Hi,
I am in the market for a bandsaw upgrade. I am considering the SCM Minimax and the choice is 16" or 20". My applications are dimensioning (resawing and ripping) 6-10" width boards, but also contour cutting parts, sometimes signs with a 1/8" blade.
The two models have the same motor size, 4.8 hp. Generally I lean to more of an artisan sized saw and less of a brute monster. However, setting price out of the equation, I have the idea that even with an identical motor, larger diameter, heavier wheels are better for cutting performance (inertia) and for reduced blade fatigue.
On the other hand, I have heard no reports of blade fatigue problems or performance limitations with the 16" machine and I sometimes wonder if the larger machines are built primarily for resawing and don't lend themselves to artisan work with narrower blades.
Then again, there seems to be some law of the universe where every time I use rational logic and buy a certain size of machine, I later wish I had bought the next size up.
I realize this a personal choice and there is no universal right answer, but I'd love to hear from others who have found themselves in a similar quandary.
Maybe the questions should be:
1. Has anyone ever bought the smaller machine in a choice and later wished they had gone bigger?
2. Has anyone ever bought the larger and later wished they had gone smaller?
Any feedback appreciated, Edwin