Cheap Table Saw

I want to buy a cheap table saw. I am not a carpenter, I just need something for simple projects so I can cut straight. Would any of these work:

  1. ShopMaster 10" Bench Top Table Saw: 1

formatting link
RYOBI 10" Bench Top Table Saw $79

formatting link
Delta BENCH TOP 10" TABLE SAW $89

formatting link
any suggestion for a low end model that will cut straight? Is 10 inch good enough? What would these cheaper models be lacking that the $800 models do?

-Zeke

Reply to
Zeke Redner
Loading thread data ...

I don't have any advise on THAT low end a model - perhaps you should consider a nice circular saw, blade, and a clamp on straightedge instead. You can do some nice things with just these tools and some talent - and maybe a router.

As for what is lacking... A fence that stays put and is accurate and long enough to be useful. The power to actually *cut* wood. And most of all, construction that is durable enough to last more than a year. Arbor bearing on these cheap saws have an annoying tendency to come apart at speed.

The cheapest thing I would consider is a Delta TS300, and it's no prize...

Many people buy these to cut plywood, but you are better off with a circular saw and guide. That is what I use to cut down large panels - and I have a table saw.

FWIW, Greg

Reply to
Greg G.

Zeke Redner wrote

Depending on what you want to do, you will probably need to spend about $450-$500 to get something minimally acceptable. The $100 jammies scare me a little. I talking US dollars, by the way.

Reply to
Woodchuck Bill

What would these cheaper models be lacking that the $800

Everything!

Rich

Reply to
EvoDawg

On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 07:06:53 +0000, Woodchuck Bill wrote:

A lot depends on what you want a table saw to do. If you are cutting small parts and almost exclusively use a mitre gauge or shop built fixtures (usually called jigs) then a cheap saw will do. I started with a cheap motorized Delta that, honestly, wasn't much of a saw. I soon "upgraded" to a saw I bought at an auction. It was a craftsman with a "bent arbor" that I paid very little for. The "bent arbor" was a blade with a 3/4" hole on a 5/8" shaft...but the fence on the saw was a real piece of junk. When I came upon a unisaw for the right price I bought it and sold the craftsman. Any cheap saw will have a rip fence that is a real piece of junk. Don't expect to cut straight boards with it. Even with a cheap saw you can probably get accurate cuts on small parts if you take the time and fiddle with the settings long enough. Expect enough noise to scare the neighbors and usually a lot of vibration. And more than a little frustration. A more expensive saw with a good, solid cast iron table will make setups easier. It will also dampen vibration and noise. You will have more horsepower available to cut thicker or harder boards without feeling like you are pushing the limits of the saw. They are also harder to tip over, thus safer but harder to move around. If you pay the money for a good saw you can expect the setups to be easier, the fence to be accurate, straight, and set dead on every time. Bevel cuts and miters are easily repeatable and accurate. The saw will be a joy to use and you really won't mind paying $60 or $70 for a blade when you get the feel of a nice saw and see what can really be accomplished with it. A 10 inch saw is plenty large. I don't really recommend anything larger due to weight and power requirements. I once made 45 feet of drink rail for a local bar with my 10" unisaw out of 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" oak with a large (3"x1 1/4") cove cut in it. I know this is kind of long but I hope it answers your questions.

Reply to
Jon Dough

Approximately $700 in extra weight, features and quality.

Think of a bicycle and a car.

UA100

Reply to
Unisaw A100

Unisaw A100 responds:

More accurately, think of a Yugo and a car.

Charlie Self

"In the final choice a soldier's pack is not so heavy as a prisoner's chains." Dwight D. Eisenhower

formatting link

Reply to
Charlie Self

T. looked up from his yellow tool long enough to babble:

Probably a victim of our vast new service economy...

Reply to
Greg G.

Reply to
Phisherman

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (T.) wrote in news:14687-3FDAFEB2-25@storefull-

3198.bay.webtv.net:

Both.

Reply to
Zeke Redner

I'm not so sure "cheap" and "cutting straight" can be used in the same sentence.

Buy cheap tools and they soon become miserable objects taking up space in one's workshop. Not only do they break down, low end tools are rarely a delight to use.

Of course, a cheap tablesaw could be made into a boat anchor. I have yet to see one turned into a table lamp, however.

Reply to
C

What if I buy a better blade for one of the cheaper models? I've heard that cuts down the noise and vibration while giving a better cut. How much would a good blade run me? Do the good table saws come with good blades? Or do you need to change those too?

Zeke

Reply to
Zeke Redner

Zeke Redner wrote in news:Xns9450445276315zeke39n3d@63.223.5.95:

A lot of people here are betraying thier more experienced prejudices. If all you've got is a relatively small budget or are not sure how far you want to get into it than a less expensive saw is a good way to go.

This is unquestionably a daunting task filled with terms you may never have heard before. Features are many and varied and the exact match for you is not the same for everyone. Small craft projects do not necessarily have the same requirements as furniture making.

I am of the opinion, and it has yet to fail me, is to spend less money up front because you don't know if you are going to like actually doing crafts or are good at it. You are unlikely to tackle large projects at first simply because you haven't the experience. And frankly I'd rather have the guys at Lowes or Home Depot use thier panel saw to cut down plywood sheets for me, at least for a start. So a more expensive, feature packed model is not necessarily the best starting item.

Decide what your budget is. Then think about people you may know who use tools. What do they use or like. My dad and grandads were Craftsman people. I have a comfort level with thier products. But I also own other brands becuase the feature mix/price/quality also appealed. There is junk out there but it is relative. A $149 table saw would be ineffective for a more heavy schedule of building with heavier material. It would quickly burn up. But for small stuff it could last a lifetime.

Many of the guys here are very experienced and I think they forget what it was like to start off. I have an inexpensive Craftsman. The fence is fine as is the mitre gauge. I've already used it to make a balcony railing, along with a Tradesman drill press (to drill the holes for the spindles) and a Ryobi router/table combo to finish the baseplate. And several other projects. I had problems at first with all of them becasue of my lack of experience, not becuase they were flawed. I expect I may upgrade later but only when I have more experience and "feel" and have a much better idea what I want. I also haven't bought more expensive and specialized tools like planers or jointers yet. Those I will probably buy a better, more expensive item first, but only because I will have more experience and understanding by then.

In the meantime put +tool +reviews in your favorite browser and READ! READ! READ! Go to Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, etc and put your hands on the tools. Visulally look them over and see if they look and feel like junk or quality. Does it "fit" you in terms of your size and reach? Do the features seem easy to use or especially intuitive. I actually rejected some more expensive units because I thought the the features and settings were awkward, unweidly or prone to breakage. Talk to the store reps, but take it with a grain of salt as many of them are really no more than sales associates and could be selling toasters or underwear for all they know. Look for sales - sometimes you can get a better item cheaper if the model is being closed out.

I have some other interests besides woodworking - firearms, history and model building among them. A common theme of them all is the experts are always the same. What they have/do is superior to what you have/do. You should emulate them at any cost and irrespective of your level of interest or current ability. Bullshit! What you do is supposed to be fun. Always try to do better but learn the basics first.

Examples - when I strted reloading I strted with a single stage press. I stayed with the same brand and moved up to a turret press and noe a progressive. Some people said I should have just bought a more expensive brand 'x' model first. Well, no they were expnsive and I wasn't sure at first how I'd like it. Same with airbruhes. I started very cheap and gave now graduated to a double action that I haven't used yet. I got a steal on the double action that I wouldn't have if I'd bought it first. I also wouldn't have had the ability to use it well and have become discouraged, it takes some "feel" to use them right and simpler airbrushes let me concentrate on technique not bells, whistles and gizmos.

Check this site for reviews.

formatting link

Reply to
Gray Ghost

snipped-for-privacy@yahooo.com (Gray Ghost) wrote in news:Xns945082C237B9BWereofftoseethewizrd@216.196.97.136:

Thanks for an excellent reply.

Reply to
Zeke Redner

Table saws come in about 5 varieties: Cheap POS Junk -- characterized by: small table dimensions, don't hold set-up -- i.e. you'll have to do 'tune up' *frequently* lack of precision in settings *hard* to 'repeat' a set-up, to cut a 2nd piece like the 1st one. require _lots_ of user effort to get 'marginally acceptable' output.

I've never seen any table saw in the under US$200 range that didn't fall in this category.

Expensive POS -- these are often "bad design/engineering", luckily, they're comparatively rare. Then there is the "OK design / sloppy manufacturing" bunch. "No name" brands constitute most of this category. Most of the saws in the circa US$250-600 range fall in this category.

Ryobi BT3000/BT3100 -- *UNIQUE* combination of affordable price (circa $300) and good quality construction. *NOT* designed for 'all day, every day' use, nor is it intended to be moved from job-site to job-site. But, for the casual (or even semi-casual) user it's hard to find anything that competes with it, even at _twice_ it's selling price.

Quality contractor saws -- "semi-portable", designed to be transported from place to place and stand up to day-in/day-out use. Primarily used for hardwoods 1" or less, and up to 2" softwoods.

Usually US$800+, with a quality fence and blade. A few models are some- what less.

Quality Cabinet Saws -- for in-shop use only. heaviest and sturdiest of the breed. Designed for "all-day/every-day" use. Usually equipped with bigger motors than typical on contractor saws; designed to 'routinely' cut hardwoods as thick as the saw can handle.

Usually US$1500+, with a quality fence and blade. A few models are some- what less.

*EVERYTHING* you're looking at falls in the 1st category. "Marginally" O.K. if you're only doing bird-house/dog-house scale/quality stuff. Seriously 'under- powered" for cutting construction/framing materials (i.e., 2x4 and bigger). *POORLY*SUITED* for detail and/or 'precision' cutting, for quality cabinet- maker type tasks. One _can_ accomplish that kind of work with such a saw, _sometimes_, and only with excessive and painstaking effort. *Strongly* recommend you look at the Ryobi BT3100, as an 'affordable' tool that you _won't_ spend most of your time 'fighting with', but rather, doing constructive work.
Reply to
Robert Bonomi

Reply to
D.Mo

Reply to
Grandpa

Does this saw have an arbor that will handle a stacked dado?

-- Howard Lee Harkness Texas Certified Concealed Handgun Instructor

formatting link
snipped-for-privacy@CHL-TX.com Low-cost Domain Registration and Hosting!
formatting link

Reply to
Howard

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (T.) wrote

Forgive my lack of knowledge, but what is HF? Do they have a website?

Zeke

Reply to
Zeke Redner

formatting link

Reply to
Bruce

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.