I am going to be building a small closet from 2x4s and other wood pieces. Perhaps covering it with a veneer. What type of saw do I need? Im thinking a mitre saw would be good. I don't relly have a cutting surface so I likely need one of those too.
Ill be cutting these 2x4s, probably some trim pieces as well.
I bought a table saw last year when I was building a jungle gym in the backyard. That was seriously the wrong saw to buy...Don't want to make that mistake again. Im gonna sell the table saw too.
I am not even a hobbiest and only do work when I must. I have a Black & Decker firestorm 24v cordless hammer drill and I love it! Just want to give you an idea of my 'tool class.'
Buy a circular saw. They come in both corded and cordless. Besides the blade they normally come with, you'll probably need a fine tooth blade for cutting the veneer. If you don't need the space, keep the table saw. In a couple of years, you might be sorry you sold it. Buy a couple of do-it-yourself book also.
I'd get something like a low end Delta 10" mitre saw plus a small low end cabinet saw. And, by "cabinet" saw, I mean a small 4" or 6" bladed circular saw, not one of the magnificient cabinet saws by Delta or others. Go to the New Yankee Workshop web page and take a look at the small cabinet saw Norm uses. They are worth their weight in gold for ease of use etc. I have one of the monster DeWalts (12" industrial) and even though I use it just about every day, it still wears me out. And I do 36 rep curls with a 40 lb dumbell every other day.
Miter saw is just the ticket for at 2 x 4's and for trim. More important than the saw is the blade. Better blades cut smoother for the finished work. The blade it comes with is fine for the framing. You can get away with a cheap $99 saw if that is the extent of your work, but if you plan to do woodworking in the future, look at a DeWalt for about $230 to $300. Miter saw is nice if yo have visions of doing a laminate or pre-finished wood floor also.
No, don't sell it yet. You may need that for cutting the covering for the outside. You do need to support the work properly to be safe with that type of saw, but if you have to rip and 8' board, it is the best tool for the job. If you have to cut 2" off the end of a 2 x 4, it is the worst tool for the job.
Cutting sheet goods with a table saw is easy if you have a large table to support the work both infeed, and outfeed. With no support, it will be dangerous handling a large sheet of paneling or plywood.
Barring that, A circular saw, straight edge that can be clamped in place, and a sheet of styrofoam does a good job. Put the foam board on the flat floor. Put the panel to be cut on top of it. Clamp a straight-edge in place. Now, adjust the saw blade to take just a shallow cut through the wood and let the foam be sacrificial and cut a groove into it along the way. The work is well supported, the saw will be straight against the guide, and good carbide blade will make a pretty smooth cut.
Circular saw can also be used for the framing, but it does take a little time to get the finesse to make a perfect straight cut every time.
Seriously. I prefer not to use a hand saw. I find them less accurate. I like my work to look nice eventhough I am not a professional. I have hand saw and miter box now. But I just can't be arsed to saw 2x4s with a hand saw. For instance, I use the black and decker for screwing in screws whereas I could use a screw driver.
Is there some reason you think a hand saw would be good?
I'd suggest a 10" compound miter saw. Others won't agree, but I bought a cheapie Pro-Tech 10" compound miter saw about 4 years ago, and it's been a fine tool.
The fancy Dewalt 12" compound miter or even a slider saw would have been
*really* nice, but costly and overkill for what I'm doing. The Pro-Tech cuts straight and smooth, and the angles are true. It's a nice saw. With a quick google search, you will find that other people like them too.
Well it seems like they are for rip cuts, whereas I do 99% cross cuts. (Note: I have no idea about proper terminology). Tablesaw was good for sheets of wood, but I almost killed myself cutting 12' 3x3s on it :(
I did not get woodworking/shop class in highschool. I dont know how to use it really.
Thee are cross cuts and thee are cross cuts. For your use, a miter saw would have been better.
Cross cutting a 30" board down to 24" is a different story, or trimming a couple of inches off a 14" part for a drawer is just fine. Lopping a couple of inches off that 2 x 4 is not what they are suited for.
Before you sell it though, think about the future. Do you want to make a bookcase? Small cabinet? Kid's furniture? The tablesaw will be ideal for it. Take a lesson or buy a book and you may find it is a great tool. Take a peek at my web site to see what I've made for grandkids and my wife. If not interested, OK, sell it. May want to do it some day? Hang on for now.
The are not expensive, easy to store and when you learn how, do a better job than most people do with their power saws. Even without a miter box, if you know what you are doing, you can do more accurate cuts than most people can do with their fancy power saws. It is a shame that so few people bother to learn how to use one properly.
Sure most professionals use power saws, but then own several so they have the one that fits the job and then need to do production work.
I am not against power equipment, I have some myself and I use them, but most of the time, a hand saw could do the same job. and it takes up far less room.
A solid-core door makes a great workbench. A few 2x4's and you're all set.
The first thing I'd suggest is a *good* circular saw and speed-square for the 2xs. For the circular saw I'd look closely at the shoe. A stamped steel shoe is a loser, IMO. I rather like the Porter Cable MAG saws. I don't have one, but...
Which table saw. If it's a decent saw, that's all you need.
B&D sucks (ok, their "professional" stuff is OK.
If you want a good, yeat *cheap* miter saw try:
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bought one six months ago and am quite impressed by it, for a Franklin at least.
Miter saws are great to have particularly for trim work but if the project is small you can easily use a miter box and hand saw for the trim and then I would suggest a Bosch jigsaw using Bosch blades. It is the most versatile sawing tool there is and with a ten tooth blade and a guide I can cut 2x4 fairly fast and smooth. They also work great for cutting plywood and ripping with a good guide. Based on my previous experiences with jigsaws I would have never recommended such but Bosch and other high quality jig saws have changed all that. It would not be the preferred tool for cutting dimensional lumber all day long but from the description of what you do you should look into it. --- Steve
The circular saw is the one most people have. I think you should buy one with a cord assuming you have power at your location. You can make a perfect cut if you guide it with a straight edge. Skil makes a nice saw but any brand should do for occasional use. Here is a link for one inexpensive saw:
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This type of saw, however, is one of the most dangerous power tools ever because of the way the blade spins toward the user. Danger of kickbacks is significant. Also, if you get your finger in there it will cut it off before you can blink.
With that said, the "sidewinder" is the most commonly owned saw out there because it can do the most common jobs and can do so accurately. It will cut 2x4's with no prob. For perfect cuts just use a square like this one to guide the base of the saw:
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It will also cut paneling quite accurately. I like to use a clamping straight edge where accuracy or appearance is an issue. Here is an example:
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