Popular Woodworking 2008-10 № 171, страница 17

• Tool Test •

BY THB POPULAR WOODWORKING 8TAPP

Steel City Granite-top Tools

These surfaces are truly flat, have less vibration, are easier to set up and no rust - ever.

Sleel City Tool Works . 877-724-8665

or aeefcilyloolwxks.coni

Slreet price:

Band Saw S0100C • $799.99 Table Saw JS900G • $1,299.99 Jointer 406I5G ■ S8I9.99

for mote Munuacn. ci«lr »I SI Oft fwr Momuten Cj»d

gravity to hold the extensions in place as they arc leveled and bokod down, making this task faster and easier than on an iron-topped saw. In use. the granite top vibrated less than a stan-

A.

H t he last AW FS show in Las Vegas, the big news was the introduction of granite tops as a replacement for cast iron by Steel City Tool Works. We've had three of these machines in the shop for a few months, and 1 used them to build the workbench featured on the cover of this issue.

We've been impressed with Steel City's products.and these newarrivalsaieof the same caliber. This review will locus on the addition of granite lo already good machines.

The Same But Not the Same

On paper, this is the same hybrid table saw that wc reviewed in our February 2007 issue (*160). The spccificalionsarc the samc.but the addition of a rivingknifc. as well as the granite top. led to a redesigned trunnion assembly.

It's still a beefy casting, but it now moves straight up and down tokecp the riving knife posit k»ncd at the top of the blade. In traditional

table saw design, the arbor swings in an arc.

Height adjustments arc smooth, and the riving knife or traditional guard can be removed or replaced ina matterof seconds. The granite top is 1'A* thick throughout. but it is relieved near the insert, allowing full-depth cuts without any loss of strength in the top.

The extension tables slide on steel bars mounted to the saw's main top. This allows

Table mh 0359OOC. The thkk panUe of this saw's lop /educes ubra-lion and will not rust in hunyid conditions. The granite around the insert is rrhned lo atlon■ for fuO-cut capacity.

Band saw SOIOOC. .Vo worries here about a band saiv tabletop showing a crown in the middle or even a disparity in surfaces at the blade slot. Steel City has this granile top dead-flat.

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