I have been searching for current reviews on woodworking machinery this week. I was hoping to find fresh reviews on table saws, band saws, drill presses, and planers. I guess covid shut down the new machinery R&D, so not much has come along in new equipment to review. As a former furniture refinisher & restorer, I am somewhat shocked to see how much things have increased in price since I closed down my business 3 years ago.
My focus now is on comparing the Grizzly Go771Z10″Hybrid Table Saw to the Grizzly G1023RLW Cabinet saw ( I just picked one, the model doesn’t matter). Currently I am using a Ryobi BT3100 table saw for which I paid $60 for a year ago. I want to upgrade.
My question concerns the Hybrid saw. Grizzly’s catalog states that the trunnion is mounted on the cabinet, not the table. Most of the reviews, which are somewhat old say different. Does anyone here on the forum know which is correct? I called Grizzly’s tech service, and the woman told me the trunnion mounted to the table. I don’t have a high degree of confidence in her answer.
I really prefer to buy the cabinet saw, but that is a considerable increase in cost. I’ve been looking on Facebook Marketplace for a used saw. My criteria is left tilt and the seller has a least make an effort to sweep the dust and cobwebs off of it. And it needs to be in comfortable driving distance of 72601 (N. AR)
Thanks
Replies
Did you download the manual for the Grizzly saw? That should make it clear how the trunnion is mounted.
The adjustment to align the miter slot to blade says to loosen the table to cabinet mounting bolts and lightly tap the table top in the direction required to correct any error. This indicates to me the trunnions are mounted to the cabinet, not the top. Would this be your assessment? No picture shows clearly where the trunnions mount. The parts schematic is unclear as well.
Yes, from that I would say the trunnion is mounted to the cabinet.
Yes, if you are tapping the table to move the miter slots as they relate to the blade then the trunnions / blade assembly are not mounted to the table.
If you have the space, buy the cabinet saw. You will not regret it. Over the time you will use it, the difference in cost is minuscule.
Choice of table saw format also depends very much on what you intend to build. You don't want a contractor saw to do sheets of plywood, but a small saw could handle boxes and small tables and the like.
I Have the grizzly 2hp hybrid saw. DO NOT BUY IT!!!!!
I was ripping 8/4 black walnut and burned up the motor.
I have had to make modifications to be able to keep adjustments where I put them to tune up the saw. Adjustments are sloppy and loose.
I am about to buy a Harvey 4hp table saw. I have had a North State 3 hp saw in the past. Great saw.
But I will never buy a 2 hp saw again.
The money difference is not worth it.
What blade were you using when you were ripping the 8/4 walnut and burned up the motor?
It was a dedicated ripping blade from CMT. A very good blade, and very sharp.
I rip 8/4 hardwood all the time on my SawStop 1.75hp PCS. Never have a problem. Using a square-toothed heavy duty rip blade helps, but not vital. I suppose hp isn't the only measure of a motor's usable power and maybe the Grizzly and the SS are different in some other relevant metric.
Thanks to all for the help. Today I was in a retail machinery dealer's showroom. He is a Dealer for the Saw Stop. My wife is convinced the Saw Stop is the way to go. They had the 1-3/4 HP cabinet saw on display for around $3100. The wife brought up the fact I am elderly (61), and that any injury obtained from the blade on a saw not named Saw Stop would be many times the difference. She is an RN. Then I added why not spend another grand and get the 3HP. She said I better darn well build her some furniture if I bought one. Maybe I should stick to the bandsaw and take up the wood burn-in hobby. I think rob is correct. Get the bigger saw.
Sawstop 3hp. I love mine. I wouldn’t want a lesser-powered saw.
Go for it. I bought a 4HP Hammer K3 and could not be happier, but do occasionally wonder if I should have saved the cash and gone for the Sawstop. That was my top choice before I fell in love with the slider.
As for the 'Honey Do...' I get a LOT of those - was just in the planning process for one when I got given another. Spent all weekend making a horse measuring stick of all things...
Buy the sawstop 3hp, you'll be happy with it. It's a little disconserting that I will be elderly in 2 years.
Lolol. I am 70, still building furniture… built several walnut countertops this past summer.
Y’all have plenty left in the tank.
I’m 70 too, still going fine, although a bit slower. Still cutting down trees, 6 cords of wood a year and 6-8 white oaks and hickory for sawing in our family’s mill. A little white pine too.
👍👍
Well she really didn't say I was elderly, but I could see it in her eyes...
This has turned into a really helpful thread for me. Thanks.
Listen to your wife. Do not even doubt her wisdom in getting such a nice saw. This is time you should defer to her superior medical wisdom. All of my remaining 7 fingers agree with her.
Now that there is a strong argument! I bet I'm not the only one that held out a hand and folded down 3 fingers to just look at it.
I agree with the suggestion to buy the Saw Stop. The majority of my machines are those I restored myself with some dating to the mid 50's. There is no way my wife was going to be happy if I bought an older table saw after learning about the Saw Stop. She insisted I buy it, and though expensive it is a high quality machine doing everything a serious woodworker would want.
I have the grizzly 2HP hybid saw, the trunions ARE mounted to the cabinet and I've have no problems with accuracy and holding settings. There was indeed an issue with the 2HP motor and it had to be replaced (warranty) but the second motor has worked without an issue. I had a friend by their (G) disc sander with the 2HP motor and that one had to be replaced as well, hmmmm. Other than that I'm happy with the hybrid version, it was a bit lighter than the regular cabinet saw and had to be moved down the basement stairs to install so weight was an issue for me.
My problems have been with the throat plate. The screws were so loose I had to resort to thread tape to hold its adjustment.
I have to readjust the parallelism of the fence to the blade about every other job…so I check it frequently. I cannot keep the mitre fence square to the blade either. I resorted to buying an aftermarket mitre fence.
I have also had to replace the measuring tape for the fence rail. Oddly out by a 1/16” on the short side below 18”, out by a bit more than. 1/16” on the long side beyond 18”.
Not happy with grizzly products.
Any table saw with a riving knife will go a long way to protecting you, however if it is in the budget, a saw stop cabinet saw will certainly keep your wife happy and give you a great saw. I've used sliders, powermatic, delta, and sawstop. While I prefer sliders, the room required is significant. It is also centered on sheet goods. Sawstop's pcs/ics are great saws, we use them at the community college here. They've built cabinetry around them to offer greater outfeed support which the sliders excel at.
I was discussing this thread with my wife last night. I told her I have been using a table saw since I was 16 in my Dad's furniture factory, with out a table saw injury. Back in the late 70' through early 80's guards were no-where to be found.
I did show her the scar from the bandsaw on my thumb, and the scar on the back of my hand caused by the over arm router bit. Now that would have be a life changing injury if the router bit had pierced the skin into the bones. I was fortunate that I did not continue pressing down on the foot control that raised the table into the bit. I think that router had a 10 HP motor. It was a beast.
Both injuries caused by not being focused and I was probably tired. These injuries happened prior to me turning 18.
At 61 I know I do not have the same reflexes, eye-site, and physical stamina. If I get any saw, it will be a version of the Saw Stop. But in the mean time I will get by with the Ryobi and my just purchased Delta 14" American made bandsaw.
One last question on the Saw Stop, has the computer ever failed on one and what is the options to replace it?
Thanks