nolnryd

I currently own four stationary cabinet saws (an 18" Oliver 88D, a 20" Tanniwitz XJ, 16" Davis and Wells, and a 10" Powermatic 66,) and two contractor saws (one a Delta, and one a Rockwell.) I use the two contractor saws as my portable, or bench top saws. I have tried several times to use the benchtop saws. I went through a skill, a Makita, and a Bocsh. They are all horrible! You just can't get the same results as you can with a contractor's saw, or a cabinet saw. I build homes for a living, and as a professional, your reputation is on the line. You need to have every project come out perfect, and finished in a timely manner. You can not accomplish this with a cheesy bench top saw. They are fine for the happy home owner's, but for the serious woodworker, or the professional, you really need at least a contractor's saw.

On most houses we build, I set up the Powermatic 66 right on site, in the middle of the house. On the smaller remodels, and cabinet instalations, I will bring one of the contractor saws. It really depends on how long the saw will be used for. I can justify spending a day delivering, and setting up the Powermtic 66, when we will use it on a daily basis for a few months. But if it is just for a month or less, I am more likely to bring a contractor's saw.

Anyone taking the time to read all of these posts, will hopefully not be swayed in the wrong direction, and end up buying a bench top saw. You can find used contractor saws on ebay all the time, for $100-$200. That's about half as much as you would spend on a good (or so called good) bench top saw.

I still think you're nuts! The Table saw doesn't even make it in the number two slot on your list? You might as well put Oscillating spindle sander down as machine number three. It too is a "machine that does a very good job, at a very hard task!" Like the Planer you had mentioned as machine number one.

Dustdog in 100% correct. No one who is buying a bandsaw as their second machine, will ever do anything mentioned on your list of "bandsaw work." And besides that, I can't believe you didn't choose a Jointer as machine number two. The Jointer and the Planer complement each other. There is no sense in having one without the other, especially if you are building furniture. The two together are a must. But still, no one should buy any of these machines, until they get their Table saw set up.

I've got to agree with the first guy that chimed in... Why would you use an under powered trim router for a task that is clearly meant for a 7/8hp-1 3/4hp router? Have you ever burned up a laminate trimmer? I have, and learned early on that their name says it all... Trim laminate only. Even though I have several laminate trimmers set up at any given time, with commonly used bits. I have the first set up with a flush trim bit, the second with a small champher, and a third with a 3/16" round over bit. I use all three all the time, on a near daily basis. But if I need something that requires two hands, why wouldn't I just grab one of my standard size routers? I'm sure it was a fun project and all, but you essentially just turned your laminate trimmer into a standard router with an undersized motor. Sorry to be negative, but I just don't get point.

Anybody that doesn't agree that a table saw is the first and most important machine needed to set up a shop is out of their minds. I am a general contractor, who builds custom homes in the San Diego area. I am now on my third cabinet shop. I build cabinets, furniture, entry doors, and stairs in my shop. My father (who is also a general contractor) ran the mills for Dixieline lumber co. in San Diego. I have learned all I know from him. He had a cabinet shop when I was growing up, and I spent a lot of time there.

Having a shop with a lot of machines is great, but you could build custom cabinets with just a table saw. It is so versatile, if you know what your doing. In a standard kitchen, you could in theory use the table saw to...

1)Cut all the plywood, or melamine for the cabinet cases.
2)Rip all the hardwood for the face frames.
3)Cross cut all the face frame stock to length with the miter gauge.
4)Put a sanding blade on the table saw, and run the hardwood through to clean up the saw kerf marks (this way eliminating the need for an edge sander, or planer.)
5)Rip the style and rails for the doors.
6)Cut the mortises and tenons on the styles and rails for the cabinet doors.
7)Straighten out hardwood to glue up for door panels.
8)tilt the arbor to 22 degrees to raise the panels on edge for the doors.
9)You can even make crown molding by clamping a fence on an angle, and raising blade a little bit at a time.

And there you have it, an entire kitchen built with a table saw. I have done all of this with a table saw over the years. Sure it is nice to have shapers, sanders, edge banders, chop boxes, line boring machines, hinge insertion machines, ect. They make life a whole lot easier, and faster. But it could all be done with just a table saw. I joke with my wife all the time, that if it came down to it, and I had to down size, I would only need three machines. A table saw, an edge bander, and a line boring machine. And I could still make a living at building cabinets.

As to what table saw to get... That all depends on space and budget. I have owned over ten various cabinet and contractor saws. While the Powermatic 66 and the Delta Unisaw are the most popular amongst wood workers, they don't even compare to an Oliver, Tanewittz, or a Yates American. These three machines where manufactured from the early twenties up until the early eighties. They make the Delta's and Powermatic's look like tin cans. They are tougher to find, and usually require three phase power, but they are a much superior machine. Every piece is made out of cast iron. There is no wobble or run out. They have 7.5hp direct drive motors, that could rip a wet log. Plus the two that I own (an Oliver 88D, and a Tannewitz XJ,) have the capacity to use an 18", and a 20" blade. It makes it nice when that rare occasion pups up and you need to rip something over 6" thick.

Anyway, that's my take.