Replies

1. 
   joepez | Nov 19, 2005 08:16pm | #1

   i just finished setting up a new 16" lt laguna.  the fit and finish is excellent.  it has plenty of resaw capacity. the reason i went with a 16" was $$ and also when i build furniture, i try to keep my hardwood widths 4" or less depending on the species. i glue up from there. i try to follow the hardwood assoc spec for max width to lessen any cuping. so far, i have had great result following the guides.

   so, with that being said, i may resaw 8" or 10 " but then i rip and set aside to see how the board sets.  i then choose my boards accordingly. that's in my work. i have not had any need for a larger machine yet, i just can't see the need for a larger saw.

   i have generally tried to buy the best machine in the class, without buying too much machine in a lower quality. i am not saying laguna is the best either, i bought it because i used it at a show, and it felt just right to me. it also came with 3 blades and a mobility kit, which is a trolly type which i really like that idea.  the mobilty  system takes up less space, and one less thing to trip over. came with 3 hp baldor too. hope this helps and good luck.

1. 
   John_D | Nov 19, 2005 09:42pm | #2

   Only downside to a 16" (EDIT: was incorrectly 18"), even if it's really nice, is that you really shouldn't run certain types of resaw blades (1" wide) on it.  MiniMax's MM16 manual, for example, cautions against running blades like a 1" Lenox, because the smaller wheels' radius means the blade must flex and straighten too much, severely reducing blade life.

   A bigger wheel (18" or 20") address this issue, reducing strain on the blade.

   Some blades (such as Laguna's 1" Resaw King) are engineered to withstand the strain a smaller wheel causes.  I don't know about blades such as Timberwolf for this application, just pointing out that the physics of a 16" wheel has consequences, and that you may not get good life out of some blades.

   None of that says you can't do a great job resawing on a 16" saw, or even smaller!  You just have to be careful when selecting your blade.

   Edited 11/19/2005 1:44 pm ET by FatherJohn

   Edited 11/23/2005 3:43 am ET by FatherJohn

1. 
   Scrit | Nov 20, 2005 03:05pm | #4

   Hitachi actually build a really small wide (well widish) blade band resaw. Wonder how the blades on that survive? My saw doctor advised me against putting maximum width blades on any saw other than a cast iron frame machine - he reckons that fabricated steel machines simply can't tension the blades enough to reach optimum beam stiffness except on the very largest machines (26in and above). He alwso opined that the larger the wheel, the longer the blade weld life.

   Scrit

2. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 23, 2005 03:52am | #10

   Only downside to an 18", even if it's really nice, is that you really shouldn't run certain types of resaw blades (1" wide) on it. I use only a 1 inch LEXOX blade on it.. I bought two.. Been over a year and the other is still in the box! One broken tooth.. Operator mistake.. NOT the saw...

1. 
   John_D | Nov 23, 2005 11:46am | #11

   Will, I typed it wrong!  I meant 16", not 18".  I went back and corrected the original post, sorry for getting it wrong.

   If you're saying it's fine to run a 1" Lenox on a 16", well, it's a good data point that it's working well for you.  But neither MiniMax nor Laguna recommends it.

1. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 23, 2005 02:38pm | #12

   No.. I have a 18 inch..

2. 
   John_D | Nov 23, 2005 10:27pm | #13

   Then you were unfortunately waylaid by my horrible writing.  Thanks for letting me set it straight!

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Nov 20, 2005 02:59pm | #3

   Some organization actually advises using boards no wider than 4" ?  Who are these guys? 

1. 
   joepez | Nov 21, 2005 06:56pm | #6

   steve,

   i was buying my rough lumber out of a moulding supplier in east greenwich, ri.

   i asked him how his wood was dried.  he indicated at length about the diff between air dried and kiln. he seemed to really know his stuff. he then went on to say that according to ( the best i recolect) the american assoc of hardwoods) there are guide lines about the recommended width of wood to lessen movement. now he has been in the custom moulding business for 40 plus years.  thats the best i can remember. i would imagine if you goolge it, you will find similar recomd. 90% percent of my work is in red oak and maple. i have built quite a few projects and have not have any problems when going 4" or less. i have used mahg 6" wide on shelves (12" total )before i ran into the recomedations, and the shelves have cupped.  they are in my house in a climate controlled atmosp. it could be anything, but i have gone 4" or less on projects since and have no problems like the shelves.

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Dec 04, 2005 09:45pm | #14

   A bit late, but I would seriously disagree with the recommendation to use boards no wider than 4".   In my projects I use boards as wide as possible.   I have used 22" mahogany, 17" walnut, and am currently using 16" walnut in the book press I am making.    Wider boards are more stable because they generally contain more rift and quartersawn wood.  A panel glued up of 4" boards will show as much or more seasonal change in width than a single board of the same width. 

   If the growth rings are alternated, warping of the panel would be converted from a single cup, easily controlled when it is attached to a the rails of a table for example, to a wash board effect.  The penalty for doing this is a panel that is difficult to plane except in the mildest of woods because of the grain reversals.  It is also tends to make ugly panels because of all the interuptions of the natural wood grain.  Not only that, there is a lot of extra effort in a small shop associated with jointing the boards accurately enough to avoid glue lines in addition to the changes of grain. 

   If you want an "authority" for keeping the growth rings aligned the same way, look to Tage Frid, the long-time woodworking guru at RISD.   

   I suspect the commercial rationalization for using narrow boards is it allows using lower grade wood by cutting out knots and other defects, not because it ends up with a superior product.  

    

1. 
   joepez | Dec 05, 2005 05:37pm | #15

   steve, i see your point with the recomendations being for commercial purposes. good argument and point taken. sounds like you do furniture work. 

   my work to this point has been mainly cabinet and built ins work. and your right about the boards not being as pleasing to the eye when i do a glue up of say 3 4" boards to make a door.  I have used with good succes a laquer toner by Jet to bring the tone together. it really does a great job and kind of ties the whole project together. 

    

    

3. 
   jptenberg | Nov 20, 2005 07:35pm | #5

   Question for you?  I have the same saw, and the plate on my baldor says 2 hp, which laguna says is actually a 3 hp, when compared to an import...what does the plate on your motor read?

   All issues w/ the motor aside, as it has plenty of HP for the jobs at hand, I am very pleased w/ the saw.  It replaced a Jet 18" which I thought was not much of a machine at all.Peter

   jpswoodworking.com

1. 
   joepez | Nov 21, 2005 07:09pm | #7

   my plate says 3 hp.

   there was some discusion as to hp rating going on at laguna mess board. i believe the outcome was 3 hp peak, 2 hp duty rating. i am not electrically inclined. i stick with wood, because it does not coduct elec. i tried the saw before buying and had plenty of power. i don't get hung up on ratings. what i do look for is a quality machine and motor. because its a baldor motor made in the USA was enough for me. i feel they have a rep for excellent motors and would not put the wrong motor on the machine.

   i also have a 2 yr old pm 66 3 hp baldor motor and a sharp 1/8 blade. i have never boged it down yet. in fact, when i first bought the saw, i was trying to clean up a edge on a sheet  of 3/4   48" L and 40 w ply and it some how bound between the blade and fence, well the blade never stopped and the plywood was flung back like a spinning frisbee about 5 feet into my boiler pipes crushing one of them. so with my hands shaking, i shut the machine down and closed up shop for the night. moral, plenty of power for me, maybe too much, but i do love the machine.

1. 
   John_D | Nov 21, 2005 10:12pm | #8

   The only thing in the kickback path of my TS is the garage door.  If I have it open, I hope I can't hit a car from here...

4. 
   CAGIV | Dec 06, 2005 07:00am | #16

   Do you have a link to the hardwood assoc. specs for max width?

    

1. 
   joepez | Dec 07, 2005 06:00pm | #17

   i do not have a link, in my earlier post, i was referring to a custom moulding supplier who recommeds the widths based on specs he said was recommended by a organization.(assoc)

   but, there was some good posts on some sites that you could get that info, and some posts as to pros and cons of the recomendations.

   sorry

2. 
   WillGeorge | Nov 23, 2005 03:49am | #9

   Old post but the RICON is on sale for 100 less than I spent.. Payes almost for shipping.. I LOVE mine.. But never had a 20 inch MINMAX!