Worth it? Good deal? need a little help from the experts
scooter1972
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I have a chance to buy my firsttable saw, Craftsman, mid 60’s i think, model 113.29901, 1-1/2 hp motor, looks like it has some motor modifications, power cord and switch, and extensions. It comes with some blades, inserts and a homemade stand. My real dilemma is between something like this for $100 and put a little cosmetic work into it, maybe build a new stand, or go with something like a new small Jet or Porter Cable for abround 300. Any advice for this rookie is appreciated.
Replies
As with most things, you get what you pay for with table saws. Almost any saw will cut a board, but accuracy, repeatability, and such vary with the quality of the saw. Cheap saws are also more difficult to "tune". Thus, what you save in purchase price, you often spend more in terms of time, trying to keep them aligned properly.
Ultimately, I think the decision revolves around what you want to make with the saw, and how much you can afford to spend. The general advice is to aim for a good cabinet saw, which gives maximum accuracy and has greater versatility in terms of working with thick stock, etc. For the average hobbyist woodworker, however, a cabinet saw may be over-kill - both in terms of investment and space requirements.
For a small table saw that (according to many) produces good accuracy, you might also want to look at the Bosch bench-top Model 4100. More money, but much greater value.
The problem with the older Craftsman is that typical of it's era in that price bracket, it has a really lousy fence, that you will constantly have to check to be sure it locked down parallel to the blade. Fixing that isn't just cosmetic work. Replacing the fence would be nearly as costly as those other saws you mention.
With a $300 budget I would concentrate on finding a bit newer (because of the fence) used contractor saw, which should be findable in that price range. The new three hundred dollar saws don't inspire confidence.
thanks for the help....sounds like ill pass on this one....i don thave the room or the budget for a cabinet saw, but i understand they are king when it comes to table saws. Im just a DIY er makin dust and buildin stuff.....for now. maybe someday ill be able to justify a cabinet saw but right now im looking for a first saw with which i can learn the trade. seems like i heard a few people say they dont make em like they used to .....hard to find a belt drive any more for a decent price
contractor's saws
You might try looking for an older Delta 9" contractor's saw that's in good shape. A '60s or '70s vintage (before Delta went through all of the corporate merger stuff) that hasn't seen actual contractor use would be about right. I have two - one that I bought in the late '60s and one that I inherited when my dad passed. Decent saws. I upgraded the main one I use with a Delta T2 fence and a link belt. Runs pretty well with a Forrest Woodworker II blade.
Make an offer
Go back and offer them $75. You may just walk away with a decent user that will serve you well untill you can find a good cabinet saw. As others have said though, beware the rip fence will likely need careful checking each time you use it. Also ask if the splitter/gaurd is still around. Its slightly better than nothing. I used one of these for several years.
Rich
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