Made in the USA?

[Dave Lehnert]

This is an interesting read on the new Delta Unisaw.

http://blogs.popularwoodworking.com/editorsblog/Unisaw+Made+In+The+USA.aspx

[Dewey Torres]

Very interesting and Glenn Huey is a source I trust.

Now... are you (collective you out there) willing to shell out $2800 for it?

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

man, 2800 will be a chunk of change for those in the market. My uni was 2k a few years back, but it was well worth it IMO.

If i were looking to spend that, i'd probably have to consider something European as well...

[Peter Quinn]

Definitely a consideration if my PM66 ever dies!:D So no, probably not. By its looks it is a top flight professional cabinet saw with some interesting new features, and as such is in line with similar offerings in the market.

Of course there may be no point to buy tools made to last a lifetime from a company that chooses not to support them a decade or so later. I hope old Uni owners can still get parts from Delta once the new machine rolls out.

[Bruce Page]

Of course there may be no point to buy tools made to last a lifetime from a company that chooses not to support them a decade or so later. I hope old Uni owners can still get parts from Delta once the new machine rolls out.

Peter, as you probably know, PM no longer makes the 66. Are you worried about parts availability?

[jeff begin]

It's kinda depressing to see more and more top-notch tools getting made in China (I was talking last week to someone about how both Cresent and Vicegrips wrenches went to the dark side just last year). However, I'd prefer they save money on the labor costs rather than the tooling or material costs, if a choice has to be made. Making tools in the US out of second-rate steel would be worse.

I also think that this is just a trend and more (though not all) manufacturing will be coming back to the US within the next 20 years. Once the economy recovers, energy costs will begin to rise again. It just won't be feasable much longer to ship iron ore from Brazil to be smelted in India, and then onto China to be made into products destined for the US.

[Ben West]

Assuming it gets good reviews in the next year or so, this will probably be the saw I eventually purchase. Its USA pedigree and riving knife adjustments are awfully attractive to me.

[Chris Brault]

I second that,, I'd like that to be the main piece of iron in my shop!! I have to wait a few years though.

[James Manning]

Already making plans to add it to my shop......:D

[Brian Peters]

It's an impressive well built saw no doubt but at that price I would just as quickly buy a sawstop instead.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

It's about time Delta modernized the Unisaw. They've sat on an outdated design for far too long, especially for a company that was once a leader of innovation to the industry. However, with the economy they way it is now, there may be a terrible struggle ahead of them to market a $3K saw these days.

I do hope they succeed.

-Jeff :)

[Paul Steiner]

I wonder how many people will choose it over another saw because it is one of the last made in the USA? Personally I want all American made machines if possible but that means I will be buying used machines.
If I needed a new saw I would get the UNI.

[Rod Sheridan]

I'm not American, however I was very pleased to see that they are making a consumer product in the USA again.

I read a couple of articles about the new saw, and it seems to have some very user friendly features that should be popular.

I have to admit though, I think they squandered this opportunity to produce something with better versatility and performance than a cabinet saw.

I would have liked to see them produce a Euro type sliding saw, with, for sake of argument, the ability to cross cut a sheet of plywood.

Nothing as large as a full slider, just something that could cross cut sheet goods, and straight line rip solid wood up to 48" long.

I think something like that would have been very attractive for hobby users and one man shops.

Still it's great to see something made in North America again.......Regards, Rod.

[David Keller NC]

It'll be intersting to see if Delta can compete with SawStop in the professional market with this new saw. Professional meaning small cabinet shop - I'd imagine the larger ones are going to have a Felder or Format sliding saw, or a CNC overhead router.

I've been told that at least some insurance companies are now giving shops discounts for having a SawStop, and at the price Delta wants for the new Uni, the differential's not nearly as large as it was with the older model.

[Vic Damone]

Am I missing something? Aside from a new lOOk what new innovation is Delta offering here?

[Mike Henderson]

Am I missing something? Aside from a new lOOk what new innovation is Delta offering here?
My guess is that they had to redesign the unit to include a riving knife, which is starting to be required on table saws.

Mike

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

It'll be intersting to see if Delta can compete with SawStop in the professional market with this new saw. Professional meaning small cabinet shop - I'd imagine the larger ones are going to have a Felder or Format sliding saw, or a CNC overhead router.

I've been told that at least some insurance companies are now giving shops discounts for having a SawStop, and at the price Delta wants for the new Uni, the differential's not nearly as large as it was with the older model.

A buddy of mine who runs a small cabinet shop operation bought a 5HP Uni a couple years ago, he wishes he had spent the extra coin for the saw stop since he had an employee and it would have mitigated a lot of risk.

However, my point to him then and still remains: Yeah, the sawstop is safer, but you've got a bandsaw, Felder sliding saw and shaper, and a ton of other high powered spinning sharp objects, what difference is 1 safe saw going to make.

I know, I know...it just takes one careless moment.

Personally i think the sawstop is fantastic technology, just not something worth paying extra for IMO. I'd still rather buy a better saw.

It all comes down to be safe and not stupid.

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

My guess is that they had to redesign the unit to include a riving knife, which is starting to be required on table saws.

Mike


Aren't the tilt and blade height wheels both on the front of the cabinet now? Handy, maybe not really innovative per se.

[Brian Peters]

A buddy of mine who runs a small cabinet shop operation bought a 5HP Uni a couple years ago, he wishes he had spent the extra coin for the saw stop since he had an employee and it would have mitigated a lot of risk.

However, my point to him then and still remains: Yeah, the sawstop is safer, but you've got a bandsaw, Felder sliding saw and shaper, and a ton of other high powered spinning sharp objects, what difference is 1 safe saw going to make.

I know, I know...it just takes one careless moment.

Personally i think the sawstop is fantastic technology, just not something worth paying extra for IMO. I'd still rather buy a better saw.

It all comes down to be safe and not stupid.

That's what they all say. I've had so many close calls early on now I have learned. I've nearly hurt myself with push sticks, etc its a dangerous saw no matter what. The sawstop just makes sense. And if you value "a better saw" over safety that's stupid. Not to mention I think the sawstop is neck and neck with the top equivalent saws on the market like deltas and powermatics; I've used a variety of them. Great dust collection, awesome motor cuts very straight, well manufactored. As far as the other machines are concerned its all relative; if you are using a shaper you should be using a feeder and if you're using a bandsaw you should be using a blade guard as low as possible.

[Vic Damone]

It all comes down to be safe and not stupid.

You might want to have your buddy consult his business insurance carrier. Some insurers offer substantial premium reduction with a SawStop in place of the Uni.

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

You might want to have your buddy consult his business insurance carrier. Some insurers offer substantial premium reduction with a SawStop in place of the Uni.


Yep, he did and that's part of his buyer's remorse. He thought about it after the fact. :) Win some, lose some. Fortunately, the premium savings wasn't worth crying about and he is still very happy with the Unisaw in every other capacity.

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

...its a dangerous saw no matter what...

Dang straight, it is - so let's all keep our head on when using it.


The sawstop just makes sense. And if you value "a better saw" over safety that's stupid.

I guess I still disagree here. I put an extremely high value on safety. Volvo's are probably one of the safest vehicles available, yet you won't ever find me driving one (no offense to volvo drivers out there! :) )...my pickup truck is a "better vehicle" for me.

I'm an avid sport-bike rider too, so I realize my choices in life are not warm, fuzzy and safe. Instead I rely on my own skills and intuition to get me through, plus a lot of faith in the Almighty, I think that helps too. Yet I fully understand I can't control all circumstances and statistically will make a mistake sooner or later.

I guess I just see it from a different perspective.

[Dewey Torres]

I know sawstop inventors already tried this but really I think it is a matter of time before the sawstop type brake is required on all saws similar to the mandate for the riving knife. Just wait and see.

[Mike Henderson]

Dang straight, it is - so let's all keep our head on when using it.



I guess I still disagree here. I put an extremely high value on safety. Volvo's are probably one of the safest vehicles available, yet you won't ever find me driving one (no offense to volvo drivers out there! :) )...my pickup truck is a "better vehicle" for me.

I'm an avid sport-bike rider too, so I realize my choices in life are not warm, fuzzy and safe. Instead I rely on my own skills and intuition to get me through, plus a lot of faith in the Almighty, I think that helps too. Yet I fully understand I can't control all circumstances and statistically will make a mistake sooner or later.

I guess I just see it from a different perspective.
And certainly if you're the only user of the saw, you have the right to use any saw you want, and to cut your hand off if you want. But if you have employees who use the saw, you do not have the right to skimp on safety. It's tough to argue that a Sawstop is not safer than other non-slider table saws.

I can imagine the lawyer asking you questions right now:

"Mr. Morgan, you were aware that there was a saw that would prevent the injury to my client, your employee, and yet you chose to purchase a cheaper, dangerous saw. Is that correct?"

And while fear of a suit should be part of the incentive, ordinary human concern for the safety of others should be the major incentive. How will you live with yourself if your employee is permanently disabled because you tried to save $1,000?

Mike

[Drew Eckhardt]

Very interesting and Glenn Huey is a source I trust.

Now... are you (collective you out there) willing to shell out $2800 for it?

No. I'm going to buy an old one for under $1000 (not even $500 if I get lucky on timing) off craigslist that will work just as well for me as it did for its previous owners and stick the difference in a CD for the next time the company I work for goes out of business or out sources the employees.

[JohnMorgan of Lititz]

And certainly if you're the only user of the saw, you have the right to use any saw you want, and to cut your hand off if you want. But if you have employees who use the saw, you do not have the right to skimp on safety. It's tough to argue that a Sawstop is not safer than other non-slider table saws.

I can imagine the lawyer asking you questions right now:

"Mr. Morgan, you were aware that there was a saw that would prevent the injury to my client, your employee, and yet you chose to purchase a cheaper, dangerous saw. Is that correct?"

And while fear of a suit should be part of the incentive, ordinary human concern for the safety of others should be the major incentive. How will you live with yourself if your employee is permanently disabled because you tried to save $1,000?

Mike


You're 100% correct. That's exactly why my friend should have bought one. Unfortunately, the difference in price was too much to consider at the time...yeah, we can all argue that should be the last thing to consider, but when you are scraping by and trying to build a business and you are a one man show trying to keep things going, every penny counts.

In any event, I am not arguing this from a business standpoint - I'm a hobbyist. A business HAS to look at safety first - for the simple reasons you mentioned: liability is HUGE.

[Ben West]

The sawstop is a fabulous saw, obviously, and I may still get it over the Delta. It almost certainly will be between those two. And, maybe the PM 2000. And, of course there are those new Grizzly machines with riving knives. Or perhaps a slider. I digress...

Regarding safety, the saw brake is a big deal, but I think the riving knife is even more important. At least a couple of magazine articles I've read have agreed that a good riving knife is the most important piece of safety equipment on a saw. So, while the Delta doesn't have a brake, it has a fantastic riving knife system, and that makes it a "safe" saw in my book.

If one is really interested in safety, they shouldn't get an American cabinet style at all, but rather a slider. But, at some point, the analysis of cost/risk of injury has to come into play. For me, the Delta comes in as pretty attractive as it's $1000 or more less than the SS, but still has a significant upgrade in its safety system via the riving knife.

As for innovations in the new uni, what caught my eye was one of the videos I found online where they demonstrated the riving knife. The system Delta developed to remove and adjust the riving knife is fantastic, and is better than any other saw on the market, IMO. FWW said the same thing in their recent review of riving knife systems.

[Larry Edgerton]

Is the 2800 price what it will actually sell for or the suggested list?