OT: Table Saws

[SuiteSuccess]

After 25 years my Craftsman 10” table saw is giving up the ghost.  Gonna try to refurbish if I can BUT... if you were going to get a new saw what would you get?  Budget is $1000 or less (I’m not a professional woodworker).  Don’t want portable.  I’m looking at Ridgid, Dewalt, Delta, Craftsman and even found some factory refurbished Grizzly that would fit the budget.  

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

If it's a cast iron top that is flat and the fence stays true,  I'd find an electric motor shop and get a motor for it.  

[SuiteSuccess]

1 hour ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

If it's a cast iron top that is flat and the fence stays true,  I'd find an electric motor shop and get a motor for it.  

Oh yeah.  It was built when Craftsman still built really good power tools. Gonna look to refurbish since Craftsman still has parts availabile but dreaming if I can’t make it work.  BTW a factory refurb Grizzly sounds nice 👍.

[Ronbo]

Check your brushes before you give upon it. Also check your belt.

[jkoenig24]

Is there a craigslist (or Let Go or Facebook Marketplace) for your area? If so, old tools are often listed for sale. When I sold my house, my realtor listed a bunch of Craftsman (and other stuff) for me and, almost all of it sold.

 

I like the suggestion re: new motor or, new brushes for you old motor.

[adept99]

If you can't (or don't want to) repair your current saw, I'd be heavily in favor of a refurb Delta or Grizzly . I have a Delta Uni-Saw and for the prices I've seen lately, I think you could do pretty well in that market. (<$1K)

[alan0043]

11 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

If it's a cast iron top that is flat and the fence stays true,  I'd find an electric motor shop and get a motor for it.  

Hi Jim,

I agree with you on the motor. My Craftsman is from the early 50's. I replaced the motor 20 years ago and the saw is still working great. I think Carl is looking a  present from Santa. 

Carl,  If you do replace the motor be careful on the rotation. I don't know how they figure that out. Do you look at the front of the motor or do you look at the rear to see rotation. I was told my a commercial wood worker that horse power is your friend. The more the better. I have a 2 hp. motor on my saw.

Good luck,
Al

[SuiteSuccess]

Thanks guys.

[Radar274]

1 hour ago, alan0043 said:

Hi Jim,

I agree with you on the motor. My Craftsman is from the early 50's. I replaced the motor 20 years ago and the saw is still working great. I think Carl is looking a  present from Santa. 

Carl,  If you do replace the motor be careful on the rotation. I don't know how they figure that out. Do you look at the front of the motor or do you look at the rear to see rotation. I was told my a commercial wood worker that horse power is your friend. The more the better. I have a 2 hp. motor on my saw.

Good luck,
Al

X2  My Craftsman is from the 70's.  The motor failed a few years ago and I replaced it with a 2hp motor as well and couldn't believe the difference the extra hp made.

Good Luck

Bob

[Shawn Patterson]

I had an old Craftsman that I retired and went to a Rigid and I have used a number of Delta machines over the years as well...  I would go with a Grizzly G0771Z or G0833P if I had it do all over again, especially if you have a dust collection system.  The cabinet saw design is so much better at keeping things tidy and Grizzly is very well regarded and gives you a lot of bang for the buck. 

Another thing would be to wire it for 220v if you can.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-10-Hybrid-Table-Saw-with-T-Shaped-Fence/G0771Z

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-10-Hybrid-Table-Saw-with-Riving-Knife-Polar-Bear-Series/G0833P

[RandyA]

Is it the motor or the bearings in the blade spindle?  Either way, check WW Granger.  There is a store in Knoxville and also online.  They can match the motor perfectly, even mounts.  My 40-year-old cast iron table Craftsman was rebuilt (by me) with Granger parts for about 1/2 the cost of Sears parts "maybe" 15 years ago.  New motor, steel pulleys, belt, saw spindle bearings.  Runs better than new.  Unfortunately, they don't sell new fingers and thumbs.

[SuiteSuccess]

Again, thanks guys.  Such a great forum.

[alan0043]

42 minutes ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Again, thanks guys.  Such a great forum.

Remember Tim the tool man. More horse power the better. arr, arr, arr !!!

[Danandfreda]

I have a newer craftsman with a cast iron table fence is terrible and the dust collection isn’t the best. It’s not sealed up good. Saw works great but I would buy grizzly if I had to do again

[Vegas Teacher]

I have a Ridgid Table Saw - Contractors Table saw it is on portable stand that has wheels and collapeses it does everything I want it to and more. Lifetime warenty. I have nothing bad to day about it. I have had it for over 10 years and put it though a lot of tough times, never gave me a problem.

Later,

Cory O

[ARGO]

When I buy tools, I check the pawn shops first. I can usually good OLD tools like they used to be made for less than new, and because they were built to last they will.  If you can find a saw like you want, it would probably go cheap. Check gov't & state surplus sales too.

[Vegas Teacher]

Matter a fact my whole shop is orange, never a single problem with any Ridgid tool corded or not. I am only looking to buy Milwakee because Ridgid does not make a half inch impact that has the same torque, if they did I would buy Ridgid. 

Later,

Cory O

[jeanhoyle]

I know it is expensive but, have you looked at the Saw Stop. My Hubby would not purchase anything else. The contractor grade is portable within that price range.

[SuiteSuccess]

43 minutes ago, jeanhoyle said:

I know it is expensive but, have you looked at the Saw Stop. My Hubby would not purchase anything else. The contractor grade is portable within that price range.

Have looked at them.  I’m not a pro woodworker, just a “ piddler” as my dad used to say.  The Grizzly remains looking good.  I’m reworking my Craftsman now.  Found one issue I’ll detail later.

[rpsinc]

1 hour ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Have looked at them.  I’m not a pro woodworker, just a “ piddler” as my dad used to say.  The Grizzly remains looking good.  I’m reworking my Craftsman now.  Found one issue I’ll detail later.

The Saw Stop is a great innovation esp for a PT wood worker.  Its so easy to get your hands and fingers in places that you shouldnt esp when doing work that you dont do often.  A friend that is in his 70s, has been a contractor most of his adult life and bought that saw specifically because of his getting older and reflexes not as good as once were.  Thought he would like to keep the same number of fingers he has had all his life.  I cant argue with that logic.

[SuiteSuccess]

1 hour ago, rpsinc said:

The Saw Stop is a great innovation esp for a PT wood worker.  Its so easy to get your hands and fingers in places that you shouldnt esp when doing work that you dont do often.  A friend that is in his 70s, has been a contractor most of his adult life and bought that saw specifically because of his getting older and reflexes not as good as once were.  Thought he would like to keep the same number of fingers he has had all his life.  I cant argue with that logic.

I’m not disagreeing.  Remarkable technology.  

[jeanhoyle]

18 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Have looked at them.  I’m not a pro woodworker, just a “ piddler” as my dad used to say.  The Grizzly remains looking good.  I’m reworking my Craftsman now.  Found one issue I’ll detail later.

My Husband has watched their videos and just drools.  With a used one make sure it has a workable mechanism. The newer ones are replaceable.

 

[SuiteSuccess]

Ok, update.  Disassembled saw and found arbor pulley and motor pulley for v belt had loosened set screw and were about half way off their respective shafts.  Plastic shroud over belt busted and rubbing against belt.  That along with my pulleys was the chatter.  All fixed and belt realigned.  Then took Naptha, WD 40 and 150 to 400 grit sand paper and used vibrating sander to “de-rust” top then good coat of Johnson’s paste wax.  Also re-paralleled fence and re-centered kerf splitter.  Guess what? Works like a dream now.  No more motor bind.  Moral:  Little preventive maintenance more often than every 10 years goes a long way.  Still have the Saw Stop on my Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, ....... list.

[Pete Kildow]

On 12/9/2018 at 7:06 PM, SuiteSuccess said:

After 25 years my Craftsman 10” table saw is giving up the ghost.  Gonna try to refurbish if I can BUT... if you were going to get a new saw what would you get?  Budget is $1000 or less (I’m not a professional woodworker).  Don’t want portable.  I’m looking at Ridgid, Dewalt, Delta, Craftsman and even found some factory refurbished Grizzly that would fit the budget.  

Check this Powermatic out. Should be a buy at the price.

https://northmiss.craigslist.org/tls/d/powermatic-tablesaw/6748520248.html

[MsChrissi]

We've done all the cabinet making on a folding portable, no room for a nice heavy iron one (no substitute for cast iron)

That said, if you can find yourself near one of Grizzly's showrooms they are always hot to make a real deal on stuff in their scratch and dent showrooms, we found a HD metal shear and large HEPA air filter, neither were damaged in any way and paid much less than 50% the catalog and way less than the tag in the scratch and dent dept. Well worth the trip, give them a call and ask what's in the S&D showroom. They have an online S&D page but never reflects what they actually have. They can't ship the stuff so they hold it for an annual sale.