Table saw ideas

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sparhawk

sparhawk

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Jun 22, 2007
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Location
Rosinton, Alabama, USA.
May be in the market for a new table saw(if i cant fix the bearings on my old craftsman) and was wondering what everyone thought in the $350 range. Anything good or just keep saving up.
 
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I got a Hitachi and it is awesome! If I remember right it was $300. I would defiantly buy it again! It's the C10RA3.
 
I got the ridgid contractors saw from HD...It was a great buy at 500$...I highly recommend it!! Now the new ones even have a granite top so no rust. They can be had used for your price range and they are a workhorse!!

Grub
 
If it were me I'd try to save for a better one..but I don't know what you plan to do with it...
 
Depends on your saw: if it's one of the better old ones (60's-early 70's vintage belt-driven, 10" Craftsman contractor saw made by Emerson Electric with a cast-iron top and the heavy duty cast trunion) it'd be worth rebuilding AND parts are still available.
 
What do you want/need to do with a tablesaw? If you just need one for occasional use, then the Ridgid jobsite saw with the portable stand is real hard to beat. I have one of those for doing trim work on the homes that I build. If you need one for doing flat work on a regular basis, then go with a contractor's saw of some brand. Ridgid make a pretty good one of those also.

Then, if you are or want to get serious into flat work and want to buy once and only once, buy a Delta Unisaw. I also have one of those and would not trade it for anything. I started with a Ridgid Contractor's saw and it was fine but not nearly as nice as my Unisaw. If you stick with flat work, most likely, sooner or later you will want to upgrade.

Also, like suggested, look for something used. I have seen Unisaws for as low as $400 on Craigslist in the past.
 
Ocasional flatwork and some trim work around the house. Never know when a project will pop up, but would like to have something decent just in case the need arises.And my old saw is only about 6 years old. Replaced the bearing in the front a short time ago(cast metal housing with the gear drive) and am afraid the back bearing has gone out. Bad part is the back part of the saw is plastic so if the bearing spun may never get a bearing to hold in there agaain.Have used the dickens out of this saw so have no complaints. Was only about $150 to begin with and i have sawn some logs that it could barely handle. (Got a band saw now for that part)
 
I have the Rigid contractor with easy rise stand. Every thing packs up easily and stores in a very small space, if you have limited space. This saw has a very nice fence and miter gauge.
 
1. Whatever you do, don't buy a new craftsman, unless you want to throw your money away. I bought their most expensive, best rated (by Sears) contractor's saw last Fall, and what a pile of junk, especially the rip fence. Mine is for sale if your interested.....How's that for a sales pitch?

2. I fell heir to the Rigid Contractor's saw due to a contractor we hired to do a remodel for us split with a chunk of our money, but abandoned all of his tools in my back yard. I love using that saw because it is solidly made, has a very good rip fence and the miter slots are actually form fitting to miter gauge. Oh yes, the saw blade runs true, unlike the new Craftsman saw.

mtgrizzly52
 
Saw one at lowes for something like 399 and think it is close to being this http://www.cpowoodworking.com/table_saws/36-979.html Has no fence and the motor is not integral to the arbor.(separate motor ,belt drive) but not 100% sure. Have a ridgid bandsaw and have been well pleased with it(especially the lifetime warranty) and may just look at the Ridgid tablesaw that seems to get such great praise.(At the IAP):biggrin:
 
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I have a Rigid cast iron model from about two years ago. It has the herculift mobile base built in that works very well, it also came with a decent miter fence but I replaced the miter guage with a Jessem and added a router table with lift at the other end. The way the fence is built with t-tracks allows for a lot of future add-ons. When I added the router table I did not have to drill into the saw as the rails had tracks in them as well.
The new model at the BORG has a granite saw top for about the same price mine was.
 
I had found a used Delta Unisaw 1983 and paid $500.00. It had a 42 inch fence, but I make all kinds of furniture. I had a Fowly Belsaw 1950 and I could not get parts. I just love the saw. Still cuts like new!!!!
 
FWIW - I have a Delta 10" (Lowes) which I use for everything - but is primarily for my segmented bowl work these days.

Very nice, accurate, true, and affordable.
 
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