Advice choosing a table saw

[Will Bradbury]

I am looking for a table saw that will be dependable and accurate and of course with a price that won't destroy my budget. It will see moderate use, nothing extreme. The main thing is I want the measurements to be accurate. I recently borrowed a craftsman 10 inch saw and it would be fine except the fence was not accurate...that was aggrevating!

Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks, Bradbury

 

[jhreed]

I have the Jet Xacta-saw, cabinet saw. I love it. It has the Xacta fence and it lives up to its name. I always wanted the Delta unisaw, but I am very satisfied with my Jet.
James

 

[Mark Gottesman]

If you found the Craftsman saw OK except for the accuracy, then I would suggest the following.
Find a good used Craftsman 10 in Belt drive and add on an aftermarket fence like the Delta T-2. A good adjustable T-Square type fence makes all the difference in the world. I have not tried one, but I have heard good things about the Craftsman Align-A-Rip.

If you keep an eye on Craigslist you might come up with a similar setup and get away for a couple of hundred. I use this setup with a 60 year old saw that I rebuilt. It will cut with accuracy and holds it settings.

Just a thought.

 

[junquecol]

The fence is what is bugging you. On my shop made Biese clone, I seldom use anything other than the attached tape to set width of cut. But having had a Craftsman contractor's saw for over twenty years, and then finally hooking up my Delta contractor's saw, there is no going back. Watch CL for used Delta contractor's saw. Some will have either Uni fence, or Biesemeyer, which will elevate the price. But usually a "package" is cheaper than the individual parts. As side note, I have a Delta 30" Unifence, NIB, that I will take $200 for. Includes table board, and leg set if memory serves me correctly.

 

[Will Bradbury]

If you found the Craftsman saw OK except for the accuracy, then I would suggest the following.
Find a good used Craftsman 10 in Belt drive and add on an aftermarket fence like the Delta T-2. A good adjustable T-Square type fence makes all the difference in the world. I have not tried one, but I have heard good things about the Craftsman Align-A-Rip.

If you keep an eye on Craigslist you might come up with a similar setup and get away for a couple of hundred. I use this setup with a 60 year old saw that I rebuilt. It will cut with accuracy and holds it settings.

Just a thought.

Bear with me as I am new to table saws...is a belt drive going to be better than a direct drive saw? I have no clue.

 

[Bas]

Bear with me as I am new to table saws...is a belt drive going to be better than a direct drive saw? I have no clue.

There are three things you want in a table saw: (1) A flat, cast iron top (2) An accurate, solid fence and (3) A belt-driven induction motor. For regular/ hobby use, a "contractor" or "hybrid" style saw will do fine. These typically have 1.5hp - 2hp. For more heavy duty, you're looking at a 3HP (or more) "cabinet" saw.

If you find something used on Craig's List, that'll probably give you the most bang for the buck. If you're buying new, the Ridgid R4512 (available at Home Depot) is a pretty good bet. With a sale and/ or coupon, you should be able to pick it up for $500. Grizzly also makes very competitively priced table saws that are good quality.

Why a belt-driven induction motor instead of a universal direct drive? The latter is basically a circular saw mounted upside down. It has less power, and tends to vibrate a lot. It is also incredibly loud.

 

[CarvedTones]

Why a belt-driven induction motor instead of a universal direct drive? The latter is basically a circular saw mounted upside down. It has less power, and tends to vibrate a lot. It is also incredibly loud.

I mostly agree, though at the low end (especially benchtops, often sold on stands alongside contractor saws) the direct drive screamers tend to have more power than their belt driven brethren. I have had both and currently have a small belt driven. The noise is a safety factor, IMO. It's hard to hear someone trying to get your attention (possibly because they see a problem with the board or saw). They have to tap you on the shoulder and scare you half to death. I also feel rushed when I use a direct drive because I don't want to run it very long (because of noise and the motors are not continuous duty). Rushing a cut is not a good thing to do.

Another disadvantage to direct drive is that it is unbalanced, making it harder to adjust the blade angle and harder to keep it there. a Belt drive isn't perfectly balanced either, but it is a lot closer and neither side has anything all that heavy trying hard to tilt it more in one direction.

 

[gdoebs]

I have a Craftsman 10" contractor saw that will be for sale soon. It's been at my parents house the since 2004 and I just brought it down to NC. The top has some rust, but it should clean off easily. I'll be posting it in the classifieds within a few days.

 

[Creative Woodworks]

There are three things you want in a table saw: (1) A flat, cast iron top (2) An accurate, solid fence and (3) A belt-driven induction motor. For regular/ hobby use, a "contractor" or "hybrid" style saw will do fine. These typically have 1.5hp - 2hp. For more heavy duty, you're looking at a 3HP (or more) "cabinet" saw.

If you find something used on Craig's List, that'll probably give you the most bang for the buck. If you're buying new, the Ridgid R4512 (available at Home Depot) is a pretty good bet. With a sale and/ or coupon, you should be able to pick it up for $500. Grizzly also makes very competitively priced table saws that are good quality.

Why a belt-driven induction motor instead of a universal direct drive? The latter is basically a circular saw mounted upside down. It has less power, and tends to vibrate a lot. It is also incredibly loud.

Dido on the Ridgid, I have the R4511 and love it. Plus the warranty beats everyone else. I use it almost everyday and never had a problem. I also use a Ridgid Jobsite saw when I am out of the shop. No problems with either one. There are some deals out there though, so don't limit yourself. Alot of good tools are in need of new homes in this economy. Good luck with your saw.

 

[rbradford]

If you found the Craftsman saw OK except for the accuracy, then I would suggest the following.
Find a good used Craftsman 10 in Belt drive and add on an aftermarket fence like the Delta T-2. A good adjustable T-Square type fence makes all the difference in the world. I have not tried one, but I have heard good things about the Craftsman Align-A-Rip.

If you keep an eye on Craigslist you might come up with a similar setup and get away for a couple of hundred. I use this setup with a 60 year old saw that I rebuilt. It will cut with accuracy and holds it settings.

Just a thought.

I, like many folks, have an older table saw and followed this advice. Adding the T-2 was simple and has made an incredible difference. Shop around on price as several sources are available.

 

[James Davis]

Used Unisaw with a Beis. Fence.

It will make you scream with pocketbook pain when you buy it and you will scream with delite every time you turn it on.