Source: salemtools.net
Shop Fox W1819 Review
Welcome to our Shop Fox W1819 review – This is a hybrid table saw, and winner of our “best hybrid table saw” award.
Pros
- Fairly quiet and powerful motor
- Easily adjustable and smooth fence
- Efficient dust collection
- Sturdy and reliable blade height and bevel adjustment handles
Cons
- It draws 220v which means you can’t plug it straight into a standard outlet
- Newer manufacturer, not so known yet
General Functionality
Source: factoryauthorizedoutlet.com
To start off – you shouldn’t expect the same quality from this saw that you’d find from a legendary table saw manufacturer like Powermatic.
The build quality of the Shop Fox is great, but the fact is they haven’t been in the game as long as Powermatic and other “oldies”, so they’re never going to be as good right away.
With that said, the Shop Fox still wins points for build quality and usability, and in terms of general functionality it puts on a good show.
Motor
The W1819 features a mighty 3hp triple belt drive motor.
It runs great, and produces enough power to make short work of even thick hardwoods and other materials – especially if you run a thin kerf blade.
It runs like a dream – solid and steady, with very little vibration. It’s also fair bit quieter than you’d expect, which is definitely nice… being able to hear yourself think while running a table saw, that’s not something you come across too often.
One thing to note about the motor is that it draws 220v – and this means you can’t plug it straight into a standard outlet. So, you’ll have to do some wiring for this bad boy.
Blade
This runs a standard 10 inch blade, as usual. And of course, it’ll also take a dado stack.
Also as usual, the stock blade that comes with the Shop Fox is trash. Don’t trivialize this great table saw by not using a capable blade.
Ripping Capacity
You’ve got a choice of either a 29-1/2 inch or 49 inch rip capacity.
With the smaller version, there’s no extension table and so no extra legs are included to support the table – it just sits nice and steady on the cabinet. The larger version with extension table has some extra supporting legs.
There’s not much more to say about this – some hybrid table saws have only a small ripping capacity and no option to upgrade. I find this a bit strange, as with such a powerful saw many users are also going to want a large ripping capacity so as to not limit its usefulness.
It’s nice to have the choice between 29-1/2 or 49 inches and I think Shop Fox has done it right.
Blade Height and Bevel Adjustment
IF you’ve read some other reviews and guides on Woodwork boss, you’ll know that we’re big fans of “the little things” being done well.
The handles uses to control blade height and bevel are a good example of this – these are features you use constantly, and so they need to be good.
Even a small lapse of quality in this area is something you’ll notice time and time again with every use.
Thankfully this isn’t an issue with the Shop Fox W1819.
The handles for these adjustments are made from cast iron. They’re very sturdy and satisfying to use – and most importantly, there’s gauges to make precise settings a breeze.
The sturdy and impeccable build quality of the small features like these inspires confidence that this machine will still be humming away in your work shop without a hitch even a decade after purchase.
Dust Collection
Not all hybrid table saws comes with full cabinets – many of them have a half cabinet or open cabinet that sits on legs.
Having a full cabinet though, is a great advantage for dust collection – it’s all enclosed which means it’s easier to capture all that pesky sawdust during your cuts.
This is especially true on the Shop Fox W1819. You can expect very efficient dust collection, and you’ll be glad of it from the first day using this table saw to the very last.
Fence and Miter Gauge
Source: sgtool.com
This is another one of those small things that some table saw buyers will tend to overlook.
Anyone who’s been using a table saw for any length of time knows the importance of a good fence… but, for new users or people who have grown accustomed to a low quality fence and miter gauge, they can be easy to overlook.
But, these are the most commonly used pieces on your table saw (aside from the motor, blade, and all other essential components), and if they “fight” you rather than work with you, it’ll be a source of annoyance for every cut.
Once again, the Shop Fox W1819 comes out strong in this department.
The fence “glides like on ice” – this is how a fence should operate, always!
Easy to adjust back and forth as needed, and then lock down solid as a rock precisely where you need it.
That’s the beauty of having a super solid fence like the one on the Shop Fox. There’s plenty of fences out there that don’t glide smoothly, and that aren’t reliably square – you have to measure for squareness before every cut you make!
None of that nonsense with the Shop Fox W1819. Glide to precisely where you need it and lock it down solid, always with the supreme confidence that it’ll be secure and square.
The miter gauge is also great on this hybrid table saw.
It’s actually not a miter gauge, it’s a miter fence. This means it has a fence attached to the gauge which makes it very easy to manage larger pieces.
It’s hard to believe that some hybrid table saws don’t feature a miter fence – again, it’s one of those things that just adds a bit more functionality, and most buyers of these saws aren’t going to want to limit the capabilities of their fancy new table saw.
Safety Features
Source: youtube.com
The Shop Fox W1819 comes with a standard assortment of safety features, as required by US law – A riving knife, anti-kickback pawls, and blade guard.
They’re all modular to make for easy tool-free installation, removal, and adjustment.
There’s nothing much to say about these – they just work perfectly.
This is an especially important feature on a hybrid table saw. If you’re coming up from using portable or even contractor table saws, then the hybrid is likely a whole new level of power.
Which means, a whole new level of danger.
As always, one of the best safety features for any table saw is you – ensure you know what you’re doing when using a table saw, and always be attentive and cautious when making even simple and standard cuts.
And if you ever have doubts.. just don’t make the cut. You can find another way to get the results you need than to take risks that could end very badly.
So with all that said, these safety features are simple to use (which makes you more likely to use them), and effective.
They provide adequate safety without hindering the capabilities of your hybrid table saw.
Conclusion
The Shop Fox W1819 is a great hybrid table saw – and indeed, the winner of our “best hybrid table saw” category.
From the powerful and capable motor, to the amazing fence and miter fence, and the amazing full cabinet for efficient dust collection, it just ticks all the boxes as I’ve said so many times previously.
If you’re after a beastly saw that’s a dream to use and includes many of the features normally found on more expensive cabinet table saws, then you’ll love the Shop Fox W1819.