The Dreaded Table Saw - Which One On a Budget?

Vic D

Vic D

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Ok I got a table saw but it's not cool. It's a Delta but it's a light weight direct drive and working with it is scary. I need to find one of those "oldy but a goody" table saws in the future that won't be obsolete if I need to find parts for it.
So my question is, which older belt driven table saws that aren't impossible to find parts for and have a little power (not too much power or I'll keep tripping my 10 amp breaker) and heft are a good investment for a small shop? I'm sure there are decent older Craftsman models or such. I'd really like one of those new fangled jobs that you can stick a weiner in and it stops... but that's like way into the future.
 
Im my opinion, this is one of those times when you don't need to pile a bunch of money into the best table saw you can buy. It only sees occasional use in my shop and mostly for light duty work.
I have a 10" Craftsman that I bought in 1976. It's still going after a half dozen moves across the country and even survived being completely submerged under four feet of water in a Florida flood. Check Craigslist.
 
Heheh, I knew you would be the one to answer Chuck. I just knew it. An older ten inch Craftsman belt drive sounds just right. Perfect. Do you know the model number by chance? Not all Craftsmans are created equally eh? BTW I believe what you say about its journey and longevity... I have an older Craftsman belt sander that's a just a joy to work with.
 
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Craftsman, around 1976. In 1976 I was in the 4th grade and my teacher, Mr. Ansari, would paddle me at least once a week. He had a strong swing. But that has nothing to do with sawing wood... or does it?
Thanks Chuck. Will search.
 
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Vic D said:
Craftsman, around 1976. In 1976 I was in the 4th grade and my teacher, Mr. Ansari, would paddle me at least once a week. He had a strong swing. But that has nothing to do with sawing wood... or does it?
Thanks Chuck. Will search.
Click to expand...
I was in 2nd grade and in love with my teacher Miss Taft!! hmm I wish she paddled me!
 
Flyfish57 said:
I was in 2nd grade and in love with my teacher Miss Taft!! hmm I wish she paddled me!
Click to expand...

LOL... you naughty luthier! Hmmm, I do remember Mrs. Jones in the first grade... She did give me the wood once because I wouldn't stop swinging my long hair around and screaming "I'm a hippie!". Dear Mrs. Jones... you sure have nice bones... She was hot. Me and my long haired buddy Danny gave her gray hairs.

But you know.. all that painful discipline paid off... dontcha think? Bwahahahahhahaha!
 
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Don't go for the Jet 10-20. Trust me. It's a non tracking POS. I can't understand for the life of me why it won't track. I've been on the phone with the jerks ( and they are jerks ) at Jet for hours and they keep giving me the runaround on this unit. It WILL NOT TRACK!. I've read similar reviews on the net and they deny those people exist. I paid about 800 bucks for this sander and it's a piece of *****. They are rude and deny any problems with it even after I told them I could give documentation I found on the net of many people who couldn't make this tool track. Some units work some don't. I've had people look at it and nobody can figure it out. The conveyor belt constanty moves to the left no matter what you tweak and eventually you end up with a chewed up belt. And because you have to overtighten the left side the bearings will wear out too soon... Jet... not a good bet in my opinion. Very condescending and smug on the phone... almost hateful.

I will never, ever, buy another tool from Jet.

I have to stop everything about every 20 passes and loosen and move to belt over to the other side... then continue.. I paid 800 bucks for this crap, that was a huge investment for this poor boy.

I can't say enough bad about this company. What a pathetic piece of trash they sell, and they make it look golden of course in the adverts. Beware. I can't imagine they'll be around for long.
 
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O.K. .... let's get back to the table saw discussion. I am also a fan of the older models of Craftsman tools. My table saw is from around 1952 and is model 113.27520. Mine was given to me by a friend who wanted it out of his barn. It was covered with rust and dust and other stuff one finds in a barn. I cleaned it, wire brushed it, painted the painted surfaces and polished the machined surfaces and it now runs like a champ. I did have new bearings pressed in at a local motor shop while I had it torn apart. Can't remember the exact cost but it wasn't much. No problem ripping 8/4 oak and other pretty tuff stuff with the original Craftsman 1hp motor. Older Craftsman tools were made for Sears by several companies but the most common for tablesaws were King-Seeley and Emerson Electric Company. You can tell which is which by the first three numbers of the model number. Emerson was 113. and King-Seeley are 103. Most of the later model saws (1970s - on) are Emerson. These saws, especially from the 1970s and '80s show up on Craig's list frequently. As with any of the tools that we use I recommend taking the time to make sure that the set-up is perfect and the blade is sharp before using it. For a table saw this includes (at a minimum) squaring the table to the blade (making sure the miter guage slot is parallel to the plane of the blade) and proper alignment of the fence. We're neighbors; I wouldn't mind helpin with the set up if you'd like a hand.
 
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Flyfish,,, No I didn't write them.. but I could have. These f#@#$s made4 a bad product and they keep selling it. And over the phone they treat you like an idiot because you can't figure out what's wrong... they are freaking evil.
 
Ken W said:
O.K. .... let's get back to the table saw discussion. I am also a fan of the older models of Craftsman tools. My table saw is from around 1952 and is model 113.27520. Mine was given to me by a friend who wanted it out of his barn. It was covered with rust and dust and other stuff one finds in a barn. I cleaned it, wire brushed it, painted the painted surfaces and polished the machined surfaces and it now runs like a champ. I did have new bearings pressed in at a local motor shop while I had it torn apart. Can't remember the exact cost but it wasn't much. No problem ripping 8/4 oak and other pretty tuff stuff with the original Craftsman 1hp motor. Older Craftsman tools were made for Sears by several companies but the most common for tablesaws were King-Seeley and Emerson Electric Company. You can tell which is which by the first three numbers of the model number. Emerson was 113. and King-Seeley are 103. Most of the later model saws (1970s - on) are Emerson. These saws, especially from the 1970s and '80s show up on Craig's list frequently. As with any of the tools that we use I recommend taking the time to make sure that the set-up is perfect and the blade is sharp before using it. For a table saw this includes (at a minimum) squaring the table to the blade (making sure the miter guage slot is parallel to the plane of the blade) and proper alignment of the fence. We're neighbors; I wouldn't mind helpin with the set up if you'd like a hand.
Click to expand...

Ken, if you wanna help I'm grateful. But you need to understand I'm a crazy party man. It would be very interesting to meet but you gotta take me as I am. I see you've built a hammer dulcimer and that's really cool man! I'd love to trade notes... but you have to take me as I am. I'm a crazy wild tattoed pagan type.

Sober Edit: Thanks for the tips.

Sincerely, Your only pagan pantheist in the neighborhood,
Vic
 
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My french fries are stuck in the 3rd dimension and I can't help them.
 
Vic D said:
I'd really like one of those new fangled jobs that you can stick a weiner in and it stops... but that's like way into the future.
Click to expand...

Why would you stick your weiner in a table saw?
 
I'm a crazy party man. It would be very interesting to meet but you gotta take me as I am. I see you've built a hammer dulcimer and that's really cool man! I'd love to trade notes... but you have to take me as I am. I'm a crazy wild tattoed pagan type. Vic[/QUOTE]

I ain't scared. It's going to take more than crazy tatooed pagan pantheism to turn me away. I'd like to take a look at the Jet sander before you chuck it into the river. I had a similar problem with a belt sander years ago and I imagine tracking a drum sander feed belt is similar to tracking a belt sander sanding belt. In that case the slot in which the adjusting drum spindle moved was simply too small which meant the range of motion was not sufficient for tracking. Disassembling and enlarging that opening a 1/4" or so may solve the problem....or not.

Glad to help if I can...but you need to take me as I am as well.
 
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