Is The Unisaw Worth It?

I'm about ready to bite the bullit buy a good cabinet grade table saw. I have been looking at a Delta Unisaw, 5hp, 3phase with 60" Biesmeyer fence. Is the Delta any better than the Powermatic Mdl. 66? What about Jet? I realize that the Unisaw has the name recognition, but for 2 grand I want to get the best piece available.

Any cabinet makers out there?

Opinions?...Theories?...

Thanks All!

Scott

• Unisaw

Several of you have mentioned buying used, but up here in North Idaho they are VERY few and far between. My 42nd birthday was 2 weeks ago and my wife and kids are buying me the saw as a present. History (and common sense) tells me I better hurry before the offer expires!

Whichever way I go, I'll let you know!

Scott

If you can afford it definately go with the powermatic. Even get a 10"-12" if possible. I taught vocational education, and all my woodworking equipment was powermatic. It is like lincon, Kids can't tear them up. I had a bessimeyer fence on my shop powermatic and it was worth the money !!! Wish I could afford one at home but because of funds had to settle with a Jet, of which there is no comparison with the powermatic.

Good luck,

Bill

As for the benchtops, they usually still need adjusting too. A friend of mine bought one of the Ryobi's years ago. Worked like crap out of the box. We spent two days stuffing shims here, filing bosses there and finally got the thing to work really well. They simply aren't very heavy duty, so, use a REALLY sharp thin kerf blade and don't push too fast.

One last note. More teeth DOESN'T mean better cut. Dial the blade up to where about 3 to 4 teeth are in the wood during the cut. If you have to dial the blade up SO far it makes you uncomfortable, use one with less teeth. It all has to do with getting the sawdust out of the kerf before it heats up, burns, warps and draws the temper from your blade, then wobbles and dulls and EVERYTHING goes to crap, including safety, which is probably why the blade was JUST BARELY sticking up above the wood to begin with.

Hey Al, did I beat you with lenghty responses?!?

Tools

You're right. What I need to check is whether an aftermarket fence could later be switched to the Unisaw. I imagine so, if not, I'll suffer till I get the unisaw I've been looking for some 10 years now! So, I was thinking about a Paralok fence, any experience with those?

Tools

All you need to do is look at the mounting and see if you can get it on your saw. Anybody's aftermarket will be Unisaw adaptable. I wouldn't consider a fence that needed a back locking arrangement which would be the only type you'd have trouble with due to different table depths. Then you'd have enjoyed the fence and maybe forgotten how expensive it was by the time you found your dream saw. Another option if you have more time than money is to build your own. Not much to a Biesemeyer. Back rail doesn't do anything but hold up the extension table. Lots of options. And they all make using the saw more attractive.

Thanks again for the reply,

Tools

HTH John

I'd consider the Delta and Powermatic the same in quality. One thing to consider, these things are quite available used for around $600. Anything other than SERIOUS abuse means it should be fine, they're VERY heavy duty. If you see one advertised much cheaper, odds are they're talking about a contractor model (regardless what they say, look before you buy).

Mike

I really didn't mean to be redundant.

Scott