From: luoni@jasper.mlb.semi.harris.com (Perry Luoni)
Subject: Re: Small table saws
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 15:07:06 GMT
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Melbourne FL

In article <1992Nov2.203923.11352@cbfsb.cb.att.com> millios@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (william.l.millios) writes:
>Hello, all.
>
>Christmas nears (sleigh bells ringing, etc.) and Santa has inquired
>what I want.  (grin)
>
>Since Santa (in the personage of my will-be-wife-in-4-weeks) has her
>own agenda, I'm going to ask for a table saw.  I know that whatever
>I get, she's going to say, "Hmm, what can you make with that?"
>and there goes my free time on weekends.  But, that's alright with
>me...
>
>Anyhow.  I'm deliberating between getting a "benchtop" tablesaw,
>like the BT3000, or asking for the contractor's saw from Delta.
>Price isn't really a *big* issue - but for the sake of discussion,
>let's say that the price tags on those two were not winced at.
>
>The 2 big limitations that I am working under are:
>  1) space - the room I have to set up shop in is about 9' by 18'.
>     (small, I know - and don't forget, I have to wedge a bench in
>      there as well.  I'm consulting The_Workbench_Book and The_
>      Workshop_Book for ideas)
>  2) 110 volt, regular plain old vanilla plug in the wall outlet.
>
IMHO :-) (Really not so humble)  I would consider either the DELTA contractors
saw with a Unifence or a Powermatic Artisan with a Vega fence (it comes with
the vega fence).  They will both last a lifetime and will be plenty of saw
for a home hobbyist type woodworker.  I would be concerned about the durability
of the benchtop BT3000 over the long haul.  The only advantage I can see in it
is the sliding table miter gauge.  I think that you would be better off building
a crosscut table that rides in the miter slot.  There are many plans out there.
The one in Woodsmith is quite good.  Later on you could add a true sliding table
if you wanted.  The motors on the Delta and the Powermatic can run on either 110 or
220.  The table saw it probably the most important tool in the woodshop and I 
wouldn't skimp on it.  I bought the Powermatic at TarHeel Filing in Raleigh NC
and am very happy with it.  TarHeel Filing is a mail order place that has
very good prices and I have had excellent service from them.  If you are in 
Raleigh there is a showroom where you can buy things at mail order prices + tax.
I don't work for or profit from TarHeel I just buy things there.
Now if you just plan to hack up a board a couple of times a year I wouldn't spend the
500-700 dollars that any of these saws are going to cost.  I would get a cheap saw 
in the 200-350 range.  It just depends on how serious you are about wood working. 
I probably build 5 to 6 big pieces of furniture (tables, dressers, bookcases, etc) a 
year, so I consider myself serious.  I would do more if I could afford the wood.  
Also while I'm at it I would say that you should buy good wood if you plan to
make nice furniture.  I use mostly cherry and mahogany but maple, oak, and walnut are
also nice woods.  I tend to avoid the soft woods you find in home stores (pine and fur).
It just seems to me that if I am going to spend a lot of time making something I 
shouldn't skimp on the materials.
Later
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking