Jet 708715 vs PM2000

[jessrice]

Okay, I am still using my BT3000, and i have had it since 95, but have looked everyday for the last 2 months to go to the darkside. I only want to do it once. I was all set on just getting a PM2000 and being done with it, as I am sure it will meet my needs.

But Amazon currenlty has a Jet 708715 on sale for 1374.00 with free shipping. This model comes with the router lift, and extra cabinet under the lift, even though the picture they show is wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&v=glance

However, I also placed am order for a PM2000 when it was still on the weekend sale for 1999.00 and got the free shipping as well, they are just waiting for my check to finish, so i have a few days.

I really like the PM2000 built in mobililty and the idea of the 30" table vs the 27 inch. the riving knife feature is nice as well.

As far as the jet, I really dont need the router lift, but the extra cabinet would be nice for storage, so I could ebay the router lift and purchase the mobile base and break even.

I think they are both made in Tiawan now, so I would think that the fit and finish are comparable.

So, is the powermatic worth the extra 650.00? I have driven myself mad trying to determine this!

Thanks
Jesse

[ragswl4]

Okay, I am still using my BT3000, and i have had it since 95, but have looked everyday for the last 2 months to go to the darkside. I only want to do it once. I was all set on just getting a PM2000 and being done with it, as I am sure it will meet my needs.

But Amazon currenlty has a Jet 708715 on sale for 1374.00 with free shipping. This model comes with the router lift, and extra cabinet under the lift, even though the picture they show is wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&v=glance

However, I also placed am order for a PM2000 when it was still on the weekend sale for 1999.00 and got the free shipping as well, they are just waiting for my check to finish, so i have a few days.

I really like the PM2000 built in mobililty and the idea of the 30" table vs the 27 inch. the riving knife feature is nice as well.

As far as the jet, I really dont need the router lift, but the extra cabinet would be nice for storage, so I could ebay the router lift and purchase the mobile base and break even.

I think they are both made in Tiawan now, so I would think that the fit and finish are comparable.

So, is the powermatic worth the extra 650.00? I have driven myself mad trying to determine this!

Thanks
Jesse

Just a few thoughts on the subject of table saws. None of this is meant to change your mind or fire you up. I went from a BT3100 to a C-Man 22114. My reason was that I needed to cut a lot of large panels and I didn't feel comfortable doing that on the BT.

There is a difference between need and want. If you want one of these saws then discussion over. Do you really need one with the capbilities of these two saws? There are many, many nice saws out there for much less that might fill your needs (even though I don't know your needs). General, Shopfox, Grizzly, C-Man 22114 or 22124.

For me to spend that kind of $$$ on a saw I would have to be making money with it, but that's just me. Of course there are other issues such as reliability, resale and safety with any saw. I am sure the Jet and PM2000 are near the top in those categories.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here and tossing out some ideas on table saws in general. Good luck with your decision.

[Tom Hintz]

I have the PM2000 and have been thashing it heavily for a few months now. It is still rhe best table saw I have ever used. I love the way it is built, the design ideas such as the trunnions, splitter assembly and more. I know it costs more but I think it is worth every nickel.
I have a review of it at the link below with photos and a video if that would help.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/pm2000rvu.html

[LarryG]

Jesse, I'm going to try to give, for once, a short and simple answer to a very difficult question.

With the possible exception of the riving knife, none of the PM2000's features, considered individually, are worth an extra $650. Put them all together, though, and you realize that those extra niceties make an already attractive package even more enticing. But is the PM2000 really worth $650 more than that JET? Probably not, in a cold, analytical sense. There's no piece of furniture you might build with a PM2000 that wouldn't turn out every bit as nice using that JET.

There. Simple answer. Done.

Now. With that said ... with that out of the way ... I'm wondering whether the key sentence in your post might be I only want to do it once. If you worry that anything other than a PM2000 won't make you happy, $650 is not much money in the big scheme of things. It's hardly pocket change, and I would not want to be responsible for influencing you to spend it without good reason, but ... if a PM2000 is what you really want, then that's what you should buy, and to h3ll with the money.

That was the case with me; that's why there's a PM2000 sitting in my shop. It's what I wanted. I was afraid that if I "settled" for anything else, I might come to regret it. I will confess that I still had nagging doubts even as I was placing the order ... asking myself, "Am I nuts? Do I really want to spend this much money on a table saw?" But as soon as the crates arrived and I put the thing together and made the first cut, all remaining doubts disappeared. Now, every time I use the saw, or even look at, I'm really glad I bought it.

Just be clear on one thing: in my case, emotion played a big part in the decision. It's what I wanted.

But, emotion aside, it really is a very nice saw ...

[jessrice]

I guess some of it is between the desires of want, cost, long term durability and MAYBE eventually resale if i get out of it.

I am 35 years old and have taken on the mind set to only buy large things once that cant be upgrade. Not just on wood working stuff, but everything. Things like tv and monitors, fridges, ect. I only want to take a hit once, and not think that for a few hundred more i could have had better. However if you look at my shaper thread, you will see that sometimes I over do it!

Also being 35, If i stick with this hobby until I die, as i have since high school, then I want a name that is going to be around when i am 70, incase i need parts. I have seen several powermatic/delta/jet saws still function today. Grizzly will most likely be around to. I have even contemplated a sawstop since i have cut myself before on the table saw (still got all ten, just a small scar)

And if i get bored with woodoworking, then I want a saw that will hold some value in case i want to sell. Not that craftsman of ryobi is bad, but the SOME of new sears stuff doesnt have the rep that the older stuff did.

I have really considered the grizzly line, and looked into the general line up as well. I have seriously contempalted the sears 22124 as well. But i know that i want to have a large capacity, so to buy the saw on sale for 850, then add the extended rails, and legs for another 250 plus, and a mobile base gets me about to the price of the jet on sale. so back to where i was.

Tom, thanks for the good write up, it really describes a lot of the things i have heard in greater detail.

Personally as far as brand name, color, or shape, it has even less to do with the selection if the name has a good rep.

Well i guess i have a few days more to kick around the idea. thanks for the input so far. I hope some of the jet guys that bought a few months ago will chime in soon as well.

Jesse

[Knottscott]

Since PM and Jet are associated companies, this is a bit of a Chevy/Cadillac comaprison. I'm sure the Jet would be fine,and the added features are nice, but you've already said you don't need the router features. The PM is obviously the caddy here. In the end, get the one that makes your heartrate go the highest when you see it, then enjoy it for the rest of your life.

[messmaker]

I would get the Powermatic if I had the coins to spare.

[LinuxRandal]

Do you have any stores like Woodcraft close to you?

Might help if you could go look, even at similar models side by side! Also how do you cut down large panels now? Do you really have room for the larger of the two? (set a cardboard layout on the floor and lived with it a bit)

From other groups, I've seen lot's of people go and "upgrade" only to swap their upgrades (from Delta, to Powermatic, to Sawstop, to Altdorf, or combo's there of).

I am not you, but for me, I found I use my GCSS (guided circular saw system) more due to having to go on location and help others (relatives, friends), but still kept the BT at home, in case I do need it. I haven't seen the need to upgrade yet, and know that I don't have as heavy a needs as others (or a good way to get a full cabinet saw in my basement shop), so my future upgrade prospect is the Sawstop contractor saw. I don't know how long I will have this hobby, but I have a friend whose grandfather that raised him, is still doing this at 96 and chopped off two fingers last year. (He never called for help, and waited for two hours for his daughter to arrive at her normal time).
To me, I am hoping that by the time I upgrade, their will be a hybrid Sawstop, so I am kinda waiting.
If your unsure, how long can you wait?
The Jet will have the riving knife in a few years (must have by 2014 if the stuff I read on another forum is correct).

Just more to think about, but if it helps make an informed buying choice....

[drumpriest]

I agonized over my decision to buy a cabinet saw, any cabinet saw, then once I decided to buy one, the choice for me was clear, the PM2000 was the obvious choice at the time. I worried about it right up until I turned it on, and since then I've had no worries about it at all.

I could have gone with a cheaper saw, obviously, but the PM had the features that I wanted, was forward thinking, and has performed fantastically. A Sawstop would have been my next choice, and only due to the large price jump. For me, safety is a big element in my decision making process when it comes to tools.

I can't tell you which is the better choice, I can tell you that in my opinion the PM2000 is an excellent choice. Also, yes, they are "related" companies, they are pretty much the same company. The Powermatic is flagship, the Jet is the next step down.

[jessrice]

Well, i pulled the trigger, and finalized the order for the PM2000 I had holding at Amazon.

I was able to sell the shaper i was posting about in another thread, so i had some extra money from that.

Plus by chance last weekend, during the Amazon Labor Day Sale, they had the PM2000 with 50" fence on sale for 1954.99 instead of the normal 2299.00, and they started offering thier free shipping promo on tablesaws about 10:30 Pacific time, so I was able to get the free shipping deal included before the Labor day sale ended. I payed using check, so I had a few days to decide for sure.

So I completed my order last night by switching to credit card, and the total for the PM2000 shipped to door was 1954.99, plus powermatic has 100.00 rebate/giftcard going on right now, making it eventually 1854.99, probably the lowest this saw will ever be, at least thats what i told my wife.

Thanks for the replies, now i have to decide what to do wiht the bt3000,

Jesse

[messmaker]

Great deal. I am jealous. Lets see a photo once you get it up and running. Oh I almost forgot. YOU SUCK

[LarryG]

Wow, Jesse, that was a GREAT deal you cut on this saw. You beat me by a full $250.

As a testament to this particular saw, though, I'll say that while $250 is hardly pocket change, it doesn't bother me a bit that I outspent you by that much. You may someday come to regret selling that shaper (anything's possible, right?) but you will never regret having a PM2000 as the centerpiece of your shop.

Be sure to have two or three muscular friends on hand when it arrives. This beast is HEAVY. The assembly is straightforward; you shouldn't have any trouble whatsoever.

Oh, one small tip ... if it seems like each turn of the crank is only raising or lowering the casters about 1/1000" -- you're right. The built-in casters work well but it takes many many turns to get the saw clear of the floor.

[jessrice]

Larry

I hope I dont miss that shaper, cause i am not ever gonna get one for the price i paid for that one.

As long as the delivery guy gets it into my garage, i'll be all set. Amazon's lift gate service is great for this! When they brought the shaper it was set right on the concrete floor.

I actaully need a few more weeks to finish the electricty in my shop, so I should be able to find a few guys to get it off the pallet by then, I hope

I do want to pickup that table saw book i have always seen recomnneded but figured i woud never need, can anyone tell me what book it is that has the recommended setup steps? I guess i am headed to Harbor freight for a dial indicator as well.



thanks Jesse

[LarryG]

I will guess that the book in question is either The Table Saw Book by Kelly Mehler, or Jim Tolpin's Table Saw Magic by, well, you know. I don't have either of these but know that a lot of people like them.

BTW, my local bookstore has another title called The Table Saw Book (or something very similar to that) but there's no author indicated that I've been able to find. It seems okay, but not great.

One I do have is Working With Tablesaws, which is part of the New Best Of Fine Woodworking series. It's also pretty good, although being the usual collection of reprints from the magazine, some of the material is getting a bit dated.

[jackellis]

now i have to decide what to do wiht the bt3000,

If you have room, why not keep it? I have a dado set in mine that I've been using for shop projects. I really like the Jet cabinet saw I bought a few months ago but being the really impatient sort, I'm very happy to have a separate tool I can use for dados and rabbets (in addition to a router).

Unfortunately, I don't have room so the BT will have to go....somewhere else, and soon.