Minimax Support WOW! and MM16 mini review

[Dave Bonde]

I posted below my trouble with my new MM16 not starting thanks to the help of the SMC members I got the saw running. I wanted to start my mini review with a big thumbs up to the support from Minimax. A representative from Minimax read by post here on SMC and called the number I had on record with Minimax. It was my cell phone that I had shut off, he than took the initiative to locate my home phone number and called me to help me come up with a solution to get my saw going over the Christmas break, he gave me his office and home phone number, and told me to call him If I had any other problems with the saw and said my sales rep would be calling me on Tuesday to follow up. He was at least as disgusted as I was that the saw did not run right out of the box so to speak. If that isn’t impressive enough the call was placed on Sunday Christmas Eve. I now have a few hours on the saw and feel like I can offer a first impressions mini review of the saw. The manual that comes with the saw is not as detailed as the one that is on the minimax website so I would suggest downloading the one from the website to use. I was pleasantly surprised with the fit and finish of the saw, some of the reviews I have read had indicated that this was not one of the saws strong points but my saw looks great the welds are superb, the doors align perfectly and the table is smooth and flat. The top is ground with a blancher rather than a straight surface grinder so it has the distinctive swril pattern (which I like) that a blancher leaves. The table is heavy rotates smoothly and locks rock solid. The paint is excellent and I really have no negatives to list with the fit and finish of the saw. The saw was easy to setup I used the 1” blade that came with the saw as a practice blade. I have a TriMaster and a Timberwolf blade to use for resawing but thought I would practice with the stock blade in case I made a fatal mistake. I resawed material from 4” to 9” ranging from klin dried red oak to logs like the one my little helper is displaying in the picture. The saw performed as I expected and frankly why I bought this saw. It is great even with the stock blade. The motor has plenty of power and never bogged once during use and I had no tracking problems while resawing. The blade tensions very easily and I was surprised at how little hand pressure on the tensioning wheel was required to properly tension the 1” blade. This is not an inexpensive saw but with the early results of the saws performance and the customer support I have already had from the people at Minimax I feel this saw will be worth the investment. Dave

[Paul Kinneberg]

Dave I have been looking at a MM J/P so I am glad to hear what great custommer service you recieved. Thanks and nice saw!!

[Aaron Beaver]

Awesome news. I have had nothing but great customer support from Mini-Max when I bought a machine. I would definitely buy another machine from them when I need to upgrade one of my machines, like my bandsaw. Glad it all worked out for you and you got it running.

[Jim Becker]

Dave, I had the same thing happen on a weekend a couple years ago...and the fellow who called me had never talked to me, was not my saleman and had no personal benefit in store for helping me with my questions and issues. Yet another reason why I do business with them...

[Travis Porter]

Congratulations on the new saw, and I am glad to hear you got it running and the support was good for you.

[Steve Clardy]

Good review Dave:)

[Gary Herrmann]

MM16 is the first bandsaw I owned. Based on the tool itself and MM support, I'm a convert. Now if I can just come up with the $ to buy something (like a J/P) from them...

[glenn bradley]

An MM16 as a first BS. Bummer. You have no reference point for what a fine saw you have . . . . ;)

[lou sansone]

great story and what I would expect from a great company like mm

best wishes with the new saw

lou

[Gary Herrmann]

An MM16 as a first BS. Bummer. You have no reference point for what a fine saw you have . . . . ;)

First I owned. Not first I used, so I've got enough reference points to satisfy myself. I kept reading and listening and my requirements kept going up. Now if I tried to do that with a sliding table saw, I'd have to sell my truck... :rolleyes:

[Dan Forman]

First I owned. Not first I used, so I've got enough reference points to satisfy myself. I kept reading and listening and my requirements kept going up.

Same story for me, but first I used too. Sam Blasco of this forum is my rep, and he is great! No complaints from me about the saw either.

[Joe Mioux]

On the surface it looks a like a very good saw, but when you dig a little deeper you see all the refinements that make this saw outstanding.

As an example, It's built to properly tension a blade and the smoothness of its running.

Those MM guys are great as well. They keep in touch.

Joe

[Mike Cutler]

Nice followup post Dave. I like MM's response to your initial problem. Well done on their part.
It is so cool to be able to resaw isn't it? That's some nice looking material by the way. It appars to be somewhat spalted.

I see that you're training up your helper to adhere to good safety practices. Cool glasses.