Cabinet saw: 3 HP or 5 HP???

[Cliff_Johns]

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I haven't used one with a sliding table yet.
A friend of mine has a Jet with the sliding table.
He wishes he didn't have it. (a do-over)
He has to make all-new jigs for the sliding table.
His old jigs don't work because of no miter slot on the side of the sliding table.
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I don't understand. A sliding table does not affect the
miter slots. It replaces the left extension wing with a wing
that slides forward and back. The miter slots are on the
saw table proper, not on the wing! How would getting a
sliding table attachment affect the miter slots? Mine
certainly didn't. I still use the miter slot for some things.

Here's an amazon link to the one I have on my contractors saw:
Delta sliding table

Cliff

 

[higgy]

I have a 5 hp cabnet saw and my dad has a 3 hp.

While you can make smaller saws do the work the more power you have the better you cuts will get. The 3 hp will do everything that we want, but the 5 hp struggels less in thicker stock. When cutting a dense wood like jarra, ebony or walnut in 8 quarter or 10 quarter thicknesses the larger saw shines. The cuts are truer, and there is less burning of the stock due to heat from the blade. Many of the 5 hp saws are 12 inch instead of 10 which gives better depth of cut especally when the blade is angled.

If you can afford the 5 hp and you are getting a goos saw like a general, delta, jet or powermatic (same company now) you will have a great piece of equipment that will last for a looong time. Just keep the saw intune and flat and rip away.

Dane

 

[fivestring]

Your Delta is different from his Jet.
On the Jet, the sliding table took the place of the left side miter slot. The sliding table comes to within 4 or 5 inches of the blade. The right side miter slot is still there.
Here's a picture:
http://www.northwestpowertools.com/table/jwss10spf.htm

http://tools.cheapshop4u.com/B00006J6PP.html
Here's a description from their site:
"The sliding table offers better crosscutting accuracy than miter gauges and allows up to a 28-inch capacity. It's 14 by 27 inches and rides only 4 inches from the blade. Keeping this distance small reduces unnecessary friction caused by sliding the work. The sliding table also includes a heavy-duty miter fence with a large, easy-to-read scale, a cam-action lockdown, and large, comfortable handles. When you don't need the sliding table feature, it locks solidly in place."

I guess he'll get used to it.
Or.... he can sell me the saw. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif It is pretty sweet.

 

[higgy]

I should read my own posts more often. What i was trying to say was that the 3 hp saw has a harder time with very thick stock, where the 5 hp has the oomph to go through the stock with little or no problem.

Dane

 

[Boondox]

I simply have to gloat...

I've been drooling over a cabinet saw for a few years, and now that I have a new shop that interest has increased a bit. So I went over to the semi-local tool shop to drool over their Delta Unisaw.

SOLD, read the tag...to ME!!!

Seems my bride had been noticing my salivation and bought it for my birthday! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

So now I can make cabinets for my tractor supplies. Pete

 

[Egon]

Now that was an easy decision to make Pete. Enjoy.

On some electric motors the starting capacitor can be increased in size to make life more enjoyable. I had to do that to my bandsaw after The contacts burned out. Fortunetly it was warranty.

Egon

 

[ljh2]

Pete,
Congrats on the new saw. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I'm looking forward to getting one myself. Sounds like your better half is pretty 'in-tune' with you. She's a keeper. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Keep us posted on how the new saw works out. Pics would be nice when you get it situated in the shop.

 

[Boondox]

Got it set up and tweaked today...measured and fine tuned and finally fired it up. Boy, what a saw! I need to face some maple before running it thru the Unisaw, but it cut 5/4 cherry like it was balsa! And I really like the ability to run an entire sheet of plywood thru the saw!

I was a little concerned about the size of the saw, but the height was perfect to use it as an outfeed table for the planer and bandsaw. Pics soon. Pete

 

[Egon]

Good show on the saw Pete. I'm envious.

Egon