After resigning myself to the fact that I could not get a 220 line into my garage/shop, (don’t ask why – it was already discussed in lenth in another thread some time ago), I opted to purchase the new Delta Hybrid Saw. Here are my thoughts:
Thus far it has performed GREAT!!! I purchased a thin kerf Freud blade with the saw. I’ve ripped through several hundred board feet already and the saw cuts incredibly well. I was concerned that the 1 3/4 HP would be insufficient, but so far it has been able to tackle everything I’ve put through it (plenty of soft wood, hickory, and maple).
It took an exhausting eight hours to assemble (the instruction manual said 2-3 hours), and much of that time was spent with three trips Lowe’s picking up screws, washers, nuts, bolts that were either missing or missized. At one point I thought for sure the Biesmeyer Fence Rails would not attach to my table, but I finally figured everything out.
For anyone looking to upgrade without access to 220 for a larger cabinet saw, I think the hybrid is a great way to go. My brother-in-law purchased the Grizzly Hybrid saw (which I had preferred but was concerned that the 20amp draw would flip the breaker) and he says it is an incredible machine as well. I think these are great alternatives for small shop hobbyists!
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Congrats Jay and thanks for the update. I agree whole heartedly with you about the ability and benefits of a hybrid. I do have 220v available, but the price difference for the least expensive cabinet saw would have been at least $500. A 40T Forrest WWII thin kerf handles most of the cutting really nicely, and I put on a 24T TK flat tooth rip blade for really heavy stuff....the saw has handled everything impressively well so far. It's not as substantially built as a full cabinet saw, and there are few who will argue that, but it is more than adequate for a hobbyist like me, and it has many of the advantages that a cabinet saw offers. To those who dismiss the hybrids as nothing more than a contractor saw with a cabinet, I ask what advantages a contractor saw offers over a hybrid? For those in the market for a contractor saw, I think the hybrids make alot sense. There are enough advantages that I think we may soon see a new era where hobbyists have less of a tendency to upgrade to a cabinet saw.
Dust collection alone was enough for me. I can't believe how much dust my saw puts out, and having an enclosed cabinet is really nice. It makes sense too because most people without access to 220 are also going to have trouble installing a decent DC system, so anything that captures and traps the dust is a plus. You just have to be careful about cleaning it out occassionally.
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