Well...Aunt Sue was definitely right. Post here and you will get lots of response and advice! I'm going to try to answer all of the questions that came up in the responses.
My location (which apparently can't be set in the forum settings any more) is North Central PA. I'm between Williamsport and Lock Haven.
I was originally looking at the jobsite saws because I planned to do most of my cutting outside my basement b/c of dust. However...over Christmas my father-in-law who doesn't do much woodworking any more offered to give me his Grizzly dust collector that has been sitting in a corner of his garage for a few years. He took it out of his old woodshop and never hooked it up again. Since I now have a dust collector, that shifted my thinking to considering a cabinet or hybrid saw.
RE: electrical hookups. I am likely looking at 120 volt saws. I will be running a 220 circuit for a newly acquired dust collector. I'm assuming that I can't run both the saw and the dust collector off of the same 220 circuit...although if that isn't correct, let me know. Don't have room in the breaker box for running two 220 lines...at least not without getting creative.
I will be using it in my basement (walkout entry with room to move around). Portability isn't a requirement, but it's also not a downside if I can build a solid cabinet/wings around the saw for when I'm using it in my basement.
What I will be using it for is probably a fairly wide range. I did built-in seating/shelves in my mud room last year from mahogany that my father-in-law gave me. (Which was stressful b/c he rough cut it before I knew he was bringing it. I had to plan VERY carefully. One bad cut and the whole project would have been in danger. My leftover scraps fit in a shoe box when I was done.) I built a frame around a large piece of leaded glass last month as a gift. I know that a mantle with bookshelves and a built-in dresser in my closet are on the docket for this year. So...wide range of things that are currently on the docket...both big and small.
I did look at Grizzly, but all of the Grizzly models were out of my price comfort zone at this point. Same for SawStop. That would be nice, but I simply can't go that high right now.
When I originally looked at the Delta, I liked the cast iron top, the fence and guide were very solid. Adjustments seemed very precise. I wasn't impressed with the dust collection connection. It seemed flimsy compared to the rest of the saw. Overall it seemed to be more solid than the DeWalt or Bosch that I linked to. However...if quality and/or support are problematic, then that is not to be overlooked. I'm curious if anyone has personal experience (good or bad) with Delta in the last couple of years (since I know there was a period when they went downhill...and that they went through an ownership change six years ago).
First glance at the Ridgid was an eye opener. I liked what I saw in the pictures, and I've been intrigued by the lifetime warranty from the first time I saw it a couple of years ago. My closest Home Depot is an hour away in State College, but I may have to make the drive to take a look at that.
I appreciate all the feedback. I'm still in the research phase right now...currently putting money in my saw fund.
I can get by for now by continuing to borrow my father-in-law's DeWalt, but this is very helpful to gain knowledge of what I am looking for.
And yes, whatever I end up buying, I will definitely be listening very closely to Aunt Sue (MsNomer)!
