Some things are trickier than they ought to be. Take table saw names, for example. When you think of a contractor’s saw, what normally comes to mind are the somewhat annoying characteristics that are common to the style: A motor hanging out of the back of the saw, an open stand that took you a few hours to assemble and a hopeless dust collection situation.
Now JET has come along with their Pro-Shop Contractor Style Tablesaw, which has basically eliminated all those annoying characteristics. (Which makes me wonder why they called it a contractor style in the first place… just to rub the noses of us regular contractor’s saw owners?)
This new saw’s motor (1 ¾ HP according to JET) is inside a cabinet, which allows for better dust control. That is achieved by a 4″ dust port built right into the cabinet. The saw is much easier to assemble than typical contractor’s saws … just bolt the legs to the saw cabinet, and you are basically done. In addition to those details, JET put an arbor lock in place to facilitate easy blade changing. And the saw can accommodate a full 13/16″ dado set.
Available with either steel or cast-iron wings, the saw can be configured in several different ways. However it is put together, JET is offering a five-year warranty on the saw, which is a valuable feature in my opinion.
When you put it all together, there really is no trickery when it comes to this new offering from JET. Available early December and priced at around $600, it will be a welcome addition to woodshops around the country.
