Hello,
It is not just power, in fact this is less of an issue as solidity of the machine. Don't forget, horsepower can be utilised differently. Slower blade speed and feed rate will give more power to the cut than a faster blade speed. Heavy iron wheels will have a lot more momentum and can be tensioned higher, than light cast alloy wheels. I doubt very much the SIP bandsaw is a genuine 2 HP either, motors of that size are very much larger than a stand mount saw can accommodate. Light duty blade guides and guideposts limit the cutting capacities more than anything and a flimsy fence when presented with a heavy chunk of wood cause mayhem. Tensioning the blades on these light saws can be an issue, too. Many will not be strong enough to withstand the tension on the blade that is stated as a max width. I would use a blade no wider than about 2/3 the stated max on saws of this type. That is not to say they won't saw veneers, they will, but need to be used with caution to the capacity that is expected. Even blade wear is exaggerated on saws as these, as the blade is so much shorter, the teeth need to do so much more work for the same cut thickness that a larger saw makes. Heat buildup removes saw set and dulls blades quicker which in turn puts more strain on the saws motor etc. These Record saws are good value for money, but need to be used well within their capacities to perform accurately and have a long life.
Mike.
