Laguna 18|BX Bandsaw Huge Wait - Other Recommendations?

[Jim Feck]

Hi All,

I just got an e-mail from Rockler that the 3hp Laguna 18|BX I ordered in early November that had an estimated ship date of Nov. 19 is now backordered until...wait for it...MAY, 2021. I totally get it, but I can't wait that long for a new saw if I don't have to. I mainly need it for resawing as I have a small Jet 14" saw that I will be keeping for smaller/finer tasks. The 4hp Rikon 10-347 looks compelling to me, but it's a bit more money than I was hoping to spend and I have no idea if that machine is actually available either. Any other suggestions for something comparable that I can get ahold of soon? Suggestions for retailers also appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!

--Jim.

[Dave Sabo]

Given the state of affairs I think you’re just going to have to do a lot of legwork to see what’s available.

Grizzly seems to have inventory.

[Andrew Hughes]

If you can wait. Soon after the virus magically disappears the used market should be filled with bandsaw and broken dreams.
The area I live in has seen the used market do well. But it’s going to turn around it always does.
My wife and I have been waiting for a dishwasher for months.
Good Luck

[John TenEyck]

Look at the Grizzly G0636X. 17", 5 HP motor, 16" of resaw capacity. Easily tensions a 1" blade to 25Ksi. I've had one for 3 years now and it's a joy to use every time. I use it exclusively for resawing and cutting veneer.

Grizzly's website says it's in stock. When I bought mine I had it in my shop 3 days after I placed my order.

John

[Dave Mills]

Check out Harvey Tools; I got mine about a week from order.

[Jim Feck]

Thanks for the suggestions! I called around and it looks like the Grizzly and Rikon are available. One interesting thing on the G0636X -- the Grizzly website shows that it has "5.0 stars", but of the four reviews shown, one is a scathing one-star review (more on the company than the saw, but still). Not sure how that adds up...

Decisions, decisions.

[Alex Zeller]

That Grizzly looks like a beast of a saw. I'm not sure why anyone would accept a damaged crate and then complain about it. The crate on my Grizzly 19" BS was nothing special but a thin sheet of plywood is not more of a match for a forklift than wooden slats and plastic. In fact the clear plastic makes it easier to see it it's damaged. I will say this, I love my BS. I don't think they sell it (19" with cast iron trunions and foot brake). When I got it the urethane tires were junk and it vibrated like crazy. I replaced them with some from a different company and now I can easily balance a nickle on edge, start it up, and then shut it down. I've cut stuff from large blacks for turning on the lathe to resawing 10" hard maple.

[Doug Dawson]

Hi All,

I just got an e-mail from Rockler that the 3hp Laguna 18|BX I ordered in early November that had an estimated ship date of Nov. 19 is now backordered until...wait for it...MAY, 2021. I totally get it, but I can't wait that long for a new saw if I don't have to. I mainly need it for resawing as I have a small Jet 14" saw that I will be keeping for smaller/finer tasks. The 4hp Rikon 10-347 looks compelling to me, but it's a bit more money than I was hoping to spend and I have no idea if that machine is actually available either. Any other suggestions for something comparable that I can get ahold of soon? Suggestions for retailers also appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!

--Jim.

Woodcraft claims a ship date of late January. (I had to wait 4 months for mine, way back when.) You could also try to find a local distributor, which methinks is preferable because they would support it.

[Mike Kees]

There is a Minimax MM20 in the SMC classifieds right now.

[Dave Sabo]

Woodcraft claims a ship date of late January. (I had to wait 4 months for mine, way back when.) You could also try to find a local distributor, which methinks is preferable because they would support it.

How is that gonna work ? Maybe your store is different , but mine has no Laguna inventory or service personnel. Going to have to call Laguna if I need a part, and install it myself.

[Doug Dawson]

How is that gonna work ? Maybe your store is different , but mine has no Laguna inventory or service personnel. Going to have to call Laguna if I need a part, and install it myself.

Other vendors sell Laguna products besides Woodcraft and Rockler.

[William Chain]

It’s going to be interesting to see the static here when the holiday 10% deals are on and the supply chain has a long backlog. Now is when the best deals surface. I picked up my 14bx last year at this time. They fortunately had one in stock but had I called an hour later, I’d have waited a good long while for one.

[Dave Sabo]

Other vendors sell Laguna products besides Woodcraft and Rockler.

Sure they do.

How many stock them or carry parts ?

LT is still pretty much a deal directly with operation. They recently built a huge network of order takers, but few if any are knowledgeable “dealers” offering any real kind of “support”.

[Jim Feck]

It’s going to be interesting to see the static here when the holiday 10% deals are on and the supply chain has a long backlog. Now is when the best deals surface. I picked up my 14bx last year at this time. They fortunately had one in stock but had I called an hour later, I’d have waited a good long while for one.

Yep, I talked to a guy at BIS yesterday who said that (a) their Black Friday sale on Laguna starts Monday and (b) they were told by Laguna that they will not have any stock until April at the earliest. He also said that Laguna is not planning any discounts at all next year because they expect to be so far behind in production. I read into it that April is an optimistic estimate for delivery. It's hearsay so take it with a grain of salt, but the guy sounded like he knew what he was talking about.

[Alex Zeller]

I think you'll find that most places that sell them just have them direct ship from Laguna.

[Jim Becker]

Many manufacturers are quoting lead times that are many months out for sales committed to "today". Some machines are even 6-9 months out for booked orders, depending on what they are. So if you need can buy a machine that meets your specifications and is more immediately available, you'll need to be prepared to consider an alternative brand. There are fortunately quite a few machines in that size and feature set available in various colors, especially if you can be a little flexible on budget.

[Matthew Hills]

Does Eagle Tools in southern california keep anything in inventory?
(Paul Marcel showed a mouth-watering tour of their place some years ago, not sure how much is floor display vs. ready to sell vs. inspection on its way out the door)

Matt

[Jim Becker]

Does Eagle Tools in southern california keep anything in inventory?
(Paul Marcel showed a mouth-watering tour of their place some years ago, not sure how much is floor display vs. ready to sell vs. inspection on its way out the door)

Matt
Based on the web site I found, they seem to focus on SawStop and Festool.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

If you're anywhere near northeast Indiana Oak Tree Supplies in Huntertown has an 18bx in stock. I ordered it last June but when Laguna pushed the ship date farther out I canceled and ordered a Rikon 10-347. Even though it hadn't shipped Laguna wouldn't let the store cancel the order so it's on display.

Cliff

[Bernie Kopfer]

I received the Rikon 10-347 that I ordered while on sale in August and it arrived from Asia at the end of Sept. Got it set up but minimal usage until my shoulder heals. The table is low at 34” to allow for the 19” resaw. Love the fact that it will not start if the blade quick release is slack! And it has a geared table adj system.

[Matthew Hills]

I received the Rikon 10-347 that I ordered while on sale in August and it arrived from Asia at the end of Sept. Got it set up but minimal usage until my shoulder heals. The table is low at 34” to allow for the 19” resaw.
I recently put zambus casters on my bandsaw. This helps raise the table up several inches, which is nice if it is not dedicated to resaw.


Love the fact that it will not start if the blade quick release is slack! And it has a geared table adj system.
That is a good idea.
It is nice that Rikon has been addressing some of these traditional annoyances with bandsaws.

Matt

[Cliff Polubinsky]

In case the OP is considering the Rikon 10-347 as an alternate I can highly recommend it. Just like Bernie I took delivery end of September.

The saw is built like a tank. Besides the switch on the blade quick release there's one that prevents the saw from running if the doors are open. Where the 14" Rikon runs at 2950 ft/min the 347 runs at 4920 ft/min which smooths out the cut. And the 4 HP motor makes resawing a breeze. I was resawing cherry for some Shaker boxes and with my old saw it would have been an iffy process. With the 347 I set a stop for thickness and sliced over and over, straight, even and consistent. I've tried resawing with a Timberwolf 1/2" blade before the Resaw King came in and both worked beautifully. I really like this saw.

Cliff

[Jim Feck]

In case the OP is considering the Rikon 10-347 as an alternate I can highly recommend it. Just like Bernie I took delivery end of September.

I am, indeed. Ordered a 347 last week but have yet to receive confirmation of shipping. Rikon is nearby, so it shouldn't take more than a day or two to arrive once it actually ships. Assuming, of course, that they actually do have one in stock...

[Justin Rapp]

I don't know why rockler claims it's backordred - Acme tools shows it 'in stock' Also - you might want to check with Morgan at Laguna - his e-mail address is on their outlet site. He might have an 18bx sitting there ready to go. I got my 14bx - was a demo that was on display at some trade show. It came to me without a spec of dust on it.

[Rob Sack]

Based on the web site I found, they seem to focus on SawStop and Festool.

I bought my Laguna 18 bandsaw from Eagle Tools last year and stopped by about a month ago to pick up a few items. They are big into Laguna bandsaws and what was on the showroom floor when I was last there included the full line of Laguna bandsaws. I know they can arrange for economical shipping because one of my relatives, who lives in Virginia, ordered a bandsaw from Eagle Tools. My experience with both Woodcraft and Rockler is that if they don't have something in stock it more often than not, takes a long time to for them to order the item(s).

[Jim Becker]

I bought my Laguna 18 bandsaw from Eagle Tools last year and stopped by about a month ago to pick up a few items. They are big into Laguna bandsaws and what was on the showroom floor when I was last there included the full line of Laguna bandsaws. I know they can arrange for economical shipping because one of my relatives, who lives in Virginia, ordered a bandsaw from Eagle Tools. My experience with both Woodcraft and Rockler is that if they don't have something in stock it more often than not, takes a long time to for them to order the item(s).

That's good to know. The web site I found doesn't mention the brand or even bandsaws. Perhaps there's more than one woodworking tool vendor with that name out there.

----

I will mention that ToolNut's email earlier today mentioned Laguna at sale prices.

[Joe Hendershott]

Not just Laguna either. Was in the market for a slider and jointer/planer. Minimax has Feb. 21 and Hammer around April.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, many of the manufacturers are a bit backed up with production right now. I had a short conversation with Sam (SMC/Minimax) recently and his advice was if at all possible choose a configuration that they regularly stock over anything custom configured to reduce wait time. I was just asking some general questions about some things that I needed to know for some future property downsizing and that point came up as being a good way to proceed, even when production gets back to "more like normal" or whatever the "new normal" becomes.

[Alex Zeller]

Shipping can also be problematic too. If you find something you want and know it needs to be truck shipped ask for a list of companies they ship with. Then ask which ones they have the best luck with.

[Joe Hendershott]

Yes, many of the manufacturers are a bit backed up with production right now. I had a short conversation with Sam (SMC/Minimax) recently and his advice was if at all possible choose a configuration that they regularly stock over anything custom configured to reduce wait time. I was just asking some general questions about some things that I needed to know for some future property downsizing and that point came up as being a good way to proceed, even when production gets back to "more like normal" or whatever the "new normal" becomes.

I ordered a 4E from him a month or so and was told this. I had asked about adding another support table to it and was told it might delay things as much as 4 months!

[Joe Hendershott]

Shipping can also be problematic too. If you find something you want and know it needs to be truck shipped ask for a list of companies they ship with. Then ask which ones they have the best luck with.

Or if it something you need faster check on Amazon. A Powermatic 60HH for example takes about 10 days and is, of course, delivered free.

[Matthew Hills]

The web site I found doesn't mention the brand or even bandsaws. Perhaps there's more than one woodworking tool vendor with that name out there.

That sounds like the right website.
The tour video is more helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RojtfmF3qHE

Matt

[Michael Harris Ohio]

Hello Dave,

I am in the process of upgrading my entire line of woodworking machines and started with a recent purchased of the Harvey G700 dust collector. I have been drawn to some of the other equipment on the Harvey website but in-depth reviews/comparisons on their equipment are limited. Since you recently purchased a band saw from Harvey, I would really like to hear your thoughts on why you decided to chose Harvey, which model bandsaw you purchased, and how the bandsaw is performing for you.

Thanks,

Mike

[Matthew Ramsey]

I went with the Grizzly G0636X and have no regrets - it is every bit the saw its often made out to be, on par with Italian - was between this an a Minimax MM16, and glad I saved 1k+ going with the Grizzly.

[Dave Mills]

Hello Dave,

I am in the process of upgrading my entire line of woodworking machines and started with a recent purchased of the Harvey G700 dust collector. I have been drawn to some of the other equipment on the Harvey website but in-depth reviews/comparisons on their equipment are limited. Since you recently purchased a band saw from Harvey, I would really like to hear your thoughts on why you decided to chose Harvey, which model bandsaw you purchased, and how the bandsaw is performing for you.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi Mike,

I have the HW615. I had initially decided to to with Laguna's 14bx or 18bx, and had preemptively assumed I'd want to replace the ceramic guides with the Carter guides. There are just a lot of folks that don't like them. In any event, I got on the wait list for the 14bx, at which time the delays started happening. Granted it's not an easy time (this was just this last summer) to commit to deliveries, but between Laguna changing the date over and over, then Rockler being absolutely non-communicative, I just gave up on it. Harvey, which probably makes the Laguna saws (not sure, but they are quite similar) was able to get me the saw one week after I ordered it. Harvey has pretty significant sales, you may know. Harvey answered all my questions quickly, and while I was (and still am) concerned about the few numbers of tools they sell in the US, I decided to take the leap. I happened to get lucky and it was on sale when I decided to make the switch - that was kind of bit in encouraging my leap :)

The saw is great, I had minor tuning to to get the blade perfectly square to the table, but that's it. The table is flat, everything was ready to go. I did dull the factory blade pretty quick resawing some oak logs, so I've now got a Lennox Trimaster carbide blade, which is working fine but not too much use on it yet.

[Michael Harris Ohio]

Hi Mike,

I have the HW615. I had initially decided to to with Laguna's 14bx or 18bx, and had preemptively assumed I'd want to replace the ceramic guides with the Carter guides. There are just a lot of folks that don't like them. In any event, I got on the wait list for the 14bx, at which time the delays started happening. Granted it's not an easy time (this was just this last summer) to commit to deliveries, but between Laguna changing the date over and over, then Rockler being absolutely non-communicative, I just gave up on it. Harvey, which probably makes the Laguna saws (not sure, but they are quite similar) was able to get me the saw one week after I ordered it. Harvey has pretty significant sales, you may know. Harvey answered all my questions quickly, and while I was (and still am) concerned about the few numbers of tools they sell in the US, I decided to take the leap. I happened to get lucky and it was on sale when I decided to make the switch - that was kind of bit in encouraging my leap :)

The saw is great, I had minor tuning to to get the blade perfectly square to the table, but that's it. The table is flat, everything was ready to go. I did dull the factory blade pretty quick resawing some oak logs, so I've now got a Lennox Trimaster carbide blade, which is working fine but not too much use on it yet.


Hello Dave,

I really appreciate the quick response, the information on your saw, and the tip on the blade. I am also looking at the HW615 and will be pulling the trigger today since it is on sale for the holidays "maybe they are always on sale". :) Anyhow, after I posted this message to you yesterday, I also found a video by Stumpy Nubs (gotta love the name) where has was highlighting "two" Harvey band saws in his shop. I have been watching his videos for some time now and I respect his choices, so I now have two confirmations! ;) Like you, I am also pleased with Harvey Customer Service and while they could not provide me with a 3D file for my G700 to add to my SketchUp shop plan, they have been super responsive and they answer all my emails in hours...not days. I always try to buy the best equipment I can afford at the time of purchase (my Craftsman 12" bandsaw is close to 30 years old) so hopefully, this Harvey will be my last bandsaw purchase! Who knows, maybe you and I will start a new trend!

Be well and thanks again,

Mike