About Table Saws

[scott spencer]

There's no way any of us can know what purchase you might regret or not regret. All the saws mentioned are nice upgrades from a portable. My 1.75hp and 2hp saws were capable of cutting to full blade height, but you had to have the correct blade, flat lumber, and proceed at a pace the saw could handle....it's not hard to bog down a motor of that size. A 3hp+ motor will allow you to dictate the pace, and it's much harder to bog down. Which saw you'll be happier with, I can't accurately predict, but can say that most people don't regret having more power or more capacity if the tool fits the shop and budget.

[Paul K. Johnson]

Well, I looked at my shop and I may regret buying a cabinet saw at all. I really just don't have the room for one unless I don't put any extensions on it. I've worked on shop organization since day 1 and as much as I look at it I just don't see how to create a table saw space without getting rid of something I actually need.

I think I'll have about 12" between the saw and a workbench that can't go anywhere else. That means me squeezing between that space multiple times a day.

All that said, I'm looking at the Grizzly 690 and 1023. Seems like it's a pretty popular debate. I've already read about 10 different threads of folks comparing the two saws. Bottom line is the con census is a person would be happy with either one.

So it's this: http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...le-Saw/G1023RL

Or this: http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...ng-Knife/G0690

[Nick Decker]

I really wish I'd purchased the Incra lift. I'm REALLY aggravated with the plastic rings in most lifts. They are not dead flush with the plate. The Incra has metal rings and if it's the same quality as the rest of the stuff they make I'd guess the rings are flush with the router plate.

I've never seen the Incra lift in person so I could be wrong.

Just a note on the Incra magnetic rings: They can be adjusted with set screws to get them perfectly flush. They're not all exactly the same thickness, so that's a good thing. Easy to do, so not a big deal, but I find myself adjusting whenever I change inserts.

[Paul K. Johnson]

Thanks for that info, Nick. I'm pretty sure I'm going to upgrade to the Incra lift even though I already have an expensive Woodpecker's lift. I just hate those plastic rings. I just didn't know enough about the Incra to know if it was worth it. If the rings can't be flushed easily enough that I'd actually do it then I'd be spending a whole lot of money and not resolve any problems.

I've also decided I'm going to bite the bullet on a table saw. I'm just tired of inaccuracy and under-power of the one I have now. I have no idea how I'll fit it in my shop but I'll find a way.

[andy bessette]

I built a router table out of an old cast iron table saw top and mounted it to the right side of my Unisaw; there is a sliding table track on the left side.

Recommend a bandsaw for resawing and that you find a quality used table saw, rather than a cheap new one.

[Chris Hachet]

My yellow plastic saw cabinet will not stand for aspersions cast its way. It feels it's the finest saw ever crafted.

I love a tool with attitude! I will buy the saw a craft beer from a micro brewery if I am ever in town....

[Chris Hachet]

Well, I looked at my shop and I may regret buying a cabinet saw at all. I really just don't have the room for one unless I don't put any extensions on it. I've worked on shop organization since day 1 and as much as I look at it I just don't see how to create a table saw space without getting rid of something I actually need.

I think I'll have about 12" between the saw and a workbench that can't go anywhere else. That means me squeezing between that space multiple times a day.

All that said, I'm looking at the Grizzly 690 and 1023. Seems like it's a pretty popular debate. I've already read about 10 different threads of folks comparing the two saws. Bottom line is the con census is a person would be happy with either one.

So it's this: http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...le-Saw/G1023RL

Or this: http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3...ng-Knife/G0690

Dollar for dollar hard to go wrong. I bought a vintage Unsiaw but I got lucky enough to find a vintage saw in good working order five minutes from where my wife works. Had I not gotten that, I surely would not mind either Grizzly saw in my work shop.

...and you have my infinite sympathy on space. I work in a two car attached garage, one can never have enough...

[Paul K. Johnson]

I love a tool with attitude! I will buy the saw a craft beer from a micro brewery if I am ever in town....

I'll let it know. It never holds a grudge for very long and is a fan of good beer.

[Chris Hachet]

I really wish I'd purchased the Incra lift. I'm REALLY aggravated with the plastic rings in most lifts. They are not dead flush with the plate. The Incra has metal rings and if it's the same quality as the rest of the stuff they make I'd guess the rings are flush with the router plate.

I've never seen the Incra lift in person so I could be wrong.

The Incra lift is the cats posterior in terms of quality, in a good sort of way. I own one and it was about the best money I spent setting up my workshop.

[Chris Hachet]

I built a router table out of an old cast iron table saw top and mounted it to the right side of my Unisaw; there is a sliding table track on the left side.

Recommend a bandsaw for resawing and that you find a quality used table saw, rather than a cheap new one.

I would second this on both accounts.

[Earl McLain]

Thanks for that info, Nick. I'm pretty sure I'm going to upgrade to the Incra lift even though I already have an expensive Woodpecker's lift. I just hate those plastic rings. I just didn't know enough about the Incra to know if it was worth it. If the rings can't be flushed easily enough that I'd actually do it then I'd be spending a whole lot of money and not resolve any problems.

I've also decided I'm going to bite the bullet on a table saw. I'm just tired of inaccuracy and under-power of the one I have now. I have no idea how I'll fit it in my shop but I'll find a way.

Paul--you may want to call incra before ordering a new lift. They sell a conversion kit for the Jessem Mast-R-Lift on the Incremental site for $125, basically a new plate for the magnetic rings. I don't see one for the Woodpecker's version--but that doesn't mean they don't or can't do it. Just a thought.
earl

[Paul K. Johnson]

Thanks, Earl. I'll do that. I just spoke to the man at Incra last week because I need some parts for the Incra base on my router table. Blew up all the shims in the locking lever so I took the ones out of my new table saw fence and now I have to put the table saw fence back together. I was amazed how inexpensive the parts were so I ordered four sets.

[Paul K. Johnson]

I built a router table out of an old cast iron table saw top and mounted it to the right side of my Unisaw; there is a sliding table track on the left side.

Recommend a bandsaw for resawing and that you find a quality used table saw, rather than a cheap new one.

I will be resawing with a bandsaw. I finally found a really good resaw blade that I like.

I've looked at eBay and Craigslist over the past several years for a drill press and a table saw. I haven't seen anything that seemed that great and I need my tools to work. I don't want to spend a lot of time refurbishing them, hunting down parts, cleaning off rust, etc. And like I said previously, I like having a warranty.

[Chris Hachet]

I will be resawing with a bandsaw. I finally found a really good resaw blade that I like.

I've looked at eBay and Craigslist over the past several years for a drill press and a table saw. I haven't seen anything that seemed that great and I need my tools to work. I don't want to spend a lot of time refurbishing them, hunting down parts, cleaning off rust, etc. And like I said previously, I like having a warranty.

up here table saws in decent shape are not that terribly common but drill presses are common. Sounds like you are a good candidate for the Grizzly saws.

[Paul K. Johnson]

up here table saws in decent shape are not that terribly common but drill presses are common. Sounds like you are a good candidate for the Grizzly saws.

Last year I was going to buy a rebuilt Buffalo drill press. I almost bit the bullet on that but then something happened (don't remember what) that killed my finances for a time. I was concerned about the top - it looks like it opens front to back instead of sideways. If that's how it works I'd have to roll it from it's home to change belt speeds because it would be under some shelves.

But now I'm looking at the new Nova. The problem I'm having with drill presses in general is all the slop in the rack and pinion quill and too slow of a speed. I'm drill small holes and need something that turns as fast as possible. My current drill press was crap when I bought it and I should have taken it back. It shakes like crazy any time I speed it up to about half it's max speed or higher.

I've considered a mill/drill because I'll put a compound table on the drill press anyway but it's hard to find anything with the RPM I want (3K or higher).