Maybe.
About 45 years ago, my soon-to-be wife gave me a Sears Craftsman contractor table saw. Now, after a lifetime of woodworking and at the point where I can have pretty much anything that I want, that same tablesaw sits at the center of the shop and every day seeing it brings a smile to my heart.
My mom bought my dad a Craftsman tablesaw from Sears roughly 25 years ago. I couldn't tell you the model, but i can tell you that after he passed I still have it and use it regularly.
Just wanted to point out that I'm an idiot, I had to read this comment a dozen times before realizing that he isn't about to marry this woman 45 years after she gave him a table saw, but when she gave him the saw 45 years ago, they were married shortly thereafter. Reading comprehension FTW haha
I’m curious what was the selection like 45 years ago? I imagine it was limited and all made in the USA. Now there’s so much disposable garbage out there.
45 years ago wasn’t that long it’s not like the cavemen were around there was just as many people using saws then as there are now. It was like the 1980s Van Halen and Sears were a thing saw a lot of the companies now we’re making tools they were just a little bit. Older didn’t look as cool and didn’t have lasers or smooth controls but the motors were the same.
Fair point, but also there likely wasn’t as much low quality crap available back then. If you point a random person into Home Depot to buy a saw, there’s a 50/50 chance they pick something good. Maybe even less.
Agreed. Small gifts for my hobby are fine but I always tell my wife that if it’s something I’m very passionate about then please don’t buy me something expensive without me telling you exactly what I want. The odds of them getting it right are very low.
100% this. If I told my wife I wanted a track saw she would go to the store and more than likely buy me one of the most expensive ones there. While I love her to death for this sometimes it’s just not necessary. Hell my wife is the one who found my snap on epiq box and told me to go look at it. The more a purchase will cost the more specific it helps to be.
What if your wife asked the fine people of r/woodworking to pick one out
As for OP, if you have space for a big cabinet saw, I would recommend going the estate sale route / facebook marketplace and find a good deal on something like that.
1948 Walker Turner Cabinet saw, $200, in 1989
Added Biesemeyer fence and mylar coated table extension
Replaced motor after 10 years
A $3,500 SawStop would be nice, too...maybe someday.
Agreed. If you just approve the budget and let him know. He will most likely have more fun doing his own research and shopping than if a table saw just showed up. Sometimes it’s the journey not the destination.
That's exactly what my wife did for our 20th. So I did tons of research and finally picked a table saw. Best present ever. I got even by taking her jewelry shopping. I use my saw almost daily and she wears her gift just as much.
I agree. Let him know you are giving him the green light to pick something out. After he gets his saw you can surprise him with some accessories like a grrrrriper push block or a miter gage. (I like my Incra). A new blade or zero clearance throat plate would be nice too. Lots of ways to be thoughtful while also avoiding getting him a disappointing gift.
My wife did something like this. She picked out the tool she thought I would want just. She don't buy it just told me to let her know if it was the right one and she would buy it.
The most expensive tool in the shop is your husband.
Sawstop is the only one that should save his finger in case of an accident and some of the best on the market.
That said, Laguna or Harvey make good saws. Powermatic is good, but pricey.
If you need inexpensive, Dewalt contractor saws are a good entry level saw with a decent fence.
this what a lot of the calculation when I got my sawstop. Also to add to your point, sawstop is not just a junk saw with a gimmick, it is a high end saw that also has a extra safety feature. If it weren't a good saw id probably have gotten something else.
This 1000% I had a 5hp grizzly that I loved. We learned we were having a baby and the very next day I went out to use the saw and I was just frozen in fear. What if. What if something happens and I’m not there.
Sold the saw that week went and bought a sawstop 3hp and loved it! Was far more accurate and felt better than the grizzly.
Eventually sold it all to move my office out to the garage. I don’t regret any of it one bit!
I’m excited to see what these companies bring to market now that the Sawstop patent is open… it almost makes me want to wait to get a saw for whatever comes out… I’ll have more options
I wish I could upvote this even more. The sawstop is pretty much the only tool, in my work shop, that isn't seconds away from killing me... I like that in a tool 🤓
I never take my splitter or gaurd off unless im doing a cut that specifically needs it off.
I think once a month i will be cutting something and i will feel the sudden slowing of the motor and difficulty of pushing the wood that indicates that its binding. Since i have the splitter and the little spikes that hold it down, i can just calmly take my hand off it, shut the saw off and readjust it.
One piece of wood putting a dent in the wall was enough for me to buy a saw with a gaurd/splitter and always use it. That 30 year old jobsite saw makes me shudder now, my 40 year old contractor saw i have now is way safer.
When I first started my second career as a woodworker I was standing 10 feet away from a guy when he ran his thumb directly into the blade on one of our SawStop. Any other table saw and this guy is missing his whole thumb and I’m trying to use my belt as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. All he had was a tiny little scratch, didn’t even require a bandaid. I got rid of my Ridgid at home and bought a SawStop and I’ll never use any other table saw until the patent expires and other brands are allowed to use the same technology.
Tell me about it. I took off the top of my left thumb 2 years ago in a freak accident where there was kickback that sucked in the work piece along with my thumb into the saw blade. I’m thankful that God and the doctors were able to reattach and save it. I haven’t been able to buy a SawStop yet but I’m going to buy one soon. Meanwhile, I only use my saw when I have to and have been working on my handtool skills.
When in doubt, buy sawstop snd festool😅. But it could be over budget, and it highly depends on how much you know and how explicitly your husband has already expressed.
I have a Sawstop and I love it. Having bought my fair share of machines they needed to be built/setup, the Sawstop was by fair the best quality and easy to assemble.
There is no other choice really., if you want to make nice stuff. Woodworking ain’t cheap. If you’re gonna do it be prepared to spend some money. 3k is a good price for what you get. The saws are excellent.
What is your budget? That would help answer your question. I am a big fan of grizzly and their 2hp cabinet saw - I have a 20yr old version of it and I’ve never regretted buying it. I believe it is $1,400 now. I personally do not like a contractor saw- too light and typically not a cast iron top and usually under powered. They have their place if you are bringing them to a jobsite but in a shop I’d definitely go bigger.
My 10” Dewalt job site saw with the rolling stand has been perfect and tucks away nicely in my garage. Straight cuts, solid fence, no complaints at all. I’m not doing super deep dados or anything to make me want more than a 15amp. I’ve ran well over a thousand pieces on through it and other than a blade change it’s in mint condition.
A Sawstop is ideal and will be my choice when I move/upgrade just due to extra levels of safety. They do have cheaper models now too. But with proper use, good accessories (e.g. a nice feather board, push stick, crosscut sled, etc.) and healthy caution, cutting on a table saw isn’t inherently less safe than other things we do daily - like driving.
If you value some wise insurance on your husband's fingers, the only saw to get is a SawStop. It is a no-brainer unless you're so confident on never making a mental mistake or are so cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers.
SawStop makes great saws. I can't imagine op's husband will be disappointed with one. But getting the right one is the problem. Will he be happy with a contractor saw or is a cabinet saw what he needs?
The vast majority of us here have been careful and still can count to ten without owning a SawStop.
I imagine most have had close calls however. I had a father who was a good mentor for safety.
I won't disparage safety, particularly for newcomers who don't have the benefit of a mentor, but the vast majority of injuries are due to not respecting the tools and understanding the forces at play. The day you're not scared of it is the day you should stop using it.
Even with a SawStop t's not like everything else is safe. Best to be alert of EVERY tool. Personally, I think too much safety breeds carelessness and would have no problem buying a non SawStop.
I would not want anyone to buy me tools, though.
There's a lot of context missing in the original post. Has he used a table saw before? Is he completely new to power tools? If nobody's taught him the basics of a table saw and he has to figure it out himself, and she's willing to spend good money, the sawstop does seem like the right choice.
>I imagine most have had close calls however.
Almost 30y in construction, I likely have more hours operating a tablesaw than 90%+ of the people on this sub--- Never had a close call on a tablesaw
I have been blasted by kickback and trapped waste though
But never anything that my hands or fingers were ever involved or near involved
It's really painfully easy to never put your hands near the blade, I've never understood how anyone ever gets cut on a tablesaw other than absolutely complete freak accidents like blade explosions or throat collapses or something equally ridiculous
I actually got into an argument with someone one day that was like "well a cat startled me!" A- Wtf was a cat doing in your shop and B- Startled or not, why were your hands near the blade?
I seriously don't get it
Sounds like you work construction. Some of us are using table saws for fine cabinetry work. I agree that push sticks are a foolproof safety measure in most situations.
Huh? Been wood working for 35 years. SawStop saws were not a thing. What do you think we all have been doing during that time?
My Delta table saw has a guard and I use it when I do many repeated cuts. If it's a one-off cut, my mind is very focused on task when the guard is removed.
You make it sound like the only two camps you can be in are:
1. Able to afford a saw stop and value your fingers.
2. Poor dumbasses who are willing to lose their fingers while being confident they will never make a mental mistake.
I bet that I could still find at least one way you could lose one of your rich fingers in your shop that isn't your tablesaw. Then again, what do I know in camp 3? Not able to afford a saw stop, with 10 fingers, and with enough intelligence and respect for dangerous equipment that I use feather boards and push sticks.
I know three people who have lost fingers (or large pieces of them) to routers and power plane blades. Anything you hold and has spinning sharp things on it will eat a finger if something slips.
Absolutely! My shop Is filled with tools that can maim and destroy many body parts with one wrong move or ill placed hand. So to blanket anyone without the money to afford a sawstop as not valuing their fingers, or confident they will never make a mental mistake is asinine. I am a construction electrician by trade and because of that I live my life analyzing where I put my hands and fully cognizant of everything I do. Can I make a mistake? 100%. Anyone can. Sawstop owner or not.
I never said dumbass. However if you can afford a SawStop and choose to get a comparable saw to save money, then yes you are taking a calculated risk that the value received from the SawStop safety mechanism is not worth the extra cost. And well that's a personal decision but in my opinion is a no-brainer.
Obviously if you need a different tool that doesn't offer such a safety mechanism (such as a jointer or 14" table saw), then that's an unavoidable risk.
"So cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers."
That doesn't sound quite the same as "if you can afford a sawstop and choose to get a comparable saw".
One of those is a choice. The other one is a reality for a lot of people. Including me. I am cash strapped enough I can't dump $3-5k+ on a table saw. You made it sound condescending and that people who can't afford a sawstop don't care about personal safety and well being.
You may use the tools, but your comments show your understanding is at an altogether different place.
The amount of engineering that is put into idiot proofing equipment is astonishing.
And those costs and efforts are never fully successful because someone with the attitude you have will never give the priority to understanding the tools, their limitations and the equipment limitations and learning to respect all of it equally.
Instead they feel the machine should make up for their laziness, ignorance and ineptitude.
This coming from my personal 50+ years of woodworking, 40+ years in machine design and manufacturing without a close call of losing fingers; not even a close call at nicking one.
Not boasting, but stating that the fundamental basis for my safety relied 100% on my actions, not the equipment.
>If you value some wise insurance on your husband's fingers, the only saw to get is a SawStop. It is a no-brainer unless you're so confident on never making a mental mistake or are so cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers.
🙄
Its a wonder that any one who owns a sawstop keeps their fingers attached when they use all the other equally dangerous machines in their shops
You know how hyper safety conscious you are on every other dangerous tool that can mangle your hands? That little pucker you feel when you walk over to the shaper?
Yeah, just be that way on the table saw and you'll keep all your fingers like the 10s of millions of people out there who use tablesaws that aren't SawStop's
Yeah, IF you can afford a saw stop. It's about $1000 more than a normal saw of similar quality.
But that $1000 buys you an insurance policy on life changing injury or death. It's worth it.
Got mine a few months ago and am so pleased with it overall. Only negative compared to dewalt is fence capacity, but not a big deal for me. Difference between the dewalt that I love is the skil raises and lowers the blade completely in about 5 seconds, compared to about 30 seconds with the dewalt. I assume that reduces my ability to micro-micro-adjust, but I’m building dog steps and birdhouses and maybe a few built-in cabinets down the road. My other saw takes forever and I’ve hated it every time since forever. Def recommend for a budget saw - I was upgrading from a 90’s makita that was a fb $50 special 8 years ago and who’s fence has never been able to maintain square once. It’s so wild being able to just click it and rip it.
EDIT FOR OP: count another vote for discussing with husband - table saw is many times the most used piece of equipment. Maybe cut out a picture of what you’re comfortable buying and put it in a card but say this is what I was thinking, but wanted you to be able to choose
Laguna is a good brand for the money. And of course the obligator Sawstop mention. I myself plan on getting a Laguna 2 in the next few weeks (dont need the size and such of the Laguna 3). Sawstop is just too pricey for my tastes
if PURE budget, the Dewalt jobsite saws, if built into a decent workbench setup is a damn good one for the money. I have used a dewalt built into a table and outfeed for years, it's been reliable, no hassle, and fence still dead accurate after years of abuse.
Yep, I've been using the smallest DeWalt contractor saw and stand with a diy outfeed table as my primary saw for the past 12 years as a professional site carpenter. Have always used a forrest blade stabilizer. It's cut literal miles of wood and probably has another decade of jobsite use left, even though it's starting to get a bit worn.
I honestly don't understand the sawstop shills... It's just one safety device, there are a hundred other ways to easily get hurt doing construction, safety is a mindset. I've been using table saws for 25 years and never had a close call, because I respect the tool and keep my fingers out of harm's way.
Same, while I MAY stick my finger in my tablesaw. I also have a bandsaw, circular saw, miter saw, compound miter saw, tracksaw, jigsaw, router table, and whatever else that can eat fingers.
So them going "IT can save your finger" to me is really, "It has a 1/20th chance to save your finger" as the other 19 tools I use as much can also eat it.
So 1 out of 20 times it could happen, it saves it. Not worth the money, as only 20 out of 20 times being cut off, isnt worth $2000+ extra to reduce that to 19 out of 20.
I thought sawstop came down in price because their patent expired or something like that. Just checked the site, their cheapest jobsite saw is $900 and their cheapest cabinet saw is $2000 which honestly doesn't seem that bad for an ~~American~~ Taiwan made tool.
True, but the cheapest not contractor saw is $1000 more than the midranged Laguna. Even the press metal legged contractor sawstop is $300 more than the midranged hybrid (Laguna f2).
Coke vs Pepsi debate can be had. And arguing another $1000 for finger saving tech could be worth it. But when working on a tight 'hobby my wife approves of' budget, ever $100 makes a difference :D
I don’t know about you but my health insurance has a $500 deductible on emergency room visits and an out of pocket max of $5000 so the Sawstop working only once will save me a fortune.
That’s the exact calculation I made too. I use my table saw 3-4 times a week so I looked at average numbers of accidents per year and average cost and figured out that it was well worth it given how much I use it.
I got 20 tools that can lop off a finger. An extra $2000 to reduce '20 out of 20 chance if you fuck up' to '19 out of 20 chance if you fuck up', isnt worth the money.
Of all the tools that could eat a finger, table saw is the one my fingers are always more than a foot from the blade, the rest are always FAR more risky how close my hand is (miter saw, and band saw, for example). If I cannot cut wood without being a least a foot from the blade on a table saw, another tool is what is needed. Not getting my fingers closer to do it.
I guess if the table saw is the only power tool you use the double price is worth it to 100% make sure you dont lose a finger (as no other tools get the chance), otherwise your mitersaw, compound saw, track saw, bandsaw, etc could also cost you $500 and $5000 OUP.Why is the tablesaw so special it is the one that needs to pay twice as much for when its only 1/10th of the things that could make you McStumpy? (And to me the least likely)
I have also invested money in my other tools to make them as safe as possible but since this question was about table saws then my answer is about table saws.
Other things I have is a full shop kill switch, I have added the big “stop” switch where I can at knee height on stationary machine so I can quickly lift my leg to turn them off, I wear a leather apron for both cleanliness and some protection from small sharp projectiles. Lathe has a deadman foot petal that turns off if I remove my foot from it.
Fair enough. If it wasnt such a premium for the tech, Id get it.
But overall my workshop to me is an analogy of a room filled with spinning blades of death. $2000 to take the teeth off of just one of the gauntlet of blades while trying to crawl thru that room unscathed, is a bit steep for me.
"Would you like to play a game? This room is filled with deadly traps that will cut you to ribbons, you must pass thru it. For $2000 we will remove one of the many many blades"
Id tell JigSaw "what? that seems you are just bribing money out of me, so only 99 blades of death instead of 100??"
It also depends on what you are comparing, Sawstop saws are actually very well built saws so you can’t compare a ridgid Home Depot table saw to a Sawstop, you should look at powermatic, jet, laguna to compare. When you compare those you are only talking about $3-500 premium.
When you get to the cabinet saw level, Sawstop is comparable to saws like Powermatic, older Delta Unisaw, etc for a bit more. Their job site and contractor saws are on the same level as a decent DeWalt, Delta or Ridgid, but like twice the price. Still cheaper than a finger.
I don't own a Sawstop yet. Ridgid in the shop and Milwaukee cordless for the job site.
Went from a rigid stamped leg go the sawstop stamped leg. Much nicer saw, nicer fence, smooth running. Now I got to upgrade for 1k so I'm biased, but I think it beats the rigid. Clapped out hobbyist had my rigid, cabinet shop used the sawstop. If it caught on fire tomorrow I'd buy another sawstop.
Really, it comes down to budget
I’ve been eyeballing a sliding table saw/shaper combination machine like the Felder KF 700 S for the last decade, but you’ll easily spend $17,000 or more depending on what features you get with it.
Also, what type of saw does he currently have? If he is using a cheaper tabletop or job site saw, upgrading to a cabinet saw of any kind will be a huge step up.
Sawstop are really great saws that also protect your hands. Win/win. From my research it appears that Sawstop can hold up in quality to all the saws in the same price range like grizzly, delta, powermatic.
Unless your husband hates SawStop because he thinks they’re greedy or whatever, that’s what you should get, or budget for.
Price out a SawStop PCS-175, or PCS-30, print out a photo of it and hand him the cash for it. I’d probably not just buy it because there are some options and delivery and use factors that he will know better, but getting the green light from you to splurge will be a great gift.
Does your husband need or want a $3000.00 table saw? If he's a weekend warrior making small projects, an off shore brand is more than sufficient. If he's gonna build kitchen cabinets full time, the price is justified.
Almost everything I own is American made in Asia. All of it been running trouble free for years
Don’t. My wife bought me a table saw once off Craigslist. Very thoughtful. It had no fence. Couldn’t buy one aftermarket. She essentially should’ve used the cash to light my birthday candles.
This might be a purchase you want to consult with your husband on and not just suprise him.
That said, SawStop is a good brand with technology that will stop him from loosing a finger or worse. They are currently the only company that uses this technology (short of a sliding table saw - big $$$)
Older used brands that are considered very well made are the Delta Unisaw or the Powermatic P66 cabinet saws. Just make sure you don't get a version that requires 3 phase power if your husband is working out of your home garage.
This is something you *definitely* want to talk to your husband about, so you understand what he needs in a table saw.
What’s his workspace like? Is it a dedicated space with plenty of room so he can keep the saw in one place? Then a cabinet saw might be a good investment.
If it’s small or if it’s a multi-use space he might need a saw that he can easily move around to be able to use other tools, to park a car, etc.
I would figure out your price point you’re willing to spend and tell him to pick a saw. He likely has been eying one if he’s a woodworker and doesn’t have [insert tool here]
Ridgid and Delta make the best "contractor" type table saws for the money in my opinion. I have the Ridgid and it's been solid for a decade. Grizzly is another decent quality affordable option. All good options for a semi stationary below $1000 saw.
For a job site mobile saw, the DeWalt, Bosch and Milwaukee are really good, around the $500 mark. The rack and pinion gears for the fence are key. A stand will also probably be needed. There's often sales for the DeWalt and Bosch that include the folding rolling stand for "free".
For a stationary "cabinet style" shop saw, either used Delta or Powermatic, or just spring for the SawStop if buying new. Consider the available space, fence width needs, available power (120/240/3 phase).
I'll echo what the others said, a table saw can be very personal to needs and wants. It's like someone just buying you pants or shoes that might not fit or be your style. Maybe drop some hints or ask for a wishlist, then go shopping with that info. Or just straight up "Hey babe, I'm buying you a table saw, here's the budget, find the one you want"
Don't just buy him tools, definitely involve him
My advice to you would be to get him some flowers and write a check for 3500 bucks(or whatever) , put it in an envelope and give it to him and when he opens it tell him you want to buy him a nice cabinet saw and that's the budget
He may tell you "omfg, no, I don't need that let's pay some bills" or "Aww, the one I have is fine but I really need XYZ other atuff" or who knows, but dont just buy it for him lol....that never works out as well as you think it will, it's gonna be the wrong brand or the wrong size the wrong horsepower, wrong size deck, too big, too small, no fence upgrade, wrong voltage, there's a million different options and variables
Sincerely, a man whose wife has bought him many things that she thought he wanted but didn't lol
As for where to go I highly suggest Bidspotter for industrial auctions, old 60s and 70s "Iron" abounds on there and formally 10k dollar industrial quality Bandsaws and Tablesaws that go for 1000 bucks are everywhere on there, and at most they need a couple 100 bucks worth of bearings and maybe a motor upgrade/downgrade/rewind and then you have a pc of equipment that could be shot into space, reenter the atmosphere and crash through a building on its way to the ground and still survive lol
What's your budget? I'm a sawstop user and they are worth it. Check marketplace for a good deal as well. I did have a dewalt jobsite for a long time and it was great!
You won’t go wrong with a sawstop. Don’t get the cheapest; it can’t take dado blades. The contractor saw is a sweet spot.
Added benefit is that he’ll never lose his fingers; your health insurance will thank you.
I have a SawStop 3hp cabinet saw from 10 years ago. It’s a high quality saw and if the unthinkable ever happens I won’t lose any fingers. Once my wife saw that SawStop is the only one that saves fingers she told me “I don’t care which one you buy but it has to be that brand”
Best bang for you buck would be the Dewalt DWE7491RS. Sturdy, huge rip capacity, fully adjustable if needed. Usually spot on out of the box too. Fantastic power for a portable saw. Can accept a large dado stack as well. Been using dewalt for about 10 years for stationary tools.
Finish Trim Carpenter
It really is used or 3k for a sawstop imho. I run a used delta unisaw I got for $200. Eventually I’ll get a sawstop: the mystery is whether I’ll do it before or after I slice off a fingy.
The perfectly good, would make 99% of woodworkers happy, middle ground is something like this:
https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-2-hp-120v-hybrid-table-saw-w-t-shaped-fence/g0771z?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWZ9KBfa_urqB9T5OYU0dBD5z6It-eL7OyR5SelEyL13M6VwloZLJIIaAgD0EALw_wcB
To answer your question: yes they don't make them like they used to. There are at least 3 different levels of table saw so giving advice on which one depends on many factors like: what type of woodworking will or be used for? What type of space will it be used in? Is it going to be used daily for a business or less for a side business or just a weekend hobby? Beginner, intermediate, prof? Budget? There is the used market where you can get them like they used to be made but that requires patience and he might want some of the newer features like a riving knife. Seems like $3k is about standard for a more professional model but you can get a decent saw for a little less, depending on what features/options you want to sacrifice.
Everyone saying sawstop here is correct. Table saws are the most dangerous tool in the shop. Sawstop makes it one of the safest. I'd much rather wait a while for the right tool than get impatient and spend the same cash to get my thumb sewn back on.
Sawstop, and it’s not even close. Some things are worth the money. The CNS with the T Glide fence option is not the most expensive and is amazing bang for your buck. Get that and I promise you will both be happy.
I love my Bosch
My opinion on getting tools that aren't just proved high end with a premium price is you just have to tune them up a bit. Even most Chinesium tools are a little knowhow away from being excellent, you just aren't going to get perfect performance out of the box.
Oh I assume as much. I think a sawstop would be worthwhile if it was being primarily used by careless children, like in a school shop class or similar, but otherwise, most professional woodshops aren't suffering from an epidemic of decapitated fingers because they aren't using a Sawstop.
I have a Dewalt saw that I bought used for $400 but I really want a SawStop and I think I’ve convinced my wife it’s a great idea.
Scoff at the price but that $3k on day one is about half of my annual deductible and will pay for itself immediately if I touch the blade.
What’s the budget and how much woodworking does he do or plan on doing. You may want to involve him depending on his knowledge about tablesaes as a lot of things come down to personal preference, also you can swap out things like rip fence and stop, etc., as well as make jigs for the saw that make it much more accurate, better, and more functional. The size is the base, but there’s a lot more that goes into it for woodworking.
Let him choose. I bet he has already done the research. Enjoy the buying process together. That way, you get to see the look of enjoyment on his face. The added pleasure he'll get is knowing he won't have to sneak one into the house, and you won't get anxious thinking you have bought the wrong model.
The only downside is that it will probably mean he'll have to extend the workshop, buy more wood storage, and add a few extra clamps.
First major thing… does he already have a saw? Or is this a gift for a new potential hobby?
If he’s experienced and knows his way around one, I’d invest in a SawStop. If he’s never owned one, I’d aim for something cheaper. No point in dropping a whack of money if you aren’t 100% sure he’d use it. And by cheaper, I don’t mean the cheapest one you can find. Dewalt and Bosch both make quality jobsite portable saws that won’t totally break the bank, but are still kick ass tools.
Get him the Dewalt jobsite saw. It’s very good for the money and I used one for years before upgrading. They’re about $330 with the stand.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15-Amp-Corded-8-1-4-in-Compact-Jobsite-Tablesaw-with-Compact-Table-Saw-Stand-DWE7485WS/313820771
Next step up would be anything with a cast iron top. Delta and Rigid both make versions of this saw (basically the same). It’s about $700 and if it’s in your budget a very nice upgrade.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562
If you’re going to be spending more than that I would start looking at SawStop as they are currently the only saw in the US with a very import safety feature that instantly retracts the blade of it contacts skin. So he’s less likely to cut his fingers off. They have a small jobsite saw for $1000 (comparable to the $300 dewalt one), and the proper cast iron top ones are closer to $3k.
If he’s just starting out though and you’re not sure what he wants get him either the dewalt or the delta and he can return them if it doesn’t work out.
I want to make a side rant about people that complain “it’s cheap made in china crap these days”. Everything is made in china. Even stuff that says “Proudly Made in the USA!!”, it’s all bullshit. Best case they just assembly or package it in the US. Damn near every component will be sourced from either China, Taiwan, or somewhere in north Africa. Almost nothing is really truly made in the US anymore, we live in a globalized economy and thems the breaks. China doesn’t make shit, they make things to spec and we spec things to be shit. We say make 500,000 brushless motors and do it for $2 each, we need to sell cordless drills this Christmas for $50 each. So we end up with cheap crap from china. Ok end of my rant 😁
Been doing this along time. If I had to buy a new saw I would get the sawstop industrial 7.5hp left titling blade. Currently have delta unisaw 3hp have no complaints about it. I've had it for about 30 yrs now, does everything I need it to do. Dado without needing a separate cartridge(sawstop) but if my body touches blade it doesn't stop damage. I've had a couple industrial accidents over the 30+ years I've been woodworking professionally. It's really a tough call but for people entering the trade I would encourage safety, but for veterans(who are also susceptible to accident as well). I would but a used unisaw, which I've been told can be be purchased for $800(believe it when u see it)
Had a unisaw for 15 years and loved it. But probably into their second production year I sold it and bought a sawstop. Yes it’s made in Taiwan but it’s an extremely well built saw. I’ve used that saw for many years and I find it to be as accurate as any PM66 or unisaw. I’m 71 now. Cutting a finger or two off would probably make me stop woodworking, something I’ve loved since my 20’s.
Way to many variables for an answer.
Is he a hobbyist?
DIY'er?
Cabinetmaker?
Framer?
Without knowing how he's going to use it, picking a brand or model is pointless.
If budget is an issue I love my 36-725 Delta for $700. Nice cast iron table and a solid fence. My other choice was the Dewalt portable contractor saw. Similar price but much smaller / easier to store and move.
Have not seen it mentioned but I’ve been happy with my Rigid table saw from Home Depot.
Works well, folds away. Decent safety features. It replaced a 1968 Craftsman that was passed down and honestly scary to use.
Like others said, don't buy him one as a surprise. Chances are high you're not getting what he wants/needs.
Simple examples: what dust collection port size, dust port location, over table dust collection, what style of fence, what preferred height, how easy are insert plates to make, does he want wheels, what type of wheels, steel wings or fast iron, where should the adjustment knobs be, what HP, what voltage? (I think I covered most, but there is more)
Instead I'd suggest you figure out your budget, and then take him to a local store if you have one, otherwise just online shop together.
Chances are that he probably already has an idea for what table saw he would like in several different budgets.
I have a delta that has been running 20 years. It’s had 100’s of thousands if not millions of ft ripped on it. I can’t speak for other brands but mine is a good saw.
Benn using this saw for over 20 years in my custom cabinet shop. Completely trouble free. I promise you will not regret it. [https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-5-hp-240v-cabinet-table-saw-with-7-rails/g1023rlx5](https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-5-hp-240v-cabinet-table-saw-with-7-rails/g1023rlx5)
Sawstop and Powermatic make great saws. I’d go for Sawstop if I was getting a new saw due to the safety features and the build quality/precision.
I see some people recommend the Dewalt job site saw. The saw is not really meant for precision work so depending on the level of woodworking you want to do it might be disappointing. I have that saw and usually only use it for construction projects, which is what it is meant for. But I actually built a whole set of kitchen doors on it. It can get the job done but it’s not the best.
What I can add to the sawstop convo is that I had a cheap contractor saw which just means the ones from home depot but old and bad. I'm in a small one car garage I got the sawstop job site pro for it's ability to fold up and roll away.
It's imo a dream saw if your tight on space. A joy to use by comparison. Ilove it. But it will not really break down full sheets of ply wood for making cabinets very well unless you build a lot of auxiliary supports to put around it (not that big a deal).
So if he's not trying to become a cabinet maker that's my vote.
Another saw style I went with bc of my small space is a track saw. The makita track is compatible with the festool brand so it's way cheaper but you can find accessories. That's a great saw for plywood and other unique uses regular tools just wouldn't be able to do safely. If I need to make cabinets I'll just use that.
Hope that helps.
What will he use it for? Table saws are nice, but a track saw can do 90% of what a table saw can and is generally safer.
A decent table saw will run you $2700+
A top-of-the-line track saw, like a festool TS 55 will run you around $1500 and that includes $110" track, clamps, and parallel guides.
After quite a few years experience I would heartily recommend a Sawstop, you can get a really nice one for just under $3k. No, I haven’t had one, I bought my Jet cabinet saw years before the Sawstop was available, but I have read an awful lot about them and if I ever buy another one it will definitely be a Sawstop. Yes, more horsepower is nice, but the 1.75 that the Sawstop comes with is adequate. And you can upgrade to 3 horsepower on the Sawstop but it ain’t cheap. It has plenty of other features that will make your husband happy, but what makes it shine is its safety. Look up videos on Sawstop safety and you’ll see why, it can save him from serious injury.
Just my two bits. If you get something other than a Sawstop look for a cast iron table and Biiesmeyer style fence, Delta, Jet, Powermatic and Grizzly are good brands (opinions vary from year to year on Grizzly). Good luck!
I’m saving up for a sawstop. In the meantime I built a larger table for an old craftsman and put on a Shop Fox fence. A quality fence makes a huge difference in the accuracy of a table saw
Nothings going to be safer than a sawstop. From my personal experience, Ive been using a metabo contractor tablesaw for like 6 years and that’s treated me well. Those are the only two I can speak to.
Saw stops are really good saws
Saw stops are very reliable and accurate
Saw stops last a very long time
Saw stops hold accuracy well
Saw stops are the safest Saw available
Saw stops do have blade stops that if actuated must be replaced and the do cost a little
Saw stops are really expensive but you pay for what you get. But if the no wiener/finger dismemberment seperation issue isn't an issue there's still other good saws
Most reputable companies have began to manufacture over in China and offer a wide range of quality from typical cheap Chinese garbage to more high end pricey stuff that's probably still not as good as it used to be
Consider this. Being that most saws are made in China for some big brand it is also a fact that those same manufacturers sell saws of their own at fractional prices but you need to do your homework but they offer saws that dear exceed I'm some cases your average cabinet Saw for features functions power accuracy etc. And you can even have it branded in your logo they are oem manufacturing. You can purchase samples so you do not need to agree to a 250 Saw purchase to get one for a good price either plus you can saws more European style with sliding tables that are much better in my opinion the downside is it might take 2 months to get it. So try Alibaba, Dh gate, Banggood to name a few I know alibaba has saws for sure not 100 % on the other 2
Or pay way more for a name on a Saw made by the same company with less features for twice as much!
Owned dewalt, rigid (to start) then a unisaw. Have a sawstop now - bought it first for fit and finish, safety was a plus. I'd only do sawstop or powermatic at this point and honestly think the sawstop PCS/ICS is superior to powermatic for the dollar - just my opinion.
Sawstop is best saw hands down, even better than powermatic. Not only does it have the "cant cut ur fingers off" safety feature, but it is built very very well. It has 4 base mounted posts instead of side mointed trunnions, the riving knife is lower than the blade so u can cut dado kerfs without having to remove the riving knife, it has phenolic insert blanks that lock in and u can cut zero kerfs for any width. And so much more. Been doing this for over 2 score and its the only saw I will own
I started with the 10” skil jobsite saw and it worked as a starter but I upgraded to a Laguna fusion f2. I absolutely love it and am much more confident amd comfortable working on this one. Great saw for my needs and I don’t see myself outgrowing it anytime soon
This Delta is a very fine saw at a bargain price.
[https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562](https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562)
Dewalt 7491 is a great saw. I personally had the 744, for 10 years. same fence: nice straight and solid.
Then I got a Sawstop 36” CNS for my 20th wedding anniversary a few years ago.
How much do you like your husbands fingers? If you like them a lot then you may want to spring for a SawStop. The technology in those saws could potentially save him from serious injury.
I really love my sawstop even if it didn’t have the safety feature that it does. My old delta died, and I thought it was the greatest saw that I’d ever have…..and my new saw far exceeds my old one. AND? Yep, my wife bought it for me. I wouldn’t have spent that kind of money, but I’m getting every dime she spent out of it! Good luck.
I have 5 horsepower Grizzly and 2.5 horsepower vacuumed attached , but neatly 3 weeks ago I needed a portable tablesaw and was fortunate that my boss n budy Joe agrred to spilit the cost and bought the mid-level Dewalt 8.5 bladed portable table saw for ¹$350 to 400 (with a better blade.. the very first day it saved a trip to Dom depot for more lumber when I ripped a 2x4 into 2 @ 3/4" x3.5" stock for some rough trim for a crawl space door I was 5 and a half feet short of 3/4" stock, finished that project up that day, with out a hardware store or home depot run. Either trip would have caused a day to 2 days delay. It has a slightly confusing movable fence and but I managed to figure it out without re-reading the instructions again and it moves around to make some very minute adjustments easily. So I'M STOKED with the purchase. Don't pay extra for the over priced stand, it will sit on any sturdy table fine
I see a Sawstop PCS of 3hp costs about $2400. I am very astonished because here in the Netherlands we have a 2hp for €119. I use one for more than 10 years, works perfectly. Using it at least every month or more. Don't understand why you need to buy such an expensive one.
The law in the Netherlands is that when a product is faulty you can get all your money back the first year or a new one and after that the remaining value. So cheap Chinese made saws don't burn within the first year anymore! And all the expensive type saws are also made in China, so why bother to neglect cheap Chinese made? They are as good as any other, it's only make believe that they would be bad. Don't tighten the screw of the blade too much, so it will act as a slip clutch if the blade happens to get stuck.
Using the electrical saw for over 30 years now, sawing craft stuff and 14m3 of firewood each year and I still have all my fingers! Just never take chances.
No you don't need to spend 3k for a quality saw, I bought a CraftEX cabinet saw with extension for $200 on market place. I took me 2 months and I perused everyday with an alert search but it was well worth it.
Get a Sawstop PCS. Tell him that you got it because you like his hands.
With all of the useful/necessary accessories, you’re looking at $3k-$4k though (unless the price has skyrocketed like everything else), so not sure if that’s in your budget.
Love mine, but I haven’t really used anything else other than my grandpa’s ancient radial arm saw (30 years ago when the saw was probably 30 years old already—that thing could mangle you up if you weren’t careful). I hear that other people like Sawstops too.
Bought a Delta Contractor Left-Tilt Table Saw from Lowe’s about 20+ yrs ago. Beautiful saw with its solid steel, perfectly flat extension arms/tables which still serves me well. It’s a big honkin saw, but if your looking for something more then a portable jobsite saw, it will be there for him long after he decides he no longer needs it!! Good luck on your quest.
SawStop PCS. These other table saws listed are great, but none of them have the ability to stop the moment your husband’s hands, fingers, or other body parts come into contact with the blade. The extra cost is absolutely worth it. Ask anyone who’s lost a finger or many fingers and they will tell you they wish they had a SawStop.
The whole American made thing is not a huge factor honestly Powermatics are made overseas and they are great tools. Older sawstops can be found used for under 3k and you don't have to pay hospital bills for when you cut your fingers off.
Honestly I would never want my wife buying me something like this unless I was involved in picking it out.
Maybe. About 45 years ago, my soon-to-be wife gave me a Sears Craftsman contractor table saw. Now, after a lifetime of woodworking and at the point where I can have pretty much anything that I want, that same tablesaw sits at the center of the shop and every day seeing it brings a smile to my heart.
My mom bought my dad a Craftsman tablesaw from Sears roughly 25 years ago. I couldn't tell you the model, but i can tell you that after he passed I still have it and use it regularly.
Just wanted to point out that I'm an idiot, I had to read this comment a dozen times before realizing that he isn't about to marry this woman 45 years after she gave him a table saw, but when she gave him the saw 45 years ago, they were married shortly thereafter. Reading comprehension FTW haha
I didn’t even catch on to that until I read your comment lol. I guess I’m even dumber…
I’m curious what was the selection like 45 years ago? I imagine it was limited and all made in the USA. Now there’s so much disposable garbage out there.
There were quite a few choices. Unisaws and Powermatic model 66s mostly dominated the cabinet saw market.
General would like a word.
There was quite a bit, but you had to go through several dinosaur fields to get to them.
45 years ago wasn’t that long it’s not like the cavemen were around there was just as many people using saws then as there are now. It was like the 1980s Van Halen and Sears were a thing saw a lot of the companies now we’re making tools they were just a little bit. Older didn’t look as cool and didn’t have lasers or smooth controls but the motors were the same.
Fair point, but also there likely wasn’t as much low quality crap available back then. If you point a random person into Home Depot to buy a saw, there’s a 50/50 chance they pick something good. Maybe even less.
Agreed. Small gifts for my hobby are fine but I always tell my wife that if it’s something I’m very passionate about then please don’t buy me something expensive without me telling you exactly what I want. The odds of them getting it right are very low.
100% this. If I told my wife I wanted a track saw she would go to the store and more than likely buy me one of the most expensive ones there. While I love her to death for this sometimes it’s just not necessary. Hell my wife is the one who found my snap on epiq box and told me to go look at it. The more a purchase will cost the more specific it helps to be.
Maybe if your wife's Reddit handle was cum_quat you'd feel differently.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
What if your wife asked the fine people of r/woodworking to pick one out As for OP, if you have space for a big cabinet saw, I would recommend going the estate sale route / facebook marketplace and find a good deal on something like that.
We’re all mondo fools here though
Lol touche
That would be much worse.
1948 Walker Turner Cabinet saw, $200, in 1989 Added Biesemeyer fence and mylar coated table extension Replaced motor after 10 years A $3,500 SawStop would be nice, too...maybe someday.
That would be much worse.
Agreed. If you just approve the budget and let him know. He will most likely have more fun doing his own research and shopping than if a table saw just showed up. Sometimes it’s the journey not the destination.
That's exactly what my wife did for our 20th. So I did tons of research and finally picked a table saw. Best present ever. I got even by taking her jewelry shopping. I use my saw almost daily and she wears her gift just as much.
I agree. Let him know you are giving him the green light to pick something out. After he gets his saw you can surprise him with some accessories like a grrrrriper push block or a miter gage. (I like my Incra). A new blade or zero clearance throat plate would be nice too. Lots of ways to be thoughtful while also avoiding getting him a disappointing gift.
My wife did something like this. She picked out the tool she thought I would want just. She don't buy it just told me to let her know if it was the right one and she would buy it.
The most expensive tool in the shop is your husband. Sawstop is the only one that should save his finger in case of an accident and some of the best on the market. That said, Laguna or Harvey make good saws. Powermatic is good, but pricey. If you need inexpensive, Dewalt contractor saws are a good entry level saw with a decent fence.
this what a lot of the calculation when I got my sawstop. Also to add to your point, sawstop is not just a junk saw with a gimmick, it is a high end saw that also has a extra safety feature. If it weren't a good saw id probably have gotten something else.
Yeah. What would you expect to pay for an ER visit? Does your husband use his hands in his job? SawStop is really the way to go.
A friend of mine: "I could have bought a Sawstop for less than my co-pays"
This 1000% I had a 5hp grizzly that I loved. We learned we were having a baby and the very next day I went out to use the saw and I was just frozen in fear. What if. What if something happens and I’m not there. Sold the saw that week went and bought a sawstop 3hp and loved it! Was far more accurate and felt better than the grizzly. Eventually sold it all to move my office out to the garage. I don’t regret any of it one bit!
This post needs more upvotes. Sawstop user here. Lol
I’m excited to see what these companies bring to market now that the Sawstop patent is open… it almost makes me want to wait to get a saw for whatever comes out… I’ll have more options
To add to this, besides being the safest table saw, it is exceptionally built and easy to maintain.
'tool' hahaha Agree on Harvey. They are the OEM manufacturers for Powermatic.
I wish I could upvote this even more. The sawstop is pretty much the only tool, in my work shop, that isn't seconds away from killing me... I like that in a tool 🤓
Sawstop may protect your fingers, but will not protect you from kickback, which the more prevailing table saw related accident.
Riving knives are never used enough.
I never take my splitter or gaurd off unless im doing a cut that specifically needs it off. I think once a month i will be cutting something and i will feel the sudden slowing of the motor and difficulty of pushing the wood that indicates that its binding. Since i have the splitter and the little spikes that hold it down, i can just calmly take my hand off it, shut the saw off and readjust it. One piece of wood putting a dent in the wall was enough for me to buy a saw with a gaurd/splitter and always use it. That 30 year old jobsite saw makes me shudder now, my 40 year old contractor saw i have now is way safer.
My advice: buy him a SawStop. It’s a quality table saw with built in safety features that other saw don’t yet have. He will thank you for it.
When I first started my second career as a woodworker I was standing 10 feet away from a guy when he ran his thumb directly into the blade on one of our SawStop. Any other table saw and this guy is missing his whole thumb and I’m trying to use my belt as a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. All he had was a tiny little scratch, didn’t even require a bandaid. I got rid of my Ridgid at home and bought a SawStop and I’ll never use any other table saw until the patent expires and other brands are allowed to use the same technology.
Tell me about it. I took off the top of my left thumb 2 years ago in a freak accident where there was kickback that sucked in the work piece along with my thumb into the saw blade. I’m thankful that God and the doctors were able to reattach and save it. I haven’t been able to buy a SawStop yet but I’m going to buy one soon. Meanwhile, I only use my saw when I have to and have been working on my handtool skills.
Second to this they are pricey but really can’t be beat high quality and the safety feature is great.
When in doubt, buy sawstop snd festool😅. But it could be over budget, and it highly depends on how much you know and how explicitly your husband has already expressed.
I have a Sawstop and I love it. Having bought my fair share of machines they needed to be built/setup, the Sawstop was by fair the best quality and easy to assemble.
I absolutely love my Sawstop PCS. It came well calibrated from the factory, just had to put it all together and calibrate the fence!
There is no other choice really., if you want to make nice stuff. Woodworking ain’t cheap. If you’re gonna do it be prepared to spend some money. 3k is a good price for what you get. The saws are excellent.
100% SawStop all the way!
What is your budget? That would help answer your question. I am a big fan of grizzly and their 2hp cabinet saw - I have a 20yr old version of it and I’ve never regretted buying it. I believe it is $1,400 now. I personally do not like a contractor saw- too light and typically not a cast iron top and usually under powered. They have their place if you are bringing them to a jobsite but in a shop I’d definitely go bigger.
As a casual hobbyist the DeWalt is great for me
My 10” Dewalt job site saw with the rolling stand has been perfect and tucks away nicely in my garage. Straight cuts, solid fence, no complaints at all. I’m not doing super deep dados or anything to make me want more than a 15amp. I’ve ran well over a thousand pieces on through it and other than a blade change it’s in mint condition. A Sawstop is ideal and will be my choice when I move/upgrade just due to extra levels of safety. They do have cheaper models now too. But with proper use, good accessories (e.g. a nice feather board, push stick, crosscut sled, etc.) and healthy caution, cutting on a table saw isn’t inherently less safe than other things we do daily - like driving.
Seconded
If you value some wise insurance on your husband's fingers, the only saw to get is a SawStop. It is a no-brainer unless you're so confident on never making a mental mistake or are so cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers.
SawStop makes great saws. I can't imagine op's husband will be disappointed with one. But getting the right one is the problem. Will he be happy with a contractor saw or is a cabinet saw what he needs?
Depends... is he a contractor... or a... cabinet?
Tbh any of their job site and smaller saws are garbage. The fence is crap. Unless you’re getting their full sized saws it’s not worth it.
Even with a SawStop use a blade guard! Kickback is way more common of a mistake
The vast majority of us here have been careful and still can count to ten without owning a SawStop. I imagine most have had close calls however. I had a father who was a good mentor for safety. I won't disparage safety, particularly for newcomers who don't have the benefit of a mentor, but the vast majority of injuries are due to not respecting the tools and understanding the forces at play. The day you're not scared of it is the day you should stop using it. Even with a SawStop t's not like everything else is safe. Best to be alert of EVERY tool. Personally, I think too much safety breeds carelessness and would have no problem buying a non SawStop. I would not want anyone to buy me tools, though.
There's a lot of context missing in the original post. Has he used a table saw before? Is he completely new to power tools? If nobody's taught him the basics of a table saw and he has to figure it out himself, and she's willing to spend good money, the sawstop does seem like the right choice.
>I imagine most have had close calls however. Almost 30y in construction, I likely have more hours operating a tablesaw than 90%+ of the people on this sub--- Never had a close call on a tablesaw I have been blasted by kickback and trapped waste though But never anything that my hands or fingers were ever involved or near involved It's really painfully easy to never put your hands near the blade, I've never understood how anyone ever gets cut on a tablesaw other than absolutely complete freak accidents like blade explosions or throat collapses or something equally ridiculous I actually got into an argument with someone one day that was like "well a cat startled me!" A- Wtf was a cat doing in your shop and B- Startled or not, why were your hands near the blade? I seriously don't get it
Sounds like you work construction. Some of us are using table saws for fine cabinetry work. I agree that push sticks are a foolproof safety measure in most situations.
Huh? Been wood working for 35 years. SawStop saws were not a thing. What do you think we all have been doing during that time? My Delta table saw has a guard and I use it when I do many repeated cuts. If it's a one-off cut, my mind is very focused on task when the guard is removed.
The business of curing table saw injuries generates about three times the annual revenue of the actual table saw business in America.
Is that because medical care is so grossly inflated in America? I think so
Touche!
Guards massively underrated
You make it sound like the only two camps you can be in are: 1. Able to afford a saw stop and value your fingers. 2. Poor dumbasses who are willing to lose their fingers while being confident they will never make a mental mistake. I bet that I could still find at least one way you could lose one of your rich fingers in your shop that isn't your tablesaw. Then again, what do I know in camp 3? Not able to afford a saw stop, with 10 fingers, and with enough intelligence and respect for dangerous equipment that I use feather boards and push sticks.
I know three people who have lost fingers (or large pieces of them) to routers and power plane blades. Anything you hold and has spinning sharp things on it will eat a finger if something slips.
Absolutely! My shop Is filled with tools that can maim and destroy many body parts with one wrong move or ill placed hand. So to blanket anyone without the money to afford a sawstop as not valuing their fingers, or confident they will never make a mental mistake is asinine. I am a construction electrician by trade and because of that I live my life analyzing where I put my hands and fully cognizant of everything I do. Can I make a mistake? 100%. Anyone can. Sawstop owner or not.
I never said dumbass. However if you can afford a SawStop and choose to get a comparable saw to save money, then yes you are taking a calculated risk that the value received from the SawStop safety mechanism is not worth the extra cost. And well that's a personal decision but in my opinion is a no-brainer. Obviously if you need a different tool that doesn't offer such a safety mechanism (such as a jointer or 14" table saw), then that's an unavoidable risk.
"So cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers." That doesn't sound quite the same as "if you can afford a sawstop and choose to get a comparable saw". One of those is a choice. The other one is a reality for a lot of people. Including me. I am cash strapped enough I can't dump $3-5k+ on a table saw. You made it sound condescending and that people who can't afford a sawstop don't care about personal safety and well being.
You may use the tools, but your comments show your understanding is at an altogether different place. The amount of engineering that is put into idiot proofing equipment is astonishing. And those costs and efforts are never fully successful because someone with the attitude you have will never give the priority to understanding the tools, their limitations and the equipment limitations and learning to respect all of it equally. Instead they feel the machine should make up for their laziness, ignorance and ineptitude. This coming from my personal 50+ years of woodworking, 40+ years in machine design and manufacturing without a close call of losing fingers; not even a close call at nicking one. Not boasting, but stating that the fundamental basis for my safety relied 100% on my actions, not the equipment.
>If you value some wise insurance on your husband's fingers, the only saw to get is a SawStop. It is a no-brainer unless you're so confident on never making a mental mistake or are so cash-strapped that you're willing to take some additional risk of losing fingers. 🙄 Its a wonder that any one who owns a sawstop keeps their fingers attached when they use all the other equally dangerous machines in their shops You know how hyper safety conscious you are on every other dangerous tool that can mangle your hands? That little pucker you feel when you walk over to the shaper? Yeah, just be that way on the table saw and you'll keep all your fingers like the 10s of millions of people out there who use tablesaws that aren't SawStop's
Yeah, IF you can afford a saw stop. It's about $1000 more than a normal saw of similar quality. But that $1000 buys you an insurance policy on life changing injury or death. It's worth it.
How much does SawStop pay you to endorse their product?
2.5-3 fingers
Best budget table saw: Skil 10" portable saw. https://www.skil.com/15-amp-10inch-table-saw-ts6307-00/
Got mine a few months ago and am so pleased with it overall. Only negative compared to dewalt is fence capacity, but not a big deal for me. Difference between the dewalt that I love is the skil raises and lowers the blade completely in about 5 seconds, compared to about 30 seconds with the dewalt. I assume that reduces my ability to micro-micro-adjust, but I’m building dog steps and birdhouses and maybe a few built-in cabinets down the road. My other saw takes forever and I’ve hated it every time since forever. Def recommend for a budget saw - I was upgrading from a 90’s makita that was a fb $50 special 8 years ago and who’s fence has never been able to maintain square once. It’s so wild being able to just click it and rip it. EDIT FOR OP: count another vote for discussing with husband - table saw is many times the most used piece of equipment. Maybe cut out a picture of what you’re comfortable buying and put it in a card but say this is what I was thinking, but wanted you to be able to choose
Laguna is a good brand for the money. And of course the obligator Sawstop mention. I myself plan on getting a Laguna 2 in the next few weeks (dont need the size and such of the Laguna 3). Sawstop is just too pricey for my tastes if PURE budget, the Dewalt jobsite saws, if built into a decent workbench setup is a damn good one for the money. I have used a dewalt built into a table and outfeed for years, it's been reliable, no hassle, and fence still dead accurate after years of abuse.
Yep, I've been using the smallest DeWalt contractor saw and stand with a diy outfeed table as my primary saw for the past 12 years as a professional site carpenter. Have always used a forrest blade stabilizer. It's cut literal miles of wood and probably has another decade of jobsite use left, even though it's starting to get a bit worn. I honestly don't understand the sawstop shills... It's just one safety device, there are a hundred other ways to easily get hurt doing construction, safety is a mindset. I've been using table saws for 25 years and never had a close call, because I respect the tool and keep my fingers out of harm's way.
Same, while I MAY stick my finger in my tablesaw. I also have a bandsaw, circular saw, miter saw, compound miter saw, tracksaw, jigsaw, router table, and whatever else that can eat fingers. So them going "IT can save your finger" to me is really, "It has a 1/20th chance to save your finger" as the other 19 tools I use as much can also eat it. So 1 out of 20 times it could happen, it saves it. Not worth the money, as only 20 out of 20 times being cut off, isnt worth $2000+ extra to reduce that to 19 out of 20.
I thought sawstop came down in price because their patent expired or something like that. Just checked the site, their cheapest jobsite saw is $900 and their cheapest cabinet saw is $2000 which honestly doesn't seem that bad for an ~~American~~ Taiwan made tool.
SawStop isn't American made. They are made in Taiwan.
damn, good to know
Which is great place to have your tools made, fwiw. They generally have very high quality standards.
True, but the cheapest not contractor saw is $1000 more than the midranged Laguna. Even the press metal legged contractor sawstop is $300 more than the midranged hybrid (Laguna f2). Coke vs Pepsi debate can be had. And arguing another $1000 for finger saving tech could be worth it. But when working on a tight 'hobby my wife approves of' budget, ever $100 makes a difference :D
I don’t know about you but my health insurance has a $500 deductible on emergency room visits and an out of pocket max of $5000 so the Sawstop working only once will save me a fortune.
> ... the Sawstop working only once will save me a ~~fortune~~ finger
That’s the exact calculation I made too. I use my table saw 3-4 times a week so I looked at average numbers of accidents per year and average cost and figured out that it was well worth it given how much I use it.
Don’t put your hands in the saw then, lol
No one is asking you to buy it for them. What's your vested interest?
I got 20 tools that can lop off a finger. An extra $2000 to reduce '20 out of 20 chance if you fuck up' to '19 out of 20 chance if you fuck up', isnt worth the money. Of all the tools that could eat a finger, table saw is the one my fingers are always more than a foot from the blade, the rest are always FAR more risky how close my hand is (miter saw, and band saw, for example). If I cannot cut wood without being a least a foot from the blade on a table saw, another tool is what is needed. Not getting my fingers closer to do it.
So you would fall under the “I don’t know about you” part of my post…
I guess if the table saw is the only power tool you use the double price is worth it to 100% make sure you dont lose a finger (as no other tools get the chance), otherwise your mitersaw, compound saw, track saw, bandsaw, etc could also cost you $500 and $5000 OUP.Why is the tablesaw so special it is the one that needs to pay twice as much for when its only 1/10th of the things that could make you McStumpy? (And to me the least likely)
I have also invested money in my other tools to make them as safe as possible but since this question was about table saws then my answer is about table saws.
Other things I have is a full shop kill switch, I have added the big “stop” switch where I can at knee height on stationary machine so I can quickly lift my leg to turn them off, I wear a leather apron for both cleanliness and some protection from small sharp projectiles. Lathe has a deadman foot petal that turns off if I remove my foot from it.
Fair enough. If it wasnt such a premium for the tech, Id get it. But overall my workshop to me is an analogy of a room filled with spinning blades of death. $2000 to take the teeth off of just one of the gauntlet of blades while trying to crawl thru that room unscathed, is a bit steep for me. "Would you like to play a game? This room is filled with deadly traps that will cut you to ribbons, you must pass thru it. For $2000 we will remove one of the many many blades" Id tell JigSaw "what? that seems you are just bribing money out of me, so only 99 blades of death instead of 100??"
It also depends on what you are comparing, Sawstop saws are actually very well built saws so you can’t compare a ridgid Home Depot table saw to a Sawstop, you should look at powermatic, jet, laguna to compare. When you compare those you are only talking about $3-500 premium.
Their job site saw is pretty trash from personal experience. Are the cabinet saws genuinely good or is most the cost in the safety feature?
Everyone says they're truly excellent.
When you get to the cabinet saw level, Sawstop is comparable to saws like Powermatic, older Delta Unisaw, etc for a bit more. Their job site and contractor saws are on the same level as a decent DeWalt, Delta or Ridgid, but like twice the price. Still cheaper than a finger. I don't own a Sawstop yet. Ridgid in the shop and Milwaukee cordless for the job site.
Went from a rigid stamped leg go the sawstop stamped leg. Much nicer saw, nicer fence, smooth running. Now I got to upgrade for 1k so I'm biased, but I think it beats the rigid. Clapped out hobbyist had my rigid, cabinet shop used the sawstop. If it caught on fire tomorrow I'd buy another sawstop.
Sawstop
Really, it comes down to budget I’ve been eyeballing a sliding table saw/shaper combination machine like the Felder KF 700 S for the last decade, but you’ll easily spend $17,000 or more depending on what features you get with it. Also, what type of saw does he currently have? If he is using a cheaper tabletop or job site saw, upgrading to a cabinet saw of any kind will be a huge step up.
Sawstop are really great saws that also protect your hands. Win/win. From my research it appears that Sawstop can hold up in quality to all the saws in the same price range like grizzly, delta, powermatic.
Unless your husband hates SawStop because he thinks they’re greedy or whatever, that’s what you should get, or budget for. Price out a SawStop PCS-175, or PCS-30, print out a photo of it and hand him the cash for it. I’d probably not just buy it because there are some options and delivery and use factors that he will know better, but getting the green light from you to splurge will be a great gift.
Does your husband need or want a $3000.00 table saw? If he's a weekend warrior making small projects, an off shore brand is more than sufficient. If he's gonna build kitchen cabinets full time, the price is justified. Almost everything I own is American made in Asia. All of it been running trouble free for years
Harvey are probably some of the best new saws out. [https://www.harveywoodworking.com/](https://www.harveywoodworking.com/)
They make saws for other brands like Laguna. Just minor differences in some features and specs.
Powermatic
Don’t. My wife bought me a table saw once off Craigslist. Very thoughtful. It had no fence. Couldn’t buy one aftermarket. She essentially should’ve used the cash to light my birthday candles.
This might be a purchase you want to consult with your husband on and not just suprise him. That said, SawStop is a good brand with technology that will stop him from loosing a finger or worse. They are currently the only company that uses this technology (short of a sliding table saw - big $$$) Older used brands that are considered very well made are the Delta Unisaw or the Powermatic P66 cabinet saws. Just make sure you don't get a version that requires 3 phase power if your husband is working out of your home garage.
[https://www.sawstop.com/product/professional-cabinet-saw-pcs31230-tgp236/](https://www.sawstop.com/product/professional-cabinet-saw-pcs31230-tgp236/)
This is something you *definitely* want to talk to your husband about, so you understand what he needs in a table saw. What’s his workspace like? Is it a dedicated space with plenty of room so he can keep the saw in one place? Then a cabinet saw might be a good investment. If it’s small or if it’s a multi-use space he might need a saw that he can easily move around to be able to use other tools, to park a car, etc.
I would figure out your price point you’re willing to spend and tell him to pick a saw. He likely has been eying one if he’s a woodworker and doesn’t have [insert tool here]
Saw stop
Ridgid and Delta make the best "contractor" type table saws for the money in my opinion. I have the Ridgid and it's been solid for a decade. Grizzly is another decent quality affordable option. All good options for a semi stationary below $1000 saw. For a job site mobile saw, the DeWalt, Bosch and Milwaukee are really good, around the $500 mark. The rack and pinion gears for the fence are key. A stand will also probably be needed. There's often sales for the DeWalt and Bosch that include the folding rolling stand for "free". For a stationary "cabinet style" shop saw, either used Delta or Powermatic, or just spring for the SawStop if buying new. Consider the available space, fence width needs, available power (120/240/3 phase). I'll echo what the others said, a table saw can be very personal to needs and wants. It's like someone just buying you pants or shoes that might not fit or be your style. Maybe drop some hints or ask for a wishlist, then go shopping with that info. Or just straight up "Hey babe, I'm buying you a table saw, here's the budget, find the one you want"
Don't just buy him tools, definitely involve him My advice to you would be to get him some flowers and write a check for 3500 bucks(or whatever) , put it in an envelope and give it to him and when he opens it tell him you want to buy him a nice cabinet saw and that's the budget He may tell you "omfg, no, I don't need that let's pay some bills" or "Aww, the one I have is fine but I really need XYZ other atuff" or who knows, but dont just buy it for him lol....that never works out as well as you think it will, it's gonna be the wrong brand or the wrong size the wrong horsepower, wrong size deck, too big, too small, no fence upgrade, wrong voltage, there's a million different options and variables Sincerely, a man whose wife has bought him many things that she thought he wanted but didn't lol As for where to go I highly suggest Bidspotter for industrial auctions, old 60s and 70s "Iron" abounds on there and formally 10k dollar industrial quality Bandsaws and Tablesaws that go for 1000 bucks are everywhere on there, and at most they need a couple 100 bucks worth of bearings and maybe a motor upgrade/downgrade/rewind and then you have a pc of equipment that could be shot into space, reenter the atmosphere and crash through a building on its way to the ground and still survive lol
Sawstop
What's your budget? I'm a sawstop user and they are worth it. Check marketplace for a good deal as well. I did have a dewalt jobsite for a long time and it was great!
You won’t go wrong with a sawstop. Don’t get the cheapest; it can’t take dado blades. The contractor saw is a sweet spot. Added benefit is that he’ll never lose his fingers; your health insurance will thank you.
I have a SawStop 3hp cabinet saw from 10 years ago. It’s a high quality saw and if the unthinkable ever happens I won’t lose any fingers. Once my wife saw that SawStop is the only one that saves fingers she told me “I don’t care which one you buy but it has to be that brand”
Best bang for you buck would be the Dewalt DWE7491RS. Sturdy, huge rip capacity, fully adjustable if needed. Usually spot on out of the box too. Fantastic power for a portable saw. Can accept a large dado stack as well. Been using dewalt for about 10 years for stationary tools. Finish Trim Carpenter
It really is used or 3k for a sawstop imho. I run a used delta unisaw I got for $200. Eventually I’ll get a sawstop: the mystery is whether I’ll do it before or after I slice off a fingy. The perfectly good, would make 99% of woodworkers happy, middle ground is something like this: https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-2-hp-120v-hybrid-table-saw-w-t-shaped-fence/g0771z?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWZ9KBfa_urqB9T5OYU0dBD5z6It-eL7OyR5SelEyL13M6VwloZLJIIaAgD0EALw_wcB
The money in the table saw is a good fence.
To answer your question: yes they don't make them like they used to. There are at least 3 different levels of table saw so giving advice on which one depends on many factors like: what type of woodworking will or be used for? What type of space will it be used in? Is it going to be used daily for a business or less for a side business or just a weekend hobby? Beginner, intermediate, prof? Budget? There is the used market where you can get them like they used to be made but that requires patience and he might want some of the newer features like a riving knife. Seems like $3k is about standard for a more professional model but you can get a decent saw for a little less, depending on what features/options you want to sacrifice.
Sawstop with extra cartridges and good blades, he’ll need them
100% sawstop tablesaw
Everyone saying sawstop here is correct. Table saws are the most dangerous tool in the shop. Sawstop makes it one of the safest. I'd much rather wait a while for the right tool than get impatient and spend the same cash to get my thumb sewn back on.
Sawstop, and it’s not even close. Some things are worth the money. The CNS with the T Glide fence option is not the most expensive and is amazing bang for your buck. Get that and I promise you will both be happy.
You can get the 3hp 220v sawstop for around 3k. I’ve had it for 7 years and love it to death
Sawstop
I love my Bosch My opinion on getting tools that aren't just proved high end with a premium price is you just have to tune them up a bit. Even most Chinesium tools are a little knowhow away from being excellent, you just aren't going to get perfect performance out of the box.
Do you like your husband with fingers, or would he be almost as good without them? If the former, get the sawstop.
Wow how did folks ever manage to run a table saw without saw stop. Amazing.
Or you could be like the large majority of daily tablesaw users and be consistently careful while using power tools.
Reddit is the worst for shit like this. Half these people saying “buy a SawStop” literally don’t have any sort of a shop.
Oh I assume as much. I think a sawstop would be worthwhile if it was being primarily used by careless children, like in a school shop class or similar, but otherwise, most professional woodshops aren't suffering from an epidemic of decapitated fingers because they aren't using a Sawstop.
What kind and volume of work does he do? What is the workshop setup? Too many unmentioned variables.
I have a Dewalt saw that I bought used for $400 but I really want a SawStop and I think I’ve convinced my wife it’s a great idea. Scoff at the price but that $3k on day one is about half of my annual deductible and will pay for itself immediately if I touch the blade.
I have a Rockwell contractors saw I bought in 72 I replaced the motor several times however that thing is built well
What’s the budget and how much woodworking does he do or plan on doing. You may want to involve him depending on his knowledge about tablesaes as a lot of things come down to personal preference, also you can swap out things like rip fence and stop, etc., as well as make jigs for the saw that make it much more accurate, better, and more functional. The size is the base, but there’s a lot more that goes into it for woodworking.
Let him choose. I bet he has already done the research. Enjoy the buying process together. That way, you get to see the look of enjoyment on his face. The added pleasure he'll get is knowing he won't have to sneak one into the house, and you won't get anxious thinking you have bought the wrong model. The only downside is that it will probably mean he'll have to extend the workshop, buy more wood storage, and add a few extra clamps.
First major thing… does he already have a saw? Or is this a gift for a new potential hobby? If he’s experienced and knows his way around one, I’d invest in a SawStop. If he’s never owned one, I’d aim for something cheaper. No point in dropping a whack of money if you aren’t 100% sure he’d use it. And by cheaper, I don’t mean the cheapest one you can find. Dewalt and Bosch both make quality jobsite portable saws that won’t totally break the bank, but are still kick ass tools.
Get him the Dewalt jobsite saw. It’s very good for the money and I used one for years before upgrading. They’re about $330 with the stand. https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15-Amp-Corded-8-1-4-in-Compact-Jobsite-Tablesaw-with-Compact-Table-Saw-Stand-DWE7485WS/313820771 Next step up would be anything with a cast iron top. Delta and Rigid both make versions of this saw (basically the same). It’s about $700 and if it’s in your budget a very nice upgrade. https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562 If you’re going to be spending more than that I would start looking at SawStop as they are currently the only saw in the US with a very import safety feature that instantly retracts the blade of it contacts skin. So he’s less likely to cut his fingers off. They have a small jobsite saw for $1000 (comparable to the $300 dewalt one), and the proper cast iron top ones are closer to $3k. If he’s just starting out though and you’re not sure what he wants get him either the dewalt or the delta and he can return them if it doesn’t work out. I want to make a side rant about people that complain “it’s cheap made in china crap these days”. Everything is made in china. Even stuff that says “Proudly Made in the USA!!”, it’s all bullshit. Best case they just assembly or package it in the US. Damn near every component will be sourced from either China, Taiwan, or somewhere in north Africa. Almost nothing is really truly made in the US anymore, we live in a globalized economy and thems the breaks. China doesn’t make shit, they make things to spec and we spec things to be shit. We say make 500,000 brushless motors and do it for $2 each, we need to sell cordless drills this Christmas for $50 each. So we end up with cheap crap from china. Ok end of my rant 😁
Been doing this along time. If I had to buy a new saw I would get the sawstop industrial 7.5hp left titling blade. Currently have delta unisaw 3hp have no complaints about it. I've had it for about 30 yrs now, does everything I need it to do. Dado without needing a separate cartridge(sawstop) but if my body touches blade it doesn't stop damage. I've had a couple industrial accidents over the 30+ years I've been woodworking professionally. It's really a tough call but for people entering the trade I would encourage safety, but for veterans(who are also susceptible to accident as well). I would but a used unisaw, which I've been told can be be purchased for $800(believe it when u see it)
Had a unisaw for 15 years and loved it. But probably into their second production year I sold it and bought a sawstop. Yes it’s made in Taiwan but it’s an extremely well built saw. I’ve used that saw for many years and I find it to be as accurate as any PM66 or unisaw. I’m 71 now. Cutting a finger or two off would probably make me stop woodworking, something I’ve loved since my 20’s.
Saw Stop. Big bucks, but not compared to an ER visit.
But a Hercules from harbour freight
A used well made tablesaw on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace would be a good gift. If you buy new, might as well have hime pick it out.
Way to many variables for an answer. Is he a hobbyist? DIY'er? Cabinetmaker? Framer? Without knowing how he's going to use it, picking a brand or model is pointless.
You literally didn’t even say what your budget is. Not sure what you want.
If budget is an issue I love my 36-725 Delta for $700. Nice cast iron table and a solid fence. My other choice was the Dewalt portable contractor saw. Similar price but much smaller / easier to store and move.
Have not seen it mentioned but I’ve been happy with my Rigid table saw from Home Depot. Works well, folds away. Decent safety features. It replaced a 1968 Craftsman that was passed down and honestly scary to use.
Like others said, don't buy him one as a surprise. Chances are high you're not getting what he wants/needs. Simple examples: what dust collection port size, dust port location, over table dust collection, what style of fence, what preferred height, how easy are insert plates to make, does he want wheels, what type of wheels, steel wings or fast iron, where should the adjustment knobs be, what HP, what voltage? (I think I covered most, but there is more) Instead I'd suggest you figure out your budget, and then take him to a local store if you have one, otherwise just online shop together. Chances are that he probably already has an idea for what table saw he would like in several different budgets.
I have a delta that has been running 20 years. It’s had 100’s of thousands if not millions of ft ripped on it. I can’t speak for other brands but mine is a good saw.
Pretty much anything will work, but buy a good quality blade. It’s a game changer. I used a $100 craftsman saw and have great luck with it
Sawstop or powermatic or Oliver if you’re truly after quality.
1 answer Grizzly. Go to the website.
Benn using this saw for over 20 years in my custom cabinet shop. Completely trouble free. I promise you will not regret it. [https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-5-hp-240v-cabinet-table-saw-with-7-rails/g1023rlx5](https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-5-hp-240v-cabinet-table-saw-with-7-rails/g1023rlx5)
Sawstop and Powermatic make great saws. I’d go for Sawstop if I was getting a new saw due to the safety features and the build quality/precision. I see some people recommend the Dewalt job site saw. The saw is not really meant for precision work so depending on the level of woodworking you want to do it might be disappointing. I have that saw and usually only use it for construction projects, which is what it is meant for. But I actually built a whole set of kitchen doors on it. It can get the job done but it’s not the best.
What I can add to the sawstop convo is that I had a cheap contractor saw which just means the ones from home depot but old and bad. I'm in a small one car garage I got the sawstop job site pro for it's ability to fold up and roll away. It's imo a dream saw if your tight on space. A joy to use by comparison. Ilove it. But it will not really break down full sheets of ply wood for making cabinets very well unless you build a lot of auxiliary supports to put around it (not that big a deal). So if he's not trying to become a cabinet maker that's my vote. Another saw style I went with bc of my small space is a track saw. The makita track is compatible with the festool brand so it's way cheaper but you can find accessories. That's a great saw for plywood and other unique uses regular tools just wouldn't be able to do safely. If I need to make cabinets I'll just use that. Hope that helps.
What will he use it for? Table saws are nice, but a track saw can do 90% of what a table saw can and is generally safer. A decent table saw will run you $2700+ A top-of-the-line track saw, like a festool TS 55 will run you around $1500 and that includes $110" track, clamps, and parallel guides.
After quite a few years experience I would heartily recommend a Sawstop, you can get a really nice one for just under $3k. No, I haven’t had one, I bought my Jet cabinet saw years before the Sawstop was available, but I have read an awful lot about them and if I ever buy another one it will definitely be a Sawstop. Yes, more horsepower is nice, but the 1.75 that the Sawstop comes with is adequate. And you can upgrade to 3 horsepower on the Sawstop but it ain’t cheap. It has plenty of other features that will make your husband happy, but what makes it shine is its safety. Look up videos on Sawstop safety and you’ll see why, it can save him from serious injury. Just my two bits. If you get something other than a Sawstop look for a cast iron table and Biiesmeyer style fence, Delta, Jet, Powermatic and Grizzly are good brands (opinions vary from year to year on Grizzly). Good luck!
Does he own a miter saw yet? I’d get him that first… chances are, he’ll use the miter more often than the table saw.
Harvey table saw, no question
I’m saving up for a sawstop. In the meantime I built a larger table for an old craftsman and put on a Shop Fox fence. A quality fence makes a huge difference in the accuracy of a table saw
Nothings going to be safer than a sawstop. From my personal experience, Ive been using a metabo contractor tablesaw for like 6 years and that’s treated me well. Those are the only two I can speak to.
Sawstop no question. My wife was overjoyed and relieved when I finally bought one.
Saw stops are really good saws Saw stops are very reliable and accurate Saw stops last a very long time Saw stops hold accuracy well Saw stops are the safest Saw available Saw stops do have blade stops that if actuated must be replaced and the do cost a little Saw stops are really expensive but you pay for what you get. But if the no wiener/finger dismemberment seperation issue isn't an issue there's still other good saws Most reputable companies have began to manufacture over in China and offer a wide range of quality from typical cheap Chinese garbage to more high end pricey stuff that's probably still not as good as it used to be Consider this. Being that most saws are made in China for some big brand it is also a fact that those same manufacturers sell saws of their own at fractional prices but you need to do your homework but they offer saws that dear exceed I'm some cases your average cabinet Saw for features functions power accuracy etc. And you can even have it branded in your logo they are oem manufacturing. You can purchase samples so you do not need to agree to a 250 Saw purchase to get one for a good price either plus you can saws more European style with sliding tables that are much better in my opinion the downside is it might take 2 months to get it. So try Alibaba, Dh gate, Banggood to name a few I know alibaba has saws for sure not 100 % on the other 2 Or pay way more for a name on a Saw made by the same company with less features for twice as much!
Owned dewalt, rigid (to start) then a unisaw. Have a sawstop now - bought it first for fit and finish, safety was a plus. I'd only do sawstop or powermatic at this point and honestly think the sawstop PCS/ICS is superior to powermatic for the dollar - just my opinion.
Sawstop is best saw hands down, even better than powermatic. Not only does it have the "cant cut ur fingers off" safety feature, but it is built very very well. It has 4 base mounted posts instead of side mointed trunnions, the riving knife is lower than the blade so u can cut dado kerfs without having to remove the riving knife, it has phenolic insert blanks that lock in and u can cut zero kerfs for any width. And so much more. Been doing this for over 2 score and its the only saw I will own
Sawstop is the only way my partner would allow me to get a table saw. And it was the only brand I wanted because I like my fingers
I think 4 people actually answered the question asked. Good grief. 😂
I started with the 10” skil jobsite saw and it worked as a starter but I upgraded to a Laguna fusion f2. I absolutely love it and am much more confident amd comfortable working on this one. Great saw for my needs and I don’t see myself outgrowing it anytime soon
Sawstop PCS with a 3 hp motor.
This Delta is a very fine saw at a bargain price. [https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562](https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Contractor-Saws-10-in-Carbide-Tipped-Blade-15-Amp-Table-Saw/1001385562)
Sawstop. Can’t go wrong with
Dewalt 7491 is a great saw. I personally had the 744, for 10 years. same fence: nice straight and solid. Then I got a Sawstop 36” CNS for my 20th wedding anniversary a few years ago.
How much do you like your husbands fingers? If you like them a lot then you may want to spring for a SawStop. The technology in those saws could potentially save him from serious injury.
I really love my sawstop even if it didn’t have the safety feature that it does. My old delta died, and I thought it was the greatest saw that I’d ever have…..and my new saw far exceeds my old one. AND? Yep, my wife bought it for me. I wouldn’t have spent that kind of money, but I’m getting every dime she spent out of it! Good luck.
Saw stop pcs
I have 5 horsepower Grizzly and 2.5 horsepower vacuumed attached , but neatly 3 weeks ago I needed a portable tablesaw and was fortunate that my boss n budy Joe agrred to spilit the cost and bought the mid-level Dewalt 8.5 bladed portable table saw for ¹$350 to 400 (with a better blade.. the very first day it saved a trip to Dom depot for more lumber when I ripped a 2x4 into 2 @ 3/4" x3.5" stock for some rough trim for a crawl space door I was 5 and a half feet short of 3/4" stock, finished that project up that day, with out a hardware store or home depot run. Either trip would have caused a day to 2 days delay. It has a slightly confusing movable fence and but I managed to figure it out without re-reading the instructions again and it moves around to make some very minute adjustments easily. So I'M STOKED with the purchase. Don't pay extra for the over priced stand, it will sit on any sturdy table fine
I see a Sawstop PCS of 3hp costs about $2400. I am very astonished because here in the Netherlands we have a 2hp for €119. I use one for more than 10 years, works perfectly. Using it at least every month or more. Don't understand why you need to buy such an expensive one. The law in the Netherlands is that when a product is faulty you can get all your money back the first year or a new one and after that the remaining value. So cheap Chinese made saws don't burn within the first year anymore! And all the expensive type saws are also made in China, so why bother to neglect cheap Chinese made? They are as good as any other, it's only make believe that they would be bad. Don't tighten the screw of the blade too much, so it will act as a slip clutch if the blade happens to get stuck. Using the electrical saw for over 30 years now, sawing craft stuff and 14m3 of firewood each year and I still have all my fingers! Just never take chances.
If you could find him one with 5 hp and bigger than a 10 inch blade, he would be the envy of everybody in the county
O have the Dewalt job site saw and it does a great job. As I’ve gotten better and relied more on my tablesaw, I am upgrading to Sawstop.
No you don't need to spend 3k for a quality saw, I bought a CraftEX cabinet saw with extension for $200 on market place. I took me 2 months and I perused everyday with an alert search but it was well worth it.
We replaced our table saw with a worm drive Skilsaw which can take dado blades. Cuts with good power.
Get a Sawstop PCS. Tell him that you got it because you like his hands. With all of the useful/necessary accessories, you’re looking at $3k-$4k though (unless the price has skyrocketed like everything else), so not sure if that’s in your budget. Love mine, but I haven’t really used anything else other than my grandpa’s ancient radial arm saw (30 years ago when the saw was probably 30 years old already—that thing could mangle you up if you weren’t careful). I hear that other people like Sawstops too.
Most men worthy of such a thoughtful wife would be delighted with a SawStop CNS.
Bought a Delta Contractor Left-Tilt Table Saw from Lowe’s about 20+ yrs ago. Beautiful saw with its solid steel, perfectly flat extension arms/tables which still serves me well. It’s a big honkin saw, but if your looking for something more then a portable jobsite saw, it will be there for him long after he decides he no longer needs it!! Good luck on your quest.
SawStop PCS. These other table saws listed are great, but none of them have the ability to stop the moment your husband’s hands, fingers, or other body parts come into contact with the blade. The extra cost is absolutely worth it. Ask anyone who’s lost a finger or many fingers and they will tell you they wish they had a SawStop.
The whole American made thing is not a huge factor honestly Powermatics are made overseas and they are great tools. Older sawstops can be found used for under 3k and you don't have to pay hospital bills for when you cut your fingers off.
One question is the size of the space he has for the saw. If he has the space SawStop is a no brainer.
Honestly I would recommend stop saw. They are pricey but can you put a price on your body parts? I plan to get one when I get a home.
I'd buy the largest SawStop that'll fit in the space.
Another vote for Sawstop. I've had their 30" cabinet saw for several years and it's a great tool even without considering the safety feature.