: These compacts would be a good first step for me, both in terms of my
: financial officer's approval and to get me through some immediate home
: repair work.
Umm, there seems to be a little bit of confusion regarding terms on this thread. A contractor saw, as invented by Delta, consists of a motor hanging off the back of the saw platform connected to the arbor via a belt. The motor is an AC induction type and they are relatively quiet( when not cutting wood )The saws are mounted on an open stand.
A portable saw (Bosch type) uses a DC universal motor that is connected directly to the arbor. When I was in construction, I used quite a few of these. Aside from their lower cost and portability, which is very important in construction, , they offer few advantages. The universal motors are extremely loud and subject to motor burnout. The direct drive makes the saw vibrate much more. The generally cheaper fences and smaller table area reduce accuracy.
If you can swing it financially go for a real contractor saw with a good fence, like a Biesmeyer, and a good blade such as a Forrest WWII. An accurately tuned CS with these two components will be as precise as any cabinet saws on the market. I've got a twenty year old Delta CS that produces glue line rips in 2" white oak. Cabinet saws are great if you've got the bucks but are totally unnecessary for the casual user. I've never used a hybrid but other than better dust collection and a smaller footprint, I don't seen any advantage worth paying the extra cash.