Popular Woodworking 2006-11 № 158, страница 26
CRAFTSMAN 22401 The Craftsman saw has the lowest sticker price in the test, but it performed well and has nice features. From the bottom up, the base is sturdy and has storage, but the saw has lots of pieces to assemble, including the worklight. Features that caught our eye on this saw include ball-bearing guides that place the edge of the thrust bearing, rather than the flat of the bearing, against the blade. This is a superior design and allows much better support for the blade. The Craftsman also includes a side window in the upper case for adjusting the blade tracking without opening the case door. The ease of changing the blade was decent, with a front slot in the table making it easier to remove the blade. You are required to remove the fence-mounting bar, but this is fairly simple to do and doesn't require tools. All three of these useful features are also found only on the pricier $749 Rikon saw in this test. The Craftsman also offers a unique belt-tensioning device for the motor pulleys that ought to be standard on every saw. In use we found the motor had plenty of power for resawing, but the fence required some complicated shimming to square it to the table. We also wish the table could tilt in more than just one direction. Overall, this saw is a good bargain for the price and earns our Best Value award. ■ 800-549-4505 or craftsman.com 90-100 G0457 The General International saw is solid but basic. It suffers because of a lack of features, some design issues and only adequate performance for the $700 price. Positive features include the pre-assembled base that includes storage and a quick-release mechanism for the blade tension at the top of the saw. It is a simple cam-action lever, and to increase or decrease tension slightly, the lever can be rotated under pressure. This is actually easier than trying to turn a big knob. One immediate concern we had is that the fence design makes it impossible to remove or remount the fence without first removing the blade. Plus, the saw lacks a visual tension gauge, so you're pretty much setting up the blade tension by feel. While most of the saws in the test include thumbscrews or knurled knobs to assist with adjusting the blade guides, the General requires a hex wrench for those adjustments. We also had issues with the upper guide arm when it's raised to its full height (for maximum resaw capacity). At the highest point, the thrust bearing hits the upper wheel housing, binding the bearing, which can lead to serious problems. Power during the resaw test was adequate, but not impressive. With a slow, continuous feed, resawing was successful. We expected and hoped for more from General. The Grizzly is a good saw and performed well in the test. While we've come to expect Grizzly products to provide good service at a bargain price, this saw is priced competitively - but isn't what we'd call a bargain. The base arrives assembled (which I learned to appreciate) and offers storage and a solid design. One annoyance was the difficult task of mounting the motor (only one of two saws requiring motor assembly). Also, the motor is not pre-wired and doesn't come with a plug. That's OK if you're unsure of your preferred voltage, but it does offer one more hurdle to jump before you're able to cut wood. During the resaw test the Grizzly performed well, with no-bog down during the cut. We found the Grizzly to be a stable saw overall, but we found heavy vibration in the table. During our flex test we found the Grizzly's table gave 3/64", which was comparable with most of the saws in the test, but when grasping the table and wobbling it, there was much more movement. It's our suggestion that the trunnions on this machine (and the way they are supported by the saw's frame) could be beefed up, improving the performance and eradicating what was really the only real disappointment with the performance of this saw. ■ 514-326-1161 or general.ca ■ 800-523-4777 or grizzly.com 42 Popular Woodworking November 2006 |
