Page 1 of 6 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 82

Thread: Best Quality 10" Cabinet Saw

  1. #1

    Best Quality 10" Cabinet Saw

    Safety features aside, what is the best quality 10" cabinet saw made today and why?

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Mathews View Post
    Safety features aside, what is the best quality 10" cabinet saw made today and why?
    This will open up a hornets next for sure....but I woudl say Saw Stop.

    That being said, I would buy a Grizzly 1023 before I woudl buy a saw stop. 3 HP, decent customer service...

    And if we are allowed to go used, One can pick up a Unisaw or PM 66 for 1/6 or 1/5 the cost of a new saw stop. A cabinet saw will run virtually forever taken care of. One of my woodworking friends has a 1940's era Unisaw his father bought during WWII, it still sees regular use and still is going strong.

  3. #3
    Assuming you value your fingers, I'll suggest SawStop.

    Mike

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Camillus, NY
    Posts
    356
    You need to specify desired price point when you talk about "best".
    Jerry

    "It is better to fail in originality than succeed in imitation" - Herman Melville

  5. #5
    Used Unisaw for me was $700 with excalibur dust system I can easily sell for $250. Had to add a front rail, mobile base. For christmas I got a Sharguard riving knife setup as older saws dont have them.

    I appreciate the safety features of the sawstop and if you have $3200 for a 3hp 52" fence go for it. If not, a used 3hp Unisaw or Grizz is a good deal. That Grizz 1023 is close to Unisaw you can get, good deal! Left tilt, riving knife, 500lbs.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Between No Where & No Place ,WA
    Posts
    1,339
    "You need to specify a desired price point when you talk about the 'best.' " --Jerry Wright

    BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    2,005
    OP, whats your price range?
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,529
    This sounds like trolling for woodworkers. Just trying to get us fired up!

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    Assuming you value your fingers, I'll suggest SawStop.

    Mike
    Depends, every other machine in the shop can be just as dangerous. For me, the table saw is a dedicated ripping machine-almost every other function I do with hand tools or routers.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Ray Newman View Post
    "You need to specify a desired price point when you talk about the 'best.' " --Jerry Wright

    BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Best is whatever fits the individuals subjective desires best. Some guys like Old iron, some people like new machines. Some people would not live without the Saw Stop feature, some guys would scrap a brand new 3HP Sawstop out of spite just because they don't like Mr Gass. You might as well talk about the color of the machine....by that criteria, my vote would be 1960's Powermatic Green.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Rivel View Post
    OP, whats your price range?
    I think he was looking at best quality at whatever price. The oversized trunions and oversized table on the Sawstop are nice, but not worth an additional $2500 IMHO

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    4,717
    Depends on your needs, your budget, and your definition of quality....build quality, most powerful, user features, largest, most precise, longest lasting?

    $1400 - new Grizzly G1023RL
    $500-$1800 used Uni/PM66/General 650, etc., if you're willing to forego a riving knife and warranty, and accept prior usage....possibly heavy usage.
    $3900 - new Saw Stop ICS


    Best quality overall is subjective to a large degree, and I'm just not very familiar with much beyond the $3000-$4000 range.

    The Saw Stop ICS is pretty robust under the hood, even without consideration for the safety feature, but also in part because of it....likely the most robust of the currently available standard "cabinet saws", excluding sliders and specialized commercial saws. The PM2000 is very substantial also, but I suspect the ICS has the edge. The Unisaw is close too, but issues with foreign ownership and manufacture, and recent stories of poor service and parts availability would scratch it off the list considering other solid choices. The SS PCS 3hp isn't quite in that league, but is a very solid saw with the T-Glide fence upgrade. Grizzly has some heavier duty saws beyond the G1023 and G0690, but I'm just not very familiar with them.
    Last edited by scott spencer; 03-14-2017 at 3:11 PM.
    Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

  13. #13
    Sorry forum members, I didn't intend to create controversy and no I'm not a troll. And yes my question was about the best quality at any price safety features aside. I'm aware of the patented SawStop safety technology. What I'm not aware of is its overall quality compared to other cabinet saws.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Mathews View Post
    Sorry forum members, I didn't intend to create controversy and no I'm not a troll. And yes my question was about the best quality at any price safety features aside. I'm aware of the patented SawStop safety technology. What I'm not aware of is its overall quality compared to other cabinet saws.

    And I am sorry, maybe I was not clear in my response.

    Find the one you like the most from a subjective viewpoint (try to use an actual version of the machine) buy it, make sawdust, rinse and repeat. A 1947 Unisaw and a modern Sawstop will work equally well for 98 percent of what you are going to do.

    My only input would be four fold;

    #1. I like how 3 phase motors run and the subjective feel of how the saw operates with a VFD and soft start/controlled stop. Used 3 phase cabinet saws can be had at a bargain price if you are patient and wait until you find a nice clean machine at a fair price. YMMV.

    #2. I would choose a saw with 3 HP over a lower powered saw. A really ugly 1968 Powermatic with 3 HP would beat any 1.75 HP Saw stop IMHO. A 3 HP Sawstop would beat any nice restored vintage machine that ran on 110V and had 1.5 HP.

    #3. You will probably adapt to the individual quirks of whatever machine you choose.

    #4. Your own techniques with the saw will outweigh any brand decision-a skilled operater with a less than ideal saw will outperform a less than skilled operator with the best saw on the planet.

    Bottom line-check out a few saws, buy what you like, and make sawdust. There is not one particular 'best saw."

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Hachet View Post
    Depends, every other machine in the shop can be just as dangerous. For me, the table saw is a dedicated ripping machine-almost every other function I do with hand tools or routers.
    If every other class of machines had one or more companies who made one with a safety feature equivalent to what the SawStop has, I'd recommend the one with the safety feature. Just because you can't get an equivalent safety feature on a jointer (for example) is no reason to not get the safety feature on a table saw.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •