This is the weekend of the bandsaw

[Greg Griswold]

I am planning on purchasing a band saw this weekend. I am looking at a PowerMatic 14" saw with a riser block, a Bridgewood 17" and a MiniMax 14". All three saws are in the same price range, and have similar cutting capabilities. One of them (the PowerMatic) I can pick up and haul home, one (the Bridgewood) is in stock and can ship Monday, the other (MiniMax) I'll see about at the Wood show tomorrow.

Can anyone give me any enlightened recommendations on these saws?

Thanks in advance.

Greg

[Michael Perata]

Greg

I haven't seen the MiniMax 14, but I do have a MiniMax 16 and it stood well above the competition head to head.

[Jim Becker]

I haven't seen the MiniMax 14, but I do have a MiniMax 16 and it stood well above the competition head to head.
Ditto, although I've seen the 14" MM at shows. Excellent machine, albeit the "baby brother" of the larger tools!

[Chris Padilla]

Would some of you contest the fact that bigger is better for bandsaws? For me, I am thinking that the larger wheel diameter allows a wider blade that should be better for resawing. Also, and not always true, the larger wheels means a beefier frame and that usually allows a larger resaw capacity.

To that end, I've been keep my eyes open for 18-20" BS. Yeah, I know my dad just picked up a classic 16" W-T BS (for me, supposedly) but I am finding myself looking at the bigger BSs now.... Anyone set me straight--I really don't know that much about these tools.

[Steve Wargo]

I just recently upgraded to a Laguna 16HD and it's far superior to any others I've used, Jet, PM, Delta, and General. I was tetering between the Laguna, MiniMax and Agazzani, and chose the Laguna strictly for the guide system. And I must say it is impressive. I did a tes resaw of 11" wide mahogany and produced 1/16" veneers with no effort and little clean up. The 3HP motor make little work of anything I've cut including some nasty Lacewood, Bubinga and cocobolo. No affiliation, just a happy customer.

[Jim Becker]

Would some of you contest the fact that bigger is better for bandsaws? For me, I am thinking that the larger wheel diameter allows a wider blade that should be better for resawing. Also, and not always true, the larger wheels means a beefier frame and that usually allows a larger resaw capacity.

To that end, I've been keep my eyes open for 18-20" BS. Yeah, I know my dad just picked up a classic 16" W-T BS (for me, supposedly) but I am finding myself looking at the bigger BSs now.... Anyone set me straight--I really don't know that much about these tools.Chris, your impressions are correct. The larger the wheel and beefier the frame, the better the machine will be for resawing and other large cutting tasks. Running wider bands generally ratchets up the tension requirement...and you can't go by the " tensioning markings" on the saw, either. I just picked up a tension meter from Iturra design and was very surprised about how much more I had to crank my MM16 to get to the recommended PSI over the factory guage. Huge difference, but the saw had the ability to provide it. Bigger saws can easily apply and handle that tension structurally. So if you have the means, absolutely go for the larger saw. If not, pick quality and heft in the smaller saw to at least get the ability to get some tension on a narrower blade that will make it perform well.

[Mark Bachler]

I love my MM 16. It's a tank. 3.8 hp, up to a 1 1/4" blade, 13" resaw. nuff said.

[Mark Rios]

Greg, I think that you should buy all three, use each of them for a month or so, pick your favorite and then give the other two to the two members of this forum that appreciate you the most. Your my favorite Greg. I'll wait for your email telling me how I can pick one up. :D :D :D :D :D

Your Best Friend, Mark.

[Steven Wilson]

The new Minimax S14 (14" bandsaw) has a number of features that make it a great value. The features that I like are; decent resaw height, roller guides (like Carter, but not Carter), quick tension release, 4 inch dust port (the only 14" bandsaw with decent dust collection IMHO), and rack and pinion guide post. A lot of features for the price (less than the Powermatic)

[Bob Hovde]

Greg, I wanted the PM-16, but Joe Osolnik said they were out and wouldn't ship until after the 1st - which meant an 8 percent increase in price. Since I needed the riser to do what I wanted, that put it in the range of the Jet 18 in - and I bought it instead. Wow! Is it BIG! SWMBO said, quietly, "It's a little bigger than I thought it would be."

If you can get the PM, it looks like a fine machine, but big has some advantages.

Bob

[Steven Wilson]

Would some of you contest the fact that bigger is better for bandsaws? For me, I am thinking that the larger wheel diameter allows a wider blade that should be better for resawing. Also, and not always true, the larger wheels means a beefier frame and that usually allows a larger resaw capacity.

It depends on what you want to do. If resawing and accurately ripping stock is what you want from a bandsaw then the larger wheel diameter and beefier frame will allow you to apply more tension to a blade which means you should be able to properly tension wider and thicker blades. So a 20" (or better 24") bandsaw with a stiff spring and heavy guage frame (like a Minimax MM series) will be able to properly tension .032" thick, 1" wide blades (carbide tipped or bimetal). The other nice thing is mass - the more mass, generally a smoother running machine. The large welded frame bandsaws from Italy get their mass from thicker sheet metal and larger frames, your WT gets its mass from cast iron. The WT you have is a good one.

Now, why would you want a small bandsaw? A couple of reasons, first you can generally support smaller blades than what a larger bandsaw is set up to handle. Second, you can mount the bandsaw on a rolling stand and use it to cut intricate shapes into the end of timbers (i.e. move the saw, not the wood). I'm considering getting a 12" Jet as a second bandsaw to make decorative cuts on the ends of a Pergola framing.

[Bob Aquino]

You could also look at the 17" grizzley. http://www.grizzly.com/products/item.cfm?itemnumber=G0513. Terry Hatfield has a review of it on his site at terryhatfield.com. Cheaper than the bridgewood. You could also look at the 19" model for 950. I would go for the larger machine if you think most of the work will be in resawing.

[nic obie]

Another nice feature the Minimax S14 saw has is that it's lower wheel is adjustable, just like the bigger Laguna and Minimax saws are.

[Rob Bourgeois]

I have the PM-14 and you wont be disappointed. I havent gave much of a test with it yet but with the factory blade I get a decent cut( not barreled) cutting 1/4 slices off of a 6 inch piece of red oak. I will be getting better blades in a couple of days. The quick release is great and set up was easy. However, the air hose instructions and a few steps in the manual could have been clearer with wording but a quick look at the parts diagram cleared things up.

The fit and finish was great and the dust collection was very good using a shop vac while resawing the oak and while cutting some curves in 1/4 in hard board. Make sure you get a mobile base becasue this monster is heavy. Look for pictures soon along with another 9 pound, 20 inch gloat.

If you have any specific questions or want to know which steps need fixing just PM me. I will be pretty busy with that gloat for the next couple of days but I will reply.

Rob

[David Rose]

Only Bob A. "nearly" hit on my main reason for wanting a larger bandsaw. Since the bandsaw is my primary saw, I would love more distance from the blade to the column. For shops with table saws that would not be as important. I would love a large MM, but can't justify a saw that cost more than our vehicle.

David

[Jim Schmoll]

When I upgraded from a 12" Homecraft (old Delta with a three digit serial number) with a home built riser block that my dad used for eons to a 18" Jet. Life got a whole lot better. I riped 10" boards with both, it just took a lot longer with the Homecraft. Buy the largest your shop and pocket book will allow.

Jim from Idyllwild CA

[Greg Griswold]

Thanks all for the advise. I went to the Chichago Wood Show of Friday, and looked at the Leguna, MiniMax 14, PowerMatic, Jet and Delta. My decision came down to the MiniMax 14 and the PowerMatic. The MiniMax would require a downpayment, and then wait till some time in May, maybe, and the PowerMatic could be picked up on the way home. OK, I'm in to instant gratification, I admit it. I am now the proud owner of a new PowerMatic 14" band saw, complete with mobility kit and riser block.

The assembly instructions could certainly use some help, and I have a few extra parts that I have to figure out what to do with, but it is completely assembled and sitting in my shop. I grabbed a piece of 2x4 and stood it on edge and pushed it into the blade - wow, a nice thin, piece of 2x4.

Again, thanks.

Greg

[David Rose]

Congrats on the saw! I think you'll find a whole new world open to you with resawing cababilities.

David