I Have a Nice Problem!

[Dan McKean]

I’ve been “learning” about woodworking for the past two years, reading any books I could get my hands on, watching Youtube, and experimenting in the garage making shop stuff (workbench, cabinets, etc.) and some honey-do things around the house as time allowed. (I still work full-time.) And I’ve been collecting tools. :)
A few months back I bought a new Laguna 14bx. Fan-TAS- tic saw. Love it. I upgraded to this from a ShopSmith band saw because I’ve been intrigued by the idea of having a table-saw free workshop and wanted a beefy band saw.
Why table-saw free, you ask? Mostly because of safety. The table-saw scares me. I’ve been considering SawStop as an alternative, but the cost has kept me from pulling the trigger. (When my brother-in-law who has worked in wood shops for forty years told me he nicked his finger on the table saw last year, I’ve been nervous ever since.)
And then yesterday, at The Woodworking Show, I won a brand new Powermatic 14” band saw (PWSBS-14). (Now I have three band saws counting the ShopSmith!) I also have a Dewalt 7480 table-saw, which I like, but I like my fingers more. (The SS band saw, btw, is on a “shorty” SS I made by cutting down the waytubes, and opposite the band saw is a 12” disk sander which I love.)
Question is – What to do? The Powermatic (PM) is valued at $1500 retail and includes the riser bock. (If I add the saw cost plus riser block, tax and shipping, it’s just over $1500.)
The way I see it, I have the following options:
A.) Keep it and have the Laguna set up for resawing and the PM for scroll work. Would two band saws be any better than one in a table-saw free shop? (I’d sell the ShopSmith band saw at that point.)
B.) Sell it and apply the proceeds to a new SawStop. What would be a fair price for a new, still in the box PM?
C.) Give the PM to my OTHER brother-in-law.
The thing is, I have a moderately long list of honey-do’s (bookshelves and built-ins, etc.) but after I’m caught up with those, I’m not sure what I want to focus my attention on as MY thing. I’m intrigued by boxes, benches and fell in love with turning back in high school, so that’s where I’d likely land.
Also of import, I’m sharing a two car garage with two cars and all my tools. I’ve sketched the garage with a SawStop Contractor and Professional and can make either work.
I am open to other Options besides what I’ve laid out and thanks for your help!

[Ben Rivel]

Yea if it were me Id sell the ShopSmith and the Powermatic and get the SawStop PCS. But have you considered that maybe a track saw might get all the projects in your near future done? Even going Festool would be a lot cheaper and much safer if youre worried about working with a table saw.

[Dan McKean]

Yes, I have. In fact, I already have a Makita track saw with that in mind. But repetitive cuts are so inefficient on a track saw, although Ron Paulk has a nice workaround.

My main reason for not having a TS is for safety, but otherwise, I'd love to have one for convenience.

[Ben Rivel]

Yes, I have. In fact, I already have a Makita track saw with that in mind. But repetitive cuts are so inefficient on a track saw, although Ron Paulk has a nice workaround.

My main reason for not having a TS is for safety, but otherwise, I'd love to have one for convenience.I hear ya. Just thought Id make the suggestion. Then it sounds like you should go for the SawStop. Just be sure to learn and study what can cause kickback as the flesh detection system in a SawStop only protects the user from one kind of injury causing accident.

[Art Mann]

In my experience, a band saw doesn't even come close to being a substitute for a table saw.

[Stew Hagerty]

There is a reason that the table saw has been, and is, the centerpiece of the vast majority of woodshops, and general "workshops", around the world.

That said, I offer up a hearty I HATE YOU for winning a PM Bandsaw. Welcome to the wonderful world of woodworking!