Laguna 14bx Bandsaw "Deep Dive" Examination by ToolMetrix
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- čas přidán 6. 02. 2016
- Laguna Tools provided two bandsaws for a ToolMetrix "Deep Dive" examination:
14bx 2.5HP (source: amzn.to/2C7knqD), and
14bx 1.75 HP (source: amzn.to/2EC5kH4).
(Buying from these links helps to support this channel, so thank you!)
We put these saws through their paces in our evaluation, and in this video we walk though all of the key features. Presented by Paul Mayer of ToolMetrix. Check out this related video: • Laguna 14bx Bandsaw: C... . - Jak na to + styl
Nice job, Paul. Very helpful review. Thank you.
Thanks, Steve! I appreciate the feedback. Cheers, Paul
Nice job explaining everything thank you
Thanks for your feedback Mike. Cheers, Paul
Great review. Picked up a 220v 14BX from a local woodworking store, was able to see this on display right next to the 14/12. I originally was going to buy a 14/12 (finally have a dedicated shop space and a bandsaw has been on my buylist for a long time), but after seeing them both side by side the 14BX just seemed to feel a little more stout/beefier. I ran this saw for the first time this weekend; it resaws like a dream and the accuracy when cutting thin veneer (i tested it out on a 6" wide piece of cherry) was awesome, was able to get a 1/8 thick and a 1/16" thick cut with very little fuss & setup. (was using a Laguna 3/8" 4TPI blade.) And this is coming from someone with very little bandsaw experience, this is my first bandsaw purchase & I am wondering why I waited so long to get one! Keep up the good work, really enjoy this channel!
Thanks for the feedback, Chris. You nicely summed up what impresses me most about these saws. They resaw like a dream right out of the box without the hassle that I used to associate with resawing.
Thanks for the video Paul! I'm in the market, this was super helpful!
Thanks Matt! Hope all is well with you, sir.
My suggestion is do some homework on parts they are super expensive on the Laguna.
can't wait to get mine. just got the 240v outlet wired up.
Good call. Let me know what you think.
Great review Paul. Hoping to upgrade soon to a 14/12 possibly
It’s definitely a good option!
Great video. I'd love to hear them running in a side-by-side sound comparison
Thanks Jake. I don’t have these saws but you wouldn’t notice any difference. Both motors are nearly silent. The only sounds are blades and cutting.
This was a very helpful review, thank you. I mainly want a bandsaw for dimensioning rough stock and will definitely do a lot of resawing once I have this capability. I also need a machine with a small foot print and good dust collection as I do not have a dedicated workshop to myself. Last but not least, I primarily do my woodworking with hand tools (with exception of plywood projects where I stick with a jigsaw, a small router and a nice track saw set up). So I planned on not putting much weight on the accuracy of a bandsaw as I’ll take a hand plane to it anyway and quite enjoy that process. But after viewing this review, I am excited about the quality of the finished product off the saw. It will allow me to do some fun veneer side projects (hanging lamps!) and to complete projects more efficiently and enjoy more time with my family.
Hi Brew, the quality can be very good if you have a good quality blade installed and the saw is tuned. The approach that I usually take for slicing veneer is to prep the board by planing both sides, slice off a veneer, then sand both sides. The side that was planed will only need light sanding, while the side that was resawn will need more. For veneer slicing, a high quality wide blade makes a BIG difference. If I was making a lamp, I would take the time to set up my Resaw King blade because the surface finish matters. If you have a drum sander in your shop, it's less critical to get a stellar surface off the resaw, but its still nice and it lets you waste a lot less wood. For most of my resawing (making 2 boards out of 1, or just using the bandsaw as a "low-dust planer"), I don't really care about getting a great surface finish right off the blade; I just care about flat. So, for that kind of resawing, I just leave my 1/2" 3 TPI blade on the saw and it does fine. I'd love to see the lamps that you make. A wood veneer lamp is on my "someday" list. :)
Very well put-together video; very informative. I think that Laguna could’ve done a much better job in light selection, however, in that Halogen lights are extremely inefficient, produce such high heat that a person could end up with a serious burn if he/she accidentally touched that halogen lamp. LED would’ve been a much better choice; cool to the touch because it generates virtually no heat, and they’re very bright, last a long, long time, and draw a fraction of the wattage of halogen lamps...and LEDs are much cheaper in cost, too.
Agreed ... halogen is like 40 yr old technology... plus the filaments break easily if you hit the light with moderate force.
These seem to have much more durability than those cheap portable lights that you get from home centers. I haven’t had to replace any bulbs and I haven’t heard of that being a problem. Laguna is in the process of moving to LED now. The new 1524 lathe uses an LED and it looks great.
@@ToolMetrix Curious where you heard they're switching to LED? This comment is a year old and they're still selling the halogen lights everywhere I've found.
I had one on my 1524 lathe. It was sweet. If you search for LED on their website you will find it.
@@ToolMetrix Oh cool. Looked on their site and sure enough, it was right at the bottom of their page for the 14bx. Thanks!
Great video I resides over seas and would need some pricing thank you.
Thanks! Please check with lagunatools.com for pricing and dealer information in your area.
Thanks for the great review. After so many years what are your thoughts on the 14bx now? I’ve recently read some not so positive reviews of the bx for regular curved cutting rather than resawing. Also, do you have experience with the Rikon 10-326 vs the 14bx? Keep up the great work.
I upgraded to an 18bx a couple years back, but my friend still has one of the 14bx machines and he absolutely loves it. You can't beat it in its class for resawing. I used mine for curved cutting a lot and never had any problems. For tight curves using a 1/4" blade or smaller, you need to go with the mini guides or a carter guide. The standard ceramic guides are rated for use on blades down to 1/4", but I wouldn't recommend them for use with 1/4" blade because there isn't much blade to grab and if you hit the teeth with the ceramic it will dull the blade instantly. I haven't used the Rikon 10-326, but I had a 10-325 for a while. it was a decent saw, but did not have the same power as the 14bx. Also, the guides were not very nice at all, and a pain to adjust. I'm guessing that they have addressed this because it was a common complaint about the saw at that time, and it was about 5 years ago. The dust collection was also terrible on that saw. Other than that I liked the saw, and it ran smoothly.
Good video, thank :) The halogen light seems a bit old fashioned. No energy efficient LED alternative yet?
Thanks, and good point on lighting. Halogen provides very good quality light but not cool temp and energy efficient like LED.
Great review! Disappointed that Laguna’s light is halogen? Old technology there. And very hot.
Thanks 🙏. Older video. They have LED now as well.
Can the 1.75 110v be wired 220v? Noticed the motor is listed as 110/220. Does Laguna provide both cords since the motor is labeled for both voltages?
Hi Ryan, yes it can be wired for 220. It comes wired for 110 and only one cord is provided.
I love my 14/Twelve. I wished it had the brake. The light on this new one is much better as well.
@christschool I also used a 14|12 for a couple years and loved it as well. Yep, the brake is a nice upgrade, and I love that it shuts off the machine as well. I also agree about the new light with longer arm which allows you to position it more effectively.
in the video you said you could cut 13 inch boards on resaw yet the specs say 12 inches. what one is correct?
I’m correct. I think they are being conservative.
Do you prefer the light mounted on top or in the front?
I probably have a slight preference for side mounting to provide a better range of positioning options.
What is the different between the BX and the SUV?
Sorry; we haven't done a direct comparison on these two saws.
Some really good information in your review! With it being a “deep dive” review, I was a little disappointed to see that you didn’t differentiate between some of the features that are on either the 1.75hp or the 2.5hp, but not on the other. Specifically, I noticed you mentioned the brake two or three times. Unless it’s changed since I bought my 2.5hp, the 1.75hp does NOT have the brake feature.
One other area that’s different on the two saws are the lights. On the 1.75hp saw, the only light option is the canister-style light. It also has only one place to mount it-on the front above the table. For the 2.5hp saw, the articulating-arm light is the only option. It does, however, give you two choices for mounting. For me, the light information is fairly important because I find that the older I get, the more light I need 😂 Like you, my preference is the articulating-arm style. The two light styles are not interchangeable. The canister is a 110v light, and the articulating is a 220v light. Actually, I considered getting the 1.75hp so I wouldn’t have to add some 220v outlets. I would have had to do that eventually anyway for other tools I bought. For some folks, however, adding 220v outlets might not be an option for them, if they rent, for example. My point is that if I wanted to get the 1.75hp, I couldn’t get the articulating-arm light, and I wouldn’t have the brake, either. Those were the two deciding factors that caused me to go with the 2.5hp.
I’m sorry if my comment sounds like I’m dinging your entire review video...I’m really not!!! You have some really good information overall 😊 I just wanted to alert you to the differences in the features and explain why it could be confusing for some, or even cause them to buy the wrong hp saw, if those features were important to them.
Hi Kristi, thanks for your comments. At the time that I filmed this there were no differences in features or accessories between the two saws other than the motor and the on-board outlet (2.5 HP outlet is wired for 220V, and on the 1.75 HP the outlet is wired 110V). Other than that, these saws are part-for-part identical. If there would have been more differences I would have covered them. You’re mistaken about the brake. All 14bx saws have always had one, and you can see that on the web site: lagunatools.com/classic/bandsaws/14bx-bandsaw/. You're also mistaken about the light. The 14bx 1.75 HP can use the articulating arm light, and in fact it is shown with one in this video. I think you’re confusing the 14bx 1.75hp with the 1412 which doesn’t have a brake, uses a 2 piece body, and some other subtle differences. Cheers, Paul
Do you have sliding table attachment for your Band saw
No, I don’t.
Awesome video. Question, does it cut in an angle?
Thank you. Yes, you can tilt the table to cut at an angle.
what was the spark at 2:25?
+Eason Qin Great question, and I'm glad that you posted it because I also received that same question privately. This is normal and happens frequently with ceramic guides, and nothing to be concerned about. The HD camera really captured one in dramatic fashion, but if you look closely at ceramic guides while cutting you can see sparks on an ongoing basis.
how do you put that 1/4 inch blade on there without the stock guide? Laguna recommends their (totally overpriced) micro guides, you can also get the carter jet1, but i see you set it up differently. Curious on how you pulled it off and if it was just for the review or if it worked long term.
There’s not much to it; I just leave the side guides open. It works ok for modest curves but not for anything too tight. If I was doing a lot of scroll cutting I’d probably get a Carter stabilizer or the Laguna mini guides.
BTW, that's a 1/8" blade that I'm using without the side guides engaged. I use the guides for 1/4" blades. I feel like I'm pushing my luck a bit in doing so, because those teeth are very close to the ceramic, and there's not a lot of side support on the blade, but so far I have not had a problem. I wouldn't want to do a lot of tight radius cutting this way, but it works fine for my typical uses. If I were going to make something that required a lot of tight turns with a 1/4" blade, I would want to use either the Laguna mini guides or a Carter stabilizer.
Just ordered the Laguna14 DX 220 volt Ordered the wheel kit and the light. Need your advise on what blades I need I know I need 1/8'not sure on teeth Wanted 1/8 for schroling also want at the othher end a King Resaw Carbin blafe wheat would your 2 middle of the road blades would you want
The blade that sits on my saw 99% of the time is a 5/8" 2 TPI Timberwolf. Good enough for gentle curves, cutting up logs, resawing, etc. For slightly tighter curves I use relief cuts. For super tight curves I pull out the 1/8" blade and the Carter guide, and for critical resaw work I install the Resaw King.
If you could help me out on this .. i pick this unit 2 days ago same as yours specs for 700$ i thought was a good deal and in great shape barely used but missing the original fence and hope the guy finds it as he just moved lost in transit?, My question i see this per manual says to connect to a 15 amp in 220V. I called laguna and they say 20amp CB is preferred because of initial spike jump on start up then runs at 9.8 amps . I have it ready to wire CB to a 20 amp but thought i should just use the 15amp. I have 12/3 wire in Breaker box ready for the 20 or 15 CB what do you use as a connection ends at the wall and extension to the 14 gauge straight blade on motor .Also if the fence is not found would you by the laguna original or their upscale one 400$ or equivalent if there is one. Also for re-saw the king blade the best bang for this machine. Thanks So Much.
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The amperage draw will be determined by how hard you push it. I don’t know what circuit is needed. Stock fence is fine. I’d probably go with that.
Which light do you have on there?
The halogen unit from Laguna.
What size tires does this saw use? Is it 14" or 12"?
14"
How can I find out what is the best blade for most things you do on the BX want to do this plywood1/4" and thicker plywood and resaw 8' to 12' logs into nice planks. Don't know enough about the blades yet and don't want to waste money on blades I don't need. Saw chris choice but that might be the blade they sent with the saw?
Hi Thomas, great question. I do most of my cutting with a 5/8" x 2 TPI Timberwolf blade. That works great for slicing up logs and most gentle curved cutting. It doesn't leave the cleanest edge on 1/4" plywood, but it's good enough for a lot of applications. If you want to cut tighter radius curves, you'll want a thinner blade. If you want a cleaner cut edge, you'll want more teeth. But the perfect blade for cutting logs is not going to be the same as the perfect blade for cutting 1/4" plywood. I try to use one blade that is "good enough" for a variety of applications so that I can avoid blade changes. But, I have 1/4 x 6 TPI blades for tighter radius work, and a 1/8" blade for scroll cutting, and if the situations requires it, I switch it up.
Hey, Paul - silly question. What breaker is needed need to run the 220v 14bx?
I believe it’s a 20 amp but I don’t remember for sure. I’d suggest checking the manual.
Hey Paul, do you have any experience with Grizzly bandsaws? Specifically this one: Grizzly G0513ANV - 17" 2 HP Bandsaw, Anniversary Edition
Do you have any input or opinion on grizzly bandsaws in general? Thanks in advance for any input you might have.
Hi Brian, I do not have any personal experience with Grizzly bandsaws. I hear mixed reports on their bandsaws from owners, and the trend that I'm sensing is that their lower-end cheapy models are problematic, and their higher end saws are quite nice and good value. To be fair, this deduction is formed from far too few data points to be defensible, but that's what my gut says at this point. Without knowing anything about that particular model, it seems like it's on the lower end of their price range for saws in its class, which would raise a concern given what I've heard. Having said that, it does not have a brake which partially explains the low cost (although it would be my preference to have a brake on a saw this size), and it seems to get predominately good reviews with over 100 customers providing input so far, so those things lower my concern level quite a bit. Sorry I don't have anything definitive for you.
@@ToolMetrix thanks a bunch for taking time to respond. This is for a friend of mine. And I dont want him to buy junk, if possible. (I've got a laguna and I love it.) But I have always wondered where grizzly stands on the market.
Absolutely my pleasure sir. This question comes up a lot so I really need to see if I can get my hands on a grizzly bandsaw.
@@ToolMetrix and other grizzly stuff. Their lathes look tempting to me... but I can't see buying one over the laguna. (Laguna is my favorite brand) The grizzly brand seems to be "good value" on face value. But I'm too scared to buy them in fear of bad quality.
I put them in a slightly higher risk category. The only Grizzly tool that I own is an 8” jointer. Motor died shortly after I got it. After replacing it I haven’t had motor problems. I find that it performs ok but goes out of adjustment a lot and isn’t the smoothest running tool in my shop. That said it does the job and was a good value, but it feels like a step down in quality compared to the jet jointer that I had previously. That was a sweet machine.
Moro no brasil quero compra uma
Please check with Laguna: lagunatools.com/
I am debating the 14/12 and the 110 14BX. Besides the brake is the 14BX worth the extra money? Both have the power and resaw capacity I need.
Hi Andluth, I like the brake for safety reasons as well as convenience. I'm accustomed to it now so it would be hard to go back to not having one, but I really liked having the 14|12 as well. Power and capacity wise these saws are the same, so what it comes down to is the brake as well as the setup process. The BX goes together a lot quicker because of the unibody design. The additional dust port on the BX is also nice, although I mostly don't use it and I still get good collection.
Thanks! I also read that the frame steel is thicker on the BX. Is that true? Is the BX significantly more stable (vibration) than the 14/12 and do you think the mobility kit makes a difference in stability? I hate a wobbly or shaky saw. Great channel!
I have heard that the frame is thicker on the BX, but I haven't personally confirmed this. I did test for vibration on both saws and found them to be comparable. That is after replacing the tires on the 14|12, after there were some reported problems on early units which I had. Having said that, I could measure the difference with a sensitive meter, but I could not feel the difference myself, and I could definitely not assess any difference in cut quality before and after replacing the tires. So, if I closed my eyes while using them (not a great idea) I don't think I could tell the difference between these two saws. And I can't tell the difference in the final project.
Thanks for the feedback on the channel. I'm hoping to put more time into it this year, cover some additional tools and maybe do some projects. Lots of ideas, not enough time. Such is life I guess.
I have a question and since you have knowledge of luguna band saws. I have the 14bx and had it about 4 months and got busy with other stuff, then got sick then busy again before i got to really use it. It functions but it does more burning than cutting and I am not forcing it into blade. I was going to to cut some 4 inch wide strips a 1/4" thick and i gave up after about 3 inches into cut and backed it off the blade. I will contact luguna also but have watched your videos before so thought id ask.
Hi Wayne, I’m guessing that your blade got flipped around and the teeth are pointing in the wrong direction. Take the blade off, coil it up, uncoil the other way, reinstall it and you will be all set. Happens all the time.
teeth are pointing down
Is it doing that when you are free hand cutting or just when you use the fence? If it is doing it when you are free hand cutting then your blade has a severe problem. If it cuts fine in free hand mode but won’t cut when you are using the fence then you can do one of two things. Adjust the fence to compensate for drift or try to adjust the blade so that the drift goes away. For the latter look for a video by alex snodgrass. The former is quicker and easier and doesn’t bother my serenity.
@@ToolMetrix I was using fence. Will check again when I get home. Thanks for the quick reply...
Ok cool. Then it has to be fence alignment. Draw a straight line on a piece of scrap. Make a cut to follow the line. Stop half way through the cut and leave the work piece where it is. Adjust your fence to align to the work piece. Then try to rip using the fence. Should work with no problem.
Anyone use these saws for cutting metals with? Looking to cut st/st exhaust tubing, but would mainly be used for aluminium
I believe that it would be too fast for cutting steel. Aluminum would work but might not be ideal. I’ve cut small pieces of aluminum but not much.
@@ToolMetrix thankyou for the reply is there only one speed setting
Yep. Single speed
@@ToolMetrix thankyou again
It is a pretty scary spark at 2:25! Just enough to stop considering the saw.
It's normal for ceramic guides to do this. They all do it, and it's not a safety concern at all.
Dreat machines except for the switch, replaced mine twice now at 200 bucks a pop
Ugh! That’s not cool at all. I haven’t had any problems with mine.
That’s it......I’m buying one!
Awesome! Which one will you go with?
@@ToolMetrix 110 volt. Looking at the 14 bx. I like the idea of the foot brake. How does the Laguna wheel kit not get in the way of the brake?
Great saw. The pedal for the wheel kit is positioned on the left side of the saw and the brake is on the right. No interference at all.
@@ToolMetrix well I decided to go with the 1412. The ten percent off sale on laguna ended today. The 14 bx was about 20% more people than the 1412. I have never had a band saw and am not exactly sure how much I will use it. I wanted to get a good saw just because I don’t want to learn on a crappy machine. Plus, I wanted something I could “grow into” should my interests and skill take me in a new direction. I bought it today and it’s on back order until the end of October. The foot brake looked like a great idea. I read a few reviews about the brake system breaking and rendering the saw unusable. Since I won’t have anyone working with me i figure that eliminates one reason for the brake. The placement and size of the off switch makes me think the executing of an emergency stop might be easier to just hit the switch than trying to find the brake with my foot. Sounds like laguna worked out some of the quality control and customer services issues that were a cause of complaints about three years ago. Once again thanks for your reviews.
You’ll love the 1412. I like having a brake but it’s not a must have.
Nice review, good to see some actual measurements (indicators and vibration). Soon as You comment "dead flat ( czcams.com/video/PDU_2sT0etc/video.html ) on the cast iron table top surface, the mirror image of the blade (that is straight) is warped, though. Cool saw overall
Thank you for your feedback. What you are seeing in the distortion of the blade reflection is not an indication of the table not being flat. I actually still have that saw, and the table is still flat.
I think you sold me.
You won’t regret it. :)
@@ToolMetrix Do you need any special guides to run an 1/8" blade or will it run on the stock guides?
Hi Ilan, you cannot run an 1/8" blade with the stock guides. The teeth will contact the ceramic guides and will be dulled instantly. For a blade that small, you can use the Laguna mini guides lagunatools.com/accessories/bandsaw-accessories/ceramic-guides/mini-guide/, which are softer and won't damage the blade, or you can use a Carter stabilizer www.carterproducts.com/jet-16-20-laguna-16-jet1.
@@ToolMetrix Thank you! What's the smallest blade you can run on the stock guides? 3/16"? 1/4" ?
Practically speaking I’d say 1/4. I’ve never tried a 3/16” blade but I feel like it would be beyond pushing your luck. Maybe with a high tooth count and shallow gullets you could get away with it.
Gah! Still trying to justify the $300 more for an extra dust port and a foot brake on the 14BX compared to the 1412. Decisions. 🤔
Hi Johnny, Super easy decision. Plunk down $100 more (or whatever the difference is currently) and get the 2.5 HP bx. You won’t regret that. 😉
@@ToolMetrix I'd love to, however; I don't have 220v in my shop and don't have the luxury of upgrading the wiring. 😞 That's why I'm comparing the 1412 and the 14BX
Both the Laguna 1412 and the 14BX being 1.75HP. But I believe they're both able to be re-wired for 220 in the future? I'd have to check.
I totally get that. Can’t go wrong either way between the two that you’re looking at.
@@ToolMetrix Do you feel the extra dust collection port and the brake on the 14BX is worth the extra cost over the 1412 with all things considered? I believe that's the two main additions other than the 14BX being all one frame compared to the 1412. Am I missing anything?
I've had my 18" for about three years and I hate it so much I hate to walk by it. The guide set up sucks, the table tilt adjuster sucks, The two table locks don't tighten the table and with a little bush it will tilt. Dangerous with something heave near the edge. A lot of luck adjusting the bottom guides as you can't get a hand in there and I have to use a channel lock to tighten. The blade guides rotate as you tighten on the top and bottom. Terrible engineering. Oh, you can't change the side you fence is on with the blade in without taking the fence off.
Did I say I hate this saw?
Lee
Hi Lee, ugh! That sucks. Sorry to hear that you have had such a negative experience.
Eh, I can get a 14" G0555LX Grizzly bandsaw for $550.
I have the G0555LX and trouble is all I have had with it. I am getting ready to buy a Laguna 14BX.
That might be true but that is not in the same class as a 14bx.
The quality of the machine and its performance is too poor. After sales support is also very bad. All machines are made in Taiwan or China. So our strong recommendation is not to buy any machine from Laguna Tools.
Thanks for sharing your experience here. Sorry to hear this.
Where are bandsaws made other than Asia? And at what price for a comparable saw?
Laguna has a line of saws that are made in Italy, I believe. Look for the LT Series. Also, Agazzini is a good European bandsaw. Yep, more expensive. If the price difference were 10% I’d own a European bandsaw. But it’s more like 80%. I’m not a wealthy man, and I haven’t had any problems with my Taiwanese bandsaw, so it seems like a good option for many of us.
@@ToolMetrix Laguna are not manufacturer.so it will be good if possible to buy from manufacturer.i perchesed few products from Laguna. there support are extremely bad.
Save your money and buy and older real bandsaw.
bullshit...i'd put this saw against any old bandsaw in a similar class.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, SH. I respectfully disagree, but I understand the allure of old iron as well.
@@jc51373 how do you propose to do competition? For one thing, the old one will still be going in another 100years, meanwhile this modern junk wont last 5 years in a shop environment.
it looks like a cheap plastic kids toy made in China
interesting perspective. There's not very much plastic on these, and they are not all that cheap. I wish I had one of these to play with when I was a kid. :)
Under $2K for a Taiwanese made woodworking machine isn't cheap? Compared to what? finger reattachment surgery?
@5:16 A lot of vibration? you don't want vibration, don't buy it.
It's actually a very smooth bandsaw.
If I were "given" two Bandsaws, I would big them up too... This just goes to prove how little these things are to make in reality. I am a time served Master carpenter and joiner,/wood machinist, (Specialised in Bespoke joinery) any one want to "give " me machines to report on??
Hi Chris, thanks for the comment. I’ve never heard the word ‘big’ used as a verb. Interesting. Sounds like a British thing? 🤔 As far as making a bandsaw I’ve never considered it but it doesn’t seem little to make from my perspective, assuming that little = easy. (Another Brit-ism?). Congrats on achieving master carpenter status btw. Neat accomplishment. We don’t have the trade of “wood machinest” here in America. What does that indicate? Show me some samples of tool reviews that you have done and we can talk about eval tools.