Laguna??

[oldgrowth]

After commenting on another topic about Laguna tools and after a little consideration I thought I might ask you all here.

I am not one to throw any one, companies included, under the proverbial bus (I'd at least honk the horn first LOL!) but I have not

had the best customer experience with them at all.

Here, hopefully , the short of it:

I bought a bandsaw from them about this time last year, the new 14" 3000 series, nice saw btw. When it arrived I set it up and started using it, pretty easy. One day while adjusting the upper guide height back down from resawing to make a thin cut I was loosening the lock to move it down and wouldn't you know the thing slipped past my hand and went slamming into my work piece. Yikes! That was not cool, and man is that thing heavy! I decided to call Laguna and see if I could get the parts for the rack and pinion guide adjuster, which I am told is now standard on the machine I bought, and they said no problem. I called back after a few weeks to check up and now the parts were back ordered. I called a few months later and just received an email saying they were working on it. I actually forgot until a few weeks ago so I shot them an e-mail and they started apologizing and said they would go and get them from a machine in the warehouse. I was surprised by the response, but sure, parts are parts. Well as of current no one will return my calls or emails, what gives? I think that this whole ordeal is now closing in on the one year mark and still no parts. I really hope I have no problems with my machine.

So...Have any of you had any experiences with Laguna's CS department? Does anyone own any of there tools?

Thanks for listening and let me know

[mlingenfelter]

I don't own any of their products, but I've heard this type of story a few times on other forums. I keep hearing Laguna makes a really nice project, but their customer service has a lot to be desired.

Mike

[PeteJr]

I have their DriftMaster fence. I'd toss mine into a SnowDrift if I could get my money back.

After shipping a replacement they wanted me to pay for missing parts which were missing in the first shipment.

They don't connect the dots when it comes to consumer satisfaction.

They focus on marketing what they import from china not the consumer.

[oldgrowth]

@ Mike, I too have been hearing that more and more, very sad. Seems like there internal communication and organizational skills could use a big

overhaul.

@Pete, thanks for your feedback, I am really getting to my wits end with these guy's.

Not too long after I posted one of the parts guy's calls me and says that he doesn't "recall" my request and if I could "refresh" his

memory. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I almost lost it...okay! Count to 10... So I took him to task "refreshing" his memory.

He gave me some hooie about a new computer system they installed and going on about how my case # was erased, blah, blah, blah!

This sucks! I really hope I can get my parts.

[oldgrowth]

I have their DriftMaster fence. I'd toss mine into a SnowDrift if I could get my money back.

After shipping a replacement they wanted me to pay for missing parts which were missing in the first shipment.

They don't connect the dots when it comes to consumer satisfaction.

They focus on marketing what they import from china not the consumer.

I thought about buying that fence, what problems are you having?

[Roger T]

Sadly, Their customer service leaves alot to be desired. On one of the other forums, a guy had bought a lathe. Had a lot of problem with the machine. Seems to me that it took a long long time to get some help and a resolution. I believe in the end he got rid of the machine, dont know if Laguna bought the machine back or he dumped it on another poor soul.

I bought a Mini Max BS. 2 weeks ago while I was resawing some oak, happened to look under the table to see how the dust collection was going, and saw sparks coming off the face of the lower thrust bearing. Sparks and sawdust not a good combination. So called MM and ordered a new bearing, was told that they were currently back ordered, then the guy told me to hang on a minute. Came back and said he had just pulled one off of another machine and would box it up and get it out same day. Now thats service in my book.

After paying what we do on some our machines, this is the CS that you would hope to get.

Laguna makes great tools from what I have heard, but dont expect good CS.

MiniMax makes great tools also, and has top notch CS in my book.

Roger

[oldgrowth]

Sadly, Their customer service leaves alot to be desired. On one of the other forums, a guy had bought a lathe. Had a lot of problem with the machine. Seems to me that it took a long long time to get some help and a resolution. I believe in the end he got rid of the machine, dont know if Laguna bought the machine back or he dumped it on another poor soul.

I bought a Mini Max BS. 2 weeks ago while I was resawing some oak, happened to look under the table to see how the dust collection was going, and saw sparks coming off the face of the lower thrust bearing. Sparks and sawdust not a good combination. So called MM and ordered a new bearing, was told that they were currently back ordered, then the guy told me to hang on a minute. Came back and said he had just pulled one off of another machine and would box it up and get it out same day. Now thats service in my book.

After paying what we do on some our machines, this is the CS that you would hope to get.

Laguna makes great tools from what I have heard, but dont expect good CS.

MiniMax makes great tools also, and has top notch CS in my book.

Roger

I could not agree more! Laguna seems to have a really nice product, but and a BIG but, there CS is almost nonexistent. As Far as MM goes

I have MM CU300 Smart combo and when I needed a few parts they bent over backwards for me. A true model of CS.

Before I even bought the machine I got the nickle tour of the facility, a hands on demo of the machine I was looking to purchase and even met most of the CS staff, nice people

FYI I found out that if a part is back ordered around Christmas or August, for what ever reason, it might be awhile. Apparently the Italians love their holidays and pretty much shut production down, but the guy's in parts say they usually get ready for this.

[PeteJr]

I thought about buying that fence, what problems are you having?

No problems with the fence now that I have all the parts.

The original problem was the poor packaging which did not protect the heavy fence components.

[Vic]

No problems with the fence now that I have all the parts.

The original problem was the poor packaging which did not protect the heavy fence components.

Good!! I have one still new in the box. I'll hopefully get it out and set up this weekend.

[oldgrowth]

No problems with the fence now that I have all the parts.

The original problem was the poor packaging which did not protect the heavy fence components.

Cool! I have been wanting to buy one for some time, but hopefully they have beefed up there packaging, I would hate to have to go through

my current situation again.

Thanks

[oldgrowth]

So...A really crazy funny update to my plight with Laguna's not so hot CS department. I logged into FB this morning and guess who wanted to

be friends with me? START RANT: Man, that is rich! What the heck?!! I was just going to ignore it and then I thought, "give them a piece of your mind". So I did...short story longer, I received an e-mail saying that they were pulling the parts off of another machine and sending them next day air and that the problem was with there supplier and not them, kindda lame passing blame and all and this is also the fist I had heard of this and... let me see...

the 3rd or 4th different story I had been told and the 2nd time that they told me the parts were on the way.

Anyhoo, guess we will see tomorrow...stay tuned. END RANT

Thanks for listening and sharing with me and also please feel free to chime in,

Cheers,

Charlie

[gthomas216]

Hey everyone, I just saw this post as I am doing research for another machine (toy) for the shop. I thought a response would be warranted. This is only input from my experience a little while back with the company. Aug of last year I bought their 16" 3000 bandsaw - jumped on a sale they were having and since I was eyeing their BS anyways, it was an easy decision. The BS arrived in great packaging and all the parts were accounted for. However, work delayed my for a few months before I could finish putting the BS together and get to cutting. Here is where the story finally starts with their CS. I put the BS together and quickly noticed the top wheel was not balanced. I tried adding weights, but not luck so called their CS. The gentlemen I spoke to for help for very nice and gracious - spent an hour with me on the phone working on different solutions to ensure it was the top wheel out of balance and not something else. But we ruled everything else out in the end. In the end, the CS rep pulled a wheel from another machine then drove down to my residence in San Diego the next weekend. He replaced the wheel and got everything tuned up nicely. Turns out the original top wheel was big time out of balance - all of our weight adding or hole drilling would have proved useless. But with the new wheel installed the BS is working great. Driftmaster fence has also been working like a champ. Just thought I would pass this story along, especially as a good news story for their CS. Although, leaves little to be desired from their Quality Assurance dept if they let a BS with a well out of balanced wheel get out the door. -Thomas

[oldgrowth]

Hey everyone, I just saw this post as I am doing research for another machine (toy) for the shop. I thought a response would be warranted. This is only input from my experience a little while back with the company. Aug of last year I bought their 16" 3000 bandsaw - jumped on a sale they were having and since I was eyeing their BS anyways, it was an easy decision. The BS arrived in great packaging and all the parts were accounted for. However, work delayed my for a few months before I could finish putting the BS together and get to cutting. Here is where the story finally starts with their CS. I put the BS together and quickly noticed the top wheel was not balanced. I tried adding weights, but not luck so called their CS. The gentlemen I spoke to for help for very nice and gracious - spent an hour with me on the phone working on different solutions to ensure it was the top wheel out of balance and not something else. But we ruled everything else out in the end. In the end, the CS rep pulled a wheel from another machine then drove down to my residence in San Diego the next weekend. He replaced the wheel and got everything tuned up nicely. Turns out the original top wheel was big time out of balance - all of our weight adding or hole drilling would have proved useless. But with the new wheel installed the BS is working great. Driftmaster fence has also been working like a champ. Just thought I would pass this story along, especially as a good news story for their CS. Although, leaves little to be desired from their Quality Assurance dept if they let a BS with a well out of balanced wheel get out the door. -Thomas

Thanks Thomas for a positive side, my experience finally turned for the better a couple of days ago. The actual owner of the company called me

to see if he could lend some assistance. I received and installed my new parts yesterday and all is good. I am really hoping that this was just some sort of SNAFU or missed communication on there part. I like there products, but with out support...well, not so great.

I think I might give them another shake in the future, but we'll see.

Thanks to everyone who commented,

Cheers