# Any experience of Makita LB1200F



## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Hi everybody!
Has somebody used the Makita LB 1200 F bandsaw? Ive been thinking of buying a deasent bandsaw and Im not particulary interested in machines made in PRC. Oh shure I have some power handtools from china but a bandsaw is different. It should cut 6-8" and it should have power 0.75-1.0kW.


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## PRDarnell (Mar 21, 2012)

Esko, I'm eagerly waiting to hear folks' responses to your request. A couple neighbors have recently bought new bandsaws and each time they have gotten Chinese products. I'd rather get one made outside the People's Republic. On principle.


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Lets wait together Paul. Almost every bandsaw less than 1000e seams to come from the same line with allmost identical looks. No matter what the tag says. Im not gonna pay 900e of a RecordPower bs iwhen the Einhell looks the same but the price is 1/3. Japanese have a different product filosofi. I still have those old Makita 7.2v drill and it still works perfectly. They must be 30years old!


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## RJT501Win (Apr 21, 2012)

Hi Esko
I am involved in the hardware industry, don't be fooled by the name Makita. Most of there tools are now made in china. They say that they are made to the same standard as they were in Japan.Make sure you check the label. I am old enough to know that a lot of Japan made product in Australia was referred to as "jap junk", then they got good at making quality product. Some of the product from China now days is getting to be a lot better made.
Cheers
John T


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## Tiny (Aug 12, 2012)

Thanks John. I knew Japanese products had qulity problems until -70s. After wwII they were cheap labour country. Now days simply based on economical facts many companys have production in China. Ill keep in mind your words when I go futher on in the purchase.


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## Feder (Nov 30, 2014)

*disappointed with makita lb1200f*

Hello,

it's a relatively old post but my answer could be useful to others interested at this band saw.
I live in Europe and got this band saw last month. I tried to find it a local retailers but no luck, so based on good reviews I ordered it on line.
It's made in China and mine has a problem in the welding of its base where the legs attach. This makes it impossible to attach the wheels and the horizontal support pieces.
(misalignment of cut-out holes). Makita doesn't answer my e-mails and where I bought the band saw from (rotopino) just sent me photos of another band saw "correctly assembled" insinuating that I did a mistake, although I sent them detailed photos and measurements of the error.

Now for a lb1200f that luckily comes without a defect:
It is not underpowered and seems rugged enough for its maximum depth of cut and its price.
It vibrates a little under tension although the wheels are balanced (I checked) so I suppose it's due to the v-belt /pulleys.
The guide post is flimsy and can move even after you "lock" it in place. 
The guides are good enough though.
The table is nice and flat and the fence needs to be locked onto the table to secure but works OK.
Not so for the miter fence that wobbles at least 1 degree in its T-track .
The wheels aren't co-planar that some consider to be the ideal, but after centering the blade on the top wheel, the saw cuts straight (no drift).
All in all I wouldn't recommend this saw although for its price you are hard pressed to find something better.
Buy only if you are confident that you get a good after sale service in case you need it and you don't need to do very precise miter cuts.
For me it's the last time I buy a makita product (although I hove other tools that work fine) solely because of their luck of respect towards their customers.

regards


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## PRDarnell (Mar 21, 2012)

Feder,

Sorry to hear about your problems. 

Paul


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## atefali (Nov 7, 2016)

Feder said:


> Hello,
> 
> it's a relatively old post but my answer could be useful to others interested at this band saw.
> I live in Europe and got this band saw last month. I tried to find it a local retailers but no luck, so based on good reviews I ordered it on line.
> ...


i had bought this machine and since the first start it vibrates like crazy. havent made any cuts as im still trying to figure out how to cancel the vibration. Any suggestions?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi (name?) and welcome. Usually if it vibrates it's because one or both wheels are out of balance. They are supposed to get balanced at the factory and the bare wheels may be okay. I bought a Taiwanese bandsaw and it vibrated some but not badly and after a few years I had to replace the tires. With the new tires the vibration was almost completely gone.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Heres a quite good review from a UK woodworking site.
Review of Makita LB1200F 305mm (12") Bandsaw : Buying Advice | Tool Reviews - UKworkshop.co.uk


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