Bandsaw shopping question

[Denny Nebgen]

I am mostly a wood turner but do some flat work as well. I have been considering replacing my 14 inch bandsaw with a larger model. I have been looking at the Grizzly 19 inch G0514x for $2,050 plus $239 shipping or the Shop Fox w1825 they have listed for $2600 and free shipping. They both have many of the same features like 3 hp motor, same table size, blade size, 220volt, same footprint. The Shop Fox has two dust ports and a foot break while the grizzly has one dust port and no foot break. My old saw has no dust ports and no foot break.

Is having a foot break a big deal (never needed it before but?) and how about the dust collection ports? Are two better than one? More importantly are they worth the little extra cost? Any of you have either of these machines and experience with them? Any thoughts and help appreciated.
Thanks

[Patrick Kane]

I have a 20" italian Laguna with 1 dust port and a footbrake. I have used the brake once in my life, but it is wired as a quick shut off switch. I use it as the off switch every single time i use the saw. Definitely a convenience factor, but not critical, in my opinion.

Two ports are definitely better than 1. I ended up rigging a second port right under the table that positions a 4" port 3-4" away from the lower blade guide assembly. This makes a big deal, in my opinion. The 4" port on the lower wheel is semi-useless. You should be able to do something similar if you go with the Grizzly. It is a piece of plywood with a 4" hole cut in it that is a friction fit for a 4" DC coupler. The whole thing clips to the bandsaw with a spring clamp.

[Jonathan Jung]

I have the Grizzly 17" as well as another 16" for several years now, using them every day. I've never needed a footbreak. It's good to have a lower dust port, but you'll want to make a DIY port which pulls directly below the table, right at the bearings, instead of using the one at the top of the lower case. Pull the dust away before it hits the lower bearings will make them last a lot longer, and the bearings Grizzly puts on their machines aren't very good.

[Paul F Franklin]

Personally, I wouldn't buy a new saw without a foot brake, preferably one that shuts the saw off when the brake is activated. I see it as a safety feature. It lets you clear offcuts and sawdust off the table without getting near a moving blade or waiting a long time for it to coast to a stop. And if your cut gets hung up or you misjudged your ability to balance a long board without enough support (not that I've ever done that ), you can quickly stop the blade.

And I agree that a second dust port right under the table improves dust collection a lot. Given how rarely most of us upgrade major tools, to me it would be worth the extra cost.

[Denny Nebgen]

a dust collection port right under the table but, the Shop Fox has a second one down at the bottom back of the machine. I have no idea how much dust would get past the first one.

[Robert Engel]

I think an upper dust port right under that table is a good feature.

Never had one with a brake, not sure that's a "make or brake" factor :-)

[Earl McLain]

The more i turn, the more i wish i had a foot brake on my BS. For the very reason that Paul F Franklin mentioned above. Even on my Laguna 14" (steel spined, cast iron wheels, Bulgarian made) the coast-down time feels long. Going from flat work to turning little stuff (pens, stoppers, bowls to 4" diameters) really changed what features i wanted in a band saw. Putting a larger lathe in the shop, and bowls to 10"-12" has change BS thoughts yet again. Foot brake is near the top of my wish list--as a convenience item that would double as a safety item if i ever needed it.
earl

[Jim Becker]

I consider a foot brake, especially on a larger saw, to be a very good feature to have, even if you don't use it all the time. Because we tend to "cut big stuff" with these larger saws, just controlling the material sometimes takes two hands so having a foot brake to both shut down the machine and stop the blade, including when we, um...get into trouble...is a big plus.

As to dust collection, both top and bottom collection is also a nice feature because what doesn't get taken up under the table most often collects in the lower cabinet.

[John Kananis]

I can't speak on the above saws but as far as the features you're looking at: power is pretty key, even on my 14" laguna, the 2.5hp motor really tears through material (comparatively speaking - my last machine had a 1hp motor). I've not used the foot brake to shut my saw off as I'm so used to reaching for the switch when I'm done (last saw didn't have a brake) but, I use the brake almost every time to stop the blade rotation - its a great feature. I have dust collection in both locations on my saw (top and bottom). I don't get as much dust accumulation in the lower part of the saw body as I did with my last machine (which had only under the table collection) - I feel the most important thing is to have collection under the table (which all the above have).

[glenn bradley]

a dust collection port right under the table but, the Shop Fox has a second one down at the bottom back of the machine. I have no idea how much dust would get past the first one.

My lower port is blocked off. So little gets past the under table port that it became pretty useless. Just my experience.

[Andrew More]

I've got a Laguna 18bx with the foot brake. It's a nice to have, but not an essential. If you really need to stop the saw you can always jam a piece of scrap into it. That having been said, it is not a gimmicky addition by any means.

I also find the Laguna has both amazing and terrible dust collection, largely because of the dual ports. By amazing I mean that ANYTHING that falls below the table is sucked up, and the cabinet is spotless. By terrible I mean that with the resaw being so high a LOT of dust doesn't get where the ports can handle it. I suspect most large bandsaws have similar issues with resawing.

One thing I haven't heard much discussion about is that bandsaws with brakes often have a lot of other things beefed up as well, including the table, frame, etc. That doesn't appear to be the case with these bandsaws, which I suspect are identical in the dark, with the exception of the hand brake. (I believe you've misread the specs, since the Grizzly copy claims in the G0514x has _dual_ ports, not singular)

[Bernie Kopfer]

I would not have a BS w/o a foot brake. My Rikon 347 coasts very quietly particularly at slow speed. I’ve turned back to the saw to do something on the table a minute after finishing a cut thinking it was safe to discover the blade still quietly moving. Now I always use the brake. What Jim B said about sometimes not having a hand free is often the case when cutting green wood logs. Dust collection on this model despite having two dust ports is marginal Particularly when generating those long strands of green wood.

[Alex LaZella]

Get the saw with the foot brake. I have a grizz with the foot brake and once you get used to the brake it is a game changer. I can keep my hands on the work and safely shut the saw down while also stopping the blade quickly. For roughing large bowl blanks I sometimes need both my hands where they are.

for the dust ports... you said you are mostly a wood tuner. The ports will be pretty useless for green wood, both of them. What most of the people here are recommending is that you rig up a port right under the table. That will help. The bottom factory port is good for working with dry wood (furniture making) to collect the fine dust that sneaks through but no matter what, a dust port right under the table is a superior option. Rob Cosman uses a pretty simple one, just some PVC that surrounds the blade and sticks out towards the table pin.

[Rod Wolfy]

I have the Grizzly 21" with a 5hp motor. It does not have a foot brake & I miss it, as it is very convenient when using both hands (I had one on an older saw that I sold). However, I can hit the off switch with an elbow & the saw has an electric brake, which stops the blade in 3 seconds.

As I mention to most people that are looking to upgrade their bandsaw, don't sell the 14", unless you don't have the space, as they are very convenient for a lot of shop work. I leave a 1/8" or 1/4" blade on my 14" for quick cuts, curves or detail work. I leave a 1" blade on the big saw for ripping or heavier materials (like the 14" log that I'm cross cutting into rounds).