Sawstop Country of origin.

[Frank Eppler]

Getting ready to buy a new table saw and was wondering where the various brands are made. Like Delta, Powermatic, and Sawstop. I try to buy Made In USA when possible. For what it's worth, I am looking hard at the Sawstop.

Thanks, Frank

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Those are the 3 top rated saws. Yes, there are "better" but those are commonly regarded as the top 3. I think the SS is mostly made in the US. Jet bought PM, so now they're WMH(?) group. Someone bought Delta/PC I believe. You won't be unhappy with any of them.

[Frank Hagan]

I think Sawstop is made in China, to their specifications. It seems to be a quality product.

The new Delta Unisaw is made in America ... see http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/First_Photos_of_the_New_Delta_Unisaw/. I don't know if all the castings, etc. are American made or not. But they are able to claim the "Made in USA" label because of its assembling in Jackson, TN. The link in the article to what the term "Made in the USA" means is incorrect; the most recent FTC memo I could find on it is at http://www.ftc.gov/os/1999/04/musareport.htm. Basically, all major components must be made and assembled in the USA, although they let things like knobs, screws, etc. pass through without the origin known.

The Unisaw is the only one I know of that is made in the USA (or Canada). Maybe there are others.

[Ron Knapp]

Delta is made is US, Sawstop is mostly made in Taiwan( I think the electronics are made in US but I am not 100% sure). Powermatic is either Taiwan or China

[Frank Trinkle]

Sawstop is made in Taiwan... NOT mainland China. The factory is a ISO9001 factory and Sawstop has QC personnel onsite.

The difference between mainland Chinese factories and the Taiwanese is the everything FITS from Taiwan factories!:D

[Richard M. Wolfe]

On the Delta Unisaw I looked at the other day the tag said, 'assembled in the United States'. Parts come from a variety of places.

[Rod Sheridan]

General machines are made in Canada.......regards, Rod.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Sawstop is made in Taiwan? I assumed it was made here. Interesting..... I didn't know that. My bad. I thought only the motor came from there. It IS a really good saw, but many think it a gimmicky saw, and not a "quality" saw. If you do get one, you'll be happy. Even if the money goes overseas. I guess you'll be "stuck" with the Uni. Which you'll be happy with also.

Is your question where the money goes, or where the saw is built? A LOT of parts come from Taiwan. Whether the saw is built there or not.

[Alex Shanku]

On the Delta Unisaw I looked at the other day the tag said, 'assembled in the United States'. Parts come from a variety of places.


From what I have read, the only things NOT verified to be made in the USA are the motor cover, the motor starter and the hardware.

[Jon Amsden]

Go General!

[Matt Armstrong]

Let's say we have two ways to make Sawstops. One involves mining the metal, casting it, pouring it, and assembling it. The other involves planting Sawstop seeds in the ground, waiting for them to grow into corn-looking things, then putting them on a ship to China, which then returns with the saws, already complete.

:)

[Frank Hagan]

Sawstop is made in Taiwan... NOT mainland China. The factory is a ISO9001 factory and Sawstop has QC personnel onsite.

The difference between mainland Chinese factories and the Taiwanese is the everything FITS from Taiwan factories!:D

They certainly look nice ... my local Woodcraft has them, and they look the equal of a Unisaw to me (that's probably blasphemy to Uni fans!)

I have a lowly Jet contractor saw. For as often as I get into the shop, an expensive upgrade to a SS or Uni is out of the question.

[Stephen Edwards]

Just because something is made overseas doesn't mean that a lot of the money doesn't stay here.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Let's say we have two ways to make Sawstops. One involves mining the metal, casting it, pouring it, and assembling it. The other involves planting Sawstop seeds in the ground, waiting for them to grow into corn-looking things, then putting them on a ship to China, which then returns with the saws, already complete.

:)

Ha! That's good, Matt.

I'd take up gardening if they made Sawstop seeds that grew Sawstops, instead of corn-looking things :)

[Cody Colston]

To my knowledge, Delta and General are the only table saws made in North America...General in Canada and Delta in the USA.

Sawstop, like most of the other brands are made offshore..either Taiwan or China, usually because of the cheap labor and absence of the regulations that drove much of our manufacturing out of the country.

As for the quality, the place of manufacture matters little...Taiwan or Mainland China. It's the specifications that largely determine the finished product, not the nationality of the workers.

[Jason White]

AWESOME!!

We get to hear rants about both Sawstop and foreign-made tools, all in the same thread!!

it's like a dream come true.:D

[Rod Sheridan]

AWESOME!!

We get to hear rants about both Sawstop and foreign-made tools, all in the same thread!!

it's like a dream come true.:D

Jason, now that's funny!

Kind of the worst of both worlds.

Oh, and the only non foreign machine is the General:p

Regards, Rod.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jason, now that's funny!

Kind of the worst of both worlds.

Oh, and the only non foreign machine is the General:p

Regards, Rod.


That depends on where you live doesn't it Rod?:confused:

[Matt Armstrong]

Ha! That's good, Matt.

I'd take up gardening if they made Sawstop seeds that grew Sawstops, instead of corn-looking things :)

http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/dfunderburk/428/readings/The%20Iowa%20Car%20Crop.htm

Written by David Friedman, son of the late and great Milton Friedman.

[Rod Sheridan]

That depends on where you live doesn't it Rod?:confused:


Of course it does Ken, it was meant to be a humourous look at origins, no offence meant to any of my American friends on the SMC forum........Regards, Rod.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

You SawStop and foriegn bashers crack me up.

I'll take my SS over any other saw, any day of the week. And my 19 year old MIJ Toyota Camry over any 19 year old US made car that gets 33 MPG. And seats 5.

[Rod Sheridan]

You SawStop and foriegn bashers crack me up.

I'll take my SS over any other saw, any day of the week. And my 19 year old MIJ Toyota Camry over any 19 year old US made car that gets 33 MPG. And seats 5.

Kyle, I wasn't bashing bashing any imported machinery, it wouldn't be very smart of me after purchasing a Hammer J/P combo last year:D.

If I had a choice however between identical pieces of machinery, I'd pick the local one, for many reasons.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. I don't own any Canadian motorcycles either, two German, two English.......Rod.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

71 Norton 750 Commando Fastback!

[Dan Friedrichs]

http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/dfunderburk/428/readings/The%20Iowa%20Car%20Crop.htm

Written by David Friedman, son of the late and great Milton Friedman.

That's a good article. Thanks for the link, Matt - that's one of the more compelling arguments against protectionism I've ever read.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Extrema is US made I believe
http://www.extremausa.com/index%20table%20saws.html

[Matt Armstrong]

That's a good article. Thanks for the link, Matt - that's one of the more compelling arguments against protectionism I've ever read.

No problem. "Free trade under Fire" is such a good book by Douglas Irwin, I personally gave my copy to Steve Patmont, founder of Go-Ped scooters. He was extremely protectionist...

[Rob Price]

I believe Geetech is the plant where they are made along with plenty of other tools.
http://www.geetech.com.tw/sp.html

The biggest difference in quality between brands made by the same company is what tolerances they build the specs to. Ridgid can say they want their table flat to a tolerance of x, while Powermatic says .0x, etc.

So you can have a great product and a so-so product from the same place, it all depends what the buyer wants. Tighter tolerance=more $$$.

I've heard the Sawstops called alot of things, but I couldn't find a hands on review anywhere that questioned the quality of the build of their ICS or Contractor saws.

[Jason White]

Had never heard of this company before.

What leads you to believe that their machines are US made? I see no mention of that on their website.

Jason


Extrema is US made I believe
http://www.extremausa.com/index%20table%20saws.html

[Ted Baca]

Just confirming the only one of the three that is US made is the new Delta Unisaw. I own a SS and am very happy with it, but taking the safety device out of the scenerio I think if I was buying new today I would take a strong look at the Delta. Delta and PorterCable are now owned by Black and Decker who also owns DeWalt. But for adjustment and smooth running I am very happy with my SawStop and hope that I never put the safety brake to the test.

[george wilson]

I looked at some of their manuals and machines. They seem Asian to me. Job,for example is not spelled GOB. The layout and appearence of their exploded views is typical of Asian work.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

What difference does it make where the machine is made? Free trade breeds competetion, and ALL companies must get better or die. An elementary study in economics.

Just suppose Delta made the only cabinet saw allowed in the US. Would it improve? Absolutley not. It will always be, the best you can buy, since there is no competetion. Having Jet and Grizz enter the market with "better" saws, Delta WILL have to upgrade, or no one will buy their saw. Look at what SawStop did. Everyone is now touting safety. Everyone has a quick change splitter/riving knife. The new Uni is much improved compared to 3 years ago.

Look at cars... Took the US 20 years, but they finally got the picture. Make a better car, and people will buy it.

[David Cramer]

Saying that Delta would absolutely not improve if they were the only player in the game (paraphrasing) is a false blanket statement at best.

Over time, things change and woodworker's needs change. Over the years, they changed (added on) the fence style and lengths, the motor cover, the extensin table, a drawer underneath it, the dust collection out the back versus the side, etc.....

Even if they were the only tablesaw manufacturer in the country, the unisaw would still change over time. Along with those changes would of course come a change in price.

I assure you that if Powermatic, Sawstop, and all of the other manufacturers weren't around, the Unisaw from the early years would have changed in some of the ways that I've described above, if not more. Competition and need/demand are two very different animals.

David

[Eric Larsen]

That's a good article. Thanks for the link, Matt - that's one of the more compelling arguments against protectionism I've ever read.

Personally, I have no problems whatsoever with "Made in Taiwan." My wife, for instance, was made there.

(She's threatened her entire life to have "Made in Taiwan" tattooed on the back of her neck.)

We've been together a decade, but this year I'm going over to meet the (very) extended family for the first time... Should be interesting.


EDIT -- PS, That David Friedman anecdote is brilliant. It says succinctly what I have been feeling for years. I like my music American, my whisky Scottish, my wine French, my cars German and my caviar Russian. I don't see a problem with that at all. I live on planet Earth, and I'm [darned] proud of it.