Grizzly vs General or ?? Question

[Raymond Fries]

I have some extra money and want to upgrade my table saw from my current Dewalt jobsite saw to a nice saw. Precision is at the top of my list.
I do not have a problem with pulling a 220v circuit for the saw.

After reading you guys saying if you were going to go Hybrid, why not go Cabinet for a little more money I came up with the two below. I have never seen either of these and am buying based on description only.

I was looking at the Grizzly 1023RL which is $1219 shipped. A 3HP left tilt saw with these features:

Motor: 3HP, 220V, single-phase, 3450 RPM
Solid cast iron table is first heat treated for strength then milled perfectly flat and ground to a mirror-like finish
Table size (with 2 solid extension wings attached) is 40" x 27"
Table has T-slots so your miter gauge will not fall off the table when retracted
5/8" diameter arbor is long enough to accept dado blades up to 7/8"
Extra large handwheels really ease arbor movement
Quick change between riving knife and splitter guard
Cutting capacity: 8" left, 26" right of blade
Maximum depth of cut @ 90°: 3"
Maximum depth of cut @ 45°: 2-1/8"
4" dust port included
Magnetic safety switch is standard
One piece steel cabinet type stand
All sealed ball bearing construction
Poly-V serpentine belt system transfers power more efficiently and with less noise than standard V-belts
Powder coated paint
Base dimension: 20-1/2" x 20-1/2"
Approximate shipping weight: 514 lbs.

I was also looking at the General 50-220RCM1 which can be had for $1348 from Tools-Plus in two days with the 15% General sale.
Here are the highlights and features of this saw:

10" (255 mm) blade
5/8" (16 mm) arbor
Max depth of cut @ 90°: 3-5/16" (85 mm) / @ 45°: 2-5/16" (60 mm)
30'' rip capacity
Arbor speed: 3450 RPM
Table Height: 35-3/8" (899 mm)
2 HP, 110/220 V, 11.4 / 5.7 Amp
316 lbs. (144 kg)


New! Combination riving style splitter and blade guard with anti-kickback pawls and
a second European style riving knife also included.
Large, precision-ground, 44" x 27" cast-iron table with two extension wings.
4" dust port allows easy connection to a dust collection system.
Unique digital display for blade angle.
Large paddle-style stop switch.
Ruggedly built saw carriage with solid castiron trunnions.
Large motor access door for quick cleaning and easier maintenance.
Convenient arbor lock for fast one-tool blade changes.




These two are really a wash as if I buy the Grizzly, I will need to spend money to have a buddy help me run the 220v circuit; this is not necessary for the General.
Not sure I would ever need a 3HP saw as I am a weekend woodworker and work mostly with 4/4 wood or thinner.

So I am looking for advise on which of these would be the best saw. I am open to other suggestions especially if I could get a saw that would be as precise as these and be in the ball park on price or cost less.

Any owners of these out there that can offer advise or direction?

Thanks

[Eric Gustafson]

If you have the buddy who will help with the 220v, then the difference in price makes it a wash. I think having the 3hp is nice. I have the Grizzly 690.

[scott spencer]

The Grizzly is a 3hp industrial style cabinet saw and is substantially more saw than the GI hybrid saw. While the GI is capable of good service, it's simply not in the same league.

Here's a look under the hood of the Griz:
http://cdn4.grizzly.com/pics/jpeg500/g/g1023rl_det1.jpg

Here's a look under a saw that's very similar to the GI:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y203/hewood/sawparts/g0478_trunnions.jpg

[Callan Campbell]

If you buy the GI, you're making a step above your current saw. You're still below a regular cabinet style table saw, but the General International and others like it will do fine for what you say you're currently at. However, if you spring for the Grizzly, you're at a top level of saw to begin with, more power to spare if you ever grow above 4/4 in your wood purchases for projects. So, you stop the number of steps in outgrowing your equipment, and having to buy yet another table saw.
Once you move above low powered saws, and get 3HP or better in motors, you suddenly find what you've been missing all this time. Larger tables, better fences and usually better dust collection set-ups come with the higher grade saws too. I vote for the Grizzly, they're hard to beat in the "best value" category with many owners and magazine reviewers singing their praises.

[Van Huskey]

The Griz is more saw BUT I do not think they are in stock (don't think ANY new 1023's have shipped yet), I think I have seen May quoted but either call Grz or search for the threads. I do think the 690/1 are in stock and I would have a hard time deciding between the two, both have pros and near the same price.

[Dan Friedrichs]

In case you didn't know, the General "International" is made overseas - the quality is probably the same as the Grizzly.

[Raymond Fries]

Does anyone happen to know the distance from the front of the table to the blade at maximum cut on the Grizzly?

BTW Callan - I like your point about out growing a saw.

Sounds like it (the Griz) would be worth the wait...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

From the Grizzly spec sheet:


Table Information

Floor To Table Height............................................ .................................................. ..................................34 in.
Table Size Length............................................ .................................................. ....................................... 40 in.
Table Size Width............................................. .................................................. ........................................ 27 in.
Table Size Thickness......................................... .................................................. ................................. 1-3/4 in.
Distance Front Of Table To Center Of Blade............................................. ................................................ 17 in.
Distance Front Of Table to Blade At Maximum Cut............................................... .................................... 12 in.

[Van Huskey]

Ken put up the salient info but just FYI for any Grizzly machine you can get a very detailed spec sheet, just look under "Gift Cabana" and click the yellow button that says Specification Sheet-PDF. Has all sorts of info including country of original, crate sizes and weight. Wish all the machine manufacturers had such detailed info.

[Cary Falk]

Did you check the shipping on the General? I was looking at oscillating edge sanders at Tools-Plus. The General was $10 cheaper than the comparable Jet. Tools-Plus told me that General does not ship for the $6.50. When they quoted me delivery for the General, I fell out of my chair. I guess I will be going Jet.

[scott spencer]

Does anyone happen to know the distance from the front of the table to the blade at maximum cut on the Grizzly?

BTW Callan - I like your point about out growing a saw.

Sounds like it (the Griz) would be worth the wait...

Raymond - Both saws are 27" deep. Ken's info shows the Griz at 17" from the arbor, and I suspect that distance will be within a fraction of an inch for both.

[Joe Leigh]

Any owners of these out there that can offer advise or direction?

Thanks




Like Van said no Grizzly 1023RL saws have shipped yet so there are no owners as of yet. I placed an order for one 4 weeks ago and was told May 11 was earliest ship date. Called back on Monday and no change. You might want to take that into consideration. They do stock the 690/691, very similar saw for about $175 more.

[Dan Schocke]

Like severl have already told you, the General Int. saw that you're looking at isn't really a cabinet saw... it's a hybrid.

That being said, I own a GI 50-220M (the previous version without a riving knife) and have never regretted my purchase. The saw is made in Taiwan, but according to General they use the same specifications/tolerances for the GI line as for their madie in Canada line. My table saw was set up extremely well right out of the box (blade was 0.001" off from parallel with miter slots, wings were roughly 0.004" high at the outer edge when attached and easily shimmed flat). To my eye the "fit and finish" was much better than any of the JET machinery that I own (also made in Taiwan). I don't know if that's on par with Grizzly or not as I don't own any of their machines.

If I had an easy way to get a 220V circuit to my shop I would have bought a real cabinet saw, but so far I've really enjoyed the 50-220 and not had a need for more power or heft (this thing weighs in at nearly 400 lbs. and has a huge cast-iron table - 44" x 27").

--Dan

[Raymond Fries]

Well I guess I'll wait for the May shipping. It will give me a chance to get some other things finished before the new toy rules supreme.

Nice catch on the hybrid saw. I wondered why a cabinet saw was posted under the contractor saw link.

[Rich Johnson]

Have a post out there, but basically im in the same boat...Have the money buggeted now its time to pull the trigger. I must say out of all the forums Sawmill Creek are more Grizzly fans than any other site. And I must say I am as well .... I live only 3 hours from one of there stores.

However that being said the Jet 10xl50 is on sale for the same price as the Grizz 0910. That saw is almost idenical to the one your looking at. No reviews of your saw though...so you have to bet on the reputation of Grizzly to pull the trigger on that one.

Either way I know its best to buy what you feel is right and start making sawdust as well as the projects in your vision. Which ever you choose I think when all is said and done there really isnt much difference between a Jet a Grizzly and the others. Considering specs are equal.

Good luck on your decision....

[Cary Falk]

However that being said the Jet 10xl50 is on sale for the same price as the Grizz 0910. That saw is almost idenical to the one your looking at. No reviews of your saw though...so you have to bet on the reputation of Grizzly to pull the trigger on that one.



I'm not sure what the Grizz 0910 is so I think it is probably a misprint. The Jet 10xl50 does not have a riving knife.