I'm looking for a table saw just for rough work.
I'll be cutting scrap boards and the odd length of 2x2 into suitable sizes for my fire.
I'm not looking to spend a fortune, and have been out and about to the shops, looking.
I've seen the Aldi table saw for £30 - but, nice as it looks, it only has a 1000 watt motor, which I suspect may not be up to the job.
Has anyone any suggestions? Actual saws, wattage or blade size?
The lower the price, the better.
Thanks.
I'd be very hesitant about doing this - table saws aren't a good fit for "rough work" and if used in this way they can start to throw things. If it really is just for firewood, I'd incline towards a couple of decent trestles (make them yourself from 2x4s) and a handheld saw - ideally a coarse reciprocating saw, rather than a circular.
As with any machinery though, second hand cast iron gets you a much better deal than new stuff. Hang around farm auctions and you can pick up this sort of saw for a tenner. My Dad has such a table saw, about 1950 or so, more solid cast iron construction than my own cabinet saw, and a motor that was hand-wound by Faraday but is still going strong.
Of course his use of it for firewood chopping appalls me, I completely refuse to use the thing, and I'm not at all surprised when it throws half a log at him. Still, keeps the old man fit dodging the flying timber.
Would have a thought a chain saw would be more suited....
The things that let down the cheaper ones (poor fence, blade bearing vibration etc) will not really cause any prblem for you I would have thought. Ebay would probably turn up something "budget" that would do what you want.
Both table and chain saws are fairly evil devices eager to remove toes and fingers. Have you considered a reciprocating saw? Or, have you tried a saw horse and a decently sharp bow saw? (The latter keeps you warm outdoors as well:-)
Chain saws are not much good for little bits of wood, and are made instantly blunt by the smallet nail you hit.
I would use a brick and my feet to snap the stuff up.
Why not just use the traditional approach - bow saw for crosscutting then hand axe for splitting? This has the added advantage that it warms you up so you won't need to burn so much wood.
Yeah - just a couple of probs - half stuffed back and dodgy shoulder.
Most of the boards are chipboard, so its a bugger to split with an axe, in my experience.
I think you'd have to be really going at it to remove toes with a table-saw.
That too :-)
Chipboard (unless it's the thick sort) can usually be broken very easily just by propping one end up, then stamping on the gap.
unles you etll us what you mean by this... chopping scrap for the fire, making chipboard boxing, what?
I'd just use a hand held circular saw for the boards and a bow saw and hatchet for the 2x2.
Actually I have a B&D circular saw that converts into a table saw when needed. You just clamp it onto a bench or suitable surface and fit the top plate plus a bit of plastic that protects the top of the blade. It's very good for small jobs but I would use it in hand-held mode for large boards.
It's generally a good idea if something that's quoted is unclear to look back at the original post. The next sentance was "for the fire".
Thanks for saving me from having to sound patronising. ;-)
In my humble experience of using the following tools
bow saw hand saw jig saw chain saw table saw circular saw
The best tool for turning chipboard into firewood is brick & foot.
Prop the board up on a brick, and jump on it, or more sedatly kick it.
Rick
I'd recommend a hand held circ for 2x2s. Line them all up, cut the lot in one run. Very quick.
For chipboard sheets, either your boot or a circ, goes thru chip real quick. Circ is going to be easier if youve got lots to do.
NT
I suspect that chipboard won't burn very well, not to mention that it may also produce nasty fumes from the glue or whatever that holds it together.
Otherwise I'd recommend a chainsaw, it's what I use for cutting logs etc. for firewood. I would *not* recommend a sawhorse unless it's fixed to the ground, they're not the ideal device for holding wood you're cutting with a chainsaw.
What I have is a solid 'bench' of logs set across three large sections of tree trunk. Then across the front at intervals are vertical pieces of wood screwed onto the trunks. You put the wood to be cut on top of the bench and it's prevented from coming towards you by the vertical pieces. This makes it easy to cut a long length into several pieces without moving it repeatedly and will hold even thin branches quite safely for cutting with a chainsaw.
If you decide to use a chainsaw take lots of time, read all the safety instructions and find some on the internet and read them too. They're the ideal tool for cutting logs but need to be treated with respect.
I wouldn't, chipboard will bugger the chain. Chipboard has a lot of metal in it.
Not great stuff to use as fuel. It produces a lot of poisonous smoke, worse if you use laminated chipboard.
Metal? Only if there are lots of screws and such, same with any 'used' material. Chipboard as you buy it by the sheet from a timber merchant certainly doesn't have metal in it.
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