# Bandsaw. 18" Rikon or 17" Grizzly GO513X2



## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

I'm in the market for a band saw and the more I research the more I become confused. Can some of the more experienced give their thoughts on the subject. I guess first is it worth the step up to the 18" range. What will I loose from the smaller 14". And what is the best saw for the money. Looks like the 18" Rikon and 17" grizzly gO513X2 are the leaders for best value. Thanks everyone.


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## BKBuilds (Jan 12, 2013)

I am also doing the same research and am interested in hearing thoughts from others.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

When I bought mine (Grizzly G0514X2) I looked at and used quite a few different band saws. 

At school I had access to three old Oliver band saws and a Laguna. I went to AWFS and looked, looked, looked. 

I couldn't find any old Oliver band saws on Craig's List and wouldn't consider the Laguna based on experience. All of the saws that I saw at AWFS were unimpressive. (Wrong words but nothing jumped out at me saying, "This is the one.") I bought the 19" Grizzly. Mine has the foot brake which, to me, is more preferable than the automatic stop motor. (Much less to go wrong.)

The quality of my saw is outstanding. It was built in an ISO 9001 factory in Taiwan. 

I'm a very happy camper with this saw!


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## fire65 (Apr 27, 2013)

I am a fan of Grizzly tools, but it will also depend on what you plan to mainly use the saw for.


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## gus1962 (Jan 9, 2013)

What are your plans? Budget?


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

I love my 18" Rikon


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## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

We I will probably use the saw for several things. Defiantly re-sawing and making rounded and arched cuts for furniture and such. Also cutting blanks for turning bowls.


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## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

I'm would like to be in the $1000 range but I'm willing to go more for the right saw.


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## jraksdhs (Oct 19, 2008)

I also have the Griz G0514. I didnt get the foot brake but should have. The thing takes forever to wind down. Fit and finish were excellent and the fence is great as well. I have no complaints what so ever.

Jason


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## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

I guess another question is would there be a disadvantages I a bigger saw. I know this goes against every man rule.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

tcarter76 said:


> I guess another question is would there be a disadvantages I a bigger saw. I know this goes against every man rule.


A bigger saw means heavier and likely bigger motor, so need circuit with bigger breaker.

If the shop is not a basement the weight should not be an issue for most people.

If you need to move the saw now and again, then consider a mobile base. I have the Grizzly G0513 on a mobile base. My shop is somewhat cramped and I need to move the saw now and again for cuts on long boards.

I see a lot of threads where people do not have 220V, or have 220V, but do not have a circuit big enough and so not want to spend the money for a new circuit, so this is perhaps the main consideration.


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

tcarter76 said:


> I'm in the market for a band saw and the more I research the more I become confused. Can some of the more experienced give their thoughts on the subject. I guess first is it worth the step up to the 18" range.
> 
> yes. 18" puts less stress on the blade for longer life and smoother operation.
> 
> ...


as a 10-340 (saw previous to 10-345) owner, they are bult like other tools (jet, for instance) say they build their tools but don't. the 2.5 hp motor of the 10-345 will like;y be an absolute beast, as th e2 hp on my saw is more power than i think i'll ever need. bottom line is they are both good tools. rikon offers a longer warranty (5 years), so that might be worth considering.


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## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

Ok here comes a curve ball. What about the 14" Laguna? The guy at wood craft was really talking it up today.


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## Crusader (Jan 14, 2013)

I have the Grizzly GO513X2, had it for about 2 months now and I couldn't be happier. Very well made, setup was a breeze, took about an hour or so to get it all setup and tuned.
I haven't done alot of resawing, but what I have done has been effortless. The saw is well put together and I'm glad I upgraded to the cast trunnions and wheels. The entire bed is solid and adjusts to an angle very easily and locks down snug. I still get a kick everytime I fire that saw up, it just hums! 
What a far cry from the no name 14" I had for the last decade or so.
I am fortunate to live within an hour of a Grizzly showroom so I was able to look upclose at the various models, which was a big help.
The money is well worth the upgrade, I couldn't justify the extra $200 for the brake though.
The only thing that is a joke is the miter gauge, it's so poorly made it seems like a toy.
I hope this helps & good luck!


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

tcarter76 said:


> Ok here comes a curve ball. What about the 14" Laguna? The guy at wood craft was really talking it up today.


The Laguna at school is a big one. (20" or 24" ? Not sure.) It is maintained by a very competent technician. No one except the technician is allowed to change blades. The Laguna is used for re-saw tasks only. To put it bluntly, I would rather go home, change blades on my Grizzly, do the re-saw than use the Laguna to re-saw at school.

Throughout the industry, Laguna is known for exceptionally poor customer service. If you don't need Laguna customer service you have a great saw. If you need Laguna customer service, you may have a rather expensive boat anchor. 

DUNNO. It is a risk that I do not want to take.

Based on my user experience and what people in the (Tool) industry have said, I would not buy a Laguna. Also, I have not heard a lot of good words about Laguna. The bad words may be mainly axe grinding, but there is a lot of sparks flying about.

Is the 14" model different from the models that I have looked at and used? Absolutely! However, they both have the "L" word in common. I have not seen any unbiased analysis of the new Laguna 14" band saw. All that I can say about the 14" model is DUNNO.


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## OldNoob (Apr 24, 2013)

Oh Rikon,,, not Ryobi LOL  the Rikon and the Grizzly look very similar, if im looking at the correct models.


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## toolguy1000 (Oct 4, 2012)

tcarter76 said:


> Ok here comes a curve ball. What about the 14" Laguna? The guy at wood craft was really talking it up today.


i don't see how the name of the manufacturer can change the fact that a wheel on a 14" BS is still smaller than the wheel on an 18" BS, resulting in greater blade stress on a 14" saw blade than on an 18" saw blade. and don't forget that WC probably makes more on the laguna, so why not try to sell that over a lower margin product?

i'd stay with either grizzly or rikon.


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## Toolfreak (Mar 7, 2013)

I just bought the g0513x2 today, I am upgrading from the Delta 14 inch that has served me well but I wanted the resaw ability and all the other goodies that goes with the Grizzly. I bought the G1023rwl table saw about 3 months ago and its a great machine and bought the mini mill and a metal lathe last year and I am very happy with them.
Toolfreak


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## Woodenhorse (May 24, 2011)

tcarter76 said:


> Ok here comes a curve ball. What about the 14" Laguna? The guy at wood craft was really talking it up today.


Not to diss WC but it's been my experience that they tend to talk up whatever is in stock or whatever they need to move.


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## Baileigh Inc (Nov 1, 2012)

sawdustfactory said:


> Don't forget to check out Baileigh, the new sponsors of the forum.


 
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## tcarter76 (Nov 27, 2012)

Baileigh Inc said:


> Don't forget the nice healthy discount we offer to the woodworking talk crowd. :thumbsup:


What discount?


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## Baileigh Inc (Nov 1, 2012)

tcarter76 said:


> What discount?


 
We have several discount levels for forum members. The most popular is a 5% forum discount and free shipping.

We also have a few discounts that are higher for promotional deals.


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