Help me choose

[Leonard King]

New to the forum, So i have the unisaw fever. I have searched high and low on craig's list. I have found a 1.5 hp saw much older saw (40's or early 50's)in a garage of an old elderly fellow looks, as though it it has very little use seems to be fully functional (raise and tilt and motor runs). It would need a new fence to work well. Cabinet is slightly rusted and the old cast iron bottom and cabinet interior are in fantastic shape. I would guess it is even the original paint. Could have this for $400 1.5 hr drive.
Or 3 hp uni with 52 fence not sure of the vintage but if i had to guess id say 70 ish. haven't seen it but it looks clean in the pictures and seller says it fully functional. It looks from the pictures that the fence is a bessy and the rails are the old unifence type. My guess is that the owner has newer even used it. Maybe some of you could shed a little light if this combo can work together, if not either the fence or rails would have to be purchased. This one is 6 hr away.
My question is is the 1.5 hp saw powerful enough to make cabinets and such on a hobbyist/ small time cabinet maker capacity? Saw would certainly not be continually ripping 8/4 stock or any thing. But i don't want something under powered either. Right now im using a 3 hp old craftsman contractor saw.How would the 1.5 uni compare?
I as many of you know there is a certain romance with restoring old tools, but at the same time i dont want to wish ha had not be lazy and rove for the 3 hp saw.
L.T.

[Doug Hepler]

New to the forum, My question is is the 1.5 hp saw powerful enough to make cabinets and such on a hobbyist/ small time cabinet maker capacity? Saw would certainly not be continually ripping 8/4 stock or any thing. But i don't want something under powered either. Right now im using a 3 hp old craftsman contractor saw.How would the 1.5 uni compare?

Leonard,

Two points: (1) I doubt that your contractor saw is actually delivering the torque of a 3 HP saw unless you have a 30 amp circuit or 220V service. It's not unusual for HP ratings to be exaggerated. Take a look at the amperage rating on the motor. A 3 HP motor at 115V draws 34 amps at full load. (2) An honestly rated 1.5 HP motor should be satisfactory if you use the correct blade, e.g., rip with a sharp rip blade as opposed to a semi-dull crosscut blade. I have ripped many feet of 6/4 and 8/4 oak, maple and walnut with a saw rated at 1.5 HP. You do have to do it correctly, not horse it.

Doug

[Charles Taylor]

Leonard,

Two points: (1) I doubt that your contractor saw is actually delivering the torque of a 3 HP saw unless you have a 30 amp circuit or 220V service. It's not unusual for HP ratings to be exaggerated. Take a look at the amperage rating on the motor. A 3 HP motor at 115V draws 34 amps at full load. (2) An honestly rated 1.5 HP motor should be satisfactory if you use the correct blade, e.g., rip with a sharp rip blade as opposed to a semi-dull crosscut blade. I have ripped many feet of 6/4 and 8/4 oak, maple and walnut with a saw rated at 1.5 HP. You do have to do it correctly, not horse it.

Doug

I agree with both points. (1a) a true 3 HP contractor saw would be a pretty rare bird, and (1b) horsepower ratings on Craftsman-badged woodworking machines are pure fiction, even for induction motors which elsewhere are usually rated more honestly than universal motors.

(2) Before I acquired a Unisaw, my table saw was a 1.5 HP Delta contractor saw. It handled 8/4 material just fine--maybe couldn't eat it quite as quickly as the 3 HP Uni, but that's okay. Of the owners of 1.5 HP older Unisaws I've heard from, none has ever complained that the saw was inadequate with thicker stock.

Leonard, on the newer 3 HP saw you say there's a bessy fence. I'm not familiar with a table saw fence made by Bessey. Do you mean Biesemeyer? Biesemeyer and Unifence components aren't compatible with one another.

[Matt Day]

+1 to the motor comments above.

Pictures would help us date the Unisaws and help you with the decision since it sounds like you're not totally sure what you're looking at. The first one sounds like an excellent candidate for a restoration/rehab, the level you take it to depends on what you want it to be. Bearings, belts, lube, and clean the top should get you a solid functional saw.

I'm currently restoring (strip, paint, the whole works) a '55 Uni with a 1.5hp motor which will replace my Unisaw clone (Bridgewood) that has a 3hp motor. As stated, many say there isn't a big difference in HP. And the old 1.5 hp motor is quite a bit heavier than the newer 3hp!


Post some pics

[Myk Rian]

Do you want a right, or left tilt saw? The older Unisaw is more than likely right tilt.

[Leonard King]

This is good info about the motors. Having 25 years construction equipment I know that Hp Is only half of the equation. As far as left or right I would prefer left tilt but can live with a right tilt.Attached is the old saw and the new along with a picture of the fence. What do you think?unisaw.jpgfence.jpg19034.jpg

[Charles Taylor]

This is good info about the motors. Having 25 years construction equipment I know that Hp Is only half of the equation. As far as left or right I would prefer left tilt but can live with a right tilt.Attached is the old saw and the new along with a picture of the fence. What do you think?unisaw.jpgfence.jpg

As you said, it looks like a Biesemeyer fence resting on the saw table and a Unifence front rail. If you get that saw, you'll have to settle on one or the other and hunt down replacements for the missing pieces, or get another fence system entirely. Unless the seller happens to have the other components stashed away somewhere.

Mine is most similar to the newer of these two. I have the Unifence and like it. Most people who have the Biesemeyer like it too, and that style is a little easier to make auxiliary fences that slip over the top of it. The fence on the older one is the Jet-Lock fence. That's actually what came with my Uni, and I swapped it for the Unifence from my contractor saw. I think the Jet-Lock is a solid, serviceable fence, but it supports less ripping width. The extra ripping width of my Unifence is beginning to matter less to me as jockeying big sheets of plywood becomes less enjoyable. (I see a track saw in my future.)

Both saws are right tilt. Either one is likely to serve you well. Be sure and let us know what you decide.

[Leonard King]

So i have an update I found this saw as well, the owner says he is a cabinet maker and the saw has a minor vibration in the extension table. This raised an eyebrow to me. Though i get the impression he is very paticular. Its a 97 model saw and looks nice. What would be a normal amount of vibration for this saw. Ive used table saws from a ryobi table top model that would shake enough to make you a martini to a older rockwell 12-14 that i have never noticed any vibration (it's a construction company shop saw,most of you would cringe at the things we push through it). I just have very limited experience with the unisaws. Are there any conernss with this vintage saw compared to the older ones.97 uni.jpgAny comments are welcome.
Thanks

[Matt Roth]

I have a 1975 Unisaw with the 1.5hp motor. I'm also a hobbiest that builds furniture and cabinets. I've yet to have the saw bog down or make me wish for a 3hp. It's light years ahead of any contractor saw I've used and is always a pleasure to use.

[Guy Belleman]

If you have the space, get the '97 Unisaw and never look back. From the pictures it looks to be in great shape, complete fence system and extension table. Great saw, loved mine until DoD moved me. Suspect it is a great saw, Probably just needs a little belt alignment adjustment, or new belts, or linked belts. There are checklists of what to inspect when looking at a saw, no matter what size or brand. Good luck.

[Leonard King]

Plot thickens, couldn't make a trip to purchase a saw last week. In the meantime I found a left tilt unisaw, owner says he bought new, looks to be about the same vintage as the newer right tilt pictured above. I am still considering the older one with the miss matched fence as it will be less expensive even with a set of new rails. So how difficult is it to get part for these 15 year old saws. I know most prefer the left tilt and i know the advantages of it but right tilt is fine as well.. If you could save a couple hundred dollars and apply that to some other wood working stuff would you? Or spend the few extra dollars get a left tilt 15 years newer.

[Cary Falk]

So how difficult is it to get part for these 15 year old saws.

Delta is all but dead so you can't get parts from them. E-bay or OWWM would be the 2 avenues for parts. Yes millions were sold and some parts are out there. Is a couple hundred dollars worth the time it may take to find parts if you can find them? Only you can make that decision. Cut wood now or some time in the future.

[David Kumm]

The oldest one doesn't look like an original motor to me so that would rule it out. The older the saw the easier to find parts. Right or left tilt is irrelevant to me if the fence is good. It will cost 150-50 to complete either the unifence or Biesemeyer so factor that in. I'm partial to that one as they were a little better made than the later versions that were continually cheapened up. condition is most important. Vibration may be easily fixed or may mean new bearings in the motor or arbor. Not a big deal but some work and expense. resale will be better for older than newer. The 97 is probably Taiwan to some degree but better than the later X series that is mainly China. Dave

[Doug Ladendorf]

There is a pretty healthy after-market trade in Unisaws and parts. Looks like you have some excellent choices. My first table saw was a Powermatic contractor saw with 1.5HP and it was enough to max out the blade, albeit a bit slower than 3HP. If you go with 1.5HP 220V it should work great. Those old bullet motors punched above their weight.

Doug

Edit: looked again after seeing David's post and yes, it's not the bullet motor I thought I saw originally.

[Mike Kees]

I would buy the older Uni with the two different fences. You could make the rails for the bies type fence with about $50 worth of steel or just find a Unifence head on ebay.I have bought and sold-fixed up a bunch of Unisaws and would agree that the older ones are better built. Good luck,you are at least blessed with an abundance of good choices, Mike.