Hybrid Saws

Hybrid saws have better dust control, less vibration

Moving up to a hybrid saw brings you a fully enclosed base for better dust collection and lower vibration - but without the need for a 220 circuit, and at lower cost than the cabinet saws. Recent tests at Popular Woodworking give top ranking to the 1.75-hp Steel City 35601 hybrid saw, now the Steel City 35670 (*est. $1,050), and several reviews praise the Steel City blade guard as very easy to use - a crucial safety feature. The newer and similar Steel City 35900 (*est. $1,250) adds a riving knife for even better safety. Popular Woodworking finds the Steel City hybrid saw the easiest one to use for panel and miter-gauge cutting, due partly to a 22-inch surface left of the blade. (Rip-cut capacity is 30 inches.) The only drawback is that when cutting 1.75-inch red oak, the saw slowed more than the other five saws tested. However, the Fine Woodworking review (based on tests cutting 2.75-inch maple) doesn't find any power problem.

The Steel City 35900G (*est. $1,350) is similar to the 35900 hybrid saw. It has the riving knife plus a heavy granite top - said to be more stable than cast iron and, of course, rustproof. Professional reviews are enthusiastic about both features - but a woodworker posting at the Sawmill Creek forum notes that the granite-top saw won't accept a third-party miter gauge - nor, of course, a magnetic featherboard (another important safety tool). The riving knife makes either Steel City 35900 hybrid saw a standout.

The Craftsman Pro 22124 (*est. $1,100) has accumulated good reviews over the years; this hybrid saw lacks a riving knife but has a blade guard that's as easy to use as the one on the Steel City saws. The Craftsman 22124 loses points in the most recent Fine Woodworking tests, however, for arbor runout (which makes the blade wobble). The comparison review at Tools of the Trade Online praises the Craftsman hybrid saw for low vibration, but finds the dust control poor. It's only slightly less expensive than the better Steel City 35900 (*est. $1,250) that comes with a riving knife for better safety.

The fully enclosed Jet JWSS-10CSPF (*est. $1,200) also gets very good reviews. We found rumors in woodworking forums that it will soon be available with a riving knife. However, no date has been announced, and reviews say the blade guard on the Jet hybrid saw isn't as easy to use as the blade guard on the Steel City hybrid table saws.

If you don't want to pay enough to get a riving knife, reviews say both the Woodtek 148-271 (*est. $800) and Grizzly G0478 (*est. $775) are good choices among hybrid table saws. The Woodtek hybrid saw earns first place in the Fine Woodworking tests, with more power than the Steel City 35900G, and excellent precision. It has convenient digital readout of the blade angle. The main drawback is safety; the blade guard isn't judged as easy to use as the one on the Craftsman or Steel City hybrid saws.

The same is true of the Grizzly G0478 (*est. $775), so you're giving up some safety features to get the lower price. The Tools of the Trade Online review gives the Grizzly top ranking for its power and "great fence," but notes that both its blade guard and power switch are "not user friendly." This makes it one of the least safe hybrid saws of all. The Grizzly earns the "best value" award at Popular Woodworking, with praise for its power and dust collection - but with a caveat about the blade guard. Reviews also note that the Grizzly's price doesn't include a blade or even a power cord.