Leon wrote:

Until I got to considering and buying a better TS than my old iron top
Craftsman I was not aware that manufacturers provided slick polished
top surfaces. I recall looking a the old PM64~66 table saws and still
recall the almost mirror finish on the tops. I finally bought a Jet
cabinet saw and it had a polished top but not to the degree of the
Powermatics. Boy was I disappointed with the "effects" of having a
ridgless and polished top. While smooth would seem to be a show of
higher quality machining, it does not translate well as far as
providing a surface with less friction. With TopCote on my old Craftsman
you
could toss a small piece of oak to the TS top from 2 feet away and the
piece would slide off the back side of the table. With these polished
top saws I have not seen anything come close to the slipperiness as
the old Craftsman top. I think a polished top is more of a sales gimmick.


You're right - dead flat and polished does not create a more slipery
surface. A milled surface with grooves is much better - as long as it's
milled flat at the high point of those grooves, or ridges.

--

-Mike-