Saw quest

[Kent E. Matthew]

So I wandered into a Denver area Woodcraft yesterday. First saw I looked at was the Saw Stop. Very impressive. But, I can outfit my entire shop and then some for that price. The offering from Steel City was interesting. But, I have never heard of them. I was looking for the General I looked at the last time I was in town. Had to be a hybrid for 800 dollars. It was not to be found. This one fellow jumped forward and pointed at the Jet contractor saw and said that's all you need. That is the best 500 dollar saw I have ever seen. Should I consider this saw if my Craigslist quest fails?

[Chris Padilla]

It all depends on what you want from your saw. If you are just starting out, it might be just the ticket. I started out with my father's old Sears contractor's saw and moved up to a Griz 1023Z cabinet saw. If it ever goes south (which I doubt it will), I'd love to get a SS or the new PM TS.

[Kent E. Matthew]

Chris please give a review of your Grizz 1023. I was just thinking perhaps I should just forget about all this and just save up and order a Grizzly 1023. As far as what I want out of a table saw. I am not sure. What I am sure of is that I have had access to a Unisaw at work. I am afraid anything I buy that is below that will not be satisfactory. I have always heard that the saw is the one piece you shouldn't skimp on.

What do you guys and gals think of this one craigslist entry.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c56/Goose5/misc/unisaw.jpg

They want 250 for this saw that has been left outside for awhile. Its a five hour drive one way from where I live. Worth a try?

[scott spencer]

It really depends on your preferences and budget. A good full size contractor saw like the Jet will do just fine, but the outboard motor does have more disadvantages than a hybrid or cabinet saw with an enclosed motor.

[Dewayne Reding]

Kent

Not that people won't chime in here on this thread because they will, but you are cheating yourself if you don't do a forum search. You can read for days. The Griz 1023 gets raves reviews. The Craftsman 22124 is a nice hybrid for the money. Steel City has a basically identical offering. I have the C-Man, but I am sure I would have been very happy with many other saws. They weren't on sale for $799 with a Biesemeyer fence that month. I would skip the contractor saw if your wallet allows.

In my rookie opinion, the fence is everything. Don't skimp on that, no matter what saw you choose.

[Richard Magbanua]

Kent,
I have a Craftsman Hybrid 22124 also. Got a great deal on a great saw. Getting what you would be happy with depends on your situation and budget. It seems that the hybrids are becoming a great alternative to the contractors saws. They take up less space but offer the solidity and feel of a cabinet saw with the ability to run on a household 110 outlet. On the other hand, the new "bench top" saws from Rigid and Bosch offer contractor saw power and accuracy in a very portable package. Just to add more confusion, there are cabinet saws that are offered at a price not much more than the hybrids.
I echo a previous post advising you to get a good fence. It can be the most important piece of equipment on the saw. I have a Biesemeyer and it's wonderful not worrying about making accurate and square cuts. I also have my router fence attached to it which gives me equal accuracy with my router extension.
One thing to definitely look into with the new saws is a real riving knife/guard. Some new models such as the Powermatics, the new Bosch bench top saw and maybe Steel City offer this as standard equipment. This will be required on all new models sometime soon. This is a big deal. Newbies, such as myself, make the enormous mistake of taking it off all the time. I've had a few accidents, luckily none of them serious. Not with touching the blade but with kickback. I was actually afraid of my saw for awhile. Now I respect it by using a guard.
There are some great deals that happen all the time. Just do the research. BTW, Rockler has a Jet contractors saw with cast iron wings on sale for $399. Good luck!

-Richard in Indy
GO COLTS!

[Chuck Lenz]

What do you guys and gals think of this one craigslist entry.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c56/Goose5/misc/unisaw.jpg

They want 250 for this saw that has been left outside for awhile. Its a five hour drive one way from where I live. Worth a try?
I think I would try to get ALOT more information before I would drive for 10 hours.

[Greg Pavlov]

Kent,
I have a Craftsman Hybrid 22124 also. Got a great deal on a great saw. Getting what you would be happy with depends on your situation and budget. It seems that the hybrids are becoming a great alternative to the contractors saws. They take up less space but offer the solidity and feel of a cabinet saw with the ability to run on a household 110 outlet. On the other hand, the new "bench top" saws from Rigid and Bosch offer contractor saw power and accuracy in a very portable package. Just to add more confusion, there are cabinet saws that are offered at a price not much more than the hybrids. .............
-Richard in Indy
GO COLTS!
... and I bet that there will be a lot of debate on the differences and their merits if/when SawStop finally puts out their contractor saw.

[scott spencer]

... and I bet that there will be a lot of debate on the differences and their merits if/when SawStop finally puts out their contractor saw.

It's too bad SawStop didn't use the hybrid format instead of choosing an outboard motor. After 60 years, the contractor saw design has served its purpose and is destined for dinosaurville.

[Gary Keedwell]

It's too bad SawStop didn't use the hybrid format instead of choosing an outboard motor. After 60 years, the contractor saw design has served its purpose and is destined for dinosaurville.
Did you mean, Dino-saw-ville?:D
Gary

[Joe Scarfo]

Kent,

for $250, that unisaw is irrestible.

The worse that could be bad is the motor, get it fixed...

I bought a rusted hulk of a 1953 Uni. the rebuild came in at less than $500. That included sandblasting the cabinet, having the cabinet powder coated my fav color, and a new fence.

From what i can see, that doesn't need as much work.

Given it's been outside the extension tables may need replacing.

If you dont' want it, can you share where it is?

Thanks
Joe

[Bill Ragland]

Chris please give a review of your Grizz 1023. I was just thinking perhaps I should just forget about all this and just save up and order a Grizzly 1023. As far as what I want out of a table saw. I am not sure. What I am sure of is that I have had access to a Unisaw at work. I am afraid anything I buy that is below that will not be satisfactory. I have always heard that the saw is the one piece you shouldn't skimp on.

What do you guys and gals think of this one craigslist entry.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c56/Goose5/misc/unisaw.jpg

They want 250 for this saw that has been left outside for awhile. Its a five hour drive one way from where I live. Worth a try?

What other kind of saw can you buy for $250? Seems worth the effort if the trunnions are not a hunk of rust and can be cleaned up. Some thoughts though!

1. Does it run?
2. Is there a fence?
3. Do you want to invest the time to restore it?
4. Sounds like about $100+ in gas so are you willing to look and not buy?
5. Is the main saw table pitted? Is it flat?
6. Will this really, really be equal to the Unisaw that you have access to?

While the price is attractive there is a lot of work and time and maybe $$$ to be invested in this saw before it's ready to make dust. There are some very capable saws out there for $500-$600 that are new and ready to go make dust. Delta, Jet, Craftsman Hybrids are but a few. It just seems a little odd that someone would let a quality piece of machinery sit out in the back yard in the weather if were still working.

[scott spencer]

Did you mean, Dino-saw-ville?:D
Gary

...rim shot for Gary! ... do I still get the "assist"? :D

[Chuck Lenz]

I don't know why some people have to pick on Contractor tablesaws. I've been woodworking for over 20 years and my Delta Contractors tablesaw has served me very well for 12 of those years and I'm sure many more. It came with the 30" Unifence and a mobile base, I then put a Fenner Drives PowerTwist link belt on it, and improved the dust collection on it ( which I'm very proud of ). It's all I need for a hobby saw. I don't feel that I have to go run out and buy a hybrid or a cabinet tablesaw just because it's the in thing to have. There are other things on my list that I could use more.

[Joe Scarfo]

Chuck,

You're right... I had a craftsman contractor saw before my uni.

Back then I was a woodworking neophyte and Had I known then, what I know now.. I would've built a better mobile base, cabinet for it, put on a better fence.. and that would be it.

But I did upgrade and I've also never looked back.... The power is fantastic, the dust collection good enough, and the love hum it makes it great...

Tks
Joe

[scott spencer]

I don't know why some people have to pick on Contractor tablesaws. I've been woodworking for over 20 years and my Delta Contractors tablesaw has served me very well for 12 of those years and I'm sure many more. It came with the 30" Unifence and a mobile base, I then put a Fenner Drives PowerTwist link belt on it, and improved the dust collection on it. It's all I need for a hobby saw. I don't feel that I have to go run out and buy a hybrid or a cabinet tablesaw just because it's the in thing to have. There are other things on my list that I could use more.

Chuck - Gary and I were having fun with a play on words...didn't mean to be strike any nerves by picking on anyone's contractor saws. My contractor saw served me well...I loved it, and I'm sure the existing saws will be around serving others for many decades to come.

It is however an older design that is nearing obsolescence b/c it has next to no design advantages over the more modern alternatives, and the writing is on the wall as more and more suppliers offer more and more hybrids to the former contractor saw market. Unless you need to remove the motor often, there are precious few design advantages to that outboard motor, and there are a host of mostly minor nuisances, and some that are not so minor, that go along with it. That's why I think SawStop missed the boat with their less expensive saw.

You're right...there's no need for you to sell your saw and buy a hybrid or cab saw, but for someone in the market about to shell out $500-$1200 for a new saw, a good objective look at the design differences and advantages is very prudent IMHO.

[Chuck Lenz]

Since I rewired my shop and put the tablesaw on a dedicated circuit, I haven't had a problem with enough power to cut anything.

[Kent E. Matthew]

I am in the process of building my shop. I do intend to wire it for both 110 and 220. I have a welder that will go in there as well. So, I am not hampered by having just 110. I might point out that the Jet Contractor I looked at did not have the motor hanging out the back. It was completely enclosed.

[Carroll Courtney]

If that saw was near me,I would drive and buy before I would have posted the question first.Heck,looks like it has the biesmeyer fence rail.And there's no humidity in Colorado!IMO

[Mickey Finn]

Got a case of G.A.S? (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) :rolleyes:

Whatever you decide, I say go for it because I don't know what your experience with woodworking is...

For me, I'm a noob with a "regular job", and thankfully, by Irish Luck, I could haul off with the checkbook and make a Woodcraft or Rockler rep's whole month if I wanted to, and there's been a couple days where I was ready to go... but I'm holding off.

In other words, this is my hobby, I decided to undertake the task of just furnishing my house with a few tables, chairs and whatnot because I can't find what I like in the furniture stores...the "main-stream stores" always have stuff that looks 100% bland and is overpriced... looks like a.ss

Or if I find something I like, it's a tall dollar imported Italian blah-blah in some specialty shop and costs as much as my monthly mortgage payment. And for the record, we're talking about a COFFEE TABLE here.....

Did I mention that factory furniture is cheap crap and overpriced? LOL

Like many of you, I looked at those pieces and said, "I can do that myself, and better".... and yep, I'm learning, and I have a metric shiat-ton still to learn...

Accuracy, ease of use, repeatabilty... this is on my mind.

Nevertheless, I'm not inclined to drop four figures on machinery that might be standing useless a year from now if my attentions change.

But I do love the head-scratchin', figurin', frustration and "drop-kick a circular saw across the room" that comes with turning wood into furniture... my brain has had more work than it's had in years, and that's what counts for me. This is good stuff!

If Irish Luck holds out and I figure out a way to turn a buck from this racket, then maybe it's time for the big tools. Otherwise, I'm sticking with what I got... which ain't a whole bunch, but it's working fine so far.

OK, end of my rant... go buy it. :)

[Greg Pavlov]

It's too bad SawStop didn't use the hybrid format instead of choosing an outboard motor. After 60 years, the contractor saw design has served its purpose and is destined for dinosaurville.
Whoops, looks like I was wrong, the debate's already started.... I'm not going to argue one side or the other, at least not right now ;) , but I *am* going to seriously consider the SS saw just because it will be (I hope) much cheaper than the big brother.

[Brian Ross]

Kent.. For $250 I would be heading down the road with a wheel barrow if I didn't have wheels. You live in a beautiful part of the world and I am sure it would be a nice drive. The last saw I bought I drove 10 hrs one way but it was a lot more than $250. I have a shaper in which the top looked like that saw and an hour later it looked as good as new.

Brian