Band saw recommendations

[routerovich]

Hi All,

I am looking to buy a band saw and have very little experience working with one. Looking for the best, equivalent to Festool in a band saw.
I heard Laguna are nice ones and wondering what you think, and is there anything better out there.
Recommendation for size is welcome, for what I can and can not do with a certain size. I am setting my new shop in an apt room (At my home) so need a saw that is narrow enough go through doors, and does not need a crane to move.. Dust collection is a plus (With the Festool CT)

Thanks!

Routerovich

 

[woodguy7]

I have the Jet JWS 18Q & find it very good.  I also hear the Hammer bandsaw is good.  I don't think a Festool extractor will do for it though as nearly all bandsaws need a 100mm (4") extraction pipe.  I think the largest Festool will do is 50mm.

Of course if it is a small bandsaw you are looking for then the Festool extractor may work.  I cant help you with that one.

Woodguy.

 

[joraft]

I am looking to buy a band saw and have very little experience working with one. Looking for the best, equivalent to Festool in a band saw.
I heard Laguna are nice ones and wondering what you think, and is there anything better out there.
Recommendation for size is welcome, for what I can and can not do with a certain size. I am setting my new shop in an apt room (At my home) so need a saw that is narrow enough go through doors, and does not need a crane to move.. Dust collection is a plus (With the Festool CT)

Paul-Marcel did a great video review on his new Laguna: Laguna 18"

And I did a much simpler photo review on the new Felder FB600: Felder FB600

My bandsaw is an Agazzani B24: Agazzani

This info should give you at least a starting point for your search, I do hope it helps.

 

[richard.selwyn]

I have an Agazzani too. You could get a Felder or Hammer badges Italian job and then join the other FOG (Felder owners group) if you don't need to go too big the Hammer bandsaw looked quite good

 

[joraft]

... You could get a Felder or Hammer badges Italian job and then join the other FOG (Felder owners group) if you don't need to go too big the Hammer bandsaw looked quite good

Both the Felder FB600 and the Hammer N4400 are built by Felder in Austria, all other models are still made in Italy.

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Find a nice older 14" Delta.

They can be had for a song and will do almost anything you would need.

 

[nickao]

I agree if you are inexperienced why the need for such an expensive band saw a used Delta is fine. New I would get a Grizzly. They have nice features for the money, not top of the line as some are talking about here, still I have never had an instance my Grizzly could not do what I asked of it. I have had mine for 4 years now and beat the crap out of it and still still sings when I cut veneer. Just get the best blade money can buy. IMHO its the band saw blade that makes all the difference in the world.

 

[ScotF]

I am a fan of the Italian machines and my advice on a bandsaw is to get the biggest one you can afford/fit in your location.  Not for Resaw height (I have never had to resaw more than 12 inches personally), but for the throat depth -- this is the biggest limiting factor on bandsaws.  The bigger machines get you more capacity.  After that, I think that the motor and guides come into play.  Finally, a quality fence is important if you plan on ripping accurately.  Of course, getting good blades are a must. 

I think that Laguna, Felder/Hammer and Aggazani are all great machines to look at.  The Laguna comes with a Baldor motor, ceramic guides (which I have found to be superior to the ball-bearing guides) and you can outfit the 20 inch and smaller machines with a DriftMaster fence to allow for easy drift adjustment.  The Felder and Aggazani machines are quality built machines, but lack the ceramic guides and to adjust for drift you have to adjust the rail that holds the fence.  Now, some people will tell you that you will never have to adjust for drift on the larger machines, but in my experience I have never used a blade that did not need some kind of drift adjustment and so for me the DriftMaster is an indispensable part of the machine.  I can dial it in perfectly and get near glue-ready rips right of the saw with a Resaw King blade.  Others will weigh in with their own experience.  I would try to get out and see one in person if you can to kick the tires and look at them in person.  You will get a better idea of fit and finish and what features you find important.

Scot 

 

[bijeshj]

I have the Rikon 10-325. Works well for me.  I will eventually upgrade to a felder or hammer. The fit and finish on those machines are way better.

 

[MarkF]

You can add Mini-Max to you list.  I have an MM-20 made by Centauro in Italy and love it.  You can find them used if patient.
MM20

 

[nickao]

Its not that bigger band saws have no drift, its that bigger blades in themselves prevent drift . I have NEVER in 25 years had to adjust a 1" or larger band saw blade for drift, ever, on any tuned band saw machine I have ever used. I have been using a 1.25 inch blade for the last 4 years and not once has drift effected any cuts at all. Now go to a 1/4 or even 3/4" inch blade and yes drift can be an issue. Most of my 8 hour a day band saw experience is in the last 8 years, still I will stick to large band saw blades(1" and up) rarely if ever need drift adjustment.

If you are one that has a single machine and needs to switch blades the driftmaster fence is nice, if like me you have one band saw for each blade size you use and keep the saws  tuned drift probably will not be an issue.

 

[joraft]

I agree if you are inexperienced why the need for such an expensive band saw, a used Delta is fine. New I would get a Grizzly.

... IMHO its the band saw blade that makes all the difference in the world.

I responded to what the OP said: "Looking for the best, equivalent to Festool in a band saw."

And while I would agree that a good blade is essential, two very important factors in bandsaw quality are a heavy, strong frame, and heavy, well-balanced wheels. To get those, you have to spend more money.

IMHO, if it's a lifetime purchase, it's definitely worth it.

 

[woodguy7]

A quick question about blades of you don't mind, do any of you guys use tungsten tipped blades on your bandsaws ? i was thinking of getting a 32mm one for ripping 10" oak.

 

[routerovich]

Thanks for all the useful info guys!

I will look into the new ones and their features, and for the offers in the used market.

I found some upgrades for hotrodding the old 14 Delta;
http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/carter.htm

The site also lists high quality blades if you click on the saw section on the left.

Perhaps the 14 well tuned will do for now, as I am limited with space, and once I set a large shop there will be the room to add a monster.

Thanks again.

 

[nickao]

Yep heavy and mass is a great thing for a band saw.

When you say Tungsten you mean  tungsten carbide, correct? If that is the case I have gone to the carbide blades for much of my work, but still when the blades are new there is nothing like a steel blade for fast ripping.

For a typical hobbyist I could see a carbide blade(about 200.00) lasting many, many years. They do not seem to cut as nice as a fresh steel blade, but after about a days use the steel starts declining and the carbide doesn't, just stays nice for a lot longer and I mean a lot longer. Plus,  I seem to get away with smaller teeth with the carbide verse steel for the same application which is nice for re-sawing. Just my experience mileage may vary.

One of my carbide band saw blades is a Lenox Tri Master Carbide  I got here:

http://www.toolcenter.com/BANDSAW_BLADES.html

http://www.toolcenter.com/CARBIDE_TIPPED_LENOX_TRI-MASTER.html

I am happy with it.

I say if you can afford it go carbide.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

If you are looking for a bandsaw mainly to cut curves, then that 14 inch Delta is the sweet spot.

If you are cutting wide sheets of veneer or laminations, then Joraft nailed it - big, heavy, and well balanced.

A good sharp blade makes life easier.  Two ways to get there - (1)buy cheap blades and change them often or (2)buy carbide or at least bi-metal.  Only downside to those big blades, though, is that they tend to have wider kerfs, too.  That means more waste when you are resawing that precious wood into veneer.

I lasted for a long time with a Delta 14,  but the upgrade to big and heavy was sweet when it came. [big grin]

And there just ain't no bandsaw that has Festool quality dust extraction.

 

[ScotF]

Its not that bigger band saws have no drift, its that bigger blades in themselves prevent drift . I have NEVER in 25 years had to adjust a 1" or larger band saw blade for drift, ever, on any tuned band saw machine I have ever used. I have been using a 1.25 inch blade for the last 4 years and not once has drift effected any cuts at all. Now go to a 1/4 or even 3/4" inch blade and yes drift can be an issue. Most of my 8 hour a day band saw experience is in the last 8 years, still I will stick to large band saw blades(1" and up) rarely if ever need drift adjustment.

If you are one that has a single machine and needs to switch blades the driftmaster fence is nice, if like me you have one band saw for each blade size you use and keep the saws  tuned drift probably will not be an issue.

Hi Dovetail65,

It is nice to see you posting again!

I agree that a well tuned bandsaw is key and that a wider blade will cut with less drift than a smaller one, but in my experience all blades have some kind of drift, no matter how small.  It may not be enough to cause dramatic differences in cut quality, but it is there.  I try to adjust everything to eliminate it totally and I only have one bandsaw so for me being able to change blades and adjust for drift quickly is critical.

Scot 

 

[nickao]

I do have one Delta 14" that drifts, but I am so used to it I know the angle(eyeball) to keep the board at to get perfect cuts. I have a 1/4" blade on it and rarely use it for cuts that drift effects, but when I do I need to keep the board at a solid 20 degree angle!I think a driftmaster cost more than I paid for the saw!

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Heft and mass was said to be a good quality but, I fail to see how those tin boxes are heavy or massive.

I know for a fact that you can do almost anything you could want with an older 14" Delta.

Crowned tires are a must to keep the blade tracking and your cuts solid.

 

[nickao]

My tin box Grizzly new weighs 480 lbs and with my up graded motor and trunnion about 505.

The trunnions and table are cast iron and some band saws have super heavy wheels as well. Mine has a hook on top for a fork lift to move it around.

Mass and weight kills vibration, comparing my Delta to my Grizzly is like comparing my old Ford Dually to a Chevete. It definitely makes the saw cut much much smoother, especially when re sawing. If I tried to use the Delta like I use my Grizzly I would easily knock the Delta over and almost have several times.

I have found the more weight the smoother the tool operates for stationary tools.

As far as the Delta doing anything you want, yeah if you want to take 15 minutes to resaw a piece of exotic hardwood no problem. The same piece takes about 3 minutes with the larger saw. Speed and stability were the main reasons I upgraded my first Delta to begin with.