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Thread: Brands; General, Powermatic, Laguna ...oh my!

  1. #1

    Brands; General, Powermatic, Laguna ...oh my!

    Hi All,

    allow me to briefly introduce myself. My name is Marcello and I have been woodworking as a passionate hobby (like many) for the past 17 years. Last year I made a leap and started a bespoke furniture company, in Toronto.

    I have always been interested by brand recognition and consistency. I have used General as my go to company for years, but I feel as though they are slowly dwindling. With 2 new upgrades to be made I was looking on opinion for what your opinions are on a few Brands that make a solid line of equipment. I know that no 1 brand makes a perfect line, but I want to know which brand you feel offers the best consistency.

    I am looking to upgrade my Table saw to a Professional model 3hp or more.

    And my more immediate purchase is for: General15-005s oscillating belt sander. (space is limited so this is the biggest I will go[dimension wise] )

    Any opinions and discussions would be appreciated.

    regards

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Phoenix AZ Area
    Posts
    2,505
    I owned a 1970s era Delta Unisaw which I upgraded to a new 1990 Powermatic model 66. In 2005 or so I upgraded that to a Sawstop ICS. I thought the Powermatic was a nice upgrade to the Unisaw and I preferred the opposite tilt. The Sawstop ICS build and quality is on a completely different level than the Unisaw or Powermatic. I've since moved to a Euro Slider. If I were buying another cabinet saw I'd get the Sawstop. The stores around here that sell them have one on display with the top removed next to a Powermatic so you can see the build differences and ability to really dial in the calibration on the Sawstop where the Powermatic doesn't even adjust.

  3. #3
    Few brands are what they used to be, many machines seem to come out of the same manufacturing plants with different color schemes and hardware. General in CA seems to have suspended all domestic production and who knows who currently owns Delta, how long they'll be in business or whether you'll be able to source parts.

    IMO Felder and SCM are among the strongest brands going. Cantek and CWI seem worth looking at in Canada.

    I generally do not assume a quality or best umbrella across a brand but research each machine type individually.

    +1 on SawStop if you're looking at a conventional cabinet saw, otherwise a small slider - Hammer, MiniMax?
    Kevin Groenke
    @personmakeobject on instagram
    Fabrication Director,UMN College of Design (retired!)


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