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+-- Thread: What kind of table saw do you have (/showthread.php?tid=7378624)
What kind of table saw do you have - tablesawtom - 06-07-2025
Just curious, What kind of table saw do you have. Just taking a general survey. Brands are not necessary but fully optional, I include Shopsmith, although it is a horse of a different color, it still is a functioning table saw.
The options are: 1. Portable or bench top, 2.Contractor, 3, Hybrid, 4, Cabinet saw, 5. Also included is the Shopsmith, and 6. Is anything I missed.
I think forum members would also like to know the reasons for why you have what you have. Some options would be 1. What the family can afford at the present time, 2. Space considerations or movable because of sharing space. 3. Lets get personal here, type of work you do. Have a friend who builds toys, no desire for cabinate saw. And last but not least, anything you would like to share as to why you have what you have.
And lastly what would you like to have, IF, money and space were not a problem.
Tom
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - tablesawtom - 06-07-2025
I will start it. Started woodworking in 1973. There was no microwaves, cable TV , no cell phones, just dial up but we did have 8 track tapes. 3 tv stations and they went off the air at midnight. The only woodworking magazine was Workbench. I will include Popular Science. The only store that I knew of, to get any woodworking machinery, was Sears. Compared to today it was like living in the stone age
My first saw was a Sears RAS. In late 75 I saw a Shopsmith demonstration and I wanted one and I got one, in 84 got hurt and was off work 3 years, had to sell Shopsmith. In 86 got a, made in 1953. Sears table saw with no rip fence. Was able to get a Biesmeyer 52 inch home shop rip fence. Even to today I love the fence. A couple of years later I upgraded to a delta contractor and in 1992 got a General 350 cabinate saw.
Later I thought Saw Stop was just a gimmick saw, but after two professional woodworker friends had table saw accidents I reconsidered, and with one of the government stimulus checks, wife got one also I was able to sell the General saw and buy the saw Stop 3 HP saw.
I love the left tilt, and every other things about it. It is very well built and at 79 will probably be the last saw I buy.
Tom
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - Bob Vaughan - 06-07-2025
My journey started with my Dad’s 1948 10ER Shop Smith. That convinced me that I needed a stand alone table saw. Got a Sears 10” from a neighbor and used that until I got a Rockwell contractor’s saw in the late 1970s. Eventually I came across a restored Rockwell Unisaw in about 1980. Used that for several decades until I upgraded to a Powermatic 66 in 1991. Still use it to this day.
In the 1970s and 1980s I did a lot of side woodworking so I put a table saw on my back porch. There I had a Darra James 95 12” saw and later a Powermatic 68 12” saw with extensions for plywood.
Over the last decade I’ve worked on a few SawStop saws for others. Not a fan.
Pictures below (we all love pictures).
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sears 10" saw (1973 photo)
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Shop smith against the wall
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Unisaw with King feeder (1981)
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Current saw, Powermatic 66
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Darra James with some speaker cabinets I used to make (1981)
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - tomsteve - 06-07-2025
20 year old delta 36-441 contractor saw. its been a workhorse and remains accurate.
i have it because I was in the market for a TS and the tool house in gladwin,mi had it on clearance for $400.
ive used it to build bed frames, computer desks, coffee tables, a mantle, a blanket chest, and hundred of other projects over the years.
ive had no desire or need to upgrade but if I did I would get an older unisaw.
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - fredhargis - 06-07-2025
I had a Delta contractor saw (36-444) for many years, and became hooked on the Unifence it had. I have since moved to a cabinet saw, but honestly they don't do much that the contractor saw would do.
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - tablesawtom - 06-07-2025
The Delta contractor saw has a reputation for going out of alignment. That problem can be fixed by replacing the trunnion bolts one at a time with hardened bolts. Grade 3 bolts or 8 from the hardware store will resolve the problem. It is a great saw and I have one as a second saw.
Tom
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - stav - 06-07-2025
I've always had a limit on the saw I could have. It needed to fit through a 36" door with all the bits attached and it had to be mobile. I keep all of my tools in a utility room and use them in the carport. As a result, a traditional contractor saw with a motor hanging out would not work. My first saw was a small tilty top. I think it was a delta. It was a decent saw but beveled cuts were not ideal. Then I got a direct drive Craftsman contractor that worked pretty good but it was hard to align because the cabinet was tight. Since there was no motor hanging out, they made less holes in the case and since the motor was inside the cabinet, it was nearly impossible to get hands in there too for alignment. Then I found a Unisaw for a really good deal and that is what I still have. It fits through the door no problem and is easy to align.
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - museumguy - 06-07-2025
I have a Ridgid 3660 contractor sw. I bought it on clearance, registered it for Lifetime Service Agreement. Thing has done everything I have asked of it.
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - BrentDH - 06-07-2025
Started with a crappy old shopsmith with the smallest table you could imagine, but the price was right for a young adult just starting out. Didn’t take long for the frustration to set in and I bought a Delta 34-445 contractors saw in the early 90’s. (To the guy who said he had a 34-444 with a unifence I think you have the model number off. Pretty sure 34-444 had the standard fence and 34-445 had unifence.) I bought that saw at 7 Corners Ace Hardware which was a pretty famous store at one time. I used that saw until just a couple years ago when the kids were out of the house and finances were a little less tight and I bought a 3 HP Sawstop PCS. I really like the Sawstop. Quite and upgrade from a 1.5 HP cabinet saw. I now have both facing back-to-back using each other as their outfeed tables.
RE: What kind of table saw do you have - Mike 55 - 06-07-2025
Well, I started woodworking in 1981. The company I worked for had a contest and I earned about 1K in Sears gift cards. I bought a Sears contractor saw and a 6" jointer. I made small projects and started making more difficult projects thanks to Norm. My first was a sofa table to match the end tables be bought. It was an excellent match.
When we moved to a bigger home I sold all my Sears stuff and bought a 3HP Delta cabinet saw and a Delta 8" jointer and a RBI 20" planer. I was now getting into making all kinds of stuff for friends and family.
In 2003 I built our dream home and had a huge shop. I sold the RBI planer I bought a Powermatic 209HH planer. That along with a Delta shaper, wide belt sander, and a host of other tools I was set.
In 2019 I retired and we downsized and moved south of of the cold. I sold most of my equipment and now have a garage workshop. I bought a Grizzly 0771Z tablesaw.
Well, I turned 70 this week and 5 months ago I had my second back surgery. A month before the surgery I sold the Grizzly and bought a 1.75HP PCS Sawstop. Since I'm getting older and my body is not what it use to be I wanted the extra safety that comes with a SawStop. I will say it is miles ahead of my Grizzly. I'm really impressed with the machine.
So, with many years of help from this site I have been able to make some impressive projects.
Thank you all.
Mike
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