Need a new table saw - which brand?

[Maurice Arney]

I hate to post another "help me choose" thread but I really do need opinions on a new table saw. Back story: We were in the planning process to sell our home and move to another part of the state. In an effort to streamline the move, I sold off some of my larger items including my Grizzly G0690 table saw thinking I would replace it with something new (and maybe better) after we were settled. Long story short, we are not moving. So now I need a new table saw. I went to the Grizzly site and found that most of the saws I would be interested in are on back order until September. My Grizzly was the first "real" table saw I owned so I'm not familiar with other brands/manufacturers. My prorities are build quality (with emphasis on the fence) and customer support. So without getting into specific features (i.e. flesh detection) or prices, which brand/manufacturer would you choose for highest quality and best support? You can explain your choice if you wish but it is not necessary.

Thanks in advance.

[Dave Sweeney]

Before the onslaught of "get a SawStop" begins, I'd just like to say that I've been very happy with my Baleigh TS-1040P-50 cabinet saw.

[Jim Becker]

I will suggest to you that it might be a good opportunity to rethink what kind of table saw to use going forward. You can certainly get a North American style cabinet saw...there are many...and yes, many folks will suggest SawStop for good reason. The first impression is always about the unique safety thing, but their cabinet saws are also very good quality. But there's also a valid reason to consider something like a short-stroke sliding table saw as your next table saw...repeatability for crosscutting that's native to the machine, good safety because many cuts don't have the hands anywhere near the blade but also the same ripping capability as a cabinet saw. These machines are in "reasonable range" of pricing with the better SS machines. I'm not saying this is the best idea for you...only you can determine that...but it's worthy of consideration. Personally, I'd never go back to a cabinet saw, even if I had to downsize my slider for a future shop.

[Frank Pratt]

SawStop are readily available & are very fine machines. But I would take a good hard look at the sliders. They are a big price jump from a SawStop PCS though.

[Dave Seng]

Without getting into the Sawstop safety issue - I'll say that the quality, fit and finish of my SawStop PCS is excellent and their after sale technical and customer support has been outstanding.

[Maurice Arney]

Before the onslaught of "get a SawStop" begins, I'd just like to say that I've been very happy with my Baleigh TS-1040P-50 cabinet saw.

Thanks Dave, I was tempted to request a refrain from the "Saw Stop" lectures but I figured I'd wait and see. Saw Stop is definitely a possibility but the cost for a decent cabinet saw is in the $4K range. Also, not being familiar with them, and having no where to check them out in person, I have to wonder how much of the price premium is attributed to the patented safety feature that may be built into a mediocre saw. I'll check out Baleigh!

[glenn bradley]

The Grizzly G0690 is a nice entry level cabinet saw. Their 1023 and Bailey's 1040 that Dave mentions are all hovering in that tier. If you are wanting something "better" than the G0690 you need to decide what about it failed you. Was it power? Move to 5HP machine. Was it the fence? I have shopped table saws within a tier based on the fence as the deciding factor. Was the dust collection poor? This may not be the saw at all.

The point is, if you give us your top three driving factors you will get better answers. For example; if you use the saw like I do for a lot of joinery . . . a small, powerful form factor can be great. Since I also use the saw for material breakdown I have a large rip capacity fence on a 3HP saw and that hits my sweet spot. If I used a lot of sheet goods my requirement would be very different; I would still want the large capacity but, infeed and outfeed support would probably be permanent and spacious.

A lot of folks have moved to the "slider" format and wouldn't go back for anything. Like joinery decisions on dowels, biscuits or mortise and tenon, choices on sliders, combo machines or cab saws are a 'direction'. The choice of 'anchor' machine effects your approach and thought processes on operations and how you will do them. All are good choices. They just lead you to the destination via slightly different roads. Do you think you could name a top three requirements?

Example:
1- Large rip capacity
2- Bullet proof fence design.
3- Large work are in front of the blade.

Or:
1- Easy and reliable alignment.
2- Plenty of power.
3- Good mobility options.

You can see how these would result in different recommendations.

[Peter Kelly]

For about $2,300 more than that Baleigh saw you could get a 5-function combination machine from SCM or possibly Felder.

https://shopscm.us/collections/front...ax-c-26g-tersa

https://www.felder-group.com/en-us/p...-c3-31-p142825

[Jamie Buxton]

Why are you focusing on brand as a primary issue, not features? The features of the machine -- good fence, quality build, safety, etc -- are what you use every day. What company sold it is irrelevant.

[Mike Kees]

last time I looked at prices here in Alberta a Sawstop 3hp industrial or whatever the top saw is called was 5ooo and a Minimax Sc2 was at the $5200 range. I would buy the slider especially when you price out Sawstop sliding table at about 1600 more.

[Richard Coers]

Before the onslaught of "get a SawStop" begins, I'd just like to say that I've been very happy with my Baleigh TS-1040P-50 cabinet saw.

You're right, here's another vote for buy a Sawstop. Finger surgery is a bitch! After 2 surgeries in 1983, I'm very grateful my finger doesn't ache from cold weather any longer.

[Maurice Arney]

Are you saying that all brands are equal in quality and service?

[Maurice Arney]

Why are you focusing on brand as a primary issue, not features? The features of the machine -- good fence, quality build, safety, etc -- are what you use every day. What company sold it is irrelevant.

Are you saying that all brands are equal in quality and service?

[Maurice Arney]

If you are wanting something "better" than the G0690 you need to decide what about it failed you. Was it power? Move to 5HP machine. Was it the fence? I have shopped table saws within a tier based on the fence as the deciding factor. Was the dust collection poor? This may not be the saw at all.

The point is, if you give us your top three driving factors you will get better answers. For example; if you use the saw like I do for a lot of joinery . . . a small, powerful form factor can be great. Since I also use the saw for material breakdown I have a large rip capacity fence on a 3HP saw and that hits my sweet spot. If I used a lot of sheet goods my requirement would be very different; I would still want the large capacity but, infeed and outfeed support would probably be permanent and spacious.

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.

[Maurice Arney]

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.