Wood Magazine 185 by Bill Krier

Author:Bill Krier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Wood, Home and hobby woodworker
Publisher: Meredith Corporation
Published: 2008-03-25T04:00:00+00:00

Turning the quick-release lever on the Shop Fox W1706 moves the top wheel up or down to instantly apply or release blade tension.

Adjustment screws

With front and back trunnions, like those on the Grizzly G0555, the table can only tilt within the trunnion slots.

Rikon's single trunnion made it difficult to tilt the table, but its adjustment screws made it easy to square the table front to back.

If you still can't decide, consider these factors

Okay, we're down to four saws: Grizzly's G0S55, Jet, Rikon, and Shop Fox. They each have strengths and weaknesses, so let's look for more to tip the scales in favor of the best model, ■ Rip fences and miter gauges. The Grizzly and Shop Fox models include a rip fence, and we like the G0555's fence best because it has a cam lock, large viewfinder, and scale marked in both inches and metric equivalents. Those same models include a miter gauge; that on the Shop Fox is a notch above the others because it has the longest bar, tallest face, and three adjustable stops. If you want to buy a fence or simply

upgrade your current one, read about three aftermarket fences we recommend in Wise Buys on page 26.

■ Dual speeds. Grizzly, Rikon, and Shop Fox feature dual-speed pulleys and wheels. We cut wood at both speeds, and found the faster speed not only was quicker at cutting but also produced better cut quality. Should you ever want to cut steel at the slower speed, though, a steel-cutting blade is a must.

■ Initial assembly. Shop Fox's one-piece cast-iron base needs no assembly, and its instructions are the best of the group, making it the quickest and easiest to put together. The Rikon also has a

closed base, giving both models handy storage. Only the Grizzly and Shop Fox have leveling feet; you'll have to shim the others to get them level. ■ Squaring the tables to the back of the blade—critical for tasks such as bandsawing tenons or dovetails— required adding brass shims on all saws but the Craftsman and Rikon, which conveniently have built-in adjustment screws, as shown above.

The Verdict:

Although the Jet I and Rikon saws don't come with a fence or miter gauge, we don't vote out any saw.

woodmagazlne.com

Why spend more when these four test survivors get the job done?

Grizzly G0555, $395

High Points

4tt Demonstrated the least amount of blade deflection, about Vm".

♦ Blade-tension quick-release lever makes blade changes quicker and could extend the life of your blades and tires.

^ Comes with a miter gauge, and its sturdy rip fence with easy-to-use scale was the best in this test.

♦ Microadjustable ball-bearing blade guides help it cut tight curves.

♦ Table tilts 51" right and 16° left, enabling you to cut high-angled dovetails.

Low Points

▼ Its 6' power cord is shortest in the test. More Points ^ Bearing-style blade guides with micro-adjusters work well but take longer to adjust. ^ Not the most powerful saw in the test, but cuts accurately and has nice features for its price.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.