Tablesaw Question

[REMOVE]

I'm in the market for a table saw and based on an old Craftsman I had I want to buy a quality unit with a good fence but since it's mostly for hobby work I don't want to spend a fortune. I would prefer to stay in the $1000 - 15000 range so I'm looking for a good used saw. I will use it mostly for ripping and dados but would like to build some cabinets as well. I ran across a 2 hp Jet with a HTC Biesemer clone fence and Osborne miter and extension table for $650. He calls it a cabinet saw but I believe it would be classed as a hybrid. The price is tempting but I wonder if I would find myself regretting it like I did the Craftsman. Would you guys think I would be happy with this saw for my use or should I keep looking for something better ( I'm really not in a big hurry since I haven't even run power to my new shop yet)? Thanks - look forward to your comments.

[joe]

You can get an awful lot of saw for $15,000.

jc

[Leon]

If your limit is $1500 you can get a new Grizzly cabinet saw for that price range. $650 for a hybrid in good shape with 2 hp is also a decent deal. I wonder why he is getting rid of the saw? The fence will be good, I have had issues with a miter gauge upgrade when I, for a very short, time owned the Osborne miter gauge. IIRC Osborn no longer sells that triangular gauge. Delta sells a copy version of it and may have even bought the rights to the gauge. Basically the gauge has problems with holding a ridged 45 degree setting when the telescoping adjustment rod is extended to the farthest 45 degree setting. The telescoping bar can be wiggled back and forth and that causes the fence to move a few degrees. Anyway even with out the miter gauge the $650 sounds decent. If you think that you will increase your usage and want to buy your last saw, this may not be the saw for you. A true cabinet saw is going to satisfy most any ones needs for a very long time. A true cabinet saw is going to require a 220 volt receptacle.

[Airedale]

Try looking at the Steel City line of Table Saws. I picked up the 1.75 HP Cabinet saw and am VERY happy with it. They have a 3 HP Cabinet close to your upper limit. Their mail in rebates are ending at the end of this month FYI.

[Jeff]

My budget was similar to yours and I bought a new Powermatic 64A with a 52" table. The "A" stands for artisan, but that's a another way to say "contractor's saw." The saw comes with a lot of features you'd want in a Powermatic cabinet saw without the Powermatic cabinet price. I'll never stand a nickel on its edge while the saw is running, but that desire never drove my purchasing decision. The saw ships wired for a 15 amp line but it can be rewired for more power. Just a thought.

Jeff

[Lew Hodgett]

IMHO, "It's the fence stupid", to paraphrase J Carvelle in the 1992 election, applies.

Most anything works for the saw, but it's the fence that rules.

I have a Unifence, think it is the best thing since sliced bread.

Others have a different opinion of what is a good fence, however, a good fence still rules.

Plan to operate at 240V if you truly want to take advantage of the saw's capabilities.

Have fun looking.

Lew

[REMOVE]

Guess that would cover a pretty broad range. LOL Guess my trigger finger got a little itchy.

[REMOVE]

Divorce is forcing the sale of his house so he's liquidating his shop. Apparently you feel the fence would be good? That was my biggest complaint with the Craftsman - never would line up straight. Can you expound on your "increased usage" comment as this is my concern - will it be a saw that I will be satisfied with from now on? I doubt I'll ever reach the point of mass producing anything - just hobby construction of shelving, cabinets, cutting boards, lawn chairs, boxes etc. 220 is not a problem. I appreciate your in-depth comments.

[REMOVE]

I agree. I hated the fence on my Craftsman - had to move a tape to front and rear of the blade while SLOWLY tightening the clamp or else it would get cockeyed. Don't know much about the HTC but is supposed to be a Biesemeyer clone. Any opinions?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

My only experience with the HTC was to play with one in the Woodcraft store. Seemed like it was as sturdy and accurate as the Bies. I love my Bies and I think you'll like the HTC as much.

[bookman]

I have the 3HP Steel City Hybrid table saw. It's not a bad saw but I wince every time I hear the squeaky contractor saw quality raising/lowering gears (which I have taken completely apart and graphited until I'm the color of a pencil lead) and every time I turn on the saw and listen to the squeal of the single ribbed drive belt (which SC Customer service says is normal). I wince when I realize that for the money I paid I could have purchased a Grizzly cabinet saw with 3

3 drive belts and heavy trunnions.

[Lew Hodgett]

I already gave you the only opinion I'm qualified to give.

Don't know doo doo about Biesemeyer.

Lew

[Nova]

I have the Jet branded HTC-900 Commercial fence with the micro-adjuster which Jet sold/sells as an option for their saws as a "Deluxe" fence.

's a great fence.

[DonkeyHody]

If you can spend about $1,565. you can get a gen-u-wine factory reconditioned Unisaw with a brand new Biesemeyer fence delivered to your door. See

never found any evidence that mine was ever used at all.

DonkeyHody "Even an old blind hog finds an acorn every now and then."

[REMOVE]

That's worth looking at - thanks for the lead.

[Leon]

I had a 1hp Craftsman for about 17 years and had tweaked it to the max so to speak. It had the Jet Biese clone and that was a remarkable improvement but when I up graded to a true cabinet saw nothing could be blamed on the saw any more. The cabinet saws are rock solid and produce great results providing they are properly tuned to start with. Hybrids have not been around long enough to know how long they will actually last. They are not built as robust where the trunion is concerned. I set my new cabinet saw up about 8 years ago and it sets on a mobile base. I move it in and out every time that I use it and to this day has never had to be readjusted.

[Leon]

If you can spend about $1,565. you can get a gen-u-wine factory reconditioned Unisaw with a brand new Biesemeyer fence delivered to your door. See

never found any evidence that mine was ever used at all.

Delta had problems, for some reason Frank ;~), with trunions about 8 years ago. Many, after delivery were found to be broken. Yours, Donkey Hody, may have been one of the ones returned to replace the trunion and sold as reconditioned. A great deal for you and in deed may have never been used at all.

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

I've never dealt with Redmond, but many of my tools were purchased reconditioned. If there is any evidence of use, it's even harder to find once we start using the tool.

I wish the better hand tool manufacturers would do the same. I'd love to see 25-35% off good hand tools because somebody unwrapped it, tried it, and sent it back!

[Jim Behning]

I have some Bosch reconditioned sanders that work fine for me. Looked good as new when I bought them.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Some of those "reconditioned" tools are brand new, tagged that way to be sold at a discount. Black & Decker does it in the outlet stores so the regular dealers can't complain that B & D is cutting prices on them.