What to get....

[Dave]

Okay, I've got about every hand held power tool known to man. I've got pnueumatic nailers and a Dewalt Compound Miter. Now I'm wanting to get into some serious woodworking. I'm going to start by finishing my basement and building a bar and the cabinets down there and eventually want to build new raised panel cabinets for the kitchen. I've been told at Woodcraft the I need a Delta Limited Edition Unisaw with the 50" Biesemeyer Fence. I need to go back and ask more questions at Woodcraft but I can't figure out why I need that much saw to build cabinets. Do I need 50" rails and 550 pound saw to build cabinets? Can I do just fine with a 50" rail and Biesemeyer fence on a $900 Jet or Delta contractors saw? How 'bout a 30" rail?

I've got the money to buy the $1700 saw but I also need to get a drill press and equip the saw. My router is questionable and I need new router table. Should I spend my money on the big saw and wait until I can recover from that before I buy the other things or do I go with the less expensive saw and get the rest of what I need?

[Lou_williams]

That depends on what you want to do long term. A cabinet saw is a very good tool that will last a few lifetimes. If this is something you will be doing long term you will spend less money long term.

If you are not that committed to woodworking you can buy a good contractor saw and build cabinets. You can build almost anything with hand tools for that mater.

But, overall I would spend some time reading the table saw posts on this forum and see where you fit. It sounds like you need to find a new store that does not have sales on commision.

also there are other saws of that class that will cost less than 1700