Laguna TS/BS v’s Harvey TS/BS

[Robyn Hawkins]

I need some advice please. Presently, like in NA, we have a huge shortage of new woodworking tools, particularly table saws and bandsaws. I have a chance to have a Harvey Alpha 110LC-36 shipped from Australia or purchase a CarbaTec TS which is actually a rebranded Harvey TS. I have never seen a Harvey machine in person, so need some advice…are Harvey products as good as they sound? Which has the better resale value in NA? I have always through that the Laguna bandsaw 14 was the “bees knees” when it came to smaller bandsaws but again don’t know about Harvey’s? I could only purchase the Laguna bandsaw 14 BX which is a 2.5 hp motor, 330mm cutting depth, foot operated disk brake and the ceramic roller system for the blade. The CarbaTec t/s is a 2.5 hp 250mm blade, and seems to have most of the Harvey “upgrades” including tool free blade change, Irving knife change. If I were to wait about 14 months for a Laguna it would be a 1.75 hp but has all if not more features than Harvey such as a digital angle readout! Nice to have but not to wait 14 months for, methinks!

So, setting the issues of money aside, which table saw and/or bandsaw would you go for? I don’t need to have 2 Harvey of 2 Laguna t/s and b/s, I just want which you folks think is best. If you had to make the choice, for a DIY woodworker, what would you choose - and don’t saw SawStop because they are “out of stock” too!

[Michelle Rich]

I have the Harvey 2 hsp tablesaw. I like the wider table, the power is quite adequate and I added the harvey shark dust collection unit. I am satisfied . This was a great step up from my tried and true delta contractor I used for over 30 yrs.

[andy bessette]

2 choices are too limiting. I would look for a quality used machine in excellent condition.

[Dave Sabo]

Harvey makes/made a lot of Laguna’s stuff over the years.

Laguna service is spotty at best in the USA where their headquartered. What’s the local distributor’s reputation like ? They’re either a subsidiary of Laguna or an independent importer that’s re-importing stuff from Laguna that Laguna imported for themselves. Neither would be my first choice for an operation to give me a good feeling.

[Justin Rapp]

Harvey makes/made a lot of Laguna’s stuff over the years.

Laguna service is spotty at best in the USA where their headquartered. What’s the local distributor’s reputation like ? They’re either a subsidiary of Laguna or an independent importer that’s re-importing stuff from Laguna that Laguna imported for themselves. Neither would be my first choice for an operation to give me a good feeling.

The 14BX is a great bandsaw, and I have the same 2.5hp model the OP was talking about. However, the 'service' issue is 100% old news from years back. I have 3 Laguna machines and the very few times I have called customer service and tech support, I had someone on the phone, or a phone call back within the hour. Granted they were all pre-sales calls except 1. Laguna also now has a parts web page also so if you have issues, it's quick and easy to get parts. I used it once to get a part for a part that was a self-inflicted break, not a malfunction.

[Dave Sabo]

The 14BX is a great bandsaw, and I have the same 2.5hp model the OP was talking about. However, the 'service' issue is 100% old news from years back. I have 3 Laguna machines and the very few times I have called customer service and tech support, I had someone on the phone, or a phone call back within the hour. Granted they were all pre-sales calls except 1. Laguna also now has a parts web page also so if you have issues, it's quick and easy to get parts. I used it once to get a part for a part that was a self-inflicted break, not a malfunction.


um …………..no it’s not.

pre-sale they’ve always been lovey dovey. After ward , it’s still a crap shoot like it’s always been. Mostly good, but the wheels fall off waaaaaay too often. Quality control has gone down and they don’t support (at all ) many of the machines they made their bones on. None of which may matter to you, but if it does - you still need to be prepared for disappointment and frustration.

And I stand by my analysis of dealing with a marketer based in the U.S. while residing in Australasia.