By Brian Caldwell
STAFF WRITER
In late August, Steel City Tool Works rolled out its initial line of 32 woodworking machines at IWF 2006 in Atlanta. Table saws dominated, including five 10" “deluxe” models, two industrial models (10" and 12"), and a 10" titanium-surfaced model. Buyers can mix and match the size and power to customize their saw, and select the type of fence they would like.
“There are only two styles of fences, the deluxe style and the industrial style,” said Brian Box, vice president and general manager of Steel City. “One is black and one is gray. It’s a price-point situation, frankly. Some people don’t really give a hoot about that type of arrangement, especially on a $1,000 table saw. The deluxe system is certainly adequate. It’s just as accurate [as the industrial fence system], but maybe not as robust and doesn’t move quite as well.”
The deluxe fence system is available in 30" and 50" lengths. Some of the larger saws have a 50" industrial T-Square type fence, which provides easy movement with just the slight movement of a finger.
Steel City had a goal in mind when it designed and manufactured its table saw line, according to Box.
“Our goal was really to hit major price points just under $1,000 and be able to supply up to and includ-
Steel City Tool Works is offering
a 10" table saw that features a
patent-pending titanium nitrate-coated table top.
ing the 12", 7.5-hp 3-phase machine for cabinet shops [a 5-hp model is also available]. We’re looking at the market in a lot of different ways as the high-end DIYer and then the person who wants the Unisaw, the Exacta-type saw, and then somebody who wants to step up the different construction of the box-type trunnions, such as the Powermatic style.”
The trunnions on most of the Steel City table saws are mounted to the cabinet and support the saw carriage.
One of Steel City’s innovations is a titanium nitrate-coated table top, which provides resistance
to scratching, corrosion and rust. At IWF the titanium top received a mixed review. Some thought the top was really nice, while others thought it was simply eye candy.
“Hopefully they think it is both. I hope they thought it was eye candy because that was one of the ideas behind it. No one else has tried anything else like that,” explained Box. “I guess the biggest thing is time. You don’t have to spend as much time or maintenance as you normally would on a table saw. A simple wipe and it’s clean.
“The reaction to the table saw line was very favorable. I think the biggest thing was the solid industri-al-type look. But when they got under the hood and saw the size of the castings, the weight of the tables, the thickness, and the three-belt drives … those are things that the other [manufacturers] have gotten away from over the years in the value analysis that we all did, trying to make lighter and cheaper [saws] and still not lose the supposed quality. We’ve taken a totally different approach to that.”
Steel City’s table saws, with fences, range from $899 to $2,499.
Contact: Steel City Tool Works, 901 Dashiel St., Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Tel: 615-225-9001. www.steelcitytoolworks.com
Freud offers general
purpose table saw blade
By Brian Caldwell
STAFF WRITER
Freud’s new Premier Fusion General Purpose saw blade.
Freud has introduced an all-purpose 10", 40-tooth saw blade, which the company says achieves new standards for cutting performance in a wide range of materials.
“We’ve had general-purpose blades in the past and what we tried to do was look at what we had done well in the past, where our strengths were, and then apply all of those strengths to this blade in any way that seemed appropriate,” said Cliff
Paddock, product manager for Freud. The Premier Fusion blade is suited for crosscuts and rips in hardwoods and softwoods, and delivers polished faces, according to Freud. The Fusion blade is the latest offering of the company’s Premier brand that has been on the market since 2003. The Fusion blade features a double-side tooth grind with the company’s Hi-ATB geometry, which gives smooth side finishes as well as a chip-free top and bottom during both ripping and cutting applications.
“We’ve come up with a totally new tooth design,” said Paddock. “We’ve combined a Hi-ATBI angle with a unique double-side grind, and that combination is what is giving us a really unique finish. We also went with a totally new anti-vibration technology on this blade. You’ll see a new shape, new filler in these anti-vibration reeds that really dampen the blade more than any other blade that we have tested.”
Freud has also applied a Perma-Shield nonstick coating that it says will protect against corrosion, gumming and pitch.
The company adds that the blades have been pre-tensioned so they will remain flat, immune to the shock caused by cutting or the stresses created by high rpm.
“It took us several years to get this together and it is performing beautifully for us,” added Paddock. “It’s just got everything that we could put in it from design to materialism to testing, and we think it’s going to be a great one.”
certain areas restricted
Toll Free: 1-800-489-6694
www.simantechinc.com
simantec@optonline.net
The Freud Premier Fusion General Purpose saw blade retails for about $100.
Contact: Freud, 5 Concourse Pkwy., Suite 2175, Atlanta, GA 30328. Tel: 800-472-7307. www.freudtools.com
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