New Laguna. What do you think?

[Cameron Reddy]

At the Detroit show next weekend, Laguna will have a new version of their LT20, called the LT20 Bowl Turner. This is a Bulgarian machine, like their smaller saws, but is really beefed up and souped up. It has:

New Drift Master fence. This is the coolest fence I have ever seen. It has micro adjust, drift adjust, and the versatile high and low extrusion.
Plus:
Steel extension table.
Mobility Kit
Resaw King 1 1/4"
New geared quick-tilt table
Motor: 6.0 HP Baldor
Resaw: 20”
Max blade: 1 ½”
Throat: 19”
Table size: 29” x 21” ½
Blade length: 175”
Table height: 38”
Rack / pinion: Standard
Foot brake: Standard
Height: 84”

I understand this new beast is nearly 800 lbs! Apparently, they showed this machine at the Atlanta show and it was a big hit.

I can pick it up at the show for $2,650.

I will resaw a bunch of guitar tonewood, and anything else that comes along. I do like messing with BIG pieces of wood.

What do you guys think?

[Roy Wall]

Cameron,

Given those specs......it certainly rivals the Minimax 20"...even better with the new fence and a geared tilted table......

The MM20 is $3300........so I'd say it's a good buy!

[Lee DeRaud]

Am I the only one wondering why a bandsaw is named "Bowl Turner"?

[Cameron Reddy]

Am I the only one wondering why a bandsaw is named "Bowl Turner"?

Lee, guys that turn bowls cut the blanks out of huge, thick, hunks of burl and stuff.

This new saw is designed to work with a special new jig for cutting circular blanks, as well as the new DriftMaster fence.

One thing I find interesting is that Laguna keeps coming up with little, thoughtful, extras that make tools more accurate and effective. The Resaw King blade, the very high end sliding table adaptable to standard cabinet saws, cool block blade guides, Log Master table... Some folks have complained about their responsiveness to customer issues. I'd say these accessories are a pretty good indication of sensitivity to the needs of woodworkers.

[Lee DeRaud]

Lee, guys that turn bowls cut the blanks out of huge, thick, hunks of burl and stuff.I'm familiar with the mechanics of bowl blank preparation. At the size of blanks this thing is apparently designed to handle, the initial blank roughing is usually done with a chainsaw and the blank is subsequently stuffed onto a lathe big/heavy enough that it really doesn't care whether the blank is perfectly round or not. And for the life of me, I can't figure out where "Resaw King blades" and "precision drift adjustments" come into play anywhere in that process.

Laguna is also pushing their new lathes pretty hard. One wonders whether somebody in the marketing department experienced "brain fade" while doing a cut-and-paste on the brochure or press release.

[John Miliunas]

I'm familiar with the mechanics of bowl blank preparation. At the size of blanks this thing is apparently designed to handle, the initial blank roughing is usually done with a chainsaw and the blank is subsequently stuffed onto a lathe big/heavy enough that it really doesn't care whether the blank is perfectly round or not. And for the life of me, I can't figure out where "Resaw King blades" and "precision drift adjustments" come into play anywhere in that process.

Laguna is also pushing their new lathes pretty hard. One wonders whether somebody in the marketing department experienced "brain fade" while doing a cut-and-paste on the brochure or press release.

Lee, I 'bout fell outta' my chair when I read your,
"Am I the only one wondering why a bandsaw is named "Bowl Turner"?"!!!:D "Brain fade" may be a polite way of saying "cranial/rectal inversion" but, I think you have it right! :) Mind you, I own a Laguna BS and am happy with it but, with the 1-1/4" Resaw King and their new "Drift Master" fence, I totally agree that, this is not a saw "designed" for spitting out blanks! Yes, I have no doubt that it would do the job well and yes, it's probably well set for resawing too but, "Bowl Turner" ??? Good grief...Someone in marketing should get slapped for that one!:rolleyes: :) :cool:

[Cameron Reddy]

Well... you guys know a lot more about it than I do.

Did you read the full description of the bowl turning jig? I'm not into turning bowls so I have no clue or interest...

Clearly, the DriftMaster fence is for resawing, which is my interest, and for that it seems to me to be the coolest fence on the market. You guys agree?

[John Miliunas]

Cameron, I read a short blurb about both of them in a recent woodworking magazine and, the consensus appears to be that both are really nice. :) I guess, for your primary intended use, that fence would be a breeze to adjust for drift, albeit, having run Resaw King blades, I found drift to not be an issue! :) However, additional RK blades are real, REAL expensive so, when you do go to another brand, that micro-adjust on the fence should come in real handy. Plus, in the final analysis, that IS one heckuva' price for a LOT of saw! If you don't have any intentions on going to the "Spinny World", I'll bet if you offer up the jig for making blanks at a decent price, you could easily "unload" that, as well! :) :cool:

[Cameron Reddy]

John,

Thanks for the reply! For the $2,650 I don't get the spinny thing. I get the DriftMaster, mobility kit, extension table, and a nice 1 1/4" RK blade.

I saw a video, that I can't find now on the Laguna site, that showed Torbin using the DriftMaster. He pulled long strips of wood that were within 4 thousands of each other. That kind of capability means a lot when you are cutting up a 5/4 piece that cost several hundred bucks and each set of tonewood can go for $200+.

[John Miliunas]

John,

Thanks for the reply! For the $2,650 I don't get the spinny thing. I get the DriftMaster, mobility kit, extension table, and a nice 1 1/4" RK blade.

I saw a video, that I can't find now on the Laguna site, that showed Torbin using the DriftMaster. He pulled long strips of wood that were within 4 thousands of each other. That kind of capability means a lot when you are cutting up a 5/4 piece that cost several hundred bucks and each set of tonewood can go for $200+.

LOL! All the more reason they shouldn't call the thing a "Bowl Turner"! :D However, I really don't give a rat's pa-toot what they call it, if it does the job, that's #1 in my book. :)

Now, as for Torbin and Laguna in general, you will find that we have a very large contingent of MM users 'round these parts. As best as I can tell, MM makes quality equipment but, having said that, I am also quite happy with my LT 16HD. Though it's not hardly the proportions of the one you're considering, it has done a dandy job with whatever I've thrown at it. And I've used it quite extensively for all kinds of stuff, from resawing to cutting bowl blanks. In all fairness, I did have some issues with LT at the onset but, Torbin eventually ended up addressing me directly and took good care of me and any issues I was having. IMHO, it's a well engineered, carefully assembled piece of equipment, worthy of a prominent place in my shop! The one thing, which really stands out in my opinion of LT is, both Torbin and his wife are very active in promoting woodworking in the K-12 educational system. I believe any and all education is important and the fact that these folks are extending that belief to the world of woodworking is noteworthy. As always, just MHO but, there you have it! :) :cool:

[Lee DeRaud]

What John said. I'm neither a MM nor Laguna owner, but I have no doubt this is a quality chunk of steel.

That said, "Bowl Turner" is (still) without a doubt the silliest name for a bandsaw I've ever heard.

[Mark Singer]

I think it is a dedicated resaw machine and not that great all around...

[Jim Becker]

That said, "Bowl Turner" is (still) without a doubt the silliest name for a bandsaw I've ever heard.
I gotta agree there and I mean no disrespect to Laguna! Anyone turning bowlsand vessels that large is using a chain saw to rough to shape and a hoist to get the blank on the lathe. They are not making pretty, perfectly round circles on the band saw...

Of course they also tout their lathe for bowl turning...I have trouble imagining that, too, given the duplicating accessories, etc., on it that are really spindle focused.

[John Renzetti]

Hi, I was at the Laguna Booth during the IWF in Atlanta in August and saw Torben demonstrate the bowl blank cutting attachment for the bandsaw. The blanks being used were not monster blanks. They were decent size but nothing that would need a hoist to get on the bandsaw or mount on the lathe.
The results from what I saw were impressive. The attachment itself was very well made. From what I understand, Torben designs this stuff and has them fabricated. I think that log sawing attachment was his.
I'm not a turner, but one area where this attachment would come in handy would be for the beginning to intermediate turner who is getting into larger bowls. The attachment might allow for a better balanced bowl blank that would be initially easier to true up.
take care,
John

[Andy Hoyt]

The notion of making a nearly perfect round turning blank with a bandsaw is a waste of time and actually hinders the turner once the piece moves to the lathe. Sure, I use my bandsaw to prep pieces, but it's limited to getting a lumpy chunk kinda sorta roundish only. Why? So when it moves to the lathe I can make subtle variations in the orientation for better grain centering and orientation.

The value of a well rounded chunk to a turner only comes when one is trying to maximize a chunk relative to the swing of the lathe, and this comes with a sacrifice to the more important consideration - form. While a lathe of a lighter duty design will benefit from that chunk, I see a disconnect between spending huge bucks on a bandsaw just to prep pieces for an economy lathe.

And the turner who has a decent enough lathe to begin with doesn't need the fancy bandsaw. This is sounds like great Catch-22 that the marketing-speak hasn't taken into account.

[Cameron Reddy]

I think it is a dedicated resaw machine and not that great all around...

Mark, why do you say that?

[bob starkey]

Laguna bandsaws are just fun to own as bandsaw owners well know now. This Bowl Turning blank bandsaw is what you need if the 6hp heavy weight has a good home in your shop to cut burl happy big chunks. I run a 16" Jet for all round use and don't have a real need for this Laguna unit. I could tell from woodworking show demos that Laguna has fine saws and the ceramic guides are fine. Is there not one among us that has turned on the lights of his shop and looked around to say now that was a tool buy I wish I could do over. If I were to have the Laguna LT16 instead of this Jet 16 with carters and a good blade would I be able to justify twice the price? No.
Bob

[Mark Singer]

[QUOTE=Cameron Reddy]Mark, why do you say that?[/QUOTE

Laguna Tools started here in Laguna just down the street from my old office . Torben and his brother Benjamin are old friends....many of the MM guys started there too. I owned a Laguna saw for a while, Occasionally I would stop by and look at the stuff and the guys explained to me that some of the bandsaws are really for just cutting logs and resawing...they have a model called the resaw king...I think thats it:confused: Anyway on the resaw machines the blade guides are far apart....the lower is usually well below the table since cutting curves is not important, So I suspect this is a straight line resaw baby. Today I have 2 bandsaws, a 20" Aggazani and a 14" Jet. It gives me versatility without changing blades