Craftsman 22124, should I?

[Scott Donley]

OK, I have looked at the Unisaw,600 more, the Jet,450 more, and the supersaw made me think the Craftsman with the Bessy fence had it beat. Even though I have 220 now I am planning on selling my home soon and have no idea what I will end up with. WW is a hobby with me, not having a job any more means a lot of free time and WW and my darkroom are the things I enjoy. I can get the 22124 on sale for 800.00 with the mobile base, so my question is, to those that have bought it and used it a bit, what do you think about it?
Thanks for any imput. Scott

[Cecil Arnold]

I think I would consider the Grizzly cabinet saw, which is, I think, under $1000, has a Bes. clone fence and a 3 hp motor if price is an issue. Since you live in the same stat Griz. calls home you might even be able to save on shipping. I know there are some folks here at the creek who are happy with their Sears, but having owned a RAS and TS from those folks, and now having a Jet cab. saw, the difference is night and day. Consider the TS: it cost around $550 when I bought it, required a $150 fence upgrade in order to be suitable for anything other than butchering wood, then needed balanced pullies, a link belt, would not stay aligned, and didn't have a standard miter slot. By the time it was upgraded to a level where it was useful I had almost $1k in it and it was still underpowered. I think Sears may be heading in the right direction now, selling some better name brand power tools, but I would be concerned about this unit until it has been in user's hands a few years.

[aurelio alarcon]

I would. There have been plenty of posts here. None of the ones that I have read are negative. Even most of the major woodworking magazines give them a big thumbs up.

[Tim Morton]

Once I buy a cabinet saw it will be a 3HP model, the sears is only 1.75hp, I second the vote for a Grizzly if you are looking for a cabinet saw. You also would do well to consider buying a used saw.

[Jim Knauss]

Scott,
I have had a 22124 almost a year now and no regrets. It is hard to recomend it because of all the Craftsman bashers, gives me a complex to admit I have one. There are better saws out there for sure, but it does all I ask of it. I did not want to screw with 220 since its just a hobby for me and it seems to have all the power I need. If I decide I need a bigger saw, (doubt it), I will get it. I did not marry this thing. I will not go in detail on saw workings, it cut wood right out of the crate, mine was set up as good as it gets. Plan on messing with the melamie side table, its junk, but thats it. So if you have any inkling you might want a bigger motor, go elsewhere, otherwise you will be happy.

Hope this helps,
Jim Knauss

[scott spencer]

Hi Scott - I have no doubt a full 3hp cabinet saw is a more substantial machine, but it is at least a couple hundred more, doesn't have a blade, and requires 220v. The 22124 has a ton of great features and performs as well as any new saw in it's class and price range, and is more than enough saw for a hobbyist like me. If you're lusting for a full cab saw, nothing less is likely to satisfy you....but if not,the 22124 is alot of saw. $800 is reasonable, but not the most attractive price I've seen on it. I agree with you and also think the 22124 has the Jet SS covered.

I can't tell you which decision is best for you, but can tell you from experience that it's an excellent saw regardless of the brand name on it. Lack of power has not been a concern, and it's very stable. The fence is great, the DC is excellent, it has a small footprint, the outfeed table is decent, the arbor spins true, the belt and motor are extremely quiet. It cuts as well as my trusty GI contractor saw did, plus has several feature and design advantages. The vast majority of owners love them, and you'll find that many are fairly seasoned wwers, not newbies with nothing to compare too. Orion's customer service has been excellent too. Sears is a retailer, not the manufacturer.
http://www.epinions.com/content_184778395268

AT $850, the GI 50-220CM1 with the Biese also looks attractive, but I haven't seen or used one. Good luck and keep us posted please!

[aurelio alarcon]

Scott,
I have had a 22124 almost a year now and no regrets. It is hard to recomend it because of all the Craftsman bashers, gives me a complex to admit I have one. There are better saws out there for sure, but it does all I ask of it. I did not want to screw with 220 since its just a hobby for me and it seems to have all the power I need. If I decide I need a bigger saw, (doubt it), I will get it. I did not marry this thing. I will not go in detail on saw workings, it cut wood right out of the crate, mine was set up as good as it gets. Plan on messing with the melamie side table, its junk, but thats it. So if you have any inkling you might want a bigger motor, go elsewhere, otherwise you will be happy.

Hope this helps,
Jim Knauss

First of all, this post is directed to no one in particular. Secondly, I would recommend it. Darn right I would. To heck with the bashers. I'm not the least bit embarrased to state that I own Craftsman. If I'm not cool with the bashers, who cares. I surely don't. If its a good saw, then its a good saw. I don't bash any tool brands. And it is rude to insult others. It is one thing to give a negative review on a tool based on technical specs, but it is another just to bash for the saking of bashing.

When I read mean or rude remarks it sounds so distasteful. Most of us here are adults. And I think that we should carry ourselves as such.

Every once in a while I will read a post where a new member is joining this website because they say that it is a nice website where others are kind to one another and treat others with respect. It is so disappointing when one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

My statement here is not to insult any one who doesn't like Craftsman tools. You have every right to not like them. I just think that tact seems to be lacking every now and then. And if my statement doesn't apply to you, then relax. If it does, then try being nice to those who do own tools made by brands that don't suit your taste.

All of us work extremely hard for our money. And I think that it is very inconsiderate to insult people who use their hard earned money to purchase a tool of their choice.

If you've got information that supports a negative review, then post it!

No matter where you go, there will always be a few who will attempt to step on others and use them as a rung to lift themselves up.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I just think that it should be stated in a tactful manner.

If I've stated anything, and I mean anything, that has insulted anyone, I haven't meant to. I respect you all!

And remember to always support our troops!

[Ray Bersch]

I would be embarrassed to tell you how much I hate Craftsman (and Chrysler). I bought a RAS awhile back (1968) that was a piece of junk. Over the years it went unused and took up valuable space because I could not bear to unload my problems on someone else. I didn't get rid of it until last year when I traded it for a good one hundred dollar bill in the Emerson recall program.

Now if you were standing in my garage/shop and were looking around at all my tools while I am telling you this you might have cause to ask me why, then, are there so many Craftsman tools hanging around - drills, saws, router, vice, wrenches, tool boxes, shop vac - the list goes on. Obviously, it would be a good question, and my face would probably redden a bit from embarrassment because all of these tools have served me well over the years (except, of course THAT RAS) - many are exceptional in their category, most are good values.

The moral of my story is is two fold: First, that most of us (me included) who bash one brand tool or another would probably serve our friends better if we stuck to giving honest reviews of individual tools with which we have actual experience and Second; you should decide for yourself what price range you want to be in and then research the tools in that range to find one that best meets your needs - then get on with it. If it happens to have an ugly red and black lable (oops, I slipped) then so be it.

I think if you take this approach you will find that defining your personal needs will be the most challenging part of the task. But once you have done so, you will be happy with the tool that fits those needs until your needs change - then you will start all over again. Isn't life great?

Ray

[Steve Cox]

Since I have no experience with this saw I can't provide useful specifics, but maybe I can address (nicely ) why I have a problem with Craftsman. When I first got into woodworking Craftsman was a good name in my mind. I had a whole series of mechanics tools that have served me well. I bought a couple of tools (router and belt sander) and quickly found that they were junk. I unloaded them as quickly as I could replace them. As I became more aware of what to look for in tools I would go and look at Sears and I never bought another tool there. Some specific probelms were motors that were always rated in "peak" horsepower not real, non-standard miter slots, shortcuts in their construction and usually all for a price that was substantially higher than what I could get elsewhere. Since I had those experiences I don't even put Craftsman on my looking list. Maybe they are improving, I don't know, but I will have to hear a lot of positives before it overcomes all the negatives in my mind. After all this bashing of Craftsman, Scott I am in Parkland and will be happy to either have you over to my shop to discuss things or I'll meet you at Sears to discuss the saw in person if you'd like another opinion on what to look for in a saw.

[Mike Deschler]

Hello Scott:


The 22124 is one of many great choices out there and it takes a lot of due diligence on your part as to which one you decide upon. Please take the time to evaluate each of the potential saws and decide upon the merits of each and of course your financial situation.

I bought the 22124 after many hours of research and replaced my tried and true friend, a Delta contractor which I had for many years. I decided that the 22124 would serve my needs for 99% of my applications and the bonus to me was the close relationship Orion has with Delta. For all practical purposes, the 22124 is what an economized Delta cabinet saw should look like. If it has any short comings, in my mind, it should have longer than a 32" rip capacity. That however may be inconsequential to many users so I would not consider that to be a negative on the part of the saw as it can be easily corrected.

I am beginning to believe that many of the bashers out there are a result of their own short comings in that they bash because they did not do their homework before they purchased a particular piece of equipment and bash others to cover up this fact that they are the ones who made the mistake.

Good luck and let us know how you made out.

[Scott Parks]

OK, I have looked at the Unisaw,600 more, the Jet,450 more, and the supersaw made me think the Craftsman with the Bessy fence had it beat. Even though I have 220 now I am planning on selling my home soon and have no idea what I will end up with. WW is a hobby with me, not having a job any more means a lot of free time and WW and my darkroom are the things I enjoy. I can get the 22124 on sale for 800.00 with the mobile base, so my question is, to those that have bought it and used it a bit, what do you think about it?
Thanks for any imput. Scott

Scott, should you buy this? This is your decision to make. We all weighed out the pros and cons and asked numerous questions of advice before buying our tablesaws. If price is a concern, I think that the Sears saw has the "best bang for the buck." For many years I used a craftsman table saw with 1hp (my dad's), and then bought my own at a garage sale with 1.5hp. Both saws would cut anything I asked of it. Both ran on 110 volt which is very versatile for a hobbyist. However, on my saw, I later re-wired it and installed 220 in my garage. Amazing how much smoother the saw ran. So for the part on moving, the 110v Sears saw may be the most versatile for YOUR needs.

I now own a Grizzly 3hp cab saw. After shipping, Forrest blade, and Delta mobile base, I'm almost $1200 into the saw. Is it better than the old contractor saws? You betcha.... For me the money was worth it to have an accurate, easy to use fence. The new Sears saw uses arguably one of the best fences in the business (Beismeyer). So now, does it run smooth and true? Acoording to users that have bought one, YES. Is it an improvement to a contractor style saw? Yes, for a slight amount $ more. So in conclusion, should you buy it? You decide. If it meets your needs, and the price is right, I think it is a good value. Is the 1.75hp adequate, yes. And it supports 110v to boot.

Or, consider waiting until you sell your house and move. Just one more heavy peice of machinery to move, and you can wait to see what kind of electrical power you'll have available. After all, I don't see it going UP in price, and maybe if you watch sales long enough, you may be able to get it for less...

[Effie Lever]

Scott,
I got the 22124 few months ago and I’m happy with it. It does have the Beis. Fence and unlike older Craftsman table saws it comes with a standard miter. The mechanism is stable and heavy and kept its alignment. True, it is not a 3hp saw but after looking at many machines in the same price class I don’t think you can get more for your money. A bonus compared to a contractor saw is good dust collection.
As for the price, you may me able to shave another hundred off buy becoming a Craftsman club member, I got mine for just under $700.

Effie

[Scott Donley]

Hi, and thanks for all the input, didn’t mean to start a small war. I currently have a 25 year old Craftsman contractor saw, I polish the top, have a good blade, and does most of what I want. That said, the fence is not worth using, the dc is almost nonexistent, and the guard leaves a lot to be desired. I have looked for a used Uni and missed out on a couple, a day late you might say.. A cabinet saw would be nice but 120 vs 240 might become an issue in the future. That said, I guess I should have asked if any one had any negative thing to say about the Craftsman 22124, the tool, not the company.

A word about tool bashing, I once asked about an HF lathe, I had never turned and thought for under 100 bucks I could give it a try and see if I liked it. Because of the majority of replies, I didn’t get it. I should have. If it were not for a neighbor giving me a very old Craftsman lathe he had buried in his garage that I had to derust and get a new spur center for, I would not be looking for a new lathe now. I found I really enjoyed it, and am sure the HF would have been just as good as the old CM. I did have a few people that pm”d me because they were embarrassed to post that they had one and they thought it was a great way give it a try.

So thanks to all, I do think the Creek is the best forum out here, lot of good people and a ton of knowledge

Thanks, Scott

[Nick Mitchell]

Good job Scott. Sounds like you've got your head on straight. happy woodworking



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