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Jet vs. Delta

I am looking for a new table saw in the $800 to $1,000 range. Any thoughts on Jet vs. Delta?

Reply to
Donald F. Baty, Jr.
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You can search this newsgroup and find that few agree on this question.

In that price range, you can get a very good contractor saw or spend a bit more and get a cabinet saw. I had a contractor saw (Delta) and eventually sold it and bought a cabinet saw (Delta Unisaw). I paid $1349 for it.

You won't go wrong with either a Jet or a Delta. I own a Jet lathe and two Jet bandsaws and am happy with them all. Play with both and buy the one you like best.

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Reply to
""Nobody"

I don't think you will regret buying either saw in that price range. A couple years back I bought a Delta Platinum Edition Contractors saw, with a 30" Unifence, and love it. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

I recently did a bunch of newsgroup research and a bit of touching in showrooms. Before I found a great deal on a used Jet with a Vega 52" Utility fence a few other items, I was buying a Jet CS saw.

My criterea:

Most rigid fence Lenght of table IN FRONT of the blade (so you can get your work started and have it supported) Bang for the buck

Spokane Powertool has the Delta 36-650 for about $475 on their northwest tools online site. It is about $150 less than the Jet, I was going to spend the extra $150.00

Alan

Reply to
A Womack

I too have been pondering a table saw purchase. Plan on buying one next month. So far narrowed down to the Dewalt 746X, Jet 10CW2-JF or the Delta

36-444 or the Delta 36-431. I've played around with the Dewalt at a local store (that's all they carry) and it seems pretty solid and the reviews at Amazon are pretty good and it's a left tilt blade. The Jet I have read of problems with the fence. The Delta's I mentions all have right tilt blades. The Delta 36-431 comes with the Bies fence which I like. Then again if I go with the Delta 444 there will be enough difference to but the PC 7518 Router for the router table. That's my quandry. Which one. Anyone have any of the saws mentioned and can give your personal pro's and cons I would appreciate it.
Reply to
Mike S.

As far as the Delta saws, the Biesmeyer fence is miles above the Unirip fence as far as quality. so it would depend on the prices. 431 comes with one cast iron table, laminated extension table with legs, and a 30" Biesmeyer. The 444 comes with stamped steel tables and a 30" Unirip fence, no extension tables, no table legs. When I shopped around the thing that got me was the upgrades. I was always looking at the one step up from what I was thinking about buying, then comparing that to the price of the upgrades later. I bought the 461 that is the same as the 431 except for it came with the Unifence instead of the Biesmeyer. I have been very satisfied with my choice, only wish I had bought the 52" fence! Greg

Reply to
Greg O

I have a 50" Unifence and love it.

Recent reviews I have seen rank the Unifence very highly.

I bought the Unifence over the Bies because of the Unifence ability to pull back so you can use it and the guage to accurately measure cutoffs. The Bies can't do that.

I personally, however, think either fence will do the job fine.

You just have find what you prefer personally.

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Bies sells an accessory that goes over the fence and acts as a stop the same way. I just use a 1" block clamped to the fence.

As you say, either fence is good. Ed

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Why don't you download a parts/accessories list for each of the machines you are interested in and make a few phone calls to find out how difficult (and expensive) it is to get some common parts and accessories that you figure you'll go through in the next few years??? Just might be a tie-breaker. After all, the time you spend trying to get stuff will take away from your woodworking.

Reply to
George

You can buy the accessory but the one I have seen does not allow you to use the gauge to measure cutoffs.

You have to subtract an inch. That's confusing to me.

That's why it is all what you personally like best. Like the argument of right or left tilt. Either will do a fine job.

Rob

Reply to
Rob

Ah, the old Ford vs. Chevrolet truck discussion.. well not quite.

Have a look at the barebones model of the Jet supersaw. They've focused a lot on key features to go one slightly better than their competition. Some points to note:

Enclosed cabinet with excellent dust collection TEFC motor with capacitor start/capacitor run Biggest cast iron table in the industry in this price range. dual sided saw guard - each side operates independently.

The dealer calls it a "hybrid" saw - they have merged the contractor lower pricing with cabinet saw features.

Its smooth and quiet - one of the quietest saws you will ever operate.

Jet customer service is superb.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Davis

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