Laguna DriftMaster - anyone used it?

[Evanism]

I've found myself recently making a lot of cuts that need repeated and accurate reorientation of the bandsaw fence.

Since I use my Incra TSLS allllll the time, I was thinking about a similar solution for the bandsaw.... Since I have a Laguna 14" SUV, this seems like it would work quite well.

I do make veneers quite a lot too... But the tap-tap method seems to serve for now with the bog standard fence

Anyone have any experiences or opinions +/-?

[RoyG]

I've found myself recently making a lot of cuts that need repeated and accurate reorientation of the bandsaw fence.

Since I use my Incra TSLS allllll the time, I was thinking about a similar solution for the bandsaw.... Since I have a Laguna 14" SUV, this seems like it would work quite well.

I do make veneers quite a lot too... But the tap-tap method seems to serve for now with the bog standard fence

Anyone have any experiences or opinions +/-?

Just wondering ...... Did you end up buying the Laguna Driftmaster for your 14SUV ?

I'm planning to place an order for my LT14SUV in the next few days, and am wondering if the Driftmaster is worth adding to the order ?

Regards,

Roy

[MrFez]

I'm planning to place an order for my LT14SUV in the next few days, and am wondering if the Driftmaster is worth adding to the order ?

Roy

Hi Roy

Check the earlier post on this forum from Evanism (7th August).

[Evanism]

AussieRoy, MrFez is right, there's another thread, but here is as good as anywhere to answer your question.

Yes.

Now, to the detail! I SERIOUSLY love my SUV14. It is awesome. I use it continuously.

There are a few threads about some of the areas Laguna could make a souped-up "souped-up version"....but these are, overall, not deal breakers. FYI, if you do buy one, I'm in the process of designing a 3D printed dust collection insert that is astounding in its efficiency.... You might be interested.

I expected the DriftMaster to be a native bolt on to the Laguna. It isn't. The quality is different (ahhhh....lower) and you need to fuggg around a lot to get it on and trimmed up properly.

There is a lot to make you mental....e.g every bolt and nut is a different size, for no reason, all the Allen keys are different sizes, for no reason, and everything is just a little off, for no reason.

A dead set classic example of the unthinking stupidity in the design is the fact (be patient here in my explanation) that there are two black arms that attach to the table. These swing left and right and up and down and are the intermediary items that sit between any brands table and the DriftMaster mechanism itself. Now, the insanity is threefold...

1 - 90% of sales must be going to go to Laguna owners. It would be trivial to supply an intermediary plate for each type of Laguna model....much the way that Teknatool has an intermediary screw for its chucks and the 9300 lathes out there. (except for Laguna, it would be 6 or something). This would keep its sexiness. Keep the universal kit for the Jet/Grizzly/Generic owners etc and swap the certified mounting kit for the Lagunas. Trivial. 100% trivial.

2 - the fracking bolts that are supplied are 3 mm thicker in the heads than the recess they fit into. They interfere with the mounting process. They project past the black-army-things and force them to tighten at an angle on the table. This makes it hard to then mount the actual DriftMaster (as the threads/bolts are not 90 degrees). This is so insufferably stupid, I could imagine some engineer is being shot somewhere over it.

3 - the winding engagement mechanism is clunky. It is designed to solve a simple solution of engaging and disengaging a threaded rod for rapid transit, but compared to the certified awesomeness of the Incra TSLS mechanism, it feels like a 15th century solution.

Now, after thinking about it a bit, going and getting a second hand Incra and chopping it up isn't going to work as it doesn't account for the drift (which the DriftMaster does) so....one is left with the stock solution (which is, actually, pretty good) or go with the high rise fence.

Others have simply made their own fences, which work....but I'm a "system" guy. I like my Festools, cos they work as a system. Laguna should do this better. Its saw is sexy. The accessory is not.

I can think of a dozen ways to make DriftMaster 2.... But DM ver 1 works really well once it is setup.

I used the stock fence for a LOT of work and it worked very very well. I had a short job that paid well and the spare cash burnt a hole in my pocket.... July Santa brought me a new toy.

So yes. Buy it, cos despite my long response it actually works. I haven't used it anywhere near long enough yet to form an exact opinion, but it does make very repeatable veneers .... I also use the bandsaw for tricky cuts my Table saw is unsuitable for....the winder lets me sneak up on a line when I'm using the Resaw King (buy this unquestionably)

(maybe ill write to Laguna and suggest a few changes, or better still, make my own after market accessory and sell it!)