I am going to buy a table saw and was looking for some recommendations. I am using it for various household woodworking projects, but nothing too fancy - I don't think it would be worth it to spend a whole lot on it considering how much use I think it will get.
One I have my eye on at the moment is this Craftsman one:
formatting link
like it is a step above the very entry models because it includes the collapsible stand, extensions, 15 amps, and dust collector. Don't have any experience with the Craftsman brand, but the price seems good.
What more would I get with the more expensive models?
Power to cut something thicker than 1/2" plywood without burning the wood and the blade, the ability to add a dado blade, a fence that actually locks where you want it, the ability to use a tenoning jig, MUCH quieter operation, less vibration, lower frustration level, glue ready cuts (no sanding necessary)...
I bought a saw like that. I regret it and will replace it with a decent contractor or cabinet saw as soon as I have the available cash.
I own a very inexpensive ($400) table saw (Delta contractor) and I have gotten a lot of mileage out of it (see my web page projects section). Do I wish I had a $2,000 saw with one of them fancy boy Biesemeyer fences? Sure I do. Do I "NEED" one, probably not, but don't tell SWMBO. :)
If I could make one coment about buying a table saw it would be get one with a CAST IRON TOP. The one you have selected is aluminum.
Run, don't walk, away from that. My dad came home with a similar saw a couple years back. I can actually grab the blade and wiggle the arbor side to side by a visible amount. Generally speaking one would like for the blade to stay in one spot. The fence also doesn't lock securely enough without putting a C clamp on the back end.
With a contractor size saw you get a much larger table. This makes a world of difference. Especially since the lesser equipped your shop is the more likely you are to ask the table saw to do all sorts of things you didn't really intend at the outset.
It's more than double the cost of what you're looking at, but take a serious look at the Ridgid TS3650 at HD.
About three years ago, I sold my Unisaw -- along with a number of other stationary power gear -- 'cause I just didn't have the time to spend doing the woodworking that I had been doing. Recently, after much evaluation, I picked up the Rigid TS2400. I am happy I did.
While no portable bench style saw can come close to my old Unisaw, the Rigid sure does a fine job. Out of the box, it needed very little tuning (I am a stickler for a well tuned table saw). I did have to do a bit of of an adjustment to the fence, which was no big deal. But the blade alignment to the table was dead on, as well as the blade to the miter slots. I recently dadoed some pressured treated 4x4s for a pergola I built, and the motor handled the task without any hint of power reduction.
The Rigid also comes with an easy to set-up/take-down wheeled cart for mounting the saw on. The cart is wonderful.
If you're just starting out and need something a step above a circular saw then you'll probably be happy with the Craftsman bench top table saw for a while. If you're thinking about doing precision woodworking then you most likely would want to look for something with more flexibility, adjustability, and stability than this type of saw. I started out with a Dewalt bench top saw, model 744. It was fine for two or three years. It had a 24" rip capacity and would handle a full stack of dado blades. What finally convinced me to move up was the limited surface area of the top of the saw. It took a lot of effort to manuever sheet goods and longer stock through the blade. I ended up going with a Ridgid contractors saw which has a cast iron top, mobile base and received good reviews. My only minor complaint is that the dust collection port is shop vac diameter and not 4" dust collector size. Otherwise I've been very happy with it. Another reason I bought the Ridgid was that I got it for a great price. I was leaning toward a Grizzly contractors saw but the Ridgid ended up coming in a couple hundred dollars cheaper. I took advantage of a special promotion they had for signing up for a commercial account. I would do some research in the archives of this newsgroup, read some woodworking magazine reviews and possibly talk to some fellow woodworkers about their preferences. Eventually if I ever move up to a larger workshop I would like to get a cabinet saw with an extension table and 3+ HP. Good luck and have fun.
Dale
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
formatting link
> Seems like it is a step above the very entry models because it includes
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: > I am going to buy a table saw and was looking for some recommendations. > I am using it for various household woodworking projects, but nothing > too fancy - I don't think it would be worth it to spend a whole lot on > it considering how much use I think it will get. >
A few things to consider:
IF you buy a DECENT table saw with a GOOD fence, you will be able to make accurate as well as repetitive cuts.
IF you buy a DECENT table saw with a GOOD fence, you will be able to sell it when you are finished with it.
IF you buy the Craftsman or something similar, you won't be able to do either of the above, especially make accurate cuts.
I'd save my money and get a decent contractor's saw complete with a Unifence, if it were me.
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@p79g2000cwp.googlegroups.com:
*snip*
If you can take a look at it in the stores, take a look at the way the splitter aligns behind the blade. Pay attention to the distance from the mounting point to the blade. That level craftsman saw mounts the blade guard/splitter assembly off the table, giving the potential for lots of flex and binding in an essential safety tool.
Next, take a look at the blade head on. Does the splitter line up exactly with the blade or off to the side? That level Craftsman saw had (and probably still has) a problem where the splitter does not line up with the blade and pinches the board making the cut. When you start pinching, you risk kickback which, as stories here will attest, you don't want.
I have the low level Craftsman saw, and have resorted to using it without blade guard assembly to allow me to make cuts without as much concern over binding.
If you get a good saw, you'll probably be more likely to use it. If you get a bad one, you'll probably be less likely to use it, wasting the money you spent.
> Seems like it is a step above the very entry models because it includes
I'd ask a knowledgeable friend to accompany you to check it over first, with the understanding that corporations don't give anything away. Extra-low price generally indicates cuts elsewhere.
Contractor saws have compromises of their own, especially typically in the trunnion braces, making tilt-angle a guess. (See Ian Kirby's "Accurate Table Saw" for details.)
Your purposes might best be met by one of the "serious" benchtop saws, like the Ridgid, DeWalt, Makita, etc. Changes for the better are taking place.
You would be better off getting a quality circular saw for the same money.
A quality cabinet table saw will have a precision fence, good dust collection, cast iron large flat table, smooth controls, low vibration, quality blade, and probably run on 220v.
So from what I am reading it sounds like I can't get anything worthwhile without spending around $500. Is that true? Can I get anything decent for around $200 or $250?
Space is at a premium for me - my shop (garage) is rather small, so that is a factor in my decision.
> Seems like it is a step above the very entry models because it includes
I have been reading this group for about a year, and never posted for fear of Spammers getting my address, but I just HAD to chime in here.
I am a cash earning @ home/basement shop cabinet maker, and I started out on a Craps-man saw similar to the one you listed... The bearings in the motor went all pear shaped in the first month. After about 5 hours of total run time under load. (Actual cutting.) Swapped it out under warantee for a new one, same issue. Upgraded to another higher priced Crapsman, and this time I sent off for replacement bearings when they went. Soon there-after, the motor went bang and blew the GFI I had it plugged into...
Well, I took it to the curb, and never looked back. I will NEVER buy a Craps-man power tool again. Hand tools, ok, but NEVER a power tool.
or Hitachi models. One feature that you will NEED to look for is/are the miter gauge channels. AVOID the saws with am inverted T shaped channel. This limits your future capabilities. By the time you're confident enough to make jigs for the T channels, you'll realize how horrid they are...
Sorry, but that saw is a very entry level saw. You might have noticed by now that most of the woodworkers here don't think much of it.
I have been manufacturing sawdust for about 30+ years and started with one of the old Craftsman 1hp, cast-iron table, sheet metal wings saws with the motor hanging out the back. Then I put up with it for about 25 years. If you want to cut anything that rates above a craft project (plywood, small stock, etc) you need to raise you sights a bit.
Take time to look at contractors saws that retail new in the $400 to $600 range. These might include:
- Delta
- Rigid (I'm not a big fan but many here have had good luck)
- Grizzly (I am a fan)
- Jet
Many will tell you that the heart of a shop is the table saw and the heart of a table saw is the fence. All of these will provide a decent fence or the ability to move up to an aftermarket fence later. A 2hp or larger motor is good too.
Also look for these brand names as used equipment. I see Jet and Delta table saws in the local classified pretty often. Even better, look for estate sales, for a good discount from retail. The neat thing about estate sales is they often sell the whole kaschmeer for one price. My cousin picked up a Radial arm saw with a half dozen blades, dado cutter, shaper attachment and assorted do-dads for $150 - like new.
Notice that beyond the second paragraph I didn't use the word Craftsman.
Oooh, lookit me, posting twice in the same topic...
My basement shop gets HUGE use, but has about as much floorspace as a large-ish Galley kitchen. ALL my floor tools roll. ESPECIALLY my TS/Router Table. (home-built rolling 2 door cabinet with Bench saw and Router table mounted on top. Dust collection needs tweaking, but...)
There are Free plans all over the net for stuff like this. I based mine loosly on the "Utimate Table Saw Cabinet" plans that Shop-Notes, or some similar magazine published about 3 years ago.
"Stoutman" wrote in news:c2MGg.4526$n%. snipped-for-privacy@tornado.southeast.rr.com:
No pics, sorry.
My comment was not some sort of back handed jab at you. Once you get a really nice TS, you will sit back after the first project and say "I should have bought it long long ago".
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.