Every now and then, I still check Sears.com to see if there are new Craftsman tool listings. To my surprise, they have a new Craftsman Pro Series contractor table saw.
Well, “new.”
The new saw looks to be their older saw model painted with a new color scheme, and with “Pro Series” attached to the now-licensed Craftsman brand name.
Ridgid also offers a similar table saw, for quite some time now.
Not that I would entertain the idea of buying tools like this from Sears anymore, I find the new addition to the catalog to be very intriguing.
The newly listed saw, model no. TJZ10/3, seems to have the same specs as the previous 21833 model.
- 1-3/4 HP motor
- 3450 RPM motor speed
- 10″ blade
- 0-45° bevel right, 10° beven left
- Dual locking fence
- Blade guard system and riving knife
- Cast iron table with stamped steel extensions
- Included based with integrated casters
- Weighs 265 lbs
Price: $540 “on sale”
The branding and color scheme has changed. Why now?
Does this new listing indicate that there are brands still working with Sears directly – and that Sears is actively interested in marketing their own Craftsman tools?
Or is this new Craftsman Pro Series contractor table saw among the first of a new line of power tools brought to market under Stanley Black & Decker’s ownership and guidance?
Frankly, without learning more – which seems unlikely at the moment – I would consider both ideas to be equally improbable. Neither seems to be very likely, if I’m being honest.
Looking deeper, there are several other new Craftsman Pro Series tools, aside from their Pro Series Tool Boxes (reviewed here), mainly outdoor power tools and a couple of air tools, but nothing since recent years since Sears sold the brand to Stanley Black & Decker more than a year and a half ago.
This could be a meaningful development, but if so, it is unclear as to what the new listing signifies.
If you look at the listing of the older model saw on Craftsman.com, now under Stanley Black & Decker control, it says:
The product you searched for is no longer available. There are, however, many other retooled, refined, and readily available products. So feel free to explore our site.
The new saw does not appear there.
When you look at the Where to Buy page, they list Lowes, Ace Hardware, Orchard Supply, Farm & Fleet, and Atwoods as Craftsman retailers. (Amazon will be an online retail partner, soon.)
That discounts the idea that the saw redesign was prompted by Stanley Black & Decker. But is it any more believable that Sears is putting new effort into the Craftsman brand? It will be very interesting if they are, not to mention incredibly confusing for customers.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but given what I’ve seen at Sears these past few years, I won’t hold my breath or allow myself to get the least bit excited.
