Thread: A decent value table saw for turning 40.

Save up for the jet. There is still plenty of good years of work ahead of you and the Jet is likely to see you through. Given you effectively have a free $900 already the additional $600 makes it great value. At least that is what I will be using to convince myself. The table saw is a tool that you build your workshop around so buy right the first time.

I'm turning 40 in June...maybe I'll show your post to some members of my family! The Jet sounds like the one you want. Why not spend a little extra and get a machine that is worth it, will satisfy most of your cutting needs and will last. I've seen the Jet in action, a good machine!

Listen to stink a lot. You only turn 40 once so don't ruin it.

I've had a Jet ( can't remember the model ) forsome years now. Not the top line model but a good saw.
It has handled some pretty tough jobs and while it has a few minor flaws - in my eyes at least - I have recommended
jet to other users and still do.

My brother is looking for a saw and he has used mine for several jobs so it is the saw that he measures others by.
One thing that he mentions in particular is the fence. Now this brother is a pernickety bugger so the saw must be good.

I have in mind modifying the guard so that I can run thicker pieces through it without having to remove the guard.

Don't skimp, buy what you want, you are going to be together a Long time, long after the price is forgotten.
(Says some one who is happy with a Triton 200 work centre.)
Regards

Happy with your Triton huh. Oh let's not go there again.

If you get a proper heavy cast iron table saw and build a proper heavy out feed table to go with it you will not regret it. Jet has a good reputation.

Hope you had a great day for your party. Now, like others have said, you can get quality in a table saw. Save your birthday present and let it grow. Look and dream for the long road. Don't settle for less then what you want and need. You could even wait a little longer and save a little more and then move up the scale if you wait till your "dream saw" is on sale. This is one piece of equipment you will have for a lifetime.
Hopefully, it is a long one.

Happy (belated) Birthday. Wayne

Happy belated birthday, you have some great friends and family.
I am not going to get involved in the saw talk as mine is a big bugger and most will not have the room for it.
One thing to keep in mind though:

Do the vouchers have an expiry date?

I had one (not from CarbaTec) worth a couple of hundred dollars. Turned out it had an expiry date and I lost the money.
Not Happy Jan

Thanks very much for all the advice. It was pretty unanimous in favour of the Jet. I thought I would post up my decision and reasoning in case anyone else finds them self in this situation.

So after the original posting I visited H&F and Carbatec multiple times and I read and re read almost every review I could find. I actually decided to go for the carbatec contractor saw based on the fact that at $900 I could afford it comfortably. It was 10 amp so saved any electrical work. And I figured for someone still developing skills it would do the job. Or at least that's what I would say if asked. The real reason is I could have it now and not have to wait.

Luckily for me I went to carbatec at a quiet time and got the full attention of the guy behind the desk. He changed my mind and I'm buying the Jet.

Firstly let's talk money:
The carbatec contractor saw (CTJ 650) has all the basics, but the fence is basic, the mitre gauge is basic and the blade is low end. While in the short term I could cope, over the next couple of years I would be looking at investing an extra $300 to $700 in this saw to improve it. The Jet pro shop comes with a great fence, mitre gauge and a decent blade. Out of the box its additional value makes them more comparable on price. Plus it's also 10 amp. The 5 year warranty's not bad either.

Now safety:
The Jet has some safety features I liked. A better blade guard system. A better anti kickback solution. Left tilt. All these things make the Jet safer to use. Important to an amateur (its not like work safe will be dropping round my garage any time soon).

Finally efficiency:
Blade alignment is done with in table grub screws - saving me time. Blade replacement is done one handed - saving me time (and possibly fingers). It's more space economical than the CTJ650. It has a proper riving knfe (rise and fall) as opposed to a fixed splitter.

On balance the Jet may be $600 more expensive but I would argue that the additional cost has sufficient value in it to make it worth the wait.

So that's the decision done. Sadly I will need to wait until May for the saw. They're out of stock.

Good choice sir.

definitely worth it I've bought the carbatec one and by the time I've fixed (read replaced) the blade guard, fence and installed readout it has costed me as much (if not a bit more) as Jet saw... In saying that... at the time of purchase carbatec wasn't selling Jet tools... and I am really limited with power... so I am forced to get 10A saw...

well was going to post something like this myself but after reading this i think ill go have a look at the jet and start saving. i currently have a trition work bench and it just not doing what i hope some ppl rave about it but for me not as good as i thought it would be and should have got a proper table saw to start with but oh well. now to sell the damn thing

oh and happy birthday mate hope you had a good one!

Originally Posted by illcrabmagik

The Jet has some safety features I liked. A better blade guard system. A better anti kickback solution. Left tilt. All these things make the Jet safer to use. Important to an amateur (its not like work safe will be dropping round my garage any time soon).

Have a ~3 year old Proshop and am generally happy with it. My biggest gripes are:

- No riving knife (this appears to be solved)
- No overhead dust extraction (not many saws offer this)
- Poor undertable dust extraction

The mitre gauge is/was not the best and I replaced it with an Incra. Watch out for rust on cast iron tops, make sure to keep the table waxed/protected and covered when not in use.