Table saw opinions
- Thread starter mikeyt
- Start date
Is it this one?
I saw a review of this and decided I'd give it a try. I have some old wooden ones that don't inspire a lot of confidence.
I am not sure I understand what you mean with "...only for cuts that fit."
Prevent kickback, hold the wood to the fence, etc.
Not sure on the BB, but the JessEm have a 5 degree angle on the wheels, and they are also 1 way rollers. The 5 degree help roll\push the wood against your fence through the entire rip.
Don't hold me to it, but I'd guess the BB would do the same? Green, yellow, etc. Diff colors are for diff purposes, regarding the BB.
EDIT: minimize kickback, not prevent.
Not sure on the BB, but the JessEm have a 5 degree angle on the wheels, and they are also 1 way rollers. The 5 degree help roll\push the wood against your fence through the entire rip.
Don't hold me to it, but I'd guess the BB would do the same? Green, yellow, etc. Diff colors are for diff purposes, regarding the BB.
EDIT: minimize kickback, not prevent.
Depends on the cut and if the wood has any stress that is released. I do a lot of thin strips so I use feather boards all the time. Things like cutting the rebate on picture frame molding. Keeps solid contact. I can also mount the BOW on my band saw to help with re-saw. Ripping thin strips from thin plywood is always dicey.
They also keep things in line when you are re-positioning your push block.
I had some rip-straits. They worked but were often in the way.
They also keep things in line when you are re-positioning your push block.
I had some rip-straits. They worked but were often in the way.
Chiming in on Harvey.
I'm a fairly new owner of a Harvey Ambassador C-14 bandsaw and am very happy with it. Based on its robust construction, weight, fit, finish, hardware, adjustments, customer service and so forth, I have the strong sense that their table saws would impress as well.
Another thought...
I'm the camp that thinks that a router table embedded in a table saw extension surface makes all the sense in the world--until it doesn't. There's the fence issue as well as the easily foreseeable frustration of having to change setups. If you have a critical setup for the routing function and then need the table saw, you have a Shopsmith situation. Shopsmith too made all the sense in the world--until it didn't. A lot of people produce truly admirable work on a Shopsmith. However, it takes patience and planning to work efficiently with a multi-function tool swap system like Shopsmith. I think that a router table / table saw might produce similar conditions and frustration. As such, I favor machines dedicated to their primary function.
Of course, budget and space are often drivers that each of us wrestles with when machine decisions.
I'm a fairly new owner of a Harvey Ambassador C-14 bandsaw and am very happy with it. Based on its robust construction, weight, fit, finish, hardware, adjustments, customer service and so forth, I have the strong sense that their table saws would impress as well.
Another thought...
I'm the camp that thinks that a router table embedded in a table saw extension surface makes all the sense in the world--until it doesn't. There's the fence issue as well as the easily foreseeable frustration of having to change setups. If you have a critical setup for the routing function and then need the table saw, you have a Shopsmith situation. Shopsmith too made all the sense in the world--until it didn't. A lot of people produce truly admirable work on a Shopsmith. However, it takes patience and planning to work efficiently with a multi-function tool swap system like Shopsmith. I think that a router table / table saw might produce similar conditions and frustration. As such, I favor machines dedicated to their primary function.
Of course, budget and space are often drivers that each of us wrestles with when machine decisions.
Not to digress, but since we already did 
these have done well for me.
Very flexible - they can be stacked vertically and the board itself can be reversed in the carrier to change the offset from the fence. Another neat feature is the first feather is slightly shorter than the rest so you can use it to set the offset from the fence (and presssure) more consistently. Solid construction - good for ripping hardwood stock but perhaps not best for smaller or more delicate work.
these have done well for me. Very flexible - they can be stacked vertically and the board itself can be reversed in the carrier to change the offset from the fence. Another neat feature is the first feather is slightly shorter than the rest so you can use it to set the offset from the fence (and presssure) more consistently. Solid construction - good for ripping hardwood stock but perhaps not best for smaller or more delicate work.
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Only hic-up on the C-14 is the quality of the guide bearings. Just watch yours so you can clean and lube them until you get fed up and put some Timken or NTK in it.
I did convince them to add a section to the setup to adjust the upper guide parallelism. Harvey does seem to listen to customers.
Good products and far cheaper, but the BOW work a little differently due to the cam design of the finger supports. At least that is what is said.Not to digress, but since we already did
Very flexible - they can be stacked vertically and the board itself can be reversed in the carrier to change the offset from the fence. Another neat feature is the first feather is slightly shorter than the rest so you can use it to set the offset from the fence (and presssure) more consistently. Solid construction - good for ripping hardwood stock but perhaps not best for smaller or more delicate work.
Cost is actually comparable - the Jessem's are $36 on amazon right now, though it'd be great to find a cheaper source. Amazon is not always it ....
I'm curious about the BOW boards - please weigh in once you find out how well they work.
I prefer the mag switch feather boards. I found with the type that mount in the mitre slot, they’re either hard to get to stay in place or aren’t adjustable enough for all of my needs.
I’ve never used the BOW or Jessem products though so maybe they’ve solved these issues.
I’ve never used the BOW or Jessem products though so maybe they’ve solved these issues.
Im pretty sure the Harvey is a Grizzly, Grizzly has been around much longer. Probably both come out of the same Chinese plant, hence so many similarities if they exist, Im not familiar with either however.
Not mine
Delta 36-L352 3 HP UNISAW with 52 in. BIESEMEYER Fence System (price reduced to $1300)
FBM > Listed this past week in Hillsborough, NC
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