Table saw roundup
I was doing some research on table saws yesterday, and wanted to give you a quick report on the results.
1) Get a cabinet saw, not a contractor-style saw. Heavier trunions mean less vibration. Everything is bolted to the base instead of the table, stabilizing the works. Everything is enclosed (make sure it comes with a motor cover), so dust colleciton works better.
2) Get a left-tilt saw. Most people put the fence on the right, and a right-tilt blade forces the cutoff down and into the fence. This makes kickback more likely, which makes everything more dangerous.
3) Get solid cast-iron wings. Stamped steel flexes and can’t be used for precision work. The heavier weight of the cast-iron stablizes the saw, reduces vibration, and helps pass the ever-important nickel test.
I looked closely at three saws that met these criteria and were under $1,500.
The Jet “hybrid” saw is a cross between a cabinet and a contractor style. My buddy has one and reviews it here. $925 shipped from Amazon.
The Jet “Xacta” saw is a true cabinet saw, but it doesn’t have a cast-iron wing on the right (although it has an extended wing made from a lighter material). There also seems to be severe quality problems–a good third of reviewers reported that they had to return parts, usually several times over. It’s not clear if these are production problems from inadequate shipping, or just plain bad manufacturing. $1499 shipped from Amazon.
The Grizzly G1023SL is the big winner. Everything I was looking for, and outstanding reviews across the board. $895 shipped from Amazon.
If you’re looking, I suggest American Woodworker‘s roundup. Fine Woodworking’s article suffers from their usual defect of not actually rating anything that they review, but has some useful bits as well.
If your needs are the same, go with the Grizzly. You’ll thank me for it.
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