If you had $2000 for a Table Saw??

[Gary Warren]

If you had up to $2000 to spend for a Table Saw with 30" extension, which one would you choose. I know this will provoke lots of aligned comments but I need to replace my old Craftsman contractors saw and this is all I have to spend. I would love to have the features of a Saw Stop but cannot see spending that kind of money.

[alex grams]

I can't speak for direct experience with some brands of table saws, but i have been very pleased with grizzly tools in general, and would give them heavy consideration along with jet and a delta.

[Andrew Mason]

If you have to spend all 2K on the table saw, then I'm sure there are many here who can make suggestions, but if I were in your shoes, I would opt to spend less on the TS and the rest on either other tools I don't have or perhaps supplies for future projects.

As a for instance, I just finished putting my 53 unisaw back together. bought it for 200, got a used biesemeyer and bought a few parts, 500 dollars in, and I am very satisfied.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/2194137812_3eb5dbfe26.jpg

Now, depending on what else you have, maybe go another way...
this is coming from a guy with a TS and router... and thats it...:D
either way, good luck with you purchase
~Andrew

[Mike Heidrick]

I would get a used cabinet or hybrid saw for under a grand and start saving for a sawstop cabinet saw. Then sell your used cabinet saw for the same or more money than you paid for it. That is what I did. I am Very happy with that approach.

[George Bregar]

I'll go with others, used Unisaw for a grand give or take, and then $1,000 for something else.

[Jim Marshall]

If you had up to $2000 to spend for a Table Saw with 30" extension, which one would you choose. I know this will provoke lots of aligned comments but I need to replace my old Craftsman contractors saw and this is all I have to spend. I would love to have the features of a Saw Stop but cannot see spending that kind of money.

One thing I would for sure do is get a tablesaw with a left tilt. I have a unisaw with right tilt and have been very happy with it except for the right tilt.

[Chuck Lenz]

If you have to spend all 2K on the table saw, then I'm sure there are many here who can make suggestions, but if I were in your shoes, I would opt to spend less on the TS and the rest on either other tools I don't have or perhaps supplies for future projects.

As a for instance, I just finished putting my 53 unisaw back together. bought it for 200, got a used biesemeyer and bought a few parts, 500 dollars in, and I am very satisfied.
You have some valid points Andrew, but depending on where you live the chances of running into a $200 Unisaw are slim to none. Thats one heck of a deal you got in my opinion. Nice gloat, and with a pic too. But if I didn't want to fuss with used issues and I had $2000, I'd look to see if I could get a American made Unisaw new. If not see if any of the Powermatics or jets are made in America.

[Eric Haycraft]

If you have to buy right away.. These are the models that I would look at (in no specific order)
Grizzly 1023z
Jet Deluxe XACTA (deluxe!!!! - it has the riving knife)
Left tilt unisaw. I see these on sale all the time for under 2k.

If time is on your side, the used market is probably a much better deal. If you are really patient, you can probably find a sweet deal on an old uni. Less patience will get you a uni or pm66 for 800 - 1200 bucks. You can use the extra 1000 bucks to deck it out with incra stuff, jigs, a dovetailer, woodrat, etc, or heaven forbid - buy wood. If you go the used route, I would suggest an RSS reader that can alert you when a saw is posted on CL because good saws can go in a matter of hours.

[Brian Fulkerson]

Gary,

I just purchased the new Jet Deluxe Xacta. I will be picking it up on Saturday. I felt that "bank-for-buck" it offered the best quality and features. Including a very important feature: a riving knife. Give it a good look.

I also looked at the used saw market for quite a while and found that most of the unisaws that I found needed alot of work to make them what they needed to be. The ones that were in really good shape, didn't substantiate the savings of buying new. People want alot of money for quality Unisaws. I simply decided that I wanted to spend my first few weekends with my saw working with wood and not a machine. Also, I expect to keep this saw forever. That was woth the extra $$ to me.

Brian

[Andrew Mason]

You have some valid points Andrew, but depending on where you live the chances of running into a $200 Unisaw are slim to none. Thats one heck of a deal you got in my opinion. Nice gloat, and with a pic too. For $2000 I'd make sure it was made in the US, if that's possible anymore.

busted...

Yeah, I got lucky, but to echo others, plenty of good condition, American made table saws out there to be had.

[Chris Dodge]

I'd go for the left tilt Delta Unisaw. I have owned a right tilt Unisaw for sixteen years now and have never had a single problem with it. But if I were to do it again I would get a left tilt saw. If you can find a used one (right or left tilt) for $1,000 then you should grab it. Unless someone has really abused it then it should still work as well as when it was brand new. Mine does!

I only have one Grizzly tool (G0586 jointer) and love it so a Grizzly tablesaw might be worthwhile and would probably save you some money.

[Jim Becker]

In the current market, I'd give serious consideration to the new Jet "Deluxe" LT product with the riving knife. The Jet LT cabinet saw I ran before I moved to my slider was an excellent machine.

[Brad Townsend]

I don't know if the Steel City with the granite top can be had for under 2k, but if not, it's close. I would give it a look.

[John Hedges]

WOW that seems like an easy one, I am surprised no-one has mentioned the PM2000. If you shop around you should be able to get it under 2K shipped. That's what I did last year and have been very happy with it. Barring that I would go with the new JET with the riving knife like Jim said.

[Stan Welborn]

Personally, I'd go for the Grizzly for half your budget, and put the rest toward something else. Then, I hardly ever use a table saw. If I used one more, (Mine sits in a corner. Only stationary tool I have on a mobile base. Haven't used it in months.), I might look at putting more into one. Maybe one with a riving knife. Still would probably go with the new Grizzly offering and save a few bucks though.

[Justin Bukoski]

I think I would buy this saw: http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-Heavy-Duty-Cabinet-Table-Saw-With-Riving-Knife/G0651 and then add this sliding table to it: http://www.grizzly.com/products/Sliding-Table-For-Table-Saws-Shapers/G4227

Or just go for the Grizzly slider at $2700

[Sam Yerardi]

Myself I would restore an old Unisaw or such and use the remaining money to buy the other things for my shop I dream about at night. And the list seems to grow day by day.

[Chris Padilla]

PM2000 although it seems to cost closer to $2.3k and if I'm going THAT far, SawStop would get the nod...I think.

Best bang for the buck out there is Grizzly. My 1023Z will probably never give me any issues so I won't know the sweet taste of a new PM or SS. :(

[Montgomery Scott]

If I did not already have a Unisaw and had $2k saved for a TS I would save another $2k and get a SawStop with all the extras. The safety improvements are easily worth the extra money considering how many TS accidents there are each year.

[keith ouellette]

I have only had one saw. A jet 52" 3hp exacta. So far it has been problem free and it didn't cost $2000.

[david graves]

I own a Ridgid TS3650 and for the relatively cheap price, I felt it was the best saw for the amount of funds I had available to spend.

However, if I had $2,000 to spend on a table saw alone, I would look hard into the Grizzly line-up, My brother had a Powermatic, but I believe he spent a little of $2,000 on it.

Let us know what you decide.

Regards,

[Jon Lanier]

I think you should settle for a $1000 table saw... and actually get two. Have the second one sent to my address. ;)

[Justin McCurdy]

A big vote for the Steel City 3hp saw. IMHO it blows the current Delta offering out of the water. The new JETs are also really nice.

[Cary Falk]

I would go with the Steel City Ti coated RT cabinet saw with 50" fence for $1199 delivered at Woodworker Supply or the Grizzly 1023 if you don't get that deal. I restored a 1970 Uni and sometimes that does not work out to be the best deal. Use the other $800 on another tool.

[Larry Anderson]

Another vote for Steel City. I just got the 35640, but didn't pay near what they are going for now.

[Brad Shipton]

I would watch the Woodweb, exfactory or IRS auctions for a used slider. Might be tough to find single phase, but they surface occasionally.

Brad

[Tim Marks]

PM2000 although it seems to cost closer to $2.3k and if I'm going THAT far, SawStop would get the nod...
Apparently you haven't priced a SS with ALL the options... like a fence and shipping.

$2800 + $360 (36" fence) + $550 (shipping) = $3710. Just a bit more then the PM2000 at $2.3k delivered. To make it comparable to the PM2000, throw in the mobile base for another $300 and the extension wing for $79 for a total of $4089.

Back on-topic to the OP's request: recommendations for a cabinet saw at $2k or below. I think if I wanted to send that kind of money for a saw, that I would jump on the Grizzly 0651. $1839 delivered gets you a riving knife, 52" fence (sorry, guess you will have to get out your hacksaw :D), outfeed table, right extension table, shelves under the table, and a digital angle meter. Oh, and you can upgrade from a 3 Hp to a 5 Hp motor for FREE. Looks like a winner to me, and serious competition for the new Jet Xacta saw.

But I would actually probably just spend $1200 for a Griz 1023SLW, and spend the other $800+ on a new 15" planer or some other piece of machinery that I have been drooling over...

[Roy Fleming]

I would buy a General, not general international, 350(right tilt) or 650(left tilt) North American made saw.

[John Shuk]

I'd go for a saw with the riving knife option. I'd probably save for the Powermatic.

[Dan Lautner]

I would go for the Jet with riving knife. If you can wait a bit and save another 700 or so the new General with riving knife should be out soon.

Dan

[Brandon Shew]

Ditto what Jim and some others have said. There are a lot of decent saws in your price range, but top of my list would be any saw with a riving knife.

[Tim Webb]

I'm saving up for a PM 2000. That is if my SWMBO will allow it.

[Gary Warren]

Thanks guys for all of your suggestions! I personally find myself using a table saw a lot but I cannot use my current craftsman with the Super Dado I bought so in effect it becomes more of just a ripping tool. I have looked at the ne Jet, Steel City and Grizzly. I had not considered Delta or General but might look at what General has to offer. I live in the Houston area and we have a woodworkers show coming up in a couple of months. Do people usually offer discounts on things like Table Saws at these shows? If so, it might be wise to wait and see what is offered there. As for me rebuilding a used saw, I would rather do as one other person said and be using that time to work on wood, not a saw. I think I am down to the Jet or the Grizzly. PM 2000 is out as I have a friend who just thought he upgraded from a newer Craftsman and is not at all happy with the PM for the money he paid.

[Chuck Lenz]

I would look into the Delta X5 series, I think there is a $150 rebate on it now and if I'm not mistakein I heard one time the X5 series of tools were made in the US. I'd check with Delta on that story though. Unisaws were the standard of a lot of shops in this country for many years, thats why I'd lean that way.

[Steve LaFara]

If I had $2000 to spend on a table saw I would get a used Uni or General or PM and a truck to haul it home. Nice part is that you have a truck left over to haul wood!:D

[Denny Rice]

I have to agree with many post in here. If I had 2K to spend I would not drop it all into a tablesaw. A really good table saw can be had for under 1200 dollars. I would spend the rest of the money on another machine (maybe a Grizzly 8" jointer).

[Derek Hansen]

I live in the Houston area and we have a woodworkers show coming up in a couple of months. Do people usually offer discounts on things like Table Saws at these shows?

I am also in Houston and in the market for a table saw and was wondering the same thing. Anyone know how much can be saved by buying at a show?

[fRED mCnEILL]

"I would suggest an RSS reader that can alert you when a saw is posted on CL because good saws can go in a matter of hours."

Where do you get a reader?

Thanks

Fred Mc.