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I've never heard of this company/brand before. I was just wondering if Griggio brand band saws are any good? And are they hard to find parts for (or are parts very expensive to get)?

Thanks!

Yo poppa . I believe that name is one of many coming from the same factory in Italy , scmi mini-max, meber ,laguna,centauro, aggazani, etc etc sold under different names to woodworking machinery co all over the world. All parts are Metric , so depending where you live it might get hard to find the right rteplacement parts, unless you find out who the distributor is???

Thanks! I live in Canada, so metric shouldn't be a problem.

Here's the reason I was asking.

I have the option (locally) of buying either a new Steel City brand band saw (18", 2HP) or a used Griggio (24", 3HP) for the same price. I would like to get a saw that I could use to resaw lumber in to back/side sets. The Steel City comes with a warranty, but the Griggio has three horsepower as opposed to two, which sounds like it would be better for resawing (although I don't know how significant of a difference the one extra horsepower would make). I've read good reviews about the Steel City. Same thing with Laguna (Griggio's sister company), but I've also heard that their customer service is terrible. The Griggio seems like a better deal for the money, but depending on how often I might expect to need new parts and to use their customer service, it might sway me in the opposite direction.

If anyone on here who knows more about these saws can advise me as to which one they would choose, that would be great!

What kind of volume are you talking about? People are able to saw sets on crappy 14" saws with risers, it just takes a while.

The 18" 2HP is most definitely capable of resawing sets for back and sides. If you're doing this for a living, you might go for the 3hp but if you're talking anything under 20 sets/year, the 18" will do just fine.

To summarize, either one will meet your need. The big one will take up more space when you're not using it.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
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Thanks! Volume-wise, what I was hoping I would be able to do is saw back/side sets to sell. Not necessarily to do it for a living, but cut enough to supplement my guitar building. Kind of like a part-time job. Haha. Money is really tight for me, so I figure if I'm going to get a band saw anyway, it's probably a good idea to get one that can handle resawing and allow me to make some money on the side.

The Griggio sounds like the better option, but I just think the warranty on the new machine would be nice to have. Basically, what it boils down to is, is it worth sacrificing the warranty to get a more powerful saw? Decisions, decisions...

I guess if someone who owns a Griggio/Laguna/MiniMax could let me know how reliable and well built they are, that would help a lot.

Well, I can't help you there as I own a Rikon 14" delux but, with how well that re-saws, I have to imagine that anything in the 18" range with a 2HP+ motor is going to do great. Warranties are always nice though.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

I use the Tim "Toolman" Taylor philosophy with Bandsaws:
Bigger, Heavier, More Power (and Italian). ARGGGGHHHH!

Seriously...change the blade on each saw from a 1" to a narrow blade and back to a 1" and see which one is more of a pain in the rear to adjust. If the newer Rikon is the same as mine you will see a difference. I recently sold my 5yr old 18" Rikon and bought a used Minimax 20".

Bandsaws are pretty simple machines. The main power switch, microswitches (in the doors/foot break) and start capacitors are the weak links and cheap to repair/replace.

Griggio is an Italian brand. Mini Max sources some of their machines, including bandsaws from them. My MM S45 is a Griggio. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't. The original motor fried some years ago, and the blade guides are crap (replaced mine with Carters).
Either look at the MiniMax MM 16, or better yet the Hammer (Felder) made in Austria saws.
-C

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and home of BeauGuard©

Yo poppa my s-45 minimax is 14 yrs old . Yes I used it a lot , now it is just used for general bandsaw work. I would try each bandsaw to see if it will do what you want .I/m guessing that the griggio will stand up for a lot longer . The rikon does not have a long track record here usa . Yes , the 3hp over 2 will make a difference . If you can get the griggio for a lower price than the rikon , it might be a good deal. Try before you buy from an ex cdn.

Steel City makes a great table saw . I hear good things about the Bandsaws . Most of this is made overseas . If you can look at the saws before buying that would be my best advice. 2 things that you need to look at closely are the guides. I prefer a ceramic guide set for resawing . This is soooo much better than roller bearing . The second part you need to look at is the construction of the upper yoke. Is it white metal ? stay away from them . You want to see quality material there.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
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