[Cherryville Chuck]

Tom I don't have much experience with combination blades but I know that Herb does. For general ripping the Diablo 1024 does a very good job and I've seen it as cheap as $38. For smooth crosscuts in ply particularly you'll need the D1080 blade. I know Freud has a new 50 tooth combo blade that I hear is very good and may do both fairly well but the more teeth you run, the more power you need. Maybe someone has tried that blade and can give a review.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

Tom with a poor fence too much pressure from feather boards can be a problem. There are some meant to attach to the fence and apply most of the pressure downward. Board Buddies are one type.

That's not a great quality video but he seems to be doing a decent review. It seems to me BJ used them, I think on his TS and router table. They might be a good idea for you as they would eliminate the need to keep a good hold 100% of the time on your work and take over most of the alignment requirements for you.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

That 4 hp rating is similar to the way they rate router hp, as in pek (momentary) hp or brake hp. It's not a true rating of the motor's ability to do work so don't be fooled by it. Any table saw like the Unisaw, General, or Powermatic 66 3hp units must have a 220 volt power supply. I have an old Rockwell for a backup and it has a 2hp (which may not have been the stock motor) and it's wired for 220 volt. On stock up to 1 1/2" thick and with the Freud narrow kerf ripping blade (D1024) you can't tell much difference between it and my Unisaw.