Trying to buy a cabinet saw

[Allen Bookout]

All of you are making me feel much better and I thank you so much!!!!! It looks to me like that the uni from Redmond is the way to go depending on the shipping cost. I am certain that they will not be out of line as the bandsaw top that I had shipped from them was very reasonable. Thanks again! I will keep an eye out for more responses and will check with Redmond tomorrow. Allen

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I have a Grizzly 1023s and it's a great saw...wouldn't trade it. That said, the Jet is a nice saw as is the Uni.

To the guy looking for compound miters...Google it for the exact settings to cut crown...that is IF your ceiling and walls are all perfect 90*s....

[mike malone]

allen...check out this test...it may help with your search
mike

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00042.asp

[Allen Bookout]

Thanks Mike for the link to finewoodworking. A very helpful report. And thanks Kelly on the Grizzly report. It appears that as long as you stay with either Bridgewood, Delta Uni, Jet, General, Grizzly, Inca or Powermatic that you are going to get a good saw.

After hearing from Bob,s experience with a reconditioned Delta Uni from Redmond I am very tempted to go that route - especially since it is made in America. I sure hope that I do not make our Canadian friends upset by this remark so I will include that made in Canada is OK also. I am just tired of exporting jobs and manufacturing out of North America. I hope that these comments do not violate any forum rules. If they do let me know and I will refrain from here on out. Oh well ---- I will not make any more anyway, just a slip of the keyboard.

If I go the reconditioned uni route I will post a report just in case anyone is interested.

THANKS TO ALL!!! Allen

[Dev Emch]

Hi Allen...

If your in Florida, you may wish to try "The Utter Guys" who work out of Sanford, Fla. and have a history of wheeling and dealing. You may stumble on some great used general or new general.

Another hot tip is this outfit.... Barbers Machinery

P.O. Box 3306 (863) 676-1285
5 East Lincoln Avenue (800) 237-5420
Lk. Wales, FL 33859 fax (863) 676-1021

Currently, these guys have several used unisaws available as well as an Invicta which was sold under an OEM contract by Delta. Many of Delta's bigger machines were made by Invicta. Also note that "The Utter Guys" may be a direct importer of Invicta. I did see a lovely Rockwell Unisaw on the website. I assume you know about the names... Delta -> Rockwell -> Delta/Rockwell -> Delta.

Also get on the blower with The Woodsmith Store in Iowa. See my posting a couple of weeks back on my trip to their pro shop. Lots of general in there. You may also try Ashman Tech in Canada.

If you need to ship, begin looking for an LTL shiper. Call a few companies and ask about LTL. Ask the folks at "THE UTTER GUYS" about how they ship. I know that they know the tricks. LTL means Less Than Load. If you go straight to UPS or Yellow, your going to get slaughterd. Check out www.freightquote.com and call them. See if you can tack your order onto another shipment. If you have to have it tommorrow, your dead. You will pay. But if you can offer some flexibility, then you can find some deals. The idea of doing this type of LTL is to offer truckers a backhaul opportunity to help pay for fuel to get home. They have dropped their 20,000 pounds of refrigerated salsa and now need to find a few items to pay the fuel on the return trip.

Personally, I would I would look for either a general 350 or 650. Woodsmith often has them in stock and may also have some shipping connections. Just hang in there and keep at it. In the long run, he who laughs last laughs loadest.

Good Luck

[mike malone]

hey allen
good choice can't go wrong with the UNIsaw...lots of accessories, etc and good resale value..... and made here.
enjoy it
mike

[Mike Leonard]

Allen,

Try these guys as well. They are in Macon, GA. I have no affiliation what so ever, just stumbled onto them on the web. They are advertising a JET 10" 3HP Left tilt with mobile base and extension table for $1390.00.

BIBB TOOL & CUTTER INC
478-743-7299
CALL WES OR NEAL
MASTER DIST. FOR JET, POWERMATIC, PERFORMAX
SINCE 1989
800-996-2422

[Allen Bookout]

Kevin Post, in this thread, mentioned the Uni at Woodworker's Supply. I checked it out and placed an order with them for the Delta Uni 3HP, left tilt, 50" Biesemeyer fence package, including the dust collection port and a free 50-289 mobil base ($160 at Amazon) and free freight. The sales person (David Owen - I am not sure that the last name is spelled correctly) is having it delivered with a truck with a lift since it will be delivered directly to my home. He said about a three day delivery but they are waiting for more to come in and will be here any day. I HOPE! You get on the order list faster if you order by phone instead of over the internet.

The price was $1499.99 plus $13.95 handling charge for a grand total of $1513.94. New saw and no shipping charge.

If anyone is interested their web site is: www.woodworker.com

Thanks to Everyone! Allen

[Ron Taylor]

Allen, I have the Griz 1023 with the Shop Fox fence, but I don't have the mobil base. I love both the saw and the fence. This is my first cabinet saw, so don't have a base of reference on other models, but couldn't be happier with my saw nor the service from Grizzly.

I regularly check the setup on my table, blade, and fence with a dial runout guage, and they have remained dead true for the two years that I have owned the saw.

I have the Incra 5000 Mitre Sled and do a lot of changeout between the sled and the fence. This change takes seconds and has had absolutely no detrimental effect on setup.

[Maurice Ungaro]

I have three Delta X series machines that I purchased earlier this year that are not made in the USA.

Wow...Frank....my grave error. Glad to know the quality is up there......but makes me hesitant to purchase these things at a premium. I guess if they're on sale, it's a good deal.

[Allen Bookout]

I did call back to make sure that the UNI that I ordered from Woodworker's Supply was made in the USA and they assured me that it was, for whatever difference that makes to anyone. allen

[jack duren]

what difference does it make if the saw is made in USA. still a unisaw....jack

[Jason Tuinstra]

Allen, sorry I'm a bit late with this post, but I'm glad to hear that you took the route that I was going to recommend. I have never orderd this big of a machine before, and it went as smooth as smooth can be with Woodworkers Supply. Excellent service!!! You'll be very, very happy. Enjoy!

[markgoodall]

My Unisaw was made entirely in the USA. It's about 7 years old now.

Some if not all Unisaws are made in Taiwan now, I believe. It's hard to keep track of what's still made in the USA these days. Seems less and less unfortunately.

I go to Remonds Machinery often. For the record, they are one of my customers now (I'm an IT consultant) but I'm speaking as one of their customers. I've been a customer of theirs for a lot longer.

I haven't seen their recond. Unisaws recently, but in the past I've taken a good close look at them and they were in excellent shape. Kind of like a scratch and dent sale, except I could rarely find any scratches or dents.

It was my understanding that these were machines that were returned for various reasons, usually shipping problems, and whatever was dented or broken was replaced so they were pretty much new. It was rare that there was one that didn't have it's cosmoline coating on top or had any traces of saw dust inside. I don't think many were ever used to cut wood.

I believe they are still an excellent deal. I wish I knew about Redmonds when I bought my Unisaw. I only found them a few months afterwards.... but I've made up by buy ALOT of other things from them.

I'm sure the imported saws are fine, but if I had a choice between a new import or one of the few remaining USA made Unisaws even if was a recond. I'd buy the recond. one.



Happy Woodworking!

[Kevin Herber]

Allen - I am the person Kevin was referring to in post #13. I placed the same order with Woodworkers Supply. They told me the units were on back order until June 6 but their shipments normally run earlier than expected.

What date did they give you?

Great deal -- I can't wait get it.

-- Kevin Herber