What do you think of this announcement? Delta is introducing a new version of its flagship table saw, the Unisaw. This is not a big deal since an early prototype of the Unisaw was displayed at Delta’s big AWFS show in Las Vegas last July. (click here to see videos from that event). The real news is that this saw will be made in the United States. We could be witnessing a turning point for woodworking machinery. Could this be the beginning of a swing back to good ole US of A manufacturing?
The saw isnt just to be assembled in the States; the plans are to build it here, too. Deltas updating a plant in Jackson, Tenn., for the Unisaw, and some parts, such as castings, are coming in from Wisconsin.
Theres not much more information to tell as of yet, but I can tell you that the controls for raising and tilting the blade are on the front of the saw. And when officials showed the prototype in Las Vegas in 2007, the controls were digital. Im not sure if that feature will remain on the final version, but it would certainly be a change from the standard. Also, Ive been told the new saw will have a look similar to the new Delta dust collector design, a bit higher price point (which is to be expected when you upgrade the trunnions to be beefier), and, of course, a riving knife.
I wonder why are we seeing this move back to U.S. manufacturing. Maybe this is due to higher oil prices? You might be wondering how that could happen. Once, it cost €2,000 to ship a container from China. Depending on oil prices at the time, this number may be closer to today. If you can squeeze around 75 table saws into a container, that adds about to each saw. This is one example. There are many more.
In the coming months more information will come from Delta. I hope theres a working prototype at the IWF show in Atlanta come August. I know Ill be looking at the Porter Cable/Delta booth for sure.
