Hello All!
I’m looking to purchase a robust bandsaw, capable of easily handling most resawing needs, including the occassional short ‘log’ scavanged from my property. Would this mean a minimum throat height of 15″? What should be the minimum horsepower? I’m aware of some of the fine Laguna products but was hoping there might be more economical choices. Any suggestions? Thanks for your comments in advance.
Replies
The term you're looking for is "resaw capacity" or "maximum cutting height." Most 14" saws with a riser block will resaw at 12". Some of the bigger saws actually have smaller resaw capacity.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
You may want to take a look at General saws. Models 240 and 280. Both are 2 HP. The 240 is a 17" saw and the 280 is a 19" saw.
How much do you expect to spend?
I am willing to spend approx. $$1500--2000 (US)
You can buy a fair bit of machine for that price. Some criteria I would highly recommend and echo from the above posts... Cast iron wheels and table.
A mini-max s45 would be one choice (http://www.minimax-usa.com/bandsaws/s45.html) You can undoubtedly find much praise regarding the customer service and praise of the company and all their machines.
The Jet 18" gets good reviews for the value.
The Rikon 18" has been mentioned.
Of course, the direct competitor to mini-max would be Laguna tools and they have a strong machine reputation (albeit some reports of post sales dissatisfaction, hit and miss).
Really, anything with a good throat, the resaw height you're looking for, and most importantly a great set of blades will probably accomplish your needs. I personally was sold on the fit & finish of the minimax machines and recently made the plunge for an MM16. Sales support and general impressions were superb and from the responses and general feedback from every minimax owner it's a nearly unanimous vote of will absolutely buy again.
Grizzly makes some incredible machines in your budget also for the value oriented purchase.
A consideration, depending on what you have in your shop already. If you plan on doing much resaw work, you might consider a drum sander as well. There are a number of solutions, each capable of doing the job. A rikon and a performax 18-36(just 1 example) could meet those needs and be close to your budget.
G'luck with your tool purchases.
michael
Wow, you are in the upper end alright. I can't speak from experience, but the Laguna's and Aganzi's have a heck of a reputation. I have the Grizzly G0513 17" heavy duty that has 12" capacity. It was $795.00 + shipping. Very satisfied. What ever brand you decide on, I would also reccomend the Timberwolfe blades. Excellent Search the archives here and you will find a ton of posts on bandsaw's and blades asw well. Enjoy the new toy.
Rhumrunner,
Just got the Laguna 16" with mobility kit, 5 extra blades including their own "resaw king" for $1190. I think it was a great price and after seeing the saw perform it's a very capable machine. After I've used it more and have some hours logged with it I'll be able to comment more, up until now, I'm happy.
Brian
I have a Laguna 18'' for about a year now, rock solid, no problems, mobility kit works fine. They threw in a couple of their bimetal blades and the first one is still going strong; haven't even unwrapped the other one. Added a work light which required a transformer, that is a useful accessory and I don't think many saws offer one. Enjoy what ever you end up with.
KDM
The Bill of Rights
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I ditched my Jet 18 in favor of a Laguna LT16. The Laguna is a much better performer in all aspects.
I know that there was a multi saw review of 18" bandsaws in FWW about a year ago.
The issue number is 170--RoJo did a comprehensive review of all the major 18" saws.
Good luck
Peter
jpswoodworking.com
For that kind of money you can purchase a used 36" machine. I just don't understand why someone would spend a couple of thousand on a new bandsaw when sooo many used machines are available for half the cost of a new one. I paid more for my 20" Crescent than for my 36" four speed Moak. In fact both cost me less than what your willing to spend.
Look for a used machine.
DJK
I've got a couple questions for everyone (a BS will probably be my next big tool):
1. A BS seems like a pretty simple machine, so what are you getting w/ a $2k Laguna/Minimax that you don't get w/ a $1k Jet/Delta, etc?
2. What should one look for when considering a used BS (in terms of problem areas)?
ohcomeon,
In general, power tools are evaluated by the quality of the cuts, repeatability before adjustments are required and power to do the job. Vibration is the enemy...to reduce it better tollerances and balance are key, however, cast iron absorbs vibration too and can help. So a good bandsaw can be well machined and balanced, lots of cast iron or a combination of both. The power issue is relavent because motors have a 'useful life' and matching your needs with the right power means faster cuts and longer life of the motor.
From a consumer/woodmasher perspective, your tying to strike a balance between cost/needs and the above factors. There are a couple of realities though that really hurt in striking that balance. First, buying used equipment from the 50's, 60's can save a ton and provide high quality...but usually in a much larger machine. Second, when considering resale, the real cost of a better machine is not that much more..maybe a few hundred after 5 years...
ohcomeon,
In the Laguna the main points that sold me were the following:
1) larger, cast iron wheels that have been machined and balanced very well, the inertia of these heavy wheels translates into a more powerful cut. The bearings in these wheels is also much larger than other machines in it's class.
2) The blade tensioning, upper wheel camber unit in the 16" Laguna that I bought is a much larger cast iron two piece unit that is very well made and easy to use.
3) 4.5 hp american made baldor motor, these are one of the best motors out there.
4) 1" resaw blade capacity and the resaw king blade that Laguna sells, is expensive but does an impressive job of resawing the very thinnest veneers accurately with a relatively smooth cut. 16" resaw capacity.
5) Two port dust collection keeps my shop air nice and clean.
6) Ceramic blade guides are very long lasting and accurate, and have no moving parts. The guys at Laguna have NEVER had an order to replace them (because of wear), even on their largest saws. An uneven weld on a blade can break them, they're brittle, but with care this can be easily avoided checking the blades weld beforehand.
7) I only spent $1200 bucks with five blades and a mobility kit.
8) I liked the pretty colors :-)
Have fun choosin your saw,
Brian
Thanks for the advice. A friend goes the same route--finds well-made 3 phase equipment, for the most part, and converts it. He has the same opinion.
He converts the three phase to single phase, that's a good option for most users.Most of my machines are three phase. I purchased a used 15 HP rotory phase converter years ago. By far it's the wisest piece of equipment I could buy, opens up the ability to use cheap three phase machines.DJK
I LOVE my RICON 18"..
Any re-saw at 12" is askin fer'' trouble.. I do it but.. I think the blade counts more than the saw does if the saw is basically OK..
If I re-saw at the MAX I use my 1 inch 3 tooth per inch LENOX blades..
Gust the plane ones.. Not Carbide.. They work great!
Only problen is in feeding the stock! If you HAVE TO HAVE REALLY smooth cuts you HAVE to have a power feeder.. Well, unless ya smarter en' me!
Thanks for that question, Rhumrunner - the answers are what I needed also. I am currently using a Homecraft Delta Milwaukee bandsaw (circa 1945 - all 3 companies were one back then). It's time for a big new one for me too!
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