Table Saw Upgrade

[Kevin Arceneaux]

My wife has been doing a lot of things lately, with me being gone a good bit of the time with my job. She detests my saw, a BT3100, and I am ready for an upgrade. It is one of those things, it is what I could afford at the time and really did not do the research that I should have.

The other day while in Lowe's, she saw the Delta 36-979 that they had set up and liked it and now has the itch. :) It is a big step up from what I have. I looked at some of the Grizzly and Jet products, specifically the Grizzly hybrid.

The main issue is moving it around. If you want to saw something more than 2 feet long you have to move it out of the shed onto the drive. This is a bout a 8" drop. I know I can build a ramp, but that only gets it out. The getting it back in part is the problem due to the weight.

Some of the ones I have looked at are

JWTS-10 - I do not like the fence that much, it looks a lot like the BT one.

JPS-10 - I like this one better.

G0478 - weight is a big issue

[Prashun Patel]

I just bought the JPS-10 and I love it. If you get a mobile base, you won't have a problem moving it or the other saws you mention.

I'd be leery of the 0478. When I was doing my research, it seemed like it was a poor cousing to the 1023 which isn't too much more. There aren't a lot of stellar reviews out there for the 0478.

There are almost no negative reviews for the JPS-10. The only thing I've heard is, "if yr gonna spend 800 on a saw, kick in 200 more and buy a cabinet saw." This saw suits me fine, though. The only 'controversial' thing about it (IMHO) is the thru-insert mounted splitter. Makes it a tad tricky to get on and off if yr into that sort of thing. But, the guard flips up, so you can still keep the splitter on and activated for skinny cuts.

[Scott Loven]

Why not a Bosch (http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-4000-09-Worksite-10-Inch-Benchtop/dp/B00067IX1A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1216403835&sr=1-2) contractors saw? May be a better idea if you have to wheel it in or out of a shed all the time.
Scott

[scott spencer]

Sounds like your wife likes the full size cast iron surface. The belt drive and induction motor are other pluses of the saws you mentioned, and the fences on the Jet Proshop and Grizzly are excellent IMO.

I'm guessing a ramp is the simplest solution if she wants the benefit of a full size saw. That'd allow her (or you) to pick the full size saw you like best.

If a ramp is out, GI offers a unique saw called the 50-090K (http://www.general.ca/pagemach/machines/50090a.html) that's a go between full size and traditional portable jobsite saws. It houses an internal belt drive induction motor, has a 25" deep cast iron surfaces (as opposed to the standard 27"), a fence like the one on the Jet Workshop, but it comes on a roll away stand. Haven't used one, but it does offer some unique solutions while retaining much of the benefit of the full size saws.

http://www.general.ca/machines/gi/50/g_50090k.jpg

[brett gallmeyer]

Have you checked out the Ridgid TS3650 or TS3660 from HD? I have the TS3650 and I love it! I recentl posted a bunch of info about it in a different thread and a thread of my own. ''need ts advice'' ''my ridgid ts3650 table saw''

If you sit down and compare features its a great deal. also check out the ridgid websites forums. there is a bunch of info almost all positive.

brett g.

[Whit Whitfield]

Sears has the 22124 on sale(if you are a Craftsman Club member) for $900 starting 7/20 thru the 27th.
Whit

[Randy Carnley]

I had the Bosch 4100 with the gravity rise stand and it is a great saw for a benchtop saw but I needed more and sold the Bosch and bought the Delta from Lowe's. I have absolutely no complaints. When I was in the custom furniture business I used large PM saws. This isn't one of those but for a contractor saw, it is great. Set up absolutely perfect. Would not hesitate to recommend it one bit. The built-in mobile base doesn't make it as mobile as the Bosch but it's not too bad to move around.

[Don Eddard]

Another vote for the TS3650. It's a great saw for the price. Compare its features to the others in the same price range.

[Jim Becker]

Ya know...one of the things that made your original choice of the BT3100 a good one, relatively speaking, is your need for portability. I think you need to continue to embrace that idea with your particular shop situation. If the ramp can work, that opens up more options and for that, I'd suggest a hybrid for better space utilization over a traditional "contractors' style" saw. But if you prefer something that you can actually lift, than definitely check out the Bosch jobsite saw with the riving knife setup. It had a reasonably good review awhile back in Fine Homebuilding.

[Rick Potter]

Have you considered a small 'deck' the same height as the door. Then you could roll it outside and back in.

Rick Potter

[Chris Kennedy]

Someone recommended the Craftsman 22124, and while I have this saw, I would hesitate recommending it in this situation. Even with a ramp and a mobile base, it is a big saw to move up a ramp. Also, if your wife is going to be using it, I would recommend that she take one for a dry-run at your local Sears. It is a tall saw -- taller than most hybrids and cabinet saws. My wife is on the petite side (5'2") and she can find it difficult to use because of that.

I like the deck idea. Or maybe you can get a power winch and run a cable through the side of extension wing and just winch the saw back in at the end of the day? Or maybe this is an excuse to by the hoverpad mobile base?

Cheers,

Chris

[Kevin Arceneaux]

Have you considered a small 'deck' the same height as the door. Then you could roll it outside and back in.

Rick Potter

Good idea, but it doubles as my driveway so that is out.

We had looked at the Bosch and she did not like it that much. The same for the Rigid.

Her opinion is that the Delta is a lot more solid looking and the setup on it suits her. She feel confident that she can handle it and since I am on the road a lot these days, her comfort level with the saw is important.

[Jim Becker]

Kevin, you're going to want to be sure that your ramp is long with a gentle slope. That is not a lightweight machine and you don't want any risk of it tipping over as you (or your wife) move it in and out of your shop building to use on the driveway. This is very different in weight and mass from your current BT3100, even though it's a contractors' style saw. The weight is 286 lbs before you add a fence system to it.

That said, it's a very nice machine. Which fence are you going to opt for?

[Greg Sznajdruk]

You may consider a Come-Along to move your saw up the ramp.

http://www.cvfsupplycompany.com/hanpowpulcom.html (http://www.cvfsupplycompany.com/hanpowpulcom.html)

I've used this tool for moving heavy items for years. The last time to get my chain saw out of a black cheery tree that I was positive would fall away from the saw. Fortunately I have a 3 ton come along otherwise my chain saw would still be in the bush.

Greg

[Ed Gerken]

If the primary reason for needing portability is for long cuts, how often is this done?

My saw's also in a cramped location. I often don't feel like toting the saw around, which usually also means moving stuff from around it and along its route. In which case I resort to rip and flip. I'll perform half of the rip, then I deftly pivot the board clear of the blade by lifting the end I'm holding straight up, letting the far end rest on the table to help keep it flat. Once clear of the saw, flip the board end for end, keeping the same side towards the fence, and complete the rip. Perhaps not for the timid, but with a featherboard there's usually very little cleanup of the cut. While it's not a super-precise method, it works well enough in cramped quarters.

You could just shut off the saw and let the blade stop while riding in the cut, and then flip, but any side-to-side motion while the blade slows can gouge and the turning of the blade in one spot can induce a little kerf burn.

Alternatively, I'll make the rip outdoors using a circular saw on sawhorses. Now the board's been reduced in size and the rip 'n' flip is easier to perform or the rough cut can be cleaned up on a planer or with a belt sander.

This isn't a technique that I've tried to teach to my wife, but if your wife is picking out her own saw choices, she may feel comfortable with it.

If the extended deck idea won't work due to sharing space with the car, maybe it can be hinged to fold up against the front of the shed or made portable itself? But something that will support several hundred pounds of saw, wood and operator won't be light, either.

Maybe get a shorter car? ;)

Last resort, can you make a porthole or trap door in the far wall of the shed for long materials to exit from the saw out the opening?

Without knowing the board sizes she's trying to rip, it's hard to say if any of these ideas have any merit.

-Ed

[Ron Dunn]

Kevin, what does your wife hate about the BT3100?

I bought one last year, and there are things I don't like about it. But I don't see those things fixed in competing saws such as the Bosch which has been mentioned here.

I'm curious about whether we share the same likes and dislikes around this saw.

[brett gallmeyer]

I'm not trying to argue with your wife... god knows i know better than to argue with mine. lol. but i compared alot of saws hands on the ridgid is alot sturdyer than the delta. and the mobile base is awsome! just some food for thought.

[Kevin Arceneaux]

The rip fence. She just plain does not like it. That was the kicker with the Rigid also. She is looking for a solid fence. An issue I have with the saw is the large slots. It is a PITA to shim the Bench Dog featherboards to fit tight in them.

She also likes the T type miter slot in the Delta and I like the left tilt. She also like the ability to use aftermarket addons to it, like the tenon jig and an upgraded miter.

[Loren Hedahl]

I shortened the legs on the CS and built a sub-base with large free rolling casters. The caster system works great and when I still had it I never used it in my garage/shop because of its nasty sawdust habit.

I think the Sears hybrid saws come in three styles, the cheapest one has legs about a foot long, or so. You could go for that one, remove the legs and build a base with large casters. I just might be the right height for your wife.

Then there must be a way to provide assistance for getting it back into your shop. You'll figure it out!

Good luck.