Sawdust on the Floor

Ok, I freely admit that I’m a confused skeptic.  I know that that is a contradiction in terms, but let me explain.  I love it when a new product or concept is introduced, new is good right? But if other manufacturers don’t soon introduce their own version of this new product then I begin to wonder just how good of an idea it was in the first place.  A good example of this would be the introduction of the granite topped tablesaw by Rigid™ tools. 

My first impression was “what a dumb idea”, but as I read more about the concept I began to embrace the idea.  Then, nothing happened.  I have yet to see one of these saws at the local Home Depot which is the only retailer for Rigid™ power tools.  So I figured that the idea had died on the vine.  That is until Steel City™ tools introduced their own line of granite topped tools. 

At the July AWFS (Association of Woodworking and Furnishing Suppliers) fair, Steel City™ announced the fall roll out of a complete line of granite topped tools. The 10” granite topped table saw has some very impressive features beyond the granite top. 

The granite top has several advantages over the conventional cast iron tops. First off, granite can not rust or warp with changes in temperature or humidity, as cast iron tops are likely to do. The granite table tops are machined to a flatness of .001-.002” over the entire surface area.

And the tolerances are guaranteed to remain that way.  The granite tops are an impressive 50 MM thick, which is over twice the thickness of your standard 18 MM kitchen counter granite. 

The other benefit of the granite tops is the actual weight of the top.  The added weight helps dampen any vibrations in the saw, which will result in a better and smoother cut.  On the other side of this coin, the added weight can make moving the saw a little harder. 

I know that I have to routinely clean and re wax to top of my cast iron tablesaw, so that the wood will not drag as I push it past the blade.  Reportedly, the granite tops are sealed and do not require this routine maintenance. 

If you are one of those guys who make purchases based  solely on price, the cost differential of granite vs. cast iron top is not really significant.  The 30” cast iron saw reportedly will retail for about $50 -$100 less then the same tablsaw with a granite top, depending on retailer markup.

So now for the skeptical part of me.  My tablesaw is often subjected to some abuse, like when I am dry fitting parts together.  Sometimes you need to use a little force to get the parts to fit together.  I don’t worry about damaging the cast iron top when I do this.  I really can’t say that I would be comfortable doing this on granite top.  Would the granite top chip or crack?  Or what would happen if you were to drop something on the edge of the granite top, would it crack or chip? 

I know that a new table saw is not in my future as I happen to really like the one I have now.  However, since Steel City™ also plans to introduce other power tools with a granite tops in the fall, I know that I will be back to look at these tools then.

Rigid™ power tools are sold exclusively at Home Depot, in the USA and Canada.

Related posts:

1. Woodworking Tools – Ridgid 10″ Table Saw with Granite Tabletop
2. Woodworking Tools – Router Table
3. Woodworking Tools – Table Saw Fence