Replies

1. 
   sschefer | May 07, 2002 07:26pm | #1

   I've got the Jet 18". Its fine for me. I was going to get rid of my old craftsman 12" but kept it so I don't have to change blades all the time. The Jet comes with 3 blades but you'll want to replace them with something better. The nice thing about the Jet is that upgrades are readily available from several sources and at reasonable prices. I'm not sure about the others. I have heard about some customer relations problems with Laguna but haven't had the pleasure myself so I can't verify that it was true.

   Steve - in Northern California

1. 
   Purds | May 11, 2002 03:10am | #6

   Steve:

   What do you think of your 12" craftsman? I am trying to build up my shop, and in searching for a used tablesaw I've come across a 12" craftsman for $150. I will go look at it, but was wondering about your experiences with that saw. Not really in the market for a bandsaw yet, but if it's a good steal, I'll snap at it.

   Purds

2. 
   Elcoholic | May 09, 2002 12:07am | #2

   I've been thinking along the same lines.  The Laguna Resaw Master looks good to me.  And I'd probably keep my '49 Delta 14".  What I can't understand is Laguna's HD16".  Why not just get the 18" if it's got all the same parts as the 18"?  Regarding Laguna's service I can't say.  They're local for me, nice folks but I haven't bought anything from them yet.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

3. 
   JVeillon | May 09, 2002 03:08am | #3

   I also have the Jet 18" and I put Timberwolf blades on it.  I love the blades and used them on my old 12" and that made a big difference.   The saw is very smooth, the table is nice, the fence is OK and the ball bearing guides are great.   What else can I say I have had no problems but Jet is very good on service anyway.   Do throw away the blades that come with it or cut metal or something with them.

   Good Luck

   John

4. 
   Carl4747 | May 09, 2002 04:54am | #4

   I could not decide if I was better off with the Jet 18" or the Laguna 16".  Someone told me to open the doors, grab the wheel and check for any movement.  After doing that I bought the Laguna.  It really seems to be well made.  Try it!

5. 
   woodrae | May 09, 2002 04:58pm | #5

   Ed—

   You shouldn’t overlook the Agazzani line of bandsaws (www.eagle-tools.com), which also go by the name of EuroShop. The Agazzani line is very similar in design and construction to Laguna’s line. I’ve used both brands extensively, and both are excellent Euro-style, welded-steel frame saws.

   I currently work on the Agazzani 20 in. in my shop and am very happy with its design and performance. If it means anything to you, you should know that several top-notch woodworkers also have Agazzanis, including Sam Maloof, The College of the Redwoods (the Ft. Bragg, CA program that Jim Krenov started), and even the Fine Woodworking editorial woodshop.

   Don’t forget to shop for resaw height, as this will become a major factor in your woodworking at some point. The more wood you can fit under the guides, the greater capacity for all kinds of cuts, including—but certainly not limited to—resawing wide planks. In this regard, Laguna has the edge in the 16 in. category, where you’ll get a few more inches of height (12 versus 10) for your buck. Both Laguna’s and Agazzani’s 18-in. machines offer 12 glorious inches of room under the guides.

   —Andy

6. 
   joe.roth | May 11, 2002 05:11pm | #7

   I recently when through the same process you are going through deciding which bs to buy and my choice was the Laguana. After much research it seemed to be built the best.  And from 3 months experience I would saw it does its job very well. Resawing is a dream, never have to worry about blade drift and it had the maximum capacity in the catagory.

   Customer service also was excelent. They had shipped a floor modle because I didnt what to wait for a new shipment to arrive and it had a scored fence which they sent a replacement part for very quickly and even had UPS pick up the damaged one.

   Joe Roth

1. 
   user-135888 | May 14, 2002 11:04am | #8

   Hi

   I have a lt16 and have had it about a year. I took my time looking around and think I did very well. I got it at a show with a 1" carbide blade for $995. In May I went to the local yearly woodworker show and took a look at all the saws and always ask about a few questions about stuff that comes up.  I, based on what I needed made the right choice, I did not need swing open doors for the blades guards, I wanted resaw capacity, I don't resaw 12" wide board often, but I can. Laguna 16" bandsaws are the only 16" bandsaws that have 12" cutting height I know of.  Important someone said his Laguna only had a lower port on the hd16, Laguna is the only company that put TWO dust port on it's  16" models and up. Now for some reason thats the only model (HD16) that comes with one dust port.  Some other companies put two on their 18" models and they mostly all have two ports at 20" models and above. I saw bandsaws with lower dust ports and know it's easy to get an upper dust port and make it fit.  Anyway my bandsaw is smooth quiet and a joy to use. I got the rack and pinion option right away, $35 well spent.

   john g

   Edited 5/14/2002 4:16:05 AM ET by john

1. 
   john_lab | May 16, 2002 09:09pm | #9

   I've been doing quite alot of searching for a 20' saw and found the MiniMax 16 has a 13" resaw and a 3.6 hp motor along with a few other unique features.  The Bridgewood PBS 440 may also be worth a look if you live on the East coast(save on shipping) and want an American motor(3hp).  Also, according to several salespeople I spoke to, Laguna, Felder, Bridgewood, and Tannewitz all have their saws made by the Italian firm ACM.  The motors may be different but the quality should be about the same.  If you have'nt already, it's worth a call to MiniMax to find out all they offer.  It's certainly worth re-saying that Agazzani has an excellent reputation for making a high quality saw.

   BTW,  I 've not yet made up my mind, so... happy hunting!!

1. 
   MSDMSD | Dec 30, 2002 06:18am | #10

   John,

   I'm also searching for a new BS.  At one time I was considering the Jet, Delta, PowerMatic, Enco, and Grizzly.  During my search, the two saws I've become interested in are the Mini Max - MM20 and the Agazzani - B24. Both these saws have the resaw capacity of 15.75".  

   As far as I could determine via the internet the differences that caught my eye was the rip fence and dust collection.  The rip fence on the Mini Max appears to be a heavier fence and the dust collection on the Agazzani appears to have two ports and the port under the lower guides are enclosed. Your input would be appreciated.

   Thanks & Happy New Year

   Scott

7. 
   unTreatedwood | Dec 30, 2002 11:08pm | #11

   Ed,

   I bought the Jet 18" this past summer.  I've tried several blades, and the one that I find leaving on the most is the 1/2" Slicer available from Highland Hardware.  I love the saw, and find few issues that cannot be easily addressed.  I strongly recommend the guide to blade tension on the Timberwolf website.  It has been a great help to me.  good luck with your choice whichever way you go.

   BB