Replies

1. 
   DJK | Mar 31, 2003 05:24pm | #1

   This is the same general review he did a few years back. Off hand I don't recall which magazine, I could fine it. He did the previous review after he purchased a Felder slider. If you read the other review it's almost word for word, just the saw models have changed. True that dust pickup, riving knife and scoring blade on the Euro's are nice. Look what Powermatic is doing since WMH purchased them. Selling Euro and Asian products with the PM name. Products like sliders, banders, vertical saws, chop saws, gang rips and you name it. I like what Laguna did with the hybrid saw, the scoring and slider are nice but the company sucks.

   Dave Koury

1. 
   nicobie | Mar 31, 2003 08:10pm | #2

   I second what you have to say about Laguna.

   I find it remarkable they are still in business.The proof is in the puddin'

1. 
   MatthewSchenker | Mar 31, 2003 09:09pm | #3

   According to Mehler's article, Laguna did not impress him too much either. It sounds like he was most impressed with the Rojek saw, considering that it has good features at a good price. Having seen this one myself, I'd agree, though I did not get to use it much.

   I'm not positive about this, but I believe that the price of the Rojek in the article is not accurate. In the article, it says the saw is around $2,300 with all the options shown in the picture. But to get the sliding table, the price of the Rojek is more like $2,800. I'm not positive about this, but I believe so. This puts it roughly at about the same price as a Powermatic 66 with sliding table (which is sold on Amazon for $3,000).

   I'd buy a Rojek if I could.

1. 
   AhneedHelp | Apr 03, 2003 10:24pm | #4

   So....Matthew, I see that you're really doing your homework on saw shopping.

   After several years of looking at various forms of table saws in all price ranges, the Festo ATF-55 setup with the vaccuum is unbelieveably attractive and can simply much of the table saw tasks.

   Since I have access to a Unisaw down the street, the Festo is slated to become a fine compliment that may end up doing more cutting then the Unisaw.

   It's just a matter of deciding if I want all the rest of the stuff they're bundling in their Spring sale.

   Compared to a fully equipped Unisaw, the Festo Spring package seems like a great bargain.

   Alan

2. 
   heartpinemik | Apr 08, 2003 10:06pm | #5

   Delta must be doing something right, since everyone else uses their machine to clone their own copies. The reason that  the American saws outsell the Euro models with the sliding tables is price. We have all been conditioned to buy based on cost alone,without thinking about the extra, but needy items such as riving knives, and built-in dust collection. I own an older model Rockwell/Delta Unisaw, but rely on sleds and such for crosscutting anything wider than 6".  I would love to have one of the Euro machines with the sliding table next to the blade; but with a mortgage, kids in school, etc. I will have to wait.

   As for the Laguna bashing; I read other threads that have folks knocking Laguna for one thing or another. But listen-a company cannot afford to piss off too many folks and expect to stay in business for very long. I am not on the Laguna payroll, but I do own a LT-18 bandsaw, and have been very pleased with it. My questions were answered without any sales pressure, and requests for info have been prompt.

   Just remember to take those complaints with a grain of salt. There will always be folks that complain, no matter what. Use your own judgement.

   Mike in eastern NC-wishing for a Laguna TSS.

1. 
   Robbie | Apr 09, 2003 02:08am | #6

   Price has an awful lot to do with decisions to buy "American".  However, I also believe that familiarity and sheer volume of advertising make even really attractive foreign products seem too "out of the mainstream" for most of us US woodworkers.  As long as we continue to buy, there is little impetus on the manufacturer to change basic design (besides, they can sell accessories , like a sliding table, at an upcharge to the basic unit.

   With that having been said, it will be curious to see how the new Triton router will sell.  Although it has some neat apparent features, I will not be the first person I know to go out on a limb and buy one (proving the argument above... at least to my coward self, anyway).  If people jump on Triton, it will be very interesting to see if that will force the US manufacturers to adapt and change design. 

1. 
   prman | Apr 09, 2003 02:27am | #7

   Wood workers are just a bunch of little kids when it comes to the tools. Mine is bigger than yours....Mine has a dust collection system, yours doesn't. I operate an 1960 10" Rockwell Tablesaw. It HAS a dust collection system. How can this be you say? I built it myself for the grand sum of $14.32 including tax. There are many features on the "new" saws out there that can be just as effective and made by our selves if we would take the time and effort to do so.

   Yep! Something you will want to buy in the after market. I put the 50" Beismeyer fence on mine. I figured that the $300.00 for the fence system was a lot cheaper than buying a new saw just so I could have the fence. So I am saying, take a look at your equipment and see if with a few modifications, it could be every bit as good as those high Dollar machines that are not made in America. Keep those machines running that WERE made in America.