Replies

1. 
   GotAll10 | Jul 06, 2007 02:01am | #1

   Don't know about Steel City.  Love my Grizzly TS though.  Good bang for the buck.

   Paul

1. 
   AngeloNY | Jul 06, 2007 04:52am | #6

   Paul,

   I appreciate your information. I will take a look at Grizzly as well.

   Angelo

2. 
   Knotscott | Jul 06, 2007 03:38am | #2

   The user comments for SC have been particular positive from what I've read. The BS review you mentioned was heavily criticized for the nature of the knitpicks, and accuracy of the other comments. There are a couple of proud SC TS owners on Woodnet.net and Sawmillcreek.org.

1. 
   AngeloNY | Jul 06, 2007 04:51am | #5

   Knottscott,

   Thank you for the information and I will check out the websites you cited.

   Thanks again

   Angelo

3. 
   ctsjr | Jul 06, 2007 04:35am | #3

   Angelo

   I am the owner of a Steel City 14" bandsaw. I bought it for two reasons: 1. The saw is very well made. I saw it up close at the woodshow this year, and was impressed by the quality and features of the saw--very well made and a great price for all you get--same features as the Powermatic and $300 less. 2. The company's willingness to please and put out a great product. Sarge, one of the regulars here on Knots, researched 18" bandsaws to death, and bought the Steel City. He spoke to the company founders and pressed them on all the details before he bought the saw. If you can go back and read that thread, you will be impressed by Sarge's work as well as the saw. I am also going to purchase their benchtop mortiser when I scrape the bucks together. I don't know much about their tablesaws, but I imagine that they are well made, well thought out, and I know the company will stand behind them. I would encourage you to call them and ask questions. They'll be happy to talk to you. Don't be surprised if Sarge chimes in on this either. Suffice to say, Steel City is a solidly run company building quality woodworking machinery. Tom

   "Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
1. 
   AngeloNY | Jul 06, 2007 04:48am | #4

   ctsjr82,

   Thanks for the great input. It's exactly the type of information I was hoping to get. I had been thinking about going with SC because I had heard about how well they support their product, but then saw that review and started to have doubts.

   Thanks for giving me a sense that my initial instincts may have been the right ones.

   Angelo

1. 
   ctsjr | Jul 06, 2007 05:01am | #7

   AngeloFrom what I understand, the FWW review by Roland Johnson was less thorough than most reviews, and he criticized things such as the table being out of flat by a significant margin. If that were true, SC would replace it in a heartbeat; second, Johnson took the measurement without the tapered pin in place to tension the top. Not a well done review IMO, and in many others as well--very uncharacteristic of FWW, too. I had a question when I was assembling my SC saw. I called them after hours (isn't it always after hours when you need to ask a question?) and left a voice mail. They called me the next morning before I'd had my second cup of coffee! I've been very impressed with the company, and am confident they will continue to support the products they sell. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"

4. 
   user-189774 | Jul 06, 2007 08:02am | #8

   Angelo,

             Let me start out by telling you that I'm a third generation woodworker, having cut my teeth at a young age using Delta and Oliver equipment in Grampa's shop. The first of this year I purchased Steel City's 18" Bandsaw, Drill Press, and Mortiser and could not be happier. I am currently putting the finishing touches on our deck that is made out of Locus. The SC Drill Press, drill 1/14" holes in the end of 4"X4" posts 2 1/2" deep without any problem and 18" Bandsaw, well I can't begin to describe my joy with that tool. Locus at 4% is about as hard of wood as your going to find and my Bandsaw resawed that stuff beautifully. For all you Grizzy fans out there, my neighbors NEW 17" Bandsaw didn't do even compare in this application (not w/ Locus), believe me that was not an easy thing for him to admit. My 81 year old Grandfather's comment Steel City, "that's a damn fine bandsaw. Again the Mortiser did a great job on the Locus, I wish I could comment on SC customer service but I have not had a need to call. If I was in the market for a table saw I would not hesitate to buy a SC Table Saw. Let us know when you make your final decision. 

   Where is Sarge, he's SC biggest advocate, maybe he's on vaca.

                                                 Jay

    

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 06, 2007 08:57am | #9

   "Where is Sarge, he's SC biggest advocate........"  He must be sequestered in the shop cutting up all that crown molding!  Here's his review of the Steel City 18" bandsaw after he got it home and set up:http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=32538.1

   Here's the comparison with the Jet:http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=31804.1

   Niether of which have anything to do with a tablesaw, granted, but there they are anyway.  I gotta write Sarge and ask him to put better key words into those posts!

    forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

5. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Jul 06, 2007 05:09pm | #10

   Morning Angelo...

   Steel City is a first class business act by first class "tool guys" designing first class tools to meet the needs of first class Wood-workers at a fair price. If more needs to be said, let me know.

   If I hadn't run into a steal on a factory re-conditioned Uni-saw, the Steel City Titanium would be in my shop now. We poured water on the table one morning at the Atlanta WW Show this spring and no rust when I left at 4 PM that afternoon. Go to a SC dealer and un-lock the fence. Push it lightly toward the outside and then run like h*ll to catch it before it exits the rail at the end. Smooooooth! Take a look under the hood and check how the trunnions are anchored to the saw. Like a rock!

   If I hadn't already had a very sufficient DP already, the 17" SC would be in my shop now (and just might be latter regardless) with it's 6" quill travel. Others have done a quill travel that long but end up with slop and play down the road because they over-looked what it takes to make that long of a travel work today and in the future. Steel City tool guys didn't over-look it as it was there all along on industrial model DP's. They added the split head and an adjustment so they don't have to "divvy up" on their 5 Year Warranty latter. But they would for whatever reason.

   After months of research a Steel City 18" BS sits proudly in the center of my shop. IMO... probably the best Pacific Rim BS on the market. Take a look at the double springs under the hood. Look at the motor mount and the size of the pulley mounts and bearings compared to others. Check the re-enforced over-head beam at the bottom of the upper case and then compare the spring mounting to the upper case to others. I won't go into 21" x 21" table and porbably the best dust collection straight from the stock port as on the market.. etc. etc.. Just have a look at it up close and the BS will speak boldly for itself.

   BTW.. the article was BS as the "real deal" was revealed and that's not an abbreviation for band-saw.

   Any questions you might have about the BS... e-mail or ask here and I will tell you what I have found through much pre-search and actual use. I have the Steel City 8" jointer with 5" tall and 48" long fence also. And with all the tools from Steel City I have gone over throughly, "it's all good" as those rapper boys say! ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..

   Regards...

   Sarge.. john thompson

    

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/6/2007 10:15 am ET by SARGEgrinder47

   
1. 
   AngeloNY | Jul 06, 2007 06:49pm | #11

   Sarge,

   Thanks for the terrific input. The messages I have received from you and the others who have been kind enough to respond and give me the benefit of their experience and research have made my decision really easy.  Unless something happens that is going to change my mind, Steel City is the way I will go and I'll let everyone know my feelings when it is sitting comfortably in my shop!

   Thank you all for your help -- and to Fine Woodworking for this great "tool"!

   Angelo A.

1. 
   creekwood | Jul 06, 2007 08:16pm | #12

    

    Angelo, I'll put in a plug for SC, also. I have their 1 and  a half hp dust collector, and their shaper. I'm pleased with both, although the dust collector purchase should've been for a larger hp. (my mistake) It works fine on most of my work, but not powerful enough for my molder/planer to do an adequate job. Both are very well made.

   I'll look at all their other tools if a need arises, as I'm confident in what I've seen so far.

   Jerry

1. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Jul 06, 2007 08:48pm | #13

   Afternoon Jerry...

   Thanks for your in-put on the shaper. I've been over it from top to bottom and extremely well designed, but haven't actually seen it taking on stock. I gather from what you stated that there is no reason to rush out the door with an opportunity to see it preform. The next time I am at Redmond & Son Machinery, I'll ask Greg there if I can take it for a spin. I have no immediate need for a shaper at the moment, but tomorrow seems to always bring new twist beyond today's needs.

   Regards...

   Sarge.. jt

   Edited 7/6/2007 2:00 pm ET by SARGEgrinder47

2. 
   AngeloNY | Jul 06, 2007 10:04pm | #15

   Jerry,

   Wow, I really broke the damn loose with my question. Thank you also for your input as it continues to re-enforce my conviction that SC is the way to go.

   I will also certainly take Sarge's advise to go and take a look at one. There's nothing better than going and kicking the tires yourself.

   Angelo

2. 
   SARGEgrinder47 | Jul 06, 2007 08:59pm | #14

   Afternoon Angelo...

   My pleasure sir.... in this particular case, it's easy to call a spade a spade! You can cover up flaws in pictures and sweep them under a rug with words, but you can't hide them from physical visual contact.

   Again... the best salesman for the Steel City Tools is the actual Steel City Tools themselves sitting in front of your own eyes open for inspection.  Then... then go compare them to the similar priced competition. IMO.. with that done... you'll end up back to where you started your search.

   Regards...

   Sarge.. john thompson