Thinking about a new TS

[Jim Rimmer]

I currently have a 20 year old Craftsman contractor saw. I only do hobby work but do build nice furniture type projects. I have been considering a new saw and think the Grizzly G0478 may be what I need. It's their hybrid, 2 HP cabinet saw.

I know I've come to the right place for opinions so let me know what you think. The price on it right now is $850 + $89 shipping and is at the upper limit of what I feel I can spend.

[Prashun Patel]

If you have to have a hybrid, I prefered the one I bought: Jet JPS10. Excellent fence; easy blade change; fits a full dado stack; easy access to the interior through a removable back panel; accurate. The Woodtek gets good reviews too.

Sure you don't wanna jump up to a cab saw?

[Michael Roland]

I sent you a PM.

Additionally you might want to look at the Steel City or Ridgid 4511 hybrids. The 4511 seem to be a saw that polarizes people due to the granite top. Some love it, some hate it.

[Myk Rian]

+1 on Steel City. 5 year warranty is real nice.

[Matt Day]

I liked the Delta hybrid I had.

[David Hostetler]

Jim,

To start off with, where does the Craftsman come up short that makes you think a hybrid saw is the solution? Not enough power? Hate the wings? Want a different fence? Want better dust collection? Want more up to date safety features like a riving knife? Won't handle a full Dado stack? Just getting worn out? Want the extra mass of a hybrid?

Now, assuming that this is one of the Emmerson built Craftsman saws, is this something that can be addressed with some upgrades to the existing saw? (This may be the most cost effective way to get where you want to go). Those Emmerson built saws were really nice machines, but a lot of them seem to be fitted with junk fences. A good fence is a LOT less expensive than a new saw... Not to mention you don't have to get used to an entirely new machine.

Have you looked at the various makes / models that are on display at Rockler or Woodcraft in Houston? (Sorry, no Ridgid R4511's set up anywhere near here unless you saw them at the Woodworking Show).

Is a hybrid really what you want, or are you itching for a cabinet saw?

Have you checked Craigslist recently, pretty sure I have seen a few UniSaw's there for decent prices...

[glenn bradley]

I have the C-man/Orion 22124. Twin to the SCTW but comes with a Bies. The fence on the SCTW is nice and a 5 year warranty is cool. I have not had issue one with my saw.

[Jim Rimmer]

Jim,

To start off with, where does the Craftsman come up short that makes you think a hybrid saw is the solution? Not enough power? Hate the wings? Want a different fence? Want better dust collection? Want more up to date safety features like a riving knife? Won't handle a full Dado stack? Just getting worn out? Want the extra mass of a hybrid?

Now, assuming that this is one of the Emmerson built Craftsman saws, is this something that can be addressed with some upgrades to the existing saw? (This may be the most cost effective way to get where you want to go). Those Emmerson built saws were really nice machines, but a lot of them seem to be fitted with junk fences. A good fence is a LOT less expensive than a new saw... Not to mention you don't have to get used to an entirely new machine.

Have you looked at the various makes / models that are on display at Rockler or Woodcraft in Houston? (Sorry, no Ridgid R4511's set up anywhere near here unless you saw them at the Woodworking Show).

Is a hybrid really what you want, or are you itching for a cabinet saw?

Have you checked Craigslist recently, pretty sure I have seen a few UniSaw's there for decent prices...

First of all, interesting that you are in League City. I'm just up the road in Seabrook, just across the Kemah Bridge near NASA.
Now for your comments - you are making me think things I should have on my own and maybe I should fix up the old saw. Could be I'm just wanting a new saw after all these years :o. Specifically I am looking for better accuracy (maybe I need a better fence); better DC if and when I get a DC (maybe the money should be spent on DC rather than TS); I would like the mass of a cabinet saw and the riving knife. You have given me a lot of food for thought. Thanks.

[Jim O'Dell]

If it's still available, the Griz 1023 in the Houston area would be a steal for the $295.00 asking price. Picture looked very clean. See Deals and Discounts forum above this one. Jim.

[scott spencer]

If there's any chance of getting 220v to your shop, I think the Griz 1023SL (http://www.grizzly.com/products/g1023sl) at $1075 shipped is a more substantial saw.

If not, I'm sure the G0478 would be more the sufficient, but do you really want to skip a riving knife...lots of other models have them now, including Grizzly's own G0661....it's listed as a contractor saw, but has the motor inside the enclosure which makes it more of hybrid by my definition.

G1023: http://www.grizzly.com/images/pics/jpeg288/g/g1023sl_det1.jpg G0478http://www.grizzly.com/images/pics/jpeg288/g/g0478_det4.jpg

[Bill Huber]

I am kind with David on this, whats wrong with the Craftsman.

I had a 54 year old Craftsman TS and after spending some time getting it setup right and a new fence the old saw was great. I would still have it but it only had a 1/2 inch arbor I could not get a dado set for it.

I sold it and it is still going strong and cuts very well and accurate.

So for 1/2 the money you could do a whole lot to the saw and still have money left over for a new drill press or something.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Ditto on looking for a used cabinet saw. With the economy in the tubes, a little money can go a long way in the used dept. I just saw a used Rigid for 50 bucks. No other details. Can't be that bad of a deal, even the table top is worth that.

[Will Hon]

deals on lightly used cabinet saws are out there. I just picked up a Grizzly 1023SL for $550 with a 7' fence and an Excalibur overhead guard... the saw looks barely used.

[Jim Rimmer]

I've been doing some research on upgrading the Craftsman. It is an '80s vintage Sears 10". I found the 5742 Aluma Clasic Fence on eBay for $171.57 (if I'm not outbid) and an Incra 1000SE miter gage at a $131.36 Buy It Now special. I am also thinking about the cast iron wing from Peachtree with the built in router table. I have a router table but this would give me more weight and stablility and free up some room.

Questions: Will these items work on a Craftsman?
Does anyone have them and how good are they?
This will be about $475 investment against a $1000 for the Grizzly hybrid. Should I fix up the old with these items and then stealth a new blade? Or buy the Grizz? :confused:

[Brad Wood]

I've been doing some research on upgrading the Craftsman. It is an '80s vintage Sears 10". I found the 5742 Aluma Clasic Fence on eBay for $171.57 (if I'm not outbid) and an Incra 1000SE miter gage at a $131.36 Buy It Now special. I am also thinking about the cast iron wing from Peachtree with the built in router table. I have a router table but this would give me more weight and stablility and free up some room.

Questions: Will these items work on a Craftsman?
Does anyone have them and how good are they?
This will be about $475 investment against a $1000 for the Grizzly hybrid. Should I fix up the old with these items and then stealth a new blade? Or buy the Grizz? :confused:

my Craftsman table saw didn't have a standard miter slot so nothing worked with it - like the Intra you noted. And I seriously doubt I could have added a nice fence without some creative modifications.... so I think it depends on your saw, not really its age.
while not the exact model, mine was similar to the attachment

[Bill Schmitz]

. . . an Incra 1000SE miter gage at a $131.36 Buy It Now special.

I recently bought a used Delta hybrid, and bought the Incra 1000SE miter gauge through Amazon. I love it, in fact I loved it enough to also buy the Incra TS fence. It almost cost what my saw did, $400 and $600 respectively, but I think it has made my saw a real precision machine . . . and ridiculously easy to use.

I also have a hard time imagining a saw the Incra fence wouldn't fit on. They seem to have thought of everything from a hardware standpoint to make installing it possible in almost any configuration. I'd also highly recommend you watch the videos on Incra's website . . . they sold me.

With it, I just completed my first cutting board using Mike Schwing's tutorial: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/2/ I can't imagine how you could do it without this fence system.

Good luck,
Bill

[Jim Rimmer]

I recently bought a used Delta hybrid, and bought the Incra 1000SE miter gauge through Amazon. I love it, in fact I loved it enough to also buy the Incra TS fence. It almost cost what my saw did, $400 and $600 respectively, but I think it has made my saw a real precision machine . . . and ridiculously easy to use.

I also have a hard time imagining a saw the Incra fence wouldn't fit on. They seem to have thought of everything from a hardware standpoint to make installing it possible in almost any configuration. I'd also highly recommend you watch the videos on Incra's website . . . they sold me.

With it, I just completed my first cutting board using Mike Schwing's tutorial: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/2/ I can't imagine how you could do it without this fence system.

Good luck,
Bill
Checked out your link. Nice work on the Cutting Boards. I like the "perspective" on the first one.

I pulled the trigger on the Incra miter (it was a Buy Now on ebay) and went ahead and put a bid in on the Aluma Classic fence. Too bad I missed the extension wings from Peachtree - that's what happens when you think too long.

I'm thinking about taking a lot of photos as I refurb the old Craftsmand and post a thread on it when I'm done. Any interest?

[Jim Foster]

I've been seeing and hearing about a few very affordable Powermatic 66's and Unisaws. I have a Powermatic 66 from about 1995 and it is really nice. If someone could get this saw for under $1,000(not mine though!) I think it's a great deal. I suspect the old Unisaws are also very good.


I currently have a 20 year old Craftsman contractor saw. I only do hobby work but do build nice furniture type projects. I have been considering a new saw and think the Grizzly G0478 may be what I need. It's their hybrid, 2 HP cabinet saw.

I know I've come to the right place for opinions so let me know what you think. The price on it right now is $850 + $89 shipping and is at the upper limit of what I feel I can spend.