Sears Craftsman Professional 10" Table Saw Qs

OneWithWood · January 27, 2006, 04:56:26 PM

The Craftsman 10" Professional table saw with Biesemeyer commercial fence system is on sale this weekend as a Craftsman Club promo for $854. I am thinking about picking this up for my shop but I am concerned about it having only a 1 3/4 HP continuos duty motor. It is wired for 110v but can be wired for 220v which is what I would do if I get it.
Does anyone have any experience with or know anything about this unit?

Admins,
I've posted this here on the general board to get the widest audience. If it should be on one of the other boards feel free to move it.

Radar67 · January 27, 2006, 05:03:13 PM

I own the same saw with the same fence. I use mine with the 110 wiring. I've had the saw for almost 11 years and it still cuts as good today as it did new. I have not had any problems with mine. I got it because it was belt driven and that was a big plus for me if the motor ever went out. I've cut up to 3.5 inch thick material and the motor performed well, with very little bog. It is a true performer and well worth the money.

Stew

twoodward15 · January 27, 2006, 05:17:37 PM

If you splurge and buy a good ( I mean a real good) blade it'll cut anything. My 1 horse crapsman saw cuts anything I can put to it. Spend money on a good blade. I'd go with either a Freud or a Forrest.

Larry · January 27, 2006, 05:24:03 PM

Don't know a thing about the saw other than the Biesemeyer sounds nice. The motor should have plenty of horsepower for a woodworker. But I have a suspicion with a sawmill you won't have enough horsepower for the things your gonna want to try. Ripping 8/4 green wood...forget it. Cutting stickers, survey stakes with speed forget it. Straight line ripping green or dry with any speed forget it. Some kind of stock feeder...forget it.

The Grizzly cabinet saw has 3 HP and in the same price range. Got to run one this summer and they are really nice saws. 3 HP should handle just about anything you want to do.

Right now I have a 1-1/2 HP Delta contractor saw, 3 HP Unisaw, and a 5 HP Unisaw. Grey is beautiful...but new green is the most cost effective.

Den Socling · January 27, 2006, 05:33:19 PM

I got a Grizzly 10", 2HP contractor style (belt driven) last summer. Ripping 4/4 hardwood doesn't phase it. 8/4 isn't much problem. But I tried ripping some 12/4 red oak flitches one day. The saw did it but not without complaint. :

Current price is $575. hard to beat.

D._Frederick · January 27, 2006, 07:41:24 PM

When I bought my Powermatic 66, I got it with a 2 hp motor, if I was going to buy it today, it would be with a 5 hp.

I skimped on buying shop equipment with a large enough motor, I end up doubling the hp to get it in the range that I liked. For example, I started out with a 1 1/2 hp motor on my 12 inch planer, anything over 1/16 inch cut would stall it. Went to 3 hp and now can take a 3/16 inch cut with no problem.

Spend the money on the largest motor you can afford, it will make you happy.

dewwood · January 27, 2006, 07:43:02 PM

OWW,

Most of those motors can be switched from 110 to 220 just by changing the leads. It will probably tell you how to do it in the manual or on the back side of the cover plate for the wiring connections on the motor. I switched mine several years ago with no problem and I am certainly not an electrician. I agree with some of the above a unisaw or comparable would be better for the thicker stuff.

Dewey

jgoodhart · January 27, 2006, 07:49:43 PM

If the Craftman saw don't have a solid table surface don't buy it. I used craftsman that had the holes in the table and a board with a little cup in it hangs up on the cut out. More HP is better.

Ironwood · January 27, 2006, 08:48:53 PM

Being a Heavy American Iron Snob (HAIS) I have no comment. If it don't weigh at least 2000lbs I ain't interested. MY BACK HURTS! Reid

brdmkr · January 27, 2006, 09:15:25 PM

I am kind of partial to grizzly and for about the same money, you could have their 3hp saw. The shop fox fence that comes on it is not too bad either. However, if you are not going to use it full time, the 1 3/4 hp motor will likely do fine and the fence is top notch, I'd like to have a Bessy, but the cost is a hair too much to retro fit. Should be a really nice saw.

Ironwood · January 27, 2006, 09:22:01 PM

I bought Grizzly back in 1989. Their stuff has come a long way. They may be one of the only ones standing at the current rate. The only gap with most current machines is LONG TERM parts support, even with Grizzly I have found they don't have availablity on some parts from not too long ago. I called looking to order a cast base and column for another older American drill press, seems stufff don't last too long on there parts available list. Seems to be contagious, all said their stuff has made leaps and bounds of improvement (I would consider working for them as they are a good Co.). Reid

getoverit · January 27, 2006, 09:32:33 PM

Ive got the same saw as you and the same fence OWW. I'm pleased with it, but I agree that you need a good sharp blade and it will cut anything. It shows signs of bogging when the blade gets dull, but what saw doesnt? I run mine on 110 also, but would be interested in how well it does @ 220v.

Sounds like you got a good one !

bitternut · January 28, 2006, 01:38:28 AM

I don't know about the Sear's saw but I do know about the Biesemeyer fence. I have one on my General table saw. It came with the saw and I have not had to adjust a thing on it since I set it up initially about 12 years ago. They are a rock solid fence and are very easy to set up. Actually quite simple in design.

I agree with the others about using a good blade. I use a Freud thin kerf teflon ripping blade almost exclussively on my saw. I put it on the saw when I got it and that blade just keeps on cutting. Rips stuff like butter and cuts cross grain well enough to not bother changing it over to a regular cross-cut blade. My saw is 3hp though and wired up 220v.

What do you plan on using the table saw for?

Norm · January 28, 2006, 08:37:21 AM

Robert I've owned several craftsmans tools over the years and must say most were decent quality. I've heard good things about the grizzly table saw for about the same money as the one your considering. I ordered Pattys jointer from them and was real impressed with the way it's manufactured. They were easy to deal with shipping was around $100 and I had it two days after I ordered it. Just something else to confuse you with. ;D

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1023S

Den Socling · January 28, 2006, 11:47:03 AM

It might be nice to live in one of those tropical paradises but, this afternoon, I'm going to our local 230,000 Sq. Ft. Grizzly showroom/distribution center. This sure is a great place to live! :D

Tom · January 28, 2006, 11:58:30 AM

Bitternut

Quote........I have not had to adjust a thing on it since I set it up initially about 12 years ago.

If you move it back and forth, you can cut different width boards. ;D :D :D :D

OneWithWood · January 28, 2006, 12:55:59 PM

Good comments, all. Thank-you.
I plan on using a table saw mostly to dress retail lumber. I don't think I will be cutting much over 8/4. The saw will also see use breaking down larger pieces for projects. And I am sure I will be making a few thousand stickers.
One of the things I am confused about is the HP ratings of motors. I know some motors are listed as 3HP but I am told that often that is the peak HP and not the continuous HP. Can someone shed some light on this?

Larry · January 28, 2006, 02:29:10 PM

Quote from: OneWithWood on January 28, 2006, 12:55:59 PM
I plan on using a table saw mostly to dress retail lumber. I don't think I will be cutting much over 8/4. The saw will also see use breaking down larger pieces for projects. And I am sure I will be making a few thousand stickers.
One of the things I am confused about is the HP ratings of motors. I know some motors are listed as 3HP but I am told that often that is the peak HP and not the continuous HP. Can someone shed some light on this?

Peak horsepower is the maximum horsepower the motor can develop for a nanosecond. Normally followed by a big cloud of smoke from your now useless motor. Peak horsepower is a term used by unscrupulous retailers to "one up" the competition.

Continuous horsepower is what cuts the wood.

My 1-1/2 horsepower Delta contractor saw processed lotsa wood for retail using the best Freud thin kerf blades. It was always a struggle, very slow, and a lot of trips to reset the circuit breaker. And that was just 4/4 stuff. Dug up the picture out of an old thread were I was showing off my straight line rip jig.

pigman · January 28, 2006, 04:28:31 PM

Quote from: OneWithWood on January 28, 2006, 12:55:59 PM
One of the things I am confused about is the HP ratings of motors. I know some motors are listed as 3HP but I am told that often that is the peak HP and not the continuous HP. Can someone shed some light on this?

The amp rating is the best way to compare the motors. My craftsman contractor saw is rated a 3 hp and my 3 hp grizzly cabinet is rated at 3 hp. The grizz has about twice the power as the craftsman. :

I use the craftsman for crosscutting and other lighter duty uses and use the grizz for ripping and cutting thicker material.
For the money I have been verry pleased with the grizz. The craftsman is a nice saw, just not enough hp.

D._Frederick · January 28, 2006, 10:36:21 PM

Some motors only give what they call peak hp, to find a estimate of horsepower multiply the voltage by the running amps of the motor, divide this figure ( watts ) by 746 to get the motor horsepower.

chet · January 28, 2006, 10:56:20 PM

OWW,
I've owned 2 Craftsman, I will admit neither was the saw you are referring too. But having said that, there is no way I would trade my Griz 1023 for any saw Sears sells.

fstedy · January 28, 2006, 11:18:05 PM

:D ;D

I have a Craftsman 12" contractors saw for 35 years runs on 220v cuts anything its fed with a good blade. It has the direct drive motor think its rated 3 1/2 hp. Knock on wood no problems yet.

Quartlow · January 29, 2006, 10:15:13 AM

Theres a big differance between old craftsman, and new crapsman. The old stuff was built to last. Given my last experiance with Sears over routers I won't buy a corded tool from them ever again.

That being said blaes make all the differance in the world, Freud and CMT are the two best bangs for the buck in my book, In freud buy the LU series or the LM series. Depending on where you buy them pricing is pretty close. I can buy CMT's cheaper here than freuds, so thats the way I've been going. Long term you will have less blade troubles with the full kerf blades. They stay sharp longer and theres les chance of blade warpage. On my 3HP uni I can't feed it fast enough to bog it down, at least not safely.

On the 1.5 HP Rigid saw I had before this I could bog it down with a full kerf blade, but I could bog it with a thin kerf if I wanted to. It was definatly slower going and it was no where near as smooth as my Unisaw.

I have no experiance with the Grizz saw, but everyone that I've come in contact with thats bough teat has been pleased with it. If I needed a new saw Grizzly would get some serious consideration

bitternut · January 29, 2006, 04:11:19 PM

Quote I have not had to adjust a thing on it since I set it up initially about 12 years ago.

Gee Tom............no wonder all my boards come out the same width. ;D ;D ;D ;D

GF · January 30, 2006, 09:35:07 AM

I bought one lat year just like you are talking about, not to impressed with the power of the motor, it seems to stall fairly easy, even compared to the 10" Craftsmen table saw I bought 18 yrs ago. It will cut 4/4 pretty good get into 2 1/2" material its slow. Just my 2 cents worth. I do like the Biesemeyer fence on the unit, just wish the motor was larger, or they had an option to purchase it with a larger motor.