From: pmeyer@.intel.com (Paul Meyer)
Subject: Table saws: Contractors, Tilting Arbor, or Grizzly?
Summary: which table saw to buy?
Originator: pmeyer@sedona
Organization: Intel Corp., Chandler, Arizona
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:09:11 GMT


	I'm finally going to stop considering and get a table saw!  I
thought I'd air my decision-making process here and see if anybody can
poke holes in it.  This is my first stationary tool (besides a router
table).  I see myself doing furniture making for my house: a desk, book
shelves, coffee table, a chair or two.  I've built a NICE computer table
(just finished it last night) with planes and portable power tools, as
well as building my bench and router table.  I've been wood working for
about 3 months.

	I'm looking to spend between $500 and $1000 now.  I looked at
the following saws:

saw			~price   ~price w/good fence
---			------   -----

Delta Contractors	$600     $800  (30" unifence)

Grizzly (1023?)		$900     $900  (included fence)

Delta Tilting Arbor	$900     $1170 (52" unifence)


	

	The options I considered seriously were buying the contractor's
saw with 30" unifence, buying the Grizzly, and buying the Delta Tilting
Arbor saw with Jet-lock and getting the 52" unifence in 6 months.  At
the prices I've seen so far, I only save about $20 by getting the 52"
unifence at the same time as the saw.  

	
	The big advantage of the Contractor's saw is that it is 120V.  I
won't have to wire 220 to my garage.  And it seems to be a popular saw
around this group.  One purely emotional downside is that it doesn't look
as sturdy as a cabinet saw.

	The Grizzly is 500lbs, 3hp motor, and I've heard good reviews of
it.  The downside is that the review I read talked about the milling he
had done to make it better.  I don't have access to a machine shop and
don't want to deal with it.  The other thing is that it almost seemed
like too much saw.  500lbs is a lot to cart around.  

	Then there was the Delta Tilting Arbor.  2hp, 300lbs.  I haven't
heard any reviews of it, but it's basically the contractors saw with a
cabinet and a more powerful motor.  Again, I'd probably get it with the
JetLock, and get the real fence in six months.  If I will save a
considerable amount of money (>$50-$75) I'll consider buying the 52"
unifence with the saw.

	
	When I buy something, I tend to buy the best I can afford (or
even a little more than I can afford).  The Grizzly seems like the
strongest, most powerful of the bunch, but I'm leery of it.  It's too
big, for one.  And I don't know enough about table saws to feel
comfortable 'fixing' the Grizzly if it is rough around the edges.  And
I'm not equipped for metal work.  

	So the choice is between the Delta's.  The contractor's saw
looks like a good saw, but it isn't as powerful or sturdy as the Tilting
Arbor saw.  So I'm leaning towards the Tilting Arbor saw.  


Here is what I want to hear:

	Is the Contractor's saw (with 30"? 52"? unifence) really all
I'll need for a good long time and I should save the extra money for a
(jointer, bandsaw, etc.)?

	What do I gain (in real terms) by going to the Tilting Arbor
saw.  Is it worth $270 more?

	Is the Grizzly going to let me do better/easier woodworking
than the Contractor's?  Than the Tilting Arbor?  

	If you own any of these tools, or have used them, please let me
know how you feel.  E-mail me, and I promise full summary to the net.

-- 
Paul Meyer
pmeyer@sedona.intel.com