Curious as to what you guy's are running for table saws. I'm looking to get one for Christmas, and I really can't decide for a bigger Hybrid in the Grizzly Polar Bear series or go with a more contractor/hybrid saw like the Porter Cable PCB270TS. A lot of hardcore WWer's recommend hybrid/cabinets over contractor style saws, but I still sometimes have trouble justifying the extra money, when I wonder if I truly would notice the difference. Granted the advantages of the bigger saw are nice, too (more HP, better dust collection, more stable, easier alignment, etc). Just curious to see what you guys are running.
I have a Jet contractors saw I picked up about 6 years ago... Easy to move around and good in the small shops I have had until this house. I will get a Powermatic cabinet saw when I move to the "final house" but that is years off since I have at least 8 years until I am ready to hang up my guns and let someone else take my watch. When I do that, I am going to hang the Jet in a wing with a set of dado blades in it so I don't have to switch up all the time like I do now. If I had the space and didn't have to move every three years or so - I'd have a cabinet saw now with tables around it so I could rip down full sheets of plywood. I do it with a straight edge and a circ saw and a cutting rack I built from some 1 x lumber. Whatever you do - plumb for 220. Did that with a sub panel at the last house - and did it here. Made a HUGE difference in the way the saw cuts. Sean
The moving you mention is a factor. Not sure this will be my final house, and while I have a great space for a shop, I wouldn't mind being able to move the saw if need be since the space, while large, will still be used to house my mowers and my truck when I'm working on it. Both the saws mentioned are 110/220. I'll most likely be running a dedicated 220 circuit regardless of which one I go with. Is your saw 1.5HP? How does it cut through thicker hardwoods?
1.5 HP.... One of the first things I did was get a Forrest WW II blade, I rip 8/4 maple and oak like a charm. Used to pop breakers when I had it on 110, which gets old, and dangerous. The 220 fixed that. If you have a mitre saw, the Forrest Chopmaster is amazing also. My new addiction is the Rikon mini-lathe I got myself for Christmas... I set it up in a portable bench the other day and spent two hours making kindling, but it was a blast. I need to make a sharpening jig and a bench for it now. Its been my personal mission to get the economy moving lately.
The only difference you'll see using 220 is that your saw will start faster (jump to speed). Once the saw is running whether it is 110 or 220, the power is the same. watts = power volts x amps = watts 110v x 13 a = 1430 w 220v x 6.5a = 1430w If you were tripping your old 110 circuit it was either not dedicated, your blade was dull or you were over powering your saw. I use an older Craftsman contractor saw (made by Rigid) with the good cast iron wings. Keeping the saw in tune along with good blades (I've had good luck with Freud) it should run fine. I also converted my saw to 220 volts as is my dust collector, jointer and planer. This way it saves the 110 circuits for shop vacs, sanders, band saws, drill presses etc , if some one else is working with me or at the same time.
It was a dedicated circuit - 110/20 A, same blade and same user... Problem gone when I switched to 220.
I don't know what to tell you............ I'm an electrician by trade and have been diong this for some time. The numbers don't lie. Breakers are gauranteed to trip one time. They can wear out and start causing nuisance trips. The only thing you will notice by going to 220 is a faster starting motor due to the starting capacitor charging faster. Once the motor is up to speed, 110 or 220, the power is the same.
Thanks for the input, guys. My shop isn't wired yet, I just have the subpanel in. Still not sure which direction to go. The price difference between the two is around $275 depending on sales/discounts. Obviously the contractor/hybrid is more mobile, but lacks the other perks.
No clue, but its all good now, so I am a happy camper. My 20A 220v never trips, and I do the same work I used to. In the last house it was on the freezer circuit - but that was the only thing on that run. Used to pop and piss me off all the time. Got fed up and added the sub panel. I run the basement off that and isolate myself from the rest of the house. I do all my own stunts.
They don't show up around here often. I've been looking for months. A nice Powermatic 3HP is finally for sale here locally, but it's $1100.
