Stamped Steel or Cast Iron Wings? Lansing MI

Stamped Steel or Cast Iron Wings?

Should I spend more money on cast-iron wings?

Q. I can save money by buying stamped steel rather thancast-iron extension wings for my new tablesaw. What do cast-iron wingsoffer that steel wings don't?

A. Over the long haul, you'll find that cast-iron wings have atleast four valuable benefits that are worth the extra money. First, acast-iron wing is much more rugged and is more likely to remain flatafter years of use. You can inadvertently bend a steel wing by grabbingit when you move your saw or by dropping something heavy on it, such asa full sheet of plywood. Second, a cast-iron wing adds about 25 lb. tothe top of your saw table. That additional mass helps soak upvibration. Two wings are even better. Third, a cast-iron wing providesa dead-flat surface that's useful even when the saw isn't running. Anunplugged tablesaw makes a great assembly table, and a single cast-ironwing adds almost 50 percent more flat surface area to the main table.The ribbed surface on a stamped steel wing is anything but flat.Fourth, believe it or not, a cast-iron wing is a convenient surface forsharpening tools. Simply attach some sandpaper with low-tack sprayadhesive. The wing is flat, rock solid and more accessible than themain table—perfect for lapping the backside of chisels and plane irons.

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