Bandsaw, Minimax , Laguna, Grizzly

[Roger Dolan]

I am wanting to purchase a new bandsaw. Mostly for resawing and want atleast a 12" resaw capacity. I am not really all that concerned with throat capacity. I have narrowed my choices to a MiniMax mm16, Laguna 16HD or LT14 SUV, Grizzly G0514x2B or G0636X

Minimax is a total mystery to me. The whole thing with no prices listed. Does anyone no the current pricing for the mm16?
I used their email form but have not gotten a response. When I call I get voicemail.
Very strange way of doing business in this day and age.

Laguna seems to have a great product but their shipping prices are a bit high. I would really like the LT16 HD but it is slightly out of my price range. The LT14 SUV is interesting with the 14" resaw capacity but the table seems small. Also if I am going to buy a saw made in China I might as well get a Grizzly.

The advantages of the Laguna and the minimax over the Grizzly G0514 or the G0636x is the mobility packages.

Both Grizzly saws seem to be a lot of saw for the money but I really want to put them on wheels. Has anyone put either the G0514 or the G0636x on wheels?

[Matt Kestenbaum]

I am wanting to purchase a new bandsaw. Mostly for resawing and want atleast a 12" resaw capacity. I am not really all that concerned with throat capacity. I have narrowed my choices to a MiniMax mm16, Laguna 16HD or LT14 SUV, Grizzly G0514x2B or G0636X

Minimax is a total mystery to me. The whole thing with no prices listed. Does anyone no the current pricing for the mm16?
I used their email form but have not gotten a response. When I call I get voicemail.
Very strange way of doing business in this day and age.

Laguna seems to have a great product but their shipping prices are a bit high. I would really like the LT16 HD but it is slightly out of my price range. The LT14 SUV is interesting with the 14" resaw capacity but the table seems small. Also if I am going to buy a saw made in China I might as well get a Grizzly.

The advantages of the Laguna and the minimax over the Grizzly G0514 or the G0636x is the mobility packages.

Both Grizzly saws seem to be a lot of saw for the money but I really want to put them on wheels. Has anyone put either the G0514 or the G0636x on wheels?

IMHO I think your instinct on which makers and factories to stay clear of are dead on (even though you considered them). The LT16HD is a beautiful tool…Italian made at ACM factory and monster Baldor motor. If I am not mistaken the MM is made at the same factory and it too is beautiful. These saws are really in a whole different class than the others you mention.

I know it gets said here A LOT, but I have learned this lesson the hard way (HARD!!!): Better to really cry once when reaching deep into your pocket, then crying often once its in your shop (usually while kneeled with an allen wrench in your hand). I recently made the leap to a Hammer J/P. I do love my Sawstop too, but the Hammer J/P was a real "moment of clarity" on the value of a really well made machine that comes from a high service company.

Matt

[Matt Day]

I don't think mobility should be a concern. Any machine can be put on a mobile base. My 1000# Powermatic BS is on a mobile base for instance.

[Peter Kelly]

Minimax is a total mystery to me. The whole thing with no prices listed. Does anyone no the current pricing for the mm16?
I used their email form but have not gotten a response. When I call I get voicemail.
Very strange way of doing business in this day and age.

Email Erik Loza at SCMI directly for pricing eloza@scmgroup.com.

[Jamie Buxton]

Welcome to the Creek. Use SMC's Search function to find many discussions about this topic.

[Roger Dolan]

Email Erik Loza at SCMI directly for pricing eloza@scmgroup.com.

Thanks for the email address. I just sent him a message

Welcome to the Creek. Use SMC's Search function to find many discussions about this topic.

I have searched and read until I am driving myself insane. I guess I am just wanting others to make my decision for me.

I should pony-up and buy a Laguna or Minimax if the price is alright. Although some of the Grizzly reviews seemed to be good but there does seem to be the occasional lemon.


For those of you that bought a Laguna is it best to go through Laguna or Woodcraft, Woodwerks, Rockler etc?

thanks

[Prashun Patel]

I have a G05142x on wheels. It's good. I resaw 12" a couple times a year. You SAY you don't value big throat capacity, but I've found it to be valuable. It enables things to be broken down quicker, and saves me from having to remove the heavy fence for some curvy operations.

I like most things about the G0514. It's got plenty of muscle. The bearings track true and don't wiggle or lose position easily. The doors lift off easily so blade changes are easy in my space-challenged shop. The resaw fence can be positioned high side up or short side up so for short, skinny rips I can get the fence right up tight to the blade without using an auxiliary fence or having to keep the blade guides high. The tilt mechanism is robust; the couple times I've had to cut heavy things on a bevel, it was easy.

[Jamie Buxton]

...For those of you that bought a Laguna is it best to go through Laguna or Woodcraft, Woodwerks, Rockler etc?...

Ask yourself what value-added does the third party bring you? If they act as a bricks-and-mortar showroom so you can try out a prospective machine, that would be valuable. But most of these places seem just to be a different web site for you to buy from. The price is the same. Worse, if there's a problem, all they'll do is get in the way when you're trying to talk to Laguna.

[Peter Kelly]

Laguna seems to have a great product but their shipping prices are a bit high. I would really like the LT16 HD but it is slightly out of my price range. The LT14 SUV is interesting with the 14" resaw capacity but the table seems small. Also if I am going to buy a saw made in China I might as well get a Grizzly.

One thing if you're considering Laguna–you might price out the same saw(s) with Eagle Tools in Los Angeles. Unlike Laguna themselves, Eagle will ship you a completely assembled, checked and carefully crated Laguna bandsaw. Customer service at Eagle is excellent too. Jesse's email address: jesse@eagle-tools.com.

[John Lanciani]

Where are you located Roger? There is probably a creeker near you that has one of the saws on your list and would be happy to let you give it a spin. (MM20 here)

[Marty Tippin]

I've got the Grizzly G0513ANV which has the same 12" resaw capacity and 2HP motor as the G0514X2 and I'm very happy with it. Only significant differences are aluminum vs cast iron wheels and in the size of the table - the G0514X2 is about 9" longer, which would be nice sometimes when resawing. For a little over half the cost of the G0514X2, the G0513ANV is a pretty good deal.

[Jamie Buxton]

One thing if you're considering Laguna–you might price out the same saw(s) with Eagle Tools in Los Angeles. Unlike Laguna themselves, Eagle will ship you a completely assembled, checked and carefully crated Laguna bandsaw. Customer service at Eagle is excellent too. Jesse's email address: jesse@eagle-tools.com.

?? For a long time, Eagle Tools sold Agazzani, in competition against Laguna. (That's what the website still says.) Have they given up and become a Laguna dealer?

[Peter Kelly]

As of February, Eagle only has a few Italian-made Agazzani floor model saws there which I don't think are for sale. Seems to be no real word on when Panhans will start shipping them from the new plant in Germany and I'm assuming they'll continue to sell Laguna when or if Agazzani/Panhans returns to the US market.

Eagle really needs to update their website.

[Gary Holcombe]

Roger,

Did you check out the Rikon 10-351 bandsaw? Rikon calls it their Professional Model. Highland hardware and other places are now selling itfor $1299. I bought it when first released, and paid several hundred more for mine....

The 10-351 has some awesome features along with a five year warranty.... Worth checking out. I think they came out with this saw to compete with the Laguna model. Mine straight out of the box would resaw a 7" thick chunk of Oak into 1/32" slices against the fence, perfectly tuned... I bought a couple of better blades but so far I've left the blade it came with on it as it does cut so well! I kept my Jet 14" to use smaller blades for things such as bandsaws boxes.

[Jim Matthews]

I would not be so quick to deride the quality of today's Chinese products.

It also bears mentioning that some of the most prolific and well-regarded
makers in the field use the venerable Delta 14" (and its clones) bandsaw.

I have a big saw, with prodigious resaw capacity that I rarely use.

Most things we cut are limited to the size of the companion jointer.

If you can't get a wide board flat against the fence and stable on the table,
it's nearly impossible to resaw straight.

Unless you plan to make lots of wide veneers, it's like having horsepower you can never use.

(You can't haul kids or get groceries in a Lamborghini)