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Thread: Felder v. Laguna 18" Bandsaw

  1. #16
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Washington State rainforest
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    122
    I can't speak to the comparisons. All I can say is that I bought a Mini-Max s400p (MM16) four years ago (based on input here) and I'm incredibly happy I just sucked up the initial pain in the wallet. It's the center of nearly everything I do in the shop. Running a 1" Woodmaster CT tensioned at 25K+ is just amazing. I use it four or five days a week cutting everything from cedar to oak to cherry up to 12/4 and occasionally beyond. Or veneer. It just works, and works well. That's my main guideline, I cannot stand having to "fuss" with machines.
    Don't ask me how I know that!

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Tampa Bay, FL
    Posts
    3,895
    Not sure about the FB510, as I own a FB710 which easily tensions that blade to 25K.

    Overall I very much like the bandsaw, much more than my previous Laguna LT14, although I realize they are not in the same league. I found many build issues with the Laguna. None with the Felder. The motor was a very strong Baldor on the Laguna, however.
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

  3. #18
    Can't speak to the Felder, but I currently have a Grizzly G0566 (21" x 14" resaw) and I love it. Grizzly's quality seems to goes up every year based on keeping up with other people's reviews. Laguna seems like their reputation is dropping. Lack of customer support, issues with electronics, etc. I used to have a Laguna Resaw Master and honestly the build quality didn't impress me much. They can make a machine look "cool" with their color scheme, but they seem to live off that more than anything.

    I also keep a very good eye on the used machinery market around myself, and the largest number of bandsaws that pop up are always Laguna's. You can read into that how you want.

  4. #19
    Leeson was started by the son of Baldor's founder (Lee Doerr).
    Many regard them superior.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Annapolis
    Posts
    58
    I have a number of Leeson (TEFC & Washdown duty) motors that are worked hard in a commercial pump application. They just keep on going. I have had a comparable Baldor fail in the same application. I prefer Leeson over Baldor.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,467
    I have the FB510's little brother, a Hammer N4400. This is a 17 1/2" machine. I am onto my second Woodmaster CT 1" blade. The first ran for about 3 years, and recently I purchased another. There is a considerable difference between these two blades, which suggests to me that it may be hasty to reach definitive conclusions about the capacity of the FB510 to tension one.

    On the first blade, I could get it to tension on the N4400 - no tension meter, but it tightened into the 1" region on the bandsaw's scale. It was hard work tightening the blade down, but it could do so. The new blade tensions so much more easily, and runs into (and beyond) the 1" setting with much less effort. It feels like it could tension higher, if I so chose.

    The saw cut off the new blade is also so much cleaner. It feels like a different blade!




    I have no hesitation in recommending the 1" Woodmaster CT for the FB510 if it is like the second blade.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  7. #22
    I have a MM20. It’s one of the few machines I have purchased that I have nothing bad to say about. It does what it is supposed to and has offered me no headaches.

    I have four Felder machines and I can’t say that about even one of them. They are good enough I guess but far from the expectation you have a as woodworker spending big money on a task purposes machine.

    FYI I think don’t mark my worlds but SCMI is not longer rebranding Centuro bandsaws but are not rebranding another makers. If so honestly I’d be looking for a Centuro.

    I agree the saw is a resale, if you can fit the height get the 24”


    Dust collection stinks on all bandsaws. We can’t all have a dedicated 1200 CRM on a bandsaw Brian. Must be nice

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
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    9,645
    Without a tension meter you are just guessing. It could be too hot, too cold, or just right. It may still cut fine but performance and/or life expectancy won't be optimum. If those two blades were identical then something seems amiss with the tension mechanism of your saw, because the properties of the steel bands don't vary much. But different gage, even a different tpi would change the force required to tension the blade to the same value.

    John

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    9,467
    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    Without a tension meter you are just guessing. It could be too hot, too cold, or just right. It may still cut fine but performance and/or life expectancy won't be optimum. If those two blades were identical then something seems amiss with the tension mechanism of your saw, because the properties of the steel bands don't vary much. But different gage, even a different tpi would change the force required to tension the blade to the same value.

    John
    John, one blade appears stiffer, less stretchy, than the other. This is determined by the gauge on the bandsaw. I have not measured their thicknesses. This appears the same, and they are the same blade brand, model and size (1" wide and 1.3 tpi). They do not act the same. I do not need a dedicated tension meter to set up a blade. I have judged this with ear and eye for some decades now. Perhaps the steel composition is different?

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  10. #25
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    259
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Walsh View Post
    I have a MM20. It’s one of the few machines I have purchased that I have nothing bad to say about. It does what it is supposed to and has offered me no headaches.

    FYI I think don’t mark my worlds but SCMI is not longer rebranding Centuro bandsaws but are not rebranding another makers. If so honestly I’d be looking for a Centuro.
    I purchased the SCM MM20 S500P in August. It's a rebranded Centauro.

    IMG_0851.jpg

    I have seen on the SCM UK site what appear to be ACM rebranded models with models like S440P, S540P, etc.
    Last edited by Mick Simon; 11-28-2019 at 1:25 PM.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
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    9,645
    At $150 or more for a Woodmaster CT I want to know what the tension is. It costs $25 or less to make one. Seems like a sound investment to me. And you would know if those two blades truly were different.

    John

  12. #27
    If you want to get agricultural about it and spend no money take a caliper lying around just clamp it to the blade and do the math... youngs modulus, cross sectional area of blade, blablabla...

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark e Kessler View Post
    If you want to get agricultural about it and spend no money take a caliper lying around just clamp it to the blade and do the math... youngs modulus, cross sectional area of blade, blablabla...

    Yes, a set of Vernier calipers works fine. Or you can build something a little nicer, like this: https://sites.google.com/site/jteney...-tension-meter

    In any case, you don't need to know the cross sectional area of the blade, only the distance between the jaws of the Vernier or tension meter. See the link.

    John

  14. #29
    Correct, if you just want to tension the blade to known psi then you do not need the cross section area of the blade, if you only have the recommended force from the manufacturer then you would

    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    Yes, a set of Vernier calipers works fine. Or you can build something a little nicer, like this: https://sites.google.com/site/jteney...-tension-meter

    In any case, you don't need to know the cross sectional area of the blade, only the distance between the jaws of the Vernier or tension meter. See the link.

    John

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