I am looking for suggestions for a resaw bandsaw

[Jim Watson]

I am getting back into woodworking after many years. I have a 30 some year old Sears 12" bandsaw that works OK for minor stuff. I am intrigued with resawing. Like most of us, money is always a concern. I am looking for advise. I had pretty well descided on the new Rikon 10-345, but I hear many references to smaller Deltas. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will generally be using the bandsaw for resawing and making boxes. Thanks much for any advise

[Jim Becker]

Jim, can you be more specific about the size of the stock you intend to resaw? It will help folks point you in the right direction. Knowing your budget will also be useful...there is no point in recommending an MM16 or similar if it's outside of your financial reach.

BTW, Welcome to Sawmill Creek!

[Paul B. Cresti]

Jim,
Welcome! as the other Jim stated your budget and needs are the key here. If you are after regular heavy duty resawing then I vote for a MiniMax. If budget is the primary driver than pick a color and choose your importer.

[Julio Navarro]

wow, a fellow aspiring box maker. Welcome to the Creek!

I am also in a similar boat. Ive been inquiring about a bandsaw for resawing for the same reasons.

I have pretty much narrowed it down to a 14" upgraded with a riser block. I figure for boxes the widest size I will be cutting will be around 8 to 10 inches. A 12" just wont do but a 14" raised 6" works best.

As far as brands I've looked at some of the most popular 14" lines; Jet, Delta, Grizzly, Shop Fox and Ridgid, I looked at the Rikon but their 14" is not able to be raised.

Grizzly and Jet seem to be the most recommended as well as Shop Fox but users of both Delta and Ridgid seem to be very satisfied with their machine.

Ive read reviews both good and bad for almost all machines, I guess it depends on if you get a lemon or not. Some swear by their machine while another condems the same machine to eternal darnation.

Price wise the range varies by about 500$ from the lowest priced Ridgid at 349$ to the Shop Fox at 800$+ and above.

The main price variable is the size of the motor. 3/4hp is probably the lowest you should go for resawing. The blade is another major factor in resawing. Timberwolf blades are very strongely recommended and dont forget that if you get the riser kit you will need a blade of the proper length to go with it.

There are several auction sites as well as classified sites which may bring the once in a lifetime BS opportunity but it seems like the old addage applys ...if you are looking for it you will never find it, as soon as you are not looking for it it suddenly appears.

All in all there are two ways of getting a BS; outright purchasing from a retailer or finding that one dream machine and spending some time tunning and balancing and doing all those things that you do with old BS's. And of course there is the American vs PRC decision, its American hands down but the price tag is longer, unless you get lucky of course as many on here have.

As for myself, I will be heading to HD this weekend to pick up a Ridgid BS with my Lowes discount that HD will honor and hopefully have made a good choice. I figure one day I will run into a good professional old "iron" that was meant to spend its last years in my shop.

You'll of course keep reading this forum and you will be amazed at how much history and bloodline tracing you will learn from the pros here. I have found it very interesting myself.

Good luck on your BS quest and I look forward to seeing you projects in the future.

[Roy Miles]

Hi, I'm new to this forum so please forgive my impertinence. I am seriously considering a Laguna 16 HD with Resaw King blade and fence. It has a 4.5 HP Baldor motor. I'm a boatbuilder, but work on a variety of unusual projects (at present, building a boattail skiff body on a 1922 Rolls Royce). I'm considering this saw so that I can eventually whack some interesting boards out of logs or old beams. It's pricey, but I like solid tools. Has anyone had any negative experience with this line? Thanks!

[Cecil Arnold]

Jim, I agree with what Paul and Jim Becker said, it would help if we knew what your budget looks like.

Roy, I almost bought a Laguna, but canceled and bought a MM 16. At the time Laguna was having some CS problems and charging extra for the Baldor. I would strongly suggest you attempt to look at both the Laguna and Mini-Max at a woodworking show to get a feel for both. At that level a hundred or so dollars isn't much.

[John Bailey]

Welcome Roy and Jim. Whatever the bandsaw choice, you're going to get lots of good info here.

John

[Barry O'Mahony]

If budget is the primary driver than pick a color and choose your importer.Isn't MiniMax imported (and Laguna, for that matter)?

[lou sansone]

most BS are now imported with the only exception that I am aware of being "Northfield". They make excellent tools for those who want to buy american. Old iron can be nice, but it sounds like you all are tending toward small saws in the 16" range. Old generals were very good machines in that size range. There are a few here who have monster saws, but it requires a special type of shop for most of the beasts.
I had a laguna 24 and I thought it was great. MM has definitly marketed a very stout 16" saw and many would say the best currently being produced. If you can find someone who has a saw you are considering, go and see it. That should help

lou

[Bill Arnold]

Jim,

Welcome to the Creek!

As others have said, your budget will dictate what direction to go on your purchase. Since I like to stretch my budget and am not a commercial shop, I opted for the Grizzly 17" G0513. In the 18 months I've had it, I've done resaw up to 12" and have been very pleased with it. I've used a 3/4" Timberwolf blade designed for resaw as well as a 1/2" Woodslicer -- I prefer the Woodslicer.

Good luck!

[Ron Blaise]

I am getting back into woodworking after many years. I have a 30 some year old Sears 12" bandsaw that works OK for minor stuff. I am intrigued with resawing. Like most of us, money is always a concern. I am looking for advise. I had pretty well descided on the new Rikon 10-345, but I hear many references to smaller Deltas. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I will generally be using the bandsaw for resawing and making boxes. Thanks much for any advise

So, I went and bought the 18" Rikon. I have had no problems with it, use it for resaw on Cherry, Oak, and Walnut (with a good 1"Timber Wolf blade). I have sawed up to 9" with it and get straight cuts and a great finish. For that price I feel like I got a good saw thats large enough to meet my needs and then some. Some people had said they had problems with the blade tensioner and tracking, I set mine once and have never had that problem. Maybe they just didn't know what they were doing? :rolleyes:
Hope you find what you need, and my brother Don bought one after I did and he loves his as well.
Ron

[Mike Cutler]

Jim.
First off, Welcome to Sawmill Creek. Pleased to meet ya'

I have two bandsaws. A Jet 14' with a riser kit, and a Rikon 10-340, 18" bandsaaw.

First, the Jet. The Jet is a nice bandsaw, very well finished easy to put together works just fine, but..... I could bandsaw thin slices off of the face of a board very well with the Jet. What I couldn't do was take a 2" thick board and resaw it into 2, 1" thick boards. The Jet just wouldn't do it, and I tried everything.
I put on a Carter guide Kit, I upgraded the spring, put on the riser. Modified the tension rod to a standard american thread. Made a customm fence specifically for resawing, machined a spacer block to move the lower guide closer to the table like the Delta, and tried about every blade recommended. I settled on the 1/2" woodslicer from Highland hardware, for me it gave the best results.
The Jet also comes with a crowned tires on the wheels, any debris that got stuck to the wheels caused the blade to wander slightly because it affected the tracking.
In the end though, it just wasn't powerful enough for resawing in my opinion, at least not what I wanted to do. Upgrading the motor to something larger with the closed stand was going to require some extensive mods to accomodate a larger motor. I gave up at this point and was unwilling to invest any additional monies in this pursuit.
I kept the Jet, and bought the Rikon specifically for resawing, which it does very well. The guides on the Rikon are very large, and I'm not sure if they would accomodate the small blade required to do bandaw boxes without buying an aftermarket guide system. For me though it is only for resawing.
End result is that I have two bandsaws, that with aftermarket parts modifications, ended up costing just slightly less than a MiniMax, or a Laguna with similar capabilities.
I like having two bandsaws, because I don't like to change blades, but that is a choice that you have to make.
Look at all the costs up front, especially the aftermarket costs to bring a 14" bandsaw up to the same level as a larger bandsaw right out of the box. If you are truly looking to perform the task of resawing, and still be able to cut bandsaw boxes, with the same bandsaw. You may want to set your sights a bit higher, and look at MiniMax, Laguna or Aggazani.
One more thing about the 14" Jet bandsaw. The Dust collection is virtually non existent, without modifying the bandsaw and coming up with your own dust collection "system". Resawing creates a lot of dust, and it has to be removed, or it will adhere to your tires, causing the blade to "wander".
I like bandsaws, alot. I think that they are one of the most versatile machines that you can own. A good one can almost do everything a tablesaw can do, and much, much more.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Isn't MiniMax imported (and Laguna, for that matter)?

Depends on what YOU consider imported ;) Being first generation I do not consider anything from Italy as imported :D .....just kidding of course (well sort of ) but you are correct technically...

[Mike Wilkins]

Jim, I went through the same decision-making dilemma several years ago. I went with a Laguna LT18 and have had no regrets. I sold my 14" Delta soon afterward and have not missed it. The Laguna has performed flawless since it arrived in my shop; and with the addition of the ceramic guides and a Resaw Master blade, it cuts hard maple like a hot knife through butter.
There will be detractors on this and every forum you visit about the service of the Laguna Tools company. But please take these with a grain of salt. I am not a sales person for Laguna, just a satisfied customer.
Most of the big bandsaws on the market today are imported, similar in style and capacity, and offer a lot of bang for the buck. Try and visit someone near your home who has one for a look/see/feel test before deciding.
Good luck and watch those fingers.

[Butch Spears]

Jim I also did all the research on bandsaws for a couple of months before buying the mm16,I picked it up last Saturday.everyone has given good advice. I suggest you also find if you can a MiniMax and Laguna to put your hands on and see which feels best. But I suggest that you call both and visit with the sales people ask about the other brand and see the response. It might just make your choice for you.Sam Blasco not only knows minimax but is a very accomplished woodworker in his own right. He spent 2 1/2 hours with me last Sat. going over every detail of my mm16 and also woodworking techniques,They will not bad mouth Laguna,only sell you on the quality of MiniMax. I am just a customer, but a Very Happy one Butch Sam Blasco,MiniMax USA 866-975-9663 ext 204 p.s. They are closed on Sat

[Jim Watson]

Thanks to all for the Welcome aboard. This is amazing. For some reason I had not been able to find my post and so thought I had done something wrong. Found it this evening and was amazed to see that some 15 of you had taken your time to offer advise. I really appreciate it, and sorry I did not get back to you sooner.

Jim Becker's question is good. I suppose I would be bandsawing material no more than perhaps 12" thick. As far as budget I was looking somewhere around $1000. I am just a hobbiest with no specific projects in mind. I do know I want something bigger, and more powerful, than my little Sears.

I hear alot of mention of the Delta 14" BS, but around here the retail somewhere around $1000 with the riser block. I had considered the Grizzly G0513 that Bill Arnold had mentioned. Then I read several reviews on the Rikon 10-340, now with a beefed up version that is the 10-345. The Rikon only runs another $150 or so and is the BS I am currently leaning toward.

I would like this band saw to be able to handle a 1/4" blade for scroll work and wonder if anyone has any experience in using the 10-340 or 10-345 Rikons for work other than resawing. I will also use it for resawing as we have a lot of native oak on our property and I thought that would be a fun challenge to make some small lumber for small projects out of our own wood.

The MiniMax and Laguna are out just out of my price range. I have a number of Grizzly power tools and have been pleased with them.

Again thanks to all you fellows for your advise, and I look forward to any more you might be willing to offer. I am still learning how to navigate, or operate the Sawmill website and I appologize for not getting back to everyone sooner. I live in the mountains near Yosemite Park in California and so do not have ready access to stores, or even other hobbiests. This site is a great source of info - amazing!

[Bill Arnold]

Jim,

You're wise to stay in your price range and not get caught up in the "name game" of tools. Get what you can afford and no more.

In a similar vein, I recently attended a seminar led by a world-renown furniture designer and builder. He uses a bandsaw for nearly all cutting tasks. His recommendation for a bandsaw? Forget the big name, expensive tools -- they do absolutely nothing for the person who knows how to setup a bandsaw properly. Although he could buy anything without looking at the right side of the menu, his latest bandsaw purchase was a Ridgid 14" from HD for $349.

'Nuf sed.....

[Paul B. Cresti]

Bill,
Please do not take offense to this but, "name game of tools"? Some of these tools, and in this case the big heavy duty European bandsaws from Italy, are not about names in the least. They are about performance and production. These saws have been around for years...It is just relatively recently that we the American public or small & big shop owners have become introduced to them in the more "mainstream" arena. They are all very good saws which each manufacturer having some differences between them. Saying that they are nothing but "names" is kind of ....well... wrong. Use one and you will know and appreciate the difference. I do agree though in that buy what you can afford but, more importantly buy for the performance you need.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Look at the laguna the mini max and take a really long hard look at the Hataichi.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I think Cliff mean Hitachi.

I have an old B601, the forerunner to the Hitachi CF75B, this is one of the best re-saws on the market, but you pay for it, also that is about all it does.

I call mine Big Blue, and it has a 2 1/2" resaw, carbide tipped super thin blade on it, I can cut veneer less than 1mm thick 12" tall.

But, this is not what most need (I did not really "Need" it either, but used for $400,...... :D)

The others have all mentioned a lot of good saws, pick the best one for the money you can afford, and buy "The Bandsaw Book" to make sure you have your saw set up right.

I envy your choices, I have much more limited choices here in Japan.

Cheers!

[Bill Arnold]

Bill,
Please do not take offense to this but, "name game of tools"? Some of these tools, and in this case the big heavy duty European bandsaws from Italy, are not about names in the least. ... Paul,

I didn't mean to indicate the machines you mentioned are not of superior quality. There are many features that make them what they are. I'm a price/value guy and, even if I hit the Lottery this weekend, I'll spend the money wisely and get what I need.

The main point I was trying to make is that when a famous furniture designer and builder who has employees and does production work as well as some of the finest studio pieces around expresses his opinion about bandsaws, people should listen.

Regards,

[Hal Flynt]

To me it was a money thing. If money wasn't a limiting factor, I would have a Laguna. But alas it is a factor.

I too, Like Mike Cutler, have 2 bandsaws. One is a 12” DURO from the 50’s (my dad’s). I keep a Timber Wolf 3/16” skip tooth on it for curvy cuts. I bought the RIKON 18” to add capacity and ability to resaw. I have a ¾” Woodslicer on it and I like the way it cuts and the smoothness of the cut. I have sliced 1/8” off of 10” stock with no issues at all. I have made a few mods and tweaks. Like Mike did on his (search RIKON here), I added a steel plate for the tracking rod. I set the drift angle to the fence. I squared the table to the blade and the fence to the table and made an aux resaw fence that’s 10” high. I also reset the tension indicator decal to a more accurate position. (It was reading a higher tension than actual). I would buy the Rikon again and I have not had to upgrade guides or fence or springs. (If I win the Publishers Clearing house or win the DIY $100,000 Dream workshop, I might change my mind). I do not have any experience with the Grizzly, but I did consider the PM 14” with rizer.

The Knoxville Woodcraft has a 14” Jet and an 18” Rikon that you can see in operation. Maybe a Woodcraft near you has a similar setup to try for yourself. I think tools and cars to men are like clothes and jewelry to women and it’s a personal thing that you can learn to adapt what you have to get the most out of it.

[Jim Watson]

Hey thanks to all of you for your responses. I sure wished I had a Woodcrafters outlet around here - but all I have right now is snow. Live near Yosemite Park in California and their nearest outlet is quite some distance away.

It is great to read the 'banter' back and forth amoung you knowledgeable guys. Lots of info. And it seems to me that even though there are occassional disagreements or differing opinions you all respect each others thoughts. Thats one of the things that makes this site so great. Lots of opinions.

I appreciate everyones thoughts - thanks much,
Jim

[Paul B. Cresti]

Paul,

I didn't mean to indicate the machines you mentioned are not of superior quality. There are many features that make them what they are. I'm a price/value guy and, even if I hit the Lottery this weekend, I'll spend the money wisely and get what I need.

The main point I was trying to make is that when a famous furniture designer and builder who has employees and does production work as well as some of the finest studio pieces around expresses his opinion about bandsaws, people should listen.

Regards,
Bill,
No problem... I understand where you were coming from. I do still sort of disgree though with your "famous furniture designer and builder" comment though. All these people are, is someone whom gets paid and well for work that they do. It is the same with all of these "celebrities" and professional athletes. We the public, put them on their pedestals. What I find interesting is that there are many people on this forum that they could easily be "famous woodworkers" but have other things in their lives that they do. The choice still comes down to what the individual wants, likes and deems as important to them.

[Roy Miles]

I am a boatbuilder, but currently am working for an eccentric, well resourced car fanatic. The project at hand is building a boattail skiff body on a 1922 ROLLS ROYCE. It's unlike any project I've undertaken before. It was time to invest in some new tools, and a bandsaw was the most challenging. I made the decision on the Laguna 16 HD, which arrived yesterday afternoon. It took about four hours to uncrate and tune up. I have so far used only the Resaw King blade,and I'm a true believer. I took a piece of trash firewood off the pile, placed it in a plywood cradle and ripped it in half, then quartersawed it to show all the grains available. Then I sliced 1/16th inch veneers out of both sides of the grain. Right out of the saw, the pieces were almost glass smooth. Awesome. The saw is pricey, and worth every penny. Then I grabbed a chunk of eucalyptus firewood. Although the wood checks badly, seeing the beautiful grain and colors was a treat I've never had with local woods. Now I want to find some fruitwood log sections to play with. I can't wait to start producing some wild coamings of Honduras mahogany to cover the end grains of the planking, trim for the dash and door trims, and other details of the car. The thought of crafting some veneers is leading to interesting further projects. I love resawing.

[lou sansone]

congrats on the new saw.. I am sure you will like it

lou

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey great news Roy!!

Boy, I know I would sure like to see some pics of the boat tail you are working on :D (not to mention the new Bandsaw!).

Cheers!

[Matt Guyrd]

Jim...I am quite new to SMC, but rest assured, you will get tons of info from this great resource, including wonderful laughs from some real characters!

I, too, am getting back into woodworking. Although my BS experience is limited, I can offer this from a consumer's stand-point. Do your research (inlcuding SMC opinions) to determine what your minimum requirements are, then seriously consider looking for a good used bandsaw.

Sure, if money is no option, go crazy. But there is good used equipment to be had.

Good luck!
Matt

[Bill Stoffels]

I agree with others above .
I almost bought a Laguna 16 but researched a lot and found that popular opinion is that the MM 16 is one of the best if not the best.
I also agree that Sam Blasco will do one thing for you , tell you the quality of the MM 16.
I bought a reconditioned MM16 that Sam contacted me about , it saved me a lot of money and was cheaper than the Laguna even with the "march Special"
I have it at the house right now and I could not be happier.
Its one stout son of a gun.
Now just have to get some Lenox carbide resaw blades for it.
If you buy a MM16 its will be the one you keep for life
Just my .02
What ever you do get good luck and have fun with it.

[Kevin Groenke]

The MiniMax is a fantastic machine and the Laguna is a pretty darn good one, but for an occasional user, are these worth the additional $?

That said, the obiquiteous 14" bandsaw with a riser block is a very versitile tool capable of straight and contoured cuts in a variety of stock. With extensive tuning and a very sharp blade a 14" bandsaw can effectively re-saw 10" hardwoods... for a while... but if re-sawing is going to be a primary use of a band-saw, a 14" machine simply is not an effective option.

I struggled for years to get effective results with such a machine, as often as not it was an exercise in frustration. And it's not that I wasn't trying, I was employing all of the accrued wisdom of the mags, the web and the almighty Mark Duginski, still I was frustrated.

So what to do? A couple years ago I was part of a group tool test for one of the mags. We reached a general concensus that the imported, welded frame, 16-18" machines offered the most bang for the buck. (We also concluded the the MM was the hands-down favority, and that the cheap Grizzly 14" was a bunch of saw for $400)

All of these machines are BASICALLY the same design, but there are SIGNIFICANT differences in the details, construction and features, so do your research. We found that on a couple of the machines you could actually deflect the upper wheel assembly half an inch by just grabbing and twisting. Generally: rigidity=good, flexibility=bad when re-sawing or most other machine related tasks.

Shortly after the test I found the $ for dedicated re-saw. For me it was a toss up between a few of the 17" - 18" imports in the $800-$1000. range

General Int 17"
Grizzly 18"
Shop Fox 17"
Bridgewood 17"

The Rikon and Jet were out of the running because their frames were not as rigid as the others.

I settled for the Bridgewood 17" for ~$900. We've been using it for a couple years without any complaints. As others have mentioned, the blade is as important as the saw you put it on. Considering how much we cut, I should try carbides, but so far wer'e still using timberwolves with good results.

Good Luck.