Talk me out of this!!

[eddy merckx]

Hi everybody. I've reached the point where I'm ready to go darkside. I noticed this cabinet saw from HF, on sale at $899 minus the 30% coupon gets it to $630. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93380 It is overkill for my current needs, but I only want to do this once. No problem wiring for 220. I don't think this will take up much more footprint than the BT3 ( I hope).

I know this is a new product for HF, but others have said it looks identical to the Steel City saw.

What do you think? The coupon expires tomorrow.

Eddy

[Ken Massingale]

Eddy,
As much as I enjoyed the BT3K, I don't regret getting cast iron. The specs look good on that saw, I prefer more distance on the right side but you indicate that you want to keep to about the footprint of the BT.
Did you see it in a store? I think the coupons are only good there, not online.
HF stores have 30 day return policy, you know!
Good luck with your decision.
ken

[lcm1947]

I'm no help in answering any of your questions but let us know and what you think of it if you decide to get it. It sounds like a darn good deal to me but like I said I've no knowledge or experience with it. I do know however that a lot of guys are happy with the BS, DP & I for one the DC.

[WayneJ]

HF has a new deal where you can order items from the catalog and have them shipped to the store. You don't have to pay shipping. You might want to check and see if they can do this for you. just have to pick it up from the store.
Wayne

[eddy merckx]

Did you see it in a store? I think the coupons are only good there, not online.

Ken--the customer service guy I talked to this afternoon in India said I could use a coupon no problem---I'll let you know if it works. I did not see this in the store. My local store doesn't stock any of the big stuff--they say it's mail order only.

HF has a new deal where you can order items from the catalog and have them shipped to the store. You don't have to pay shipping. You might want to check and see if they can do this for you. just have to pick it up from the store.

Wayne--my HF store told me they couldn't order it. Go figure. Shipping is only $73 though, and that would get it to my house. This thing weighs 480 lbs.

One concern I have is that there's no mention of whether it's right or left tilt arbor. I assume left tilt, but they don't say for sure.

[messmaker]

I think that is a left tilt saw. My store said that they may be able to get one through the new program. He said " You don't know till you try".Let us know if you score. No shipping and a discount on top puts this below the cost of a hybrid saw.

[cgallery]

If I were going to spend that much on a replacement, I think I'd be watching craigslist (or even posting Wanted Ads there) for Unisaws or PM's.

[WayneJ]

Ed,
Talk to the manager in the store. They have leeway to do a lot iif the feel like it. I work in a HF and see a lot of that.
Wayne

[atgcpaul]

If I were going to spend that much on a replacement, I think I'd be watching craigslist (or even posting Wanted Ads there) for Unisaws or PM's.

Second that vote. Look for a used Uni, PM, Griz. Even a new Craftsman one
can be had for a decent price. A lot of HF stuff "looks" like something else
but I think we all know in most cases it isn't.

I do not regret going to the dark side at all.

Paul

[Andrew Benedetto]

Right tilt,look at the front tilt opening , I do not think that coupon will work, it is for instore only, you have to pay tax too if HFT has stores in you state.
Download the manual. It is a true cab saw in that it is 3hp or more/240v,not a single belt(hybrid) , like the cab/Unisaw 3 V belt design,table trunions,where the motor is at a fixed distance ,uneffected by height change. Bies clone fence too.
I still have my bt3000, and a Unisaw and a 22124. I need to sell the 22124, which is still new. It is a shame you are not in CA, you might like the price of my 22124.
If you can get the coupon to work then I would buy it, it would be a great price.
Look at the Grizz 1023 as well, very similar.

[eddy merckx]

Well, you guy were right. They would not take the coupon. It needs to have a 9 digit code, whereas the 30% coupon has an 8 digit code. Now that I've stepped back from the brink, I guess I'll look on Craigslist for used. They do pop up occasionally.

I admired the Griz 12" saw with riving knife. Anybody know if a 10" version is in the works? I'd be all over one of those.

Eddy

[SARGE..g-47]

Morniing...

Looking at the amps pulled, I at first thought it was a hybrid at 6.9 amps pulled. But Andrew set that straight by pulling up the specs so it is a true cabinet saw in statue. And I have to agree with cgallery and Paul that for that much, I would save a few hundred more to get a cabinet saw over a hybrid.

And that's not saying that the Sears zip code and Steel City hybrids are not well made and very good saws. They are very cleverly designed and well made by Orion.. who incidentally is now owned by Steel City. One of the SC co-owners (Mark Strahler) designed the Orion-Sears-Steel City saw while at Orion before he broke and co-formed SC with Scott Box. They purchased Orion out-right about 6 months ago.

But.... a hybrid is still not a cabinet saw no matter how well it is made otherwise and again I agree with cgallery and paul. I would look at the Griz 1023 series or the Shopfox (same saw-same owner as Griz). And there are other deals that you might run into. I purchased a factory re-conditioned Uni-saw for $999 a month ago. New motor.. table re-ground.. new Biesemeyer fence and the saw was nearly flawless cosmetically.

I would be leary of Central Machinery till the saw is proven to be fit. It may come off the same assemly line in China or Taiwan as the Griz but we don't know that yet. But something about a 3 HP pulling 6.9 amps after initial start up (even on 220v) makes me wonder about what HP the motor is really producing.

And then there's the warranty and the fact that the guys at HF are not sure if the sale applies, would have to order.. if they can even get it.. etc., etc.. That tells me something about getting replacement-spare parts or tech assistance if there was a problem. I guess if you got one and had a problem the guys could always contact the HF home office to see how to handle it and... if it could be handled?

I would save a few extra $$ and get a cabinet saw from someone that has already proven that assistance "after the sale" is as close as your nearest phone!

To answer your last question about a 10" saw with a riving knife, Steel City will have one on their industrial 10" saw by the Las Vegas WW show this spring! Good things are coming from those guys as they are tool guys and they listen to what the consumers have to say and then go build it!

Regards...

[JR]

And then there's the warranty and the fact that the guys at HF are not sure if the sale applies, would have to order.. if they can even get it.. etc., etc.. That tells me something about getting replacement-spare parts or tech assistance if there was a problem. I guess if you got one and had a problem the guys could always contact the HF home office to see how to handle it and... if it could be handled?

I would save a few extra $$ and get a cabinet saw from someone that has already proven that assistance "after the sale" is as close as your nearest phone!

I have a number of HF tools, and I live about five miles from HF HQ. I can say in all honesty that they're after-sale service sucks.

I had a problem with my bandsaw, a broken blade guide. I ordered a replacement part, which took over two months to arrive! Apperently there is no storage of parts in the US. They have to order it all the way back at the originating factory. Apparently it is then lumped in with other shipments from that factory, wheneve that may happen.

After the suspect quality of HF tools, service becomes the next most important factor to weigh against their great purchase prices.

JR

[softop41]

Andrew,
Sounds like it has good specs at a good price if you can, indeed, use the coupon. Since the coupon doesn't work, you may want to check out the Craftsman with the Bies fence, as well as the others mentioned. BTW, it is a right tilt unit.
Jerry

[sparkeyjames]

Ok take a look at this cabinet saw. Probably better service too.


http://www.grizzly.com/products/G0478