I am contemplating replacing my 14" bandsaw and tablesaw with a bigger
bandsaw. I think I have a handle on the good and bad points of that scheme.
(but if you have any profound insights...)

My 14" is 1hp and certainly wouldn't rip fast enough to replace a TS. The
bigger ones are 2hp up to 5hp. How big do I have to go before it will rip
4/4 oak satisfactorily? (sure, I cut 8/4 ocassionally, but not often enough
to worry about it.) I would prefer to keep it on a 20a circuit, but can
certainly put in a 30a circuit if 3hp won't cut it.