Carpentry and Woodworking - Table saws

I am searching for a perfect table saw for my needs. I enjoy making hardwood furniture as a hobby. It seems that a cabinet saw is my best option when it comes to dust collection concerns and a 3 hp motor when it comes to cutting wood such as cherry and hard maple. Currently I am considering a Jet with a left and right tilting arbor 3hp motor with a 50 inch rip calacity. Space in my shop is some what limited. Is a 50 inch rip capacity overkill and what is the best saw for the money. I don't want to sacrifice quality for $.

Unless you are going to crosscut whole sheets of plywood, 50 " rip is overkill. I have 52" on my 2 hp cabinet saw and never use it. 30" will enable you to rip 4'x8' sheets of plywood. The 3 hp choice is good. I would not go below 2 hp. I have never had a problem ripping oak, cherry, hard maple with 2 hp. A top quality blade with stiffener will make the power go further. Forrest Woodworker II is a cadillac.

There are forums dedicated to woodworking where table saws are cussed and discussed ad infinitum. Jet seems to be a pretty good brand. The Grizzly is a good one. I have a Delta. Powermatic is good. www.woodworking.com is a site with a good forum on saws and such. Another is www.woodmagazine.com

Another point to consider before buying the saw is what fence to get. Biesenmeyer (sp) or other are ofter available as options with most major cabinet saws. The overall quality of the fence will please you or haunt you over the years to come. These other forums discuss these points as well.

It seems that you have also considered the matter of dust collection. There are many options for this, but the best of the bunch seems to be a cyclone.