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Thread: Laguna 14BX VS Laguna 14 SUV, Vs Grizzly G0513X2BF

  1. #1

    Laguna 14BX VS Laguna 14 SUV, Vs Grizzly G0513X2BF

    I am trying to decide between the three. As far as I can tell the big differences are:

    -blade guide system (ceramic vs bearing)
    - cutting capacity (Grizzly a bit bigger)
    - HP (14 BX 2 @ 2.5, 14 SUV @ 3, Grizzly @ 2)
    - Price ( they are all within $300, 14 SUV being most expensive @ $1799)
    - Fence (not as tall on the 14 SUV)

    Am I missing something?

    I am sure there are many opinions on this. Just would like to hear them.

  2. #2
    I don't have much to contribute other than that I will be following this closely as this is what league I'll be in when it comes time for me to buy a bandsaw.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Moscow, Idaho
    Posts
    294
    The 14 SUV is made in China, while the other two are made in Taiwan. While the Grizzly will make the widest cut, the 14SUV will make the tallest cut. You can get Ceramic guide blocks for the Grizzly here. http://spaceageceramics.com/ The Laguna 18 BX is $1999, but that option may be out of your price range.

    --Geoff

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    mid-coast Maine and deep space
    Posts
    2,656
    For what it's worth I have owned the SUV for about 4 years now and am very happy with it. Laguna has been a good support company though I have had no issues since a few distraction when I first received the saw. I run the 1" and smaller carbide ReSaw King blades and though some here will tell you that a 14" bandsaw cannot properly tighten the 1" blade my experience contradicts them. To be fair I have not resawn anything taller than 8" - some maple (long leaf and hard), doug fir, some English Elm and cherry (not all of these in the 8" range) but all with ease and lovely evenly thin/thick results. Mostly I use it to rip all my hard wood stock - sooooo much easier and safer than the TS - and some curve work. I have no regrets, though at the time I was encouraged to buy bigger - 18" BS always recommended -the 14" SUV was the biggest saw I could provide room for and afford. All good from my perspective. No experience with the others to provide a balanced feedback.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  5. #5
    I have had the g0514x2 for a couple years. I find the guides to be fine. I suspect the 513x2 uses the same ones.

    I have had no issues with this saw. It tensions well, has good mass, good fence, etc.

  6. #6
    Depends....

    If you at all had the space I would say used and being patient might get you a lot more band saw. I have seen several Italian saws go for $700-$1500...that will also buy you a lot of saw in a vintage saw if you are very patient and careful.

    If that is not an option, I would buy the Rikon 18 inch model that sells for about $1400...or one of the slightly larger Grizzly saws, say the 17 inch with the cast iron wheels and foot brake.

    If neither of those is an option...I like the Grizzly saw better from a subjective user stand point. It will however IMHO not have the resale of the Laguna if you decide to sell at some point.

    All three are an excellent choice. Another factor for me would be that I could buy the Laguna locally from Wood Werks or Wood craft, and I would morally like to support a local business. So were it me it would come down to subjectively liking the Grizzly saw better vs. wanting to support a local business that is very helpful to me personally.

    YMMV.

  7. #7
    I just purchased the Grizzly G0513X2F this month. I was going through the same thoughts as you. I was reading reviews and watching Youtube videos until I was suffering from information overload! At one time I had my mind made up that I would get the Laguna 14BX but one thing I noticed was the average to poor reviews the saw had from time to time. Don't get me wrong...I'm sure the Laguna is a mighty fine saw...but I also noticed that the reviews for the Grizzly, on average, seemed to be better. I rarely saw a bad review on the Griz. So I pulled the trigger and got the Grizzly. I set it up with the Timberwolf 1" resaw blade available also through Grizzly and the Shop Fox mobile base. To put it through its paces I just worked down some 2" walnut planks I had stored. I even did some resawing on a couple of 11" boards of that same walnut. The Griz didn't slow down...it didn't even breathe hard. It just cut...smoothly, easily and accurately. I am very impressed with the Griz. I'm sure the Laguna saw would be just as good although I have no experience with that brand. All I can do is speak for the Griz. To be fair I have not had the Griz but about 2 weeks at this point so I know there is a lot more testing/using to do with it but at this point I can highly recommend it.

    On another point I put the Griz on the Shop Fox mobile base. One downside to the mobile base is that you cannot open the lower door on the Griz far enough to change blades. That's not really a complaint on either the base or the saw...it's just a fact that will need to be dealt with when I change blades. I did keep my 14" Taiwan saw so it will be used for lighter and curvy cuts. The Griz will probably keep the 1" blade on most of the time so there won't be a lot, if any, blade changes.

    Good luck with your new saw, whichever one you decide to get, and have fun!
    Kelly Klaas K7SU
    Just a hobbyist wood and metal worker
    Universal Laser X2-660 75 watts
    CorelDraw X4
    Southern Idaho

  8. #8
    I also purchased the Grizzly G0513x2bf recently after considering the Laguna sUX. Both get good reviews; to me they seem quite similar except the Grizzly has a bigger throat, bigger table and is cheaper..... basically couldn't see a reason to get a 14" saw when an apparently similar quality 17" saw was available for less. I've been happy with the saw, but have never used the Laguna so can't compare directly.

    Also I like Grizzly's manuals and customer service ...... whereas for Laguna (thinking about Tablesaws) some of their manuals are riddled with poor english, etc - maybe not a big deal but I can't comprehend how a company cannot be arsed to go fix that sort of thing.

    With respect to the ShopFox mobile base, Kelly Klass is correct; Grizzly recommends laminating 2 sheets of 3/4 ply together and bolting it to the base, and screwing the saw to the plywood with lag bolts. This raises the saw 1 1/2" and solves the door problem - and also I think improves stability a bit of the saw on the base.

  9. #9
    Interesting, I've been debating this myself the last couple of weeks. I was leaning toward the Laguna 14BX based on the ceramic guides. Reasoning is this saw would be my saw I would change blades on often depending on the use. I have the Ultimate 19" Grizzly with 1 1/4" Resaw King and leave that blade on there at all times. The guides on that saw I find finicky and once I had it set up, I didn't want to fuss with them again.

    So with the ceramic guides on the Laguna, it seems so intuitive to just move the guides against the blade, sans tools, and go about your business.

    Good link above though on the ceramic guides for the Grizzly.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Kris Lasure View Post
    Interesting, I've been debating this myself the last couple of weeks. I was leaning toward the Laguna 14BX based on the ceramic guides. Reasoning is this saw would be my saw I would change blades on often depending on the use. I have the Ultimate 19" Grizzly with 1 1/4" Resaw King and leave that blade on there at all times. The guides on that saw I find finicky and once I had it set up, I didn't want to fuss with them again.

    So with the ceramic guides on the Laguna, it seems so intuitive to just move the guides against the blade, sans tools, and go about your business.

    Good link above though on the ceramic guides for the Grizzly.
    Actually I have talked to quite a few woodworkers who are not sold on the Laguna Guides.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Hachet View Post
    Actually I have talked to quite a few woodworkers who are not sold on the Laguna Guides.
    Wonder why?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Central Michigan
    Posts
    1,508
    I like my Laguna Guides
    Richard Poitras
    Central, Michigan....
    01-02-2006


  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by John Helles View Post
    I also purchased the Grizzly G0513x2bf recently after considering the Laguna sUX. Both get good reviews; to me they seem quite similar except the Grizzly has a bigger throat, bigger table and is cheaper..... basically couldn't see a reason to get a 14" saw when an apparently similar quality 17" saw was available for less. I've been happy with the saw, but have never used the Laguna so can't compare directly.

    My thoughts as well. I can always upgrade to the ceramic blocks later.

    Thanks for the help

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Posts
    85
    You didn't mention the tension mechanism. I have owned a 14SUV for about 4 years and got a chance to see the 14BX up close at a recent local woodworking show. The differences between the 14SUV and the 14BX seem to add up to more than $300 to me and having seen them side by side, it's no contest in my opinion: go with the 14SUV.

    IMG_1852.jpg

    Sam's comment about the 14SUV being able to properly tension a 1" blade can PROBABLY be attributed to how much more robust this mechanism is than all of the other 14" bandsaws I've seen.

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