Michael Lynch
10-25-2008, 11:45 AM
I went back and highlighted the questions in blue so they didn't get lost in my rambling.
I'm looking to buy a TS again. I had a Dewalt 745 for a week that I returned unused after deciding it was too small for what I wanted to do. I have a smallish basement shop. It's an old house with old, uneven, crumbly in some spots (but mostly solid), concrete basement floors. Whatever saw I get is going to need a mobile base. Is it possible to move close to 300 lbs of saw on this type of floor? It's not super un-even I don't think. I've been able to get things (benches, miter saw stand, mini-lathe stand) to sit w/o rocking with minor position adjustments (few inches).
My main concern w/the 745 was the lack of table space in front of the blade. I had planned on making a small cross cut sled for it but it seemed it would be very unstable with most of the sled hanging over the edge of the table. A couple of days ago I saw a portable Bosch (w/gravity rise stand) at the BBB (Big Blue Box) for $600. I forget if it had more space in front of the blade but I had 2 issues with it. First the box won't fit in my car so it would take some effort to get it home and second for about the same amount of money I could get a contractors saw.
I saw a Delta contractor saw also at the BBB and I think it would fit in my basement. I'd like to get the G0444Z since I have an unused dryer outlet in reach of the saw cord. Also I don't know how many separate circuits there are in the basement for all the outlets (I know there is at least 2 since one of the outlets has a wall switch controlling it). It seems if I got a saw running on 110 that it would need it's own circuit.
A bigger saw has some issues too though. I was only able to lift the box for the Delta an inch or 2 off the ground and it would never fit in my car. Plus the stairs going down to the basement are kind of narrow and have a 90° turn. How many pieces do contractor saw come in? How easy are the pieces to move? If I get the G0444Z delivered I may need to hire some movers to get it into the basement. But then I'd worry about getting it assembled and onto the mobile base.
I've read many posts here that state a cabinet/hybrid saw take up less room than a contractors saw because the motor is inside the cabinet but no one (that I've seen) has said how much room is saved. I forgot to look at the back of the Delta but it doesn't seem to me the space saving is all that much. Could somone clarify this? I'd like a cabinet saw (and somehow my budget keeps creeping closer to that range) but that would be even more weight to assemble and try to move around.
Thanks everyone.
I'm looking to buy a TS again. I had a Dewalt 745 for a week that I returned unused after deciding it was too small for what I wanted to do. I have a smallish basement shop. It's an old house with old, uneven, crumbly in some spots (but mostly solid), concrete basement floors. Whatever saw I get is going to need a mobile base. Is it possible to move close to 300 lbs of saw on this type of floor? It's not super un-even I don't think. I've been able to get things (benches, miter saw stand, mini-lathe stand) to sit w/o rocking with minor position adjustments (few inches).
My main concern w/the 745 was the lack of table space in front of the blade. I had planned on making a small cross cut sled for it but it seemed it would be very unstable with most of the sled hanging over the edge of the table. A couple of days ago I saw a portable Bosch (w/gravity rise stand) at the BBB (Big Blue Box) for $600. I forget if it had more space in front of the blade but I had 2 issues with it. First the box won't fit in my car so it would take some effort to get it home and second for about the same amount of money I could get a contractors saw.
I saw a Delta contractor saw also at the BBB and I think it would fit in my basement. I'd like to get the G0444Z since I have an unused dryer outlet in reach of the saw cord. Also I don't know how many separate circuits there are in the basement for all the outlets (I know there is at least 2 since one of the outlets has a wall switch controlling it). It seems if I got a saw running on 110 that it would need it's own circuit.
A bigger saw has some issues too though. I was only able to lift the box for the Delta an inch or 2 off the ground and it would never fit in my car. Plus the stairs going down to the basement are kind of narrow and have a 90° turn. How many pieces do contractor saw come in? How easy are the pieces to move? If I get the G0444Z delivered I may need to hire some movers to get it into the basement. But then I'd worry about getting it assembled and onto the mobile base.
I've read many posts here that state a cabinet/hybrid saw take up less room than a contractors saw because the motor is inside the cabinet but no one (that I've seen) has said how much room is saved. I forgot to look at the back of the Delta but it doesn't seem to me the space saving is all that much. Could somone clarify this? I'd like a cabinet saw (and somehow my budget keeps creeping closer to that range) but that would be even more weight to assemble and try to move around.
Thanks everyone.