TS Shopping advice

[Steve Sawyer]

Sometime in the next few months, I'll be pulling the trigger on a new table saw to replace my almost 30-year-old Craftsman. The LOML has given her blessing to the purchase provided that improved safety is a major consideration in the saw selection. She would like me to buy a SawStop (and I'd love to have one) but that is much more than I can afford. And from what I've been able to learn about the new SawStop contractor's saw, it is really not up to the standard of quality set by their cabinet saw. Plus I really don't want another contractor's saw, especially for the $2000 that they'll be asking for this saw once you add cast-iron extension wings and a good fence.

Obviously user error is the primary cause of injury - and I lost a chunk of my left thumb to my current saw many years ago that bears silent witness to this. But in terms of safety features on the equipment, I believe that the next best thing to the SawStop is a true riving knife and a good overarm blade guard. There are many good choices for the blade guard, both commercial and home-made, so the real challenge is finding suitable saws equipped with a riving knife. My research has only turned up two machines that are both within my price range that are so equpped.

The first is the Grizzly G0661 "contractor's" saw for $820 delivered. I put quotes around the "contractor" because it's really a hybrid with the motor enclosed in the base. The second is the Jet 708674 XactaSaw which is currently available for $1500 delivered.

Grizzly has some cabinet saws w/riving knives also, but the least expensive (the G0651) is about $350 more than I have in my budget, and is much too large for my shop (it includes large extension tables both to the right and on the outfeed).

I've looked at the other major vendors - Steel City, Delta, Powermatic, General International, DeWalt, Craftsman - and they either don't have riving-knife equipped saws at all, or the models so equipped are way out of my price range.

Is there something else out there that I'm missing?

Thanks.

[scott spencer]

AFAIK, you've covered your bases well. The options I see are get the Jet now, spend more, spend less and get less features, or wait and see who offers what. FWIW, most owners love their Jet cab saws.

Keep us posted!

[Peter Melanson]

I would definately recommend the SS, You can get a basic version for under $2700 and then add on the longer table and extensions at a later date, you may have to save a little longer but it is worth it. Where did you hear about the Contracter SS quality? I looked heavily at the SC and there were good saws with excellent quality, I thought you could get the 3hp with the knife as well. Good luck

[Steve Sawyer]

Where did you hear about the Contracter SS quality?

SawStop (to their credit) is honoring pre-orders from years ago, and I've talked to two new owners who both said that if they were to pay the current price (reportedly $1500 vs around $800 they paid for the pre-order) they'd be very disappointed. The steel extension wings, the less-than-premium fence (both of which can be upgraded), 1 3/4 HP and relatively light weight (280 lbs) and the fact that they opted for a traditional contractor configuration rather than a hybrid is just inconsistent with the approach they took on their cabinet saw. The cab is such a fabulous piece of machinery that it's darn near worth the $2700 even without the magic disappearing saw blade. I was hoping for the same from the contractor's saw.

Compare this saw to the G0661 Grizzly contractor - about 450 lbs, hybrid style motor mounting, 2HP, quality fence, cast iron wings, DC shroud, riving knife - If the SS contractor had these kind of specs with the quality of execution of their cabinet saw at twice the price of the Grizzly, I'd be writing a check to SS in the near future.

[John Keeton]

Steve, apparently the riving knife and overhead guard are prerequisites, and understandable. But, just recently got the Grizzly 1023SLW and love it. I really did not check on the cost or even whether it was possible to install the riving knife and/or overhead guard, but can sure vouch for the quality vs. cost of this saw. It is just a lot of saw for the money.

[Steve Sawyer]

But, just recently got the Grizzly 1023SLW and love it...It is just a lot of saw for the money.

I've never heard anyone express any buyer's remorse after their Grizzly saw purchases. I'd really rather have a cabinet saw, but the Grizzly "contractor" is not a bad compromise. The only concern is it's a brand new saw and you hate to be one of those helping the manufacturer to work the bugs out. Not that I mind being helpful, but a table saw isn't a trivial purchase, and ya hate to pay for the privilege, ya know? :)

I'd love to have that 1023SLW - if it had a riving knife.

From what I understand, it's tough to retrofit a riving knife because the trunnion assembly has to be designed to support a riving knife. On most table saws the mounting for the arbor actually rotates when raised and lowered, so any riving knife attached to the arbor mounting is going to also rotate, changing its relationship to the blade.

If you look at the trunnion assembly on the Grizzly G0661:
http://www.grizzly.com/images/pics/jpeg288/g/g0661_det2.jpg
You'll see that the assembly slides up and down on those vertical rails so the riving knife maintains a consistent position in relation to the blade. I think others have a complex mechanism to maintain the knive's orientation with the arbor and blade while being raised and lowered.

Given the new UL rules (new designs must have a riving knife to receive UL listing effective this year) we'll see more units with riving knives going forward.

[Barry Nelson]

Large woodworking supply company here in Australiahas just started to stock the Laguna saw,never heard of it myself any takers?

[Brian Penning]

If you feel that you could live with yourself if you got injured again and having had your LOYL's blessing to buy a SawStop then go for whatever saw.
I know I couldn't.