Advice on table saw choice

[pelligrini]

I'm looking at spending $500 max. I like the craftsman 21829 because of the folding legs and the router table. But like I said $529 for this saw seems like it's over priced. I will keep hoping for a sale. Anyother suggestions. Doesn't necessarly need folding legs and router table.

Are you a Craftsman Club member? The 21829 will come up from time to time.

I also just saw this on the sears website:
Online only! Buy More Save More on Select Tools Sold by Sears! Offer ends 21-Jan-2010.

Hide DetailsSpend $199 to $349 and Get 10% Off, Spend $350 or more and Get 15% Off. Offer applies to Portable Power Tool Accessories, Fastening Tools, Carpenter Tools, General Purpose Tools, Auto Specialties, Mechanics Tools, Lift Equipments, Wrenches, Garage Door Openers, Home Security and Bench & Stationary Power Tools. Offer excludes Clearance, Closeout and Great Price Items. Internationally Shipped Orders are excluded. No Sears store price matching is permitted on this offer. Offer good through 21-Jan-2010

I think you can order online and do a store pickup. 15% off would put the saw around $450

[Mowgli]

After reading through this post, I'm still unclear of which saw I should purchase. I am looking for a solid hobbist saw for a small workshop, I am leaning towards the craftsmans 21829 since I have a $175 gift card at sears, but last I looked the price was $529, which seems like alot for the saw. Any suggestions?

After reading all the previous posts I'm glad the sawdust has settled some.

I won't tell you what to buy, I'll share my experience.
My first "real" TS was a BT3100 about 7-8 years ago.
I read all the reviews and found a great support forum here with enthusiastic, helpful owners.
I got one with the accessory kit at HD.
After dialing it in it was dead accurate and did everything I needed it to.
It never disappointed me in almost a year of daily use.

Then I found a 1945 Unisaur on CL with the goose-egg motor cover, 1.5 (real) HP and a very flat table for $400.
I was learning furnituremaking so I sold the BT and upgraded the Uni.
New arbor/bearings and a machined pulley from sawcenter.com.
Beismeyer 50" fence/rails, Bench Dog extension router table with the Pro-lift and a Forrest WW2 made it the best saw I've ever used.
It cost me about $1500-1600 total as it was.
One of the shops I worked in had a dual arbor Tannewitz with a sliding table.
I liked mine better.

I made some nice Greene & Greene furniture and some fine-woodworking projects but found many of the procedures terribly tedious.
Recently I made a very difficult decision and decided to go back to a lathe only shop with only the necessary machines/tools.
I sold my Delta DJ20 Jointer, my 2 speed 13" Delta planer, my Hitachi SCMS, my 45 Unisaur & all associated tools.

I kept my restored/upgraded 1946 Delta/Milwaukee 14" bandsaw that I've been using all along.
I bought a used Ridgid 12" NSMS, a Stihl 310 and a tilty table 1945 Rockwell TS.
The '45 was too cumbersome and not too accurate so I sold that.
I wanted an accurate and dependable TS that I could roll out of the way so I looked for a used Ridgid, Bosch or BT.

I found a NIB 1992 BT3000 for $180 on CL.
Mine.

Now I'm turning bowls on my 1965 Delta gap-bed lathe and loving every minute of it.
It'll do until I can afford a bigger Powermatic or maybe a Oneway or something similar.

I've restored a 50's Craftsman, a 40's tilty table Walker Turner and a 30's tilt arbor WT.
I've used PM66, Tannys, Unisaurs, Ridgid, Bosch, Craftsman (restored and new), WT, Dewalt, Hitachi and assorted crappy-jobsite tablesaws.
Many of them were good, some awesome.

After all that if the 3K is as good as my 3100 I know I'll be happy with it.

3100 -> Unisaur -> BT3K.

[traylor1974]

My first post here. Ive owned a delta contractor saw, a unisaw and currently use a small Inca 259(love it). At the end of the day no saw has ever increased the quality of work I was able to produce. All saws needed adjustments to meet my standards. My advice would be to buy an inexpensive quality used saw and spend the rest of your budget on wood. Any saw that isn't broken or missing parts will suffice. The saw doesn't have to be big(circular saw much easier to break down fullsized ply,IMHO). The search for the perfect saw is a wild goose chase. It's easy to get caught up in tool lust. When I first started I thought a Unisaw would be the pinnacle of woodworking. I find my small Inca saw, with it's mortising table, to be a better fit for me. I don't miss the uni at all. I think on the used market a bt3000 for cheap would be a fine saw. Ive used a friends bt3000 and I liked it.

[Irvingj76]

Grizzly

Been researching and uncovered the Grizzly Go444 for $450 plus shipping. Appears to be a solid saw with great features at a reasonable price. Any suggestions?

[Mowgli]

I know someone in Connecticut with an excellent condition General (Canadian) 10" cabinet saw for $450.
It just needs a motor.
Let me know if you're interested by PM.

[Irvingj76]

Table saw

I live in upstate NY do CT would be a couple hours drive. Been keeping an eye on CL but nothing coming up. Thanks

[Knottscott]

Been researching and uncovered the Grizzly Go444 for $450 plus shipping. Appears to be a solid saw with great features at a reasonable price. Any suggestions?

It's the same basic contractor design of the Jet, GI, PM, former Bridgewood, Woodtek, and others. The Shop Fox Aluma Classic fence is a good copy of the Biesemeyer Homeshop fence. The G0444 has steel wings, but they'll work and any 27" cast iron wings could be added later if you want. Grizzly also has the Shop Fox W1725 equivalent.

These are good prices on an older style full size contractor saw with a belt drive induction motor hanging out the back. They're capable of handling just about any task you'll ask, and are the type of saw that many wwers have used for years. The motor hanging out the back can cause some dust collection obstacles, takes up a little more space, and can cause alignment issues if the motor hits something while the blade is being tilted. The alignment will be easier to adjust and will hold better if you add a set of "PALS" for $20. Put a good blade on it, and it'll serve you well.

There are some advantages if you can still find a Ridgid R4511 hybrid for $300 on clearance.

[Charlie]

The motor hanging out the back can cause some dust collection obstacles, takes up a little more space.

The obstacle if you want to call it one is geting rid of, or not buying one of those Generic shallow trayed plastic dust port / hoods that are obsolete, and get a better one. That alone solves alot of the dust collection issue. The motor hanging out the back isn't much of an issue either, especially if your useing an outfeed table, and the motor detaches easily for storage. . As far as the Hybrids such as Ridgid, or Craftsman, or Steel City goes, I don't think the manufacturer of those saws are doing too well right now. Steel City's website hasn't been updated since 2008. I'd be a little concerned about finding parts for it someday, even in the near future. Theres not a Hybrid out there now that I would recommend to anyone.