Thread: THE GPW Table Saw -Works well

I have taken delivery of a GPW 10/12 table saw. I have put the thing together, set it up and used it to cut both timber and some sheet material.
Since many readers of this forum read it in the hope of getting information about table saws before parting with their cash (I certainly did) I thought that it might be a good idea to give a detailed run down on this saw.

The saw comes mostly completely constructed, needing only the cast iron wings, fence and rails, riving knife and blade guard to be bolted on. The manuals are okay but I would suggest having a talk to Gary before you leave the shop and going over a completed saw first to see where everything fits.

From the bottom up then
1. The saw sits on 4 solid and vibration reducing rubber feet
2. The cabinet is neatly constructed with a 4 inch dust extraction outlet on the left hand side. There is a handy storage compartment at the bottom front of the saw.
3. The cast iron table is flat. The miter gauge runs tightly in T slots and the fence is rock solid. The fence is the same Align-a -rip fence that Carbatec use on their TSC 10 HB. It slides very smoothly and locks down square. I can detect no movement or flexing of the fence under load.
4. The rise and fall and blade tilt run easily with no evidence of backlash. The blade tilts to the left.
5. The saw has a riving knife rather than a splitter.
6. I have the saw hooked up to a 1200 cfm dust extractor. There is a 2 inch dust outlet on the blade guard. Dust extraction is as good as i have seen on any table saw.
7. The saw has a 2 HP induction motor. I runs very quietly. I have a ripping blade on the saw at the moment. I am aware that some people may think that a 3 HP motor would be better and perhaps so. But the saw cuts easily and cleanly through anything I have used it on. If you propose to spend your weekends ripping old railway sleepers then perhaps you need something more, but for the sorts of projects I do the power is more than enough.

The saw is made in Taiwan. My first impression when I saw the saw was that it was very well constructed. The more I saw of it as I put it together the more impressed I was. I was a manual arts teacher for many years and used all sorts of saws some of which looked like they were built by a grade nine boy, last thing on a Friday afternoon. But this saw is vastly superior. It is made in the same factory as the MBS 300 and seems to have been built by somebody who has taken care and pride in the objects they sell.

In use the saw works very well indeed. A table saw is a simple thing really. All it has to do is cut a bit of timber where you want it with repeatable accuracy. Not much to ask but beyond some saws. The GPW is as very pleasant to use and does the task required of it just as you would want it to. The miter gauge has adjustable stops at 45 degrees left and right and at 90 degrees.

Given the current state of the Australian dollar GPW is selling these saws at a better than good price. As I write they are listed as out of stock on his web site but he actually has taken delivery of a number of them, one of which I purchased. I was not able to find anybody who would sell the saw at a better price than GPW currently offers.

If you are in the market for a saw under $1500 then you really should have a look at the GPW 10/12. I have bought some tools which looked okay in the shop but which were disappointing in the shed. But I am very pleased with the purchase of this saw. If you search the forums on this saw you will not find anybody who has bought one who has regretted it.