DELTA 36-821L Special Edition 10-Inch Left Tilt Arbor Unisaw with Biesemeyer 50-Inch T-Square Commercial Fence

This edition of Delta's highly acclaimed Unisaw features a left-tilt blade--which makes beveling both easier and safer, because material can't get pinched between the blade and fence (a recipe for kickback). This Unisaw packs a 3-horsepower, single-phase induction motor, so it's powerful, smooth, and quiet. Adding to the saw's smooth operation are the burly cast-iron trunnions. This saw is built to snuff out vibration. We also like how the triple V-belt drive eliminates belt slippage without minimizing the power from the motor. One of this saw's main selling points is its 50-inch Biesemeyer fence. The fence rides smooth, stays parallel, adjusts easily, and clamps down securely for hard-to-rival accuracy (Biesemeyer features a solid, cam-locking lever). There's also a hairline pointer and built-in tape measure. Hand wheels make blade height and angle easy to adjust--though, we must admit, it'd be nice to have a bit more knuckle clearance. Also, the included blade is fine for cutting salvage lumber--but, to do the saw justice, most users will want to upgrade to a better blade. --Jon Groebner

Among serious woodworkers who demand top quality tools in their shop, there's no debating the desirability of a Delta Unisaw. It's one of the few cabinet-style table saws still made in the USA, and the benefits show up in the quality of the tool's workmanship and finish. The Unisaw's smooth operation can be traced to the widely spaced, massive trunions which are machined from fine-grained cast iron and are completely adjustable to ensure the best possible alignment. The heavy cast-iron table adds to the saw's stability and features a 3/8-by-3/4-inch T-slot on each side of the blade. Include the two extension wings and you have a generous cast-iron table surface of 36 by 27 inches.

The single-phase, 3-horsepower induction motor is housed in a dust-sealed, fan-cooled enclosure, and power is transferred smoothly and efficiently via a positive-traction three-belt V-drive system. The motor cover has handy storage slots for your miter gauge and table inserts, but more importantly, the inside is designed to maximize the airflow for dust collection and, in conjunction with the redesigned cabinet interior, funnels all the dust efficiently to the 4-inch dust port without a hitch.

This model comes with a 50-inch commercial Biesemeyer fence system and accompanying table board. While the basics of this popular fence design have been copied by competing saw and fence manufacturers, there's still nothing quite like the original. The Biesemeyer is made of the heaviest gauge steel we've seen on a T-square type fence, and the fence face itself is made of laminated 9-ply Finland birch, glued solidly in place--a construction method that eliminates warpage in the fence line that the bolts or screws used in competing systems can cause. The fence locks to the front guide rail using Biesemeyer's three-point locking system and automatically aligns the fence parallel to the blade when the lever is tightened down, providing reliable accuracy every time. --Brian Trinen