Ok so i think i am going to get a 10″ delta Hybrid saw with the 30″biesemeuer fence. It seems like a good saw and priced at $1100 its affordable. And with the purchase I get one of the two accessories for free.
Choice 1 Tenoning Jig Model 34-184
Choice 2 the Heavy Duty Precision Miter Gauge 36-946
So what do you think would be more useful?
Replies
Tenoning jig -
Keeps you from trying a lot of dangerous stuff.
I'd get the tendoning jig as the freebie...it would normally cost you between $60-100...
Then go out and buy yourself an accurate miter gauge like an Osborne-3.
Bill
Get the miter gauge. You will use it more often than the tenon jig. I cut double mortise on horizontal router table and use loose tenon. It's much quicker than using a tenon jig and strength is the same.
The miter gauge that correllates to that model number is essentially an Osborne EB-3, and was listed for $215! It has greater monitary value than stated and more function for me than the jig.
http://www.toolking.com/productinfo.aspx?productid=18257&nextag=36-946
Edited 2/7/2007 12:37 pm ET by Knotscott
All saws come with a mitre guage, so the tenon jig is more valuable. And Delta makes a very good one.
Expert since 10 am.
Edited 2/7/2007 9:34 am ET by jackplane
I am on my second Delta Tenoning Jig, the first one was the old style from years ago and the current one is the new style. I liked the old one but the new one seams nicer. If they offer is for the new one I would go that route. If it is for the old one (that I have still seen from time to time) I would take the other option and buy the new one when I needed it.
One thing I did learn over the years is that a good rip fence and a good miter gauge is the best thing you can do for your wood working. They make you safer and the work you do is better. I picked up an Incra gauge years ago and was so happy with it that I picked up another last year when I had to replace the tools of the shop. SO a good gauge can not be underestimated. I guess what I am trying to say is that you will most likely need to buy/get a good gauge and a jig (assuming you plane to do tenons) so decide which one of these you want to buy and get the other with the tool.
I think that the gauge would be of more immediate use but this depends on what you are doing. Maybe you should give us more info on if you are going to buy more tools soon and what you are going to do with this, so we have something to base our ideas on.
Doug Meyer
Doug
Well as far a what I like to do? I would say thats make stuff. I am a commercial photographer by trade and I like to make stuff out of wood for fun. I usually start with big long boards and cut um up into small pieces then glue em back together.
I really have no firm goals with woodworking except build some nice furniture for my house and have fun. SO i rely on the smarts of other people to help me decide what i need to get next. I will list my tools so maybe that will help Crappy Real Crappy Table Saw (thats whey it getting replaced)
Drill Press
14 inch bans saw
Bosh Plunge router
old Craftsman 10 inch miter saw
6 inch Delta Jointer
12 inch dewalt plainerThats pretty much all the major tools I also have all the hand/belt sanders and jig saw's one would need. It seems my biggest issues right now are being able to cut long strait pieces
See this post for example http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=34219.2
Thanks CB
Ok based on what you are saying if it was me and if I could afford say $100 or so I would by the saw and get the Tenoning Jig. I would then (at the same time) buy an after market Miter gauge. Say the one from Incra or one of the others (not sure of the cost of the others) but I have seen the Incra for less then a $100 (the smaller one)
And I would be all set. If I could not afford to pick up a good aftermarket mitergauge at this point then I would get the one they are offering and worry about the jig latter.
I use the standard gauge that came with my delta but I only use it for straight cuts (no changing from 90degrees) and then only if I don't need to be perfect if I need perfect I pull out the incra.
So their you have my suggestion. Go with the Tenoning Jig and buy (right now) a good miter or get the optional miter and buy a tenoning jig when you need/can afford it.
But I have to agree with those that said you really want a better miter gauge then what comes standard with the tool. I can not stress this enough. You may be disapointed in the saw if you have to use the standard unit. A good gauge will make almost as much difference as getting a good saw or getting a good fence. Trust me on this. I started with a bad saw. Got a good saw with a bad fence and gauge and then replaced the fence with a good one and finally got a good miter gauge. So I have a good idea how each of these improves what you can do and thus makes your time wood working more enjoyable. When I had to replace everything last year I got a good saw with a good fence and then bought a good miter gauge the week i started using the saw.
Doug Meyer
Remember this is supposed to be fun.
What about investing in a good blade?
Greg
Good point on this. I was pretty much figuring on just going with the stock one to start with and in a month or so getting a better one. Any recommendations?
WT: Your jointer is the best tool you have for keeping things straight. It is better than a table saw can possibly be. Some outfeed roller supports probably would be handy. Another handy device is a long straight edge. Using it to guide your router is a good way to dress long, straight edges on lumber. You can even joint edges that way.As to your choice of accessories, if you plan to build cabinets, the tenoning jig is a good accessory to have. You still need a way to make mortises which should be made before tenons are cut. My stock miter gauge works fine as long as I don't depend on it to set its angles. There is too much play in the indexing feature. Once set, it holds steady. I added a wooden extension with a t-slot to support longer pieces.I hope your stock blade is better than the one that came with my saw. I found it hard to believe that Delta would furnish something so poor.Cadiddlehopper
Cadiddlehopper
What delta saw did you get? and are you happy wiht it other than the blade that is
I bought a lowly contractor saw which Home Depot couldn't sell over Christmas a few years back, model 34-679, I think. It has a T-square fence which has no fine adjustment, but that works fine for my style of doing things. One personal reason that I don't have a heavier saw is that my shop is on the second floor of my barn. Getting large tools up there is very difficult. Getting my 400-pound jointer up there (in pieces with a hoist) was frightening at times.Cadid
I only brought it up as I am in the process myself of seeking a new blade for a new Bosch 4000 TS. I find that I can work around fences and miter gauges, but a good blade can make more of a difference IMO.
There are many ways to go with blades, as I am learning. What it seems to be boiling down to is MY/YOUR intended use. Most of my TS use AWAY from the shop is ripping. The cross cutting is done on the SCMS. So I currently run a 24th Freud ripping blade in my TS.
I have been interested in the Freud Premier Fusion P410, a relatively new GP blade. It doesn't appear to be available in Canada yet, so I may just opt for a Forrest WWII through Lee Valley.
But given the reality of my jobsite work, I may just stick with a ripping blade something like the Freud LM74R010 glueline rip.
Hows that for a noncommital reply ;-)
Cheers Greg
Factory original miter gauges are Poor, I would get the tenon jig and an aftermarket Jessem miter gauge.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
I vote for the tenoning jig, then make yourself a sliding crosscut and miter box. I can't remember the last time I've used my OEM miter gauge. With a sliding crosscut box, you can safely cut small pieces and large pieces, and accurately cut anything in between.
Of course, you can make a shop-built tenoning jig, too, it's just a little more difficult to get one made with micro adjustments. And you did say you had a choice.
On those odd instances I need different than a 45 or 90 degree cut, I use a miter saw.
If you go with the tenoning jig, be prepared to spend some time dealing with cheap, I mean cheap to the point of being absolutely useless, set screws that are used to snug the miter bar. Also some other bolts on the jig that will strip or round with the slightest amout of pressure. I've had this jig for several years now and still cannot believe how poorly manufactured the hardware on it was. I felt it was a rip-off shortly after opening the box, even though it seemed the better of the three I looked at. In any case, be prepared to drill and possibly re tap some screw holes and make a trip to the harware store. With that said, the jig does work OK now. --dave
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