im going to purchase a cabinet saw spring of 2010 need opinions / advice /comments im torn between delta unisaw, sawstop, powermatic have 3500 hundred to spend help please !
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Replies
OK, I'll start... I vote for
OK, I'll start... I vote for the SawStop. Just like buying a car, you want the car with the latest safety devices, so why not the same for your table saw. YES, there definitely is a small learning curve, and you will have to adjust some of your 'previous behavior,' but I think it's the best way to go.
Happy & Healthy New Year... SawdustSteve
I have a Jet cabinet saw and love it as it was most affordable for me when I crossed over from a contractor saw. I wouldn't buy another one though. I would definitely check out Grizzly. I live near one of their show rooms and have seen their products first hand, and also have a Grizzly 8" jointer and Lathe. Serious bang for the buck and tremendous quality and customer service in my experience. You can get a lot of cabinet saw or even enter into the world of a European saw for the money and I beleive them to be very well built with competitive features. Good luck!
Kevin
Another vote for sawstop. I have really liked the saw, not to mention the safety of it. The only hassle of it is if
you frequently change from dado to normal blades. You have to have a different brake cartridge. Otherwise they are very well built, and powerful. The delta unisaw looks as if it would be a really nice saw, as it has more features certainly than the sawstop, but if I had the option again, I would still go with sawstop. To me the risk that is close to mitigated with the safety on it is huge. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to use it carelessly because it has that. It is more or less insurance. Fingers/hands are very very valuable.
One other thing. I was a bit nervous about it and the technology that was involved in it and thus the reliability. I've talked with at least two guys who said that they really haven't had any issues with them at all.
One final note. The only thing that I have not liked about it is the table extension that we got
on ours. The legs were not
attached very well. Seemed kind of flimsy.
Just my $0.02
I think the Powermatic is the better saw, however the SawStop is the safer one. Knowing that, it's your decision.
Good luck,
Jim
There were some not so kind remarks about the new Unisaw, lots of small issues but nothing major. All three are good saws for sure. I have bought 5 pieces from Grizzley tools, and have been very impressed with them and the company. Taiwan made, just like a lot of others. I will replace my hybrid with a grizzley this year or something off Craigs list. A ton of nice equipment for sale used right now... you might check into that as well and save some money for special materials...
AZMO
I'd second you on the
I'd second you on the Grizzly. I've had my 1023slx for over 5 years now and she still is a winner. If money is no object, I'd love to have a sawstop. That extra insurance is nice although I treat my griz with respect and realize its as efficient at cutting off limbs as it is lumber!
Bones, I asked them about adding a riving knife to the 1023 and was told no. Only the 690 series. Have you checked on that as well?
Morgan
Yea, I had hoped they would have an upgrade since they came out with the model with riving knife. If I were to get another I'd go with G0651 or 52 (3hp or 5hp) with rifing knife and its only about 500 more than the 1023 (thats on sale now). Now for a bit more, I'd go for the G0700 thats a slider with scoring knife. All is for naught though. Mine keeps cuttin just fine so I can justify it. My needs for my very limited dollars are elsewhere. I need(ok want to) upgrade my makita 2012 planer I've had for almost 20 years. I'm thinking of a Grizz 20" with byrd head. I've been very pleased with all my grizzly stuff.
Morgan,
I have the Grizzly saw as well, and also asked them about retrofitting a riving knife. Same answer - no.
But I went ahead and bought the BORK add-on riving knife. I've had it for over a year now and it works pretty well. It's not as good as an integral riving knife, as it doesn't rise evenly with the blade as the blade is cranked up and down. But it can be easily and quickly adjusted manually.
For about a hundred bucks it's not too shabby. I know of at least one instance since I had it on the saw when I could have suffered a kickback and the BORK kept that from happening. It does make things "seem" a bit safer too. That's psychological, but not an unimportant feature.
On another topic entirely, I got off the bike in late September in the hopes that some significant time off might begin to heal what I thought was a groin pull. Now, after months off (and weight, correspondingly, rising!), I come to find I've got what is called a "sports hernia." It will probably require surgery. My goal is to make it to the starting line of my club's first ride in March 2010. I know the 3,100 miles I managed to get in last year didn't help with this injury. But dang, riding is such fun I just couldn't NOT do it, despite the discomfort.
Zolton
I have been struggling with the Griz saws. I like the 1023 better, but I really want a riving knife. No I take that back, what I really want is get away from my Delta Hybrid. Bad design, and what should I have expected from the word Hybrid, take the worst from two attributes.
Sorry to hear about your bike issue. I did a bilateral Hernia repair 5 years ago. Well worth the trouble to get them fixed that is for sure. I remember when I really tore them up. I had lost 20 lbs and was really riding well, I went up this long hill with a bunch of guys behind me. I kept turning the screws and about 2 miles later it was very quiet behind me... Nothing like dumping a few 30 year old wanna be racer types. Well at the rest stop everything was OK but I got back on my bike and went Ouch... Oh well it was fun while it lasted!! It took me a while to heal, but then again I am a slow healer. What you don't want to do is lift stuff for weeks, you can tear it all apart and go back for more surgery. Take it easy and draw up new plans and such, no Marcous lifting for ya!!
I managed to ride 3155 miles on my primary road bike, 220 on my bike in California and 430 on my 29" mountain bike this year. It was a good year for sure. It was 68 out today, and a great Mt bike ride! Wed is night ride and beer after at the Mexican Cantina, Chuys. Should be a good week.
Let me know how it goes, and I will sacrifce a tube to the road gods for you.
Morgan
AZMO,
I believe that some of the Griz 1023 saws come with a riving knife. So go for it! Just buy a saw instead of another bike the next time you feel like getting that new carbon bike with Campy Super Record 11-speed! ;).
BTW: I got out to the my shop this morning, turned around, changed into cycling clothes and went for a ride instead. Is this why my wood working projects take so long?
I also have a grizzly, the 0690 and it came with a riving knife. I love the saw.
My main point however is that I just got back on my bike today. It was the first time in 2 1/2 months. I had an inguinal hernia. I was off the bike so long because I had too many obligations yet to take care of when I first realized what I had. After my repair I had to stay off the bike for a month. My ride today was short, but it was nice to be out there again. BTW it was 80 degrees here today and beautiful.
Good luck with the surgery,
Jim
I'm trying to delete this
I'm trying to delete this accidental 2nd post but the forum won't let me, so I just wrote this silly note.
Jim
Another vote for the SawStop, had mine for just over two years, its rock solid and a pleasure to use even without the safety feature its a top notch saw.
Mike
You could always triple your budget and get one of those sexy European sliders. ;-)
Since you'll get recommendations all over the map, I think the decision really becomes a personal one - balancing the added safety of the SawStop against the feature lists and price points of the other leading brands.
Regarding the nuisance of changing to a dado head, what I want to do when I upgrade from my contractor's saw to something bigger, I play to put my contractor's saw in the wing and leave the dado stack installed there and keep the big saw for ripping, etc.
Having a separate setup for a dado would definitely save a lot of time. I would like to do that in the future :).
J
Think about picking up a used unisaw for a third of the money you have available -
the unisaw is a very durable choice - age isn't a big deal -
Saftey is the most important concern - many receommend the Sawstop and it is a great choice as well but saftey is implemented by the operator first for any woodworking function.
SA
I agree. Complacency is what causes most accidents. However, freak accidents can and do happen - the Sawstop is better equipped to deal with those.
I had the pleasure of making the same decision of getting a new table saw this past summer. I went with the Grizzly G0623x which is a slider, they have since come out with a more compact version of the same saw (smaller slider).
I was truly impressed when the Grizzly arrived, delivered right to the front of my workshop where assembly was a breeze, everything was pre-adjusted ready for assembly. I was even able to get the saw onto a mobile base by myself.
As for my decision making tree, I too was thinking Unisaw, but it was so new at the time that it didn't seem like the bugs had been worked out yet. The Powermatic PM2000 was high on the list too as was the Sawstop, but it was the benefit of a sliding table for crosscuts drew me to the slider over the Sawstop. But that said, when doing a lot of repetitive cuts, I can see having the insurance of the Sawstop brake to be a nice feature.
Disclaimer: On a good month, I'm just a weekend wood-butcher. I need the best tools out there to help me work wood.
My experience is with the PM 2000. I realize the SS has a unique safety feature which has made it very appealing for many. But practicing safe methods makes all the difference - keeping your fingers away from the blade, using push sticks, blade guards and at least for the PM and others, a riving knife. With that said, you probably won't go wrong choosing any of the leading brands, assuming you don't get a lemon. I have been thrilled with my PM. it is dead on accurate and very easy to use. The riving knife is great. I had an old Jet contractors saw, which was fine, but no comparison to the PM.
I've had a Grizzly 1023 for
I've had a Grizzly 1023 for the past 9 years. Its been a great workhorse and outstanding value for money. I would recommend it to anyone. However....last month carelessness on my part resulted in an argument between my left thumb and the saw while ripping guitar sides. Inevitible result. my thumb lost the argument. Fortunately i "only" grazed the saw with the tip of my thumb. Missed the tendons, missed any bone and my thumb got put back together in the emergecy ward by a very competent surgeon..so it almost looks like the thumb I had prior to the accident. I've been a woodworker for over 35 years and the accident was totally preventable..but the bill to put my thumb back together was $5000 well in excess of a Sawstop cabinet saw. If I ever replace my Grizzly, it'll be a Sawstop for sure!
I bought a Grizzly 1023, 3 HP, LH tilt cabinet saw a number of years ago and have been happy with it since. Assuming their quality hasn't decreased since then, I'd recommend it to someone who is looking for a good saw for a reasonable price.
While I joke about being afraid of machines like table saws the fact is that I am frightened enough of them to always approach them with caution while not being so afraid that I can't use them properly. A healthy dose of fear when dealing with machines that can quickly remove limbs is a good thing, imo.
I have the new Sawstop Professional cabinet saw and have no real issues so far. Well built, finish is great, cuts are very accurace.
One item not mentioned in the other replies is dust collection. Mine collects about 98% of dust the machine creates making it easier on the lungs than all of the other machines mentioned.
Safety and great dust collection = one strong pair of advantages.
If I were buying again tomorrow, Sawstop would be my pick.
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