Laguna Tools MBAND1412-175 14 x 12 Bandsaw, Black/Grey

Delivered yesterday by UPS freight, on a pallet, wrapped in plastic. Very well packaged and everything in good shape.The Manual is on top of styrofoam inserts. Assembly and use is very well documented. The video on assembly and set-up at Lagunatools.com is worth watching. It left out a few details covered in the manual, but it visually communicates better.Contrary to the video and manual, I had no trouble assembling the entire machine without help, and I'm and old guy with arthritis. With the majority of the weight (the motor) on the lower third of the saw, I was able to lay the saw down to attach the base, then lift it upright.Key features worth mention:-Quick Release Blade Tensioner- Precision Blade Tension Scale- Blade change is very fast and easy.-There is a plastic blade shroud in the lower cabinet to improve dust collection.- There is almost no flex in the Guide Post even when fully extended.- I like the aluminum Throat Plate...the set screws are a nice touch.- it runs with no vibration. Puts my old Delta and Jet to shame.- The mobility kit and light are worth the extra money. The mobility kit is well designed and easy to assemble. The light is also very functional, but was the most difficult part of the assembly! Little screws, and nuts are hard to reach while holding the heavy light in place.- The stand is very sturdy, but a door and shelf inside would improve the utility.- The Tracking window is a great touch, as is the Tension gauge/window- Fit and finish is near perfect.- The guides are functionally outstanding ! Adjusting the upper guides is very fast and easy. Lower guides are also easily adjusted for blade support, but one knob is almost impossible to reach without tilting the table.- The trunnions are well designed as is the tilt mechanism.- The fence. Very functional, and easy to adjust for drift, and switch from high to low. The only problem is the angle to the table can only be corrected with shims. Mine is off be 2-3 degrees, and shims are needed. Could have been better designed.- Fence adjustment is easy. The scale is crude, and best used only for rough estimates. I always use a rule so it serves it's purpose for me.- I did buy the Laguna Resaw King blade, and used it all morning. It is outstanding in every way and I can recommend it without reservation. I also bought a 3/8" Timberwolf blade for smaller radius cuts, but have not used it.- Resaw performance and capacity is great. I almost went with the Powermatic PM1500 Just for the horsepower. I am sure the PM is a great saw. But also $2,000 more. The Laguna 1 3/4 horse motor has not slowed down on any cut of any material or size. I still want the 3hp, but only, it seems, to satisfy my macho side.So, big picture, it's an excellent saw. Some minor complaints, but I'd buy it again.

NOT FOR THIS ITEM, BUT FOR LAGUNA, BECAUSE THEY SUCK. When you need parts, good luck. I’ve had this machine for 10 years and have replaced numerous wear items throughout the time. Back in January I ordered another round worth of almost $200 in replacement parts and were told they would ship the next day. I’m still waiting. I’ve been charged for them. I don’t have them. I’ve called customer service more times than I can count and each time I am told they understand that there’s an issue and that they will call me by the end of the day to let me know what the status is. I have never received a return phone call. Their customer service is awful. I was overjoyed when I learned that SuperMax had improved on the original Performax, which I also own. When I learned that Laguna bought out Supermax, I knew it would be down hill from there. I just didn’t realize how down hill

Love my Laguna. Except when it is time to change blades or mount the light. Perhaps I will learn to change blades more quickly with practice but so far that task is a challenge. Once the blade is fitted this saw runs with little or no vibration. It is a heavy beast. The worktable surface is large and the fence mechanism is easy to adjust. Some have objected to its height and it is high. A plus for resawing. Turning it down to its low height position uses up table space, but since I make most straight cuts on a table saw, I do not see that as a problem and seldom use that configuration. It is not difficult to clamp a home made circle cutting jig to the table and cut perfect circles. Free hand cutting to a line needs no fence and the fence is a snap to remove and as easy to put back in place. I do not know how ling the ceramic blade guides will last but I see no wear so far. The lower blade guide is a pain to adjust because of the lack of hand room under the table. The trunions are massive and rock solid. I have not tried to resaw foot thick timber but even the 1/4" blade yields accurately dimensioned 3/16" thick boards cut from 4" oak stock. On the 3/4" oak and plywood I have cut so far, the saw never shows any strain or hesitancy to cut accurately and fast. Dust collection is wonderful. There is always a little dust on the worktable after a job, but the inside of the saw has very little dust. The dust port is located so that most dust is wafted away. The mobility base makes it easy to move the saw around the shop .Although assembly is not difficult, the instructions are in many places unclear. Photos in the instruction book are hard to decipher and schematic drawings would be much more helpful. By placing a half sheet of plywood with my wife standing on it where the wheels meet the floor I had no problem setting the saw upright after assembly. The lightly weighted plywood prevented the wheels from rolling out from under the saw's center of gravity.The pretty light that comes as a $99 extra is useless as configured. It does not light the workpiece where it meets the saw blade. In fact from both the top mount and front mount positions, it leaves that critical area in dark shadow made even darker by the bright light cast nearby. I will have to make an extension to move the light out from the bandsaw body so that light will fall on the area where the work meets the blade. Currently I use a head mounted light to see where I am sawing. Laguna engineers apparently need a workshop session on the inability of a beam of light to go around an obstruction.Other than that, this beautiful saw is of the quality I have always wanted.