Bandsaw guides: Euro-style roller disc vs. ball bearing guides

[Barry O'Mahony]

Hello,

I've noticed on the new Grizzly G0513ZX and G0514ZX, they've switch to ball bearing style guides; i.e., http://images.grizzly.com/grizzlycom/pics/jpeg500/G/g0513x_det2.jpg


As opposed to the Euro-style guides on the G0513:

http://images.grizzly.com/grizzlycom/pics/jpeg500/G/g0513_det1.jpg

I've read some people maintain that the Euro-style guides are superior, as they allow the upper guide to be mounted closer to the workpiece. Anyone who has used both care to comment? My current uses the non-Euro style ball bearing guides, and these are the only ones I have experience with.

[lou sansone]

I have had both and perfer the ball bearing guides

this particular one is not that well known, but I really like them. I would have to consider them the best of the best
lou

http://www.paddocktool.com

lou

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Lou,
I've been thinkin' about updating the blade guides on my old JET 18" bandsaw which is the old cast iron c-frame type with steel guide blocks. The website you referenced seems pretty sparce on info, and may require modifications to make them work for me. May I ask what bandsaw you installed them on, and approximate cost?
thanks....Jeff

[tod evans]

barry, i too have used both and honestly don`t have a preference. either set-up will hold the blade in place for the cut and i have not noticed longer blade life out of either......02 tod

[lou sansone]

Lou,
I've been thinkin' about updating the blade guides on my old JET 18" bandsaw which is the old cast iron c-frame type with steel guide blocks. The website you referenced seems pretty sparce on info, and may require modifications to make them work for me. May I ask what bandsaw you installed them on, and approximate cost?
thanks....Jeff

hi jeff
give paddock a call and they will help you out. very friendly and old fashoned firm. they make guides for the best band saws in america. The particular saw I have them on is my MOAK 36" saw. It might look a little funny in the picture because of my camera. The saw it about 9 feet tall in the photo. you can see the guides on the saw. It has a 24" resaw capacity to give a sense of scale. These are the big guides #20 and would cost about 400 for the upper and lower set. the smaller guilds will be the ones you will need and are much less

lou

[Barry O'Mahony]

I found where I thought I read the opinion that the Euro-style was better. In the "Bandsaw Book" by Lonnie Bird, written in 1999. He points out that the upper guide is able to support the blade a bit closer to the work, since the rollers support the blade at more than just one spot. However, in other sections he mentions that the lower guide is typically farther away. He also comments that the Euro-style rollers can be adjusted without tools, which was not true at the time of the other type.

It appears the book was written just as the Italian welded-steel bandsaws were hitting the market. The author obviously likes them, and their features. He does conclude, however, that both guides work "equally well".

Based on the comments from you guys, that appears to be the case. So I'll stop worrying about it.

[David Sweet]

Barry,

The two 17-inch saws that you mention (G0513 and G0513 Extreme Series) are under consideration by me too. I read with great interest Terry Hatfield's comments about the G0513 when he first got it. It seems his came with the urethane tires and cast wheels that are listed on the Griz website as part of the Extreme Series specs. Quite confusing, unless Griz is updating models mid-season.

What decision have you (or others) made about buying one of these two saws? Is the larger table size and ball bearing guides on the G0513 Extreme worth the apparent $100 difference in price? I'm a hobbyist that uses the saw for resawing, turning blanks and the odd cabriole leg: my collection includes 1/4" - 1" blades.

Thanks,
David

[Jamie Buxton]

My Laguna came with Euro guides. I don't have any problem with the side guides. However, the thrust bearing is just plain dumb. It is the same rolling disc as the side guides. When the blade touches the thrust bearing, the contact is a wiping contact. Duh! Of course, it wears the back of the blade and the face of the thrust bearing. After the OEM one wore out -- in perhaps a year --- I made my own thrust bearing which is a wheel with a true rolling contact with the blade. This thrust bearing is now approaching five years old, and still looks good. Much better.

[Bernhard Kühnen]

From all Guides the "Panhans - Guide - system" is supposed to be the best. Should be also available in the US.

Bernhard

[Mike Cutler]

I prefer the guide bearing systems. I had the "cool block" clones on my 14" Jet and didn't really like them, of course a higher quality "euro guide system" may perform entirely different than the stock Jet system.

The Jet has a set of Carter guides on it, and my Rikon has a bigger version of Carter guides on it.

[Jeff Geltz]

I like the ceramic guides from Laguna.