Bill Satko
Member
- Messages
- 3,220
- Location
- Methow Valley
I have owned my Jet contractor saw (JWTS-10CW2-PFX) since about 1999 (It replaced a Craftsman contractor saw). It is a 10" 1 1/2 HP table saw with cast iron wings and a Xacta fence with a 52" rip capacity. There is an 36" long table that gives you this capacity. It has been a very good saw for me, but if I knew how committed I would become to woodworking I would have spent the money on a true cabinet saw. When I build my new shop I will replace it with a cabinet saw.
My question is, why should I not replace the 52" rip capacity on my current saw by getting a new 30" fence system (or modify what I have down to the 30")?
Why am I contemplating this? Well, I never use the 52" rip capacity and I could use the added room in the shop. I could save 20" x 27" of space. I never had much success ripping whole sheets on my table saw. Unfortunately when I am standing at the far end of the sheet corner (ready to start cutting) I can not see the fence that well . The result is that I get off track right from the start. That straight cut looks like a banana. I early learned to cut the sheets down to size first with a circular saw and life has been much better.
Am I missing a future need here? I am now wondering why I even thought I needed a 52" rip capacity. Did I just buy into thinking bigger was better?
So to sum up, should I get rid of that additional 22" of rip capacity and buy more shop space?
My question is, why should I not replace the 52" rip capacity on my current saw by getting a new 30" fence system (or modify what I have down to the 30")?
Why am I contemplating this? Well, I never use the 52" rip capacity and I could use the added room in the shop. I could save 20" x 27" of space. I never had much success ripping whole sheets on my table saw. Unfortunately when I am standing at the far end of the sheet corner (ready to start cutting) I can not see the fence that well . The result is that I get off track right from the start. That straight cut looks like a banana. I early learned to cut the sheets down to size first with a circular saw and life has been much better.
Am I missing a future need here? I am now wondering why I even thought I needed a 52" rip capacity. Did I just buy into thinking bigger was better?
So to sum up, should I get rid of that additional 22" of rip capacity and buy more shop space?