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A bit different take. I got a Bosch contractor saw because I saw the guys at the job sites breaking down sheet goods all the time. Well breaking down a sheet of ply was a real chore and could get dangerous. I went to a Festool Demo Day and took home a loaner TS55. Worked much better than the TS for long rips and breaking down. I sold the Bosch and no longer have a TS. I don't recommend this for you as you already use the TS well and I need several other tools to do what a TS does.
You might consider getting a good inexpensive track saw as a supplement to the TS. This only makes sense if you do a lot of ripping and break down.
homo homini lupus
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity." Yeats
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Quodcumque potest manus tua facere instaner opere Ecclesiastes
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Location: Mechanicsville, Md
Ok, my opinion is a 2 part comment. First, when I worked in commercial shops, we had both, 96" rails and 52" rails. Very seldom did we need the 96" rails but when we did, boy did we appreciate them. The 52 " rails were a must in a commercial setting. Now, you are talking about a home shop, it really depends on what type of work you plan on doing. As long as I had the space, I'd go for the longer rails. I have 36" rails on my Ridgid saw and whish they were longer. Unlike some people, I use the fence on the left side of the blade so I will not move the fence over 1 bolt hole. This is just my opinion of course.
Now, part 2. In 1988, I was leaving a shop for another position. Before I left, I was given the opportunity to make 2 straight edges. I used 1/2" thick Birch ply and made 1- 10' long and the other 5' long. Both were cut on a CNC panel saw and edged with laminate. I still have them and have used them quite often. I offset the straight edge depending on if I use the circular saw or a router. It works for me. Again, this is just the way I do things. It's how I was taught and I've never found a reason to change.
I no longer build museums but don't want to change my name. My new job is a lot less stressful. Life is much better.
Garry
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Get the 52 inch rails and see hoe they fit. If too big you can have them cut shorter.
You may also be able to slide them down to the left and put on a new tape measure. I did this with my Bies and it worked out good. I have about 40 inches to the right.
Don
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Well the way Grizzly has got these saws configured makes the choice even more complicated. You can get the 1023 with 53in rip, long rails, but no right cast iron wing....all table board to the right.
They also have it configured with a cast iron router wing on the right and you pay very little extra to get it...even if you dont use the router you get a wing with extra 8inches. But I want a router in the wing just not sure how this one will work without a plate. Was thinking of getting rid of the mounting hardware and using the T-slots to put a Triton in there and see if I can change the bits above the table.
So am thinking get the saw with the router wing and see if I can move the rails. Can always order just the rails for $278 with shipping. They must be heavy cause they ship it freight.
Anyone got any experince with those cast iron grizzly router wings?
I really had it made in my last shop with sheet goods. Felder 975 I think was the model and it made easy work with sheet goods with a rolling cart the took the goods straight from the truck to the saw. But talk about taking up room with the sliding table. But now a days once I get the shop cabinets, shelves, etc built, I imagine I will not cut a lot of ply.
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If I can squeeze it in, I'll always go with the longer rails. More horizontal space is always a good thing. You can hide a router table in the end, and save the footprint of that, but mostly because if you don't like it, you can make it smaller, but if it's smaller it is so expensive to get it to grow
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya
GW
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I am currently helping a friend put together a G1023RLWX. We are shifting the fence as shown in the pictures of my saw so he can also have a slider. We are putting the left wing on the right side and then bolting the router table to that. I t is going to leave the fence rail hang out about 5" past the router table which I am not too thrilled about. Looking at the picture in the catalog, their configuration looks like the rail hangs out farther than that. If he doesn't like it sticking out we might cut it off later.
"There is no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people"
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Well I just hit the order button for the same saw, G1023RLWX, along with the 15in planer, G0453ZW. I owned the same planer, at least it looks the same, 15yrs ago, purchased from Wilke machinery. Had the byrd but now going with the grizzly head. Wilke was a great company and I bought a lot of Taiwanese cast iron from them. But sadly out of business. Lot of bridgewood machines still out there.
Now got to decide how to get these machines in the garage. Thinking a low Uhaul trailer with a ramp. Or get the liftgate and rent a pallet jack or hope the driver may let me use his. Always a challenge getting these things in the shop.
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I moved a 750 J/P with the 9' U-Haul trailer. The rear gate is long and strong. I backed it up to my garage, put a hydraulic floor jack under the center of the lowered gate so that it was level with the bed of the trailer. After I rolled the J/P onto the gate I lowered the jack then pulled the J/P off from there. Didn't take much longer to do it than explain it.
If your machines are on pallets just slide them on plywood.
John
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Not too long ago I unloaded a 700# shaper off a Homedepot Trailer with a ramp all by myself. Took a 2x4 and used it to walk it out of the trailer by wedging it between the floor and fudge lift opening in the floor then lifting up. Took me less than 5 minutes.
"There is no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people"
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The machines should come to your house on a lift gate truck. Just make sure you are there when they arrive and give the driver a $20 bill to help you get them in your garage. He will be happy to make an extra $20 for 5 minutes of work and you will be happy because you didn't break your back getting them in the garage. When I worked out of a garage this was how I had everything delivered. Always had the same delivery guy and he loved to see me because he knew it would be some easy extra cash.
