# What is the best 110v table saw and bandsaw on the market in your opinion?



## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

I am in search of a good 110v table saw and bandsaw. These will be my first table saw and bandsaw I ever owned, so looking for some input on a saw that will work for awhile. I would like to stick with 110v if possible or I would have to get the shop wired for 220v. So in the 110v range what would you suggest? Doesn't have to be super portable, the most I would move it is however the cord is long.


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

ridgid 4512, grizz 661 or 715P. there's a new powermatic, the pm1000, that operates on a 20A 110v line with it's 1.75 hp motor, but it costs considerably more than a full fledged 3 HP cabinet saw from grizzly (the 1023 or 690). the 4512 from ridgid can be had for $400 if a HD can be located which accepts the harbor freight "20% of any single item" coupon. up from there, it's the two grizzlys then onto cabinet saws, assuming jobsite mobility is not an imperative for you.

for band asaws, check out grizzly and rikon. watch for sales (griz has one now), which usually takes place around year end for rikon. the 10-325 and the 10-345 are two of their more popular models.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

If you can find one the INCA 340 is among the best if not
the best small woodworking bandsaw ever made.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

The best tablesaw, that almost feels like talking politics around here. My choices for the tablesaw would have to be a cabinet saw. My first choice is the 110v Sawstop PCS, I own this saw and it is very accurate, well built and the customer service couldn't be better. If you aren't interested in the blade brake I would look at the Powermatic PM1000, I think it has a few features that are a little better than the Sawstop, like the fence, if you are getting the 30" and the miter guage. It's also a few hundred dollars cheaper. I'm sure there are some other nice saws but these are the two I like. If you buy a new saw make sure and buy a good blade because most don't come with quality blades.

I haven't looked at bandsaws lately but I would make sure it had at least a 3/4 or 1 hp motor.

Mike


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*Best* is pretty subjective and varies by budget, need, and what tools we've been exposed to. IMO, probably the Saw Stop PCS 1.75hp. The new PM1000 looks interesting but doesn't offer the safety device, and isn't much less than the SS PCS, so I see the SS as the better buy. >$2k.

You might be better off taking the plunge and getting 220v, rather than spend big bucks to avoid it. The Grizzly G1023RL or G0690 offer a heck of a lotta saw for ~ $1350 shipped. 220v can be fairly simple and cost effective depending on your situation, and whether or not you can do some of the grunt work. Worth looking into anyway…

If 220 is absolutely out, and you don't want to spend > $2k on a 110v saw, the Craftsman 22116 made by Steel City is a nice saw for ~ $950 on sale….granite top, yoke style cabinet mounted trunnions, Biese clone fence, full enclosure.

Best BS I've used is the Minimax MM16. The best bang for the buck is probably a Grizzly.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

Without knowing your price range, but assuming you want to keep the costs reasonable:
Tablesaws
- I'd avoid the super-small jobsite saws, with folding bases. Good work can be done on them, but bigger saws with greater stability are better if you have the space. 
- In addtion to the Ridgid/Grizzly, Lowes sells a Porter Cable saw (PC270) that gets good reviews. 
- A craftsman 113. Series Contractor saw is a capable machine IF it is coupled with a good fence. You can find these saws on Craigslist for $200 or less- depending on condition and accessories ( I have a 113 with a Delta T2 fence and have no plans to upgrade until/if I can afford a cabinet saw).

Bandsaws
- I'd stay away from the smaller bandsaws. Most (not all) are junk and/or designed for only the lightest of duties. 
- Go with a 14" saw. Most 14" Bandsaws have similar (if not identical) features. I see used Deltas on Craigslist for $300-400 all the time. In most cases, one of these saws will be of good quality and will last a lifetime. 
- I have a Ridgid BS. It OK…..but just OK. 
- If I were buying a new BS today, and I wanted to keep the price under $500, I'd probably (if not definitely) get the latest Craftsman 14" machine. I've fondled the store display on a few occasions and have been impressed with the quality/features. And its commonly on-sale for under $400 and can be shipped to your local store for free. Only downside is that it takes an oddball length blade that would need to be orderd. But since most of us order our blades online anyway, this isn't really an issue in most cases.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

IMHO, Sawstop PCS 1.75HP, the PM100 looks really nice and the steel city 35950 (and it's variants).
All 3 have cabinet mounted trunnions.

For a bandsaw, the rikon 10-325 has a lot of happy users. One of grizzly's g0555 variants would be a great choice too.


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## pmayer (Jan 3, 2010)

My vote overall on the table saw would be SawStop. If you want to go a bit cheaper I would take a look at the Ridgid hybrid saw which IMO is one of the better values on the market.

For band saw, it depends what you are planning to do. There are some decent benchtop units out there, but most of them are junk and if you have the space I would suggest a 14" model. If you are looking for the best saw that you can within the 110V limit, I would suggest taking a look the Laguna 14/12. Outstanding performance on both resawing and curved cuts for a saw in this class.


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## kocgolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I have the Ridgid 4512 and while not perfect, I have no regrets from a price standpoint. It is table mounted instead of cabinet mounted, but is IS slightly adjustable to the miter slot. I have diablo blades and I have had no problem cutting hardwood up to 3 inches thick. With the right jigs and a nice sled, it's pretty sweet for sub 500 on sale.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

As great as the price is on the 4512, it's a hit or miss saw IMHO, mostly miss.


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

So if I went ahead and went with a 220v would the Grizzly G0715P TS and the G0513ANV 17" 2 HP Bandsaw, Anniversary Edition from Grizzly both be a good deal?


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## Micahm (Aug 28, 2013)

I just don't know what to do. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something I am not going to need. Most of the projects I look at can be done with a circular saw, so I wonder if getting a big expensive table saw right now would be worth it. I may just wait till I really see a need to buy one in the future, plus it will give me time to really think about what I want and need. Still will probably need a bandsaw though.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

The G0715P is a lighter duty hybrid than the 3hp cabinet saws, and will run on 110v or 220v.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

I think you'd be foolish to buy machines if you're not sure you even need them. You'd be crazy to buy new, expensive machines under those circumstances. 
Take some more time to think it over. Of course, you can always buy a quality used machine. That way, you could likely recoup your money if you find you don't like/need the machine. A bandsaw would be a good first machine. Its easy/safe(ish) to use, and very versatile.

Craigslist is filled with good machines that someone bought new, barely used, and then sold for a steep loss. Be the guy that buys those used machines…..not the guy that sells them.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

I'm with Tedstor on this one. There certainly is danger in buying the tool JUST to check off the box (guilty here), but also splurging without really knowing what you're going to do.

I've personally mulled over the question across a wide front. Research is great and all, but nothing beats hands-on experience. Your question was very open ended and leaves a lot for the community to assume are the needs, wants, and dreams. For example, I would classify myself as a hobbyist, but many of my bad purchase decisions came from not having hands-on experience with the tools. Having used a few contractor/cabinet saws and a few sizes of bandsaws I can speak to what would meet my needs for the foreseeable future.

Do you have any projects that you just can't wait to roll up your sleeves to work with in mind? If so, I encourage you to find shops that you can spend some time in to build a project or 2 if you're going to make a big ticket investment for stationary equipment. It will likely help you level-set your expectations and also change your mindset for requirements.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

If you think you might want a table saw but aren't sure maybe what you should do is buy a good used contractor saw like a Craftsman with the motor hanging out the back. That is what I did and then I put a good Craftsman Aluminum fence on it. I later built a cabinet for it to set on to keep the sawdust down. I used that for almost 20 years and it worked very well for me until I upgraded to the Sawstop cabinet saw earlier this year. You should be able to find one for well under $200.
Mike


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## rg33 (Dec 1, 2012)

I agree that asking for the "best table saw" is like talking politics and should only be considered in the context of the actual use you will put it to. My advise based on your initial question is a:

R4512 table saw
G0555 band saw (the 30 yr black edition is a good buy right now on sale)

while I normally agree that going for "used" usually is better in terms of bang for the buck, Im assuming here that you have limited knowledge of these since you've never owned one. the two tools I mention above can both be had for under $1000 new with warranties and fairly good factory and forum support. And, though they may not have all the bells and whistles that bigger and expensive ones, I hardly think they will limit you for years to come.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

If you are a woodworker or plan to be one, there is no risk in buying a tablesaw. Doesn't mean you have to buy the very best on the market although if you did, it would likely be a onetime purchase as opposed to upgrading every few years.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Rick, that's what I wish I did from the beginning; buy the best saw I could afford.

I didn't, and I'm finally getting the saw I will keep for the long haul next year, after 9 years of using "just ok" table saws.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Another alternative to a SawStop, the saw I would buy if I was in the market for a new saw, is a sliding table table saw such as:









*The Hammer K3 Winner, 48" rip, 31" sliding table*


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

I'm going to go against the grain here Run a 220V connection and get a good 220V table-saw. Better to not waste your money up front. It not that hard to run a 220V line. I have a Grizzly 691 and if you check it out you will see it is a good budget table saw that performs super well. I'm super happy with it. The extra power from a good unit will make all the difference in the world in both safety and quality. And ignore the Sawstop hype on safety about sticking a hotdog in the blade and your saw self destructing before your hand. That's nonsense. Your hand hits the blade it toast, don't do that. Grizzly also has a bandsaw that works on either 120 or 220, it ships as 120, haven't had the chance to set that up yet. 220v actually uses less electricity as well. It depends on your ambitions. This a woodworking forum, it assumed you want to make furniture etc, which means decent tools. Carpenters can use 110v table saws on job sites cause they need portability and they don't need super accuracy. More power is good for safety cause if the board is cutting like butter, it less likely to kick back at you and hurt you. Good idea to keep that in mind always in cutting a board though, and not stand where it can kick thru you.

Interesting note, I've always heard of kickback, but never experienced it. I've cut a lot of boards.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"...220v actually uses less electricity as well…"*

AFAIK, any electrical savings would be miniscule to non-existent…. difficult to ever notice. 220v tends to have a tad less voltage sag, thus can be a bit more efficient than 110v, but the theoretical wattage consumed is pretty much the same for either.


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## RPhillips (May 16, 2013)

I was in the same predicament earlier this year and I decided to go with a Craftsman 22114 table saw that I got for around $300 off Craigslist. So far, its been worth every penny. No, its not a $1500 cabinet saw with a Beise fence, but it works pretty good for Noob like myself.










*FYI…* not my shop or saw, just a image I found from a quick Google search.


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## JonHitThingWithRock (Sep 7, 2013)

If you're unsure about what you need in a table saw, or indeed if you'd use one at all, I'd agree with others that going used is a great way to go. I got a craftsman 113.299142 3 years ago off craigslist for $125 with a 1.5hp motor (most come with a 1hp). I took it all apart, cleaned and oiled everything, put it back together and got it all calibrated. Doing this taught me a huge amount about how table saws work, and how the individual pieces work together, you don't really get that with a new saw, because you're only really doing the end calibration after partial assembly. I also learned how fences work (and don't work in the case of the original fence), so i put a delta t-2 fence on it, got everything perfectly set up with feeler gauges and adjustable squares. Once setup, I used it without adjustment for over a year before all the bearings went bad at once due to age. I had the motor rebuilt by a local company, replaced all the bearings, and put a zero clearance insert on it. It was in this setup for about another year until recently, when i went momentarily insane and bought the incra ts/ls super system combo #1 with the router lift and a 7518 motor, and just got done installing that a couple days ago. so yes, I own a $230 (after bearings and motor rebuild) saw with $1,500 of incra/porter cable bolted to it. Also somewhere along the line i got an incra 1000SE miter gauge and haven't touched my compound miter saw since.

The point of this story is that you can start with a really cheap saw and get extremely good results out of it and continually upgrade and improve it over time. Or, if along the way you decide that you don't really need or want a table saw, you can probably sell it for the same amount of money you paid for it, or even build a cheap custom router table wing and make a small profit, but you most likely won't lose money, and you'll learn new things in the process. With a new saw, people can look up what it's worth so you have to sell it at a loss.

As far as bandsaws go, the only advice i can offer is avoid three-wheel versions, i got one and it's crap, i can resaw 8" wide boards, but only at a feed rate of 1" every 15 minutes, and it fights me tooth and nail the whole time…. so avoid that.


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

*the theoretical wattage consumed is pretty much the same for either.*

+1. wattage = votage X amperage.
3520 = 220v X 16A 
3520 = 110v X 32A

unless specifically wired for greater HP in 220v configuration, a dual voltage motor will use the same amount of electricity, and produce the same power output, in either 110 v or 220v configuration.


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## TaybulSawz (Oct 17, 2013)

For your first parlay into woodworking, I think you should hit Craigslist and look for a use Delta Contractors saw and Delta 14" Band saw. They can usually be found for the $300 -$400 dollar price range so for less than the price of a new table saw you could own both and determine if you really want/need to have these larger tools for your woodworking endeavors. I think once you have them you'll soon realize how much they improve and increase your woodworking horizons.


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## Kobra (Mar 13, 2013)

"I just don't know what to do. I don't want to spend a bunch of money on something I am not going to need. Most of the projects I look at can be done with a circular saw, so I wonder if getting a big expensive table saw right now would be worth it."

I used to think the same thing with my POS Craftsman TS. Having to check the front and back of the fence before every cut was a major PIA. I bit the bullet and bought the Grizzly 1023RLW and haven't looked back. A good TS will yield accurate repeatable cuts, something you can't do with a circular saw.


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## Woodshingle (Oct 21, 2013)

I'm a Powermatic guy. They make the best pro equipment hands down. I like others too but if you can swing it, Powermatic is the way to go.


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## toolie (Mar 16, 2011)

*They make the best pro equipment hands down.*

if that's the case, how come they are lose out in comparative tool tests in mags like WOOD when testing the more popular stationary shop tools (cabinet saws, 6" jointers and 14" band saws)?


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