Need a new table saw - which brand?

[Stewart Lang]

Just to clarify a bit on my original post, I'm not really sure what features I might want in a new saw. The first step (for me anyway) is to decide who to buy it from. Unless (as someone suggested) all manufacturers are the same in terms of quality and service, then it wouldn't matter.

I would suggest not focusing on brand so much, but figure out the features you want instead. You'll be happy with most brands anyway, as there aren't really any brands to avoid these days. In addition, a table saw is already a pretty simple machine. I would figure out what specs you want, HP, fence, size, etc. and THEN look at all the brands that sell a saw that fit those specs and go from there.

You may also want to decide if you want a sliding table saw or a regular table saw. Most brands only focus on one or the other, so limiting yourself to a brand so soon may hurt your decision.

[glenn bradley]

Just to clarify a bit on my original post, I'm not really sure what features I might want in a new saw. The first step (for me anyway) is to decide who to buy it from. Unless (as someone suggested) all manufacturers are the same in terms of quality and service, then it wouldn't matter.

I will agree with Stewart and caution you against trusting a brand name or color of paint as an indicator of quality in today's world. Powermatic makes some fine tools. They also make a really expensive but average quality drill press. I might get excited about a PM2000 as a tablesaw but, I wouldn't pay PM's price for an 8" jointer for example. One of PM's tablesaws, although well reviewed in other respects, had a built in mobility base that caused enough negative posts to steer people off of them.

I'm not picking on PM. Other makers have some gems and some real stinkers. Festool makes a really expensive yet, pretty average router according to reviewers. Its value goes up the more of the Festool system you are invested in. The point being that a brand isn't ALL good or ALL bad in our global market/supplier/contractor world.

We all make our own decisions in the end. One of the great values of the forums is getting hands-on data from people who use these tools. One of the great challenges of the forums is getting hands-on data from people who use these tools. Regardless of the sometimes fire-hose delivery of data . . . we do get a lot of info in a few places. Our responsibility is to sift through this data and take what applies to us, learn from what we didn't know and don't allow the balance to distract us.

We are always glad to help someone else spend their money . However, if someone says that a Grizzly tablesaw is "better" than a Jet tablesaw it is a bold statement and made without anywhere near the information required to make such a statement. A little more info about what features are valuable to you will help. You used a G0690 for awhile. What did you like about it? What did you dislike about it?

[Jim Becker]

I think that the "don't focus too much on brand" thing is somewhat valid when it comes to a North American style cabinet saw these days unless you want a unique feature, of which only one brand has something truly unique. All of the current generations of saws have things like riving knives, very similar fence systems, essentially poor dust collection, etc., regardless of paint color. "Service" is pretty much only parts regardless with maybe some advice over the phone or via email/chat. That includes even the really expensive stuff out there.

[Maurice Arney]

there aren't really any brands to avoid these days. In addition, a table saw is already a pretty simple machine. I would figure out what specs you want, HP, fence, size, etc. and THEN look at all the brands that sell a saw that fit those specs and go from there.

Surely they don't all build to the same quality standards. But even if all table saws were manufactured by the same OEM, you still want a company that will be there to provide support. What if it arives damaged? What if there are parts missing? What if you turn it on and it smokes? and what if I call and can't get through to someone or they make unreasonable demands? A product is only as good as the people who stand behind it. I was seriously considering a Delta Unisaw but after reading numerous complaints from customers and even some resellers, I decided against it.

But I'm hearing people say it doesn't matter who I buy a saw from. Maybe thet ARE all made by the same OEM I don't know. What I do know is that some have looser tolerances than others and difficult to align, some have crappy fences that aren't square or they deflect, and some have horrible customer service. So I guess I'm not buying the notion that it doesn't matter whos name is on it.

But thanks for the input everyone.

[Jim Becker]

First I make sure I'm buying from a reputable company.

I believe that's consistent with what many of us have been saying here. It's not the point of manufacture...it's the organization that's making the specifications and quality control to insure that what you buy has that quality and support.

[Michael Drew]

Harvey saws are worth a glance. I only just heard of them, and from what one can read on their website, they appear to be well made.

Nothing wrong with brand preference. Chevy, or Ford? Everyone had their own preferences and reasons for having them. Me, I like things made in the USA. That's not always possible though, unfortunately.

Personally, I'm leaning towards a slider when I build my next workshop, and equip it with new machines.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Maurice, as Jim indicated below, a small sliding table saw would be my first choice as opposed to a cabinet saw.

Here's a video on one of them.

I have a short stroke slider, it replaced a General 650 cabinet saw, you could never convince me to go back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZoRaBn-n70

Regards, Rod.

[Richard Coers]

Hi Maurice, as Jim indicated below, a small sliding table saw would be my first choice as opposed to a cabinet saw.

Here's a video on one of them.

I have a short stroke slider, it replaced a General 650 cabinet saw, you could never convince me to go back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZoRaBn-n70

Regards, Rod.

Your comments are valid, if he builds projects like you do. If plywood hardly ever touches the saw, then a slider will be overkill.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I liked everything about my Grizzly. As I said, I'm not looking for feature recommendations. I just wanted to get opinions on which brand name has the highest quality and service.

If there's NOTHING wrong with what you had, why the question? Just buy another Griz.

[Stewart Lang]

Your comments are valid, if he builds projects like you do. If plywood hardly ever touches the saw, then a slider will be overkill.

I never use plywood and I'd never trade my slider for a cabinet saw ever. For straight-lining and crosscutting lumber it can't be beat.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I like Delta Unisaws, the gold standard of table saws for the past 50 years. Mine is 20 years old and going strong. There is a nice Delta Industrial cabinet saw for saw on Craigslist in your area for $1,500. I hope it’s OK to post these links.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/tl...269594068.html

[Ryan Yeaglin]

I feel also that this choice should be shaped by features rather than by what brand. Every big name saw sold today is manufactured over seas. All of the top names produce a good product, with the exception of Delta in the "contractor" type saws. Customer service is only really only needed if something fails or a replacement part is needed. I feel the OP needs to express what price range and what features he is looking for to get some actual guidance. I have nothing against SawStop other than they are out of my price range. Common sense (which isn't all that common anymore) and alertness will keep you alive and all digits in tact, I feel more should be preached about those two things than a fancy saw.. but I digress.

[Stewart Lang]

Surely they don't all build to the same quality standards. But even if all table saws were manufactured by the same OEM, you still want a company that will be there to provide support. What if it arives damaged? What if there are parts missing? What if you turn it on and it smokes? and what if I call and can't get through to someone or they make unreasonable demands? A product is only as good as the people who stand behind it. I was seriously considering a Delta Unisaw but after reading numerous complaints from customers and even some resellers, I decided against it.

But I'm hearing people say it doesn't matter who I buy a saw from. Maybe thet ARE all made by the same OEM I don't know. What I do know is that some have looser tolerances than others and difficult to align, some have crappy fences that aren't square or they deflect, and some have horrible customer service. So I guess I'm not buying the notion that it doesn't matter whos name is on it.

But thanks for the input everyone.

Most do have the same OEM. Grizzly, Powermatic, Jet, Bailey, are all very much identical. One might have slightly higher tolerances from their manufacturer, but it doesn't mean you're guaranteed to get a better saw, as they're still tolerances. I.e. Grizzly might have +/- 0.010 and Powermatic might have +/- 0.005, but if the manufacturer sends Grizzly a saw that happens to be 0.002 and Powermatic gets one that's 0.005, whose got the better saw. Both meet tolerances. A table saw is a pretty simple machine anyway, so not like you have much to worry about. Keep in mind most brands sell 1000s of a machines, so even if you read 10 or 20 bad reviews online, that hardly says much. 980 people might be happy with the machine. Most people only write online about the bad experiences they have anyway.

It seems the question/answer you're looking for though is which brand has better customer service post-purchase. Asking that as opposed to who makes a better table saw, might get more responses geared towards what you're looking for.

[Robert Hayward]

So without getting into specific features (i.e. flesh detection) or prices, which brand/manufacturer would you choose for highest quality and best support?

If high quality is what you are after take a look at Northfield Woodworking Machinery, made in the USA.

[glenn bradley]

But I'm hearing people say it doesn't matter who I buy a saw from.

Sorry, that was not the message I was trying to send. Let me try again. I'll pick on Grizzly since they are a budget brand and folks either seem to love them or hate them for being that. Let me preface this with a request that the slider folks don't overreact; I am not saying that my example is the full suite of capabilities of a given machine ;-) . . .

If my short list of "must haves" included the ability to cut multiple sheets of plywood and handle large panels with ease I would buy a slider. Grizzly makes sliders. They may even be pretty good. For this format of saw I would not look at Grizzly as a top contender. I would look at Hammer, Minimax and those folks.

If my short list included easy mobility since I have to move the saw every night so I can park the car I would not look at combo machines or sliders. Hammer makes tablesaws but, I would probably find my requirements in a Jet or a Bailey or a Saw Stop for less dough.

Saw Stop warning ON ---- I have often repeated that if I were looking for a solid 3HP cab saw with a great track record and solid customer support I would buy a Saw Stop PCS 3HP REGARDLESS of whether it had the safety feature or not. At the time I was looking it was at the top of the heap in quality and support and was priced a little more and a little less than competing products. ---- Saw Stop warning OFF