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Bigger bandsaw choices, what to do, what to do! (long)

I asked privately what one of our more esteemed "Wreckers" basically the same as written below, and await his thoughts. In this forum I have always gotten a good cross-section of opinions and it is that input I ask once more.

I looked at (as previously stated) Grizzley Laguna and Minimax (couldn't find a distributor for Agazzani). I'm dubious about Grizz, their 24" doesn't offer as much table, resaw capacity, or weight as the other twos 20"'ers. (But about 1700 less dollars inch for inch on their 24").

I have looked at the video offerings from both Laguna and Minimax.

Have you noticed that if you ask a hammer saleman what you need, the answer is always a hammer? The salespeople at all but Grizzley (haven't called them, yet) seem as interested in bashing the competition as selling a product! :>(

The Minimax

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has more weight but Euro guides and less re-saw capacity (I can't forsee me needing 20" resaw) and a slightly bigger table.

The Laguna

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has the proprietary guides, greater resaw capacity and a Baldor motor. It is claimed that the fence is better since it can be rotated from low to high profile like a Unifence while the cast iron fence of the Minimax cannot (but is relatively tall).

Both include shipping, blades and mobility kits, Minimax offers the resaw blade at cost ($100).

Finally Grizzley again: specs at

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web site for description and cost:
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that this size is what it would take to approximate the resaw capacity of the others. And the others offer on the floor delivery, but Grizzley suggests a freight depot (I have a lift-gate on my pickup, however).

The next wood show in Florida is a while away and much farther from home this time... and Grizz hasn't come to our show before so a "hands on" for their product may be impossible.

What to do, what to do...

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta
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If I were planning on spending that kind of money on that much machine a hands on trip would definitely be in order.

Reply to
Seeker

Agreed, but where to see them all is the problem... Grizzley usually doesn't come to our shows.

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

Reply to
aswr

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

Thanks Mike, I still wonder about the guides (can be added for a price$$). The ceramic has pros and cons, the biggest pro is the generally non-wearing quality. The cons are the possibility of blade wear from improperly adjusted guides and sparking. Tom

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

If size matters, that Grizzly is HUGE. after physically looking ove the grizzly 18" G0506 and the 21" for months, I ended up getting th MM16. The quality if the MM is just head and shoulders above th Grizzly

-- stifler

Reply to
stifler

Mike

I second the recommendation for MiniMax. Couple years ago I went thru the same quest, and settled on the MM24. MM just gave me the facts, and did NOT bad mouth the competition. Laguana spent all their time bad mouthing everyone else.

I am TOTALLY happy with the MM24 and would buy again - even though the price NOW is higher than it was when I bought it a while back

John

Reply to
John

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 10:01:19 -0500, the inscrutable "Thomas Bunetta" spake:

Since you can't even spell "Grizzly" or its abbreviated form "Griz", you don't deserve one, Tom. Go ahead, spend twice the price for a Laguna or Minmax. See if we care. ;)

What are you trying to resaw, Tom? I get 10" capability with my 18" saw. (I really should grab a log some time and use that capability, huh?)

Ouch! My Suffolk Timberwolf resaw blade was $18 + s/h. At your price, I hope it's a bimetal with carbide tips.

I didn't order floor delivery but my G1012 came on a liftgate and the guy wheeled it to my specified drop point with no problem. It all depends on who your freight company is and the attitude of the driver. That probably goes for all the mfgrs, not just Griz.

You could always visit their east coast showroom in Muncy, PA.

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(BTW, there's no "e" in "Muncy", either.)

--- After they make styrofoam, what do they ship it in? --Steven Wright

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Comprehensive Website Development

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I bought a MM16 about three months ago and love it. I also looked at Grizzly and Laguna (I even visited the Laguna headquarters on a trip to LA).

If you look at the saws in person you will quickly see that the Laguna and Minimax are in a different class than the Grizzly. Much sturdier and seemingly better construction (and even a few labels in Italian). So, I quickly ruled out the Grizzly. My motto is "buy once, cry once"

-- as in crying over the price. I wanted a saw that I would be happy with for 20 years and I have no doubts that the MM will do that. I have nothing against Grizzly. I have a Grizzly tablesaw and it is fantastic -- I would buy it again over a Unisaw any day.

So, that brings it down to Laguna and MM. Both saws are high quality. I think that laguna's block guides or whatever they call them are something of a marketing ploy. These are a *slight* variation on the blocks used on old saws. I'm not impressed by patent pending -- I used to be a patent attorney and let me say that the standards in the US are VERY low when it comes to what is deserving of a patent. And patent pending doesn't mean that they will get a patent -- it means they have applied.

Getting back to the saws. I felt that the MM was more massive than the Laguna. Everything on it is heavier gauge than the Laguna. I have to admit that the Laguna looks slicker .... grey and black with that nice looking Laguna logo on it. But, if you start looking at the details, like the frame and the mechanism that lowers toward the table and holds the guides I think you'll find that the MM is heftier than the Laguna.

I also found the MM sales people to be far more helpful. Many of the folks at Laguna that I talked to were outright arogant. I visited there headquarters in LA and it started with the receptionist at the front desk. I would hate to have to deal with them on a customer support issue.

Reply to
Big Rob

Mea Culpa... my spiel chucker didn't like "grizzly"

Logs are one thing, but veneers and panels are the primary resaw use.

It does, or stellite... I don't remember which at the moment.

OK, OK I get it .

Both Laguna and Minimax tell me they will "put it on the floor, Griz simply states it's my responsibility to get it off the truck, and suggests a forklift.

Ha! I seldom get out of Englewood! Thanks for your input (and the chiding ;>). Tom

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

Mea Culpa... my spiel chucker didn't like "grizzly"

Logs are one thing, but veneers and panels are the primary resaw use.

It does, or stellite... I don't remember which at the moment.

OK, OK I get it .

Both Laguna and Minimax tell me they will "put it on the floor, Griz simply states it's my responsibility to get it off the truck, and suggests a forklift.

Ha! I seldom get out of Englewood! Thanks for your input (and the chiding ;>). Tom

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

Mea Culpa... my spiel chucker didn't like "grizzly"

Logs are one thing, but veneers and panels are the primary resaw use.

It does, or stellite... I don't remember which at the moment.

OK, OK I get it .

Both Laguna and Minimax tell me they will "put it on the floor, Griz simply states it's my responsibility to get it off the truck, and suggests a forklift.

Ha! I seldom get out of Englewood! Thanks for your input (and the chiding ;>). Tom

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

Mea Culpa... my spiel chucker didn't like "grizzly"

Logs are one thing, but veneers and panels are the primary resaw use.

It does, or stellite... I don't remember which at the moment.

OK, OK I get it .

Both Laguna and Minimax tell me they will "put it on the floor, Griz simply states it's my responsibility to get it off the truck, and suggests a forklift.

Ha! I seldom get out of Englewood! Thanks for your input (and the chiding ;>). Tom

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

When I was shopping last year, that was exactly my impression. Not that pre-sales support is necessarily an indication of anything other than just that. But it is interesting to me that my observation was not unique.

-Steve

Reply to
Stephen M

(snip of excellent hammer salesman example)

(snip of good stuff)

Tom: Bandsaw guru Mark Duginske told me face-to-face that my Italian-made Laguna

16LT was a very good saw but that their larger saws are now made in Bulgaria, leading him to question the level of their goodness.He has been quoted in Agazzani's ads, and after meeting him I doubt that he did it just for the money. OTOH, he has a Minimax in his shop (20'?); I know because he demo'ed it for us guys in the class. He also appeared at the last Milwaukee wood show handling the Minimax display. Personally, I don't think you could go wrong with either of the last two saws mentioned, but Minimax would probably have better availability than Agazzani. This is a bit speculative, of course.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Schmall

sorry guys, Outlook Express hiccoughed.

Reply to
Thomas Bunetta

don't overlook bridgewood. their larger bandsaws are italian made and in the same class as the MM and laguna.

Reply to
bridger

Also heard that David Marks has ordered (if not already recieved) a MiniMax 36 for HIS shop

I spoke to Duginske at a woodworking show before I bought my MM24, and I asked him point blank, if HE were buying a 24in saw, what would be buy, and he said that of the current offerings he would go with the MiniMax or the Agazzani comparable model

John

Reply to
John

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