I’m not the most patient soul, but after a long search for a band saw upgrade I finally found the one that I wanted; the Laguna 1412 Band Saw. The problem was that it was still in the prototype phase when I learned about it and would not ship for another year. Could I wait this long? Well, I already had a pretty nice band saw, and I didn’t need an upgrade (my wife will corroborate this), so although it was not my happiest year, you will be pleased to know that I got through it and I now have 1412 on my shop floor.
So, why the upgrade?
My previous band saw, a 14” 1 HP American-style band saw, was performing well and doing nearly everything I asked. Between my father and me, this saw has gotten plenty of use, and we were reasonably happy with it, but it was not great at resawing. Yes, I could resaw my old saw, but the setup process required delicate tuning, and the results were hit-and-miss for me. I would describe it as finicky, and because of this, I found that I avoided resawing for the most part. I will accept that some of this was due to operator error, as I have seen George Vondriska make resawing look easy on a saw less powerful than mine, but I was looking for a “resaw easy button.” To be clear, I don’t feel a need for blinding throughput speed when I am resawing because I don’t do it that often, and when I do, I am typically milling only a few board feet for a project. But when I need to resaw, I would like to do it with minimal fuss and experience sweet success every time. No waves, no tapers, no barrel cuts, just flat, consistent hardwood slices.
Why Laguna?
After following this evolving market for years, I gravitated to Laguna band saws for several reasons. The Laguna guides are simple and effective; they seem like the right design. Their fences are solid, versatile, and straightforward. Also, these guys have an evident passion for band saws and have led much of the innovation in this tool category over the past decade or so. And I will also admit that the stylish design of their band saws was a small secondary factor. I had never seen my wife so excited about a woodworking tool as when I invited her into the shop for a peek at 1412, and she exclaimed, “Oh my gosh! It looks like a BMW!”.
Why the 1412? This design has all the capabilities I have been looking for. I believe that it was designed with the “occasional resaw” in mind, with a thick European frame and ample capacity for resawing (the specifications say up to 12” but read on, and I will show you that I successfully pushed that a bit). The same guide system is found on Laguna’s higher-end band saws. Another appealing attribute for me was the ability to run the saw on 110V power. I have 220V power available in my shop, but once I wire an outlet for a 220V tool, I feel it is locked into that location. The 110V option allows me to move it around the shop easily. The saw can also be wired for 220V, but I don’t see any reason to do this. With a 14 amp motor, there is plenty of electrical headroom to run this saw on my 20 amp circuits.
My favorite aspects of the tool
Resaw simplicity. As high as my expectations were for this saw, it has exceeded what I had hoped for on the resaw front. After setting the saw up for the first time, I installed a ¾” Resaw King blade and made a test cut on a 6” plank of hard maple without tuning on the saw other than checking the blade tracking and squaring the table to the blade. The cut quality was astounding. I measured .003” of variance across the freshly sawn plank. I was also impressed with the performance, as the motor indicated no sign of strain through a fairly aggressive feed rate. Additional testing with a standard high-speed steel ½” 3 TPI blade produced similar results.
Remarkable Power. With a 1-3/4 HP motor on 1412, I expected to find some improvement over the ¾ – 1HP 14” band saws on which I have had most of my experience. Still, the actual difference was more noticeable than I anticipated. The saw has 13” between the table and the upper blade guide (although Laguna conservatively rates it at 12” resaw capacity), but could it resaw a 13” plank? I had a 13” wide plank of 4/4 cherry in my lumber rack, so I tried it. Honestly, I didn’t think it could perform this task in a way where I would ever want to do it again, as I have attempted this on other saws with an unpleasant outcome. I figured that would be the compromise and why many people with similar requirements to mine buy more powerful 220V band saws. I was on Cloud Nine when the saw completed this task without a sweat. Seriously, a 13” resaw with no tweaking, no wrecking stock on the first three attempts? And no indication of strain during the cut? I originally planned to publish a recommended “real world” maximum resaw cut height to set expectations properly. I expected that this value would likely land in the 9-10” range, which would call Laguna onto the carpet for a bit of marketing exaggeration. Still, I find that Laguna has sandbagged a bit on this front, and the saw can comfortably exceed their specification.
Resaw results. Even with a plank as large as 13”, the variance was .004” – .005” across the entire plank. Which exceeded my expectations. A couple passes through the planer, and I had two perfect 13” wide book-matched panels.
Excels at curved cuts, too. In addition to solid resaw performance, 1412 works well at cutting curves, as the Laguna Guides steer the blade and minimize deflection while the workpiece steers through the cut. The project in the picture is a cutting board that I like to make by stacking two boards and cutting the pattern on a band saw. When building this design on other band saws, I used to perform an additional step where I would have to sweeten up the joints using a router with a template and guide to eliminate the gaps left where the blade would flex as it changed direction in the cut, using 1412 I can go directly from the saw to the glue-up table because the guides hold the blade so solidly that there is virtually no blade deflection when the workpiece changes direction during the cut. This was an unexpected bonus with 1412.
Quick blade change. The blade change process is quick and painless on 1412 due to the quick-release lever, the nicely designed magnetic release blade guard, and the easily accessible blade path.Quality components throughout.When I first heard about the Laguna 1412 Band Saw, and the low price point, I was concerned that I would find some compromises in quality upon close inspection, but this has not been the case. Here’s a look at a few standout attributes of 1412:
Table. The 21-1/2” x 16” table is massive, dead flat, and ground to a mirror finish. A large surface like this on a band saw is a nice luxury as it provides enhanced stability when cutting larger pieces.
Fence. I love this fence. Kudos to Laguna for incorporating fence features from their higher-end band saws into 1412. The design is simple and ingenious, allowing the fence to be positioned upright for resawing, or switched in seconds to a low-profile orientation for ripping operations. One downside; I prefer if the fence could be easily slipped on and off the saw, but it only takes about 10 seconds to perform the necessary partial disassembly, so I can live with that.
“Man-size” trunions. This underappreciated design element on a band saw is often overlooked but is a critical component. These are beefy and refined, which helps absorb vibration and minimize flexing during the cut. The table tilt mechanism is controlled with convenient lever action releases that engage solidly to whatever angle is selected.
Frame.
The sturdy frame is heavy gauge welded steel for serious rigidity compared to cast iron, which flexes under stress. This is key for reliable, hassle-free resawing, as the frame absorbs much of the stress from blade tensioning.
Cast iron wheels. Big band saws perform better with cast iron wheels to provide stability and power through heavy resaw cuts. These wheels are well-made and nicely balanced. Laguna did not take any shortcuts in the wheel department.
Laguna guides.
These upper and lower guides use a ceramic surface to control the blade at 10 points. The brilliance of this design is in its simplicity. There are no moving parts or maintenance required, just solid support to keep the blade cool while preventing it from wandering under pressure.
Dust collection. With a 4” port positioned behind the blade just below the table, dust collection on 1412 is decent. I am admittedly a bit obsessed with dust collection. If I designed this saw, it would have a second 4” port directly to the side of the blade, also below the table. Resawing produces a huge volume of fine dust; corraling it for health and nuisance reasons is important. But the dust collection results I experienced during my tests were quite good. I suspect that most hobbyists don’t have good dust collection to draw from two 4” ports simultaneously, so Laguna probably felt that adding the additional port was not worth the expense. During one resaw test cut, I forgot to turn on my dust collector before starting the cut, and I immediately figured it out after cutting into the plank as a cloud of dust appeared directly in front of my face. That gave me a good indication that the dust collection, as designed, is accomplishing its intended task pretty well.
Quick-release blade tension lever. This is a great convenience for de-tensioning the blade at the end of a shop session and speeds up the blade-changing process. The mechanism engages solidly in either position, and there is enough travel in the action that blades can be slid easily on and off the wheels when the blade is de-tensioned. I also appreciate that de-tensioning the blade leaves it in the 6 o’clock position, providing a nice visual queue to the user standing in front of the saw so that it is not accidentally turned on without first tensioning it.
Blade guard mechanism.
The rack and pinion system used to raise and lower the blade guard is extremely smooth, and I am equally impressed with how rigid this mechanism remains even when fully extended. This is one of the key attributes for maintaining good cut quality.
Halogen work light (option). If you get the saw, I’d suggest you also choose the optional light. It is a thoughtful feature, and if you are over 40 (or ever hope to be), you will appreciate having the task lighting readily available. Whenever I do band saw work that requires accuracy, I set up a portable task light, so it will be a nice convenience to have one attached. I also like the onboard outlet for the light, so an extension cord isn’t required, and it can be turned on when the saw is not running. Plus, like everything else on this saw, it looks cool.
Any downsides?
I’m hard pressed to name a signifhard-pressedonal downside for a saw at this price point. Although not uncommon, the motor is made in Taiwan (I’m sure that’s the only way that Laguna could deliver a saw of this quality at such a low price point), so that will be a question mark for me, and only time will tell whether that becomes a problem. As I continue to use the saw, I will provide updates if I experience any problems with the motor or anything else related to the saw.
Customer support experience
I encountered some minor hiccups during the setup of 1412 that I could have worked through on my own, but when writing a story on a stationary tool, I like to get some exposure to the customer service for the company. I called in and was immediately transferred to a technician who spent a half hour on the phone with me, answering my questions and explaining some additional tips for band saw work. He was extremely knowledgeable and seemed to know 1412 pretty well, even though it had been on the market for less than a week, and I was the first customer to call in with a question. If this saw performs over the years as well as I expect, I won’t be spending much time on the phone with Laguna’s support, but it’s good to know that they have both the ability and the commitment to take care of any problems that may arise.
Conclusions
This saw is a great value and was a tremendous upgrade from my previous band saw. For professionals with volume production resaw requirements, you’ll probably want to step up to a saw with bigger wheels, larger blade capacity, and more power. But for my needs and those of most hobbyists and small shop professionals, the capacity, performance, and value of the Laguna 1412 are superb. Laguna has knocked it out of the park with this band saw regarding its design, construction, performance, and value.
Sources
Laguna Tools
https://www.lagunatools.com/800.234.1976
14/12 Bandsaw $1599
14/12 Pro Light $125
14/12 Pro Wheel System $175
¾” Resaw King $149
That is a sweet looking saw, good luck.
Well mine must of been “built on a Friday” & dropped off a truck. I’ve had nothing but issues with this. Setting this up I couldn’t get the blade to track at all. Laguna had me adjust the bottom wheel by loosening all the bolts … Then the teeth on the blade guide bar got stripped – the rack and pinon was completely loose when turning it. I had to send a video to Laguna to ilustrate the situation. They sen a new guide bar but that didn’t address the root cause in the gear box itself. I finally determined that a clip on the shaft hadn’t been installed. Problem still remains. Now to issues with the upper guide blocks. They aren’t / won’t become square to the blade I’ve shimmed them but… and the upper ones won’t stay tight now matter how hard I tighten in knob. So all in all I’ve never been real happy with this expensive machine and (sort of) regret purchasing this. Maybe a lemon – maybe operator error I don’t know. Yeah — I’ve rtfm and watched numerous videos.
Hi Paul,
Just purchased the 14 12, in part because of your review. Can you describe how you set-up the guides? I’m getting mixed messages from Laguna. The manual says some of the guides should touch the blade, a series of YouTube videos (I believe produced by Laguna) says all the guides should touch the blade, and when I spoke to customer service, I was told that none of the guides should touch the blade.
Thx, Jeff
Hi Jeff. I’ve seen some conflicting information on this as well. I have always set the guides so that they are in contact on all 10 points. Just be sure that the blade still rotates easily and that you haven’t put pressure on the blade. The ceramic should just kiss the blade and it will do a great job supporting it. I also think it would be fine to use traditional “paper thickness” spacing all around the blade, but the contact method of setup is so much quicker and easier, works great and hasn’t caused me any problems so I’m sticking with it.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
Thanks for your reply Paul – much appreciated. Just a bit confused, what are the 10 points?
Hi Jeff. Each guide has two pieces of ceramic on each side of the blade and one in the rear for a total of 5 per guide x 2 guides = 10 contact points.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
No need to reply to my prior post. I figured-out what the 10 points are.
My experience was EXACTLY the same as the above review. Great tool!
I’ve had issues with mine.
1. Guide bar pinon box wasn’t manufactured correctly. It fell apart, mangled top and bottom 3″ of guide bar teeth. After prolonged discussions and email with Laguna customer service they agreed to replace both. 2. Tracking wheel/mechanism isn’t easily adjusted. Yes, the locking knob is completly loose. Mechanism seems to fall apart when the wheel is loosened, and only is correctly by tightening it very tightly. 3. The guide blocks aren’t square to the blade and work loose very easily. I’ve shimmed the upper ones. The lower ones are pretty much inaccessible. I’ve given up trying to square the lower ones. Tightening the lower ones take a pair of long reach water pump pliers for me to get at them.
I’m disappointed that I’ve had issues with this saw. Maybe I got a lemon. I don’t know if all of them have problems.
I agree! I’ve had this saw for 2 years. At first I was happy with it but after I have had it for a while my opinion has changed. Some of these might seem picky but at this price point my expectations are higher and these should not be an issue.
1.The guide blocks don’t hold their settings and when the blade is pushed into them they will throw sparks. Which is slightly scary when you are working with wood. Furthermore, one of the lower blocks keeps sliding out and falling off. I often find it laying inside the cabinet and have to re-install it. I am waiting for the day it gets sucked up by the dust collector.
2. The greatest depth of re-saw that I have done is 8 inches. I’m unsure how one would do anything greater than this because of the power. And truthfully HSS blades need to be longer to handle greater depths because the blade gets really hot.
3. I had to spend more money to get the mobile base and its terrible. Bolts will randomly fall off, because the feet on the base scrape the floor when the lift wheel is engaged in the up position. So I have to lift up on the saw to prevent the scraping but then the feet fall out.
4. There is a magnetic strip that holds a protective door over the blade. That strip was the first to fall off.
5. The configuration of the saw makes it really difficult to change the blade. The vertical saw support has a slit in it to accept the blade, but its really hard getting the blade into and out of this slit. Every time I put a blade in the teeth rub on it and I feel like I am dulling half the teeth on the blade.
6. Here in the past month the saw has started to shake. I am unsure why. I am concerned the upper wheel is out of balance some how.
7. dust collection is not that great since there is only one port. it really needs two
Sounds like you wouldn’t be pleased with any bandsaw given the kinds problems you’re having with this one. Sorry, but it sounds like poor assembly and maintenance from whomever assembled and is operating it.
David, I’m just going to call you Captain Conclusion Jumper… Or are you just out for a troll? Believe it or not, it is possible to get a lemon…
This is going to be a Birthday present by my Family to me I guess 70 is a magic number I have been looking for a while And it can be a little overwhelming .But after reading this review it’s done for me I just now have to relay the info to my family thank you for such an in depth description of the Band Saw and all it’s features
Just purchased one of these guys, this review helped a lot. Can you tell me the height of the stand? The specs only have the height of the table and the height of the total machine. I’m planning on building my own mobile base.
Hi,
It’s been two years since this review. Any long term updates you could share? I am going to buy a bandsaw soon and this is my likely choice. I too worry about the dust collection. Do you think I would be able to add another 4″ port myself?
Hi Joe. The saw has continued to perform like a champ. I moved it to my father’s shop and have since upgraded to an 18bx which is a larger saw. But I used the 1412 for a long time in my shop and I was very pleased by it’s performance. I found that in practice the single dust collection port was not a problem. The inside of the cabinet remained pretty clean during heavy use and overall I feel that it collects well for a bandsaw. I haven’t considered adding a second port after using the saw for a while. I can’t tell you how difficult it might be to do this, but probably non-trivial.
Thanks
Paul-WWGOA
could u send me dealer info and models
quiero comprar una para mi taller;tienen despachos a MEDELLIN COLOMBIA
Great review and very detailed.
Any thoughts on Laguna BX ?
With $400 upcharge. Is it worth the upcharge for a break system.
I am a hobby woodworker and had a 9 inch Black and Decker table top bandsaw. It went out with the trash after 10 years of frustration
Not sure if I should go with the 1412 or BX
I must replace my 9″ benchtop band saw with a full size saw. I have liked at both the Rikon 10-326 and the Laguna 14/12. I have read some very negative comments on critical issues with the Rikon, especially with adjustment for the lower bearing guides. Based on this review and the comments, I will soon be purchasing the Laguna saw.
I just finished set-up of my Laguna 1412 yesterday. What beautiful beast! At first, things were going a little slow interpreting the instruction manual illustrations. Then, I happened upon the 14-session short instruction videos produced by Laguna Tools on YouTube. From there out, following along assembly/setup was a breeze. The thing that strikes me about this machine is its precision engineering and tight tolerances. Just a quality piece of equipment with no flimsy components. My one, small, frustration was the 4″ dust port. None of my dust port connections/couplings that normally fit on my other equipment and blast gates would slip on, nor would bare flex hose. So, for a temporary test-run to check blade drift, I used a wrap of duct tape.
Just got my 14|12; great saw! Problem – the 4.00″ OD dust port on the back. I’d like to purchase a reducer that allows me to attach the 2.25″ hose from my shop vac. The metal grate inside the bandsaw dust port prevents attaching a reducer on the inside of the port, so it must go on the outside. I can not find anything that is the necessary 4.00″+ ID that would allow it to fit on the outside of the bandsaw dust port. Greatly appreciate any guidance.
HI Dave, I just finished setting up my 1412 and for dust control I attached a 4′ section of 4″ dust hose to it and on the other end a 4/ 2/12 reducer going to the ridgid vac. Hope this helps
I use a piece of 4″ PVC pipe with a round wood insert with a hole that fits my shop vac hose.
What would be a recommended Miter gauge for the 1412? I note that one is not supplied with the unit, yet there is a track for one!
Rockler had one to fit – an Incra Miter Gauge Model #V27
Most standard miter gauges will work (3/4″ x 3/8″ track), or you can make a simple one. You could also just use one from your table saw if you don’t mind sharing.
Hi Paul
Hi Paul
I am considering purchasing a real bandsaw and am trying to decide between the Rikon 14″ 10- 326 and the Laguna 14/12, which you evaluated. I have talked to the local manager of the Woodcraft store, and he was very honest in his comparison of both of the saws which he sells. Some of the reviews I have read, stated issues with the ceramic guides on the Laguna. He told me he owns a 20″ Laguna and has never had a issue with the guides and has not encountered customers who have purchased the 14/12 who have had any issues with the guides. He pointed out a couple of features that the 14/12 has over the Rikon, one being the double trunnions that support the table. He stated that both saws are well designed and built but for relatively the same money, but he thought the Laguna was the better value. He also told me the Laguna will go on sale next mouth. I am a bit apprehensive about spent $1000 for a bandsaw as a retired woodworker/ boat repairer, but I rather spend the money up front for a good product as opposed to buying a used Rockwell, Delta, or Jet and not knowing it’s condition.
Thanks again for your review. It was very helpful.
Hi, Alden. I don’t have enough experience with the Rikon to comment, but the Laguna saw has been fantastic. The only issue that I’ve had with the ceramic guides is that I’ve had ceramic fall out a few times, and I just glue it back in. I don’t like that, but I can live with it as long as I don’t lose a piece of ceramic.
I’ve had this bandsaw for about 6 months. You’re review didn’t mention drift, so I thought I’d comment.
I use three blades – 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4. Absolutely no drift with any of them. I’ve set up the fence to be square with the table and when I check for drift, there is none. I don’t even think about checking anymore when changing blades.
Thank you Jack for your post re: drift. This is the main reason I want to replace my current handsaw. The Laguna sounds like the answer to this frustrating problem.
Drift isn’t a problem unless you install the blade incorrectly. My best blade setup requires the gullet to be centered on the wheel and then everything falls right into place, especially for wider blades.
AWESOME! This will be my first bandsaw! I love your review, and going out today and buy one for my basement shop. Thanks so much…
It seems like that this information is very helpful for people searching for bandsaw blades. There is wide range of Bandsaw blades available from various companies and I hope you guys also sharing some more information in future too.
Great suggestion, Betty. I think this is worth an in-depth article itself, but I’ll give you my short list. For general purpose bandsaw use, I like a 3 TPI 1/2″ Timberwolf blade. I use that for almost everything. It’s a bit too wide for tight curves, but I use it anyway and just have to back out and make a lot of relief cuts. It is good for occasional resawing as well. For more intricate work I have a 1/4″ 6 TPI blade. I also have a 1/8″ blade but I rarely use it. For bigger resaw runs I use the Resaw King from Laguna.
Okey dokey then, off to the dealer