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Cabinet Table Saw Question

Which Cabinet Table Saw should Cynthia upgrade to?

  • She should get a SawStop for $2800 base, there is no 2nd choice.

    Votes: 18 48.6%

  • She should spend around $1500 and get some other things that she needs

    Votes: 10 27.0%

  • She should suck it up and use her contractor's saw

    Votes: 4 10.8%

  • She should ask the question after we have judged photos of 3 finished projects.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • She should give me an all-expense paid trip to visit her and evaluate her woodworking first hand

    Votes: 5 13.5%
  • Total voters
    37
  • Poll closed .
Drew Watson said:
When I am cutting sheet goods I set up some saw horses and lay out all my cuts before I even look at the saw. Then I will do what cuts I can to reduce the size of the materials with a circular saw ( skill saw). That way I am not dancing with huge sheets off the end of the table saw. Just because others do things a certain way doesn't always mean it is the right way or the safest. It comes down to what you feel comfortable with.

QUOTE]


This is something I do as well on the jobsite, and I have a delta contractor with unifence as well for site work. Even in the shop with my large saws I break pieces down doing the easy cuts first.

For example say I am cutting sheet goods for upper cabinets. I need 4- 11 1/4" rips out of a sheet. First I will rip the sheet down the middle as that is an easy cut, get my good edge, and then rip my 11 1/4" strips out of that using the good center cut at the fence. If you try to first cut a narrow strip off of the edge it is more and harder work, and will be less accurate.

Take the time to envision what you need out of your sheet goods and take time to think about the sequence of cuts and it will save you much physical exersion. Even with a large saw and infeed/outfeed tables sheet goods can be hard work if you fight them.

The other Larry
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If it were me, (which it has been a few times), I would by an older Powermatic Model 66.

I say older, because the newer ones are not as good as the older ones. I've got one that I bought in 2004 that has been nothing but problems. It isn't very smooth running, and its noisy. I bought a 1998 last fall, and there is a world of difference, runs quietly and smoothly, and just feels better. Even the arbor nut has smoother threads. Sounds dumb, but its true. I also have a 3hp Delta Unisaw of an unknown vintage that is used solely as a dado saw. The Delta's are much more lightly built than the Powermatics. I wouldn't buy the PM2000, I have not heard anything good in any of the professional circles. I don't remember for certain what I paid for the older of the two powermatics, but I think it was $1400. The Delta was kinda rough, and I got that used for $900

I don't see paying a premium for a saw with a brake, as its something you don't need. The most important factor of a tablesaw's operation is the dope who's running it. People can say that their attitude doesn't change, but they are liars and just making justifications for their purchase. The technology fails both of the rules of safety where you either make it so scary that nobody will touch it, or you make it impossible to hurt yourself. Any system can fail, the Sawstop is no exception.

To me only three things should be on the deck of a saw: What you are cutting, what you're cutting with, and the fence. You will never hurt yourself if you never put yourself into a position to do so. The biggest downside for hobbyist's is they aren't doing this every single day. So the progression of good habits, and comfort level for you abilities eithers take a really long time to develop and maintain, or you don't do it enough to even develop those good habits and comfort levels.
 
Alan Bienlein said:
Well Cynthia what conclusion have you come to on this subject? :wave:
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My conclusion is that I haven't reached a conclusion. :D. Seriously, my conclusion is that after I finish my bookcases and do some more projects, I will reevaluate. If I'm going to commit to doing kitchen cabinets, then I want a bigger table saw. There are so many other tools that I'm missing....I have a hard time wrapping my head around spending that much for a SawStop. I'm really struggling with it. I'll probably discuss it at length with LOML and see what he says.......I haven't made up my mind yet. I don't want to build a bunch of tables around the saw I have.....I'll make do with support stands for now. I really have a good saw so I'd like to squeeze everything out of it before graduating to a bigger one. I bought a new "Fusion" Freud blade yesterday :eek: and I can't wait to see how it performs. It better perform pretty well for the $$$ it cost. :rolleyes:
 
Cynthia White said:
My conclusion is that I haven't reached a conclusion. :D. Seriously, my conclusion is that after I finish my bookcases and do some more projects, I will reevaluate. If I'm going to commit to doing kitchen cabinets, then I want a bigger table saw. There are so many other tools that I'm missing....

I really have a good saw so I'd like to squeeze everything out of it before graduating to a bigger one.
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Sounds to me that you are taking a good approach. Find out where your woodworking interests take you before committing to major tool purchases.:thumb:
 
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