Best table saw for around $1500?

[Vinko]

I'm starting the search for a new table saw. I figure a good one that's accurate and new and for light commercial use is going to run a lot more than $1500 but that's the budget we've been given. I like my old Crafty 1 HP (Emerson) with cast-iron base. I also like the old Craft with direct-drive motor, also with cast-iron base.

Who's making a good one in the US or Europe right now? Delta? Last time I looked, those were pretty spendy.

These Festool panel saws look pretty damn nice:

http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tools/track-saws/

 

[Danglerb]

I would look for a top quality used table saw. Commercial quality and all the accessories at the price of new junk.

 

[mattyrattypoo]

Festool all the way!

 

[mstewart]

I would look for a top quality used table saw. Commercial quality and all the accessories at the price of new junk.

+1 on a used saw w/ all the trim. A Delta Unisaw or Powermatic model 66.


I would look at Grizzly if you wanted new:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-3HP-220V-Cabinet-Table-Saw-with-Long-Rails-Riving-Knife/G0691

http://www.grizzly.com/products/mach-specs/530000|530002|530020

a better place to post on tablesaws:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forum.php?

 

[zkling]

Depends what you plan to do with it.

Hard to beat an older Powermatic 66 or the like. Maybe even step it up to a Delta 12/14" if you needed the capacity. Would definitely be under your $1500 budget.

The festool systems are sweet, but not sure if I would want one to replace a standard table saw.

 

[Jcc76]

Vinko,

There's someone on Craigslist in LA right now who is selling a Ridgid 3612 Table Saw, brand new in box for $350.00. I was looking for a table saw several months ago, and I would have jumped on this if I hadn't found one.

As you may be aware, the 3612 was discontinued by Ridgid in 2003, but it was the last one with a U.S.-made Emerson motor. The rest of the saw was most likely made in Taiwan (the outer box says "Built in USA" as opposed to "Made in USA") but it's a damn good saw. It's the legacy of the Emerson Craftsman saws, which Sears discontinued in 1998 when it had Ryobi start making its table saws.

As for myself, I found a new-in-the-box Craftsman saw from 1995 which I purchased. It was far better than anything I could find for the same price now...and it's made in this country, not China.

 

[kazlx]

I see nice Olivers and Powermatics on CL. I would probably buy one of those before something new.

Little more, but looks sweet. That being said, I don't know all that much about wood saws. Automatic feeder is cool.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/tls/3763018406.html

 

[rsanter]

Powermatic66 all the way
Or look for a really nice unisaw

For new look for a steel city table saw. They are really nice for an import

Bob

 

[A_Pmech]

Northfield #4 or Oliver 270 with a sliding table. 2,750 lbs of smooth running American woodworking machinery. They make a Unisaw seem cheap and the Grizzly stuff seem like child's toys.

They're $38,000 new, but less than $1,500 on the used market.



Edit:

I was at Northfield Machinery Builders recently with mjozefow. Here's a photo of a Northfield #4 in the pattern shop:

And here's a #4 sliding table on the planer:

 

[kb2tha]

The Festool is a nice set up but is designed for cutting sheet goods. Would not work well as a table saw replacement. You could easily find a very nice Unisaw for your stated price or even less. I wouldn't hesitate on a used Powermatic 66 either.

I own and regularly use two Unisaws and the Festool system. They both fill their intended purposes very well.

 

[Tarnished]

Vinko: What are your plans for the saw? What type of work will you be doing, or want to do? $1.5K is a good budget for a good used cabinet saw from the 50's and they didn't get any better later, but it isn't something you can throw in the back of the Honda and take to a job site. Little more info would be helpful. Tell us your thoughts. Light commercial use equal's ????

 

[theknurl]

Northfield #4 or Oliver 270 with a sliding table. 2,750 lbs of smooth running American woodworking machinery. They make a Unisaw seem cheap and the Grizzly stuff seem like child's toys.

They're $38,000 new, but less than $1,500 on the used market.



+1000

Vinko;

listen to the man....i've had the privilege of using the big industrial stuff......you won't be sorry
i was ripping 4" teak and 3" rosewood

 

[metal1313]

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/tls/3763183809.html

good saws are out there in that budget

 

[woody 73]

Darn A PMech it just kills me looking at all those great big woodworking machines!

I have the Powermatic 66 and it is indeed a great saw; I have a guy in my home town that can build you any dream Powermatic you could want but 1500.00 is chump change. You would go ape **** over the color combinations and the different tops, just wild.

 

[Vinko]

Thanks guys. This will be for projects around a shop and warehouse. Mostly cutting sheet goods. Maybe some nicer stuff. It's mainly for use by my father (I'm fine with my older Craftsman and don't think we need anything else) but he says he wants something for more "precise" work that only he and I can use (and he'll probably want to "lock it out" from general shop use). The saw won't be moved. It'll be stationary. I've been doing some research and the prices are up there new, that's for sure. I appreciate all the replies. I knew about Uni and Delta. Making sure the used stuff is actually in good shape can be time-consuming but I'm willing to get into it. I've got a few other things that were suggested to me. I'll post those up as well. I figured $1500 new is absurdly low considering what some of this stuff goes for. And rightly so for quality equipment. I may well have to adjust that figure. I think I'm more likely to find a nice W&S turret lathe for that price than I am a good saw. There's a hell of a lot of good metal working machines for sale (sadly I suppose), and I assumed there might be for the wood working market too.

 

[Vinko]

Vinko,

There's someone on Craigslist in LA right now who is selling a Ridgid 3612 Table Saw, brand new in box for $350.00. I was looking for a table saw several months ago, and I would have jumped on this if I hadn't found one.

As you may be aware, the 3612 was discontinued by Ridgid in 2003, but it was the last one with a U.S.-made Emerson motor. The rest of the saw was most likely made in Taiwan (the outer box says "Built in USA" as opposed to "Made in USA") but it's a damn good saw. It's the legacy of the Emerson Craftsman saws, which Sears discontinued in 1998 when it had Ryobi start making its table saws.

As for myself, I found a new-in-the-box Craftsman saw from 1995 which I purchased. It was far better than anything I could find for the same price now...and it's made in this country, not China.

Thanks for the heads up on the Ridgid. I'm always on the look out for older Ridgid stuff like drills (German) and the like.

Less impressed with my new mitre saw from Ridgid (10") though it gets the job done, which is mainly cutting 2 x 4 and 1 x 6. -- the laser is worthless of course. But I designed a nice movable table for it, which I should post up.

 

[BobKovacs]

The Festool track saws are great if you're looking to use the tablesaw for breaking down sheet goods- feeding 4x8 sheets of anything through a tablesaw is a PITA, unless you've got huge infeed/outfeed tables, and 10' in front of and behind the saw for the panel to run through.

Where they're not ideal is for ripping thin material. Yes, they sell accessories that are supposed to allow you do to that (I had them), but it's much easier to run 1x material through a fixed tablesaw than to keep repositioning the track on thin stock using the track saw.

IMO, the best scenario is a Festool setup for the sheet goods, and a smaller tablesaw (Dewalt and Bosch both make great units in the sub-$400 range) for the 1x stock.

 

[mf44]

The Festool track saws are great if you're looking to use the tablesaw for breaking down sheet goods- feeding 4x8 sheets of anything through a tablesaw is a PITA, unless you've got huge infeed/outfeed tables, and 10' in front of and behind the saw for the panel to run through.

Where they're not ideal is for ripping thin material. Yes, they sell accessories that are supposed to allow you do to that (I had them), but it's much easier to run 1x material through a fixed tablesaw than to keep repositioning the track on thin stock using the track saw.

IMO, the best scenario is a Festool setup for the sheet goods, and a smaller tablesaw (Dewalt and Bosch both make great units in the sub-$400 range) for the 1x stock.

This is my setup right now. Festool track saw w/ a few varying track lengths, and a small table saw for the small cuts. If you have a bandsaw, you almost don't even need the table saw. But I like this combo, because it also takes up less space! (the Festool track saw packs away, and the small table saw tucks under my bench)

Otherwise, the Sawstops are supposed to be pretty nice, too. I think at your price point youre looking at the lowest model, but still supposed to be a good saw.

 

[mf44]

One other thing I would add is that though the mechanics haven't changed a lot over time, some of the safety features have. At least try to get a saw that has, or can take, a riving knife.

 

[BobKovacs]

This is my setup right now. Festool track saw w/ a few varying track lengths, and a small table saw for the small cuts. If you have a bandsaw, you almost don't even need the table saw. But I like this combo, because it also takes up less space! (the Festool track saw packs away, and the small table saw tucks under my bench)

Same setup I use. I had a Dewalt DW745 tablesaw paired with the track saw, but I sold it last year. Need to buy another saw, so it'll either be another 745, or the new Bosch saw. I had the Festool parallel guides, but they were a PITA to setup and use even for wide cuts, and even worse for thin rips, so I sold them. I wish the tablesaw had better dust collection like the Festool stuff does, but I guess you can't have everything, right?