New Professional Bandsaw Recommendations

[Ryan Devine]

I’m in the market for a new bandsaw. I currently have a small bench top bandsaw and want to purchase a new one that will allow me to do more and be able to resaw. What are some good brands to look for and what sort of specs should I be looking for?

I really only seen of Laguana and Grizzly. Not too familiar with brands outside of the big box stores.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Ryan, you could start your search with Felder and MiniMax band saws.

Welcome to the forum..........Rod.

P.S. It would be a help if you could modify your profile to include your location, even by state it would help others answer your questions more accurately.

[Art Tripp]

I have the Laguna 18BX Bandsaw and like it really well. I looked at a wide range of saws beginning in the 14" category and eventually ending up in the 18" range, primarily focusing on Rikon, Jet and Laguna models. I traveled to several dealers, each located an hour or so from home, and being able to see, touch the various saws and to compare models side-by-side is quite helpful and helped make the final decision much easier. I also did much research online and additionally through various forums and created a comparison chart which allowed an easy method of seeing the various features. I didn't really know much about Grizzly at the time but have since purchased a used Grizzly G0548Z dust collector and G0490 jointer and have been quite pleased with their quality and performance. In regard to other brands and options (some higher and others lower in cost) I really haven't done much research or checking in those areas. In the end, I think that many of the better-quality name brands are fairly good for reliable performance and that in many ways it can come down to your personal wants, needs and desired features.

The features I like on the Laguna 18BX are:

The ceramic guides are very nice, easy to adjust and durable, and while I don't have a lot of experience with the more traditional bearings, I am quite satisfied and would easily choose them again.

The blade brake is indispensable and a good feature for both safety and convenience. It can be surprising how long the blade can silently spin once the power has been shut off and it is possible to make a cut, turn off the saw, place the wood on the assembly table and gather another piece, then return to set up for a different cut only to find the blade still turning and ready to take a cut out of anything that comes in contact (fingers included). With the blade brake, you can easily bring the blade to a complete stop and clear any debris or make adjustments without having a prolonged wait before doing so. With some of my processes I also begin the cut on the in-feed side of the saw and end up on the out-feed end and having the blade brake allows me to easily shut off the machine without returning to the power switch.

Both dust collection ports are also located on the same side of the machine which helps keep clutter out of my main work area and provides less intrusion as I work around different spots on the table. The dust collection from the saw has been great with my 2hp dust collector even with 4" blast gates simultaneously open to both the band saw and whatever other machine I am working with.

I had originally planned on a less expensive 14" machine and the first time I saw an 18" model (Jet) alongside my first thought was that the 18" saws are much too big. The more saws I viewed and the more familiar I became though, the more I began to gravitate toward the 18BX and it has been a great fit into my shop.

I like the cutting capacities of the saw, the spacious table size, plenty of power with a 3hp motor, the overall quality and build are great, the features are great.

I purchased the saw during a 10% off sale and my dealer had the saw in stock which allowed me to have the saw loaded into the back of my pick-up (saving the standard $75 delivery fee), then back it into my shop where the saw would be placed, where my son and I slid the saw to the back of the tailgate and pivot it to the floor where our wives helped remove the packaging material as we maneuvered the saw. The saw was well packaged and surrounded by sturdy styrofoam, wrapped in cardboard and shipped laying down for stability.

I would highly recommend seeing and touching as many machines as possible and it can do much toward finding the individual machine that best fits your personal needs and shop atmosphere, and forums such as Sawmill Creek can do much to help in your research phase (so you are already off to a good start).

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[Mike King]

i have a Felder FB510. It is a nice saw. Had I seen a Powermatic before, I'd probably have preferred to have one of those big saws...

[John TenEyck]

How big of a saw are you thinking about? How much resaw height do you want, throat width, etc.? What's your budget?

John

[Chris Hachet]

Are you willing to buy used and do a bit of work or do you only want new? Do you have 220 single phase power available in your shop?

[lee cox]

A New Professional Bandsaw sounds like a big bandsaw to me. I have a Minimax S45 bandsaw and I am not sure that is a Professional bandsaw but I am just a hobbyist.
What are you going to do with your bandsaw? Sounds like you have a need.

[Doug Dawson]

i have a Felder FB510. It is a nice saw.

For US$5k, it oughta be! Does it have a blade brake? I have the Laguna 18bx, and I'm totally happy with it. FWIW, the closest I've ever come to being seriously injured by a woodworking tool was on an earlier bandsaw during silent coastdown. This was decades ago and I still shudder to remember it.

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes, the FB510 has a brake...........Regards, Rod.

[David Kumm]

I agree that more info is needed. I have 30" and 36" cast iron saws and they really aren't professional resaw machines. What type of blade do you intend to run, what resaw height, do you have three phase power, and how much resawing do you plan to do- and what can you afford are all relevant. Dave

[Darcy Warner]

I am in the camp that resawing should be done on a resaw and leave the bandsaws to bandsawing.

I just picked up a wadkin resaw for less than half of that Felder, used the left over money to buy a 30 and 36 inch saws.

[Frank Necaise]

I recently got a Minimax S400P and have been very happy with its capability. I have mainly used it for resawing so far but I have also used the tilt table as well. The 220V and 4.8 hp provides so nice single phase power.
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[Allan Speers]

I am in the camp that resawing should be done on a resaw and leave the bandsaws to bandsawing.

I just picked up a wadkin resaw for less than half of that Felder, used the left over money to buy a 30 and 36 inch saws.

Agreed, and I'd love to have a Wadkin.

- But the same holds for just a large, regular bandsaw, set up specifically for resawing. A few years back, I got a 21", 5 HP Grizzly & put a Driftmaster fences on it, plus a 1" carbide blade.

I stupidly then sold my 14" Delta X5. I've regretted that move ever since.

Changing blades on a big saw is no fun, plus it would be great to have different guides, for different applications.
What was I THINKING?

[Chris Hachet]

I am in the camp that resawing should be done on a resaw and leave the bandsaws to bandsawing.

I just picked up a wadkin resaw for less than half of that Felder, used the left over money to buy a 30 and 36 inch saws.

Even as a hobbyist I am looking at a 30 incher.

[Chris Hachet]

I recently got a Minimax S400P and have been very happy with its capability. I have mainly used it for resawing so far but I have also used the tilt table as well. The 220V and 4.8 hp provides so nice single phase power.
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Italian Bandsaws are nice.