wrote

Hi, Lee -

Leon has an axe to grind.

The Rikon is a fine tool. If pressed, it turns out that the only real
complaint he had was that the roller guides build up pitch with green
pine. And that he couldn't get the blade tracking consistently.

For the first issue: many saws come with roller guides. So this is
not an issue with the Rikon per se. And you mention dried oak, not
wet pine. Not an issue with the Rikon or roller bearings either.

For the second issue: no one else (nor me) has chimed in to say they
have tracking issues with the Rikon. Mine worked like a champ outta
the box.

Leon will bad-mouth the Rikon til the cows come home cuz he had a bad
experience. But I would be confident that you would have a positive
experience if you chose to purchase the Rikon, as well as many other
fine bandsaws.

My $0.02. And watch Leon's response when he reads this. It is almost
as if he has a financial stake in it somewhere as well as being
totally ****ed off.


Everybody has their preferences. Many of us settle for what we can afford
or buy locally.

I personally drive some folks nuts on my specifications for computer
hardware. Because the technical demands needed for the applications I use,
almost nothing is good enough. I always got my computers custom built
locally. The last one was a disaster and I will be going out of state for
any new hardware in the future. And I will be going to a specialist too.

I can go on about other things as well. I understand that Leon had to do
what he felt was the best solution for him. I don't think it is because of
any particular agenda. Just what worked out for him. I can relate. I have
done similar things. Just not with bandsaws. And I probably will never own a
Laguna.

But I find Leon's words helpful for two reasons. I get to peer at some nice
machinery through somebody else's eyes. That is pleasureable in and of
itself. But I also get to observe something of his internal process as he
goes out and buys/uses a very nice piece of machinery.

And any of us who have high standards often have to agonize over decisions
to purchase something that simply costs more than we can easily afford. And
we go through a process where we validate the reasons and make a decision to
pay more because we get more. Ultimately the needs require the more
expensive hardware.

I personally find it inspirational that there are some folks here who have
this kind of attitude. I don't feel so alone in the world when I am working
on a hardware intensive problem. (This is in other areas besides computers
or woodworking)

No axe to grind here. Unless it is a rilly, rilly nice axe that needs a good
edge. ;-)

Lee Michaels