Need suggestions for a table saw

[Greenman]

I have a Bosh portable that was about twice what you're looking to spend and it's just ok.
I've seen a couple of the cheaper saws on different projects and I'd have to classify them as "near useless".
Honestly, if you can't afford a decent table saw, don't bother buying one.
The power saw and rip fence is a good idea, but a quality saw and fence are going to set you back about as much as a table saw.
I have this one and really like it.

http://www.festoolproducts.com/Festool-561432-TS-55-EQ-Plunge-Cut-Track-Circular-p/561432.htm

 

[highland145]

I have a Bosh portable that was about twice what you're looking to spend and it's just ok.
I've seen a couple of the cheaper saws on different projects and I'd have to classify them as "near useless".
Honestly, if you can't afford a decent table saw, don't bother buying one.
The power saw and rip fence is a good idea, but a quality saw and fence are going to set you back about as much as a table saw.
I have this one and really like it.

http://www.festoolproducts.com/Festool-561432-TS-55-EQ-Plunge-Cut-Track-Circular-p/561432.htm

Just quoting Greenman because he's awesome.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Cheap table saws are a terrific method of finger detachment.

I have a Delta X5 with full outfeed tables and I still use a jigsaw, router, and straightedge when I want perfectly straight cuts.

 

[Leros]

Am I going to be able to make smaller cuts (e.g. 2 inch strips) or rip boards with a circular saw?

The only woodworking I've done was in a good shop with every tool imaginable. I did almost all of my cutting on the table saw and mitre saw. I don't have any experience with a circular saw. It seems like an inferior tool that would make less accurate cuts and be a pain to setup to make a cut (having to clamp a guide on straight vs just setting the fence).

I do need to make very accurate straight cuts.

 

[Leros]

Interesting. Been looking around Amazon.

I'm seeing rip fences, which look like they attach to the circular saw and provide a guide.
E.g. http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Rip-...2995037&sr=1-2

Also seeing some neat guide tracks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Clamp-A-50-50-...2995037&sr=1-9

So back to circular saw... I'm seeing a ton of options on Amazon. A couple of the ones I looked at:

Makita 6.5" 18v cordless - $80

Porter-Cable 7-1/4" wired - $70

Think I'm being dangerously cheap with these?

 

[amdskip]

This is a new Kreg tool: http://www.kregtool.com/RipCut-Prodview.html

 

[ringtail]

``

 

[Rubycon]

My suggestion for a table saw would be to suggest that you DON'T use your hand to stop the blade.

Use a wiener instead! :wub:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mzhvMgrLE

Waiting for someone to try it with their wiener. Yeah that one.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Where are you?
I'm interested in that.

No kidding, what's wrong with it? If I had it to do over again I would get a 5HP 3Ph Powermatic. They make the best wood machines.

 

[Modelworks]

If you need very straight cuts, get a table saw . The really good ones are going to be in the $1000 range, but if used is okay you can find some good deals on ebay or craigslist. These are saws that costed over $2K new , often selling for under $400.
Look for Delta, shopsmith, craftsman contractor series


I was just looking on ebay myself. If I had the room this one is a steal for $200 , even if you had to pay shipping. They just don't make crafstman like that anymore.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cra...ltDomain_0&hash=item2c62c461f1#ht_1038wt_1163

 

[bguile]

Interesting. Been looking around Amazon.

I'm seeing rip fences, which look like they attach to the circular saw and provide a guide.
E.g. http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-Rip-...2995037&sr=1-2

Also seeing some neat guide tracks like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Clamp-A-50-50-...2995037&sr=1-9

So back to circular saw... I'm seeing a ton of options on Amazon. A couple of the ones I looked at:

Makita 6.5" 18v cordless - $80

Porter-Cable 7-1/4" wired - $70

Think I'm being dangerously cheap with these?

I've got that guide track. I've only used it a couple of times, but it seems to work fine for cutting up sheet goods. Will probably get the larger clamps for it at some point. Sometimes it takes some fiddling to get it clamped down tightly, but its much better than trying to make guide by clamping down a 2x4.

 

[SaDiZTiKStyLeZ]

I remember when the only thing that mattered when buying a table saw was, how well it cuts through flesh & bone, then the ease of clean-up.
Ah, the good old days.

 

[Leros]

If you need very straight cuts, get a table saw . The really good ones are going to be in the $1000 range, but if used is okay you can find some good deals on ebay or craigslist. These are saws that costed over $2K new , often selling for under $400.
Look for Delta, shopsmith, craftsman contractor series


I was just looking on ebay myself. If I had the room this one is a steal for $200 , even if you had to pay shipping. They just don't make crafstman like that anymore.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cra...ltDomain_0&hash=item2c62c461f1#ht_1038wt_1163

How straight would you say you can cut with a guide and a circular saw? I'm not going to be making anything furniture quality, but I do intend to make things like boxes and cabinets which require fairly good cuts.

 

[Exterous]

Do you have harbor freights around you? If so, will Home Depot or Lowes take one of their many 20% off coupons? If so, you can move on up a little more.

They are getting much stricter about that. I have to fight more and more each time I go in to use those

All table saws under $500.00 (which is still a very cheaply constructed saw) get to that price by substituting plastic components (adjusters, fasteners, tensioners, etc.) for metal components. They are not in the least durable; roller bearings are replaced with cheap bushings wherever possible, and inherently inaccurate by virtue of the fact that nothing will stay locked in place (fence, blade-height, belts, etc.) as the result of all these "cost-cutting innovations". Where tools are concerned you get exactly what you pay for.

:thumbsup:

If that's it, a circular saw, 2 saw horses and a guide rail that you clamp to the plywood.

Then you could buy a decent circular saw that'll last you many years.

I have high hopes for this. I don't really have room for a nice table saw so I am going this route for my closet project

 

[Exterous]

Table saw would sometimes have been nice, but, to be honest, the next saw I'm looking to get will be a Miter saw, would have made cutting 2x4s and moulding so much easier!!!

Love my miter saw. Definately gets used more than a table saw would

The only woodworking I've done was in a good shop with every tool imaginable.

They you are really going to hate the cheap table saws. As someone else said weight is an issue. They use as much plastic as possible so you'll have a hard time feeding anything of decent size and/or length

And I would be careful about having lowes or HD cut for you. I've had to do this frequently and I only have them do it for rough sizing. They have been off by as much as 7/8" of my requested cut

 

[Leros]

Love my miter saw. Definately gets used more than a table saw would

They you are really going to hate the cheap table saws. As someone else said weight is an issue. They use as much plastic as possible so you'll have a hard time feeding anything of decent size and/or length

And I would be careful about having lowes or HD cut for you. I've had to do this frequently and I only have them do it for rough sizing. They have been off by as much as 7/8" of my requested cut

I have a cheap $150 miter saw that I'm pretty happy with. It doesn't feel as good as the nicer miter saws I've used it, but gets the job done and I feel safe with it.

For what its worth, I won't be doing any work with large sheets. I'll never be buying any sheets larger than 4'x4' and my final cuts will rarely be larger than 2'. Most of my final cuts will be < 12".

With that in mind, are these cheap table saws really that useless for my needs? All I want to do is make straight cuts with an accuracy of about 1/16".

 

[seanbrown5]

If you're in the Seattle area I have one for sale. It's a craftsman, probably 10-15 years old. My Dad gave it to me. It works great, just needs a new blade. Price is negotiable.