Help - New Saw Decision

[Bob DeWolfe]

I am currently reviewing 3 saws for a purchase (Delta, General International, and Steel City). The thing that bothers me about this is future alignment problems. The contractor saw I have keeps going out of alignment and is a PITA to correct.

I am looking at hybrids and would appreciate any feed back on how these are to align should the need arise. Two of the saws are hybrids with trunnions on the table and the other is a Steel City with trunnions on the cabinet. I think the S/C would be easier, like a cabinet saw, the other two I would think more difficult due to the cabinet.

Has anyone had to align a hybrid and if so how difficult and time consuming is it.

Thanks

[scott spencer]

Bob - I've aligned a Craftsman 22124, which is a kissing cousin to the Steel City hybrid. Mine was snap...10-15 minutes from start to finish, including reading the instructions to get within 0.001". Much easier than my GI contractor saw.

[Loren Hedahl]

I understand your pain at attempts to align your contractor saw. I have one of the early Ridgid contractor saws that was actually a rebadged Craftsman, I'm told. I actually hated that machine so much I almost developed a complex over it! I still hate it. My wife says I should give it to my son-in-law and get a better one.

However once I found out about and installed a set of PALs alignment gadgets to the rear trunnion I was able to align it in a snap and it hasn't needed any fussing with since.

I also installed casters to the legs and roll it out into the drive anytime I use it (I've never figured out how to potty train it, yet!), so there have been a lot of chances for the alignment to get knocked out.

So if that is the only reason for upgrading to a more expensive saw, you might consider a $20 - $25 set of PALs.

Other than that, I have no objection to your spending your money on something you just want. I do it all the time. I always regard the "coolness quotient" a valid reason for many decisions and pay no attention to anyone else's reasoning or better judgment. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Travis Gauger]

I've got a delta hybrid that I like just fine. Has done everything that I have asked from it and more. I adjusted the table when I set it up and it wasn't that bad, about an hour with fumbling through the directions and all. It is a pain to get at one of the trunion bolts, but not impossible. I can tell you that I have been floored by the quality of SCTW. I just got a jointer from them and I'm amazed at the finish.