NEW Laguna Fusion 10" Table Saw 36"

[Billyboydes]

Big excitement at my place! I purchased and received the first Laguna Fusion 10" in Australia and it is a Beauty! Total cost $1375 plus delivery from Gregory Machinery in Brisbane.

I have been wanting to upgrade my box making saw for a while and the opportunity to compare all 'small' cabinet saws on the market with the Laguna 10", saw me purchasing the Fusion last week.

Note it is not big, advertised 1.75 HP but stamped as 2HP and only 10", but I was purchasing for a specific purpose. (I already have a Hammer Winner panel saw in the shed)

The machine comes 90% assembled (just the wings, and the fence to install) so within a couple of careful hours and some minor adjustment I was cutting my first mitre.

I don't use the Riving knife or the Blade guard (I have made a new set of Doug Stowe Sleds) but both are well assembled and positioned and the Mitre gauge adequate.

Some of the features I like include, the quality two way fence (note the manual is not correct with regard the alignment), the enclosed cabinet and excellent dust extraction, the spot on 0 degree stop (the 45 degree is not spot on but is adjustable but a fiddle to get to, so I will use my gauge), the angle locking handle, beautiful smooth running and a quick stop, good switch position.

This is the best saw I found in its class and a fantastic new addition to the shed.

regards

[Big Shed]

That is a lot of saw for the money, it looks very similar to my Carbatec TS10L, except my rip capacity is 1200mm and the motor is 3hp.

I would suggest that the dado set would be an ideal addition if you are going to use it for box making, I have an 8" set as well.

Another 2 things I wouldn't be without on mine are the Incra 1000SE mitre gauge and the Wixey digital fence, both used every time I use the saw.
Was alo going to recommend the Wixey angle gauge, but I see you already have one.

[FenceFurniture]

Thanks for the info Billy. Where would be without this forum eh? I can't comment with any authority at all, but as Fred says it looks like an excellent product:$ ratio.

Fred, obviously the bigger ripping capacity the better, but I'm more interested in you power comment, and what the various powers would cut with ease. This saw (at I think 2hp) would cut up to what sort of thickness of reasonably mean hardwood with ease? Compared to a 3hp jobbie.

I ask this because it's all relevant to the user (which is why we get a choice), BUT the user needs to know what they can reasonably expect.

I'm going down a quite different modular table saw path myself, for a multitude of reasons, and so I'm in the process of finding out what I can expect mine to do comfortably (parts of it still haven't arrived but the saw works really well as my first track saw). The neat part is that I'll be able to upgrade to more power/depth with ridiculous ease (but more $ of course) and then use the smaller saw for trackwork (speaking of horse power) to which it is more suited than the larger saw.

Minor short term, but related threadjack (forgiveness Billy):

On the same theme, I've been looking at the Hammer N4400 for some way down the track, and just over the weekend the Laguna Bandsaw (I think new to Oz??) came into my research sphere via another thread, and a private conversation (also a coincidence). It too looks to be excellent vfm.

So, does this mean the Laguna as a brand is usually excellent vfm? It's panning out that way. My next major purchase will be a Thicky/Jointer combo, and again I'm looking at the Hammer with a helical head. I'll get some hands on with that at Groenaj's joint pretty soon, but I'm already fairly familiar with it. Good machine with a couple of in-your-face ergonomic cockups (why do they do that - don't get me started on the excellence of Festool engineering combined with inelegant, dopey, and easily eliminated ergonomic flaws). Everyone owner of the Jet JPR 310 combo seems to rave about it (particularly with HH head), but at least one ex-user says that getting the tables co-planar is a bloody nightmare/impossible. An ex-user's opinion as far more valid that someone who is in love with it, I'm afraid.

So....might have to research what Laguna have in Combo machines.......could be either very interesting or nuttin there.....

EDIT: Yes there are Combo machines, and the prices look really good, except that Gregory's don't have them (yet?). Perhaps they are just rolling out the brand?

[Repete]

Very tasty! Just an observation, but it does have a Jet Proshop look!?? The blade guard, the insert & the tilt lock look very familiar. Does the the tilt have the fantastic horse shoe casting of the jet? I'm very curious. Pete

[Billyboydes]

Pete, I suppose many components and or complete units are made in the same factories however this saw made in Taiwan is certainly NOT a Jet. I looked at the Jets at CarbaTec and the Laguna was superior.

[simops]

Great looking saw! Had I not bought the SB12 over a year ago I would have definitely gone for this Laguna branded saw.....especially at that price!

i bet your table is flat? The SB12 I got had a bow in the table top....so did the replacement for $1500 plus ended up paying to flatten it! I doubt that the Laguna quality control would allow that.

well done on that purchase.....

[FenceFurniture]

plus ended up paying to flatten it!

At what cost?

[Billyboydes]

That is a lot of saw for the money, it looks very similar to my Carbatec TS10L, except my rip capacity is 1200mm and the motor is 3hp.

I would suggest that the dado set would be an ideal addition if you are going to use it for box making, I have an 8" set as well.

Another 2 things I wouldn't be without on mine are the Incra 1000SE mitre gauge and the Wixey digital fence, both used every time I use the saw.
Was alo going to recommend the Wixey angle gauge, but I see you already have one.

Hi Fred, thanks for the advice, I am currently researching a Dado set (I have never used one) Any brands you can recommend?
regards

[Big Shed]

I can recommend the one I have, but.......

It came from Northwood Tools who are now defunct, my saw blades came from there as well.
Only paid $99 for the dado set, only bought it to try out using a dado set and didn't want to spend the hundreds of dollars demanded for some of the sets.
The plan was to buy a better set once I had convinved myself of the usefulness of a dado set.
Well I certainly convinced myself of that, it gets used regularly and the cheap set gives me very good results so I am still using it.

I think have a thread on this set somewhere.

[simops]

At what cost?

$400......precision grinding.....flat as a pancake now but should of been like that from the start

[chook]

I bought a table saw about a year ago. It has a 2 HP motor and at the time I wondered if it would be enough. But the rest of the saw and especially the fence was so good and the price at about $1300 I thought it would be worth a try. The saw will take a 12 inch blade and I recently put a $175 12 inch Gudho ripping blade in it. Anyway I suppose if I was cutting 4 inch iron bark posts for a living then something more wonderful would be required. But for the mucking about in the shed on weekends and holidays that I do (and I suspect many others) the HP of the saw has never been anything I have even thought about. I make tables, boxes cabinets and mess out of an assortment of whatever is laying about and the saw cuts the timber clean and straight. Really for me the accuracy and stability of the fence, the flatness of the table and the absolute lack of vibration are far more important than an extra HP. If this new saw is well made, if the fence is solid and straight etc then for most of use wannebees then the 2 HP will get us all home. If we earn our livings at cutting timber or if we have a rich uncle then of course we will get something grander.

[chemfish]

Nice to see your appraisal of the saw, I was hoping to get one come easter but a surprise house restumping has set my power tool acquisition back a bit, good to see your happy with it though as I’m thinking it’s still top of my purchase list.

How do you feel about the overall quality of the saw? Everything moves smoothly, height adjust, tilt, fence etc? And how is the reproducibility of the blade tilt adjustment, do the stops always stop at 90 and 45% or do they wander by a little bit each time you move the blade? Also have you found the power adequate?

[Billyboydes]

Hi chemfish,
The overall quality is superior to anything I saw. Finish, assembly etc. The stops appear to be consistent, the 45 was not factory set but a simple allemn key adjustment in the table top and it appears fine.

I was pleasantly surprised at the 2hp stamp ( I was expecting 1.75hp). It is not an issue for me as I purchased as a Box Making saw only so it will never cut anything more than 20mm hardwood. The blade included is an all purpose so I changed to a 120 tooth and have no issues.

When you get the chance have a look at one far superior to anything in the same price range.

regards

[Richie Rich]

Hi Billyboydes, I had a look at the Laguna Fusion Today and was mighty impressed, do you think that the saw would be able to cut 50-70mm Qld Maple and Blackwood okay or would it struggle,
Cheers,Richie

[Billyboydes]

Hi Billyboydes, I had a look at the Laguna Fusion Today and was mighty impressed, do you think that the saw would be able to cut 50-70mm Qld Maple and Blackwood okay or would it struggle,
Cheers,Richie

Hi Richie,

I will test in the morning and take a photo.
regards