I saw the new Delta Unisaw prototype at a Woodworking show recently. It looks like a pretty good saw.
The distributor was taking pre-orders at the show at what seemed like a good price, $2,700 for the 36″ model and were throwing in a 1hp dust collector for free and free shipping when the saw comes out hopefully next month.
I don’t know how many they sold. Most people I talked to were afraid to buy from the prototype instead of a production model.
Anyway, they are supposed to be out next month and maybe they will still have the promotion going on.
Has anyone else out there had a chance to see the saw?
By the way, they did not turn it on and cut any wood. In addition, the promotional video did not show the saw in use either. They don’t have a lot of information on their web site either.
I was convinced to buy a SawStop before looking at the new Unisaw and still may but I postponed by decision until after the Unisaw is actually on the market.
Domer
Replies
I'm curious, Domer, what would entice you to buy the Unisaw over the SawStop??
My middle son is also a woodworker and we looked at both saws last weekend at the Woodworker Show here in Kansas City. He likes the Unisaw because it is American made and Delta has been around quite a while and it is $1,000 or so less expensive. He also likes the 3" deeper table on the Unisaw. I probably will still buy the SawStop for several reasons.1. The SawStop has been around for at least 4 years and the kinks have been worked out.
2. Both the local shops that carry both saws say that the service is a lot better with SawStop than Delta
3. The SawStop feature.
4. Every woodworker without exception I talked to says they would buy the SawStop if they could afford it.What got me started looking for a new saw was that I want a saw with a riving knife for safety. So I have been kicking this around for a few months as I don't want to be unhappy with my decision.I originally thought I might be happy with the SawStop Contractor Saw. I wouldn't have to re-wire the garage. It would be easier to move around the shop. I don't have the space to set up the saw in a fixed position. I have been using a contractors saw for a long time and have not really had a problem with power. The SawStop Contractor saw is heavier duty than most other contractors saw.My wife then told me that I really needed to buy the saw that I want for the long haul. If I bought the SawStop Contractor Saw and then wanted a cabinet saw, I would have wasted a large part of that cost.That started me thinking about the SawStop Cabinet Saw. I priced one out earlier this week and with the mobile base and a dado insert and fuse, it comes to about $4,300 vs $3,300 for the Unisaw. So I started out thinking I was going to spend $2,300 and now I am looking at $4,300 and it takes me a little time to wrap my mind around that even though over 10, 15, or 20 years, the cost per year is minimal. I hope I have not bored you too much with this rambling explination.Domer
"My wife then told me that I really needed to buy the saw that I want for the long haul." Smart woman!!!
"I hope I have not bored you too much with this rambling explination." Not at all. Didn't seem "rambling" either, LOL.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Thanks for listening, I have bought houses and cars with less angst. Domer
"I have bought houses and cars with less angst." I know what you mean!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
You can get a hydraulic mobile base designed specifically for the SawStop Cabinet saw for $250-$300. http://www.houseoftools.com/product.htm?pid=594462Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I am almost certain that I am getting SawStop Cabinet Saw and would definately get the mobile base. I was already going this direction and saw a video on Charles Neil's web site telling why he bought one. It is pretty convincing. The Powermatic built in lift is on the tilt wheel. I haven't seen the new Unisaw mobile base. Domer
I have had the SS and mobile base for almost a year. Both are top quality and, if you ever cut yourself, the table saw value out there.
The cool thing about the mobile base is that it allows the machine to completely sit on the ground. Once planted, the saw will not move (unless you hit it with your car).
Now, I have a sliding table attached to my SS. As a result, the mobile base doesn't see any action... but it's there if I need it.
Cheers,
T
If you have been reading my blog, I have been going back and forth on which saw to buy.My son wants me to get the new Unisaw. I originally thought I wanted the SawStop Contractor Saw. My wife told me that this is the last table saw I am ever going to buy which is what she said the last time I bought a table saw.Every woodworker that I talked to at our local Woodworkers Guild, at the Woodworkers Show a few weeks ago, and at the local equipment dealers said that the only reason they would buy anything else was price. In addition, Kelly Mehler who gave a workshop here a few months ago said the same thing. So I am closing my eyes and buying the SawStop Cabinet Saw.
My experience was similar to yours. My wife, of all people, was the one that convinced me. Who am I to argue! I've never regretted my (er, her) decision:0) If you ever cut your self, the saw is actually a bargain!
I had 4 young guys (mid 20's) help me unload the thing. It is heavy! Don't forget about the mobile base... it is expensive - but it is an extremely well made piece of equipment.
My previous saw was a DeWalt hybrid. A nice saw that served me well. I was able to sell it, on Craigslist, for $700.00!
I have been told that it takes 4 people to unload it and then again 4 people to lift the saw portion onto the stand.I can get it to my house but need to get all three of my sons plus someone stronger than me lift it out of the truck and put it together. My current saw is an old Delta Contractors saw. I am giving it to one of my friends who has fallen on some hard times.
We used an engine hoist to get it out of the back of my truck. The manpower was used to keep it steady. My dad has one and it happened to be at my house at the time:0) Once down, it took 4 guys to lift it on to the mobile base. That thing is crazy heavy. The SS mobile base is the best I have ever used. I wanted to go with a ShopFox, since I have 4 of them, but I didn't plan that far ahead. As a result, I went ahead and picked up the SS mobile base, since it comes fully assembled. It handles the weight like none other. I highly recommend it.
Well my new SawStop Cabinet Saw came home today. I have it all put together. My middle son is coming over tomorrow night to run the 220 to the shop, or as my wife like to imagine the garage.I can't wait to make sawdust.Domer
You won't regret it! Check my baby out :0)
I have had my SawStop for about a month now and just finished my first big project. I built some kitchen cabinets for my son's kitchen.I am glad I bought the cabinet version. The SawStop is even better than I thought it would be. It cuts so smoothly. It both ripped and cross cut the plywood with no tear out with a Forest Woodworker II blade. The mobile base makes it easy to move around in my shop. It has a great fence and the blade guard actually works.Great saw and the SawStop feature makes it even better.Domer
No hate here OK?
The SawStop is even better than I thought it would be. It cuts so smoothly. It both ripped and cross cut the plywood with no tear out with a Forest Woodworker II blade. The mobile base makes it easy to move around in my shop. It has a great fence and the blade guard actually works.
And so does my old Ridgid saw from a Big Box BUT I have to save my fingers on my own!
But then again all humans make mistakes sometime!
The SawStop is even better than I thought it would be. It cuts so smoothly. It both ripped and cross cut the plywood with no tear out with a Forest Woodworker II blade. Domer
I would think that the Forrest II would have to take the majority of credit here, Domer. Put the wrong configuration and a low tooth count blade on you SS and it will tear ply just like any other saw. Put the proper blade on any TS and it will cut ply without tear-out.
BTW... when you cut ply itself.. you are both cross-cutting and ripping no matter what angle you attack from as ply as alternating layers with grain going one direction in one and the opposite on the next.. etc. etc.. You probably knew that though.
Regards...
Sarge..
Sarge, To get the absolute best cuts in plywood when cutting in the direction of the face grain, start with a rip blade set as high as the outer veneer is thick. Then change over to your crosscut blade set to cut through the next ply. Then back to the rip blade and continue until you finish your cut. The time it takes to complete the cut depends on how many plies are in your plywood.(Don't take that too seriously!)Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com) - Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Edited 4/15/2009 10:23 pm by flairwoodworks
Someone may mis-interpret you on this one as on-line advice must be correct as it came to you via computer. By simply reading it you instantly become a qualified practitioner in that field. So.. with that said you Must.....
Rush out and get a $5 K tablesaw.. arm it with both a high $$ rip and cross-cut blade to perform the procedure and of course check the height of the blade to avoid an error of .001 with your newly acquired, precision digital read-out do-ma-hickey.
And yes... even though the edge of the ply will be hidden deep in a trenched dado... this procedure is Mandatory or you will never make the On-line WW'ers Hall of Fame.
Sarge..
who has not been given one minutes consideration for induction into the On-line WW'ers HOF because of his poor computer skills and not following instructions to a Tee...
Edited 4/15/2009 9:48 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Sarge, always abuses the SS owners :0) but I think he crossed a line when he started in on the "...precision digital read-out do-ma-hickey..." owners!
I've owned the saw for a year now... and I've used PM's and Delta's... so I'll add a few comments for our viewers at home.
The saw only runs about $4,200, plus tax... you have to add in a few precision digital read-out do-ma-hickeys before you hit the 5K mark.
The saw cuts wood, just like any other saw. As much as we all would like it to improve our woodworking skills... this saw will not do it.
The SS may actually prevent a serious accident. I'm not saying that SS owners will take any short-cuts on safety... I simply think that they realize that they may make a stupid mistake...
If a person does WW for a living, how long would they be unable to work if they had a serious accident? How does the loss-of-work and income compare to the cost of the saw?
I think the cost of the saw is about as close to ridiculous as it can get... There are plenty of quality saws on the market... many of them at 1/3 the cost...
In the end, I could afford one, though SHMBO had to talk me in to it. And, if I ever have an accident, I figured I’d thank myself.
This is a tough group.The saw stop is a expensive but high quality saw. Obviously, it
does the same things as any other 10" table saw. I chose the SawStop over other table saws because I viewed it to have features that I thought made it better for me and therefore worth the extra money to me. The fact that I chose this saw and expressed my
opinion does not mean that I think others need to or should make
the same choice. The fact that the SawStop is the largest selling cabinet saw also means that I am not alone in my opinion. By the way, had already used the Forest Woodworker II on my old Delta contractor's saw so it was not new. I do feel the SawStop makes a cleaner cut with the same blade than my Delta contractor's saw. Domer
All of the SS threads start to "flame" after a while. Sarge was just pointing out that the SS will cut wood as well as any other saw... which is completely true.
You got a great saw and I doubt you'll ever regret it.
If you want to make this thread really fun...
What do you think about Festool
What is the "best" way to sharpen a chisel
Can you tell me why your DC is the best
Which hand plane should I buy next
Ford or Chevy?
Blonde or Brunette?
Shaken or Stirred?
Does this post make me look fat?
Love it!
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
You are right about the fact that there are some subjects that get
strong opinions. I asked a question about the Wood River Planes and got a huge number of responses, very few of which had anything to do with the planes
themselves. Domer
Peter, thanks! Oh, and for the record...
What do you think about Festool (I don't own one... I'm sure they are great... but green makes my hands look fat)
What is the "best" way to sharpen a chisel (I use a Tormek, water stones and sandpaper. All of them have their place)
Can you tell me why your DC is the best (I have a Jet 1.5 Canister unit. I'd love a cyclone... but that will have to wait)
Which hand plane should I buy next (I'm thinking I'd like a router plane or a LV low angle Jack)
Ford or Chevy? (I have a Dodge 1500 and a Nissan 350 Roadster... but I like the Ford Super Duty)
Blonde or Brunette? (Wife is a blonde)
Shaken or Stirred? (Shaken)
Does this post make me look fat? (em, yea... I think this needs to be my new forum signature)
Domer, just throw your opinion out there and have fun with it! Your opinion is free... If they don't like it...
...I have no opinion on Wood River Planes. I do not, however, care much for the Woodcraft products. If it were me, I would buy a high quality plane (LN or LV) and put it to good use. But I only get about 10 hours a week for WW... so I like to spend my time making dust instead of spending my time tuning up new tools... But I don't have any kids - so I have more money than time.
Hi T,
My answers are:
1. Festools are cool.
2. My way is the best way.
3. Because it really sucks.
4. Looking seriously at Wood River.
5. Dodge
6. Blonds, Brunettes, and Red heads; I love them all.
7. Shaken
8. Not at all:)
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
You're right Sarge. My over-the-top satire may not be evident to all, so I added a note at the bottom.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
A wise add Chris.. as some don't realize a few of us spend more time wading in manure with hip waders than being serious. And the day started out so innocently. I just wanted to post a quick reply and get to the shop to finish some minor details on a desk-hutch and get a top glued.
But... I did finally get that done and cut the grass. And the exciting part of the day was I "fought the TS without a break and today... I won". Of course the saw gets another chance tomorrow to even the score and I'm sure it's down there now plotting revenge. ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..
Regards to all and sorry if I got under anyone's skin as it was really not intended for anything more than a chuckle.
Sarge..
Chris, this is exactly what I do! But, I've adapted the innards from an old juke box to change the blades for me. I just have to keep a coffee can full of quarters next to my Delta-Wurlitzer. ;-)
First.. my comments were intended as somewhat of a joke in reply to Chris's post about cross-cutting and ripping layers of ply. I have no doubt an entry level could take that for fact from some of the questions that get ask. I probably ask some of those questions myself many years ago and got chuckled at. That's just the way it is.
Second.. the reference was not necessarily to SS.. I started to use SS but... thought the better of it with the use of $5 K TS which could mean a host of TS's including the Laguna.. Mini-max.. Rojek.. and I could go on in the small slider class.
So... what do I really think of SS is the question. The original SS is a very robust... well built saw and should be to take the impact it has to take when the break goes off. If you have never seen a video of that.. do so as the impact is immense. The SS professional is also a good saw and can do everything the larger SS can do in performance. It's just not as robust and I wonder personally how that will pan out with break iniating impact down the road. Time wil tell and no amount of speculation will change the real answer to that question.
But.. both TS's will do nothing more than any other American cabinet saw can do. You are basically purchasing a good saw with an added cost of an insurance policy even if you don't think you will ever have to use it. You might so... for those that can afford the policyd.. by all means get it.
I will now go to my shop and conduct the preceding's there as safely as can be done knowing I don't have an insurance policy to rely on. It's just me and the machine which I know can rear it's ugly head and bite off my hand if I don't stay alert to avoid a potential ambush.
It' h*ll being poor but... someone has to do it. :>)
Sarge..
Would you ask me that question? :>)....
The best value on the market at the moment is the discontinued (I think) Grizzly G5959Z 12" 5 HP 1" abror with adapter for 5/8" so you can use 10" blades which most would use unless you need to rip 4". $1495 with free shipping is a deal as it leaves room for a power feeder.
Regards from an unknown location...
Sarge..
Sounds sweeeeet, Sarge. It hurt me to turn away from the Steel City cabinet saw sale last year, such a good deal. But being able to land a Unisaw for about 60% (and exactly what I sold the little Inca for) left $$ for other things.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
That is an excellent saw for the money. I considered a Steel City 12" but there's doesn't have the adapter for the on board 1" arbor to convert to 10". 12" blades are more expensive even though one or two 20 T rip blades are all you need to do 4" stock. So... I went the the 10" 5 HP as you could say I got a "real deal". :>)
Sarge..
Sarge,
I just ordered the Grizzly G5959Z for all of the reasons that you listed above. I think it's a sweet deal with the blade size, rip capacity, 5/8 " and 1" arbor, 5hp and free shipping. I don't think any manufacturer can beat that price on a comp. equipped machine. I will also be able to add the offered sliding table, which is also on sale, and still have money left in my pocket for other toys. My only problem is they had to place the mobile stand on back order.
Edited 2/21/2009 4:33 pm ET by woodjam
Edited 2/21/2009 4:34 pm ET by woodjam
Edited 2/21/2009 4:36 pm ET by woodjam
I saw and went over the saw at IWF when I demonstrated for Steel City in August. It's a pretty sound saw though not quite as robust as the Steel City 5 HP in trunnions nor tolerances but an excellent saw over-all. And at that price with free shipping.. a great saw. You'll have to add an extention table I believe... and you will need the mobile base if you intend to move it around as it weights quite a bit.
But.. you can set it down and set it up in one spot. When the mobile base comes.. get a friend and walk it onto the base. I learned some cleaver tricks at IWF about getting them up and down off bases as I worked the week before the Show setting up over 40 machines with the president and 2 others.
I think you made a wise decision there and that is a fantastic price due to they are clearing the saw I believe to make way for some type of upgrade. I believe that is the saw Shiraz B. (owner of Grizzly..Shopfox) uses in his shop from a comment he made.
Hope all comes in on time but I could wait at that price as you should be prosecuted for "theft". ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..
Regards...
Sarge..
Edited 2/21/2009 6:44 pm ET by SARGEgrinder47
Did you happen to notice the throat plate? I use a lot of different throat inserts and I am wondering how easy it is to make your own zero clearance inserts on this saw.
Did the fence system look like a regular Biesemeyer or do you think it was significantly redesigned?
I attended a local woodworking show last month hoping to see the saw but Delta didn't show.
The only thing I remember about the Unisaw throat plate is that it is pretty big. They designed it that way to make it easier to reach inside the saw to change blades etc.So that would mean to me that they would both be harder to make and more expensive to buy. But I am not sure about either.It looked to be a nice piece of equipment but it is a prototype. My understanding is that it will be out in the not too distant future.Domer
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