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I am hobbyist that is interested in purchasing a dedicated bandsaw. My budget and other constraints have me considering all of the following: Laguna LT18 Resaw Master, Felder FB 510, and SCM s540p. My constraints include that I am not interested in restoring an older bandsaw, and I do not have 3PH power (and do not want to go down that path for various reasons). These machines all cost similarly, have 1PH 4-5HP motors, and are close in size.
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I do not have much experience with resawing and have primarily looked to a family member with an MM16 to help me out in those circumstances. I have read here and elsewhere that many people think that tensioning a 1" blade to 25k is "the standard"...which it would?appear that all of these machines are capable of. I imagine there are many more factors to consider as well...like customer support, quality of guides, etc.
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Does anyone have thoughts on these machines?
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Hi Andy, I've used all of these machines (smaller Felder 540) with the exception of the SCM. I did have a MM16 at one point and it was a fantastic machine. One advantage of the Laguna is the driftmaster fence. It's really great, and makes it super easy to dial things in when changing blades. I am a fan of the ceramic guides as well. Historically Laguna support has been shit, I don't know if that?is still the case.
We use the Felder 540 as our dedicated resaw, and have a feeder installed. Coupled with the right blade, we can slice veneers or laminations all day long with barely any need for sanding prior to gluing. Our preference is the 3/4" Woodslicer blades from Highland Hardware. Thinner kerf than carbide, great cut quality at 1/4 of the cost.
Jason Holtz
J. Holtz Furniture
3307 Snelling Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55406
612 432-2765 -- Jason J. Holtz Furniture 3307 Snelling Ave. South Minneapolis, MN 55406
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If you are stuck with the limitations of 1phase power, try for a 220v motor to max your power capacity. All 3 of these machines are on reasonable footing capability-wise, but throat capacity varies - I'd prefer the SCM for larger throat. Your limiting factor for resawing is power in this case. Your next factor is auxiliary feeding and/or applying pressure to fences, which some require certain amounts of weight/rigidity/size of not just the table but the machine in general, so if you imagine any additional accessorization, understanding how that works for each machines design.??
On Thu, Feb 27, 2025 at 6:15?AM Andy Pickler via <andy.pickler= [email protected]> wrote: [Edited Message Follows]
I am hobbyist that is interested in purchasing a dedicated bandsaw. My budget and other constraints have me considering all of the following: Laguna LT18 Resaw Master, Felder FB 510, and SCM s540p. My constraints include that I am not interested in restoring an older bandsaw, and I do not have 3PH power (and do not want to go down that path for various reasons). These machines all cost similarly, have 1PH 4-5HP motors, and are close in size.
?
I do not have much experience with resawing and have primarily looked to a family member with an MM16 to help me out in those circumstances. I have read here and elsewhere that many people think that tensioning a 1" blade to 25k is "the standard"...which it would?appear that all of these machines are capable of. I imagine there are many more factors to consider as well...like customer support, quality of guides, etc.
?
Does anyone have thoughts on these machines?
-- Brett Wissel Saint Louis Restoration 1831 S Kingshighway Blvd (at Shaw Blvd) St Louis, MO 63110 314.772.2167 brett@...
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I went down that same path recently, and chose the SCM S540P. I use a 1” Laguna Resaw King blade. I am very happy with this saw.
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I’ve not used the Laguna or Felder saws, so cannot directly compare them. I had to rely on advertisements, specifications, and comments by other users. I can give you my thoughts on the SCM but not actual comparisons.
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At the time I was shopping there were too many negative comments in this forum about the Felder. That left a choice between the SCM and the Laguna.
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I had used only a 14” Delta bandsaw before the SCM. As you can imagine, the SCM is radically different. The large table, and the lower table make it easy to handle larger pieces. The saw cuts straight - I aligned the fence with the miter gauge slot, and the saw cuts parallel to it under all conditions. I mounted a cheap DRO to the fence, and it is quite reliable.
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Some saws have quick releases for the blade tension, but the SCM does not. The hand wheel for the SCM is conveniently located, and releasing tension is quick and easy.
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The SCM has a vertical capacity of 20”, as I recall. I have resawn boards in the 10” to 12” range so far. It does take time. I get a pretty clean cut, but not glue-line ready. I could probably get a cleaner cut if I used a power feeder for a more consistent feed rate.
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Dust collection is pretty fair. In addition to two ports low in the base I stuff a hose in the trunnion to collect dust right at the source.
If I could change one thing I would make the fence longer. It does not extend much past the blade, so it is hard to keep a board straight for the last inch of the cut.
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When my saw starts up it goes through some resonance before it gets up to speed. After a couple of seconds it is past the sensitive speed, and the vibration goes away. It will vibrate if I push too hard when resawing wider boards, so I have to watch the feed speed. My saw is not bolted down - bolting it down or sharpening the blade may help with resawing wider boards.
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A Resaw King blade for the SCM is not a stock size, so you have to order blades directly from Laguna. Not a big deal, as Laguna is pretty quick.
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--
John Hinman
Boise ID
Kappa 450X and A941
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I believe it has been documented on this group that the Felder "x10" models models have design problems (i.e. FB510/610/710).? These models were apparently designed by Felder and have several issues around blade guides and tracking (among other things).?? These are the same issues that exist on the lower-end Hammer line of bandsaws, so they probably just copied the mechanisms.
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The "x40" models are designed/manufactured by an Italian company and branded as a "Felder" product.? They don't have the FB540 anymore, but the FB640 is likely out of your budget.
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The SCM bandsaws are excellent.? I've heard good things about the Laguna LT Italian bandsaws (although they may have had manufacturer changes over the years).
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-Aaron Inami
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Hello Andy,
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We picked up used Centauro MiniMax bandsaws. ?One is a 2008 MM20, 19” resaw height. The other is a 2003 MM16, 12” resaw height. ?They are both very well built and accurate. ? Both needed cleanup and dialing in. ?Our prior Laguna was a ok machine, but the MM’s cut far more accurately. ?
We considered new machines, but at less than half the cost of one, we picked up both of these. ?Yes, it took a few hours to clean and setup, but it’s pretty straightforward and allows you to get the most out of the machine.?
If you’re cutting 12-14” figured maple, I would suggest the larger machine.?
Mike
M.E. Blake General Contractors?
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Of those choices the OP has mentioned... I'd sooner get a Novellara made ACM i.e the present SCM
or a premium Laguna, same factory.. see ACM's promo video and spot the chassis.
that's obviously the premium Laguna ones, and not the consumer rubbish.
(the Taiwanese Laguna's don't have lower wheel hub what actually can adjust the lower wheel)
rather than a Felder, as the tires seem lousy on those, (both the new green type, as with the older)
Lousy tires don't offer much beam strength from the blade, as you can see if you look on YT.
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The Novellara tires are real rubber, what's vulcanized to the wheels, and can be dressed if need be,
to attain improved beam strength.
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Regardless of your choice, none of these are fully adjustable machines, but at least can be worked on to be such,
and the same goes for any brand of saw made today.
so you would very much likely have to cut a hole in the chassis to allow for no compromise wheel alignment,
by way of an adjustable motor mounting plate to suit
the flange or face mounted motors, otherwise it's a lotto of sorts in terms of the saw running nicely,
or for longevity sake.
The three scribed lines don't lie, well not if done correctly.
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Otherwise, the best of luck with your purchase, as you'll need it!
Might be worth noting, the ACM saws lend themselves very nicely to doing the job right.
...well the 600mm saws do anyway, i.e the motor situated above the lower wheel mount,
and pulley proud of the motor shaft, which I might add is a shrink fit.
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As you'll likely be aware, the upper wheel being the datum, as it's non adjustable in terms of being
tilted on the horizontal axis.
To get those lines scribed, I used a spirit level w/pen on the end, but you could mount a laser inserted in a block,
what bolts in place of the wheel retaining bolt & washer...T
That is...if you didn't wish to improve the tolerance of the face of the wheel rims/lips/edges,
which might be necessary, check all over entire wheel to see if the pen scribes the same line beforehand.
as a tiny amount of variance will project a huge error,
i.e which may look like the tracking adjustment was altered.
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Once the upper wheel datum line is scribed, then check the lower wheel and motor.
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That's all documented in much more detail since 2023.
As you can see, I don't blame you for wanting a new machine!
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All the best
Tom
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Hi Andy,?
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I have a FB-710, with the 7.5hp 3ph motor.?
?
Acknowledging that the 710, 610, and 510 may ultimately have slight differences, they all share the same basic design.?
?
Thus far, I don't have any complaints with the 710. I'm sure bandsaw aficionados will find nits to pick, but it has worked problem-free for me. Some notes:
-- This is primarily a ripping machine. I will occasionally use it for resawing, but primarily it is used for ripping soft- and hard- woods, from 15mm-200mm thickness.?
-- Saw sees (moderate) daily use in a one person professional shop.
-- I'm running a 1-1/4" Laguna Resaw King and it works great. I run the blade with the teeth hanging off the edge of the wheel, and have had zero issues with tracking.?
-- I have the X-Life ceramic guides, which I see are an option now on the 510. They work well, I can't say much more about them.?
-- The wheels have the newer green tires. Again, no issues.?
-- Dust collection is quite good. While there is inevitably some errant chips/dust at the end of the day, it has never been enough to prompt me to explore a better option.?
-- I've heard others post that the 710 may have greater strength when it comes to tensioning blades. I can't speak to this one way or the other on the 510 and 610, other than to say I haven't experienced any issues with applying what I perceive to be sufficient tension.?
?
?I opted for the 710 because I wanted a 3 phase motor, due to worries about blown capacitors in 1 phase motors. The 28" size is definitely overkill for my needs, if I could do it over again I'd probably look at the FB-640, or the SCM s 640p.?
?
As is often mentioned here, I'll make the obligatory suggestion of reconsidering a three phase machine. A bandsaw motor is pretty simple, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to program a VFD or a small phase converter to run it. It's more work on the front end, but you'll get a more robust motor and will never need to deal with replacing capacitors. Three phase also gets you into larger motors, which in turn should yield more power and better results.?
?
The F-bars on the 510/610/710 are handy, but the table key poses an issue with installing an in-feed table extension in line with the blade. With a FB-640 or s640p, Aigner sells an adapter for round bars for the in-feed, and you can always install bars (Aigner or Felder) on the side and out-feed.
?
All of that being said, any of the machines you've mentioned should be "fine". It's worth noting that the LT18 Resaw machine can't be fitted with a narrow blade, in case you were hoping to use the saw for anything other than ripping/resawing. There will always be someone out there to say there is something better, but, based on my experience, any of them should serve you reasonably well.?
--
Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
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If I may jump in with an alternative. I run an SCM minimax S45n. Albeit on 3 phase with a 3kw motor but it is also available as a single phase machine. It is smaller than the machines you have mentioned but it is also very well built and powerful. I run a max size 25mm wide bimetal ripping blade on mine and whilst it is superb for general stock ripping it is also fantastic as a resaw blade/ machine. It's much cheaper than those mentioned, very common/ popular in terms of number of owners, parts are very easy to find and size wise it can handle both the big and the delicate stuff (blade change). I was, only yesterday, cutting a batch of 4mm x 200mm sections from some lovely English spalted sycamore for some inlays.
Ok the stock factory fence isn't the best for resawing but I simply made my own, much taller one, from 250mm x 30mm aluminium extrusion which I bolt on whenever I need it.
I fully understand that the machines you have stated are much bigger, dimensionally but if you are a hobbiest, looking for a saw that will resaw 200mm - 250mm hardwood consistently and accurately then perhaps the S45n could be one to consider. My 2 pence worth. I hope it helps and good luck with your search? James?
Hi Andy,?
?
I have a FB-710, with the 7.5hp 3ph motor.?
?
Acknowledging that the 710, 610, and 510 may ultimately have slight differences, they all share the same basic design.?
?
Thus far, I don't have any complaints with the 710. I'm sure bandsaw aficionados will find nits to pick, but it has worked problem-free for me. Some notes:
-- This is primarily a ripping machine. I will occasionally use it for resawing, but primarily it is used for ripping soft- and hard- woods, from 15mm-200mm thickness.?
-- Saw sees (moderate) daily use in a one person professional shop.
-- I'm running a 1-1/4" Laguna Resaw King and it works great. I run the blade with the teeth hanging off the edge of the wheel, and have had zero issues with tracking.?
-- I have the X-Life ceramic guides, which I see are an option now on the 510. They work well, I can't say much more about them.?
-- The wheels have the newer green tires. Again, no issues.?
-- Dust collection is quite good. While there is inevitably some errant chips/dust at the end of the day, it has never been enough to prompt me to explore a better option.?
-- I've heard others post that the 710 may have greater strength when it comes to tensioning blades. I can't speak to this one way or the other on the 510 and 610, other than to say I haven't experienced any issues with applying what I perceive to be sufficient tension.?
?
?I opted for the 710 because I wanted a 3 phase motor, due to worries about blown capacitors in 1 phase motors. The 28" size is definitely overkill for my needs, if I could do it over again I'd probably look at the FB-640, or the SCM s 640p.?
?
As is often mentioned here, I'll make the obligatory suggestion of reconsidering a three phase machine. A bandsaw motor is pretty simple, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to program a VFD or a small phase converter to run it. It's more work on the front end, but you'll get a more robust motor and will never need to deal with replacing capacitors. Three phase also gets you into larger motors, which in turn should yield more power and better results.?
?
The F-bars on the 510/610/710 are handy, but the table key poses an issue with installing an in-feed table extension in line with the blade. With a FB-640 or s640p, Aigner sells an adapter for round bars for the in-feed, and you can always install bars (Aigner or Felder) on the side and out-feed.
?
All of that being said, any of the machines you've mentioned should be "fine". It's worth noting that the LT18 Resaw machine can't be fitted with a narrow blade, in case you were hoping to use the saw for anything other than ripping/resawing. There will always be someone out there to say there is something better, but, based on my experience, any of them should serve you reasonably well.?
--
Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
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A 3ph machine is a better choice.
You never need to deal with the capacitor replacement on the 3 phase machine, also the 3ph motor is a lot more reliable and lasts longer than the single phase motor.?
?
I have a single phase FB510 in a hobby shop, and had the motor replaced after a few years of very light use, It took me an hour and a helper to replace it, not too difficult though. The new motor is Italian made, runs a lot cooler than the original Austrian made motor.?
?
I also have a single phase AD741, it would be a huge pain to replace the motor on AD741, cause the motor placement on AD741 is NOT?serviceable?friendly.
?
If I were to buy a bandsaw today, I would buy an SCM bandsaw.
?
James
Hi Andy,?
?
I have a FB-710, with the 7.5hp 3ph motor.?
?
Acknowledging that the 710, 610, and 510 may ultimately have slight differences, they all share the same basic design.?
?
Thus far, I don't have any complaints with the 710. I'm sure bandsaw aficionados will find nits to pick, but it has worked problem-free for me. Some notes:
-- This is primarily a ripping machine. I will occasionally use it for resawing, but primarily it is used for ripping soft- and hard- woods, from 15mm-200mm thickness.?
-- Saw sees (moderate) daily use in a one person professional shop.
-- I'm running a 1-1/4" Laguna Resaw King and it works great. I run the blade with the teeth hanging off the edge of the wheel, and have had zero issues with tracking.?
-- I have the X-Life ceramic guides, which I see are an option now on the 510. They work well, I can't say much more about them.?
-- The wheels have the newer green tires. Again, no issues.?
-- Dust collection is quite good. While there is inevitably some errant chips/dust at the end of the day, it has never been enough to prompt me to explore a better option.?
-- I've heard others post that the 710 may have greater strength when it comes to tensioning blades. I can't speak to this one way or the other on the 510 and 610, other than to say I haven't experienced any issues with applying what I perceive to be sufficient tension.?
?
?I opted for the 710 because I wanted a 3 phase motor, due to worries about blown capacitors in 1 phase motors. The 28" size is definitely overkill for my needs, if I could do it over again I'd probably look at the FB-640, or the SCM s 640p.?
?
As is often mentioned here, I'll make the obligatory suggestion of reconsidering a three phase machine. A bandsaw motor is pretty simple, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to program a VFD or a small phase converter to run it. It's more work on the front end, but you'll get a more robust motor and will never need to deal with replacing capacitors. Three phase also gets you into larger motors, which in turn should yield more power and better results.?
?
The F-bars on the 510/610/710 are handy, but the table key poses an issue with installing an in-feed table extension in line with the blade. With a FB-640 or s640p, Aigner sells an adapter for round bars for the in-feed, and you can always install bars (Aigner or Felder) on the side and out-feed.
?
All of that being said, any of the machines you've mentioned should be "fine". It's worth noting that the LT18 Resaw machine can't be fitted with a narrow blade, in case you were hoping to use the saw for anything other than ripping/resawing. There will always be someone out there to say there is something better, but, based on my experience, any of them should serve you reasonably well.?
--
Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
?
?
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I have a mix of single phase and three phase …. If i did it again i would go all three phase
[Edited Message Follows]
A 3ph machine is a better choice.
You never need to deal with the capacitor replacement on the 3 phase machine, also the 3ph motor is a lot more reliable and lasts longer than the single phase motor.?
?
I have a single phase FB510 in a hobby shop, and had the motor replaced after a few years of very light use, It took me an hour and a helper to replace it, not too difficult though. The new motor is Italian made, runs a lot cooler than the original Austrian made motor.?
?
I also have a single phase AD741, it would be a huge pain to replace the motor on AD741, cause the motor placement on AD741 is NOT?serviceable?friendly.
?
If I were to buy a bandsaw today, I would buy an SCM bandsaw.
?
James
Hi Andy,?
?
I have a FB-710, with the 7.5hp 3ph motor.?
?
Acknowledging that the 710, 610, and 510 may ultimately have slight differences, they all share the same basic design.?
?
Thus far, I don't have any complaints with the 710. I'm sure bandsaw aficionados will find nits to pick, but it has worked problem-free for me. Some notes:
-- This is primarily a ripping machine. I will occasionally use it for resawing, but primarily it is used for ripping soft- and hard- woods, from 15mm-200mm thickness.?
-- Saw sees (moderate) daily use in a one person professional shop.
-- I'm running a 1-1/4" Laguna Resaw King and it works great. I run the blade with the teeth hanging off the edge of the wheel, and have had zero issues with tracking.?
-- I have the X-Life ceramic guides, which I see are an option now on the 510. They work well, I can't say much more about them.?
-- The wheels have the newer green tires. Again, no issues.?
-- Dust collection is quite good. While there is inevitably some errant chips/dust at the end of the day, it has never been enough to prompt me to explore a better option.?
-- I've heard others post that the 710 may have greater strength when it comes to tensioning blades. I can't speak to this one way or the other on the 510 and 610, other than to say I haven't experienced any issues with applying what I perceive to be sufficient tension.?
?
?I opted for the 710 because I wanted a 3 phase motor, due to worries about blown capacitors in 1 phase motors. The 28" size is definitely overkill for my needs, if I could do it over again I'd probably look at the FB-640, or the SCM s 640p.?
?
As is often mentioned here, I'll make the obligatory suggestion of reconsidering a three phase machine. A bandsaw motor is pretty simple, so it shouldn't be too much trouble to program a VFD or a small phase converter to run it. It's more work on the front end, but you'll get a more robust motor and will never need to deal with replacing capacitors. Three phase also gets you into larger motors, which in turn should yield more power and better results.?
?
The F-bars on the 510/610/710 are handy, but the table key poses an issue with installing an in-feed table extension in line with the blade. With a FB-640 or s640p, Aigner sells an adapter for round bars for the in-feed, and you can always install bars (Aigner or Felder) on the side and out-feed.
?
All of that being said, any of the machines you've mentioned should be "fine". It's worth noting that the LT18 Resaw machine can't be fitted with a narrow blade, in case you were hoping to use the saw for anything other than ripping/resawing. There will always be someone out there to say there is something better, but, based on my experience, any of them should serve you reasonably well.?
--
Tom Gensmer
Heritage Home Renewals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
?
?
--
Michael Marsico
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Ok, this is going to sound blasphemous, but i have a Chinese made 14" Laguna bandsaw. I've used all sorts of blades on it over the 15 years i've had it including 1" Laguna re-saw king blades which i do like, but have had issues with both their sharpening, and QC on some of the new blades i've bought. I use the bandsaw for a mix of ripping lumber, resawing lumber up to about 12" (Max capacity is 14 1/4" tall by about 11" with the fence on) & curved work, although i do a lot less of that these days. This little bandsaw gets lots of use on almost a daily basis.
I just put a 1/2" woodslicer on it to see what the hype was about, and WOW! That blade is amazing. I've only run around 2 or 3 hundred lineal feet of 2x6 through the saw, resawing it in half, so can't speak to its longevity, but it ran true, and gave a perfectly flat cut, something that can be problematic in 1/4 sawn Douglas fir. I'm really hopefull it will stay sharp for a decent amount of time, as it is honestly the nicest blade i've run on this machine, and quite possibly the nicest blade i've run on any machine period! I did try resawing some hickory veneers, and while i only had 4" wide pieces, i was able to cut 1mm veneers with perfect accuracy using this blade. Don't get me wrong, i could do that most of the time with a Re-saw king, but not with every blade, and definitely not every time after a sharpen, which i think is pretty bad considering i send them back to Laguna to be sharpened.
The other nice thing about this new blade is that being 1/2" i can use it for a bit of curved work too. I would change it out if i had lots to do and tighter radius curves, but it does ok, and means it will likely be the blade that stays on most of the time. If this first blade lasts, i'll likely buy a bunch of these blades for that saw and suspect a lot of my other blades will see very little use in the future.
Being a hobbiest, think about what capacity of saw you need, maybe you don't need to be resawing 16, 18 or 20" wide pieces? Either way, try the Woodslicer blades, they are the bomb!
Regards,
Bryce
--
https://www.brycecomerwoodworks.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHdrRaAZd_pOa7wwbdNPUEw
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Ugghh...I'm not surprised this would happen. I do have an old Delta 14" bandsaw that I use for curves and such, so this new bandsaw would be dedicated for ripping and resawing. I had never looked at power feeders before, but the responses here made me realize how useful they are for this purpose. And then I find that a good power feeder needs a larger bandsaw table to work properly. Ah well...I'll figure that into the equation and maybe just save up a little longer to get the right setup the first time.
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FWI I sold off my Oliver 32 inch and 36 inch and settled for a smaller Agazoni ACM badged by German co Rapid, l had the same saw back in 80’s and liked it than traded for ?nice upright metal saw . I picked up an af10 comatic and that has worked out nice light and easy to take off .and not a lot of ra ha. The electrics were stupid so I change them to something friendly.? I have a driftmaster and added a rule system . Dust collection is really good. I built a platform for the af10 so it is on the proper place? I have bar extensions on two places and have clip on extensions up to 18”x96” that can clip on to different machine iys on an adjustable ambulance cart up down with brakes ?so can be used in different places. Wood slicer ? 3 phase 5 hp would have prefers double belt . Mac,,,,,  Designing and building for 50 years
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On Mar 1, 2025, at 8:14?AM, Andy Pickler via groups.io <andy.pickler@...> wrote:
? Ugghh...I'm not surprised this would happen. I do have an old Delta 14" bandsaw that I use for curves and such, so this new bandsaw would be dedicated for ripping and resawing. I had never looked at power feeders before, but the responses here made me realize how useful they are for this purpose. And then I find that a good power feeder needs a larger bandsaw table to work properly. Ah well...I'll figure that into the equation and maybe just save up a little longer to get the right setup the first time.
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Andy Pickler
Jason Holtz
Tom Trees
Tom Gensmer
Bryce Comer