I am researching a new table saw looking in the $1000 range. I saw the Jet SS today and was impressed. Any opinions on the Jet or other saws in that price range? Trying to make a wise decison and would appreciate any advice. Thank you, SawdustJ.
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Replies
Buy a real saw! This one sucks.
TDF
Tom,
Your response is a little lacking in detail. Why, specifically, do you think the Jet Super Saw "sucks"? And what, in your opinion, constitutes a "real saw"?
Formerly just 'Don' but not the 'Glassmaster Don' or the lower-case 'don'.
Edited 2/20/2005 5:24 pm ET by Don From Utah
Is it me, or are there a lot of obnoxious responses lately? This is at least the third time this month I have seen someone respons in such a way to a perfectly fine question.
Good point Matt. I guess I'm a little short on the response. Please excuse me.
I just don't like this saw. The fence is too short and very lite. The saw has no weight and almost seems top heavy, as if when pushed with a good sized piece of plywood it would tip over. The cost is high as compared to a traditional contractors saw, and I don't see any advantage.TDF
Tom.. Good response, it takes a man to admit that he may have made a mistake albiet a rather minor one. Nice to be on forums with mature individuals.
Brian
Grizzly 1023SL. Excellent customer service. Good powerful saw. Excellent fence. Left tilt. Makes the Jet look like a toy.
There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
Several years ago, I got rid of a '50s sears 10" and bought a supersaw. I looked at all the saws on the market and agonized between a grizzley with a slider and the supersaw or dewalt with the slider. In the end, the footprint of a cabinet saw with a slider was too big for a garage and I got the Jet. My experience:
- Very accurately aligned. Still withing .003" mitre slot to blade.
- Slider works great, I can't imagine a saw without a slider at this point. To me, it's more important than a cabinet saw.
- Has plenty of power, at least, with a thin kerf blade. I cut all the wood for a new workbench, 10/4 hard maple, without a problem.
- The fence works fine with me, as opposed to another poster. It's easy, accurate, and relatively stiff. No fence that locks only on one end is totally stiff. I couldn't deflect it anymore than the unifence and the dewalt fence when I was in shops looking and I've used it a lot since.
- The saw is very stable, as opposed to one post below. Then again, I don't cut whole sheets of plywood on the TS; I use a skillsaw and a cutting grid to digest whole sheets. Note, I have a router table cantilevered off one side and it has absolutely no tendency to tip. (Picture attached).
Negatives:
- I had to replace the blade elevation cog belt with the newer part. They underdesigned it at first; the new part fixes the problem and newer saws gotta have the new part. I've put up posts about this before.
- The dust collection is mediocre.
Sliding table: I really wanted one after using a friends sliding table and it did not disappoint. I would suggest that you get a sliding table and consider this to be a must on your TS. Virtually all the european saws have sliders - they're right on this too.
If you have lots of space, make cabinets day in and day out, and have a need for the biggest and bestest saw, cost be darned, get a cabinet saw with a slider. Otherwise, the supersaw and the dewalt are good alternatives. Which is better? That's another thread, and I don't know since I've only used one. I wonder how many of the posters trashing the supersaw have ever owned one?
thanks for the constructive imput. I thought the jet looked and felt like a quality product and the sliding miter is one of the things that impessed me the most. I probable would go with a true cabnet saw; however, I don't have 220 service in my garage and it would be way to much $ to get it there. So i think the jet is a pretty good alternitive. I am still going to consider the Grizzly G1023s110 it has a 2hp motor with 110. Only problem with the Grizzly is I can't see it before I buy it. I live in the detroit metro and am not aware of any stores that have them. I can't seem to find a woodworking show coming to our area either. thanks again for your help!
Grizzley hasn't been at the last few shows, far as I know. If you call them, however, they can probably give you a few names in your area of people who have the 1023.
Keep in mind that the 1023S110 motor draws 24 amps. That's quite a bit.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
....BTW, a sliding miter is available on most TS's....
SawdustJ:I live in Northern Michigan, but spend some time in the Metro area. I took a couple of classes at the Woodcraft on VanDyke and 16 Mile. They may have a supersaw, in the classroom or on the floor, that you can try. I've only been to the Woodcraft in Canton once, and don't recall their setup. The Rockler store on Woodward and 12 Mile probably won't be much help. Nice guys, but a small store.Good luck.
What happened to the pictures?? I would like to see how you installed the router table.Jim
Coventry Woodworking
i like your post.
I haven't used the supersaw but just looking at it.
The fence seems a bit light, but may be just fine.
With the slider you lose the left side miter slot. Although I tend to think I'd really like the slider.
It seems to me that I heard that in a comparison test Sears had the best saw of this type. (I don't remember the article so I could be wrong on this.)
just my $.02
chief
I'll take some flak for this, but give the RIDGID TS3650 at Home Depot a close look. I love mine (despite the fact that I had to get the arbor replaced because of the "stacked dado" issue). Check out some of the related threads on this site.
Saw is all cast iron and got a great review in Fine Woodworking. Plus, it's only about $550. You can spend the rest of your $1000 on blades, etc. Just take care to look at the arbor on the saw before you purchase it -- some had the defective arbor and some didn't. Again, lots of information on that issue on this forum and the RIDGID web site "woodworking" forum.
- Toolfreak
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