Recommendations for a resaw bandsaw

[Chris Atzinger]

Hi,

I got a tentative greenlight from my wife to upgrade my Ryobi benchtop bandsaw to a bandsaw I can do some resawing work with. Any recommendations (keeping in mind that cost still is a factor)? I have quickly scanned looked through the specs on the Laguna/Rikon/Grizzly models, but would like to hear back from people with experience using their bandsaw.

Thanks!
Chris

[Joe Angrisani]

What is your budget?

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Chis - I'll definitely be following this, as I am thinking about getting a BS. Have you settled on a size (14", 17", etc) or is that all part of the cost factor?

[Bill Bukovec]

What is your price range?

How much resaw capacity do you want?

I have decided to buy the Laguna 14 SUV. It has 13 or 14" resaw capacity with a 3 HP motor.

For me, the Laguna will meet my needs for a long time.

I hope to buy the Laguna after I sell my Delta. The Delta needs a little repainting of cosmetic rust on the stand.

Good luck,

Bill

[Van Huskey]

Joe has one of the keys, budget. Also what is your electrical situation (220 and amperage) along with do you have space restraints that cut you off at a particular size.

[Chris Atzinger]

Sorry guys, I probably should have clarified that. I think the Laguna site has the LT14 3000 series at just under $1300. I am not sure what accessories that would include (I always need accessories!). That is probably the upper limit of what I would spend. Electric isn't a concern (I have 220 already for my tablesaw). Space isn't too much of an issue (we are moving to a new house soon)

Resaw capacity is one of my bigger concerns. I do a lot of woodturning and would like to be able to cut bowl blanks from split logs. I also dabble in lutherie, so resawing boards for guitar backs is important too, so >10" is a must.

Any other details I left out?

Thanks!
Chris

[Van Huskey]

Ok first I am not a fan of the LT14 3000, but I am a HUGE fan of the LT14 SUV, much more for the money but it seems to be out of your price range. Do you happen to have a Rockler or WC near you (where do you live) as they are stocking them now. (not all WC).

Just going with $1300 (leaving of the Laguna saws which I love) I would suggest the Grizzly 513X2B or the Rikon 18". Then get a Laguna Resaw King, Lenox Trimaster or Lenox Woodmaster CT for the blade. I have other suggestions if you don't want to spend carbide money. Then at some point consider the Laguna Driftmaster fence.

[BOB OLINGER]

Chris,

I don't have a comment on the band saw, but isn't it nice to get those green lights!!!!!!!!!!

[Stephen Cherry]

I'll say the same thing I always say. BUY USED. First of all, you will likely get a bunch of blades. Plus, if you play your cards right, you can get a great saw for not a lot of money.

Bridgewood pbs 540 would be at the top of my list. Target price would be around 1000 spacebucks. These come up occasionally, and are comparable to new saws costing a lot of money.

[Van Huskey]

I'll say the same thing I always say. BUY USED. First of all, you will likely get a bunch of blades. Plus, if you play your cards right, you can get a great saw for not a lot of money.

Bridgewood pbs 540 would be at the top of my list. Target price would be around 1000 spacebucks. These come up occasionally, and are comparable to new saws costing a lot of money.

I absolutely agree and meant to mention this! I would say he needs to cast a wide net since I am a fiend for bandsaws and haven't seen a single Bridgewood come up within 500 miles of me in well over a year. On that front I would just say any Italian made saw. Most Lagunas, Minimax, SCM, Agazanni, Bridgewood, Felder among others. If you were to get equally lucky you could run into a solid old America saw. Even the "light duty" Delta and Powermatic 20" saws can easily best the cheaper Asian saws today and particularly the Delta can often be had at bargain basement prices. We need not even discuss how much better a Yates American, Oliver and names like that are.

If the OP posts his location people may put him on a good lead for a used saw.

[dirk martin]

I have both a Minimax MM24 and a 24" Grizzly...both used heavily for resawing.
If I had to do over again, I'd have two Grizzly's....not that I've had issues with the MM, but because the Grizzly performs just as well.

[Dave MacArthur]

Ahh, how we do love this thread whenever it comes up! Keeps us in the "band saw buying" game after we've already bought one ourselves! Click the link in my signature for a ton more threads like this one.
As usual, I will say: New = G0514x2. If not that, then the G0513x2, or the x2B if you like the motor brake.
Best answer though: Used, then whatever you can get good. Agazzani, MM, Laguna, Felder. Bridgewood but I have never seen one on CL ever...and I believe it's an ACM anyways, this was my 1st choice back in 2006, right before Bridgewood folded up shop and I couldn't buy one.

Concur with Van Huskey, if you had your location in your profile, I would have looked for a CraigsList deal for you twice now... first time I read the thread, I didn't answer because there wasn't a location to check for a deal for you

On the other hand... I replaced the blade on my 20" Agazzani last night with a 1/2" 3TPI hook blade, a new one... ALL my resaw problems disappeared. With an old 3/8" blade with burned teeth and dull, the blade would literally pull left on about a 15 degree angle. Replaced it, tuned up the guides and tension... 1/16th inch sheet of maple off a 4" board as fast as I could push it through.

[Russell Smallwood]

+1 for used if you can but decent equipment coming up on CL seems to be a regional thing. There are a few here that live in areas where decent used equipment seems to appear on-demand.

For me, not so much. Decent machines that are reasonably priced are few and far between. That being said, if you can swing it, you should at least give it a try.

I have one of these:

Older Laguna 16 Bandsaw Review

But with the 2.5hp motor and the wheel brake. It is a sweet saw and I highly recommend it. I can crank a 1" carbide tip resaw blade to almost no deflection and the 2.5hp motor is plenty for anything I've thrown at it.

I've seen them come up used once in a while. IMO, these older Lagunas are excellent saws if you can find one.

[dirk martin]

I would like to know...as would probably the original poster, by those that have use the Grizzly 24" saw.....what it may be lacking, when it comes to resawing.
Seriously, when I compare it to my Minimax, the Grizzly actually wins.... besides having a nice tension release, it's got a better table tilting mechanism.

[Van Huskey]

From a pure resawing point of view the G0568 and MM24 are not in the same class. Let me pose a simple question, when you need to resaw a 20" tall board do you go to the G0568 or the MM24? I know the answer and I guarantee your answer is the same as mine.

I see the table tilt and tension release as red herrings to the question you posed since neither has any direct or indirect really bearing on resawing.

I actually have a lot of thoughts about this and if I get a few minutes I will address them, in the end in general it is certainly a point of diminishing returns issue. Grizzly makes some excellent saws but as with all tools they have their limitations if you don't exceed their limitations then cheaper is a better value, if you do exceed their limitations cheaper is poor value. In the case at hand the MM24 has capacities that are significantly higher than the G0568.