Table Saw

[Paul Douglass]

My son will be home from Japan next year and he will want his tools back I have been "storing" for him. I don't want to go back to my old Craftsman table saw, was a pretty good saw in it's day and served me well, but I want a better saw. What is the best contractor or highbred table saw for around $1000? I was looking at the Dewalt highbred but have read some less than flattering reviews on it.

Got any opinions?:o

[Liem Tran]

Paul, I have the Dewalt 746 for over a 1 yr now. I think it's an excellent saw, no complaints so far. I set mine up with a Bench dog cast iron router table on one side and bought a cast iron wing for the otherside. It's a perfect setup for my small shop. I paid $899 for the saw with free shipping from Amazon. Hope this helps.

Liem

[Paul Douglass]

Paul, I have the Dewalt 746 for over a 1 yr now. I think it's an excellent saw, no complaints so far. I set mine up with a Bench dog cast iron router table on one side and bought a cast iron wing for the otherside. It's a perfect setup for my small shop. I paid $899 for the saw with free shipping from Amazon. Hope this helps.

Liem

Thanks for the input. The place I saw negative comments on it was the Amazon reviews by buyers. Sounded like most of the complaints centered around gettin thing aligned properly. Also poor fence and miter gauge. I always figure you have to upgrade on the fence and miter gauge.

[glenn bradley]

The C-man 'zip code' saws made by Orion have made a few folks here happy in that price range (actually much cheaper if you shop). A real Beisemeyer commercial fence, Lietz blade, CI wings, mini out-feed table and a tolerable miter gauge make the street price of $600 - $700 pretty attractive. More than one of us though had to have replacement wings shipped (free of course) due to hole alignment or other problems. Griz and other hybrids get good comments as well. Some of it boils down to personal preference.

If this turns out like other threads on this subject the suggestions will be numerous. Search the forum for other posts and you'll find many opinions and a lot of good info. Remember to factor in shipping, after market add-ons required, etc. when you're considering the price on some of these. Have fun!

[Joe Trotter]

Is that an 8N or a NAA in your avatar? I have a 42 9N that I am currently rebuilding.

Joe

[scott spencer]

For a grand you can get into an entry level 3hp cabinet saw like Grizzly, Shop Fox, or Steel City if you've got 220v. They're just a more substantial machine than any hybrid or contractor saw.

That said, I see no advantage in the contractor saw design over a good hybrid. My Craftsman 22124 replaced a very nice GI contractor saw and I've been very pleased with it. It has cabinet mounted trunnions, as does the Steel City version, which is nearly identical.

GI, Grizzly, Jet, Delta, and Sunhill also have decent hybrids < $1k too. All have models with cast iron wings and full enclosures...most have a Biese fence option too.

http://www.epinions.com/content_184778395268

p.s. A fence upgrade will be much more expensive as an aftermarket purchase than as a stock item....I'd do it now.

[Dan Barr]

great saw, great price. 749.00 on Amazon with free shipping.

what you get with the saw:

two cast iron wings, extension table (right side), built in mobile base, Unifence system (very nice), 1.5 Hp Induction motor, runs on 110 or 220 volts, decent miter gauge (positive stops built in), blade guard, blade, left tilt to 45 deg, 3 1/8 cut at 90, 2 1/8 cut at 45.

anyway, i think its a great deal.

Dan :)

[Mark Rios]

For a grand you can get into an entry level 3hp cabinet saw like Grizzly, Shop Fox, or Steel City if you've got 220v. They're just a more substantial machine than any hybrid or cabinet saw.

That said, I see no advantage in the contractor saw design over a good hybrid. My Craftsman 22124 replaced a very nice GI contractor saw and I've been very pleased with it. It has cabinet mounted trunnions, as does the Steel City version, which is nearly identical.

GI, Grizzly, Jet, Delta, and Sunhill also have decent hybrids < $1k too. All have models with cast iron wings and full enclosures...most have a Biese fence option too.

http://www.epinions.com/content_184778395268

p.s. A fence upgrade will be much more expensive as an aftermarket purchase than as a stock item....I'd do it now.


As a furthering of Scott's post, Grizzly is apparently havng an end of the year promotion right now. Using the code WOODM0612 in your PHONE ORDER can get you an extra $100 off (according to another thread here). After the $85 shipping charge, the makes the Grizzly 1023SL $960 delivered to your shop. It also includes two cast iron wings, the Shop Fox Classic fence (Biese clone) and the arbor accepts a full 13/16" dado stack (some saws won't accept the full stack or, because of the arbor design, the second blade of the stack will be out of alignment with the others).

There are a whole bunch of folks that have the 1023 and love it to death. I don't think you could go wrong with that machine, especially for the money.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1023SL

(btw, the link above says that the freight is $89.50. However in their latest sale ad in Wood Mag, the freight is listed as $85.)


jmao

[Homer Faucett]

great saw, great price. 749.00 on Amazon with free shipping.

what you get with the saw:

two cast iron wings, extension table (right side), built in mobile base, Unifence system (very nice), 1.5 Hp Induction motor, runs on 110 or 220 volts, decent miter gauge (positive stops built in), blade guard, blade, left tilt to 45 deg, 3 1/8 cut at 90, 2 1/8 cut at 45.

anyway, i think its a great deal.

Dan :)

You can get that same saw at Lowe's with the 30" T2 fence (which I like better) for $599. Or you can upgrade to the Bies fence and still be about the same or less than the Amazon price. For $750, though, I would rather have a cabinet saw or hybrid like the zip code saw, Orion equivalent, or Delta hybrid.

[Mark Carlson]

Another vote for the Grizzly 1023 cabinet saw versas getting a hybrid or a contractors saw.

~mark

[Al Sherred]

I also have to put my two cents in on the 1023sl mine is 2yrs old and it runs beautifully, couldn't ask for more.

[Sean Hamblett]

Hi, I too am looking for a new table saw in the $1000.00 range, I need to replace my $20 e-bay specail. I looked at Grizzly, and saw this http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0478 (http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0478)

I have also looked at Lowes, and they have a Delta contractor saw with some different fence options http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=237665-32764-36-979&lpage=none

Any help on which is the better saw, or if there is another saw I should look at would be helpfu! Thanks!

Sean

[Paul Douglass]

Is that an 8N or a NAA in your avatar? I have a 42 9N that I am currently rebuilding.

Joe

It's a 1956 Ford 850, looks like the 8N's big brother. I rebuit it with the help of my mechanic brother-in-law and nephew. Needs tires and rear rims pretty bad, but I can't get myselt to spend the money.

[Greg Cole]

Sean,
I have that identical saw here in my shop at work, granted it's overkill for making crates for shipping LARGE & HEAVY machines in... but the boss gave me the thumbs up to buy the tools versus pay someone to build crates for us. I added the T2 fence for $150 I think. To compare to the General I have in the shop at home which I paid about $500 more for, other than the 1/2 HP more on my General and the 72" rails.... the Delta is a good saw for the price range.

[Mike Heidrick]

It's a 1956 Ford 850, looks like the 8N's big brother. I rebuit it with the help of my mechanic brother-in-law and nephew. Needs tires and rear rims pretty bad, but I can't get myselt to spend the money.

OT.

Try simpletractors dot com for some good deals on tractor parts. I found brand new tires for my Simplicity Powermax there for $75 for the pair from a guy in IN.

Would hate to buy new tires for the Deere.

[michael tessler]

A lot of people are very impressed with the new Steel City saws. They have a cabinet TS with 3hp, 220 power and a 30" Bies type fence for $999 less a $100 rebate. I was planning on buying one, until I found a great deal on a Delta Unisaw.

It's not fair to say that the Steel City and the zip code saw are nearly identical, just because they are made in the same plant. The SC saw has tighter tollerances and a beefier trunion than the CM.

[Aaron Black]

i own the jet hy-bred tabll saw with the 52 inch fence and left side sliding table. Mine is wired for 220 but it can also be wired for 110. I would not trade this saw for anything.Its a great running saw that does everything I need I bought it on sale at rockler plus got a 200 dollar rebate from jet allinall I paid about 990 for everything. And once you try the sliding table you'll love it beats the hell out of cross cut sleds. just my opinion aaron.

[scott spencer]

A lot of people are very impressed with the new Steel City saws. They have a cabinet TS with 3hp, 220 power and a 30" Bies type fence for $999 less a $100 rebate. I was planning on buying one, until I found a great deal on a Delta Unisaw.

It's not fair to say that the Steel City and the zip code saw are nearly identical, just because they are made in the same plant. The SC saw has tighter tollerances and a beefier trunion than the CM.

AFAIK, there's a hybrid from SC that's 1-3/4hp (35601) that's pretty similar to the 22124 (nearly identical as far as I can tell), then there's also a 3hp version of that saw (35606) with a 3hp motor and beefier trunnions (there's also a long rail version - 35610). SC is associated with Orion and the saws share design and parts, as well as the plant of origin. I haven't seen printed tolerances of any of them, so I can't comment on that aspect.