much to wear out on a bandsaw. Maybe upgrade the blade guides. Should cost under 1,000 used for twice the saw. But a bigger saw may be harder for deep resawing as the table will be higher and wood has to be lifted up to that height.
Bill D

[mark downing]

So with a flat tire saw, what are the consequences of positioning a narrow blade in the center of the wheel instead of overhanging the front?

[Mick Simon]

So with a flat tire saw, what are the consequences of positioning a narrow blade in the center of the wheel instead of overhanging the front?

Premature tire wear. I stated in another post that on my 1983 Inca 710 20" with flat tires I run smaller blades (anything under ⅜") in the center or off center. I replaced the tires about 6 years ago because they were hardened and slick, not because they were worn.

[Sam Marrocco]

Todd,
I'm a big fan of restoring and reusing old tools, especially since (I think) they were made better back when. If you're patient and up for it, Delta Rockwell bandsaws from the 1950's appear on craiglist a couple times a month. People overprice them around $800 because they are in demand, especially if they are metal/wood capable with the speed-changing transmission. I stumbled on a 14" metal/wood like that which needed a lot of love for $350. Add $100 in penetrating oil, new lubrication, gasket, some stainless steel replacement screws and bolts plus a complete pull-apart and put-together cleaning yielded an excellent tool that will last (another) lifetime. I would consider it if you're willing to put in the time and have it to spare. Plus, you'll love it all the more.

Sometime I just want the tool and buy it, too ;)

[Bill Dufour]

I don't think they have Craig's list in the Czech republic.
Bill D

[Mike Kees]

Hey Bill ,ever heard of Immigration ?

[Jim Becker]

So with a flat tire saw, what are the consequences of positioning a narrow blade in the center of the wheel instead of overhanging the front?
As Mick mentioned, it can wear the tire if it's done frequently and it's likely going to affect the set of the teeth quicker. While the tires are "soft" compared to the band, there is still going to be pressure from the band tension that can flatten the set on the wheel side of the band. This is yet again why I typically suggest that folks who need to do a lot of work with a narrow band consider the second, smaller saw to compliment the bigger machine and what it does best. But if you're like me and only use that 1/8" band three times in fifteen years...the extra tool isn't a priority.

[Bill Dufour]

Hey Bill ,ever heard of Immigration ?


I was trying to be polite. I bet large parts of Canada have very few used tools for sale? If he lives in those tool deserts maybe new is the only real choice he has.
Bill D.

[Mike Kees]

Bill just not sure where you get the idea the OP lives in the Czech Republic from. He did not state that in his post. Not noted in his location.,

[Carroll Courtney]

Bill just not sure where you get the idea the OP lives in the Czech Republic from. He did not state that in his post. Not noted in his location.,
Just thinking out loud,I think that is Bills point. When I first join here,a member had ask about my location so I filled out more information

[Randall J Cox]

After 30 years of hobby woodworking, I ended up with an 18" minimax and an old 10" delta that i rebuilt. I have a 1/2" blade on the Minimax and a 1/4" blade on the Delta. I had an older 14" Delta that I had totally rebuilt and foolishly sold it. Anyway, what I have now works for me. By the way, I buy all my stuff used and rebuild if I need to. I can buy a lot more stuff that way. Randy

[Todd Sebek]

Thank you all again. Definitely good context clues on the Czech name (most names that end in the letters EK are usually Czech or Polish). I’m proud of my grandfather and his 12 brothers and sisters that came over and farmed in Texas, where I now live.
I have researched and continuously heard good things about the Minimax line. I even think there may be a dealer in Texas somewhere towards Houston. From my understanding a 12” resaw is a good minimum, and that can be aided by a riser block on the smaller machines. I could also picture myself buying a bigger one first then adding a smaller one later. I really do appreciate y’all’s input. I’m constantly watching CL to see if I can find a gem.

[Tom Trees]

Hello
Just thought I'd add to your options
If your looking at craigslist, then don't be put off by 3 phase machines, as a VFD/inverter is easy to hook up and costs about 100 quid.
Saves you needing a 16 amp socket wired up if you don't have already,will run off the domestic easily so you could subtract that if your on a budget.
I would be looking for 20" to 24" machines, ,
The older Italian saws Laguna, Aggazani,Felder,Griggio, ACM,and apart from the stout slightly different looking Centauro's all look the pretty much the same, were made in the same country
and share parts like the GL 234 guides and such.
You will get an eye for them, especially if you search the archives for a well known bandsaw guru here called Van Husky.

20" machines are probably more sought after, as more commonly found 24" saws and larger coming from factories selling up or upgrading, so may be got for
about a quarter the cost, frequently three phase are half the price of single phase, and used being half the price of new as a rough guide.
Nothing needed on a bigger saw made in the last 40 years, apart from maybe new tires needed, and suitable glue.
some top of the line bearings for both wheels prob 20 quid,
All you need is a thrust guide for a stout 3/4" blade as a blade that size will not really need side rollers.

One thing to research is what a dual voltage three phase motor is,
Hopefully most of the motors on those Italian saws will have dual voltage three phase motors over there.
Dual voltage means it can be run from your household supply, without needing a posh VFD/inverter.
If you spot a machine and you can see the motor nameplate, not the machine tag,
then look for 220/440, it may also have a triangle symbol, hopefully so.

I bought my machine for 500 Euros, so you could get a nice machine if you've got funds for two.
VFD cost another hundred, and about 15 quid for everything else.
I made a protective enclosure ..dust and impact resistance, from a bit of sheet metal and an old exit sign I had lying around.

Can't get a proper photo of the saw without computer faffery,
A basic Italian 24" machine from 1997 with shop made fence of an evidently silly design 437706
https://i.ibb.co/kcmK05T/Bandsaw-fence-antics-Copy.jpg

[Jim Becker]

I have researched and continuously heard good things about the Minimax line. I even think there may be a dealer in Texas somewhere towards Houston.
The person you want to speak to is Sam Blasco. He's physically near Austin, but is "THE" guru for SCM/Minimax. He's also the star of many of their videos, an amazing maker and artist and one of the nicest guys on the planet.

Sam Blasco
Minimax Product Line Manager
sam.blasco@scmgroup.com (sblasco@scmgroup.com)
512-931-1962 (tel:512-931-1962) (shop)
512-796-3036 (tel:512-796-3036) (mobile)
866-216-2166 (main office/parts/tech services)
www.minimax-usa.com (http://www.minimax-usa.com/)

[Matthew Hills]

The person you want to speak to is Sam Blasco. He's physically near Austin, but is "THE" guru for SCM/Minimax. He's also the star of many of their videos, an amazing maker and artist and one of the nicest guys on the planet.
Out of curiosity, does anyone know the woodworker who shows up in most of the Felder/Hammer demo project videos?

Matt

[Jim Becker]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know the woodworker who shows up in most of the Felder/Hammer demo project videos?

Matt
Maybe Erik does or can find out...he's also a Texan, BTW, and not far from Sam. :)

[Bill Dufour]

Just thinking out loud,I think that is Bills point. When I first join here,a member had ask about my location so I filled out more information


I was joking but he did not say and still has not updated his profile to include Texas. I understand he has more important stuff to do then update that profile. It would be easy to miss the one post that includes that information.
I also understand sometimes the profile location gets lost. It happened to mine and i was glad someone mentioned it so I could update it. location really makes a difference when talking about heating and cooling the shop or the local market for used tools.
On a metal working site I frequent there is one poster from Guinea Bissau ,he always lists his location. Even so people will tell him you are wasting your time fixing that item just go to the local hardware store or have it mailed to you. There is no home delivery or city electricity. He runs his whole shop and school for trades people on solar and a generator. I think he does this as a religious misson kind of thing. He grew up and maybe retired? not sure of his age, in the USA. People get together and ship him a cargo container full of stuff about once per year.

Bil lD

[Todd Sebek]

I spoke to Sam and boy was he helpful. I may keep saving my pennies. Would you say that having more than 12” of resawing is a strong long-term play?

[Jim Becker]

There is no such thing as "too much" and the extra height, even if you don't use it, provides much better visibility which can, in turn, make using the tool more comfortable.

[Mick Simon]

I bought a S500P (MM20) on Sam's recommendation and can say I have not for one minute regretted it. I have 20" of resaw capacity which is about 4" more than I've needed so far. That said, I strongly believe that excess capacity almost always translates into better results at any needed capacity. With a Lenox CT Woodmaster it gives excellent results.

[Alex Zeller]

Extra capacity isn't usually a bad thing. But it normally will cost you more because the blades are longer. A longer blade mans more teeth so it should take longer to wear so it balances out. Of course if it break or kinks prematurely then it doesn't work out so well. Where it matters to me is in the quality of the saw. A taller resaw capacity means the spline needs to be stronger to property tension it. If you look at Laguna's BX18 with 16" of resaw vs Grizzly's G0514X saws they both weigh about the same. The blade is only 2" longer so it's only tensioning very little extra blade. But if you look at the Rikon 10-342 it's in the middle for resaw capacity, it weighs almost 100 lbs less (some could be due to a 2hp motor vs 3hp) and has an extra 8" of blade to tension.

These were the 3 saws I was looking at so I can't offer an opinion about the MM. But I would expect the MM to be more of an industrial unit comparable to Laguna's LT line up than the saws I listed above. If I was getting into that price range I would start looking at the blade width the mfg says the saw can properly tension. The small shop models I listed above are rated for 1 1/4" (which I figure they can do a 1" blade) where as the Laguna LT18 (I almost got a used one at a good price) can tension a 2" blade. If I'm spending $5k on a saw I want to be able to put a nice wide resaw blade on it. It may not be needed but like others have said, more height isn't a bad thing, well neither is blade width capacity.

[Todd Sebek]

I think I threw an assist to another member of the forum on a quality used Laguna LT18 in Texas. I probably should have jumped on that but I am learning.

I am all over the place on my focus. On one hand, I’m hoping to find a $500 deal on CL, on the other hand, I’m hoping Woodcraft or Rockler has a great sale tomorrow. Then, after talking to Sam Blasco, I should save my money forever and get the biggest Minimax saw I can afford at the time (which is seasoned advise).

I obviously still need a lot of help. Thanks to all of you. Ideally I would love to find a used gem like most of y’all have found. The right deal will show itself.

[Todd Sebek]

I saw someone above mention an Inca 20” bandsaw. One of these popped up on CL for $950 the other day. It is a very curious looking saw to me that I am interested in getting for information on. What’s your opinion on it?

[Tom Trees]

Not up to speed on a hundred year old cast iron saws, that is, if they go by specified throat capacity (blade to column)
or wheel size, but nearly all modern 2 wheeled saws say made since the 60's, the specification is referring to the wheel size, in inches or millimetres 20"/ 500 or even a single figure referring to the metric on some Italian saws.
That 3 wheeler saw would be an exception to what's regarded as the norm nowadays.
Many of the new wave (less than the last decade I believe) of machines from SCM/Minimax/Centauro (Italian saws)
have the wheel size also matching the resaw capacity,
with more powerful motors, and will probably be a bit taller and heavier than the last generation of saws from Italy.

The lighter of the industrial line Italian designs has been unchanged since the late 1980's, and probably still available yet, I'm not sure on that one?
Although the more recent of them (still old generation) have a bit of extra dust extraction (another hole cut into the frames under trunion)
and maybe some trunion design for rack and pinion table adjustment.
That's it really, different paint, basically anything that sounds like an exotic Italian sports car, and is over that 200kg benchmark will be a good'un!
Those Italians are renowned the world over for their ingenuity,
but it's not only bandsaws you know! :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7eYB_xu7WE


Those old generation Italian saws can be bought for the same money as a new single phase curve cutting machine (anything under 16" in my view)
You will spot an Italian machine a mile away, the frames are the same, basically ACM's line of SNA, or heavier SNAC or equal to the SNAC line, Centauro's CL types and they all share the same standard parts.
It might be worth scouring the net and adding "3 phase or three phase machines/machinery whilst your looking on CL.

Good luck

[Mike Kees]

It took me 6 years to find my Centauro 6oo . Used Italian saws are harder to come by where I live than other places. I could have bought several off ebay,and gone for a long road trip,however I had a good 18'' saw so I just waited until I found what I wanted and then I pounced. Literally I was on my way within half an hour of seeing the add and contacting the seller. My saw came from Calgary which is a 7 hour round trip for me ,I have purchased many machines from this city over the years. If you are looking used leave no stone unturned in your search,I talk to as many people as I can in other trades at jobsites,the lumber yards etc. Plus dig through all the classified adds I can find,used dealers ,auctions etc. Good luck.

[Randy Heinemann]

It's hard to recommend a brand because everyone has their favorites. I own a Rikon 14" with enclosed cabinet and 1 1/2 HP motor (not sure what the current model number is). It is excellent for resawing, cutting curves, ripping instead of a table saw, and cutting bowl blanks from chunks of wood. I don't personally believe that, for hobby woodworkers, anything larger than a 14" is necessary. An 18" would be great but probably not required. The biggest advantage to the larger saw is power. I can't think of one situation where I needed larger than 11" resaw capacity which is what my 14" has. With an 18" the feed would be quicker than the 14" (larger motor) but I'm not always sure a faster feed does the best job.

If you can afford it and have room, I have always thought it is a great idea to buy one saw for resawing and one for curve cutting, ripping, etc. That way you don't have to go through the process of changing blades and setting up the guides etc. to move from one operation to the next. Ideally you'd want 2 of the same saws so you could, if desired, switch blades between them. I have not bought the second one because I'm not sure if I'd really get the value. You can buy a 10" for curve cutting but ripping on that small a saw can be a problem with larger boards.

While 2 saws are definitely a great idea, it's difficult to justify the expense unless you do a lot of resawing and other bandsaw cutting.

So maybe start out with a single 14" until you see what you really use a bandsaw for.

[Todd Sebek]

I have found a Laguna 18BX for sale on CL with a mobile base for $1725. The owner says that he has made about 2 cuts with it and has decided to get out of the hobby. What are yalls thoughts? Looks very new.

[Todd Sebek]

Hey everyone!
Thank you all for your help! I finally got my first bandsaw. I looked for about 4 months on CL and finally found a MM16 (Second generation) with 8 blades (1” Carbide x2) and a Lenox tensioning device. It was 60 miles from my house and I really enjoyed the man that I bought it from. THANK you again for your input. I’m really excited out this one.

[Dave Sabo]

Great saw especially for your first time.

but , we really need to see pictures.