Just picked up a nice old 12" model GP!

[Nick Sorenson]

Since I discovered the old DeWalts, I've wanted the 1.5HP GWI. It's still a small saw (like my current MBF) but with enough power. My MBF is great! But it has to be babied a little or the motor will stop during a cut. The GP I just picked up is 2HP 220 wired and I've got a feeling it'll zip through what I'm trying to cut with it.


WOW!! Is this saw heavy. I'm 5'9" and light weight, I wouldn't say weak but I don't have gravity on my side, and myself and a 73 year old previous owner (who was in good shape for 73 but not huge either) moved this saw and it's bench into the back of a van. I'd guess the saw motor/arm weighs 350+ lbs and the bench was probably almost as heavy. It wasn't something I'd want to do everyday!
Anyways, no one got hurt thank God and $150 later and I have a great old cast iron DeWalt! I'm actually glad to have this vs the GWI for the extra capacity and HP. The only regret is that all of my blades (Forrest WWI and WWII) will be useless now. Oh well there! You win some you loose some.


I currently have a 40T freud on the MBF and it cuts a lot easier than the WWI. But now that I have some horsepower to work with, what blade should I use? I liked the cut quality from the WWI TCG (Mr Sawdust) blade but I didn't have enough beef behind it to keep it spinning, and ripping was almost impossible. Would a stouter saw be able to rip with a similar blade to the Mr Sawdust model?

[phil harold]

Since I discovered the old DeWalts, I've wanted the 1.5HP GWI. It's still a small saw (like my current MBF) but with enough power. My MBF is great! But it has to be babied a little or the motor will stop during a cut. The GP I just picked up is 2HP 220 wired and I've got a feeling it'll zip through what I'm trying to cut with it.

nice saw
while I only use mine for crosscutting it is an accurate saw when tuned up
here is my dewalt 12"

[Nick Sorenson]

Nice saw! Mine looks a lot like that one. Yours has a nicer table than what mine has on it. My MBF's table is similar to yours but with the steel re-enforcements (Mr. Sawdust's table idea). I'm not sure those are needed to be honest but nothing wrong with those steel bars. They definitely strengthen things.

[phil harold]

Nice saw! Mine looks a lot like that one. Yours has a nicer table than what mine has on it. My MBF's table is similar to yours but with the steel re-enforcements (Mr. Sawdust's table idea). I'm not sure those are needed to be honest but nothing wrong with those steel bars. They definitely strengthen things.

Well I figured two layers of nice ply would be equal to MDF and steel and it was available,
I really want to add an aluminum extrusion fence on it...
I got mine for a 100 bucks sandblasted an painted it over a weekend,
Rust-Oleum Hammered Dark Bronze made a good match and hides alot
took a month to soak the bearings, for the carriage, in transmission fluid but she works sweet now

[Nick Sorenson]

I just got it unloaded and wired up and let me tell you it'll cut! No trouble ripping or crosscutting in hard Maple (my first test for any circular saw). Does a great job and no bogging down at all. I'm going to like this thing.

I'll probably get a smaller diameter blade though. For my usual needs, 10" is more than enough. I'm thinking the 12" blade just adds more runout and saw kerf marks. But then again for what I use it for, minor saw kerfs aren't going to hurt anything.

[Dennis Hawkins]

Of course using a 10" blade on that saw will increase the torque.
I have a DeWalt 1030 but use a WW1 8" blade. On the occasion that I need increased depth of cut I install a 10" blade temporarily. I have both blade guards for this.

[Nick Sorenson]

Sold this thing a few years ago (had to for a move and career change)... man I miss that big saw. Worked great! I still hope to find a GWI eventually. Good old saws!