I have the Powermatic and LOVE it. I had a Delta, which in MY opinion
was an unmitigated piece of crap. You get the light, the blower, a
large table, and great performance. The Jet is too much like the Delta
for my tastes. I was using my BS yesterday and smiling the whole time,
knowing I was astute enough to send the Delta unit back for a full
refund. Those who haven't used one don't know what I'm talking about.
As Sledgehammer used to say, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing!".

David

tzipple wrote:

I am about to buy my first bandsaw. I think that a 14" saw with a riser
will be big enough. I have narrowed the choice to 2 quite different
machines. The Jet 710115K, at $599 seems to be a good balance of price
and quality. The Powermatic is also a great machine, but is more
expensive at $899.

However, the Powermatic comes with a good fence, miter, lamp, Carter
Quick-Tension release, dual bearing blade guides, etc. Just the fence,
miter, and lamp would add about $135 to the price, making the price
difference between the two saws "only" $165. But that seems like a
reasonable price to pay for the added features like the better blade
guide, somewhat more powerful motor, etc.

I have a Jet drill press and a Powermatic jointer and like them both.
Any thoughts on whether the choice and whether the Powermatic is worth
the added cost. Thanks?