Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Sep 29, 2009 07:43pm | #1

   Hi, John.  I'm rushing out for a breakfast date, but can comment briefly on what I would give priority to:  #1, and not negotiable for me, would be a riving knife rather than the cr*ppy splitter of old.  Past that, I would lean toward a largish motor (at least 2HP) and a cabinet-saw design (trunnions attached to frame, not the table).

   Glancing at your list, but not accessing specs online, I'd guess this leads to a saw that's not on your list, and is slightly more expensive than the Grizzly 1023:  the Grizzly G0690.

   I'll be back after pancakes and coffee to see what others have to say!!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
1. 
   JohnSolomon | Sep 30, 2009 04:16pm | #5

   Thanks for the quick advise, I have the GO555  Bandsaw by Grizzly's and have been happy with it so far. the 1023's and the 690's have always caught my eye, but I have have always been a bit gun shy with that near 1400 price tag.  Now the SC does have the riving knives but only has a 1.75 hp  motor (which is still a bit stronger than what I have now).

   This would be so much easier if money was no object :) 

   I must keep a 1400.00 budget and I see this two way

   1) a 1400 saw (grizzly)

   2) a 700 saw (sc saw), a 230 dust collector, 300 for some flooring in the bedroom and maybe concrete sealer for the new shop.

    

1. 
   forestgirl | Sep 30, 2009 06:40pm | #9

   Given the firm upper line of your budget (and I know how that goes!), I understand the choices you've outlined.  The Delta Unisaw sale linked above looks like a good deal.  Steel City has undergone some changes recently, and it seems there are some questions about how they have affected customer service.  I love my Steel City mortiser and almost bought one of their cabinet saws, but a used Unisaw came my way.

   A cabinet saw (G1023S or Unisaw) will keep you happier in the long run than a hybrid, IMHO, and they are within your budget.  Any time you're buying a big tool new, as opposed to used, it's important to look down the road.  Otherwise, you're throwing away half the price when you need to upgrade.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   Jimurock | Sep 29, 2009 08:17pm | #2

   SC has always had a fast turnover of models, which can be disconcerting, and they've certainly pulled their horns in a bit.   They seem to be discontinuing the earlier models without the riving knife.  There are now 2 levels of granite saws.  The originals come as either 1.75 or 3 hp, and have the high quality Bies-type fence.  The newer cheaper models are 1.75 and the basic one has a simpler T-fence, though the good fence is an option; both have built-in wheels.  The castiron equivalents of the original granite models are still available.  I haven't seen the newer economy granite model so I can't comment on it.  I have the 3hp castiron model.  The one first delivered to me was a lemon, but was promptly replaced, and has done all that I expected, incl. cutting through 3inch cherry.  Whether the service would be as good under the new regime I don't know.  I believe the "new" SC is run by the Canadian arm.  Since I'm Canadian they're who I dealt with, with no problems.

   Jim

1. 
   JohnSolomon | Sep 30, 2009 04:26pm | #6

   Thanks,

       I guess its a wait and see process for now with SC. I can get a Granite saw for under 700 but that is with the 1.75 motor. I don't expect to be cutting 3 inch anything often. I am just a hobbies with hopes that maybe one day that I may be able to make a go of it. My only issue is that the 1.75 motor is not that much of an improvement over the 1.5 I have now. I know the surface area will be an improvement and the fence as well, but not the power.

    

   John.

3. 
   Ckenney | Sep 29, 2009 08:52pm | #3

   If you want to buy now, Woodwerks is clearing out their 3hp Unisaws for less than the price of the hybrid. http://www.woodwerks.com/delta-36812r-right-tilt-unisaw-230v-rails-fence-p-5875.html $699 w/o fence, $899 w 30" fence, $999 w 50" fence. $100 shipping.

   I am so tempted, if I had a little extra $.

   Chris

   http://acornhouse.wordpress.com/
   a hobbyist's journey
1. 
   JohnSolomon | Sep 30, 2009 04:29pm | #7

   Hey now that not a bad price. I will look into the details of the saw.

    

   Thanks.

4. 
   roc | Sep 30, 2009 05:49am | #4

   Hey, Laytax will trade one of the all carbon fiber versions of this race bike ( see first pic ) for his superior euro table saw. See second pic. The rub is you gotta sneak the bike into Scotland in your underwear/suit case and sneak the tablesaw out in your golf bag etc.

   Hey a woodworking tool connoisseur has got to do what a woodworking tool connoisseur has got to do and ditto on the bike aficionado

   Failing that I'd settle for a TS from these guys

   http://www.lagunatools.com/tablesaws

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   
   

   ---

   Edited 9/29/2009 10:53 pm by roc

   
1. 
   JohnSolomon | Sep 30, 2009 04:41pm | #8

   Now I do some traveling on occasion, and I think it would be kind of a hard thing to explain how I would have a 700 lb table saw in my check baggage. It might confuse TSA :) I could say I am working on my slice....

   I think that the laguna is a bit out of my price range.

    

1. 
   roc | Sep 30, 2009 08:51pm | #10

   >I think that the laguna is a bit out of my price range.<It most certainly is outside my price range as well !>I think it would be kind of a hard thing to explain how I would have a 700 lb table saw in my check baggage. It might confuse TSA :) <I run into the same sort of paradoxical problems at work. I say no problem ! All you need is a magic wand, or in this case an SEP. I have a magic wand hidden behind my tool box at work. The problem is the wand must be made up of found objects, bird feathers, pieces of ancient pottery etc., so it takes a while ( or a heck of a lot of traveling ) to make one up. By the way I find one of the best found objects with the most power is a few streamers from a kid's bicycle, preferably a tricycle. The reluctocanuterinversefield is more stable when created with the trike streamer for some reason.No fair yanking them off a kid's bike. They will be useless and could result in extreme pain instantly developing in one or both of your shins. Often accompanied by bite marks about your ankles.No, no they must be found lying about.Since the chances of finding all the found objects to make up your wand could be outside your time window for getting the saw before the next price increase perhaps the SEP may be the way to go in your case. Create a SEP field around the saw.To explain here is an excerpt from the book by Douglas Adams Life, The Universe and Everything."I think," said Ford in a tone of voice which Arthur by now recognized as one which presaged something utterly unintelligible, "that there's an SEP over there."He pointed. Curiously enough, the direction he pointed in was not the one in which he was looking. Arthur looked in the one direction, which was towards the sight-screens, and in the other which was at the field of play. He nodded, he shrugged. He shrugged again."A what?" he said."An SEP.""An S ...?""... EP.""And what's that?""Somebody Else's Problem.""Ah, good," said Arthur and relaxed. He had no idea what all that was about, but at least it seemed to be over. It wasn't."Over there," said Ford, again pointing at the sight-screens and looking at the pitch."Where?" said Arthur."There!" said Ford."I see," said Arthur, who didn't."You do?" said Ford."What?" said Arthur."Can you see," said Ford patiently, "the SEP?""I thought you said that was somebody else's problem.""That's right."Arthur nodded slowly, carefully and with an air of immense stupidity."And I want to know," said Ford, "if you can see it.""You do?""Yes.""What," said Arthur, "does it look like?""Well, how should I know, you fool?" shouted Ford. "If you can see it, you tell me."Arthur experienced that dull throbbing sensation just behind the temples which was a hallmark of so many of his conversations with Ford. His brain lurked like a frightened puppy in its kennel. Ford took him by the arm."An SEP," he said, "is something that we can't see, or don't see, or our brain doesn't let us see, because we think that it's somebody else's problem. That's what SEP means. Somebody Else's Problem. The brain just edits it out, it's like a blind spot. If you look at it directly you won't see it unless you know precisely what it is. Your only hope is to catch it by surprise out of the corner of your eye.""Ah," said Arthur, "then that's why ...""Yes," said Ford, who knew what Arthur was going to say."... you've been jumping up and ...""Yes.""... down, and blinking ...""Yes.""... and ...""I think you've got the message.""I can see it," said Arthur, "it's a spaceship."rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   Edited 9/30/2009 2:08 pm by roc

1. 
   JohnSolomon | Sep 30, 2009 09:17pm | #11

   MA,   dads been smoking his lathe shavings again.....

    

    

    

1. 
   roc | Sep 30, 2009 10:53pm | #12

   >MA<
   As in Marijuana Anonymous ?Nah Dude Nah. M doesn't set well with me.Douglas Adams on the other hand keeps me giggling at the absurdity that is the human condition." human condition " sounds like a skin disease that the Earth has.What can yah do but laugh about it ?rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )