Need some help choosing a table saw

[orchardist]

Good Morning,

I have a small problem. I to want to but a new table saw. I had one of the smaller saws but I will need a saw with a larger table and a better fence. I am retiring January 3rd. The new saw will be one of my to-do thing’s helper. I have looked at the Sears top of their line saw the other night. It normally sold for about $ 800.00 and now is on sale for $ 600.49. I must be living right. The sales man told me that the saw I was looking at was at was sold out. He said that I could buy the saw that was taking the place of the saw that was on sale. One problem, I didn’t the money/card to pay for the new saw with me. I guess you might say that I felt like I was at a gunfight without bullets. I would like to know if Sear ’s saws are dependable machines. I’m not planning on making cabinets or any fancy stuff like some of you might do. I’ll be making few lawn chairs and some other simple things. I also looked at a Ridgit table saw. This saw had rollers at Home Depot is selling for the same price as Sears. The sears model has a hold down clamped miter gauge and a dust catching bag that are standard items with the saw. The Ridgit saw has a life time warranty. Sears saws are only has a one-year maybe two-year warranty. Today is the last day to get the Sear ’s real meal deal. What saw should I buy? Thanks for your help. You can bet I’ll be back with more questions, I’m not a wizard at woodworking. --Mike

[Lou_williams]

DON'T BUY THE SEARS.

Sorry to shouting. But you will have to spend another 600 to make it a tool that can be used for anything other than work you could do with a skill saw.

If you want to get a saw that will allow you to grow in woodworking you need to look at something other than the two saws you have looked at.

With that kind of budget I would look at the Grizzly G1022ZFX at $625 full 2 hp motor cast Iron wings or for just a little bit more you can get a grizely cabinet saw that will give you a professional saw that should last almost forever.

Check it out. Grizzly has a good rep and lots of people recomend their stuff. I purchased my saw dust system from them and it has been great for the last 15 years.

http://www.grizzlyimports.com/fcgi-bin/lookup.fcgi/products/lookup.cfg

[MadMark]

Gotta agree with Lou here. I have a Craftsman 10" saw that my wife gave me as a present. It cuts really nice - now that I've spent an additional $500 on it to upgrade the fence/miter gauge/blade.

For $600 you can pick up a good used contractors saw and put a deluxe fence on it.

Sears was once *THE* place to buy tools, no longer. Their quality has slipped sharply since the 70's. I wouldn't recommend their power tools to anyone. I know this from bitter experience.

M

[Mark Worden]

I too was looking at the Sears, but thought better of it. The saw is actually made by Ryobi for Sears ( I asked and they looked it up), but is being replaced by something else next year, or so I here. Sears was getting their stuff from Emerson who now builds Rigid. I am still trying to make up my mind, thinking of Jet, Delta or maybe Powermatic with a 52" Biesmeyer if I can find it for reasonable $$$$.

[Lou_williams]

For used eguipment check out http://woodquip.com Today they have a delta and a powermatic cabinet saw used for 600 or less. There are other used tool sites as well. The issue is shipping depending on where you are.

[Glen]

Bluntly put...Craftsman %#*9! (a minor could be rading this)
you get the jest.

If you insist on Sears at least opt for the bysmier fence option.

[rrich]

orchardist,
For $500 you can get a Jet contractors saw with stamped steel wings or for $650 the same saw with cast iron wings and Jet has a $50 rebate to make the cost $600. For another $150 ($750 after rebate) Jet will provide an Xacta fence. (Almost any place but see www.post-tool.com for their flyer.)

Delta has a platinum edition contractors saw with a Biesmeyer fence (50") and extension table for $890 at Junior's tools.

The bottom line is that Craftsman power tools are not what they were 20-30 years ago. The old Craftsman tools that I have (25+ years old) are fairly decent but the new stuff is Junk with a capital "J".

Rich

[Dick]

I have quite a few craftman power tools. But when it came to buying a tablesaw & a jointer I bought a Jet. The jet tablesaw has the xacter fence. You might pay a little more but will have less headaches.