On Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:11:06 -0400, Jack Stein wrote:

On 7/4/2011 6:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:

I think I'm getting close to buying a 14" bandsaw (perhaps after it cools down
and I can get into the "shop" again). Searching the web for reviews and
comparisons, as usual, leaves more questions than answers. I say 14",
primarily because of the weight of larger saws. It has to go in an attic over
a garage and though the floor is pretty sturdy (2x8s crossways on 2x12s) and
has no bounce, much over 300 pounds worries me.

If the floor is on 2x12's, 16" on center, and the walls supporting it
are block or on 16" centers, I wouldn't worry too much about the weight.
Buy the absolute best saw you can afford. My BS is the most used tool
in my shop, and you want one that works well, and easily.

As I said, the floor is 2x8s crossways on top of 2x12s (16" OC - well, the
house was built with Mexican labor). The center beam is a laminated beam,
something like 15" x 3 1/3". It spans the garage 20', though. I *think* it'll
take anything I can throw at it, but I don't *know*. I'm not too worried up
to 300lbs, particularly since the 2x8s will spread any weight over more than
one joist (there is no movement with me jumping around). The other issue is
the 2x12s are sitting on a 2x6(?) sideways (fastened somehow to the bottom of
the 15" center beam), then toe nailed into the center beam. I have no idea
how strong the whole thing really is.

Getting more than that up there is going to be interesting, too. The Unisaw
will be fun. I have a hoist but didn't have enough to buy the sky hook. ;-)

If I were buying one, I'd probably go with the one Leon has, he seems
really happy with it. On the other hand, he has expensive taste.

Yes, I understand completely. Like my other tools, I want to do this once so
don't mind overkilling it a bit. This is why I'm even looking at Laguna. It's
likely above what I need but I'd rather do that than be unhappy for years.
I'm a big believer in "It only hurts once".

A band saw has lots of adjustments that must be right before it works
well, and a cheap saw has cheap adjustments that will not be easy to
make, and probably won't stay right for long if ever. For that reason,
my advice is open your wallet, bite the bullet, feel the pain... once.

Yep. I've learned, reading here, that there is a bigger difference between
saws than I had imagined. Again, I wouldn't be looking at the Laguna
otherwise.

Oh yeah, the bigger the better if you plan on re-sawing.

I don't think I'm going to become a lumberjack. I'd look horrible in a brar.
;-)