There is a lot of discussion about bandsaws and resawing. I want to get one that will also do a good job with rip cuts as an alternative to my table saw. So I would really appreciate a discussion about the right type of bandsaw (and blade) for this application.
I make a lot of furniture with door panels so I am constantly creating 2.5" rails and styles. My current process is to cut them on the table saw about 1/16" larger and then do four light passes on my small wide belt sander with 100 grit paper to get back to 2.5" exact. I find even with a good blade on the table saw I have saw marks and I need to sand to get a final finish. Since I am already doing this sanding step it makes me rethink if I could just do the first cut with a good bandsaw. I start this process having run the wood on the jointer for one reference edge.
So how good a bandsaw and blade do I need to get to have a good rip cut product. Currently I was budgeting about $1500 for a new bandsaw and looking closely at the Laguna 14/bx 2.5hp and the Rikon 10-353. I do expect to do a lot of resawing to create hardwood panels for the doors. I do a lot of mission style projects where the panels have an interior verticle divider. So my resawing is in the 8" to 12" range. But now I'm thinking about doing even more on the bandsaw - ripping.
Thoughts appreciated...