I would like to replace the 1 1/2 HP motor on my 18′ Jet bandsaw with a bigger motor. Can anyone give me some advice? Dave
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Replies
Teager,
I posted some suggestions in your other iteration of this question starting at:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=30903.4
Pete
Edited 7/25/2006 11:53 pm ET by PeteBradley
Teager,
You got what you paid for. Sorry, but that is rather how it goes most of the time. My advise to you is to unload that piece of ---- and buy yourself a real bandsaw. I know that the Laguna and MiniMax cost more but you get so much more tool for the money. I once owned a Jet 18", a real waste of time and good money. Took a $300 hit to get rid of the damn thing. Bought a MiniMax 16, used their layaway plan to do it. I am much happier now. I feel that my MiniMax is the bandsaw that both Jet and Delta say that they are and wish they could be. Really. Good luck.
Having followed FWW for a few years I sometimes wonder whether the MiniMax comes with an agreement to insult other machines. Perhaps it includes language like: "you have just bought a machine superior to all others on the planet. You are now encouraged to trash everyone else." I have no problem with people being proud of their machine, but the real test is not what you own but what you skill you have to use it.A 6" resaw, even in softwoods, should be within the capabilities of even a very basic machine. However, technique and band selection count for a lot. There's way too much bad advice on the web like "buy the biggest band that fits" and "you need more power".Pete
Edited 7/26/2006 12:57 pm ET by PeteBradley
Well said, Pete! (although not every MM owner is so rude. TAke our Tom for instance -- he's a really nice guy and would never "trash" other people's choices).forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Bite me! Now you are entitled to call me rude. And you asked for it by insulting me. I do not see where Teager says that he is resawing 6" pine, only that he is complaining that his Jet BS is underpowered. The facts of the matter are that Jet bandsaws are underpowered.
My opinion is based on my experience with a Jet 18" bandsaw that was an absolute piece of sh--. To make the experience even worse was after the saw sheared the lower axle while under waurantee was how employees at the WMH Tool Group treated me. It should not take any corporation 3 1/2 weeks of constant phone calls to get service. Ever. And my issues with the design of that model bandsaw are to numerous to get into.
Forestgirl, I would rather not fight with you. I used to respect you and your willingness to share your woodworking wisdom. But I don't take kindly to being insulted. You were out of line young lady.
This question by Teager has been posted more than once.
His words:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=30903.6
The original thread beginning:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=30903.1
Lighten up and read the links.
Mike
Thank you for the links. However, when you are the one being insulted, then you are entitled to respond as you see fit. Do you think that I am trashing the Jet product for the hell of it? No. I really feel that Jet bandsaws are a ripoff. Period. Owned one and used one other. My opinion of the other isn't that much better.
Hi Big,
I think the post just following FG's directed you as well to the response wherein Teager mentioned the Pine.
I reread FG's post and don't think I would have found it offensive if it had been directed at me--but I'm not you and you did. I do think your response to FG was personal and unwarranted.
Though I own the Jet 18" I bought several years ago, your opinion about it doesn't bother me in the slightest. So that part of the content doesn't ripple my brook.
Take care, Mike
"Forestgirl ... I used to respect you and your willingness to share your woodworking wisdom."
Thanks for the chuckle this morning.
Edited 8/1/2006 4:58 pm ET by BossCrunk
Big,
Out of line? Perhaps you should reread your post and those preceding it. If anyone was out of line I believe you come closest to the mark. Your initial post certainly bordered on the arrogant. Your statements are pure opinion and, other than a single bad experience with a particular saw, seem to have little foundation in fact.
Granted, the MM and Laguna are fine saws, but they are by no means the only avenue to 'bandsaw bliss'. I offer the work of Michael Fortune as an example of someone who seems to get along just fine without what you seem to believe are the only two saws that are not...., well, let's just say your vocabulary needs a little expansion.
I don't doubt you spoke from experience, but your over the top response indicates either a too-thin skin, or and over indulgence of adult beverages prior to signing on.
I belive you owe Forestgirl an apology for your attack.
Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
Edited 8/1/2006 8:31 am by Rennie
Edited 8/1/2006 8:31 am by Rennie
You have your opinions, and I have mine. And, for the record, I have had as much to drink this evening as I had yesterday. None.
You are right, there are more than one way to bandsaw bliss. One could always go out and buy a Delta (or other ) 14". Then order an Iturra Design catalog and spend several hundred dollars more to replace all of the parts that are found wanting on their new tool. When the new parts arrive one then gets to spend their time installing the better parts and adjusting the machine again to get everything to work correctly. Hopefully that person doesn't have to keep repeating the above steps to many times to achieve bandsaw bliss.
Personally, I am trying to do this for a living. I would rather spend my days working productively than working on a machine repeatedly. Even when woodworking was a hobby I would rather work on wood than fight with a balky machine. When I spend good money on what I am told is a good machine I expect that machine to behave, after a proper tuneup of course. My experience with the aforementioned piece of sh-- did none of the above.
As for my vocabulary, sh-- was the appropriate term for that example. Accept it. Get over it.
Personally, I am trying to do this for a living. I would rather spend my days working productively than working on a machine repeatedly.
And this sets you apart from the tool tinkerers, tool polishers, cleaners, and tool shoppers who would do anything rather than come to the unfortunately inevitable conclusion - they can't work wood. They can recite the Grizzly catalog chapter and verse, they know everybody in customer service, but they couldn't lay out and build a project from scratch if their life depended on it.
Thank you Boss for the affirmations. After the attacks I caught for stating an honest opinion I do appreciate the kind words. Perhaps it is the tinkerers and polishers and all of the other posers who are trying to police the chat rooms to their standards. I don't know and honestly don't really care.
There seems to be a pernicious view that *part* of the right of passage as a woodworker is making $hitty equipment work for you. You're not much of a woodworker unless you can do double duty as a machinist. Anybody lucky enough to have worked with classic iron knows how much bunk that view is. The old stuff was built to be used by shift workers, not white-gloved weekend hobbyists with a wrench in one hand and a can of paste wax and polishing cloths in the other. It could handle anything you could dream of throwing at it.
I interviewed a guy once who kept emphasizing how good he was at tuning machines. I politely told him that in our operation, that was a $10 an hour position whose duties included sweeping floors and what I needed was an experienced cabinetmaker - a position that paid closer to $30 an hour. The machines didn't need a lot of work. That's the whole point, isn't it? Well, if you like building instead of tinkering with machines, it is the entire point. Too many hobbyists spend what precious little time they have for woodworking dicking around with machinery.
Maybe there are tools where one can maybe save a buck or two. I don't think a bandsaw is one of those tools.
Buy the best you can afford, especially if you're working wood commercially. Yes, commercial shops buy Taiwanese equipment. And where I live, these kind of shops are spawned and die off by the teens each year. Perhaps it's indicative that a new shop is poorly capitalized when it opens up the Grizzly catalog and starts ordering and maybe it is this under-capitalization, generally, that causes the shop to fail, I'm not sure.
Part of running a serious shop with institutional wherewithal, sheer momentum, and longevity is equipping the operation adequately and effectively. A shop with these characteristics often can be sold when the owner decides to exit the business for whatever reason - sob story or plain old good succession planning and business management. Insurance takes care of the sob stories, everything else is taken care of by keeping your wits about you. Not trying to offend anybody, just giving a heads up to those embarking down what can be a wonderful road. And should be. There is no reason at all that owning and running a cabinet shop or furniture shop can't satisfy your creative as well as your financial needs. No reason at all.
Buy a bandsaw that will hold its adjustment and track a decent blade reliably without a ton of tinkering and babying. You might win the Taiwanese machine tool lottery and get something solid, but I wouldn't stake my livelihood on it.
Edited 8/4/2006 7:24 am ET by BossCrunk
Boss, Don't take this the wrong way but, as a mere hobbyist watching Knots tool threads, it seems that in half the threads, the pundits crap on people and call them amatuers for buying expensive name-brand tools instead of tuning up old ones and making do with cheap servicable tools. Then, in the other half of the threads, the pundits crap on people for buying cheap overseas tools which require too much tuning and not buying a real genuine hunk of cast iron. The line seems to be drawn mainly between hand tools and powered machines. I'm starting to think 'real woodworkers' buy cheaper pre-war stanley planes and tune them up (instead of Lie-Nielsen) and buy Mini-Max and Laguna bandsaws (instead of Delta or Jet).
I own a Jet bandsaw and Lie-Nielsen and Veritas planes so I've got it all backwards. From my perspective, probably most of the tools get the job done with more or less aggravition and the deciding factors for purchaseing include budget, tolerance for tuning and whether or not you're trying to make a living working wood where speed is critical (although in looking at pictures of shops from some pretty well-known professionals, I've seen a pretty wide variety of price points represented). From my perspective, not every tool needs to be a Mercedes and not every tool needs to be a Ford Festiva.
Of course, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion but, it seems to often digenerate into name calling camps where the basic point becomes, 'you'd have to be insane not to do it my way'. Pins or tails first? Oilstones, waterstones or god-forbid sandpaper on glass? New or used? To each his own.....Advice, perspective and opinions are great....but name-calling and insults not. Opinions are like a-holes, everyone's got one, including me.Matt
BigK will be trying to make a living with his tools. Different world altogether, or at least it should be; make that better be.
Boss, Believe me, I understand when time equals money, it's a whole different ball game. While rehabbing an old plane may be a badge of honor for the hobbyist, it's simple down-time for someone trying to make a living at WWing.
I'm not sure where the original poster, Teager fits into the mix. He seeems to have disappeared from the thread altogether.Matt
Yes, and I was *mostly* addressing BigK's concerns as a pro woodworker, not as a hobbyist.
Threads very often move beyond the original poster's questions to address points brought up by other participants. If this did not occur then these boards would be worse than useless.
Hey I love my Jet bandsaw.
I can fit a whole case of Coors light on it......
The Smithsonian pays you enough to afford better beer than that...or are you like me...quanity as opposed to quality?
Coors light sits on the Jet bandsaw, Stella Artois on the Powermatic.
Gotta case of Blue Moon sitting on an old Craftsman right now....worth more than the saw...
Boss,
Amen! I just happen to believe in spending money on solid, reliable machinery; Machinery with a good track record. While I haven't been fortunate enough to find any deals on old cast iron that one would buy by the pound there are plenty of proven newer choices available. With that Jet 18" BS I think that I fell for the store hype, and it cost me dearly in constant frustation and many ruined parts. I work with wood because that is what I want to work with. I could choose to go back and earn a living in other areas, if I could get my mind wrapped around working for someone else again. But why? There is no joy in that. Life is to short to be so miserable playing someone else's mind games. I don't know if I will be financially succesfully doing what I enjoy. But I do know that I will be a lot happier doing it. And my wife finds me a lot easier to live with now as versus before.
Apparently there are many who have trouble with an honest opinion about the true value of solid machinery. Some are content with what they have chosen. I obviously expected more. The bottom line still is that I would rather spend my time in the shop being productive then repairing tools. I have nothing against tool maintanence, it is part of keeping a shop functioning smoothly. Besides, there are always plenty of personal and shop projects that seem to be waiting for a little extra time for working on them.
Best of luck to and your shop Boss.
It's like another poster mentioned - some people frankly do not have a point of reference - or their entire points of reference are Delta, Jet, and Grizzly. That's a very, very small world indeed.
I'd love to dispel the notion of the professional craftsperson who lives a hand-to-mouth existence, cobbling together a set of tools kept running with chewing gum, spit and duct tape always running a half-step in front of a bankruptcy filing.
Edited 8/4/2006 9:47 am ET by BossCrunk
Big,
There is a difference between having an opinion and being opinionated. The former is usually expressed in a civil tongue with some consideration for the feelings of others.Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
Rennie,
You need to get a life, because if all you have to do is try to tell others how to think and communicate with the rest of the world, then I find your existence to be wanting. Much like that worthless machine that formed my bitter opinion about Jet 18" BS's. Do not waste my time, I do not appreciate anyone who tries to tell me how to think or talk. I may have been a little harsh with Forestgirl, and I have appologized to her. That being said, I do not want your lectures. Go play with someone else who may appreciate you.
BigK, As a Jet 18" owner, I'm curious what problems you had with yours. The guides under the table are a pain and I'm sure that a bigger motor would make faster work of some sawing jobs. What was so bad about your experience with the saw?Matt
Yeah, the lower guides were nearly impossible to adjust. Admittedly I have big hands, but do possess the manual dexterity to do very fine and delicate work. On that machine the lower guides and lower guide assembly had the nasty habit of coming loose at the most inopertune times. Once tension was set ( and even with an aftermarket spring that was a joke ) I was unable to adjust the blade tracking unless I used a large set of pump pliers. I had tried to clean up the threads for the tracking adjustment but they were so poorly cut that I was unable to improve on that problem. Adding tension to the blade required a great amount of upper body and hand strength. By comparison on my MiniMax 16 BS You can almost spin the tension handwheel with two fingers for the three revolutions to achieve 2500 psi tension.
While the Jet saw was still under waurantee the lower wheel axle sheared off while resawing a 6 or7" poplar board for a job. WMH was quick to send the replacement part and authorized a local shop to press on my bearings after I disassembled the machine. But when I called with questions during assembly they would leave me on hold for 20 - 30 minutes each time. When they actually got to my call the tech would answer my first question and then say " Is that all? Bye." and hang up real fast. If the first answer didn't help you out or would not work you had to call back and wait again for the same treatment. After going thru that routine several times and unable to figure out the tracking on that machine I started to fight with WMH Tool group that since they would not answer my questions how to fix the machine that perhaps they should arrange to repair the machine themselves. This fight went on for over a week. By the time that I was able to coerce them to honor their waurantee 3 1/2 weeks had passed and that job that I was working on was horribly late ( very unhappy customers). I was beyond furious at this point. Yeah the saw was working, I was not able to get WMH Tool to address the other problems with the saw, and was determined to get a machine that would perform. I put the Jet in the paper for $800 and sold it the first day.
Several days later I was able to see a MiniMax at someone's shop. My experience with that BS was polar opposite from the previous junk, and customer support is second to none. My MiniNMax 16 is an absolute pleasure to use. Even after several hundred board feet have gone thru that BS it still performs as it should. And yes, I do appreciate the extra power that the MiniMax provides. I always suspected that Jet rated 1 1/2 hp saw was comparable to a peak horsepower claim. I am trying to woodworking as a living but I still want to enjoy my work. There are enough frustations in life that one must tolerate and get through. I am unwilling to tolerate those that I can avoid, including some potential customers.
Edited 8/2/2006 12:12 pm ET by BigK
BigK... you've unfortunately run into the Taiwanese machine owners' Juggernaut.
You are wasting time convincing them they've bought junk. Most of them have never run decent equipment and, therefore, have no point of reference. They believe the sales and marketing puffery found in company tool catalogs and well-done advertisements. But all that stuff is mostly an exercise in putting lipstick on pigs.
I don't have any problem with those who admit that Taiwan is all they could afford, or that they're getting by. I can understand that. It's the unfortunate fools who own this equipment and stridently assert it's equivalency to really good machinery that get under one's skin the most. These are the same people you will find flitting from thread to thread (averaging double-digit daily posts) offering advice from their wealth of a year or so's experience building Shaker blanket chests, dog houses, and pine bookcases.
Just ignore them.
Edited 8/2/2006 3:54 pm ET by TaunTonMacoute
You are wasting time convincing them they've bought junk. Most of them have never run decent equipment and, therefore, have no point of reference. They believe the sales and marketing puffery found in company tool catalogs and well-done advertisements. But, by and large all that stuff is simply putting lipstick on pigs.
I don't have any problem with those who admit that Taiwan is all they could afford. I can understand that. It is the unfortunate fools who own this equipment, but stridently assert it's equivalency to really good machinery, that get under one's skin the most. These are the same people you will find flitting from thread to thread (averaging double-digit daily posts) offering advice from their wealth of a year or so experience building Shaker blanket chests, dog houses, and pine bookcases.
Well, see, here's a person with 3 posts lumping anyone with non-decent equipment [just which are decent btw?] into a category of people who are ignorant, easily misled, wanting to mislead others, inexperienced and cheap in their purchasing decisions to boot.
So what exactly do you consider my decision to purchase an admittedly inferior saw to many others, such as the Jet 18" several years ago?
Are there better saws on the market? Assuredly so. Pick a model within a brand, it may be able to be topped by another model or brand. So? Many of the tools I own are top-shelf tools. Some are not. It's just a decision of where and how to spend one's own money.
For many people, the Rikons and Jets and Deltas are quite servicable and have not had the issues such as Big's. Including myself. I don't even find the lower guides to be an issue. Could the design be better? Yep, it could. Could the frame be stronger? Yep, that too. Does the saw work well for me? Yeppers. Could I have afforded a better saw? Yep. Do I have more than one year's experience? Well, yes to that too.
Take care, MikeI owe, I owe, so back to work I go...
Is the majority of your bandsaw work processing stock for saw handles?
Since a year ago, yes, other than the odd piece of furniture I have made. Prior to that, I had a cabinet shop with two of my sons working with me.
But there really isn't much difference. For instance, resawing a $200 2" thick Cocobolo board 40" in length in two in order to get two handles every 7" of length which need to finish off 1/16" thinner than what is left after resawing still requires a small amount of precision.
But I have resawn countless feet of veneer with that saw, precision cut tenons and even larger scale dovetails. It isn't always the tool which is an issue. Sometimes it is the person using it, but in the case of a BS, mostly a good blade and set up goes a long way to making the BS--any BS--a decent tool to use.
Take care, Mike
Why did the cabinet operation close?
Decisions are often complex in the sense there are usually multiple reasons, as is the case here. In part my potential customer base wanted custom pieces for unreasonably cheap. In part because much of the work was via repeat customers--good on the one hand, but eventually the houses are full of cabinetry. A large part was due to severe health issues and dealing with the aftermath.
Further health issues surfaced beginning in 2004, and so I closed down the shop. About December of 2005 I officially opened the doors and it has allowed my boys to return to work: life is good.
Shamless plug here...the current issue of Fine Tool Journal has an article written by Chris Schwarz about us and the remaking of the Kenyon saws as found in the Benjamin Seaton chest.
Take care, Mikewho is still using the Jet everyday...
Mike,
You are one of those rare gentlemen possessing unbounded and unfettered grace. My hat is off to you.Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
I'll second the salute to Mike, who stayed polite and on point while increasingly surrounded by self-important vitriol. The topic was getting Teager's saw to do a 6" resaw in softwood. Teager, tell us you got it done!Pete
You are much too kind--wait til you get to know me better--Hah! [using my best attempt at impersonating Richard <g>.]
Take care, Mike
Mike, just practice being not too polite, and being an opinionated grumpy old barsteward to boot, and you'll just about have it right. Slainte.Richard Jones Furniture
I assume that you wouldn't have a problem with somebody that determined they wanted to move a step or two beyond the Jet unit, regardless of whether they COULD make the Jet work in a commercial environment.
If so, then you are clearly not one of those for whom my post (which I stand by) was meant.
I have used a Jet bandsaw in a commercial environment, the purchase decision was not mine, and I found the saw terribly lacking as did others.
Edited 8/2/2006 3:43 pm ET by TaunTonMacoute
No, of course not. Nor would I have a problem with someone purchasing an even lesser saw. I have seen old iron, new European, and everything between set up so improperly that none of them worked. No matter the case, I would still endeavor to help them make the best of their purchase if I was able to.
I probably wouldn't trash their choice. All that does serve to enable people to choose to be defensive and may not hear advice which is beneficial, albeit perhaps burried in the trashing.
I would need to reread the thread--but I am almost finished doing some sourcing of materials and need to get back out to the shop--but I don't recall reading the types of responses you were categorizing, even mixed with the personal affronts given and taken. But hey, I worked until 3 am this morning and was back at it at 7 am so I could have misread some posts.
Take care, Mike
BigK, Ahhh, customer service, when you need it, it can leave a lasting impression. Amazing how much difference someone who is reasonably knowledgable, or even just polite and helpful, can make.
I've never had a blade tracking problem on my particular saw but the tensioning can be a bit of a workout. Lower blade guides are admittedly bad but my saw is a few models ago, hopefully they've made some major improvements there. If I was doing WWing for a living and had to make frequent blade/guide changes, I could see where that would get old quick.
As far as part failures, none so far but the saw does not see production use. Thanks for sharing your experience.Matt
My saw was just starting to see production use, not a lot of board feet on it yet. But that is how it goes. I wish you the best of luck with your tool.
You're reading too much into my reply. There was no lecture or instruction on how to think or communicate, just an observation. An observation for which you continue to offer proof.
I'm actually very sorry that you had such a bitter experience with Jet.Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
Let's see. In message 30956.12 you trivialized my opinion. Then you went on to say " lets just say your vocabulary needs a little expansion". In message 30956.19 there was more criticsm and trivialization of my opinions. I do not recall signing up for a communications class with you. With that in mind, who in the hell are you to treat me this way? When you have had my experience with the subject matter then you will be qualified to form your own opinions and to comment upon the validity of my opinions. Until then I stand by what I said before. Go play with someone else. If you don't like what I am saying or don't appreciate how I am saying it, I suggest that you don't read my postings.
You seem very angry.
Suffice it to say we will not be able to see eye-to-eye on this and let's let it drop. I hope that in some future thread we will be able to agree and overcome this rocky start.Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
"You were out of line young lady." Well, first off, thanks for using the word "young" -- that feels good!
Not quite sure why some of your anger isn't being directed at Pete, since it was his statement I was seconding. Water under the bridge at this point. Fact is, Teager (the OP of this whole thing) has confused things by posting his thread twice. If you've had time to look at the links posted above, you're caught up in that respect. Alot of assuming going on in that thread, so its usefulness is limited.
I have no opinion, one way or the other, re: the Jet bandsaws. Methinks your opinion will be received more graciously if it contains less global slamming and more details specifically relevant to the topic at hand, whatever that may be. This whole thread (actually 2) has been a mess anyway, mostly because Teager never did (still hasn't, despite our requests) give us specific info on what kind of "symptoms" his cuts were showing to lead him to believe he needs a bigger motor (guffaw, guffaw).
Take care.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG,
I probably came down on you a little to hard. For that I will apologize to you. I also rapped on Pete with plenty of sarcasm.
The Jet 18" that I had the displeaser(?) to own was a total piece of stuff and nothing but frustating to work with. I should probably thank the people at WMH Tool Group. Their garbage is what caused me to buy what I consider to be a real bandsaw ( by comparison).
Pete, go read message 30956.7. My opinion is based on bitter experience with an inferior machine, and made that much more sour by a corporation that did not care. Does buying a better machine automatically instill in me the magic knowledge of how to tuneup and use a bandsaw properly? The facts are that I have used several different bandsaws before that particular piece of garbage. That was not my first time at the dance. I am doing nothing different on my "superior" machine from when I tried to work with the Jet 18"; even using the same blade (Lenox Tri-master 3-4 CT). Yet somehow my resawed work is vastly superior now compared to before. Gee, it must be magic. Do not ridicule what you do not know. If you, or Forestgirl for that matter, want to read my list of complaints, just ask me. But be prepared for a dissertation.
This post is hysterically funny! Sheesh. Go read the other thread. The OP is trying to resaw 6" pine, for pity sake. Problem is, he's using the wrong blade. The fact that it's a Jet saw has nothing to do with anything. My old Grizzly 1019Z 14" saw can resaw 6" pine til the cows come home.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I always wondered where the cows actually go. Then, I found out. I saw a herd picketing at a grocery store.If you make a cow laugh, does milk come out of its nose?
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Teager,
It seems to me that you have made up your mind to buy a bigger motor. Based on your description of your problem from your other post, it doesn't seem that power is your problem.
I own a Jet 18" bandsaw and while I wouldn't say that's its the 'ideal saw', it certainly is basically competant to do what I want including resawing woods like Paduak and hard maple (with a Wood Slicer blade from Highland Woodworking).
If you can't resaw 6" pine with your saw, it is either defective, set up wrong, poor blade choice or bad technique. Simply put, the 1 1/2 horse motor is more than powerful enough to do that partcular job.
However, it seems that you've concluded that the saw is inadequate. I wouldn't swap out motors. You'll likely never be satisfied with the saw. Sell it for what you can get and move on to another saw. If you're going to stick with your current saw, I would start by getting a new blade, tuning the saw and consider adding a taller auxiliary fence for resawing.
I think Knots collective wisdom in response to your posts can be summed up as one of two alternatives: 1) It's not the motor, it's most likely the blade (to which I add set-up, technique or possible defect as well as adding a taller fence) or 2) the Jet 18" saw simply sucks and is basically incompetant to do any real bandsaw work, get a new saw.
I'm a proponent of the former theory while I recognize that the saw is not 'top-of-the-line'. The biggest pain in the backside is setting up the blades guides under the table. I'm not aware of any particular higher power motor that can be swapped out for the original. I'm sure the Laguana and Mini-Max saws are better saws but I don't think they're necessary for what your trying to do or that they're necessarily worth the extra scratch.
Matt
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