RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Time to start working on the shop and that means a new Bandsaw. I have stockpiled some really nice wood over the years and I have been waiting to use it. My current bandsaw is fine for re-sawing cheap wood but it is not going anywhere near my stash. I am currently researching MiniMax, Felder, and some other high end choices. Here are the current saws in the running... Bandsaw http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084906/39576/rikon-14-professional-bandsaw-with-30-hp-baldor-motor-model-10350bal.aspx Rikon 14" Professional Bandsaw with 3.0 HP Baldor Motor Model 10-350BA #852892 New! $1,699.99 http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2083658/35880/laguna-14-bandsaw-3-hp-leeson-motor-lt14-suv.aspx Laguna 14" Bandsaw 3 HP Leeson Motor LT14 SUV #848258 $1,595.00 http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084906/39575/rikon-14-professional-bandsaw-with-25-hp-motor-model-10350.aspx Rikon 14" Professional Bandsaw with 2.5 HP Motor Model 10-350 #852891 New! $1,399.99 http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2020041/18855/rikon-14-deluxe-bandsaw-model-10325.aspx Rikon 14" Deluxe Bandsaw Model 10-325 #834771 $949.99 If you own one or have a recommendation let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Next up will be the spindle sander. I own a Rigid combo unit but it is a toy for hobby work. Not built for guitar work. I need a taller spindle and more power.... Here is what I am looking into.. Spindle Sander http://www.grizzly.com/products/Oscillating-Spindle-Sander/G9922 G9922 Oscillating Spindle Sander $295.00 http://www.grizzly.com/products/Oscillating-Spindle-12-Disc-Sander/G0529 G0529 Oscillating Spindle / 12" Disc Sander $595.00 http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2003875/9714/Jet-Benchtop-Spindle-Sander-Model-708404.aspx Jet Benchtop Spindle Sander Model 708404 Item #816763 $479.99 S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Drill Press http://www.grizzly.com/products/5-Speed-Floor-Radial-Drill-Press/G7946 G7946 5 Speed Floor Radial Drill Press $325.00 http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200510448_200510448 Rikon 34in. Floor Radial Drill Press, Model# 30-251 Only $429.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Another Bandsaw at the top of the budget... http://www.felder-tooling.us/8head-009010/8head-004410/hammer-8fe-16220-n-4400-1x2308zub-05520-608zub-01420-4-8fg-maze-1920.html HAMMER Bandsaw N 4400, 1x230V, 60HZ, 4 Big on Performance. Easy on the Budget. Standard features such as Euro guides on the top/bottom, blade tension indicator, tilting table and so much more! Further Âinformation Special Price: $1,995.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Easy on the budget?I wish I had your budget! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Well budget is relative.... I wouldn't need new tools if I didn't spend so much time building guitars. I couldn't afford new tools if I didn't spend so much time building guitars... Cheaper tools need more setup time and more care to get max performance out of them. I have to spend 20 minutes setting up my bandsaw before every cut so I don't ruin a piece of wood... but that is what I get for buying a used Chinese bandsaw. Now my old 1970 Craftsman Radial Arm saw rarely ever needs looking at and it cuts like the day it was made. It is a vintage well made American saw. I want the new tools so I can spend less time setting them up and less time sanding out mistakes and less cursing when I ruin a Flamed Maple Burl Bookmatch or can only get 2 fretboards out of a piece of Gabon ebony I should have gotten 3 out of... But I hear ya. Sell off that pile of guitars you have been building and you can have a bigger budget too. Let em go Wes... Let em go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElRay Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Grizzly had some really nice re-saw bandsaws. They took wide blades and the maximum re-saw width were 12" - 14". IIRC, one could even take blades somewhere around 3/16" (or was that 3/8"?). I remember drooling over them before the kids came. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Let em go Wes... Let em go. But it's so hard... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avengers63 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I remember seeing a video review about a high-end Grizzly bandsaw saying that they REALLY knocked it out of the park. There was high praise on most features being overbuilt and very user-friendly. Of course, without the exact model, this is of no use at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I consider the Grizzly machines my last choice... This is the first one that I would consider and by then I am close enough in price to the Rikon Pro 14" to not bother. http://www.grizzly.com/products/17-Bandsaw-2HP-w-Cast-Iron-Trunnion/G0513X2 The Grizzly machines are good Asian Bandsaws.... just I am trying to get the most features for the money and get "The Last Bandsaw you will ever buy" at the same time. To me the Grizzly is nothing more than an ok machine. I would get one if I am trying to save money. The Hammer from Felder is really where I want to go but I am probably going to end up with either the Rikon or the Laguna unless I can figure some way to come up with the extra money. They both have HUGE motors and are going to be great re-saw machines. They are the best Asian bandsaws you can get IMHO. Apparently the Hammer is built in the US. But I haven't confirmed. I want an Italian machine... ACM or an Aggazzini but the are really expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 We have a few Aggazzini machines kicking around our shop, which goes some way as to explaining why Winnova is in so much debt. Perhaps when they go under I can buy them cheaply. I'm reticent about combo machines like the spindle/disc sander. Convenient for going from one to another, however I would go for a benchtop machine sans stand so you can make your own that will hold all the tools, consumables and for more dangerous devices have a kick switch or other safety cutout. Then add a disc sander separately. Although being this side of the pond changes "brand choice" somewhat, I would be tempted to go high on the bandsaw and overspecify. Nothing more painful than having to replace an already-expensive tool with another one when you feel you have to upgrade again. Go for the manufacturers that will give you the best aftersales support and have the most accessories and upgrade paths available. I guess from your choices that would mean Laguna? I remember many of their models having things like ceramic blade guides, resaw fences and other cool stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 We have a few Aggazzini machines kicking around our shop, which goes some way as to explaining why Winnova is in so much debt. Perhaps when they go under I can buy them cheaply. Nice. I'm reticent about combo machines like the spindle/disc sander. Convenient for going from one to another, however I would go for a benchtop machine sans stand so you can make your own that will hold all the tools, consumables and for more dangerous devices have a kick switch or other safety cutout. Then add a disc sander separately. I see your point. Mind you I already have all these tools in some form or another this is upgrade time we are talking about. The problem is that I don't have $1000 to spend on a spindle sander. I like the combo unit because it is a one stop for sanding the body edges... I hate combos because they are big and nasty... Maybe I build a cabinet for the body shaping station and do each machine individually.... Although being this side of the pond changes "brand choice" somewhat, I would be tempted to go high on the bandsaw and overspecify. Nothing more painful than having to replace an already-expensive tool with another one when you feel you have to upgrade again. Go for the manufacturers that will give you the best aftersales support and have the most accessories and upgrade paths available. I guess from your choices that would mean Laguna? I remember many of their models having things like ceramic blade guides, resaw fences and other cool stuff like that. I would say in general that aftersales support on bandsaws sucks. For every good review of Customer Support I read 10 bad reviews for the same company. I am pretty self sufficient and can repair most anything so it is not as important as getting a beast of a machine up front. I have heard that Grizzly has pretty good support but when you look at the machines compared to say the Hammer N4400 there is no comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I would love this: http://www.projecta....146&Product=412 The 5.5kW version would resaw Ziricote and Ebony like butter!! Shame the living room isn't big enough for it in this house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Whatever happened to these? I don't mean to lower the quality of tools in this topic,but I paid like $100 for mine a few years ago and it's been great.Then again i think my use is probably light,but I like the large table Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Ok just got back from Woodcraft. The Regular Rikon 14" Deluxe is out... barely better than the old Central China Machines 14" beater saw. The Laguna L14SUV on the other hand is one sick puppy. However it is like owning a Porsche. Everything is expensive for it. The replacement guide blocks have to be ordered from Laguna and cost a fortune. The mobility kit is a set of cheap plastic wheels that cost $150.00. Still it is one bad mutha. The deck could be a bit higher but that is how they get the huge re-saw capacity... I think I have found the saw. And it is on sale at Rockler... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Whatever happened to these? I don't mean to lower the quality of tools in this topic,but I paid like $100 for mine a few years ago and it's been great.Then again i think my use is probably light,but I like the large table Apparently Ryobi stopped having them made and the company in China that makes them now sends them to Grizzly and Harbor Freight. They cost more now as well... My Rigid has about the same abilities as that one. The problem is I want something that will be able to thickness sand a headstock (needs to have at least a 5.5" tall spindle), be rigid enough to keep square edges, and oscillate enough smoothly to make nice surfaces. The Rigid tends to bit into things and it only has 4" spindle and it will not tilt right at the spindle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Why NOT go craftsman? O.o top notch stuff, fraction of the cost youre looking at spending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Craftsman is not top knotch stuff any more.It was 40 years ago....now it comes from china and it's the same stuff you get elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob123 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Craftsman is not top knotch stuff any more.It was 40 years ago....now it comes from china and it's the same stuff you get elsewhere. haha, I got all my stuff used, so I guess Im basing my opinions on the used market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Why NOT go craftsman? O.o top notch stuff, fraction of the cost youre looking at spending. Craftsman is not top knotch stuff any more.It was 40 years ago....now it comes from china and it's the same stuff you get elsewhere. What Wes said. I am looking at professional grade tools. The amount spent on a tool is dependent on how much a tool is used. Bandsaw is the most important tool in my shop. No skimping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Yeah,resawing "ain't no walk in the park" even with a good machine.You can save a ton of money if you can buy larger chunks of figured wood and resaw them into 6 or 7 top sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hell,only thing i can resaw on my junk bandsaw are fingerboards...and I have to slot by hand if I don't buy preslotted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 I can understand where RAD is coming from and to the guys suggesting the cheaper options, dont take offense to his blow offs. I'm in the same boat (but without the budget to upgrade!) I've got a full workshop minus the CNC but a lot if it was bought on tight budget, for example RAD mentions bandsaw. Mine is a weak point as well. I think it cost me about $700-$800 at the time and it gets the job done, but I need something in the $3000 price range for the amount of work I do since I'm now building guitars about five to six days a week every week. I need a bigger drum sander, I just cooked the curcuit board on mine. It was repaired under warranty but it shows I need a bigger one. My drill press sucks. Its big enough but not good enough for hardwood. I cannot offer advice to RAD as most of all the brands they sell in USA are rebranded as other brands here. For example your grissly is Leda over here, most of my machines are Leda. Sine if your others are rebranded carbatec and so forth. Advice I can offer which is exactly what RAD is doing and what I'll be doing soon is buy right, buy according to the workload so it does the job right without creating work and it lasts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Well on my "BandChinaSaw" it takes me 20 minutes to setup to rip a top from a billet... then it takes me 20 minutes to cut it. Then I have to set it up again (20 Min) before I cut the next top... not fun. Next I spend several hours sanding out the saw marks and truing up the top. The point is I have a pile of really nice wood. IF my saw would cut perfect everytime I can get a lot more yield than I can now. I should get 3 fretboards from a 4/4 board not 2. I should get 3 tops from an 8/4 billet not 2. Are you doing the math? Tops run $50 - $500 each depending on the wood... heck a real bandsaw could pay for itself in 3 guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demonx Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 A note on bandsaws (copied from an old woodworker) I use a carbide tipped blade that makes a cut that looks like it went through the drum sander. Hot hide glue and a couple of clamps. Doesn't get much easier than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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