New to woodworking - table saw advice

[Hank Knight]

Hi Hank, 

That is a great find and almost exactly like something I was looking for! I am going to contact the seller. I really would love a Powermatic. Thank you for that. And that is a good Craigslist tip, I did not know that. 

What saw do you currently have and your opinion on it?

I have heard some bad reviews from folks at a local woodworking store on Grizzly. I am not sure if that is just because they do not sell Grizzly there. But, I have also read some bad reviews on forums. So, I am little hesitant to go with Grizzly. 

Yes a Jet 10" combination jointer/planer is what I was looking at. It is the JJP-10BTOS B3NCH 10in. Do you have any opinions on this one? I am trying to stay around

I currently have a 10" SawStop Industrial Cabinet saw. I had a Delta Unisaw for years that I liked very much. I had a bad kickback with it and decided it was probably just a matter of time before I had a more serious accident. I sold it and bought the SawStop. I love the machine; it is very well built and precise. They are expensive, but I had the money and decided the extra margin of safety was worth the $$$. I bought it new.

I have looked at the Jet combo jointer/ planer at my local dealer and it looks like a nice machine. Other than that, I have no experience with them. I think I mentioned that mine is a Hammer A3-31 - a European machine, and it is very nice. I bought it from a local guy who was moving and didn't want to haul it across the country. It was 3 years old when I bought it and lightly used and I paid $2K for it. It sells new for twice that.

Grizzly machines are built in the Far East, Taiwan I think, and are generally less expensive than other popular brands. I've never used one, so I have no personal experience to report. I understand they do a pretty good job for the price, but the machines are clearly not on the same level as Powermatic, Jet, SawStop and some of the others. General machines are Canadian machines and have a good reputation. You might keep them in mind too.

Good luck.

Hank

[TDKPE]

I did see a Unisaw near me but said it was pre 1940 so I was uneasy about purchasing something that old. 

It might be the elusive four-footed Unisaw.  Got a link?  Repulsion-Induction motor, goose egg motor cover, and a lot of charm.  
 

That PM66 looks good, and the price is reasonable.  Not great, but you should be able to resell it and get your money back down the road.  Keep your eyes open for a Biesemeyer fence for it, or one of a couple of good aftermarket fences, though the OEM fence is quite serviceable.  IMO, at least.

[Wild Turkey]

Where are you?  If we knew someone close to you might be able to help



Keep an eye on Craigslist.  For example there's a nice "old iron" TS on Louisville CL for $300.  Even adding the cost of a 3-phase converter that's a steal

[nmazzino]

It might be the elusive four-footed Unisaw.  Got a link?  Repulsion-Induction motor, goose egg motor cover, and a lot of charm.  
 

That PM66 looks good, and the price is reasonable.  Not great, but you should be able to resell it and get your money back down the road.  Keep your eyes open for a Biesemeyer fence for it, or one of a couple of good aftermarket fences, though the OEM fence is quite serviceable.  IMO, at least.

Here is the link for the unisaw. It is 10 minutes from my house. 

https://cleveland.craigslist.org/tls/d/v...59157.html

[nmazzino]

Where are you?  If we knew someone close to you might be able to help



Keep an eye on Craigslist.  For example there's a nice "old iron" TS on Louisville CL for $300.  Even adding the cost of a 3-phase converter that's a steal

I am in Cleveland Ohio. Anyone that would be willing to help would be greatly apprciated!

[nmazzino]

I currently have a 10" SawStop Industrial Cabinet saw. I had a Delta Unisaw for years that I liked very much. I had a bad kickback with it and decided it was probably just a matter of time before I had a more serious accident. I sold it and bought the SawStop. I love the machine; it is very well built and precise. They are expensive, but I had the money and decided the extra margin of safety was worth the $$$. I bought it new.

I have looked at the Jet combo jointer/ planer at my local dealer and it looks like a nice machine. Other than that, I have no experience with them. I think I mentioned that mine is a Hammer A3-31 - a European machine, and it is very nice. I bought it from a local guy who was moving and didn't want to haul it across the country. It was 3 years old when I bought it and lightly used and I paid $2K for it. It sells new for twice that.

Grizzly machines are built in the Far East, Taiwan I think, and are generally less expensive than other popular brands. I've never used one, so I have no personal experience to report. I understand they do a pretty good job for the price, but the machines are clearly not on the same level as Powermatic, Jet, SawStop and some of the others. General machines are Canadian machines and have a good reputation. You might keep them in mind too.

Good luck.

Hank

The sawstops are beautiful. They have the professional and industrial cabinet and contractor versions at the wood shop store by me I was looking at a few weeks ago. I was considering getting the contractor version if I end up buying new. 

I just looked up your Hammer A3-31. I have never heard of them. That looks like a great machine as well. 

Thanks for all of your help!

[jteneyck]

Hi John,

Yes it is a very rewarding activity! I really enjoyed it. What set up do you have for milling? This was my first time milling and I really enjoyed it. I got about 40 white oak planks and just built my first table with them. 

What are your thoughts on the Jet 10" jointer/planer combo? I have heard they are better to buy separate. But, for starting out I was considering that one. 

That is great advise on purchasing order. I have been really focused on getting the table saw first as the heart of the wood shop and could potentially miss other deals that way.

That is not a great price on the Unisaw, but that it does have a bullet motor on it and those things are better than more modern motors.  They run very smoothly and have more torque than a comparable induction motor.  But that's still a lot of money for it considering the old style fence.  Don't get me wrong, however, I'd rather have that saw than any new one in that price range.  And if you put a Biesemeyer or Vega fence on it, and a guard of course if it doesn't have one, you'd have a great saw for less than $1200 and that's not bad compared to anything new at that price.  I'm not recommending you buy it if you aren't comfortable with any maintenance it might need, but I would be, but I'd try to get it for less.  I have a 1954 Unisaw, born the same year as I was.  Very smooth, very reliable, does everything I need.  

I have no knowledge of the Jet 10" J/P.  But again, I'd buy used, and I'd buy whatever comes along that meets your needs and is a good price.  I keep harping on buying used over new because you can get a great machine for half the price of a new one if you are patient.  That Unisaw is a good example actually.  At $750, or whatever the price is, it's like 1/3 the price of a new one and far better than any new Delta anything.  As an aside, I would not buy any Delta machine these days.  Quality is way down and customer service is even worse.  I had an Inca 10" J/P for over 25 years and loved it.  I bought it for $900 and sold it for $750.  I upgraded to a MiniMax FS-35 14" J/P.  Awesome machine.  It was built in the late 80's but looked brand new.  I'll be able to sell it for nearly what I paid for it if I ever want to sell it.  That's the thing about used machines.  If you buy well you can get nearly what you paid for it when you sell it.  The greatest depreciation happens to the guy who bought it new.  

I mill logs with a rolling chainsaw mill I designed and built a few years ago:



Before that I used an Alaskan Mill.  It worked well but was a lot more work than the rolling mill.  On both mills I use the Husqy 385XP saw shown above.  Great saw and I wouldn't want anything smaller.  The mill can handle a 32" log; the one in the photo was around 24" IIRC.  Like the Alaskan Mill, the rolling mill is small and light enough that I can transport it to the log, if needed, and break it down for storage when not needed.  

The mill makes lumber as good as you can make any other way.  The kerf loss is higher than a bandsaw mill, but the cost was far less.  

 

To move logs I built a log arch:



It will go behind a tractor, ATV, and even my car.  And that's my humble log milling equipment.  

John

[nmazzino]

That is not a great price on the Unisaw, but that it does have a bullet motor on it and those things are better than more modern motors.  They run very smoothly and have more torque than a comparable induction motor.  But that's still a lot of money for it considering the old style fence.  Don't get me wrong, however, I'd rather have that saw than any new one in that price range.  And if you put a Biesemeyer or Vega fence on it, and a guard of course if it doesn't have one, you'd have a great saw for less than $1200 and that's not bad compared to anything new at that price.  I'm not recommending you buy it if you aren't comfortable with any maintenance it might need, but I would be, but I'd try to get it for less.  I have a 1954 Unisaw, born the same year as I was.  Very smooth, very reliable, does everything I need.  

I have no knowledge of the Jet 10" J/P.  But again, I'd buy used, and I'd buy whatever comes along that meets your needs and is a good price.  I keep harping on buying used over new because you can get a great machine for half the price of a new one if you are patient.  That Unisaw is a good example actually.  At $750, or whatever the price is, it's like 1/3 the price of a new one and far better than any new Delta anything.  As an aside, I would not buy any Delta machine these days.  Quality is way down and customer service is even worse.  I had an Inca 10" J/P for over 25 years and loved it.  I bought it for $900 and sold it for $750.  I upgraded to a MiniMax FS-35 14" J/P.  Awesome machine.  It was built in the late 80's but looked brand new.  I'll be able to sell it for nearly what I paid for it if I ever want to sell it.  That's the thing about used machines.  If you buy well you can get nearly what you paid for it when you sell it.  The greatest depreciation happens to the guy who bought it new.  

I mill logs with a rolling chainsaw mill I designed and built a few years ago:



Before that I used an Alaskan Mill.  It worked well but was a lot more work than the rolling mill.  On both mills I use the Husqy 385XP saw shown above.  Great saw and I wouldn't want anything smaller.  The mill can handle a 32" log; the one in the photo was around 24" IIRC.  Like the Alaskan Mill, the rolling mill is small and light enough that I can transport it to the log, if needed, and break it down for storage when not needed.  

The mill makes lumber as good as you can make any other way.  The kerf loss is higher than a bandsaw mill, but the cost was far less.  

 

To move logs I built a log arch:



It will go behind a tractor, ATV, and even my car.  And that's my humble log milling equipment.  

John

Hi John, 

Thanks for sharing the pictures. Those are great. I currently use a Husqy 390xp and I love it. I use an alaskan mill but your rolling mill set up looks great!

My mom actually got me a tiny Husqy 440 for a wedding present a few years ago and I attempted to mill with that not knowing any better. Needless to say, it was extremely underpowered and not meant for anything like that. 

This was my first time ever milling. I am going to send you a pm, I would love to talk more in depth possibly email if you would be willing.

[Mike L B]

Buy your last tablesaw first.
I highly recommend the SawStop 3 hp professional.
It’s a little more than double your budget but you’ll probably never need another saw and I’ve seen too many people with missing fingers from tablesaw accidents.

[Cian]

Buy your last tablesaw first.

Worthwhile advice.