And you can tune in the dial indicator by popping off the magnetic cover on the front. In truth, you’ll still make test cuts when homing in on an angle, but compared to the smiley-face bevel gauges on other saws, the dial makes hitting your mark easier. Delta claims that the dial provides 1/4° accuracy. The dial-style bevel gauge scores major points. (According to Delta, the one-piece casting also makes for a smoother-running trunnion.) Adjusting the bevel angle from the front isn’t significantly better than reaching to the side, but the design creates a more airtight case for improved dust collection. Delta’s new one-piece trunnion puts both handwheels up front. The traditional-style bevel angle indicator reads clearly and can be fine-tuned at the front by a pair of 4mm locking screws. It wasn’t necessary to adjust the bevel stops, but when the time comes, you can easily access the pair of color-coded stop nuts via a small door on the right side of the case. The SawStop employs the tried-and-true front and side handwheel placement. Both proved to be smooth operators, but here’s where some noteworthy differences emerged.
I started where most of your time is spent-at the front of the saw. With these issues basically equal, I focused on the features and innovations that would make a difference in a real workshop. Nix the nickel-both saws had what it took to stand a penny on edge through multiple on/off cycles. Loose change served as my layman’s vibration test. Multi-source, free-floating vibration can also contribute to rough cuts or a saw that’s simply annoying to operate. Next, I checked the arbor flange runouts (runout at the flange can translate to wobble at the edge of the blade which affects the cut quality). Outfitted with 40-tooth Forrest Woodworker II saw blades, the 3-hp motors did not have any problems ripping or crosscutting 2"-thick red oak. Power and cut quality were excellent with both. I began the test by checking the critical numbers: top flatness, blade-to-slot parallelism, and rip-fence deflection. Following is an above- and below-the-hood look at these new models and advice to help you decide which one’s right for you. Not surprisingly, both saws make the cut, but I found that each invests your $3K differently. Either has the potential to be the last one you’ll buy. Weighing in at around $3,000, each offers features you won’t find in the other competition. In the opposite corner, the SawStop Professional: a classic cabinet saw that offers the exclusive protection of a blade-stopping brake. In one corner, Delta’s new Unisaw: a redesign of the original workshop workhorse. In this never-ending battle royal, it’s refreshing to find two brand-new contenders. In truth, even testers have a hard time discerning if that deal-making (or -breaking) difference can be attributed to manufacturing tolerances or some lucky break during the production run. Second, calling a winner solely by the numbers-measured in thousandths of an inch-guarantees a rematch. First, quality tends to have a direct relation to the price tag, so pitting a bargain brand with a top-shelf saw isn’t a fair fight. Having tested and used cabinet saws ranging in price from less than $1,000 to more than $2,000, I’ve learned a few things. Since then, piles of pages have been written and mountains of sawdust made in the quest to discern significant differences between the many descendants. With few exceptions, cabinet saws come in many different flavors, but most are derived from the original Unisaw, designed by Delta in 1937.
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