$700-$1200. Then, wondering why the 'other' similiar (17") size saws are
priced around $2000-$3000, I see the HP rating is bumpud up quite a bit
to 4 or 5 HP.

Now, from me (beginner) to you (gods), is this significant?

A $2K machine will have more iron, less flex & vibration and a sexier guide
mechanism. As the owner of a $1K 2HP bandsaw I think that you have to be
doing some really serious sawing (Volume and intnsity) to justify more HP
than 2. The speed with wich I can cut is limitted by blade geometry not the
motor.

There is a limit to the "buy the best..." logic. Nobody's 1st car is a
Porche. (If they did, who's to say that that would not find that they
should have bought the Hummer for the same money)

HP that is.
I've sure the rest of the machine as equal (I hope) improvements/quality.

Don't be. Look at the fence systems (for instance) and you'll see a big
difference. CI vs Aluminum.


That's the bandsaw part. Now the dado.

On my Ryobi 10" contractor style table saw (my wife bought it!), I've
got a (cheap) dado to make it 1/4" wide. As I take the 3 1/2" wide
poplar board over it to create a (?? tenon for a rabbet?), I see the
width change even thou I holding down very hard. See below.


/
/ 3 1/2" wide
/
--------------
| 1/4" top ^ to bottom \/
---
|
| 1/2 "
|
------------
^
^
^ -- 1/4" dado

The blade is set to 1/2" at the edge of the 3/4" board. The 1/4" left
over has not been consistent. And it doesn't matter that it's a the head
or tail of the cut. I'm holding it down hard, but it's still the same. I
have to file down the pieces in order to make them fit better if not
properly. I haven't been able to figure out why that is. Suggestion??

Either the board is not a consistant thickness or something is
flexing/moving during the cut.

That's why they make tennoning jigs. I find it's a more accurate way to make
that cut.

-Steve