I am looking to upgrade my bandsaw which is a Jet 14 inch with a 3/4 Hp motor and a riser block, a Delta knock off. It is doing ok but it will do a complete stop once in a while when resawing. I started doing a lot of resawing of White Oak and Cherry and also cutting shapes of course. I have been looking at the Laguna 14 bx 2- 220 Volt 2.5 Hp and the Grizzly G0513X2 2 Hp 17 inch bandsaws as I have easy access to 220 circuits. They are about the same price and pretty similar in many ways. They both have the same 12 inch resaw capacity with about the same horsepower. The Leguna has ceramic blade guides and the Grizzly uses rollers. Any opinions about these two bandsaws is welcome. I have heard and read that Laguna’s customer service is poor however.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast -
Our favorite articles and videos -
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
I just got a laguna 14bx, with the 110 v motor. It is a really nice saw, one of those tools where it is clear they were thinking when designing it.
The manual is really bad, but once I figured out how to do a few things I was fine. This is my first real band saw so a bit of learning on my part.
I read about the poor service and what I put together is they had bad service and since improved. I have not needed it yet.
Based on what I've seen I would not hesitate to get it again.
I have the Laguna 14SUV. 3hp 220, almost 15" of resaw. I have been in touch w/ customer svc and found them helpful. Nobody posts their positive experiences, just their complaints it seems. The saw is awesome and will cut planets in half. Dust collection is very good as well.
There was a thread about 4-6? Months back about another bandsaw that looked to be almost identical to it for less cash....I do not remember the manufacturer but would love to hear about the buyer's experience. Was it Bailey??
I have the Laguna 14/12. 120volt, I forget the HP. But I frequently resaw 10 inch cherry with no issues at all.
For years I used a 14 inch Delta clone with a riser block. The Laguna is the single biggest upgrade I ever made. Totally satisfied.
Within the past 2 years I have purchased both a Laguna 18bx and a Grizzly 12"planer/jointer. The Laguna wins hands down when it comes to build quality, in fact I can't imagine any circumstances that would make me buy another Grizzly tool. If that is any help.
I have neither, but can say that my 1.5HP 14 inch saw never bogs down with a sharp blade, even in 6 inches of wet pine.
I don't re-saw much - most I have done was 8 inches of Rimu - a very tough softwood (hard as oak) and found the blade tended to wander a bit. I have bearing guides which are a bit of a pain. The ones supplied with my machine were not properly sealed for the use and had to be replaced - cheap but annoying. The new ones are still going strong but hard to say if they will last longer. All things being equal otherwise, I would go for ceramic bearings. In the end though, rollers that are easy to adjust would be far better than ceramics that are fiddly (I have fiddly rollers so lose-lose)
Dust extraction is also worth thinking about. Poor dust extraction leads to clogging internally, especially if you work sticky stuff a lot. I do a lot of outdoor woodwork in treated wood which is often wet and gooey - it sticks itself to the wheels and causes lumpy running if not removed. The best dust extraction goes under the table.
I bought a 14 BX a couple of years ago. I couldn't be happier. Additionally, I bought the Laguna carbide tipped blade. After much use I hit a hidden nail and sent the blade to Laguna for re-sharpening. I was pleased with their service.
I have the Laguna 14 SUV and could not be happier. The 1 inch carbide tip blade is on 90% of the time and will go years between re sharpening.
I really like my MiniMax s400P.
Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. I am going to look at a Laguna band saw after the holidays. Happy holidays to all!
Just replace the motor. Years ago I had the same saw, Delta version. I got a contract for dental chair frames which required sawing through 10" of hard maple to a pattern. I replaced the stock motor with a 2HP. Worked fine. I would go to Carter if you want to upgrade your guides.
Years ago I purchased a machine from Laguna maybe they have upped their game, I'll never know, after that unhappy experience, to this day I wouldn't touch them with a 10ft pole.
Merry Christmas
27b-6 thank you for the consideration to upgrade the motor and guides. The guides are easy to find but where did you find a 2 Hp motor to fit your saw. I have the Jet 14 inch Delta knock off version. It has served me well over the years but need more power and better guides.
I will look at the motor tomorrow which I think I still have around somewhere. It was not an OEM model, so you should be able to easily find one. You just have to make sure it is the same frame (on the tag) and same shaft which is also based on the model frame I think.
Thanks I will look at the id plate and go from there.
As it turns out I must have left the larger motor on the saw when I sold it. Here is the tag on the original motor which I still have. Frame was a C56.
You should copy the frame # off your existing motor. I would recommend taking that to the local rewind shop for advise on what will work for you. They might even have a used motor they can sell you. I upgraded to a 2hp but a 1-1/2 would probably do the job.
I don't remember any issues or modifications I had to make when I replaced mine years ago.
Thank you for the advice. I have ordered the carter type guides and found a 2Hp motor that will work out fine. The bandsaw itself is fine, simple with few whistles and bells but does the work. I will save a bunch of money upgrading what I already have.
I was thinking the same thing. If the saw works OK just find a bigger motor. Also proper blade is important too.
You just have to figure out what the motor is. Most likely is an off the shelf, standard style motor. Not many companies have a motor made specifically when you can just buy something standard. You just have to find out what you have and then you can order one.
I agree the issue sounds like power.
What blade are you using?
Hola and Merry Christmas....I thought I'd toss in my .02 worth I had a Grizzly 17 'resaw' bandsaw for a couple years, until I got the necessary scraped together to purchase a 15" Powermatic. Gotta say, it was a Serious Upgrade. With a Highland Woodworking woodslicer blade, it seems more like a lazer...and runs so quiet it would be dangerous to forget to turn it off. I'd bet I could stand a nickel on edge on the table there is so little vibration. Yeh, the thing costs the moon....but I am real pleased with it and I would have spent that money somewhere anyhow. It is much more heavier built than their 14 inch saws and has the strength to tension a 1" blade if you need to. The resaw fence is a gem. I've cut veneers that were so thin you could almost see through them, with no tear out....not that one ever needs that sort of thing.
I've had the Grizzly G0514X2 for almost a year. I love it. Arrived in proper adjustment, verified using the Michael Fortune methods. It has 18 1/4 capacity left of the blade, 12" height capacity and an exceptional resaw fence. I use Timber Wood blades, including their VCT carbide tip blades for resawing KD hardwood. I also saw green logs and splits to establish two flat sides for jointing and blanks for turning. The saw is rated 45° tilt right and 5° left, but I get up to 16° left for cutting dovetails. Tilt is rack and pinion and easy to adjust. The same is great for tapering squares and octagonal legs. Well balanced, stays in adjustment. 220 vac, 3 hp. Smooth; no noticable vibration. Plenty of power.
So let me start by saying I have a 70’s or 80’s delta rockwell band saw 14 inch with a riser block with a 3/4 horse motor. This saw is American made and can cut anything I throw at it. Your problem may be belt slippage what I would try is installing link belts on your saw. For a relatively small investment it might work perfectly. I have installed them on all my belt driven machines and there is a noticeable improvement on every machine in both power and reduced vibration. Good luck!
I have had a Delta 14" with 3/4 hp motor and riser block for many years. I decided some time ago that it needed more power. I happened to have a 1/2 hp motor lying unused under the bench that runs in the same direction and rpm. So, I pared them up. I put a single pulley on one and a double pulley on the other. After mounting the two motors along side of one another, I put on a belt from the single pulley to the double pulley and then from the double pulley to the saw. I now have almost double the power with minimal cost.
Keep in mind that if your motor doesn't run the same direction, it may be reversible by changing a couple of wires. Or, just turn the second motor 180 deg if you have the room. Also, If the speed is different, you can use different pulley sizes to match the speeds.
The Laguna 14BX is an excellent machine. Resawing 12” hard maple with a 3/4”carbide Resaw blade is like slicing butter with a hot knife. BTW, Laguna has really stepped up with their commitment to service...it’s now first class.
Hammer or Minimax. Both are buy-once machines that will hold tolerances and serve your grandchildren well.
Altering wood working machines to exceed their designed capacity usually never works out in the long run. Yes, riser kits increase the re-saw height capacity but they most certainly do not increase the wheel size or frame rigidity required to run re-saw purpose built blades. A larger horsepower motor will surely increase available power but the machine integrity and blade life will be taxed beyond what they were engineered for. This is why larger machines and purpose built re-saw blades are made in the first place.
Increased cut capacity is possible in 14" bandsaws because of bolt on frame extenders and increased horsepower motors. The key word here is "occasional". If you are planning to do a lot of hardwood re-sawing or ripping of thicker lumber stock then I have found it is always better to get a proper machine designed to do the task.
If you decide to invest in a re-saw capable machine then look for one with a frame that is welded steel and not cast of iron. Welded tubular steel frames distort less than cast iron frames when under the required higher re-saw blade torque. Also the larger the wheels the better they'll be for blade life. You'll be able to run higher gauged re-saw blades without fear of stress cracking the blade backs on them with smaller diameter wheels. As a bonus the re-saw height is usually increased with larger wheels and the machine is supplied with a more capable, heavier duty motor.
If you do opt for a larger bandsaw don't feel obligated to sell off your 14" bandsaw. Both have a useful woodworking purpose and they'll serve you well for many years to come when used for what they were designed for.
I have a Grizzly G0513X2 and just finished resawing some hickory with the Wood Slicer from Highland Woodworking. Not a piece of cake but hickory is really hard. Saw did not even come close to bogging down and the Wood Slicer just did what it was supposed to do, cut wood. I have had the saw for about three years and would buy it again.
I have the Laguna 14 BX with 2.5 hp 230v motor, mobility kit (I think that was optional?) and swing arm light. Got it around 3 years ago. Excellent quality and performance. Had an Inca bandsaw prior (haven’t sold it yet). Also, I have Laguna sheartec jointer. Their customer service is top notch - I have called with questions about moving tools- not quality problems. The manual for bandsaw is relatively good (above average of all brands), way, way better than Jointer manual but not industry leading. I wouldn’t let online complaints about Laguna scare you away - I am totally satisfied with my purchases. I have other stationary/larger tools (delta, dewalt, sawstop (who sets the bar for manuals I think), Bosch, Oneida, Inca, Powermatic) to compare with and Laguna has its place along with them. I do not think you will regret it if you go with a 14 BX. Just sharing my experience and opinion.
Thank you everyone for the wonderful suggestions and opinions. I have decided to upgrade my bandsaw with carter type blade guides and a new 2 Hp motor. The saw is fine just needs some tweaking which I can do for $450 rather than $1500. More wood in my future.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled