I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:54:01 -0500, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the
reviews aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment).

I've got one and have to agree that blade changes are a PITA. But I
don't change blades very often. Most of the time I leave a 1/2" blade on
it. I change to a 1/4" blade maybe 3 or 4 times a year when I need to
saw a tighter curve than the 1/2" will handle.

Other than the blade changes, I think it's a great value for the money.
If you foresee changing blades weekly get something else. If not, I
think you'll be happy with the Rikon.



--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:54:01 -0500, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it
cools down and I can get into the "shop" again).

Wuss, we haven't turned the AC on yet .

Searching the web for
reviews and comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers.
I say 14", primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go
in an attic over a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s
crossways on 2x12s) and has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the
reviews aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The
Jet 14DXPRO and Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty
serious problem reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but
being the low-end it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the
LT14x14SUV and LT14SE, out of interest (and still a possibility). The
SUV looks like a really sweet saw and in fact better (and heavier) than
the SE, which is a few hundred more. Discussion?

Not a direct answer for a 14" saw.

I purchased a grizzly 17" polar bear series back in the fall and have
been more than pleased with it.

I don't recall what it weighs but not anywhere near 300 lbs. All my
bandsaw experience was on 36" industrial size machines and I didn't
have my hopes set too high with the Grizzly machine, it really has
exceeded my expectations.

basilisk

--
A wink is as good as a nod to a blind horse

On Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:36:06 GMT, basilisk wrote:

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:54:01 -0500, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it
cools down and I can get into the "shop" again).

Wuss, we haven't turned the AC on yet .

It's been in the 90s every day since Memorial day. The attic gets *hot*. ;-)

Searching the web for
reviews and comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers.
I say 14", primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go
in an attic over a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s
crossways on 2x12s) and has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the
reviews aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The
Jet 14DXPRO and Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty
serious problem reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but
being the low-end it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the
LT14x14SUV and LT14SE, out of interest (and still a possibility). The
SUV looks like a really sweet saw and in fact better (and heavier) than
the SE, which is a few hundred more. Discussion?

Not a direct answer for a 14" saw.

I purchased a grizzly 17" polar bear series back in the fall and have
been more than pleased with it.

I don't recall what it weighs but not anywhere near 300 lbs. All my
bandsaw experience was on 36" industrial size machines and I didn't
have my hopes set too high with the Grizzly machine, it really has
exceeded my expectations.

Interesting! I wasn't looking (much) at the 17" models. It's 266lbs (340lbs
shipping! - that's a lot of cardboard! . How easy is it to change the
blade?

I notice that most saw tables are around 35" high (the G0513P is 37"). The
Laguna LT14SE is the outlier at 44" (with the SEL back at 35"). Is there a
reason for this difference? Resaw vs. curvies? I would think higher is
better but perhaps not when resawing a 12" board.

Consider putting a 3/4" ply as a pad for it - to spread the load.
Consider putting steel sheet under small feet - so the foot won't
dig into the wood. Large washers are good.

Martin

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 20:36:01 -0500, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:36:06 GMT, basilisk wrote:

On Mon, 04 Jul 2011 17:54:01 -0500, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it
cools down and I can get into the "shop" again).

Wuss, we haven't turned the AC on yet .

It's been in the 90s every day since Memorial day. The attic gets
*hot*. ;-)

Searching the web for
reviews and comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers.
I say 14", primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to
go in an attic over a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy
(2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and has no bounce, much over 300 pounds
worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the
reviews aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The
Jet 14DXPRO and Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some
pretty serious problem reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range,
too, but being the low-end it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also
looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE, out of interest (and still a
possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet saw and in fact
better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?

Not a direct answer for a 14" saw.

I purchased a grizzly 17" polar bear series back in the fall and have
been more than pleased with it.

I don't recall what it weighs but not anywhere near 300 lbs. All my
bandsaw experience was on 36" industrial size machines and I didn't have
my hopes set too high with the Grizzly machine, it really has exceeded
my expectations.

Interesting! I wasn't looking (much) at the 17" models. It's 266lbs
(340lbs shipping! - that's a lot of cardboard! . How easy is it to
change the blade

Takes about 10 minutes, that includes resetting the guides.
nothing particularly tedious in setup.

I notice that most saw tables are around 35" high (the G0513P is 37").
The Laguna LT14SE is the outlier at 44" (with the SEL back at 35"). Is
there a reason for this difference?

personal preference and height I guess, I tend to like machines
a little higher than my height would seem to indicate.
decarpented the shipping crate
down to the pallet and left the saw on the pallet, gaining 4 inches
or so.


Resaw vs. curvies? I would think
higher is better but perhaps not when resawing a 12" board.


basilisk
--
A wink is as good as a nod to a blind horse

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..
Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point? The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.
Blade brake are cool bet not necessary. My Laguna HD 16 had a break, I
seldom use it.

I would focus more on guides that don't introduce noise and vibration,
cast iron blade wheels, ease of changing blades.

In article , lcb11211
@swbelldotnet says...

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..
Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point?

Increased blade life.

The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.

But takes longer. Tension doesn't get released on saws without one
unless the operator has a supervisor who makes him do it or is unusually
attentive to such matters.

Blade brake are cool bet not necessary.

Safety feature. Probably government-mandated in the EU.

My Laguna HD 16 had a break, I
seldom use it.

I would focus more on guides that don't introduce noise and vibration,
cast iron blade wheels, ease of changing blades.

On Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:07:02 -0500, Leon wrote:

So either they don't saw much or they deal with a dull blade. If you
want the saw to perform as an upgrade you want to be able to easily
change the blade when it is dull or is the wrong blade for the
application.

But changing a dull blade for a new equivalent does not require resetting
the guides. It can be done in a minute or less. It's only when the
blade size changes that the change can become a PITA.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

On 7/5/2011 9:05 AM, J. Clarke wrote:
In articlexJSdnV9XqIDmkY7TnZ2dnUVZ5qednZ2d@giganews. com, lcb11211
@swbelldotnet says...

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..
Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point?

Increased blade life.

What is the point of a blade tension release if it does not truely
release all the tension?





The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.

But takes longer. Tension doesn't get released on saws without one
unless the operator has a supervisor who makes him do it or is unusually
attentive to such matters.

Noe enough longer to make it a deal breaker if the saw comes with out one.





Blade brake are cool bet not necessary.

Safety feature. Probably government-mandated in the EU.

My Laguna does not have one, not a safety feature, it is a fad thing IMHO.

On 7/5/2011 11:55 AM, Leon wrote:
On 7/5/2011 9:05 AM, J. Clarke wrote:
In articlexJSdnV9XqIDmkY7TnZ2dnUVZ5qednZ2d@giganews. com, lcb11211
@swbelldotnet says...

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it
cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an
attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on
2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the
reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet
14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the
low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and
LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a
really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few
hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..
Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point?

Increased blade life.

What is the point of a blade tension release if it does not truely
release all the tension?





The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.

But takes longer. Tension doesn't get released on saws without one
unless the operator has a supervisor who makes him do it or is unusually
attentive to such matters.

Noe enough longer to make it a deal breaker if the saw comes with out one.





Blade brake are cool bet not necessary.

Safety feature. Probably government-mandated in the EU.

My Laguna does not have one, not a safety feature, it is a fad thing IMHO.


OOPs my Laguna does have a blade break, not a tension release. Not all
BS, even today, have blade breaks.

On Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:07:02 -0500, Leon lcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

First (and only)

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

MiniMax is out. I could stretch to any of the Laguna 14s if I thought it was
the best choice ($$ included in the calculus).

I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Good information.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

It's really hard to decode their site, but

Rack and Pinion Upper Guide: No -- seems useful
Foot brake: No -- seems useful but others say no
Rack & Pinion Table Tilt: No -- seems quite useful but it *looks*
like the SE and SEL models
don't look like they have it
either, though are more expensive
than the SUV model

I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..


I agree, I think. I expect to do quite a bit of curvy stuff, as well as
resawing.

Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point? The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.
Blade brake are cool bet not necessary. My Laguna HD 16 had a break, I
seldom use it.

I would think a tension release would be very helpful.

I would focus more on guides that don't introduce noise and vibration,
cast iron blade wheels, ease of changing blades.

Good information. Thanks!

On 7/5/2011 7:06 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:07:02 -0500, Leonlcb11211@swbelldotnet wrote:

On 7/4/2011 5:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?



Is this a first time BS or an upgrade?

First (and only)

I had a Rikon 18"er for an upgrade saw for about 2 weeks and returned
it. It was slightly better than my plastic covered Craftsman.

I had to go with a Laguna and considered the MiniMax to upgrade.

MiniMax is out. I could stretch to any of the Laguna 14s if I thought it was
the best choice ($$ included in the calculus).

When I bought, the MiniMax MM16 IIRC was about the same prioce as the
Laguna 16 HD. BUT I had an appointment to see the saw 150 miles away
and they even conformed the day before. They had no saw to show when I
got there the next day. The appointment was made a couple of weeks in
advance.




I simply hated roller bearing guides, especially noisy and they
introduce a lot of vibration when cutting wood that may be sticky.

Good information.

Laguna has the guide situation solved.

What do you think you would be missing with that model?

It's really hard to decode their site, but

Rack and Pinion Upper Guide: No-- seems useful
Foot brake: No-- seems useful but others say no
Rack& Pinion Table Tilt: No-- seems quite useful but it *looks*
like the SE and SEL models
don't look like they have it
either, though are more expensive
than the SUV model

I have rack and pinion and it is helpful to raise and lower the guide, I
guess. You still have to apply the clamp to hold the shaft steady. I am
not so sure that it is necessary unless the guides and shaft are too
heavy to lift.
Foot break is useful if you plan to walk away from the saw after turning
it off and there are others present that might get into trouble as the
saw spins down, it can take 10~15 seconds to do so. It certainly is not
a requirement as a function of the saw to get good cuts. I use mine
occasionally but mostly let it spin down naturally.
Rack and pinion table tilt again is useful if the table is heavy. The
table on my Laguna is quite heavy and that set up is handy to gracefully
tilt the table.


I think you should consider easy blade changes a must. I have often
heard with jig saws and band saws that blade changes are not important
because they don't change blades often. So either they don't saw much
or they deal with a dull blade. If you want the saw to perform as an
upgrade you want to be able to easily change the blade when it is dull
or is the wrong blade for the application..


I agree, I think. I expect to do quite a bit of curvy stuff, as well as
resawing.

Check out the Laguna video concerning their ceramic guides, pretty
interesting and educational.




Blade tension release IMHO is not important. Most tension releases do
not fully release the tension, they simply lessen the tension. What's
the point? The blade tension adjustment will accomplish the same thing.
Blade brake are cool bet not necessary. My Laguna HD 16 had a break, I
seldom use it.

I would think a tension release would be very helpful.

Actually it is useful "IF" the tension release will leave the blade
slack. The 18" Rikon tension release simply lessened the tension, to
take tension off the tires and blade you still had to unscrew the
tension wheel. My Laguna does not have a tension release however the
tension wheel is much more smooth to operate than mot other band saws
that I have used. The tension wheel is large enough that it gives you
quite a bit of leverage.





I would focus more on guides that don't introduce noise and vibration,
cast iron blade wheels, ease of changing blades.

Good information. Thanks!

On 7/5/2011 11:21 PM, Leon wrote:


FWIW the LT14 3000 has pictures. The upper back picture showing the
tension release also shows teeth on the back of the upper guide shaft.
It appears to have rack and pinion.

This is pretty interesting,

http://bcove.me/l8o9shs2

On 7/4/2011 6:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

If the floor is on 2x12's, 16" on center, and the walls supporting it
are block or on 16" centers, I wouldn't worry too much about the weight.
Buy the absolute best saw you can afford. My BS is the most used tool
in my shop, and you want one that works well, and easily.

If I were buying one, I'd probably go with the one Leon has, he seems
really happy with it. On the other hand, he has expensive taste.

A band saw has lots of adjustments that must be right before it works
well, and a cheap saw has cheap adjustments that will not be easy to
make, and probably won't stay right for long if ever. For that reason,
my advice is open your wallet, bite the bullet, feel the pain... once.

Oh yeah, the bigger the better if you plan on re-sawing.

--
I cut it twice and it's still too short...
http://jbstein.com


I've been considering a Rikon 10-325 for some time but some of the reviews
aren't very complimentary (blade change and adjustment). The Jet 14DXPRO and
Grizzly G0457 also have some detractors and some pretty serious problem
reports. The Laguna LT14 3000 is within range, too, but being the low-end
it's missing a lot, it seems. I've also looked at the LT14x14SUV and LT14SE,
out of interest (and still a possibility). The SUV looks like a really sweet
saw and in fact better (and heavier) than the SE, which is a few hundred more.
Discussion?

On Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:11:06 -0400, Jack Stein wrote:

On 7/4/2011 6:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

If the floor is on 2x12's, 16" on center, and the walls supporting it
are block or on 16" centers, I wouldn't worry too much about the weight.
Buy the absolute best saw you can afford. My BS is the most used tool
in my shop, and you want one that works well, and easily.

As I said, the floor is 2x8s crossways on top of 2x12s (16" OC - well, the
house was built with Mexican labor). The center beam is a laminated beam,
something like 15" x 3 1/3". It spans the garage 20', though. I *think* it'll
take anything I can throw at it, but I don't *know*. I'm not too worried up
to 300lbs, particularly since the 2x8s will spread any weight over more than
one joist (there is no movement with me jumping around). The other issue is
the 2x12s are sitting on a 2x6(?) sideways (fastened somehow to the bottom of
the 15" center beam), then toe nailed into the center beam. I have no idea
how strong the whole thing really is.

Getting more than that up there is going to be interesting, too. The Unisaw
will be fun. I have a hoist but didn't have enough to buy the sky hook. ;-)

If I were buying one, I'd probably go with the one Leon has, he seems
really happy with it. On the other hand, he has expensive taste.

Yes, I understand completely. Like my other tools, I want to do this once so
don't mind overkilling it a bit. This is why I'm even looking at Laguna. It's
likely above what I need but I'd rather do that than be unhappy for years.
I'm a big believer in "It only hurts once".

A band saw has lots of adjustments that must be right before it works
well, and a cheap saw has cheap adjustments that will not be easy to
make, and probably won't stay right for long if ever. For that reason,
my advice is open your wallet, bite the bullet, feel the pain... once.

Yep. I've learned, reading here, that there is a bigger difference between
saws than I had imagined. Again, I wouldn't be looking at the Laguna
otherwise.

Oh yeah, the bigger the better if you plan on re-sawing.

I don't think I'm going to become a lumberjack. I'd look horrible in a brar.
;-)

I would think a tension release would be very helpful.

I agree with the tension release being very helpful. Different opinions on this matter though. I believe it helps prevent blade breakage.