Table Saw Upgrade advice

[Brian Vidler]

New to the forums and first time poster. I am ready to upgrade my table saw. Almost anything would be an upgrade from my direct drive Craftsman. I can’t afford to buy a new cabinet saw. I’m trying to be patient and wait for a used 3hp cabinet saw. I’ve seen a Rockwell 34-450 for $550, a Jet JWCS-10 for $600 and an Atlas 3160 for $200 (tempting but old and hard to find parts?) but there are also Hybrid Jets for $600 with a 1.75 hp motor.
My intention is to put an Incra TS-LS system on a saw.
I read somewhere, concerns regarding kickback with right tilt saw while using a right hand rip fence??? The majority of the Delta’s (and their knock offs) are right tilt??

Any advice would be appreciated regarding older saws and concerns regarding the right tilt?

[Russell Hayes]

The problem with right tilt saws is when you cut a bevel with the fence the fence needs to be left of the blade. otherwise you would trap the wood against the fence. Normally your fence rails are hanging off the right of the saw. On a right tilt you need to put your rails hanging a little over on the left and you are still limited on the width of a bevel rip. This may not work for you with the incra fence, I think it always stays right of the blade?
If you want a left tilt keep looking you will find one.

[Cameron Wood]

Unisaw is a good choice- lots around, especially since the rise of Sawstop. I would hold out for a used cabinet saw vs anything lighter.

L/R tilt doesn't matter IMO. There are pros & cons either way and most older saws are right tilt.

Older Unisaws with the bullet motor have functionally about the same power as a newer 3hp motor. A 1.75 hp capacitor motor is fine for a non commercial shop as well, IMO, unless you have a bunch of 12/4 oak to mill.

[Aaron Inami]

Most cabinet saws have the longer 36"/52" extension table on the right side. In this situation, you want a left-tilt saw because you are going to be doing all your ripping on the right side. If you get a right-tilt saw, then your extension table should be on the left side. I'm remember back in the day they commonly had options for both right/left tilt, but I'm not really sure the reason why.

[Andrew Hughes]

I don’t think you should pass up a good deal on a right tilting saw. I have a right tilting table saw that set up accurately it rips bevel cuts just fine with the fence set on the right.
Good Luck with your hunt.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.....back in the day they commonly had options for both right/left tilt, but I'm not really sure the reason why.

I got my [long gone now] Unisaw about 25 years ago +/-. At that time, there really were none/very few left-tilt saws around that I was aware of, but as a noob I knew none/very little, so a match there - except I did know the importance of the left-tilt.

Mine was a "first edition" left Unisaw, in that they took a right-tilt and rejiggered the trunion/guts to work as left. Not a purpose built left. Reasonable klutzy, but did me fine.

[John Kananis]

My mid/late nineties unisaw is a workhorse. It eats anything I can throw at it, dead on accurate and as others have said, more than one way to cut a bevel. Your budget is small for a new cabinet saw but I'd take a 30+ y/o cabinet saw over a new hybrid or contractor saw any day. I'm not saying that getting a unisaw will be the last ts purchase you make but it certainly could be. I'm eyeballing a nice slider for one day but not tomorrow or next week for sure.

[James Jayko]

Older Unisaws with the bullet motor have functionally about the same power as a newer 3hp motor. A 1.75 hp capacitor motor is fine for a non commercial shop as well, IMO, unless you have a bunch of 12/4 oak to mill.

Especially when you have the right blades, and they are sharp. 1 3/4 hp is more than you think, but not if you insist upon riding that old crappy DeWalt combination blade that came with the saw until it literally breaks in half...

[glenn bradley]

Where are you located? Members may be able to help locally. My son in law just bought a Craftsman 22124 (read Orion / Steel City) for $400. The Biesemeyer fence that came on it was almost worth that. You can get a lot of work done on a contractor format saw if you don't need to do much bevel work; the contractor format does poorly with angled cuts.

That being said, a Craftsman / Emerson (113. model numbers (https://northmorgancreek.com/craftsman-table-saw-model-113/)) from pre 1980 can be made into a very nice saw for the home shop. I made a ton of stuff on one. I actually just gave one away a few months ago (this is what I mean about members being able to help locally.

[Brian Vidler]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experience and advice! Much appreciated. I find I can use all I can get. I am in Upstate NY midway between Syracuse and Rochester.

[Jim Dwight]

I helped another volunteer use an old right tilt 3hp table saw to do some 45 degree rips today. The only real issue is the thin edge (assuming you are making bevels on both edges) wants to ride into the rip fence - go under it. There are ways to deal with that but it is a disadvantage. But 90+% of my cuts are at 90 degrees, very few at 45. With a limited budget I would not limit myself to the more rare left tilt.

It looks like you are already thinking 1.75hp could work and I agree with that. I have always used 120V saws in my 50+ years woodworking. I rip 8/4 hardwood whenever I need to. In one pass. You do not have extra hp to deal with dirty blades or wood that binds on the blade or other nonsense but with the right blade it works fine.

I like my left tilt 1.75hp PCS - cabinet saw - but contractor saws can also do a lot of work. Their height and tilt mechanisms are normally attached to the top of the saw instead of the cabinet and that can make them more prone to shifting out of alignment. But good ones can do a lot of work. Contractor saws are easier to move, however. If you will need to move it often you need a good mobile base on a cabinet saw. A contractor is lighter and easier to move - but could be knocked out of alignment in the process.

The rip fence is a big deal. You want one that will stay parallel with the blade. Having to measure and adjust both ends is a big time hassle.

[Bill Dufour]

looks like lots of unisaw or powermatic cabinet saws for around 700 in your area. The smallest uhaul trailer is about 28 dollars for 24 hours.
About three years before I bought my lathe I bought the m16 lifting eye to pick it up with an engine hoist and move it. That sliding table and mobile base may be worth getting even before the saw.
Bill D

https://longisland.craigslist.org/tls/d/west-babylon-rockwell-unisaw/7636627400.html

https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/tls/d/broomall-rockwell-unisaw/7640045221.html

https://lancaster.craigslist.org/tls/d/stevens-delta-unisaw-10-tilting-arbor/7629779872.html

https://westernmass.craigslist.org/tls/d/richmond-delta-sliding-table/7633527319.html

https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/tls/d/south-glens-falls-delta-cabinet-saw/7631293601.html

[Brian Runau]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experience and advice! Much appreciated. I find I can use all I can get. I am in Upstate NY midway between Syracuse and Rochester.

Completely unrelated, my wife is from Binghamton. Pretty part of the country. Brian

[Brian Vidler]

Yeah I saw the mobile base. Wish I had room for the slider, but maybe worth having for when I do.

Binghamton is about 2 hrs south toward the Pa. Border. I’m about 40 minutes from Lake Ontario. We actually live right between the north ends of Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Good fishing and lots of wineries in the area. Unfortunately all the wine is wasted on me. All tastes like grapes to me!

Any thoughts on the older Rockwell cabinet I mentioned? another one came up around the same vintage for $400. A Delta cabinet was also just posted for $400 Trying to get info… beyond it’s a 220v saw . Only 1 picture… that is not great. About all I can ascertain from the picture is that it is a cabinet saw… and it’s blue.

[Mike King]

Yeah I saw the mobile base. Wish I had room for the slider, but maybe worth having for when I do.

Binghamton is about 2 hrs south toward the Pa. Border. I’m about 40 minutes from Lake Ontario. We actually live right between the north ends of Seneca and Cayuga lakes. Good fishing and lots of wineries in the area. Unfortunately all the wine is wasted on me. All tastes like grapes to me!

Any thoughts on the older Rockwell cabinet I mentioned? another one came up around the same vintage for $400. A Delta cabinet was also just posted for $400 Trying to get info… beyond it’s a 220v saw . Only 1 picture… that is not great. About all I can ascertain from the picture is that it is a cabinet saw… and it’s blue.
Brian, one question for you is whether you really need a table saw upgrade or should you be looking for adding a capability to your shop? What type of woodworking are you doing? Do you use a lot of sheet goods? What other tools do you have?

Table saws can be quite useful, but sometimes you'd be better off buying a band saw, a miter saw, and/or a chop saw. So, might you provide some more info on your work and projects you intend to undertake?

Mike

[John TenEyck]

I have a Craftsman belt drive saw as well as a right tilt Unisaw. There is no comparison between the two if you want to do bevel cuts. Besides being difficult to tilt the blade over to 45 degrees, you cannot get the blade on the Craftsman to stay parallel with the miter slot, so bevels are never really right. The Unisaw is the polar opposite, it easily swings over to 45 degrees and the blade remains true to the miter slot, so bevels are perfect.

I've shown this before. This is how I do bevels on the Unisaw. The cut edge rides the L-fence and the offcut falls harmless under it. Besides the safety benefit with the offcut, the blade enters the show side of the wood on top, not out the bottom if you cut on the right side.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc86ZHWqYCSiWYDcpTDqNcy6JCx25-L3y5TMjMRgIGNBFbEUK5iPlT6r75uBBWVhuuTiI7jYv5K0m8T5 V4KPIXAhZ2e4ZOTBzGp-Co2WLz6qxVNh8W_7NEp6C24ibJaSZ3y01sZJ9JEdNyg-qmZPUIxlFQ=w1583-h893-s-no?authuser=0

FWIW, my Unisaw has a 1.5 HP motor and rips 2" oak w/o strain with a sharp blade. I wouldn't pass on a Unisaw if the price is right just because it doesn't have 3 HP motor. And others have said, if you can find one with a bullet motor, even a 1 HP one has amazing power. Another saw I'd be looking for is a PM-66, even more heavily built than the Unisaw.

John

[Robert L Stewart]

I use the same setup as John T. My unisaw is a 1961 vintage with the Bullet motor 220V. I can rip 8/4 hard (eastern) maple all day.
The mitre setup is very easy and yields a perfect result.

[Lee Schierer]

Here is a 3 Hp General that is in your area. (https://syracuse.craigslist.org/tls/d/brewerton-general-350-table-saw-blades/7640643758.html)

I have no affiliation with this saw nor owner.

[Brian Vidler]

Mike King, thanks for the response. You made me do some thinking beyond I want a new saw!
I currently have a direct drive Craftman table saw. It’s a cheap saw. Pain in the neck to get the fence straight. I also can’t get a dado blade on it due to the shaft being too short. I have a 12” sliding compound miter saw, a band saw, bench top drill press, and a 4” bench top Craftsman jointer that needs to be upgraded as well. I can’t keep the fence at 90 deg. And all it seems to do is make divets in the edge of a board. So I don’t use it. I don’t have a planer yet, but looking to add that and upgrade the majority of my other stuff. Aside from the miter saw they are cheap entry level tools. Mostly craftsman stuff. I don’t have a problem with Craftsman tools, just looking to take a step up.

I don’t have a specific project or plan. However, I would like to make some keepsake boxes, cutting boards, a book case etc. but would also like to make cabinets for my shop and maybe the house one day. Maybe a couple picnic tables since ours were crushed by a giant maple limb? Working on getting that cut into lumber!

[Jacques Gagnon]

Brian,

Assuming that you have confirmed that a table saw fits in your woodworking plans and that the budget allows for it, the item that Lee referenced is something you should seriously consider. The saw is a time-proven product with a solid track record. The Incra mitre gauge is also a very good product.

As is the case with Lee, I do not have any affiliation with either equipment or owner. I am, on the other hand, very proficient at spending other people’s money 😜.

Good luck in your search.

Jacques

[john lawson]

My advice is don't buy any tables saw that doesn't have a riving knife. If you are patient you should be able to find one. This is much more important, in my opinion, than the left/right tilt debate. Good luck.

[Jacques Gagnon]

John,

Your raise a very good point. Before switching to a slider, I had installed an aftermarket adjustable splitter/blade guard (SharkGuard) to improve safety on my table saw. It was a « shark fin » model that worked well, although required manual adjustments when changing blade height. The blade guard could be removed for non-through cuts and the splitter remained in place, doing its work.

The important point here is to make sure that cuts can be performed safely. Some setups deliver better than others in that regard.

[Mike King]

Mike King, thanks for the response. You made me do some thinking beyond I want a new saw!
I currently have a direct drive Craftman table saw. It’s a cheap saw. Pain in the neck to get the fence straight. I also can’t get a dado blade on it due to the shaft being too short. I have a 12” sliding compound miter saw, a band saw, bench top drill press, and a 4” bench top Craftsman jointer that needs to be upgraded as well. I can’t keep the fence at 90 deg. And all it seems to do is make divets in the edge of a board. So I don’t use it. I don’t have a planer yet, but looking to add that and upgrade the majority of my other stuff. Aside from the miter saw they are cheap entry level tools. Mostly craftsman stuff. I don’t have a problem with Craftsman tools, just looking to take a step up.

I don’t have a specific project or plan. However, I would like to make some keepsake boxes, cutting boards, a book case etc. but would also like to make cabinets for my shop and maybe the house one day. Maybe a couple picnic tables since ours were crushed by a giant maple limb? Working on getting that cut into lumber!

If you are looking near term to building cabinets, then the table saw might be a priority. For cutting boards, bookcases and keepsake boxes, you might be better off prioritizing a planer or a jointer/planer combination machine. Being able to process solid wood so it is of uniform thickness and square is a pretty important aspect to stepping up your woodworking skills and projects.

For dados, you could look to a router or a router table with a good fence. I really like my Incra LS positioner with the Wonder fence, and you can use it to cut all sorts of joints, including dovetails, finger joints, etc.

A table saw can be really useful, but thinking about the priorities in building out the machines will position you to get the most versatility in your woodworking.

Mike

[Brian Vidler]

What do you think about this disappearing riving knife made by Delta for older unisaws?

https://deltamachinery.com/accessories/table-saws/34-868/

There is a YouTube video too https://youtu.be/T1W5T9UfuH8

[Jim Morgan]

What do you think about this disappearing riving knife made by Delta for older unisaws?

https://deltamachinery.com/accessories/table-saws/34-868/

There is a YouTube video too https://youtu.be/T1W5T9UfuH8

That is a splitter, which tilts with the blade, not a riving knife which both tilts and rises (or falls) with the blade. A riving knife maintains a constant distance from the teeth of the blade, can be used with both through and non-through cuts, and is the safest option. A splitter is better than nothing. The telescoping version from Delta is more convenient than most, since it can be pushed down below the table, rather than removed altogether, for non-through cuts.

[Michael Rutman]

Just a warning from my long ago past when I upgraded my tablesaw to something affordable. I then spent a lot of money on fences and other things to try to get a great cut. You can easily spend $1000 trying to get a $500 tablesaw to cut like a $1500 (personal experience) sawstop and fail. Or you can get a sawstop (starting at $899 for the compact) and get awesome cuts out of the box.

Now you are probably going to say that you need a bigger table, but do you really? Make a sled for any cuts larger. You will be limited to 24" rips, which may be a deal killer, and the extended out fence looks flimsy.

I don't have one of these so no personal experience with it, but the saw stops are really nice saws.

[Brian Vidler]

Thanks again everyone for your insight! It truly has been helpful!! IÂ’m sure IÂ’m not the first or last to be in this quandary. There are contractor saws with left tilt and a riving knife, but few cabinet saws with both until you get to about $1500. I originally intended to buy a saw and put an incra TS-LS and router table on it. I really like the functionality of this fence but maybe IÂ’m just drinking the cool aid? That pushes this to about $3000. ThatÂ’s more than I intended to spend. I may need to make concessions somewhere?

Safety is a priority, especially since my kids (mostly over 18) may use the saw.

Due to space constraints, I would like to have the router be part of the saw rather than another table space.

[Greg Parrish]

Brian,

I've been interested in the Incra TS-LS setup for nearly 8 years. I thought about it on my prior Powermatic PM66, I thought about trying to adapt it to my prior Felder KF500, and for the last year I've been thinking about it on my current Sawstop. Everyone has their own way of working and is entitled to their own opinion. Many comments I've read call it a solution in search of a problem. I take those kind of comments with the same grain of salt as the overly glowing reviews by people that probably got it free or are working for their YouTube income.

The above all said, I ended up ordering the system this Monday. I called and spoke with Neil at Incra a couple of times with questions and he patiently answered them all, including ones about how to modify it if I chose to. Their website mentions 4 to 6 weeks lead time and Neil told me 2 to 3 weeks lead time on the phone. Well, my system shows it will be here Thursday, so they certainly under promised and over delivered on that aspect. (4 days from order to expected delivery). A+++ customer service so far.

My personal reason for wanting and ordering the system relates to repeatability and function, as well as space saving. I know many will jump at the opportunity to tell me how large it is and how it takes too much space. But, I am a small workshop woodworker. I have about 2/3 of a 400 sq ft garage. For me, there is value in having a system that can handle table saw functions, router functions and jointery. I also see some economies of scale in that if it works as well as all the video's, it should replace my Leigh RTJ400 dovetail jig, and in most cases, my Incra I-Box jig. That said, Neil recommended keeping my I-Box for plywood because the saw would make cleaner cuts than the router many times. Regardless, I've been so impressed with the I-Box jig that I can only hope the TS-LS Jointery system performs as well.

My other reason mentioned is repeatability. By that, I mean simple things like duplicating a prior cut for a damaged part or similar. I'm admittedly not very good at following a batched approach to projects. I kind of move at my own tempo, pace and order. I may go days or weeks in between sessions. With the standard T-Glide style fences, I find it difficult to exactly replicate a part when I can't use the prior part for fence spacing. The extreme cut edge of the blade seems to allude me when trying to set the fence solely by tape measure. In many cases, the part I'm trying to replicate may already be glued into a project. The video's on the Incra system make functions like this seem to be 1-2-3 easy. Most of the reviews tend to agree so I'm hopeful I find it the same.

I just recently started a layout change in my shop getting ready for the new fence. I'm excited to try it out. Not sure if I'd call it drinking the cool-aid but it may very well follow along the same path people talk about after trying their first Festool product. Some fall in love with it and others simply hate it. Based on my I-Box experience, I'm thinking I'm going to love the TS-LS system though.

Good luck in your search for a saw. Regards. Greg





Thanks again everyone for your insight! It truly has been helpful!! IÂ’m sure IÂ’m not the first or last to be in this quandary. There are contractor saws with left tilt and a riving knife, but few cabinet saws with both until you get to about $1500. I originally intended to buy a saw and put an incra TS-LS and router table on it. I really like the functionality of this fence but maybe IÂ’m just drinking the cool aid? That pushes this to about $3000. ThatÂ’s more than I intended to spend. I may need to make concessions somewhere?

Safety is a priority, especially since my kids (mostly over 18) may use the saw.

Due to space constraints, I would like to have the router be part of the saw rather than another table space.

[Alex Zeller]

I would take a look at IRS auctions (not the government). They often have woodworking auctions around your area and you can often find cabinet saws for a fraction of what a used one would sell for. Just make sure that it's not 3 phase. The prices are falling back down again. A few years ago I bought a 3hp Powermatic PM66 for $150. I took it all apart, cleaned everything up, and it's been a great saw until I upgrade to a slider. I've seen plenty of them sell for around this price.

[Aaron Inami]

I see that the potential costs are now approaching $3,000. I would like to introduce a new option here. I would look at the Harvey Alpha HW110LC-36P. It's a 2HP cabinet saw that is currently on sale for $2099. For just over $2k, you actually get a whole lot with this:

- 2HP motor that runs on a 120V 20A circuit.
- left-tilt trunnion
- overhead dust collection
- a much better designed under-blade dust collection (when compared to the older Delta/Powermatic/Jet/Etc. cabinet saws).
- a really nice multi-function miter gauge with micro-adjust stops
- quick removable riving knife system
- a high/low unifence type ripping fence with dual indicators (for low/high fence positions).
- saw height/tilt adjustments use a new lead screw system instead of the old gearing system. This is actually a big deal because the older systems required grease and the trunnion gears always got clogged up with dust debris. This caused the gears to become bogged down and would eventually lock up the height/tilt adjustment system until you completely pulled off the cast iron top and cleaned out the entire gear system.

https://www.harveywoodworking.com/products/alpha-hw110lc-36p-10-cabinet-table-saw?variant=31869993648243

I know that you're kind of locked into wanting the Incra TS-LS fence, but if it were me and I was comparing an old beat up and worn out unisaw + Incra TS-LS, I would rather buy the brand new Harvey for all the reasons above. The one downside to the Harvey is the 36" ripping capacity. Though, for $200 more, you can get the HW110TC-52P that has a higher power 3HP motor (requires 240V) along with 52" rip capacity. The one benefit that I see on the Incra fence is to lock down any fence deflection. A traditional fence may have a very tiny bit of flex on the far end if you apply a large amount of pressure against the fence, but in my experience this is not really a problem with traditional cabinet saw fences.

The Harvey 31-1/2" cast iron router table can be installed into either one of these saws. I am documenting a router table build using this exact table:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?302072-Harvey-Cast-Iron-Router-Table-Build

If table saw safety with your kids is really a huge concern, you might just want to bite the bullet and spend the money for a Sawstop unit. Although, even the Sawstop will not prevent kick-back injuries (which can happen if the saw is used improperly).

I used to own a Powermatic PM-66 before I went to a slider. I will say that I liked the Powermatic the best out of all the cabinet saws I have owned and tried. It just felt more "solid" than the others. Though, part of it could be because I was running a 5HP motor on that one.

When introducing new people to a tablesaw, I really lecture on safety. One of the examples I put people through is to give then a 2x4 and a hand-saw - then ask them to saw through the entire thing. Then I take that exact same piece and demonstrate a crosscut on the table saw which takes somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 second. Usually their eyes "pop out". This example really shows how fast a table saw accident can occur and makes them think more carefully.

[Cameron Wood]

I looked (online) at the Incra fence that you're wanting, and read a bunch of reviews. Personally, I'm not a fan of overly complicated equipment, have never found even a basic fence mounted measuring system (tape and pointer) to work for long, and figure 80% of cuts on the tablesaw are more utility then precision. YMMV.

The issues for me would be:
- The fence arm sticks out to the right of the saw, so if it's set up for wide cut, or just pushed out of the way, it interferes with getting around the saw to the right- an issue in a small shop.
- The fence assembly covers the saw table to the right, which is valuable real estate for stacking multiple parts.
- Locking the fence in place is a two part operation which would be way annoying for me, and mentioned by multiple reviewers.


This Amazon review I thought put it well:

"I will say that I am extremely impressed with how accurate and sturdy this fence is.
You honestly won't find a more accurate fence on the market - it's truly all that it's cracked up to be. I also found the installation and calibration to be fairly quick and simple.
However, there are some significant costs/sacrifices to make for this incredible accuracy that should be taken into consideration.
As many other reviewers have pointed out, the center arm takes up valuable shop real-estate when you move the fence to the right. For me, I had re-arrange my whole shop to accommodate for the arm to extend out. It also takes some getting used to walking further to the right to adjust the fence (it's a 34 year old habit for me).
Some additional draw-backs that other reviewers didn't point out are as follows:
1) The fence arm also takes up valuable table-saw-TOP real-estate to the right of the fence. I often rip a great number of pieces and after each cut, I stack the cut piece on the table-saw-top to the right of the fence. With the arm running across the center of the table, it takes away this valuable stacking area.
2) The "sight-glass" often gets dusty and makes it hard to see the ruler below. It's more enclosed than a standard fence and I often need to use compressed air to clean it out or remove the fence to wipe the underside of the glass (plastic).
3) When making narrow cuts, I like to keep as many fingers as possible away from the blade by keeping them over the other side of (or on top of) the fence. With the center arm attaching to the right of the fence, I sometimes have to maneuver my fingers around it (yes, I know I should probably use a push-stick).
4) Although it's rare to need to set a fence to the LEFT of the blade, sometimes it's beneficial, or a must. With the Incra fence, this is not really an option.

For the sacrifices, I give it 2 out of 5 stars, but the incredible accuracy brings me to the 4 star final rating.

If you demand extreme accuracy and have plenty of shop space to allow for the arm to extend - this is the fence system for you.

For me, I love the accuracy, but I think I'm ready to "trade down" to a nice old-school Biesemeyer style fence."




Also, reviews of the Incra router table attached to the table saw are rather low, so I would look closely at that.


Good luck getting a great shop set up!

[Greg Parrish]

And that right there is why I say “to each their own”. LOL. The right fence or tool is different for everyone. I’m hopeful I don’t find these items to be deal killers for me after some use with the TS-LS. I sold my floating overarm dust system and my folding outfeed table, but plan to hang onto my T-Glide fence for a while just in case. Will just have to store it somewhere. :)



I looked (online) at the Incra fence that you're wanting, and read a bunch of reviews. Personally, I'm not a fan of overly complicated equipment, have never found even a basic fence mounted measuring system (tape and pointer) to work for long, and figure 80% of cuts on the tablesaw are more utility then precision. YMMV.

The issues for me would be:
- The fence arm sticks out to the right of the saw, so if it's set up for wide cut, or just pushed out of the way, it interferes with getting around the saw to the right- an issue in a small shop.
- The fence assembly covers the saw table to the right, which is valuable real estate for stacking multiple parts.
- Locking the fence in place is a two part operation which would be way annoying for me, and mentioned by multiple reviewers.


This Amazon review I thought put it well:

"I will say that I am extremely impressed with how accurate and sturdy this fence is.
You honestly won't find a more accurate fence on the market - it's truly all that it's cracked up to be. I also found the installation and calibration to be fairly quick and simple.
However, there are some significant costs/sacrifices to make for this incredible accuracy that should be taken into consideration.
As many other reviewers have pointed out, the center arm takes up valuable shop real-estate when you move the fence to the right. For me, I had re-arrange my whole shop to accommodate for the arm to extend out. It also takes some getting used to walking further to the right to adjust the fence (it's a 34 year old habit for me).
Some additional draw-backs that other reviewers didn't point out are as follows:
1) The fence arm also takes up valuable table-saw-TOP real-estate to the right of the fence. I often rip a great number of pieces and after each cut, I stack the cut piece on the table-saw-top to the right of the fence. With the arm running across the center of the table, it takes away this valuable stacking area.
2) The "sight-glass" often gets dusty and makes it hard to see the ruler below. It's more enclosed than a standard fence and I often need to use compressed air to clean it out or remove the fence to wipe the underside of the glass (plastic).
3) When making narrow cuts, I like to keep as many fingers as possible away from the blade by keeping them over the other side of (or on top of) the fence. With the center arm attaching to the right of the fence, I sometimes have to maneuver my fingers around it (yes, I know I should probably use a push-stick).
4) Although it's rare to need to set a fence to the LEFT of the blade, sometimes it's beneficial, or a must. With the Incra fence, this is not really an option.

For the sacrifices, I give it 2 out of 5 stars, but the incredible accuracy brings me to the 4 star final rating.

If you demand extreme accuracy and have plenty of shop space to allow for the arm to extend - this is the fence system for you.

For me, I love the accuracy, but I think I'm ready to "trade down" to a nice old-school Biesemeyer style fence."




Also, reviews of the Incra router table attached to the table saw are rather low, so I would look closely at that.


Good luck getting a great shop set up!

[Brian Vidler]

If I decide to go the route of an older Unisaw type saw. Besides using this method for the bevel cuts, is the shark guard the best option to a riving knife for general safety? I’ve seen some people have machined a piece to add a riving knife on a unisaw. I don’t have that ability!

[Bill Dufour]

Do more modern Unisaws still use a custom motor mount or will a NEMA motor bolt up.

[Marc Fenneuff]

All Unisaws until 2006 used a proprietary motor.

The Delta dissappearing splitter is still available and a good choice. So is a Shark Guard.

Vintage Unisaws and PM66s can be a good deal but you have to know what to look for and be prepared to make repairs before you make sawdust.

[Ronald Blue]

There is a Grizzly G0651 with the long rails and a 4" shark guard for $900 in New Hampshire. It's on FB presumably in Marketplace. It's in the "Everything Used Woodworking Tools For Sale or Trade" group. Mont Vernon NH. I know it would be a road trip but sometimes there are things worth the trouble. Also has an outfeed table. I'd check Market Place first or join the group if you are on FB.

[Russell Hayes]

I have a uni clone Grizzly and have the shark guard delta ark package. I use it on every cut that I can. Set up is like 30 seconds once you get used to it. I had never used any type of blade guard or splitter and I must say I really adapted to it quickly. I like the feel of the wood against the splitter as it passes the blade. My under table DC is excellent but the shark probably catches a little bit, I mostly really like the plastic between my fingers and the blade. Was $370 couple of years ago.