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View Full Version : Replace Craftsman 22114 with GI 50-200R?



Cuong Nguyen
06-28-2018, 11:25 AM
Hi all. It seems I’ve been on a table saw bingelately and keep wanting to upgrade my table saw.I currently have a Delta 34-444 contractorsaw that I’m using until I build a table for the Craftsman 22114 saw I boughtrecently.I wanted the dust collectionof a cabinet style saw as I work in my garage and there is sawdust everywherefrom my projects.I have boxed in the34-444 but there is still a fair amount of sawdust that is not collected.

I’m alwaysperusing CL for deals on table saws and I have come across a GI 50-200R M1 forwhat I think is a good price. It looksto be in very good condition and comes with the following:
- Shop-madefolding outfeed table
- Sharkguard
- ProMaxcast iron inline router table
- Mobilebase
- Tritonrouter

Should Ijust keep the Cman 22114 or go with the GI? The few reviews of the GI are from a while back, so I’m hoping more peoplehave used this saw since then and have opinions they’d like to share on it.

Thanks forthe help.

Michelle Rich
06-28-2018, 6:05 PM
I have the same delta contractors saw and have used it for 30 yrs. I put a sharguad blade cover with 2 1/2 hose on top with a shop vac, and a 4 inch hose under the top area. I use a 3 hsp grizzly for that. I also closed in the back as much as I could. I have very little dust anymore.

Mike Cutler
06-28-2018, 6:27 PM
It is a good price actually. I saw that for sale also. The rest of what comes with that saw would take you many years into your wood working.
I have had the GI 50-220 for many years now and have been very satisfied with it.
Ditch the GI throat plate of you buy the saw. It's kind of flimsy.
If you have any questions about the GI, just let me know.

Cuong Nguyen
06-29-2018, 8:24 AM
I have the same delta contractors saw and have used it for 30 yrs. I put a sharguad blade cover with 2 1/2 hose on top with a shop vac, and a 4 inch hose under the top area. I use a 3 hsp grizzly for that. I also closed in the back as much as I could. I have very little dust anymore.

Thanks for the information. At this point, I want a saw with a closed cabinet and a little more power. The saw cuts well, but feels underpowered cutting solid wood. This is with a new 24T Diablo blade.

Cuong Nguyen
06-29-2018, 8:33 AM
It is a good price actually. I saw that for sale also. The rest of what comes with that saw would take you many years into your wood working.
I have had the GI 50-220 for many years now and have been very satisfied with it.
Ditch the GI throat plate of you buy the saw. It's kind of flimsy.
If you have any questions about the GI, just let me know.

It would save me time having to build the bench, outfeed table and router table for the Craftsman. I would need to run a 220V line to the garage, though.



My main concern with the saw is buying replacement parts. I was looking online last night and I couldn't find a replacement belt. I think I just need a source for the arbor bearings and drive belt. Do you have a source for these?

I plan on making some zero clearance inserts for it.


I think it's a good price for everything you get and I shouldn't have to worry about upgrading anytime soon.

Mike Cutler
06-29-2018, 8:59 AM
The 50-200 runs on 120 vac. No need for the 240, unless you want to standardize things. Mine has been on on 120vac since I bought it, and I have 240 all through my shop. It's a dual voltage, 2HP motor. Mine came prewired for 120vac. It seems that one came pre-wired for 240. There is a schematic inside the motor electrical connection box that details how to swap the voltage input.
General International is still in business in Canada. A call to them might provide the parts you need.
For the belt I would just take it off and go to NAPA and find a replacement, or install a link belt."The arbor bearings might be slightly more difficult, but bearings are easy to source.
There are any number of bearing houses, or motor rewind shops around. Once the bearing is out, it will have markings, and those can be cross referenced, if necessary, to a replacement bearing, or you would just mic, and cross reference them that way. Most likely they are Cheng-Shin Industries supplied bearings. They would be easy to swap to SKF's if you needed too.
I wouldn't let those issues hold you back.

Cuong Nguyen
06-29-2018, 9:33 AM
The 50-200 runs on 120 vac. No need for the 240, unless you want to standardize things. Mine has been on on 120vac since I bought it, and I have 240 all through my shop. It's a dual voltage, 2HP motor. Mine came prewired for 120vac. It seems that one came pre-wired for 240. There is a schematic inside the motor electrical connection box that details how to swap the voltage input.
General International is still in business in Canada. A call to them might provide the parts you need.
For the belt I would just take it off and go to NAPA and find a replacement, or install a link belt."The arbor bearings might be slightly more difficult, but bearings are easy to source.
There are any number of bearing houses, or motor rewind shops around. Once the bearing is out, it will have markings, and those can be cross referenced, if necessary, to a replacement bearing, or you would just mic, and cross reference them that way. Most likely they are Cheng-Shin Industries supplied bearings. They would be easy to swap to SKF's if you needed too.
I wouldn't let those issues hold you back.

Good to hear about the parts.



Do you have the saw on it's own 120V circuit? At 19A/120V, it's pushing the limits of a 20A circuit at 120V from what I've read. Do you have any issues with tripping the breaker?


I'll check the lines to the garage. There are two outlets powering the lights and garage door openers along with the power tools right now. It would be easier to just rewire the saw for 120V and plug into the existing outlets if that works.


What do you like/dislike about the saw? How does it compare to other saws you've had?


I appreciate the information.

Mike Cutler
06-29-2018, 10:25 AM
Good to hear about the parts.



Do you have the saw on it's own 120V circuit? At 19A/120V, it's pushing the limits of a 20A circuit at 120V from what I've read. Do you have any issues with tripping the breaker?

I didn't specifically put mine on a dedicated breaker. I only run one machine and the dust collector at a time, so it hasn't been an issue.Unless it's a different 2hp motor than mine you should be fine.

What do you like/dislike about the saw? How does it compare to other saws you've had?


The throat plate is pretty cheesy, and mine for some reason had a 1" strip of metal tack welded across the 4" dust collector pickup. I took that out.
It also came stock with an internal dust collector shroud, like sawstop, but mine didn't work very well and I removed it also. Perhaps later models they improved this feature.
The stock fence has a tendency to go out out of alignment every now. The spring tabs, that the nylon adjusters are, on get fatigued. I just know to check it every few weeks. I have a dial indicator that runs in the miter slot, so I can check it really fast.A few seconds at most.
They also used some really high quality paint on my fence, and it is some kind of slick. I have to put a small tab of 400 grit sandpaper between the cam and fence, or it is possible to slide the fence, with it locked.
I actually have a replacement Excalibur fence for it, but haven't ever installed it. So, I guess it hasn't been that big of an issue.
I appreciate the information.

It's actually been a surprisingly nice saw. I upgraded from a Jet contractor saw, to this one and thought that it would last me a few years and I'd pick up an old Powermatic 66 or 72. I have seen many PM's on Craigslist through the years, but still have the GI. It's been a good machine for me.
I've put some pretty tough, dense tropical hardwoods through mine, and it took them just fine.
If you want to use a dado stack, a 6" will work better than an 8" on this machine. The difference in rotational mass makes the 6" more effective.