Table Saw Motor Size - Advice

[Art Travers]

Have sold my contractor saw and now am dickering on purchasing
one of the Steel City cabinet saws.
Question? Since the cost between the 1.75HP and 3 HP motors are not
significant, and considering that 220V is available in my garage what would
be the consensus?

[Steve Clardy]

I'd go with 3hp since you have 220 available

[Tyler Purcell]

If you have 220v and you don't mind spending a little more for a higher HP, I would, without question go for higher HP.

[David Weaver]

I have the 1.75 horsepower saw, and a 1.75 horsepower band saw and a 15 amp planer - you name it, I live at the limits of 110 volts.

Absolutely absolutely get the 3hp saw unless there is a huge price difference and you don't have 220 available (which you state is already a non-issue). I do WWing with someome who has the 5hp 220 versions, and it's worth having the extra power if the price difference is small - even if you only use the power a couple of times a year.

I get by with my lower power tools because I'm slow and I like to do WWing at a relaxing pace, but I have to admit there have been a couple of times that I bogged the TS down pretty good ramming sheet goods through it (and even with a forrest WWII TK), and my planer has begged for mercy several times.

[John Browne]

Power is safety on TS--less chance of slowing and grabbing. Get the 3hp and you're set.

[Don Bullock]

I'd definately go with the 3 hp if the cost difference isn't much.

[glenn bradley]

3HP as power is available. If I had known I was going to eventually re-wire my shop, I would have gone 3 horse.

P.s. the 1 3/4 has been very adequate. No complaints but in a TS, if more power is an option, do it.

[Jack Camillo]

Go 5hp. Oh, that wasn't the question. Go no less than 3hp. I have a 3hp, and one time did I wish I had the five: I was cutting tons of box joints for over an hour or so, and the motor (Baldor, no less) bogged down, overheated, shut down and wouldn't start. I flipped, because the saw was brand new. Good thing I was almost done. After about 20 mins, I was good to go to finish up.

[scott spencer]

A little extra power shouldn't hurt anything, and will likely come in handy sooner or later. The bigger motor may last longer and will make your setup less sensitive to blade choice and sharpness.

What would Tim Taylor do? :D

[Steven Wilson]

3Hp is great for a hand fed 10" table saw. If you are looking at one that takes a 12" blade or plan on using a power feeder then consider 5hp.

[Gary Curtis]

My 5hp has stalled cutting 1" Baltic Birch Ply. Get all the power you can afford.

Gary Curtis

[Jesse Cloud]

No brainer!;) If you've got the right electricity, go for 3 HP. I started to say if you just use 4/Q lumber and don't do a lot of dadoes, then the lower HP would probably be ok, but I gave it a second thought. I was very happy going from 1.75 to 3HP. My 3HP unisaw just chugs along, even on 12Q stock or with wide dadoes. The old 1.75 came close to stalling a few times - not safe!:eek:

[Chris Barnett]

Got the 3 hp but now wish I have opted for the 5hp at just a few bucks more. Only problem is that if it does throw things, it throws them harder...a lot harder.

[Randal Stevenson]

While this IS going to agree with the other posters, there is just one thing else to think of here.

If/When your motor dies, if you bought the 1.75HP motor, you might consider buying a bigger motor, only to find out that your saws frame (trunions) won't support the stresses of it.
Now if your 3HP motor dies, and you find a free 1.75HP motor, you can use that on the saw until you get your bigger motor.

[Al Willits]

Having bought the Delta hybrid saw at 1.75 hp, it does just about everything as a hobbyist I need....key here is just about, I'm finding with some woods even with the WW2 blade I have to cut at a pretty good clip to keep from burning, with 1.25 thick wood the saw sometimes does not have the power to do that.

If I was to do it again, 3 hp would be the saw I'd pick.

Al