What Table Saw To Buy?

[kmmcrafts]

I'm looking to buy a table saw possibly... and since I really don't have a lot of experience with a table saw was looking for tips on what I should get.. any certain brands to look for or look out for, LOL..  One of the local tool suppliers carries Saw Stop ? or something like that brands... Not looking for a small portable saw like I have.. looking for something with some quality.. Oh.. would rather buy local and not have something shipped.. as semis won't come down my road for freight orders, Found that out the hard way with my Grizzly band saw, LOL Shoulda seen me trying to fit that into my trunk out at the main road..  

[JAC1961]

I've had a Delta unisaw for over 20 years and have been very happy with it. Happily cuts anything I can push thru it. If you're patient, you can come across deals on good used ones. If I were ever going to replace it, it would be with a sawstop just for the safety factor.

Best of luck with your search.

[Oldmansbike]

I have a Jet contractor saw bought it new in 1999. It's had a lot of use and I've had no problems with it. I wish I had bought the bigger fence though sometimes 30 inches is not enough.

[Roberta Moreton]

I have the SawStop jobsite saw. I get quality cuts. It is not large and can be mobile. I also have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. My contractor saw scared me. I would get kickback. Now I have better control because it is a bit smaller. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Oh Kevin that is a big investment if you are thinking full size floor model saw. A couple things you have to ask yourself. How large of a saw do I want and have the space for. Do you want a cabinet saw or contractors saw or hybrid. Is the safety feature all that important to you to add about $500 to price tag> You are looking at $2000 to $3000 for a Sawstop saw. The cartridges and replacement of blades could get expensive if you keep firing that safety feature. There are work arounds it and the idea of not getting cut is a huge factor. I can break down saws for you in detail if you like. The top 3 saws on the market are Sawstop, Delta, Powermatic if you are talking full size. 

[Mark1]

I just bought my son a Sawstop Contractors saw for graduation.  There were a few options that really made this saw great.

I upgraded to the 36" extension table with the T-glide fence.  (The T-glide fence is the only way to go.  If you look at them

and compare, you'll see right away.)  I also upgraded to cast iron extension wings.  (This adds mass to the saw making it

act like the Professional Cabinet saw.)  We also added the Sawstop Mobile base.  (There are cheaper mobile bases out

there, but the Sawstop picks the saw up squarely so the legs on the extension table don't drag.)

 

I bought locally so there were no shipping charges.  Delivery was easy, the nice young man carried it right into my garage.

He had a lift gate on the truck.  I was done at $2300 and change tax included.  I thought the price high but the quality was there.

Mark

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

57 minutes ago, Roberta Moreton said:

I have the SawStop jobsite saw. I get quality cuts. It is not large and can be mobile. I also have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs. My contractor saw scared me. I would get kickback. Now I have better control because it is a bit smaller. 

You can get kickback on any saw. Sawstop will not prevent it. Many things come into play when talking kickback. Fence, runout of arbor, blade, feed position and so on. 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Oh Kevin that is a big investment if you are thinking full size floor model saw. A couple things you have to ask yourself. How large of a saw do I want and have the space for. Do you want a cabinet saw or contractors saw or hybrid. Is the safety feature all that important to you to add about $500 to price tag> You are looking at $2000 to $3000 for a Sawstop saw. The cartridges and replacement of blades could get expensive if you keep firing that safety feature. There are work arounds it and the idea of not getting cut is a huge factor. I can break down saws for you in detail if you like. The top 3 saws on the market are Sawstop, Delta, Powermatic if you are talking full size. 

Space isn't a huge problem... I have a two car type floor space for the lower section of my shop.. BUT.. that said I really want to try to keep one bay open for the ease of just being able to pull a car in if it needs repairs.. without having to move my whole shop out of the way to do so, LOL.. right now I am using about a half of the one bay.. and if I sell off a few un-needed scroll saws I'd have a lot more room..

Money isn't going to be a huge problem either.. but I do want to be realistic to.. I'm not looking for a huge saw to take up the rest of my shop space.. Really just wanting a GOOD saw where I can do rip cuts for a nice smooth edge for doing glue ups.. 

The cheap saw I'm using now has way too much run-out and using a good thin kerf blade gets hot and is burning the edges.. so I only run one board through with my new feud blade and I took the blade off.. not wanting to ruin the blade or anymore wood, LOL... 

Edited November 12, 2018 by kmmcrafts

[tomsteve]

its reading like a contractor saw is what you may be interested in. even if you went cabinet saw you could put it on a mobile base to move it when necessary.

i cant give much advise on which brand to lok at as mine is a circa early 2000's delta 36-441  contractor saw. if you could find one new in box id say go for it. but i doubt thats happening as i got mine on clearance about 2006.

one thing i would suggest is a belt drive over direct drive.

and take a roadtrip to johnsons workbench. it looks like they have quite a showroom and carry jet,rikon,delta, powermatic and SS. unisaws and  PM 66's are in lots of shops.

which i just canceled out the contractor saw there.

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by tomsteve

[Bill WIlson]

Factors to consider, beyond budget and the Sawstop safety feature, which are discussions unto themselves.

Dust collection - The open stands on contractor saws don't lend themselves well to good dust collection.

Riving knife - The riving knife is an important safety feature.  It one doesn't want to go full Monty with the SawStop, then one should at least get a saw with a riving knife.

left or right tilt blade - This is mostly a product of personal tastes and/or what one is already accustomed to.

120V or 220V - Larger saws with larger motors have more power, but often require, or at least work best, with 220V power.  If you need to add a circuit, figure that into the overall costs.

table size/fence rail length/footprint - You mention that size isn't really an issue, but if you don't necessarily need 52" rip capacity, then no point in getting the longest rails available.  Also, cabinet/hybrid saws have the motor contained within the enclosure, while contractor saws have it hanging out the back.  If you want to have an outfeed table, it's a little easier with a cabinet/hybrid saw.

 

 

 

 

[Sycamore67]

I have the Sawstop PCS and it is a high quality cabinet saw.  I had another cabinet saw but decided with the wife that the safety features were worth it as I get older.  When I was thinking of getting one I had a discussion with my wife and explained the cost and safety features.  She quickly responded. "How soon can you get one?"

Many will tell you that if you stay alert and follow all safety stuff you do not need it....No! It only takes a second of not paying attention.

I want the extra safety of the saw.  I have been using a table saw over 40 years and never an accident but I still felt like it was a good investment.  Yes, not cheap but worth it to me.

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, tomsteve said:

its reading like a contractor saw is what you may be interested in. even if you went cabinet saw you could put it on a mobile base to move it when necessary.

i cant give much advise on which brand to lok at as mine is a circa early 2000's delta 36-441  contractor saw. if you could find one new in box id say go for it. but i doubt thats happening as i got mine on clearance about 2006.

one thing i would suggest is a belt drive over direct drive.

and take a roadtrip to johnsons workbench. it looks like they have quite a showroom and carry jet,rikon,delta, powermatic and SS. unisaws and  PM 66's are in lots of shops.

which i just canceled out the contractor saw there.

 

I go to Johnson's a couple times a month.. my go to store for BBply and other assorted things.. which is the store I mentioned carries the Saw Stop brand.. and well... others too.. but for table saws.. they pretty much only have the saw stop brand on the show room floor... I was at Lowes a while back and they have a really nice looking Delta saw.. not sure what it is since I really don't know much about these saws.. never really knew the difference between a cabinet or contractor saw.. but certainly not the entry level tradesman saw I'm currently using, LOL.. I don't use a table saw a lot... but some of the reason is because I'm limited on what my saw can do too... Looking to do some cutting boards and other types of woodwork besides just scroll sawing... my knowledge of other woodwork is limited.. I doubt I could build a square box and have it really be square, LOL at least with the tools I currently use..   

[OCtoolguy]

My personal input here....I had a Delta Unisaw 20 years ago. I loved it. My only problem was space. I wasn't able to have a good outfeed table so that was a problem. I did put in a dedicated 220 volt circuit for my saw and a small air compressor. I absolutely loved the enclosed base. The motor was not in the way at all. I installed a dust collection on it so dust was not a factor. When I bought the saw, I also bought the Unifence system with it. In looking back I wish I had bought the Biesemeyer fence instead. Mainly because of all the ways that accessories and clamps can be used with it. If I was to do it again, I'd probably look around for a good used Unisaw. I wouldn't buy a new one simply because I have lost confidence in Delta as an equipment mfgr. They are just not the same company that they once were. There are many used saws around. Just do your homework and check them out for excessive wear. Make sure the belts are in good shape and always replace them as a set. 

[Mark1]

Try running your blade higher in the cut.  I was always taught to run the blade about 3/8" above the work as a safety

factor.  Now I'm running the blade at least 1 1/4 "  above the work.  I find the blade runs cooler.  There are safety 

considerations, maybe this isn't for you.

Using a riving knife to reduce kickback has been mentioned.  It will reduce the incidence of kickback but not eliminate it.

Good idea to have one.

 

Mark

 

[tomsteve]

3 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I go to Johnson's a couple times a month.. my go to store for BBply and other assorted things.. which is the store I mentioned carries the Saw Stop brand.. and well... others too.. but for table saws.. they pretty much only have the saw stop brand on the show room floor...  

welp, then ya gotta head further north to the tool haus in gladwin.   i loved the tool selection they had there. 

i believe the saw you refer to at lowes is a direct drive. iffen ya go on the lowes website( or even home depot and menards) they have a greater variety of table saws from a few different manufacturers.

if i had to replace my saw today  and money wasnt a problem, i  think i would go with a powermatic. 

[rjweb]

I have a Sawstop PCs 3hp, over kill, but love it, a well built machine even if it didn’t have the safety feature I would buy it again, but I do a lot of other stuff besides scrolling, so it comes in handy for me, and now I am going to start making boxes. With a good alignment on my saw everything comes out square, keep us posted on what you decided, RJ 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Kevin I am not even going to weigh in here because this becomes a matter of choice. But Bill Wilson gave a lot of good pointers to consider when buying. I will add a cabinet saw and hybrid are easier to collect dust from because they are enclosed fully. They are easier to adjust the miter slots to the blade because the table top moves to do this as opposed to a contractor saw where you move the trunions. I will say stay away from any saw that has the open grilled type extension wings. Pain in the butt and could be dangerous. A hybrid is a combination of cabinet and contractor. Many people make their own outfeed tables to accommodate their work space. I have a Delta contractor saw and love it and it has been my work horse for over 35 years. Of the top 3 the sawstop is the new kid on the block. Powermatic and delta have changed hands over the years. If the tool is well maintained it should last a life time. Cabinet saws will have a larger motor on it because they are designed for heavier work loads but a contractor saw will do well also. Good luck.

[ScollSaw Slasher]

I would have to agree with the Clockman that the old Delta contractor saw has been a beast for me over the past 25 years cutting so many melamine sheets I don't even want to think about. As with many Delta parts though, just about impossible to find. So scratch a used Delta contractor. Yes, safety features are important. But the greatest safety feature (and this goes for all tools basically) is a razor sharp blade, especially on a table saw whether contractor, Hybrid, or cabinet. Good luck in your search.

[ScollSaw Slasher]

One more thing. Get a belt driven, not a direct drive which are basically toys in the realm of table saws in my way of thinking.

Blake

[tgiro]

Any man, whose wife has seen the Sawstop Demo, owns a Sawstop. I understand insurance companies smile when shops install Sawstops. If you're unsure of the reason, go to Youtube and do a search on Sawstop.

BUT - add $700 - $1000 to the price of a table saw for the safety feature.

Having said all that - When my Shopsmith died, a couple years ago. I was going to buy a Rigid 4512 saw at the HD. My wife had seen the Sawstop demo and made the decision about brand, if I wanted to sleep with her at night. My other hobby is segmented bowls. I have to be able to align the saw table to the blade within a few thousandths of an inch. I, also, have a small shop, so it was going to be the contractor saw. I downloaded the manual for the saw and found no way to align the table/blade.

I gave Sawstop a call and talked with one of their techs. He said they align the tabe, at the factory, to close tolerances, and would rather not have people re-aligning the table. When I explained how I use the saw for my segment cutting, and that I have been aligning tables for some time, he emailed me a PDF on how to align the table. So, I went to Woodcraft and got the contractor saw.

Out of the box - the table/blade alignment was 5 thousandths of an inch. When I aligned the table on the Shopsmith, I was lucky to get within 15 thousandths. One Delta I had re-aligned gave me 7 thousandths. Last year, I checked alignment and it was 6 thousandths. Last month I was showing a nephew the saw and it was 5 thousandths.

I have worked with Sawstop techs on a couple of small issues and have had excellent service. I know a few folks who have bought the newer jobsite saw and they really like them. SSWC did a very positive review on the Jobsite saw.

[jbrowning]

I bought a Kobalt 10-in Carbide-tipped 15-Amp Table Saw from Lowes a year or two ago and have been really happy with it.

[kmmcrafts]

I was pretty set on a SawStop before I even posted here.. but wanted to review what others had to say.. A sales person will tell you the saw they carry is the best you can get.. so I wanted to see what you all might say before I talk to the sales people...  I've looked at reviews on a lot of different saws and brands.. The added $700-1000 for safety is most likely cheaper than a ER bill and I'd most likely be able to keep my fingers LOL ... Though that feature isn't what is making the decision.. Part of it is they seem to be the closest dealer to higher end saws. and the reviews have all been good that I've seen..  

[Woodmaster1]

I have a Delta unisaw 5hp great saw and wouldn't trade it. I use a sawstop at the woodworking club shop and like it. If you can afford it get the sawstop you will be happy. I think Johnson's Workbench would be your best bet, wait till they some offer to go with your purchase. Good luck on your decision. 

[Bill WIlson]

I can't really comment on the SawStop from any personal experience.  I have read a lot of reviews and comments on other WW'ing forums.  I've never heard one person complain about any functional aspect of the saw.  They seem to be well built and on par or above, compared to other premium cabinet saws like Delta, Powermatic and Jet, etc.  And this is without factoring in the safety feature.   If I had the $$ and were in the market for a premium saw, I would definitely put the SawStop at the top of my list.

Good luck with the decision.  We'll all be anxiously awaiting the outcome and then a review of the saw you end up with.

[tomsteve]

3 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

 A sales person will tell you the saw they carry is the best you can get...  

a saleman will say the pile of poop he's selling is the best you can get so he gets the commission.

 

not sayin they arent a good saw. ive seen the cabinet saw with all the bells and whistles attached at the local rockler and was quite impressed.

Edited November 13, 2018 by tomsteve