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I've been looking into getting into a bandsaw that I can resaw with. For a while, Laguna was leading the field with the 3hp SUV. For a while, a clear leader as far as price/features.

However, while I've been saving up to get it, they've gone and raised the price by 500$ or so.

While they were busy doing that, Rikon introduced the 10-351 Professional, also with a 3hp motor.

The Laguna is now 1999 (CDN) and the Rikon 1650. So I'm wondering if the Laguna is still 450$ better than the Rikon. I don't know much about machines, but the Rikon looks like a good piece of kit as well, at a much lower price. (The cost difference would cover a Resaw King and a pile of day to days).

I was wondering what some of you folks with more general machine experience might have to say?

I've got two of the Rikon 14' deluxe units. I've upgraded the guides with Carter's. One is set up as a dedicated resaw, the other as a utility machine. They ran about $800 each plus another $200 for the Carter's. I really like them!

That said... I've heard terrible reports on the bigger Rikon machines. I know folks on the forum seem to like the Grizzly. I wish we could get the European version of the Laguna. I'm pretty sure we can only get the Taiwan version...

You can buy the European Laguna bandsaws. They are more expensive, but worth the money. I have had the LT 16HD for several years, and it is a great saw. http://www.lagunatools.com/bandsaws/bandsaw-lt16hd

Bob

From my research prior to buying my Laguna SUV I learned a lot about what to look for in a saw.

If you are going to do re-sawing one of the most important things is the Trunnions that the table mounts to. I chose the Laguna because they are much wider and more sturdy than the Rikon. If you have a Woodcraft store near you or some place that has both saws do a little test. Lock both tables down and then grab the edge and try to move the table. I found the Laguna had no movement at all where the equivalent Ricon had about 1/8" movement up and down. You have to use a fair amount of force but there is some movement. When you are re-sawing wood you can end up exerting a lot of force on the table and that is when the difference will show up. For just basic sawing and everyday work I don't think it really makes a big difference but under a heavy load it can throw your cuts off by just a hair.

That is what made my mind up which one to buy but then when I bought mine the 2 saws were almost identical in price.

The other thing that was important to me is where the slot is in the table for changing blades and how easy it is to remove.

Bob

I don't know a thing about Rikon but I'm happy with my 16" Laguna. FWIW I had to send my resaw king back to be sharpened right out of the box. And I had to pay for that. It's now a great blade but I use a Lennox for day to day stuff. I only use the RK for maximum yield. Very thin kerf.

Thanks!

Take a drive down to Bellingham and check out the Grizzly showroom. You may be pleasantly surprised.
I found that the build quality was as good or better than the other saws in that price range. Open them up and take a look a the welds, gauge of metal used, the overall size weight and finish of the castings etc. For me ,I got a better bang for my buck buying the grizzly.
I had looked at pretty much every saw available at the AWFS show in vegas and out of the Korean/Chinese lot I liked the grizzly the best.
The euro saws definitely had better fit and finish, but at double or more the cost.
I got the GO 636x, because I wanted the extra capacity. It has been excellent when used with a lennox trimaster carbide.
Feel free to push some wood through if you happen to be in the Okanagan.

B

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Thanks Brian...

The only Grizzlies I see with 3hp are 19" and up, too big for my poor wee basement...

That's what I like about the laguna and the rikon, they're 14" saws...

I have a JET 18 inch saw which I have always liked except for the really crappy blade guides. The lower ones in particular are very hard to adjust. The guides are all ball bearing, but they suck. At any rate, I retrofit this saw with a set of Laguna ceramic guides, and these are hands-down the best bandsaw guides I've ever used. Night and day difference on the JET.

Although I don't own either, I think that the difference in blade guides alone would steer me towards the Laguna. The Rikons look fine at our local Woodcraft, but the 14" Laguna (even the Asian version that is at Woodcraft) does seem a bit heavier built, and they have those great ceramic guides....

Dave

The guides on my Rikon 10-325 14" are just as crappy. The original bearings are unsealed and wore out almost immediately. I replaced them with sealed bearings. The guides still suck even with the new bearings. Almost impossible to line up properly, and on smaller blades the bottom back bearing won't even come forward enough to meet up with the back of the blade. The machine is adequate other than the terrible guides and bearings - oh, and the fact that it's built like an aluminum can but so is every Asian made piece of machinery these days.

I'm hoping the 3hp will be a bit more robust...

After living with a Grizzly 14" with riser for 12 years my Rikon 10-325 is a significant improvement in all areas except the guides. They suck. I'll have to take a look at the Carter's.

That said, I certainly wouldn't put the Rikon into the same category as a heavier industrial-rated bandsaw (something I would look for if I was going to do a lot of resawing).

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Yeah, I'm really not sure. I think I'm going to wait til I can see them side by side with the Laguna.

The ceramic guides seem like a nice feature, but how big of a deal is that really? Worth the 450$?

The Rikon 10-351 looks pretty decent. Larger table than the Laguna. Hinged blade guard which is nice, all though blade changes will be infrequent. Switch on the front so it can hug the wall. Works off my existing 15 amp breaker, whereas I'd have to put in a 30 amp for the Laguna....

Some numbers don't jive here:

Actually the difference in your quoted prices is $350.


Who makes a single phase 3hp motor that will run on a circuit rated for 15 amps?

I'm not familiar with either saw, but I wouldn't consider any larger saw unless it had heavy, cast iron wheels -- IMHO much more important than HP, but cheaper saws often go with aluminum.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tim is correct. You will not find a 3 hp bandsaw, nor any other piece of 3hp machinery that would operate on a standard 15 amp circuit. 30 amps

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

Math has never been my strong point, lol. Yep, 350 it is. No wonder bartenders and waitresses like me so much! Still, 350 buys a resaw king and a handful of day to day blades...

Both 3 hp motors require 220v. The Laguna needs a 30 amp breaker, the Rikon a 15. I currently have a 220v 15 amp circuit for my edge sander. Does the difference in amp requirements indicate a real life difference in power? I don't really know what that means...

Both saws have heavy cast iron wheels...

The Laguna might need the higher amperage at start up.

Alex

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In regards to my statements about the Rikon 10-325 bandsaw, it looks like the blade guides on the 10-351 are different. I imagine they are much better than the guides on the 10-325. The 10-351 might be a pretty good band saw.

I think it might be. A local dealer will have both side by side in a few weeks. Time to kick some tires and ask some questions...

Breakers aren't made to run at a peak ,IMHO you wouldn't want to run a 12.9 pull off a 15 breaker.

Bump it to 20?

Not if the wiring is only good for 15. If it has 14AWG wiring in place, don't go over 15 amps. If you have 12 AWG, you're OK for 20.

Dave

Ok, time to let the electrician handle it...