Advice on potential table saw buy -- Delta Model 10

[John W Henderson]

Garsh I'm waffling. Can't decide whether I should stick to contractor or follow some of the recommendations to go cabinet.

Found this post, which only mentions a Delta unisaw: http://greenbay.craigslist.org/art/2532963612.html. I bet it keeps a lot of people from being interested because they're only showing wood items and not the saw! I emailed and got a pic: http://i.imgur.com/PifC1.jpg

Pretty nice, huh? Wonder how much they'd come down? It hasn't been listed that long yet.

[John W Henderson]

Just a heads up, my uncle just bought a 1022 saw on CL in the st. louis area that looked exactly like the one in the link below. The guy was asking $300 and he paid it, I assume he would have come down as the saw had been posted several times.

Thanks, Jeffrey. This guy has been re-listing several times as well. It keep coming up to the top, so I think he wants to get rid of it. Is your uncle happy with it?

[John W Henderson]

I'll add to that: Get the link belt and machined pulley upgrade, and the PALS alignment upgrade is also a big boost for not much money. My 25 year old Delta model 10 contractor, when combined with a 25 year old Vega fence (52" deck!), link belt, machined pulleys, new bearings, and PALS, was not only able to balance a penny through a full power cycle, it was dead accurate once aligned. It was a great saw - I bought it for $450, used it heavily, then sold it for $450 with about $60 in upgrades. I think $60 for my use was more than fair, and it'll see another 25 years of use. The saw well exceeded my abilities.

Thanks Reagan. Good advice. Among the contractors, how does one start deciding between something like the various Delta models (36-444 as an example) and the Grizzly 1022... or a Ridgid 2424 or 3650? Or are they all fine choices? Perhaps if they're all pretty much the same in terms of being able to be aligned and stay aligned, I should just make my decision based on the fence.

[Geoff Barry]

This Craftsman cabinet saw turned up: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/tls/2535261405.html

Don't know the model or anything about it, but it looks pretty nice.

That is the Sears 22124 (as someone noted above). That's what I recently upgraded to - it's a great 110v saw. Weighs about 430lbs, cast iron wings, trunions mount to the cabinet, flimsy but usable folding outfeed table, quick-release blade guaard, bessemeyer fence - there'a a lot to like. I found one unassembled for $450, but I'd been kcking myself for missing out on an assembled on for $650 just a few months earlier - I don't think $60 is a bad price, especially as a starting point . Anyway, this will be saw enough for me until I go with a 3hp 220v cabinet saw someday. If I were you, I'd think about somehting like this, rather than get an old contractor saw that's going to need a lot of work and/or upgrades. Let me put it this way - I think the 22124 is far better/nicer/functional that the most upgraded, best condition contractor saw one could ever find.

[Mark Engel]

Garsh I'm waffling. Can't decide whether I should stick to contractor or follow some of the recommendations to go cabinet.

Found this post, which only mentions a Delta unisaw: http://greenbay.craigslist.org/art/2532963612.html. I bet it keeps a lot of people from being interested because they're only showing wood items and not the saw! I emailed and got a pic: http://i.imgur.com/PifC1.jpg

Pretty nice, huh? Wonder how much they'd come down? It hasn't been listed that long yet.

That looks like the Delta Tilting Arbor saw, NOT a Unisaw. It is also right tilt.

Some people call any Delta cabinet saw a Unisaw. Some Deltas are not Unisaws, although all Unisaws are Deltas.

[Tim Morton]

Garsh I'm waffling. Can't decide whether I should stick to contractor or follow some of the recommendations to go cabinet.

Found this post, which only mentions a Delta unisaw: http://greenbay.craigslist.org/art/2532963612.html. I bet it keeps a lot of people from being interested because they're only showing wood items and not the saw! I emailed and got a pic: http://i.imgur.com/PifC1.jpg

Pretty nice, huh? Wonder how much they'd come down? It hasn't been listed that long yet.

its kind of a waste of time to "waffle" if your wife is calling the shots...LOL.

[John W Henderson]

its kind of a waste of time to "waffle" if your wife is calling the shots...LOL.

Hey! No need to rub it in

I do have some stuff I have considered selling... so it's more about taking her $200 limit and adding some sold stuff to it...

[Mark Engel]

Hey! No need to rub it in

I do have some stuff I have considered selling... so it's more about taking her $200 limit and adding some sold stuff to it...

I recently went through a similar process.

It started with a used PM2000 for $700. Sold to someone else.
Next up I started looking at the Jet Exacta Deluxe, but still checking the used market.
Someone was looking for a used Grizzly, so I sold him my G1023. Now I had no table saw.
Continued to look at the Jet and PM-2000 and used saws on CL, etc.
Took a look at the Grizzly G0623. Nice sliding table saw, but a little more than I(and LOML) was looking to spend.
Kept looking at used on CL, etc. Starting lusting after the G0623, but it was 'out of stock'.
Got an email from Grizzly saying 'We can get you a G0623 in about three weeks'. Uh oh.
Discussed it with LOML. Placed the order with Grizzly for the G0623.

I love my new saw.
I now owe LOML... everything I have ever owned or will own. (well, almost)
But, I love my new saw.

[John W Henderson]

I love my new saw.
I now owe LOML... everything I have ever owned or will own. (well, almost)
But, I love my new saw.

Yeah, I've pretty much promised away every birthday and Christmas present in the future already... funny how that works. I find you just have to wait long enough for them to forget you've already traded them in and then do it again

[John W Henderson]

Holy cow! Is this a good deal? http://greenbay.craigslist.org/tls/2538816071.html

That saw looks like a golden ticket. It's a hell of a drive, though. Can't tell if it's in the greatest shape -- maybe they'd haggle? Opinions on this? No idea about Powermatics, but they seem to be very well respected.

[Jerome Hanby]

If you can handle the 3 phase and the saw is in as good a shape as it looks, I'd jump all over that!

Holy cow! Is this a good deal? http://greenbay.craigslist.org/tls/2538816071.html

That saw looks like a golden ticket. It's a hell of a drive, though. Can't tell if it's in the greatest shape -- maybe they'd haggle? Opinions on this? No idea about Powermatics, but they seem to be very well respected.

[John W Henderson]

That cabinet saw did turn out to be a Craftsman 22124. Got this email back today:

I just posted this saw and haven't had any offers yet. Just questions. It is a 22124.It is cast iron, not the new granite. I'm an old woodshop teacher and I like cast iron tables,but that's just me. I love this saw and wouldn't even be thinking of parting with it, except that my son got me a 3hp saw from one of the school shop programs that were closed down. My saw has the real biesemeyer fence and rail system and not the cheaper version that are on the new models. I've looked at the new ones and the workmanship is just not as good.

It is a recent posting (8/15) so I'm not sure how flexible he'd be on price at this point. What would be reasonable for a saw like this? I'm still unsure about views on it. I've read some posts here and on Lumberjocks where people say that the 22124, even as good as it is, deflects, doesn't hold, and just really isn't as great as people think it is. But then others come right back and say that it is?

[John W Henderson]

I think I've narrowed things down again... here are my current contenders:

Craftsman 22124, $600: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/tls/2535261405.html

Ridgid (3650 or 3660), $350: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/an...543583556.html (emailed twice, but no response)

Grizzly G1022, $400: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hn...532846328.html (would have to come waaaay down for what it is)

Unidentified Grizzly cabinet saw, $550: http://iowacity.craigslist.org/tls/2506631918.html

• Owner said he doesn't know the model, got it from a cabinet shop in Milwaukee, and it's been repainted. Waiting for more pictures. As luck would have it... we're driving down to a wedding and literally going right through Iowa City on our way next weekend. If I can get pictures of this, I'll post for identification. This might be a really nice deal.

Craftsman 1954ish, $225: http://duluth.craigslist.org/tls/2514684574.html; Bill Huber identified this in another thread and it makes for a potential sweeeet restore:

• Other thread on this: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...-on-Craigslist
• Restoration example: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoind....aspx?id=11244
• Another: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoind....aspx?id=11174

Final thoughts? My wife really likes that old Craftsman. The restoration pictures really swayed her The other thread indicates that it's a solid saw with some real potential. For $225 (which I'd try to haggle to $150 or lower if others suggested it), I could get a sweet saw, invest time and paint, and even have money left for some sort of fence upgrade if required (or perhaps a blade guard/splitter of some sort. Not so happy that it doesn't have such a thing).

[Cary Falk]

John,
Something to think about on the old Craftsman. First off it has a 1hp motor . It may be the orginal RI motor that has more power then the new 1 1/2 ones today. It may be a newer motor. By the time you restore the saw with paint, bearings, shop supplies, etc you will be close to the Grizzly with the Beisemeyer. I have been through the restore many times. I have done it for many reasons. The first one was a Uni that I thought was cheap enough. When all was said and done, it wasn't the bargain I thought it was. If you want it as a project then so be it. If you want a saw to do some work, I would buy the Grizzly (if it is in good shape, hew woudl probably take $500)cabinet saw and be done with it. I am not trying to talk you our of the Craftsman, I don't want you to go into this blindly. Just my thoughts.

[John W Henderson]

Something to think about on the old Craftsman. First off it has a 1hp motor . It may be the orginal RI motor that has more power then the new 1 1/2 ones today. It may be a newer motor. By the time you restore the saw with paint, bearings, shop supplies, etc you will be close to the Grizzly with the Beisemeyer. I have been through the restore many times. I have done it for many reasons. The first one was a Uni that I thought was cheap enough. When all was said and done, it wasn't the bargain I thought it was. If you want it as a project then so be it. If you want a saw to do some work, I would buy the Grizzly (if it is in good shape, hew woudl probably take $500)cabinet saw and be done with it. I am not trying to talk you our of the Craftsman, I don't want you to go into this blindly. Just my thoughts.

Good points. I also haven't really found parts sources for the Craftsman... I was kind of hoping to just have to restore via sanding, Bondo, bead blasting, and paint. Thus, the primary investment is my time, which I'm completely fine with if it's a good saw. It'll be a long trek and difficult to decide on, as again my primary concern is accuracy and a robust adjustment mechanism. If this saw is likely worn too much, has a lot of runout, bad arbor, etc... then I don't want it. It would be good to hear from you or others with experience on how to check for this. Will it be obvious bu just looking for blade wobble or ugly sounds when it's running?

I may go look at it regardless and make a family day trip out of it. If it looks sound, then perhaps I'll go for it. I'll probably be wanting to take it apart and have a look inside and check for bad rust or missing components or any obvious wobble/looseness in things. If something like bearings are bad... where does one even find them for something from the 1950s? I usually get ereplacementpart.com hits with google searches for model numbers, but I get nothing when looking for 103.27270, which is what I think this might be according to Vintage Machinery.

Yes, if that guy will send me some pictures of the Grizzly, I may just lowball him and see what I can do. If it's a 1023, I've heard great things and think that $400 would be awesome if he'd take it. Maybe that's insultingly low, though.