I have the opportunity to pick up this table saw pretty cheap (~$600) new.
I does have a Biesemeyer commercial fence.
Any comments.
Also, is there a good web site with tool reviews.
Thanks everyone,
John
I gave up on Craftsman.
IMHO, add less than $200 and get a decent contractor's saw.
HTH
Doesn't look too bad, But never having seen it in person I wouldn't guess as to its value, I like the rear extension. But what the heck is a "Leitz variable-pitch blade"? Variable-pitch tablesaw blades??? Anybody ever use one?
Zeke Change com to net for e-mail
The motor is pretty small (15A), but otherwise it looks like a steal at $600 if it is in perfect condition. It is less than $1.50/pound!
it looks like a real saw. I'd guess it's a taiwanese or mainland chinese cabinet saw.
it's probably a decent piece of machinery. $600 is probably a good deal.
John Pilhoefer asks:
It is one Sears new Craftsman saws, not even formally announced yet, so you'll have a hard time finding reviews.
Retail on the saw is $849.99.
Charlie Self "Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
Biesemeyer makes two grades of fence (both good) and from what I can see, this is not their "commercial" version. What makes a fence "commercial" anyway? Sort of subjective.
It does have a closed base, but I'd hesitate to all it a cabinet saw. It is belt drive, but the traditional cabinet saw has three belts and a 3 hp motor. This has unknown number of belts and a 1 3/4 hp motor.
The rear extension may be nice to have if you don't have to add another outfeed table. .
The right side table board looks cheesy, but it does have some cast iron in the right. I'd put in a larger board and a couple of legs.
It may be a very good saw for the money, but it is not to be compared to a Unisaw in spite of the cosmetics. Just be aware of what you are buying. Ed
Maybe it picks up different amount of pitch every time you cut some pine????
Ed Pawlowski responds:
Sears doesn't call it a cabinet saw. They say it has a "cabinet-style stand". For basic info, the current PM 66 uses two belts on 3 and 5 HP motors. There is no need, in almost any case, for more than a single belt on a 1-3/4 HP motor.
It doesn't really look any cheesier than the particleboard extensions on Jet and Delta cabinet saws.
Sears does state it's a Biese commercial fence in their catalog blurb.
I'll get a chance to at least look at the saw in a couple weeks. I'm very interested in how it looks and works, as the current 3 contractors' saws in the Craftsman line are major departures from what has gone before in both apeparance and features.
Charlie Self "Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
I suspect someone in Craftsman R & D found out about this group's opinion of their products...
- It will probably need general tweaking from the boxes with the right instruments. Motor could be larger, but I bet most guys would be happy with it though (Wire it for 240V). Get some friends to help move it, it ain't no toy. Fence capacity could be larger 48".
Do they have one setup on display? I'd peer over everything and fool with it and if I still liked it, I'd jump on it. If you buy it, please give us your review! AND tell us how to get it for $600!!!
Good luck, SS
Right, but I'll bet a lot of people will make assumptions that since it looks like a $1500+ cabinet saw it must be as good as one.
Yes, but that does not make it the Bies commercial version. Look at how far the fence extends beyond the table top. I don't think it is the real deal, but they give no measurments. The "home shop" version is 36" long while the commercial version is 42" or 48" as well as longer rails. I think they are taking some liberties here as consdering any Bies fence to be a commercial version since it is better than the usual lightweight stuff on most low end contractor saws.
When Chevy came out with the big block 348 ci in. engine, the hood designation had two crossed flags above the "V" . I know a couple of guys that put the emblems on a car with the straight six. Looked just like the
348 when you stood on the curb, but still ran like a 6 with Powerglide. I think that is what we may have here. it may be a good basic contractor's saw, but that is all it will be no matter how fancy the cabinet. Unless, of course, you paint some flames on it. Ed
How does one pick up a new Sears $949 table saw for ~$600? Where do you pick it up, in the back of the warehouse in the dead of night? BTW, the fence looks exactly like my "commercial" Biesmeyer, only shorter. Sounds like a heck of a good deal to me, if legal.
Gary
I remember the big block 348. It wasn't much when it came out. Maybe it transmogrified later, but in '58, it was junk compared to the small block
265/283/327. I know it was popular on short track racers by '60, but don't recall how much winning it did.Anyway, I think Sears aim here is to upgrade the cabinet saw. They're already importing 2 "industrial" level saws at prices closer to Unisaw and Jet prices. These 3 new saws seem to me to be a tap on hybrid models already put out by Jet and DeWalt. Same HP, same basic configuration, with enclosed motors. Knocking a saw for not equaling a Unisaw at twice the price seems a bit unrealistic.
As far as the fence goes, I'll be able to check that out in 2 weeks. From the small photo, it looks as if it might be a true commercial Biese, but that really is impossible to determine fromo that small a shot. Is that overhang 9" or 13"? I can't tell at that angle. Is Biese making a special "commercial version" for Sears? I don't know. I may not be able to find out, either. If TSA doesn't confiscate it, I'll have a tape measure in my camera bag, too. I should also be able to check overall quality, trunnion materials, whether or not the pulleys are machined, type of belt, etc. Charlie Self "Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
A commercial fence, in addition to a 42" vs. 36" fence bar, has a 2"x3" front rail tube v 1.5"x2.5". They both come with lifetime warranties for home use, though. It does appear to be the commercial version to me, it's what I have on my DW746.
I'd say it will be comparable to the DeWalt DW746 and the Jet SuperSaw. And that fence is worth over $300 by itself, so I'd say that's a good deal. I'd be interested to know whether the trunnions attach to the cabinet as in a true cabinet saw or to the bottom of the table as in a contractor's saw (and the DW746 at least, I don't know about the Jet).
Charlie
Less so than in the past, I think. But, then, IME, marketing practices almost always border on the deceptive.
Charlie Self "Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen." Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
I think its a commercial fence. The table with a 12" extension is 48.5" deep, thus without the extension is 36" deep. You can clearly see from the picture the fence is considerably longer than the 36" table. Biesmeyer Hone fences for the Sears saws are 36" long, while the commecial versions start at 42". Thus I say its a commercial fence.
How can you make that determination without seeing the saw in person? The ad states "Heavy-duty, cast-iron, base-mounted trunnion system for maximum stability and easy adjustments" I've never known a contractor saw to have the trunions mounted to the base. When I was struggling with nothing but a benchtop I would have been very happy if SWMBO had shown up with one of these. But, go figure, I'm very pleased with my Craftsman RAS too.
Zeke Change com to net for e-mail
I don't see where it is a 12" extension in the write-ups and specifications. I tried to scale it and I come up with about a 16" extension on a standard
27" table. Look at the blade placement and it sure does not look like it would be a 36" table. Thus, I say it is NOT a commercial fence.It does say it has "12" tableboard, rear ext. table". Note the comma after tableboard. It does have 12" extension wings also, thus a total of 24" to the right. It also falls short of the 30" cut on the right, thus my earlier comment about the cheesy tableboard. Ed
Maybe you are right. It could be a General 350 clone at a really good price. As I said, it may be a good saw for the money, but I think they are trying to market it as something it is not.
I would have been happy with it also compared to my old saw. Ed
specifications.
Look again. In the full product description tab it says "Cast iron table and 12 in. wide extension wings with 12 in. table board, rear ext. table". Under product specs it says "Table Dimensions w/Extensions 48-1/2 x 56 in. " Thus 48.5" - 12" = 36.5"
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