28" Meber bandsaw

[Adam Grills]

Does anyone outthere have a Meber 28" (700) bandsaw. Do you like it? What are the drawbacks? I am looking at a used one. I need resaw of min 16" and talking with Laguna rep last night and getting prices on their saws is way out of my league. Over $3000 (Canadian) for a 16HD. Any advise on Meber.
Adam

[lou sansone]

I have seen them, they look fine, but never run one... they are a modern saw and I would think they would be fine. If you find a zimmerman saw, jump on it.

lou

[Travis Porter]

I know a guy that has a 24" meber. He is quite happy with it and would definitely buy it again. IIRC, Meber is the company that makes the frame assemblies for Laguna and Bridgewood.

[Mark Duginske]

Lou-----What is a "zimmerman saw""

Comment to Adam Grills.... All of the Italian saws are designed with flat wheels (or almost) which support wide resaw blades very well. If I remember correctly all of the Italian saws are made in the same town (like stretch limos) and they are rather similar and all perform well. I have seen quite a number of instances where old American saws were purchased for the goal of resawng and proved to be a disappointment.

Are you in Canada? I have a Norwood sawmill and I resaw 16" boards with that. They now have a less expensive version which I have not seen or used.

Regards,

Mark Duginske

Mark Duginske

[lou sansone]

Lou-----What is a "Zimmerman saw""

Comment to Adam Grills.... All of the Italian saws are designed with flat wheels (or almost) which support wide resaw blades very well. If I remember correctly all of the Italian saws are made in the same town (like stretch limos) and they are rather similar and all perform well. I have seen quite a number of instances where old American saws were purchased for the goal of resawng and proved to be a disappointment.

Are you in Canada? I have a Norwood sawmill and I resaw 16" boards with that. They now have a less expensive version which I have not seen or used.

Regards,

Mark Duginske

Mark Duginske

Zimmermann were the rolls Royce of German woodworking tools. Alan turner ( a SMC member ) has one of them. I have seen it in person.. I would trade my 36" Moak for it in a heart beat.

lou

[Adam Grills]

Yes, I am in Canada. I drive buy Norwood's Head Office each time I go to the cottage. I have used both of their saws and they perform well when set up correctly. I have been wanting to buy one for a while now but its just not in the cards. For now I will have to keep highering a mill to come out.
I too have never heard of a Zimmerman bandsaw. I google it today and only came up with other woodworking machines from Zimmerman. Love to see a picture of one.
My point of buying a big saw like this Meber 28 (700) is I don't want to have to buy another saw and it has to perform at the top.
Adam

[Marty Barron]

Adam, I have a Minimax MM16 it has a 16" resaw capacity and I ordered it directly from Minimax in Texas. One of the big woodworking shows is happening in Toronto March 2-4. I would think that you would be able to see all the saws at once and maybe be able to take one of the demo saws home without the extra shipping charges or wait. The website does not have a exhibitor list but Steel City tools will be there and Laguna, MiniMax have been at previous shows. The show is put off by Canadian Home Workshop magazine and the details are at their webite.

Hope this helps ...

Marty

[Adam Grills]

Marty,
Thanks for the info but the whole idea is that all of the new machines that can resaw 16" or better are $3000 for a florr model no shipping at the stuff thrown in. I don't disagree that they are all great saws and I would be more than happy with any of the top saws but my budget puts me in the $1500 range. So a new saw that will be able to do the job I want it to is way out of my price range.
Besides Ieverytime I speek with Laguna they just make me mad. They don't seem to care about my saw needs they just want to sell a saw. Not to mention they never return a phone call. I don't care for pushy sales. Just looking at other people owning Lagunas and when they need service it seems to be a nightmare. I rather be mad at myself for picking a bad used machine.
From what I know from speeking to others the Meber 28" will do just as good of job as a Laguna or Minimax- The only thing I see Laguna having over the others is the fancy guide system. In my opinion I don't care if the machine is shiny, has gold guides and dances with me in the shop. Bottom line is- does the saw cut the wood straight, with ease and doesn't vibrate accross the floor.

[Travis Porter]

IIRC, the bigger saws from Laguna do not have the ceramic guides. If the Meber is solid no cracks or major problems with it and it is a good buy, I would go for it.

[Dave Sabo]

I curious where one finds a 28" European Bandsaw for 1500 bucks or less. I think thats the real story here.

[John S Richards]

Dude, get the Meber for that price. I got lucky and got mine from Broyhill when they closed down Chair 1 plant. I paid $800 for it and all I had to do was put new tires on it and go. It was is an SR600. Mine had the carter precision guides which are awsome. The saw is smooth quiet and cuts like a dream. Wheels are perfectly balanced. As a bonus the US distributor for Meber is less than 4 miles from my house. The guy that works there brought my tires by my house on his way home!!! :) If I could find another Meber (600 or 700) myself I'd sell my MM16 and keep the Mebers. That is how happy I am with my Meber. I'm a bandsaw fanatic by the way. I'm getting ready to take my 36" Moak into the shop Saturday for bandsaw number 4. Paid $1150 for it and it is in great shape as well. Honestly If I had 10' ceilings I woudl have bought the SR900 that had for auction at the same time. It sold for only $600!!!! That is a big bandsaw!!!!!!!!

Travis has heard nothing but gleaming reviews from me. I teach and my saws see a lot of cutting time. The students fight for the Meber!!!

http://www.jsrwoodworking.com/index_files/image6161.jpghttp://www.jsrwoodworking.com/photo_galleries/albums/userpics/normal_58111A.jpeg

Good Luck,

John

[Adam Grills]

Hey,
Thanks for the advice. You have reenforced all the thoughts that I had. As I work more and more with wood I find that bigger is better. My little shop is soon going to need an addition. Like 30' x 50' addition. What blades do you run on you Meber?
Adam

[John S Richards]

I typically run Lenox Bimetals on all my bandsaws. They stay sharp for a very long time and do a good enough job for the occasional resaw. I do have a 1" carbide blade for it, but have never had it on the saw. I teach maloof chair making so most of the time the saw is cutting curves in 8/4 stock. A 1/2" bimetal works great for that. If you need any help with parts or tires let me know if I can help. Like I said the Meber distributor is 4 miles from my house. They carry the carter guides and also usually have tires.

http://www.pruittmachinery.com/

Good Luck with the saw. I get to move my new beast into the shop this weekend. Fortruck, chain hoist, come along, crowbars, chains...... lots of fun stuff. :)

John

[Adam Grills]

John,
Thank you for the info. What do you recommend for a resaw blade? My main purpose for the saw is the ability to resaw up to 16".

One of the projects I am planning to start once I have the saw is to do a few maloof chairs. I have a client who may want me to do a set of chairs for the dinning room table I am currently doing for him. Never done a Maloof style before so I may make a couple for myself first :) May need some pointers.

Adam

[Adam Grills]

Anyone know if Meber has changed their saws over the past 20 years? Have they changed just the cosmetic stuff or the saw its self.
Adam

[John S Richards]

John,
Thank you for the info. What do you recommend for a resaw blade? My main purpose for the saw is the ability to resaw up to 16".

One of the projects I am planning to start once I have the saw is to do a few maloof chairs. I have a client who may want me to do a set of chairs for the dinning room table I am currently doing for him. Never done a Maloof style before so I may make a couple for myself first :) May need some pointers.

Adam
For dedicated resaw I would get a 1" 2-3tpi carbide Lenox blade. I typically run 1/2 Lenox Bimetals because they will do ok resawing, and are great for the scroll cuts I typically make. Sculptural woodworking is the focus of my woodworking life. I love it. I was wrapping up a Sapella settee for a gallery before the Moak got in the shop. Now I'm addicted to cleaning iron. The settee will have to wait until after I get back from China. LOL

Meber hasn't changed their design much over the past 20 years. I think the older saws where a bit heavier and well built. I don't think you'll regret the SR700.

John

[Alan Turner]

Lou-----What is a "zimmerman saw""



Regards,

Mark Duginske

Mark Duginske

Mark,
Just noticed this thread. Been busy of late. Zimmermann is a German company, founded in the 1930's I think, by Fritz Zimmermann, who was a patternmaker dissatisfied with the state of WW tools. So, he started his own line.

His first tool was an overhead router, smallish, very precise. The patternmakers called it the "Fritzie" I was told by their US rep. Today Zimmerman makes only milling machines as patternmakers, I am told, today use largely CNC type of equip. I have one of these, but have never used it, and probably will not use it. The rep offered to buy it from me, but I declined. I should probably call him back. It is a cool little tool with wonderfully machined table, tilting table, revolving table, etc. 8mm collet.

This bandsaw is an 800 mm saw (31.5"), is dead simple, and very accurate and stout. Mine was made in 1977, from the machine plate. 2 speed (I use only the slow speed). Very strong, with a 25" resaw capacity. So far I have only resawn 18", which was cherry crotch. No problem. I made an aux. fence which is adjustable for parallelism with the blade, and a large UHMW featherboard.

We are doing a door job, 8 doors, of stave core and 1/8" veneer. 4 are 10 feet tall, so the saw got a good workout. It never hesitated. We are running a 1" 2-3 TPI, Lennox carbide blade, and it has been on the saw for over a year, and is still strong. I have one in reserve, but have not yet unwrapped it. We have a scroller as well, so the Zimmermann is always set up for resawing, and gentle curves.

When I learned of this saw's availability, I called a friend who is used equip dealer, to inquire. He said to jump on it as they are the best. So, I did. The usual used price for one of these is about 7K. I did not pay that, however. But, if I did not have it, and saw a clean one for that price, I would struggle to find the coin for it as it is the best bandsaw I have ever used.

It has a cast iron frame, which I do not usually prefer. A little over 9 feet tall. 1100 KG.

The wheels have vulcanized tires which are applied and then turned to true and balanced. I learned that when they wear out, you order new/used wheels from Germany and send yours back for re-tiring. $1400 each. But, I have talked to the fellow who runs Northfield, and they do the same work. I think they could probably retire the Zimmermann. About $350@, plus shipping. Hope I do not have to do this as I am not a good enough mechanic to get them off and on safely, although I think the price is reasonable. This type of tire is similar to the Aggi, which I think you have. There is a photo of the saw on the PFW website.

[Bob Malone]

Hello Adam,

I have the smaller Meber SR500 bandsaw - it's resaw capacity is 12 1/2". I have a small shop (21X17) and this bandsaw fits my space nicely. So while I cannot comment on 16" resaw capabilities, I can comment on the Meber saws in general. Smooth,yes it passes the nickel test, powerful and perfectly balanced wheels. My unit was built in 1991, and it is a dream to operate compared to other bandsaws I have used. I have the Carter Guides. Lennox blades 3/4 or 1" 3 TPI.

If you can find a Meber, don't be shy paying 50% of the value of a new one or Laguna - you will have bought a machine for life.

Good Luck