Recommendations - Table Saw?

[jyl]

I will need to buy a table saw pretty soon. A hobbyist / contractor's type, not a big cabinet type. Down the road, I'll need a router / table and drill press too.

Does anyone have favorite brands or models to recommend?

For the table saw, I am looking for:
- Quality construction, rigid, will adjust to and hold precise alignment, as little plastic as possible.
- A guard that detaches and re-attaches easily, a good riving knife, easy-to-reach switch, ideally some way to lock it "off" so little kids can't mess w/ it.
- Available extension table (what do you call this?)
- USA made if possible. I'll spend the $ for a good tool.

I'd buy a SawStop, but their contractor's saw isn't available yet.

[slodave]

SawStop, great product. My dad bought one and seems happy with it. Have you checked on the release date for the contrator's version?

[jyl]

"Late 2006" says the website. My wife wants a particular project done n-o-w.

[Noah930]

Just don't lop off any of your fingers, then. That seemed to be a particular pasttime of Portlanders when I lived there last year.

[gassy]

I have a Craftsman tablesaw that I'm not that happy with. It was a gift...my Porter Cable router is perfect. Can't say enough good things about it. I shaved the tip off of my left thumb on a table saw a few years ago...
Christian.

[rfuerst911sc]

My opinion is most of the 10 inch table saws out there are decent quality the real issue is a accurate fence and large enough table and/or decent extensions. If you are a one man operation it's tough to deal with 4x8 sheets of anything unless you have lots of table extensions. I've had a Makita 8 1/4 table top saw for 20 years and it's still going strong but the table is too small but I have limited garage space. The addition of roller extensions has helped and I rarely am working with 4x8 sheets.

Delta 10" contractor with a Biesemeyer fence system. You'll never need anything else.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000EI965/qid=1151863853/sr=8-12/ref=pd_bbs_12/104-5161993-7771114?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

[gr8fl4porsche]

I have the same Delta as above. Real nice saw - no complaints.

[jyl]

AMZN says $1200 + $100 shipping for what you (Mark) pictured. Is that a good price?

[gr8fl4porsche]

I paid $999 from a local dealer for my X5 a couple of years ago and it came with a wheel set coupon.

Originally posted by jyl
AMZN says $1200 + $100 shipping for what you (Mark) pictured. Is that a good price?

John - Amazon doesn't always have best prices. I'd google around.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Used my Dad's Delta for years. Great saw.

Anyone else remember an old "Danger!" sticker where they showed bloody fingers flying off a hand? That was in prominent display on his saw

[legion]

I have Craftsman. It was about $400. Works great, cuts straight, no complaints.

[msk1986911]

Ryobi's table saw ($299 @ HD) has a lot of nice features and is very adjustable. However, many of the generic aftermarket or homemade jigs do not fit. The adjustability may even be a negative since you will have to spend more time calibrating the saw. I've had mine for about 3 years and am generally pleased, although I wish I had spent the extra couple hundred and bought a Delta or Hitachi.

[MBAtarga]

I've been woodworking as a hobby for over 20 years now.

I've got a Delta - older contractor model - a little beefier than the X5 shown above. I've owned it for about 12 years now, and other than replacement of the power switch under warranty, have had no issues. I got it with the 32" Delta Unifence, table, and mobile base. I'd buy the Beisemeyer fence if I had a choice now. Much easier to attach purchased or home-made jigs to the rectangular body than the odd shaped Unifence.

The Ryobi saw, if under the same design as the past, has a built in motor. When (not if) it burns out, you will have to purchase a direct replacement - as it is not a generic motor frame. Also, standard dado blade sets may not fit - something about the arbor size and or clearance to the table. My Brother in law had one, burned it out, and replaced it with a Powermatic.

BTW, I'm not sure ANY contractor saw is made in the USA.

[jyl]

Have been doing some reading. Seems like Delta makes, for a similar price, a "hybrid" cabinet saw that can run on 115 or 230v and is similar in oomph to the table saw Mark mentioned - but has the cabinet base.

Is the cabinet an advantage for easier dust collection? This thing is going to work in the garage for 1+ year until we get the basement finished with a shop room. Either place, seems like less dust is nicer than more dust? And I'd like to avoid wearing a mask.

Edit - also, what's to prefer between left tilt and right tilt?

[msk1986911]

Re: Ryobi

Dado blades do fit; it's the other generic accessories that cause a problem. Be careful of Sears Craftsman power tools since I believe Ryobi now makes those as well (not bad quality, just an inherent lack of interchangeability).

MK

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally posted by jyl
...Edit - also, what's to prefer between left tilt and right tilt?

I tilt to the right myself...

[craigster59]

I have a Grizzly table saw which works great, nice fence. You can see them at www.grizzly.com. Not USA made, but reasonably priced. About $750 for the cabinet saw delivered.