Input on table saw purchase

phils_66 · Feb 23, 2011

New to LJ and this is my first post. Big thanks again for the warm welcome from everyone. Glad to be a member.

On to my question. I am looking to buy my first table saw. I check the local craigslist daily. I have recently run across a 10"delta in pretty good shape and at a decent price. Here is the link - http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/2200808257.html
I wanted to get your input on it to make sure its something worth getting or hold off until something better comes along? I have read through similar discussions and see that brands such as Powermatic, Delta, Grizzly, Sawstop and Jet are all worth the consideration. However, most, if not all of these brands, when purchased new, are out of my price range. I know there are a few affordable brands out there if I wanted to go the "new" route, but I think I would rather go with something more quality and used instead of less quality and new for my table saw.

Thanks ahead of time for your input.
Philip

Loren · Feb 23, 2011

That's a decent saw and a good price. The fence looks like
a Biesemeyer style fence so that alone makes it worth looking
at seriously.

If the saw had been used hard the paint on the side tables
would be worn. It's a fair guess the saw is in good operating
condition and should give you accurate cuts.

mrg · Feb 23, 2011

I have the older version of that saw 34-410 and it still runs good. The saw your looking at has the better fence. The blade guard and splitter are still available for these saws. If Delta does not have the splitter and guard you can get an after market one, email me if you need to know the company.

For 200 it looks like a good saw from the pics.

Bertha · Feb 23, 2011

Nice saw for a great price. I skipped on several similar saws due to the lack of bladeguard. A fellow lumberjock turned me onto:
http://www.leestyron.com/sharkguard.php
for a fraction of the price I'd been looking at.

JonathanG · Feb 23, 2011

In my opinion, you're better off with the line of thinking you've established in going with a better quality, used saw, rather than a cheaper, new saw.

That does seem to be a good price for that saw. Looks like a little elbow grease will be required on the top, but that shouldn't take too long to clean it up.

(As a friendly reminder, remember, safety first! Familiarize yourself with proper tablesaw setup and operations and adhere to those practices every time you use it.)

phils_66 · Feb 23, 2011

Thanks to everyone so far for your input and additional information youve given. Sounds like it might be a pretty good/solid saw for me to start with. I will make him an offer on it and see what happens. If it doesnt work out, I will continue the hunt for a good quality/used saw. Thanks again.

Philip

ScottN · Feb 23, 2011

Tablesaws are expensive in the long run…Mine cost $350 and it turned into a $50000 hobby.

knotscott · Feb 23, 2011

I'm pretty sure that saw is a 36-600, TS300 or some other variation of that compact model with a direct drive universal motor. If I'm correct, the dimensions will be 22" deep (instead of 27"d on a full size saw), and $200 is too much for that saw used IMHO….they're known for burning out the motors, and they're cost prohibitive to fix. I'd look for a full size used contractor saw with a belt drive induction motor instead of that one.

Find out a model number, and/or check to see if it has a motor hanging out the back before laying down any cash. If the motor is inboard it's a direct drive compact saw in this case.

phils_66 · Feb 23, 2011

Hey knottscott,

You are correct. I emailed the seller and its a 36-600.

phils_66 · Feb 23, 2011

Must not be the one….......

There is a sale pending on the saw, so I will just have to continue my hunt.

If you guys know of any specific table saws out there to watch out and look for, feel free to let me know. I am somewhat limited on space, so some of these larger saws might be difficult for me to do. I would have to talk the wife into parking back outside the garage…..and I dont see that happening anytime soon

phils_66 · Mar 1, 2011

Ok, so the other saw didnt work out. They sold it to someone else. Now I have a shot at a Grizzly G0444Z table saw. The guy has had it for about 3 years and said its in good condition. Going to see it this evening. I made an offer for $300 (my budget) and he said that was a bit low, but he would consider it.

Looks and sounds good to me. What do you guys think? Good first saw that will last me a while?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/2210629725.html

As always, thanks for the help and input. Once day, I hope to return the favor.

Philip

JonathanG · Mar 1, 2011

Here's another posting on LJs about the same saw from 6-7-months ago:
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/20103

I believe the G0444z came with a 2-HP motor from the factory, not a 3-HP motor.

phils_66 · Mar 1, 2011

Great, Thanks for the reference Jonathan. You are right, I checked Grizzly's site and it came with a 2HP motor. I will inquire more about that in person when I see it.

knotscott · Mar 1, 2011

That's a slightly larger and more substantial saw than the 36-600….heavier, better drive system, better fence, stronger motor….should make for a nice saw once aligned and fitted with a good blade. $300 is a fair price IMO. It's worth noting that the 2hp motor on that saw has a pretty healthy amp draw, so you'll want to be sure your circuit is up to snuff.

phils_66 · Mar 1, 2011

hey knotscott, thanks for the info. To be honest, we just moved into the house were in. It was built in the 60's and there are electrical outlets all over the place. Not sure what kind of circuit or amp draw I will have. I am not too up on my electrical knowledge. Is there a way to see what it can handle? Or if the saw would even work with the ampage we have?
I do know that I have run my dewalt mitre saw, sawzaw, makita drill and makita circular saw with no issues to speak of. Now, they arent all running at the same time, but no outages to speak of so far. I know that the table saw is more ampage than those, so not sure.

Thanks again!

knotscott · Mar 1, 2011

We're beyond my knowledge zone now. Maybe one of our resident electricians or those with more electrical knowledge than me can help. The optimist in me would think it'd be fine on a 20 amp circuit that didn't have any other loads drawing from it, but there's not much science behind that belief!

JonathanG · Mar 1, 2011

Do you have a 220v circuit where you are going to be running whatever saw you end up getting? That saw will not plug into or run on a normal 110v outlet. If you don't have that capability in your shop, or wherever you'll be using the saw, that is added expense right there.

I am going to be getting a new table saw soon myself. My shop is not currently wired for 220v. The new table saw is a 220v saw. I have done some minor electrical wiring, but have never installed or worked on 220v. Because of that, I am going to pay someone to install a 220v outlet for me. I am going to watch him do it though, so that I'll be capable of running any other 220v I might need in the future.

Just something to think about if you're seriously considering this saw, or any other 220v saw.

Bertha · Mar 1, 2011

I bought a vintage JET contractor saw off Craigslist for about your budget. It had no sawguard but I really like the stock fence. It was tuned dead-on from the guy selling it & had a Forrest blade on it. I rewired it for 110V until I could get the electricians out for a proper circuit. I was VERY depressed at the purchase when I tried to run it at 110V. Once I got the proper 20A 220V circuit & rewired the saw to 220V, I absolutely love it. Now keep in mind that a contractor saw (with the motor hanging out the back) willl not have optimum dust collection in a stock configuration. I get reasonable dust collection with an aftermarket overhead guard/dust collector and a big-gulp-style 4 inch port under the saw. It's not perfect but for a few hundred bucks, I couldn't be happier. I had the circuit added alongside a 100 Amp subpanel upgrade, so I'm not certain how much the outlet alone would cost you, assuming you have adequate amperage at your subpanel/load center. However, new 100-amp service (which required trenching) and a few 220V receptacles ran me a bit over $1000. So, if you're limited to 110 volt saws, you might be at a disadvantage. Good luck with your search!

knotscott · Mar 1, 2011

Bill White mentioned that he has a G0444Z and weighed in on the discussion mentioned in the link above. Maybe you could contact him and find out what type of circuit he has the saw on, and how well it does for him. I think the G0444Z can be wired for 110v, but IIRC it draws 18 amps+, which can tax some 110v circuits a bit.

phils_66 · Mar 1, 2011

Thanks for the info everyone. I have it narrowed down to the Grzzly mentioned above and also another one that was recently listed…..A Hitachi C10FL. Both are willing to sell for my budget. The Hitachi is 110v, but I bet the Grizzly could be wired for the same.

Hitachi
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/2240189023.html

or the Grizzly
http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/2210629725.html

knotscott · Mar 1, 2011

The fence on the Grizzly is beefier (steel vs aluminum), but the Hitachi has better dust collection. Note that the Hitachi isn't a true 3hp as stated by the manufacturer…it's a very standard 1.5hp 15 amp induction motor. I'd be inclined to offer no more than $250 for the C10FL unless it's like new and comes with some extras….I know he said he'd go no lower than $350, but he got a warranty and return priveleges for $500….$250 is 50%, which is the general rule of thumb for used tools….I consider going another $25 to $50 if it's really nice. I'd be surprised if it sold at $350.

After taking a look at the pics of the G0444Z, it looks kind of beat on. Take a good look at the fence handle…it could be an optical illusion, but it looks bent. It'd take a lot to bend that….something like a truck hitting it. Not a good sign if that's the case, and $400 is too high IMHO.

Patience…

JonathanG · Mar 2, 2011

I could be misremembering, but it seems to me that someone with the Grizzly temporarily wired it back to 110v and was not happy with it in that format. It may have been Bill White, as knotscott mentioned above. Again though, this was for temporary use of the saw. Once they got it back to a 220v setup and power, they were happy with it.

Yes, you can always run it this way for a little while, but the motor is going to last longer and be happier at 220v. If you do go with that saw, I might suggest spending a few extra bucks sometime over the next year and install a 220v breaker, wiring, and outlet for it. If it is drawing close to 19-amps, you may end up constantly tripping the breaker, assuming it's a 20-amp breaker to start with that you're plugging into. From the various residential electrical panels I've looked at and I believe most "normal" houses to be wired for, a lot of breakers wired for 110v are usually 20-amp breakers, if not 15-amp breakers, at least in a "regular" type setting, i.e.: not going to a kitchen stove, etc. I am certainly not an electrician though, so maybe someone with a firmer grasp of all things electrical can chime in here?

DMX512 · Mar 2, 2011

Keep in mind that most "edison" (the connector and receptacle style on an extension cord) male connectors as well as the receptacles are rated for 15 amps. While 12 guage cable will carry 20 amps the connector and receptacle may not over time.
Just my .02 cents.

phils_66 · Mar 2, 2011

Great points and input Scott and everyone! I really appreciate it. I think as Scott mentioned at the end of his last comment…."Patience" is the key here as well. No need to rush right out and buy one just to buy one. I think I will just continue watching Craigslist, reading reviews and getting input from yall before I buy. More than likely, this will be my main table saw for a long, long time. Want to get the right one. The budget is $300 for a used saw and I bet, I can find a pretty good one out there for that. Just have to wait it out and keep looking. Let me know if you guys have any ideas on saws in this range I could watch out for.

Take care and talk soon…........

JonathanG · Mar 2, 2011

I might also suggest going and looking at various saws in person. This will enable you to take a hands-on approach as well as train your eyes and ears what to look out for and listen to. You may discover that what works and feels good or makes sense to you is something other than the limited recommendations.

I don't want to waste your time, or the person trying to sell the saw, but it may be an invaluable educational experience. Just a thought.

Input on table saw purchase

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