Delta cabinet saw still recommended?

[Dave Lehnert]

Delta cabinet saw still recommended?

I remember when I purchased my JET cabinet saw around the year 2000, the Delta Cabinet saw was considered the "one to get" Delta was considered a woodworking top brand. Parts would always be available etc.......

What do woodworkers think of the Delta brand today? Would you buy a Delta cabinet saw today?

[Richard Coers]

I wouldn't buy a Delta carpenter's pencil today, if we are talking brand new. Vintage is just fine.

[Dan Friedrichs]

A Unisaw? For nearly the same price, you can buy a SawStop. I can't imagine why anyone would buy a new Unisaw.

[Bob Hinden]

I got a SawStop PCS 3hp a few years back. I didn't consider a Delta product.

[glenn bradley]

The badge is on my 'full avoid' list. The Delta tools I still have come in two flavors.
1. They were either made long ago and will probably outlast my children.
2. They are new and made like poop and set me to fabricating my own parts as many are no longer available.
I also went with the Saw Stop 3HP PCS. Top of the heap, safety feature or not, in the $3k cab saw marker IMHO.

[Bruce Page]

Dave, I bought my Unisaw about the same time you bought your Jet. I haven’t regretted my decision once. That said, if I were buying today a new Delta wouldn’t even be in the equation.

[Jack Frederick]

Sadly, another classic example of how the mighty have fallen. My rebuilt '48 vintage Unisaw is a great saw. I have a SS PCS. I would re-pose your question. In todays world, aside from the old Unisaw/66 saws, what, other than SS is a quality cabinet saw?

[Brian Tymchak]

I don't have any Delta gear, but when I shop for new stuff, Delta is not even at the bottom of the list of manufacturers I will consider.

[Andy D Jones]

I believe Delta Unisaws made before ~2008/9 were made in USA, and were very well made. The variety of clones made in East Asia, and the sheer numbers of Unisaws made for ~70 years in the US, makes parts (and complete saws, in varying conditions) widely available.

The new model Unisaws were significantly revised, among other reasons, to comply with new riving knife requirements, that must follow the blade height. This eliminates the sometimes tedious need to remove or adjust a splitter for non-through-depth cuts, thus helping ensure their regular use.

I own a Delta Unisaw with 52" Unifence, which I purchased new in the early '90s.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Frank Pratt]

I would not buy a new Delta anything. The quality is not there & the owners of the company just seem to have nothing but contempt for their customers.

[Dick Mahany]

I had a 1998 Unisaw and had to part with it a few years ago when I downsized. It was an excellent and reliable saw, and I still miss it very much. I also still have a late 90's Delta 14" cast iron bandsaw and runs as good today as when it was new. Both tools had "made in USA" stickers on them.

Today, I wouldn't even consider a Delta power tool. Not even close to the same company as back then. The only recent purchases with a Delta name on them for me have been faucets:)

[Steve Rozmiarek]

It's unfortunate to say as I have a nostalgic reasons to like Delta, but they aren't the same company as they used to be. My first real table saw was a Delta, bought it back in their prime, the early 90's. It was a contractor model with a Bies fence, was a great saw. Really wanted a Uni, but couldn't afford it. Fast forward 30 years, I have 90's vintage versions of both models in my shop again and they are still great saws.

[Jim Dwight]

The reviews I have seen are still good on the Delta Unisaw. It is unique in having the wheel to change the angle of the blade on the front instead of the side. I think the Powermatic is similarly a good saw. The issue is they are in the same price range as the SawStop and lack the protective features of the SawStop. The SawStop is also a good solidly made saw with quality similar to the Unisaw and Powermatic's top saw. But SawStop is also very unlikely to amputate a body part. I managed to still get 6 stitches from mine but my finger is still fully functional.

If you can find a used Unisaw for a lot less than a SawStop I believe it could be a good choice as long as you are careful. I had been for 40+ years but then I got stupid and the SawStop saved my finger. I abhor the early marketing of the protective features but I like my table saw.

[Richard Coers]

It's unfortunate to say as I have a nostalgic reasons to like Delta, but they aren't the same company as they used to be. My first real table saw was a Delta, bought it back in their prime, the early 90's. It was a contractor model with a Bies fence, was a great saw. Really wanted a Uni, but couldn't afford it. Fast forward 30 years, I have 90's vintage versions of both models in my shop again and they are still great saws.
Their prime was well before the 90s. At least 30 years before that was their prime. 90s was the beginning of the end. They were importing machines from Brazil in the 90s.

[Mike Kees]

Richard,those machines from Brazil are some of the best stuff Delta ever sold.

[Richard Coers]

Richard,those machines from Brazil are some of the best stuff Delta ever sold.
The new Invicta jointer I bought came with an incredibly warped and twisted fence. The tables were not coplanar and the dealer had a regional Delta guy come out to bring them in plane. Not the best I ever saw from Delta. I sold the jointer decades ago, still have that warped fence up in my garage attic. LOL I worked at Woodworker's Journal from 1995-1998. I was flown to Pittsburgh, Delta's Corporate Headquarters during that time. They were then preparing for lower sales numbers and had real concerns about the future of the company. I also went to the factory to watch a Unisaw being made with a sweepstakes winner while at the magazine. The work force was long in the tooth, and factory output was way down. That's what they told me anyway.

[Scott T Smith]

For what it's worth, I can balance a nickle on edge on the table of my Grizzly 5 hp 12" cabinet saw while it's running, and it's a much better value than a new Delta.

[Bob Jones 5443]

This discussion, with its near-unanimous views, has been informative for me. I haven't been in the market for any of the following for nearly 20 years now:
– a 3 HP cabinet saw with a 52" Bies fence
– a 16" full-size drill press
– a 12" planer
– a 1.5 HP 1200 cfm dust collector

I bought all of these new in the early '00s for half of what the best-buy equivalents go for now. I haven't been in the market since then because every one of these machines still performs as new today in my shop –– never even replaced a part. I haven't been in the market, so I haven't been watching the trends, which are plainly visible in this thread.

All of the above machines in my shop were made by Delta. Times change when I'm not paying attention. After reading this thread, I feel lucky indeed.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Their prime was well before the 90s. At least 30 years before that was their prime. 90s was the beginning of the end. They were importing machines from Brazil in the 90s.

Both of the Delta saws of that vintage that I have now, and that original saw that I mentioned, were made in the USA. I stand by that being their prime for the consumer tools that we're talking about. Call it the Norm period if you want, but Delta's Unisaw became the top of the pile then. I'm personally not against foreign made machines, as long as the quality of the manufacture remains the same. That's where Delta started slipping, and it hasn't stopped.

You can back up another 30 years and find wonderful specimens from many different manufactures. Part of that is because they made them better (heavier) then, part of it is because the crappy ones got tossed so only the good survive today.

[Richard Coers]

Both of the Delta saws of that vintage that I have now, and that original saw that I mentioned, were made in the USA. I stand by that being their prime for the consumer tools that we're talking about. Call it the Norm period if you want, but Delta's Unisaw became the top of the pile then. I'm personally not against foreign made machines, as long as the quality of the manufacture remains the same. That's where Delta started slipping, and it hasn't stopped.

You can back up another 30 years and find wonderful specimens from many different manufactures. Part of that is because they made them better (heavier) then, part of it is because the crappy ones got tossed so only the good survive today.
I'm curious when you started buying Delta machinery? By the 90s, every cabinet shop had changed to Powermatic 66s and Delta jumped on the Norm wagon with both feet for hobbyists. Delta should have jumped in with pin nailers right away as Norm single handedly built the hobbyist use of pin nailers.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I'm curious when you started buying Delta machinery? By the 90s, every cabinet shop had changed to Powermatic 66s and Delta jumped on the Norm wagon with both feet for hobbyists. Delta should have jumped in with pin nailers right away as Norm single handedly built the hobbyist use of pin nailers.


I'm 47, I started watching Norm in the early 90's, and yes he was very influential in starting me into woodworking, and later a carpentry career. I started with a "nice" Shopsmith a Walker Turner drill press and some of my grandad's old hand tools. That first Delta tablesaw was the only Delta I ever bought new. We made a lot of neat stuff back then when life was simpler, hece the nostalgia I mentioned earlier. Over the years I've been lucky to be able to own and try a huge variety of machines, from serious consumer grade to old school pro stuff. I'm not very interested in CNC or newer factory tools yet.

The first unisaw came out in the late 30's, the PM66 in 66. I've owned Uni's from the earlier years, and a PM from the mustard era. They are both good saws. In my opinion though, what makes a great tablesaw is repeatability and reliability. Hard to argue against a Biesmeyer or clone for that. They came onto the scene in the mid 80's. To that end, my preference is to the 90's vintage Delta stuff with Biesemeyer for nostalgia and what I consider to be the peak of cabinet saw development. My go to cabinet saw is unfortunately something different, a big green slider, and that's what knocked the Uni off its mountain. At least in my shop, and I'm guessing many others to.

What killed Delta as a company was the sale to a Taiwanese firm, and it's subsequent bankruptcy in the late 2010 or 11, I don't remember which.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I bought a used 5 hp Delta Unisaw this year that is a 2014 model. I got a bargain on it - $1600 with 52" fence/table and mobile base ($3170 + tax retail ~$3500). It is a very well made saw and if you compare the similar model Unisaw ($2880) to a SawStop ICS ($4500) you will find the SawStop is a good deal more. The failure on Delta's part is the 3 hp SawStop PCS ($3150) is close to Delta's 3 hp ($2650 - they only offer the "industrial" model). This is the sweet spot for this higher end saw and there is a limited use case for the 5 hp.

My Delta Unisaw is made very well and will long outlast me. The riving knife and blade guard are adjusted and removed/installed very quickly making these features very useful and safe. But as you know it doesn't have the SawStop safety feature. However, I'm okay with the risk as I'm very safe in the use of my saw. There's risk in everything we do. I'm also happy not to have false trips resulting in having to replace a saw blade as well as replacing the safety mechanism.

I haven't used the SawStop but I have went through them multiple times at our local WoodCraft store. When I found my Unisaw I went there to look again before agreeing to purchase the Unisaw. The SawStop is very well made and no doubt is a great investment as it will outlast most users.

The good news for me is that I benefited from Delta's marketing mistakes and the poor general view of the company these days. I wouldn't buy a new Unisaw when I could get the 3 hp SawStop at a comparable price (a little more). Even if the Unisaw 3 and 5 hp are both built on the same "industrial" grade platform while SawStop has the 3 hp on a "professional" grade platform. The PCS is a very well built saw.

[Curt Harms]

For what it's worth, I can balance a nickle on edge on the table of my Grizzly 5 hp 12" cabinet saw while it's running, and it's a much better value than a new Delta.

I think SawStop & Grizzly (and similar Asian imports) are the top choices today. I'm not sure where new Powermatic table saws fall. I too could not see a reason to buy a new Unisaw.

[mike stenson]

I have a 20+ year old unisaw. If I were buying today, I wouldn't look at much other than a sawstop. As much as I disliked his initial methods, the safety device combined with the reported quality (I haven't seen many in person) would be worth it. Then again, I generally don't use my saw much. Mostly it's become a table.