Bandsaw buying advice-talk me off the ledge!

[stephen fleischer]

So, I've been going back and forth on the Jet JWBS-15-3 (the 1.75 HP will probably work fine for me, maybe?) and the Laguna 14" or SUV and the Grizzly machines.

What am I looking for? I just sold a Jet 14" bandsaw I'd had for 10 years because I need something to do fine resawing and I fancied something newer and bigger. It won't see a ton of use but I'm one of those guys who enjoys working with equipment that is high quality, and I like feeling like it's substantial and well engineered. I have a Delta Unisaw and I love high quality tools like that.

Grizzly: I hear a lot of love and hate for the Grizzly Bandsaws and I think I'll regret buying one after a few years, plus resale is probably not great. Also, every time I look into buy something from Grizzly, it's out of stock for months...or even longer!

Jet JWB-15: I haven't been able to touch/test one yet but I like what I'm seeing in the videos and online. Will I regret not buying the 3hp if I get the 1.75 hp??? This one is my fave right now

Laguna 14BX: To be honest, I was really unimpressed. The knobs were cheap plastic and the blade guide system felt cheapy and the metal flimsy. I hear it's a great machine and I'm sure it is. I hated that it doesn't include a blade, even as a courtesy. the Laguna just fealt like they'd cut corners on the knobs and switches, which was a put off for me.

Talk me off the ledge, or push me off the ledge. Help and advice would be greatly appreciated. I have a budget up to $1,800 and I'd rather not save a few hundred and then regret it in a couple of years. I like to buy once and love my purchase for 10 years.

Am I missing a bandsaw that I haven't considered yet?

thanks so much.

[Martin Wasner]

Look for a used minimax 16

[Nick Decker]

Curious as to why you'd want another 14" saw for resawing, when your budget is $1800?

[John TenEyck]

HP is your friend and the more the better if you want to resaw anything very thick. I figure 1 HP for every 3 - 4". Said another way, you won't be happy with 1.75 HP if you want to resaw anything very thick.

John

[Dan Friedrichs]

LT 14BX is a weird machine. $1500 gets you 2.5HP, 12" resaw, and a weight of 330lbs. For $300 more, you could get the LT 14SUV, with 3HP, 14" resaw, and weight of 375lbs (assuming more weight is better, here).

[Josh Lucus]

I’m also looking at upgrading to a larger capacity BS. The Laguna LT 14SUV would fit the bill but the blade tensioning from the top of the saw scares me off. I’m not tall, I would need a step ladder to change blades.

[glenn bradley]

HP is your friend and the more the better if you want to resaw anything very thick. I figure 1 HP for every 3 - 4". Said another way, you won't be happy with 1.75 HP if you want to resaw anything very thick.

John

10-4 Eleanore!

A bandsaw is one of the tools that benefits from raw mass and power. If you sold a 14" I would move to a 17" or 18" machine. Several folks on here keep a 14" as a secondary or small work machine when they upgrade. Often space makes this impossible but, I replaced my small saw when I made the mistake of selling it when I upgraded.

Be that as it may, If your budget will sustain it I would look at a Minimax in a heartbeat. In the "also ran" department I have been quite happy with a G0513X for some years. It is by no means at the tier of the Minimax machines but, at the time I bought it was a third the price. The only thing I wish it had more of is power. 2HP is adequate but, more would be better.

[Cary Falk]

I hear a lot of good things about the Rikon 18". I have a Go513x2 and love it. If I was in the marked I would be looking at the Rikon.

[Neil Gaskin]

I love our minimax. Looked for a lightly used 16. It should be good balance for resaw and curved work. We have a mm20 and an old jet 14 for scroll work.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I have both a Grizzly 17 bandsaw and 8" jointer (G0513X2 and G0490). Both arrived without damage and work perfectly. Some buyers remorse on the jointer. I should have spent the money for the spiral cutterhead, but I had purchase the bandsaw just a few months prior.

In thinking of the resale value, I think they are like cars. You lose the most when it first arrives. The older Grizzly machines are from a different generation (you can tell by the paint scheme)and don't have much resale value. But the current generation resells higher, but they are also always newer.

I could not have purchased both the bandsaw and jointer had I not done so from Grizzly. I think the key to my success with these machines is that they arrived undamaged and made correctly. Would I order from Grizzly again, yes.

[Bill Carey]

I bought a Laguna 1412 4 months ago and am very happy with it. Granted it's my first "good" band saw but it works great. I spent a day last week resawing 3 x 8 oak with a Resaw King blade and had no problem. The ceramic guides work well, and all the adjustments are easy to make. And when i called them to ask why the fence was not flat, they sent me a new one that day. No questions asked. So customer service gets an A as well.

[Jim Becker]

If you plan on serious re-saw work, you want power, stiffness and weight so that you can properly tension a blade that's optimized for re-saw cutting. Bigger is better in that case, so consider upping your budget if you want new or looking for a stout, pre-owned machine that is best suited for the work you want to do.

[Brian Holcombe]

You should put a Minimax on that list. I’ve used the hell out of an MM20 this year and it has not flinched. Resawed 18.5” tall material and white oak veneer endlessly.

[Patrick Walsh]

Just ordered the MM 20.

I have a Laguna 14/12 and found myself endlessly disappointed in it. I am a bit of a tool snob. I also have no patients for low to mid quality anything. So for whatever my oppinion is worth maybe factor that it.

I hated and actually still hate my 14/12. Its on the first train out of town as soon as the MM arives!

Considering replacing it with a MM 16 to run a 3/16 blade for scroll work. Overkill but I’ll never complain about a bandsaw again.

Consider a used MM16 they can be had used for $2500

[Art Mann]

Jim, How do you define "serious"? I resaw with a Laguna 14/12 and I consider myself fairly serious.