I’ve read a lot of horror stories over the years about Laguna’s dreadful customer support, bait and switch tactics, general snobbiness, etc. Recently I’ve read some better reports about quality and customer service. I’m in the market for a bandsaw and am interested in a Laguna, but still have reservations based on their history. Does anyone have feedback on recent purchases and/or interactions with Laguna staff? Thanks.
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Replies
Laguna
Bought a 14SUV last qtr of 09. Couldn't be happier. The customer service we the best I have ever had. The saw performs flawlessly and they included several blades with the purchase. Was going to get a Drift Master fence; but glad I didn't spend the money. The saw re-saws better than any bandsaw I have ever use. Couldn't be happier.
Nothing but great things to say about Laguna. The few times that I have needed technical help or parts they have been extremely helpful, with the parts being in stock.
I own a Laguna 18” bandsaw and would definitely replace it if it was lost or stolen.
Chuckles
I realise what you meant to say but I had to smile when you said you would replace your saw with another Laguna if it were "lost". How do you lose a saw that big and heavy? :<)
Ron
Fire, flood, etc.
Laguna Quality
Seems you are asking about both quality and customer service. As for the quality I have never used anything other than the LT14SE I bought last January but it has performed flawlessly on pretty much everything I have asked it to do. I did have some problems trying to mill a green 12" walnut log into rough boards with the resaw king blade but once I got a more appropriate blade (from Laguna) it worked fine. The resaw king is great for resawing dry wood and the LT14SE can easily handle a 12" cut but it needs a blade specificly designed for green wood.
As for customer service, I have not had to test it much. I have not have any problems with the saw to date, the assembly instructions and video were good enough to figure out everything I needed to do to get the saw set up by myself. They did a nice job resharpening my resaw king blade (after the green wood cutting experiment) and returned it promptly.
I would certainly buy another band saw from Laguna and I am considering their jointer/planer combo machine when the budget allows.
Hope that helps.
Chris
blade choice
Hey Chris. What kind of blade did they recomend for green wood? Blade width, Blade thickness, Tooth Configuration, Tooth size/spacing. How is it working for you as far as longevity before dullness? I like to slice small logs but have had blade problems.
Does anyone have a link to that video of the guys massive shop that featured laguna tools. I think it was aslo on the laguna website?
It was on Knots prior to the switchover to the new format.
Thanks
Video at Laguna
http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaw-lt14se#
Then click on the "videos" word.
Laguna Quality & Customer Support
Received the 16" 3000 series bandsaw and 17" drill press three weeks ago. Both are made in China. Assembly of both was pretty straight forward. The tension indicator on the bandsaw wasn't connected and I called Laguna. Their tech support told me how to correct the problem however, the procedure he gave me doesn't work. Can't get to the lever without taking the saw apart. I check tension the same way I do belts on my truck. Push them with a finger and guess at the amount of movement. It cuts great and other than that....no problems. One of the holes where you attach the three handles on the drill press didn't have threads cut in it when manufactured. The Laguna techy said they would mail me a new part. Haven't received it yet so can't tell you how extensive the repair will be. Obviously they need to improve their quality control at the manufacturing plant.
Am I satisfied with the equipment? Yes, they do the job the are meant to do and do it pretty well. Am I satisfied with the tech support? Have to wait and see if I get the part.
I have a lathe on order from them and hope it's no worse than the other two.
I am really glad to read these postings. I am conflicted between Laguna and another brand, and I think this has helped me. I can say I have been talking to Laguna about the negative comments I have read elsewhere. Laguna has assured me they are aggressively addressing the problems of the past and therefore I believe I will soon be a Laguna owner.
Been the proud owner of a LT18 bandsaw since 2001, and a Laguna Pro 6" Sliding Tablesaw since 2009. No problems out of either one. Great support when needed (rarely). Will gladly purchase from them again, as I am hoping to add a third machine in the future.
Blades?
Hey Mike. What is the widest or thickestr blade you use on your 18? Any problem with blade breakage before dullness?
What blade did they recommend for green wood? Blade Width, Blade thickness,, Tooth Configuration, Tooth Spacing? What kind of longevity did you get before dullness became apparent?
Happy here. Two thumbs up
I would buy another Laguna; no question.
Yah they were a little strange on the phone. I think they were just in between package deals and where waiting to get the next info/machines in. ( this was years ago ) I was expecting to pay extra for the Resaw King blade and the Baldor motor and some other thing or another( the stand I think ) but it all came in a package deal and at a good price so was all just great in the final out come.
This is a 14 but he saws wide bubinga the hard way no bogging down, no problems. I think mine was made in some strange place in the Ukraine but works. Before that I think they were made in Belgium for a while. China huh ? Like every thing. Like my new iPad. It works great to though. So should your saw ( knock on wood ).
There was a paint issue on mine but just minor discoloration on a cover. The paint is fast to the machine. This was the lower end saw after all.
Last pic: there we go, some perspective, a twelve inch ruler.
I can cut approx. 17.5 inches from blade to frame. Manufacturers love to round up when they quote capacity of their offerings. I rarely cut anything wide on my bandsaw unless it is really thick. Otherwise I go to the tablesaw.
The version I have (2001) cuts with a 12" resaw; the current LT18 has an 18" resaw capacity and I believe a larger motor, and of course a larger price tag. But I would still get another one if a UFO crashed onto my shop.
Customer service and tech quality at Laguna
Earlier this year I bought a Resaw King blade by Laguna for my 18" Rikon. At a buck-seventy-three per inch, it should really be a great blade. It is a pretty capable blade, though not worth the price difference in comparison with a Wood Slicer.
I have a gripe with the production quality on that blade. It is manufactured in bulk in Switzerland, then on order, cut to length and welded. I think there is something wrong in the welding and finishing process but it is my impression that the blade coil comes from Switzerland in good condition.
Customer service is great, though. I lost count, but it was at least two returns and re-shipments of the blade, all of them fast and with returns done at Laguna expense, until I had a blade I was willing to keep. There was regularly one tooth out of alignment, as was evidenced by a groove in the cut in synchronism with the cycle of the blade and a matching surge in the cut rate and the cyclic sound made during the cut. With incourrect (too loose) tension there was another problem I could demonstrate, a harmonic flutter of the blade. I was able to convince Customer Service that the problem was with the blade, not with the tensioning, but the flutter is apparently something that occurs regularly with novices at using the blade.
The Resaw King is apparently the favorite "baby" of the big guy at Laguna, Torben (I don't have his last name), but there is a lack of some information I would really like to have. I asked for quantitative tensioning information, and although the request has apparently sent along to him from time to time, the response was inadequate. I would like to know either the tension to put into the blade, or equivalently, the PSI to which the blade is to be stressed. (The conversion is easy enough; mike the blade's thickness, measure gullet-to-blade-back dimension, multiply their product times PSI to get tension.) But Torben reportedly says something like "Just tighten it up until it deflects a quarter inch under thumb pressure." Hey, I'm an engineer, and I can work (and like to work!) to a substantially higher degree of precision than that. So I remain frustrated.
I like the fact that the Resaw King can be repeatedly resharpened. With its considerable width it is stable in resaw application. I am a mildly pleased customer. I even suppose I would buy the Resaw King again. But I like my Rikon 18 so well that I am not at all inclined to get the rather more expensive Laguna bandsaws if either the Rikon or my 14" Delta were to be hit by a meteorite or the shop flooded by a sump pump failure.
I've read a lot of horror stories over the years about Laguna's dreadful customer support, bait and switch tactics, ..
I have worked in Europe MANY times.. I am not sure that they are as 'rough' as they talk..
I worked with many different folks in my working life.. I would suggest a night out drinking the local beer to got to reaqlly know them... I did NOT buy a Laguna saw.. They seemed to be fron a differeny planet! Scare you off before the payment? Not after the payment? Gee.
Most in Europe know a few languages.. You only have to be able to cuss at them in several languages?
I would think veyr nice toole to purchase.. But not from the first phone call you made,,
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