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Thread: 14 inch bandsaw, Laguna or Rikon

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX (NW Austin)
    Posts
    578
    I was in same spot a year ago with the exact same models. I went with the Rikon and love it but probably would love the Laguna as much. Both are solid saws with good reputations.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
    Posts
    2,282
    When I was looking I looked at the things that couldn't be easily upgraded. How robust is the trunnion and how heavy is it. To me a heavier saw means thicker metal was used somewhere. The spine of these saws is everything. If it flexes then it's not going to hold the tension on the blade. The more resaw capacity the stronger it needs to be. That translates to me more weight.

  3. #18
    Thanks to all for the input. I ordered the laguna today, will come back with my experience when appropriate.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Kensington, Maryland
    Posts
    274
    Michael —

    I own the Jet 14SFX and love it. At the time a bought it, it was cheaper than the Laguna and came with a much better resaw fence. I’ve had no problems with it and other than adjusting the guides it was perfect out of the box. Blade changes are easy. I do wish it had a brake.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,279
    I have the 14 BX. I miss my old 16HD, but I find the BX to be a very capable saw.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    North Prairie, WI
    Posts
    222
    I have had the Laguna 14bx 220V version for about a month and I love it. I, too, was deciding between the Rikon and Laguna and picked the Laguna largely because of the brake and some input from the owner of my local Woodcraft store. I do a fair amount of business with them and trust them to be straight with me. I set it up using the techniques Alex Snodgrass shows in his setup video and it has performed great.

  7. #22
    Did anyone ever make the decision to buy and what was your choice? I’m looking at these two saws as well and am leaning towards the Laguna but would like to hear if the love /hate issue with the guides still going on or is there a consensus on which is better?

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX (NW Austin)
    Posts
    578
    Take comfort in knowing you can't really make a mistake.

    Several years ago I did a lot of research on the Rikon and Laguna 1412. I love the research. Never could find a feature that would tip the scale one way or the other. Ended up with the Rikon and love it. Pretty sure I would feel the same with the Laguna.

    BTW, Highland Woodworking sells a great resaw blade.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551
    I have an older model Rikon,10-325. After owning it for several years I did run into a bit of an issue. When I got it I'd run the band in the middle of the upper wheel and the band would track toward the front of the lower whee. It cut great including resaw so I didn't mess with it. I recently bought a band that didn't want to track straight so thought I'd try getting the band to track in the middle of both wheels. I was able to accomplish that but not long after the drive belt broke. The driven pulley is part of the lower wheel and when I messed with the blade tracking setting the drive belt wanted to track toward the front of the pulley. The belt no longer stayed in the grooves (poly V type belt) and wore excessively. I've since removed some of the adjustment I made to the lower wheel and everything seems happy again. I haven't checked for coplanarity of the wheels, I should do that.

  10. #25
    Well I made the decision to buy the Laguna 1412, if anyone has any assembly tips or some trick setup process that isn’t in the manual or videos could you let me know please? Also does anyone have a suggestion for a good bright light that will not only light the work table but reach under it as well for lower guide block adjustments… thanks, Lou

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    Nova Scotia, Canada
    Posts
    280
    Congratulations on the new saw. No tips on assembly but my 18BX went together smoothly. I recently bought a LED rechargeable light with a magnetic base for my bandsaw and it works well. It sits under the upper wheel cover most of the time but can move to where you need it. I paid $30 at the local BORG.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Michiana
    Posts
    3,046
    Quote Originally Posted by Lou Griffin View Post
    Well I made the decision to buy the Laguna 1412, if anyone has any assembly tips or some trick setup process that isn’t in the manual or videos could you let me know please? Also does anyone have a suggestion for a good bright light that will not only light the work table but reach under it as well for lower guide block adjustments… thanks, Lou
    I have one of these on my Rikon. It has a magnetic base that can be relocated where ever you want. My Rikon has a 110V receptacle so the corded design works well. It's super bright and illuminates the whole table. At $20 you can't go wrong. They have a number of other offerings too.

    https://woodturnerswonders.com/colle...ose-lathe-lamp
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  13. #28
    So I got it all assembled and set up, took a while to get the fence squared to the table- blade install went smoothly, don’t know why some people say the guides are hard to adjust, I thought it was fairly easy- I did switch there lower thrust adjuster knob to the outside, can’t angle the table but I never do anyway. But after I put the dust baffle in just prior to closing it up and firing it up, I spun the wheels one more time and heard a grinding noise turns out the blade I bought is bent…. After closer inspection, it was moving against the guides too but it didn’t make any noise - it looks like the blade has about a 1/8-1/4” twist about 1.5” long so I didn’t spin it up, hope Woodcraft will give me a different one tomorrow…. It’s a Starrett 1/2” 4 tpi - I was just going to use it to check out the saw and get some Timberwolf blades online but maybe I’ll get one at Woodcraft too….

  14. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    I have an older model Rikon,10-325. After owning it for several years I did run into a bit of an issue. When I got it I'd run the band in the middle of the upper wheel and the band would track toward the front of the lower whee. It cut great including resaw so I didn't mess with it. I recently bought a band that didn't want to track straight so thought I'd try getting the band to track in the middle of both wheels. I was able to accomplish that but not long after the drive belt broke. The driven pulley is part of the lower wheel and when I messed with the blade tracking setting the drive belt wanted to track toward the front of the pulley. The belt no longer stayed in the grooves (poly V type belt) and wore excessively. I've since removed some of the adjustment I made to the lower wheel and everything seems happy again. I haven't checked for coplanarity of the wheels, I should do that.
    I have a Rikon 10-326 bandsaw that works great..no drift or problems at all. The blade is set so the deepest part of the gullet is in the center of the upper wheel which makes the blade run a little towards the front on the bottom wheel. There are probably different arguments for "coplanar or not" but I believe in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGbZqWac0jU&t=1750s ( at the 6:00 mark) and have never touched the bottom wheel.
    Last edited by Barry McFadden; 02-26-2022 at 9:18 AM.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Cashiers NC
    Posts
    603
    I have been using my 14-12 for two years now. It is a great saw. Two things it could use are a brake and I wish the switch knob illuminated when the saw was on rather than just when it has power. The saw is so quiet I have almost forgotten it on a couple of times.
    Charlie Jones

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