looking to buy a new bandsaw

[copperhead]

id like to say hello to everyone here, im new here. i need a bigger bandsaw than a 9" that i have for building guitars i was going to buy a king 1401hd 14" bandsaw its only $399 & i have a small hobby shop my queston is have anyone used the riser block kit with there bandsaw without it the saw will only cut a height of 6" i will be cutting bookmatched maple tops around 8" thick ,also will a 14" bandsaw have enough power to rip 8" thick
https://www.thetoolstore.ca/viewItem.asp?idProduct=4030

[charlton]

Hi Copperhead,

We share a common interest...luthiery (though I've yet to actually get started). My understanding is that a 14" bandsaw will be fine for ripping 8" stock on occasion. You just need a good blade.

I've never considered the King (I'm still looking for a bandsaw as well) and if I did, I'd probably get the KC-1433FXR instead. It's from King's "industrial" line which is purported to be much better than their King Canada line. Either way, you'll need the riser block unless you opt for a steel frame bandsaw (like the Craftsman 14" [rikon] or the General 50-150) which typically have 8" resaw but can't be extended any further. I'm not sure what bodies you're building but my own feeling is that 8" won't be quite enough to accommodate the lower bout (which is just proud of 16" or so). I personally would love the new General extendable saw or the up and coming Steel City 14" with 12" resaw but both cost a pretty penny which is a bit of a turn-off.

We really don't have much choice here in Canada---Delta, King, General, Craftex. Maybe stuff from House of Tools if you want to pay shipping on stuff that's likely the same as the four brands I mention. You could probably get Laguna, Jet, Powermatic if you really tried but you'd probably incur more than you're willing to pay (given that you're looking at the KC-1401).

Cheers,
Charlton

[Egon]

I have a king Band saw with the riser block. It is a three speed 14 inch model. I am happy with it.

[Trevor in Ottawa]

I would guess that it can cut thru 8" maple, it just may take longer than a more powerful bandsaw because you'll need a slower feed rate. If you'll rarely be doing this, then it's probably fine for your needs.

Trevor.

[Coregonus]

I can't comment on the KC-1401HD, but I can put another vote in for the KC-1433FXR that was mentioned above. I have a KC-1433FXR with the riser block and have successfully resawn 9" curly hard maple planks without trouble. I wouldn't say that it cut through them like butter, but I don't remember it being particularly taxing either. More importantly, it followed the line well and the cut surfaces were nice and flat (not bowed).

Like the previous posts have said, a good blade is the key. The only problem I had with my KC-1433FXR was the captive nut in the blade tensioning mechanism stripped at one point. I have since replaced the nut and threaded rod with higher grade components and added a Carter tension release mechanism so that the saw isn't always under load. From what I understand, stripping the captive nut and/or threaded part of the stock blade tensioner is a common problem for many of these 14" bandsaws.

Good luck,

Adam

[Grillzy]

Why not do a quick search here and you will find loads on small bandsaws.
Grillzy

[Egon]

resawn 9" curly hard maple planks without trouble

This may be off topic but for interest I have found green poplar the hardest wood to resaw. Its also dulls blades very quickly!

[Brian_ToyGuy]

I have no knowledge of the band saw you mention, but I have no love for King products..... Just my opinion based on past experiences, however, I am told that King has made some big advances in the past few years.....

With that said, I can tell you I have a 15" General 490 that is the love of my life. This is my go to saw most of the time. This is a great saw for what I use it, but is still limited to about 6" or 7" thickness.

Remember when looking at buying almost anything, you get what you pay for.. There are many good quality use machines on the net..... Check out Kijjii or Craig's list, you might be surprised what you can find at a descent price.

[Bob R., Ottawa]

I've been looking around for a bandsaw also. I had pretty much settled on the 17" King Industrial KC-1702FXR. I was looking for castiron wheels and a 2+ HP motor, plenty for my hobbiest needs. I wanted something a little more than what I needed because I didn't want to spend $600 on something I wish I spend a little more on later. I learned that the hard way when I had to replace everything mastercraft.
I had a budget and the King fit that.
Now that I've moved homes and dragged everything from a single car garage to a warm basement I've learned that heavy machines suck ! I'd rather not drag a 400lb machine down the stairs again so maybe strong 14" will do. So I was leaning towards the Laguna 14" or the GRizzly 14" 2hp.
The Laguna is like $1450 US, rediculous for my budget when a 17" King is $1199. The weight difference is 75lb difference. So now I don't know.

I guess since I'm running out of room in my new shop a 14" will do.
What horsepower is that 14" King Industrial saw? I'd rather not have to get a riser block and have the thing flexing and making less accurate cuts.

What 14" saws are 2hp+ and doesn't require a riser?

[IanW]

I suggest calling a Laguna dealer and getting a price rather than trusting what it says on the website. I have found that most of the time, the dealers are selling for cheaper when dealing with Laguna, Felder, Minimax, and the other Italian/European products.

Ian.

[charlton]

All the advice given here has been fine and good but I highly doubt a Laguna is within reach for the average person looking at a 14" bandsaw. Not to paint with too broad a brush but the original poster was looking at a King KC-1401HD so it seems unlikely that he would go for a saw that has an MSRP of $1500US. The Laguna LT14SE is an awesome saw by all review accounts but it's a LOT of money for a 14" bandsaw. Certainly, if the OP was doing a lot of resawing for his guitar backs/tops, he should probably look to a beefier saw than any 14" saw but for the odd resaw job, I'm sure a 14" is quite adequate. I didn't think there there any Laguna dealers in Canada...I thought the deal was to order from them directly and they would have it shipped every so often to one of their warehouses (Mississauga). At least I think this was the way it was done a few years ago.

[matt.mackinnon]

I didn't think there there any Laguna dealers in Canada...I thought the deal was to order from them directly and they would have it shipped every so often to one of their warehouses (Mississauga). At least I think this was the way it was done a few years ago.

That is correct. I had tried to contact Laguna early in the year, and left a message requesting who was the Canadian distributor. It took them just over 6 months to get back to me. They do have sales every so often, but I still found the price to be a bit over the top in comparison to what else is out there.

Like, you can get a Steel City 18" bandsaw for not much more money than you are paying for a Laguna.

I ended up getting a good deal on a used 17" King, and I will say that this saw is one if not the best investment that I have made. It it so much of a pleasure to work with in my shop. I have re-sawn quite the number of board feet of maple and other woods using an R&D blade without any issues. It cuts straight, and has no hitches.

I would not hesitate to buy a king 17" bandsaw. I can't speak for the 14" version.

Matt.

[charlton]

I saw the KC-1702FXR and it looks like an impressive saw. It's still $1199 (at least that's the cheapest posted price I can find), though. The problem I have with a "big" bandsaw like the KC-1702FXR (which was a front runner for a long while) isn't so much the weight (I have a lot of really built friends) but the size of the rigid frame and trying to get it into the basement. I've had a heck of a time trying to get 4x8 drywall into the basement because of the 180 degree turn and I'm sure a 325lb machine is going to make that just a bit harder.

[TimK]

One thing you have to keep in mind when looking between a 14 and 17 inch saw, and that is the table height. I moved from a Delta 14 to a Laguna 16 and was quite surprised how much lower the tables are on the bigger steel frame saws. May not seem like much to a casual observer, but I could see how it might bother someone (doesn't bother me).

Tim