New Granite Topped Tablesaw From Steel City

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WoodWrangler

New User
Jeremy
Interesting ...

Working with cabinet dealers everyday, all day, my initial reaction is that the granite will not be the best of choices. Granite is notoriously brittle and definately not something you'd want to accidently drop a hammer -- or blade for that matter -- on.

However, the granite in those pictures looks somehow different ... not sure exactly what they are using.

Have to admit, I like the idea of no rust (then again, the T9 stuff I'm using pretty much eliminated that anyway -- haven't seen rust in a long, long time)

Can't wait to see it in action! :eusa_thin
 

BumoutBob

New User
Bob
One other advantage in granite is that if you do drop a hammed on it it will chip rather than dent, which raises a bump and makes that place on the table out of flat. That's why granite is used for optic alignment tables.
 

ebarr

New User
Wayne
I think I would splurge on the extra $50.00 for granite just for the gloat factor. That is really kinda cool. Plus, no buffing with wax every few months.
 

clowman

*********
Clay Lowman
Corporate Member
One other advantage in granite is that if you do drop a hammed on it it will chip rather than dent

I guess there some sort of "filler" you can get to repair chips? Like an epoxy fill? Chipping was one thing that came to my mind when I first read about this saw.
 

Ray Martin

New User
Ray
This give me an idea. LOML has wanted granite countertops in the kitchen for some time and she is not interested in woodworking. :eusa_thin:eusa_thin:eusa_thin So... if the tools have granite tops... maybe she would come out to the shop and work with me. well... maybe she'd just think I was taking her for granite...

Ray
 

Tarhead

Mark
Corporate Member
It looks like they are using ~2" thick granite. I'm not a stone expert but that should be pretty resistant to dings except on the edge. Maybe I'm different than most but I don't usually use hammers on or over the tablesaw. I wanted to use a great big hammer on that old tablesaw I use to have but that's a different story:lol: . Now dropping wrenches, screwdrivers, wood, bades, inserts, fences, drinks, etc...yep I'm guilty of that for sure!
 

froglips

New User
Jim Campbell
So cool! I love when folks shake up the norm.

I've personally been trying to figure out other ways to have table saw tops that weren't "flat" plates of metal. This is another super slick way to go! As I learn more about metal scraping and flattening, many shops use granite master (flat reference plates). So this makes some sense, in my book that is.

Not to mention now you and your beloved can shop for just the right granite pattern and color to go with your shop curtains!

Jim
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
I would think this would be quite noisy. I have used corian on a router table top and though it was nice and flat and heavy it resonated noise quite a bit. I like the idea of using it for a jointer fence though.

fred p
 

Bryan S

Bryan
Corporate Member
Looks cool.

Marketing and the designers were definatly thinking outside the box on this one. There are some good advantages here but I feel the novelty factor would wear off within a year or so. It wouldnt bother me at all to be wrong about that.

I'll be soon looking to upgrade to a better saw and have been thinking a hybrid saw. Im hearing very good things about Steel City and plan on giving them a close look, and this option will be out by the time I start looking. Sooo :eusa_thin will have to take a close look.
 

MikeH

New User
Mike
I would think this would be quite noisy. I have used corian on a router table top and though it was nice and flat and heavy it resonated noise quite a bit. I like the idea of using it for a jointer fence though.

fred p

I can see where the corian might resonate, but Granite is rock. I wouldn't think it would resonate to much. Not any more than a cast iron top.
 

newtonc

New User
jak
Back in my days of antique refurbishing,Fiberglass Resin was always used to fill and glue up broken marble,of course with adding powder colors.Very cheap,easy, and it works.I would go about the same route if a chip did occur.
 

FredP

Fred
Corporate Member
I can see where the corian might resonate, but Granite is rock. I wouldn't think it would resonate to much. Not any more than a cast iron top.

you may be right. I wonder if they are using some form of buffer? like rubber or silicone to isolate the top from the base. It doesnt seem like granite would do well if a lot of vibration is present.

fred p
 

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
Looks cool.

Marketing and the designers were definatly thinking outside the box on this one. There are some good advantages here but I feel the novelty factor would wear off within a year or so. It wouldnt bother me at all to be wrong about that.

I'll be soon looking to upgrade to a better saw and have been thinking a hybrid saw. Im hearing very good things about Steel City and plan on giving them a close look, and this option will be out by the time I start looking. Sooo :eusa_thin will have to take a close look.

Bryan---------I have a Steel City table saw. They definitely have a problem with their cast iron wings production. The first set that came with the saw turned up like wings on a sea gull when they were tightened up. Mr. Box was very congenial over the issue and sent another set of wings after sending them out to have the edges machined and tapped for set screws to aid in alignment. But when I finally got them flush with the main table at front and back, there is a dip in them that leaves an "offset" in the middle from front to back. Again I contacted Mr. Box about the issue and he offered to send more wings if I wished. That issue is on hold right now until I decide to ask for more wings or ask SC to pay for having the original wings machined on the edge so they will be square to the top. The original wings mated up good at the joint for being flush, they just turned up like crazy.

I also bought their shaper---and guess what------I could not get the wing to align up with the table top.:BangHead: They sent another wing for the shaper and it fit perfectly.:icon_thum

That is the reason I have not posted a gloat over the table saw and shaper. I don't know if it is a gloat or sob story.:lol:

These wings are being made in China, evidently they do not understand how they are supposed to be. If this is an example of quality we are facing in the process of out-sourcing, I think we are in trouble.

Jerry
 
M

McRabbet

Jerry's experience with the mis-alignment in cast iron doesn't surprise me with a start-up firm like Steel City -- they may be using some of the same SE Asian factories as other US companies like Jet, Delta and Grizzly, but they clearly don;t have their own quality control apparatus in place to resolve these issues before they get to the customer. Grizzly tackled all of these problems in their early years and I think they are pretty well eliminated now. My Grizzly G1023slx table saw wings and top are shim-free -- they even sent me an extra C.I. wing when I bought the extension version.
 
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