What bandsaw would you buy?

[Dan Friedrichs]

If you enjoy the fit, finish, and minor details on the BMW, it sounds like you're leaning more towards the Laguna than the Grizzly. My older version of it (the SE, not the SUV) is the one tool that I'm just giddy to get a chance to use - it just gives you the feeling like you get from a fancy import car.

Have you had a chance to see it in person? I think Woodcraft carries them, now?

[Albert Lee]

I have a MM16, I dont think I will ever look at another band saw unless its a sliding table band saw lol

[John TenEyck]

Hi Dan,

No, I haven't seen one in the flesh but I have seen other Laguna BS's at my local Rocklers and they looked well made if not all that beefy. Then again they were only 14" saws. I'll have to call them and see if they now have the 14SUV. The closest Woodcraft is now 80 miles one way. They had a store in Buffalo for a brief 3 or 4 years; sadly, it closed.

The Grizzly G0636X is in another whole league. Of course, it should be as it costs $800 - 900 more. But it's not just a monster, the fit and finish are very good, and it runs very smoothly. There are no shortcomings as far as I can tell, except it's very heavy which presents a big challenge getting it into my shop.

John

[John TenEyck]

Hi Albert,

Yeah, I can't imagine why you would ever need another BS unless you needed even more resaw height. My pro friend had a Laguna 14SUV and said he was completely happy with it until he needed more resaw height. In the end he pitted Laguna and MM against each other, and MM won the bidding war. He got a MM20 and the videos he's shown me of it going through 16" mahogany are amazing. It chews through wood about as fast as you can shove it through it.

John

[Derek Stockley]

No, I haven't seen one in the flesh but I have seen other Laguna BS's at my local Rocklers and they looked well made if not all that beefy. Then again they were only 14" saws. I'll have to call them and see if they now have the 14SUV.

John I wrote a review of my 14SUV a few years ago when I got it. http://www.makingsplinters.com/2013/...14-suv-review/ Since then, I have used it a bunch more. I have a couple of interior pictures in that review that you might find useful if seeing one in person is difficult. One thing I'd like to point out is the tension mechanism - this is something that impresses me about the 14SUV. It's really quite robust and it's quite different from what I've seen on lower cost saws.

I can't compare it against the Minimax saws, but I can tell you that I'm quite happy with the performance of the 14SUV and if I suddenly came into lots of money and lots of additional shop space, it's one of the machines I'd keep. I don't resaw constantly, but when I do, it doesn't let me down. If I can answer any questions about it, I'm happy to, but please excuse my response time as I'm only here on Sundays.

[joe maday]

I see that Rikon has a new 18" bandsaw with 4hp at woodcraft site...might be a better choice than the grizzly 1yr vs 5yr warranty.....just saying....

[John TenEyck]

THanks, I'll take a look though I'm not inclined to consider Rikon very strongly, for no particular reason really. I never put much stock in warranties except on cars. With wood working machines they either work or they don't and you normally find out pretty quickly if they don't. The only thing a long warranty would be good for is if the motor dies. The Grizzly G0636X is a beast of a machine. Again, other than the motor, I'd have no concerns about something going bad if it's OK to start.

Thanks for bringing that machine to my attention; I didn't know they had a 4HP model.

John

[David C. Roseman]

John, late to this thread, and it sounds like you've narrowed your choices. But unless you saw a lot of veneer from 12" stock in your basement shop, I'd sure reconsider the 17" Grizzly G0613X2. I have that model, as well as a Rockwell (Delta) 14" with 6" riser. Night and day difference, as you can imagine, yet I've sawn 12" veneer with the Rockwell just by going slow, as you probably have with yours.

With the bigger saw, I often cut blanks from green (and wet) half-round hardwoods, some 12" thick, for bowl turning. That is very hard on a bandsaw. The G0613X2 tensions just fine and zips along with a sharp blade.

[John TenEyck]

Hi David, I'm guessing you mean the G 0513X2, yes? I'm sure that's a fine saw, but at only 2 HP it doesn't meet my minimum criteria of 3 HP. It's also right at my minimum acceptable resaw height of 12". Actually, I changed my mind and won't consider anything less than 14" because that's how wide my J/P is.

Unless a great used machine reveals itself to me this week I'm going to order a G0636X. Heavy 1-3/4" wide 17" wheels, 5HP motor, 16" resaw height, massive 620 lbs. This will be an absolutely no regrets machine, other than it being the most expensive woodworking machine I've ever bought, and one of the very few new ones at that.

I think I've figured out how to get this monster down into my basement, something I didn't want to consider for a long time. To free up space in my shop I sold my almost never used shaper today, and have my also almost never used Foley-Belsaw planer/molder up for sale. Some cleanup and reorganization and I should have plenty of room for it. I'll put it on a mobile base, too, in case I need to move it around.

Thanks everyone for helping me in the decision process. I'll post some pictures with whatever ends up in my garage.

John

[Dave Lewis]

About 5 years ago, I bought a used Bridgewood 17" bandsaw. I also bought a 2,000 lb. Warn electric winch to load it onto my pickup and down into our bulkhead stairs. I have several 5,000 lb. rated nylon straps that also were handy.

BTW, I lowered a Delta Unisaw & DJ 20 jointer into the bulkhead (before stairs) with our Kubota tractor (L4310 HST).

[Dennis Yamamoto]

I just re-sawed some 8/4 Tan Oak a couple of days ago. Each board was 3-4' long and 11 - 12" wide. The Tan Oak was air dried for many years, and therefore really hard.

This is a 2005 MM16 with a 3.6 kW or 4.8 HP motor, and 16" re-saw height. The blade is a 1" Lenox Tri-Master. It worked real nice!

MM16 tan oak resaw.jpg

[John TenEyck]

I'm looking forward to getting a saw as capable as that.

John

[David C. Roseman]

Hi David, I'm guessing you mean the G 0513X2, yes? I'm sure that's a fine saw, but at only 2 HP it doesn't meet my minimum criteria of 3 HP. It's also right at my minimum acceptable resaw height of 12". Actually, I changed my mind and won't consider anything less than 14" because that's how wide my J/P is.
[snip]

John

Yup, G0513x2 is what I meant to type.

Sounds like you have this well thought out. Good luck with the new saw!

[Mike Kees]

Hey John have you bought a bandsaw yet ? Just curious what you decided to go with. I have been looking at the Grizzly 636 and wondered how god it would be. Let us know when you pull the trigger!

[John TenEyck]

Hey John have you bought a bandsaw yet ? Just curious what you decided to go with. I have been looking at the Grizzly 636 and wondered how god it would be. Let us know when you pull the trigger!

Funny you should ask today, Mike, because I just placed an order for a G0636X, the 17" Ultimate saw, late this morning. My friend has one and it's a real beast. But it's also made very well with excellent fit and finish; at least his 7 year old one was. Hopefully, they still are.

The Laguna 14SUV would probably be a more practical choice considering my basement shop, but the Grizzly will be a no regrets choice once I get it down there. I think I have figured out how to get it into my garage, from the garage up 3 steps into the house (a hallway), and down the 12 steps into the basement using a hoist to pull, tip, and lower the 620 lb beast, with as little brute strength as possible. I'll take the table off, if it's attached, as well as the motor and maybe the wheels to lighten it up and reduce the width, but it will still be a darned heavy. It shipped today and should arrive in 3 to 5 business days, so we will soon see.

I'll post pictures of the adventure.

John