bandsaw reveiw

Rollin22Petes

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Nov 10, 2014
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Ok I'm going to get a new band saw to replace an old worn out Delta. I don't do a whole lot of resaw work but I do make or modify large corbels and post for mantles and such. I had already pretty much decided on getting the Laguna 14bx it seemed to fit the bill for my needs. Well with the Jet sale this coming up this weekend I was thinking of upgrading to an 18'' because with the sale it won't be that much more money and living just outside of Nashville TN I can drive over to there distribution center and pick it up. But I have never used a Jet tool nor can I find a single darn review on the thing do any of you guys have any experience good or bad with the newer JWBS models. I know some of the older models had issues Thanks in advanced.
 
The newer Jet with the triangle spin is a decent saw for the money but assuming you are looking at the 3hp and thus a near $2,000 budget the Rikon 18" 10-346 is a lot more saw for about the same budget (cheapest price I know of is Circle Saw in Houston, ~$2050 with residential liftgate delivery).  4hp, 19" resaw height and a high blade speed make this the most NEW saw for the money. 
 
I had an older 18" Jet that couldn't resaw anything accurately.  It was very frustrating and wasted a lot of time and wood.  I sold it and got a Laguna 14" saw which has been flawless.  As a result, if I were buying an 18" saw today, I'd save up for a Laguna or one of the better European brands.
 
I'm looking to buy a new bandsaw also and have looked at about every review on the internet.  Also, took a drive to my closest Jet dealer 2 hrs away and looked at the Jet and Powermatic.  I have narrowed it down to either the Laguna or Grizzly.  Laguna models considering are the 14/12 or one of the BX models.  Grizzly models are the G0513X2 (still trying to figure out the difference between 3 or 4 models).  As I've been watching a number of woodworking videos, I've noticed the Grizzly models are in many of the shops, as well as Laguna. Just missed Beaver Industrials 10% off sale on Laguna (ended 12/31), but making a trip to southern CA in a couple weeks and thought I'd take a look at the demo models available and maybe pick one of those up.  If you find a sale on the Laguna, let me know.  That might help make my decision.  Good luck.
 
Thanks guys I think I'll stay away from the Jet for lack of reviews and none problems with other models. The Grizzly GO513X2  looks interesting. I'm only about 6 hours away from there Missouri showroom I thought taking a weekend and driving up so I can see there machines first hand.
 
Again there is nothing wrong with the Jet (again if it is the redesigned triangular frame) it is as good as any of the other saws in the same class and does have a 5 year warranty where the Grizzly for example has a one year warranty.  You see Grizzly in so many shops for primarily one reason, they are inexpensive and thus offer a solid value but there cheaper lines, which is what you generally see, are at the bottom end of the food chain. 

What exactly is your budget?

In the 1,000-2,000 range you have basically 3 big players, Grizzly, Rikon and Laguna.  In this price range Laguna concentrates on the 14" steel spined saws and while they are excellent saws with many features I really like it sounds like you are looking for a larger saw.  With the Rikon redesigns for 2016 I think they have moved into the value lead in the 17-19" budget saws.  They redesigned the guides on their more budget offerings, which were their weakness, and now have much better guides than the Grizzly 513/514 series saws.  They also offer a 5 year warranty and have good CS.  The 10-342 18" saw can be had shipped for about $1450 and sits right in the 513/514 price range.  The 10-346 is a big step up from the 513/514 saws and is the most saw for $2000 you can buy, take a look at the difference between it and the top of the 514 range.  The value here is Rikon has done a recent update to their bandsaw line where Grizzly has not for 7-8 years (at least in the budget 17-18" range).  If you do decide on a 513 avoid the temptation to get the Anniversary edition if your budget allows for more.  They are a stripped down version of the 513 to hit a price point and has the worst copy of Euro guides I have seen on a saw in 10+ years and they are a PITA to work with compared to the better guides offered on more expensive saws. 

The key to picking the right bandsaw is balancing the budget with your intended use, Grizzly used to be the value leader in the sub-2000 range but Rikon and Laguna have gone a long way to remove that advantage. 
 
Thanks for all of the info I really don't  have a budget but at the same time I'm not going to spend more for something I don't need. Having said that the rikon 10-346 looks like a really nice saw it beats the jet with more hp and a foot brake. When looking at Grizzly one has to ask there self what did they sacrifice to meet there low price point I have never owned any of there equipment just for that reason although I do have a Shop Fox moulder that should be here next week. I don't have to make this decision right now other than the Jet sale so I will do some more research I would rather buy a saw a little bigger than be disappointed later because I bought one to small or with to little hp
 
I checked the Rikon out also ... but seemed like the fence rail hung out further than most others.  I watched a review of the saw and think this is so you can cut 45 degrees on the right (outer) side of the blade. May be wrong on that, but there was a reason.  Seems minor, but that kind of turned me off for my situation because where I have planned to place the saw is opposite the working side of my MFT table, with a 3 ft. corridor in between and I know I would be constantly backing into that rail ... ouch!  I guess I could use a mobility kit and turn the saw when not in use, but would rather not.  Thinking the Laguna is going to be my choice.
 
Grev said:
I checked the Rikon out also ... but seemed like the fence rail hung out further than most others. 

The current Rikon fences and lock mechanism doesn't really sit farther out than any other similar saw, at least by any significant margin.  The Grizzly however when locked has a handle that locks nearly straight out and is anything but hip friendly.  The are the small ergonomic issues that unfortunately are difficult to know how much they will annoy you until you actually use them for a while.  In either case if the fence itself bothers you when not in use they are easy enough to remove and hang up just like a smaller lighter version of a table saw fence which for most people goes on and off the saw fairly often.
 
Huxleywood said:
Grev said:
I checked the Rikon out also ... but seemed like the fence rail hung out further than most others. 

The current Rikon fences and lock mechanism doesn't really sit farther out than any other similar saw, at least by any significant margin.  The Grizzly however when locked has a handle that locks nearly straight out and is anything but hip friendly.  The are the small ergonomic issues that unfortunately are difficult to know how much they will annoy you until you actually use them for a while.  In either case if the fence itself bothers you when not in use they are easy enough to remove and hang up just like a smaller lighter version of a table saw fence which for most people goes on and off the saw fairly often.

I was talking about the fence rail, which is bolted to the table, not the actual fence.  The review I watched for the Rikon 10-326 (link below) gave me the impression the rail stuck out a little further than most. After taking a second look, although it does extend past the table further than some of the other Rikon models, it doesn't seem to be much different than the Laguna 14/12 or BX models I'm considering.  I guess I could always tilt the table down when not in use?


 
Ahh OK, now it makes sense.  One other option would be simply to cut off the fence rail.  Speaking of fences the newer Rikon fence is much sturdier than the prior one and "appears" to be more solid than the aluminum Grizzly. 
 
I have the Laguna Fourteen|12.  When I first got it, there were some serious vibration issues.  Laguna Customer Service replaced the upper wheel and I replaced the tires with Carter urethane tires.    That solve the vibration problem and now I've very happy with it. 

Here is the video that I made showing the before and after:https://vimeo.com/113821519 .  Since then, Laguna has apparently fixed the vibration issue on the new Fourteen|12's.  That said, if I was in the market for a new bandsaw, I'd buy the new Laguna 14BX with a 220V motor. Their saws are very good and their customer service is excellent.   

Regards,

Dan.

P.s. The video includes a resaw test.  The result was excellent about 1/8" thick front to back, top to bottom.  And that was the first time I resawed anything.  Excellent results by a complete amateur.
 
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