Finally moving into a place with some proper room for a workshop. I'd like to get a proper tablesaw. If I'm honest, it'll maybe get use a couple of times a year.

What should I look for in a tablesaw? Do they all take stacked data head cutters? What brands or models do you recommend? Is SawStop the only one with hte fancy new detection and safety mechanism? Those look speedy, way more than I can swing for such occasional use.

I bought a used Rigid (home depot) "contractor saw" 10 yrs ago. I think I paid around $500 then for a 1 yr old saw. I have used it quit a bit and don't have any major complaints. Its accurate, has a decent fence, has a dust collection port on the bottom. But it is a bit underpowered.

I would like to upgrade but I am having a hard time talking myself into a Saw stop, (although it's hard to put a value on safety). I don't believe anyone else has a similar safety stop system. My local tool store used to sell Powermatic and Jet, but discontinued both because Saw stop was all anyone wanted to buy.

The only other thing that looks interesting is a Grizzly. They are probably 40-50% cheaper than Saw stop but not as good quality and no safety stop system. So I will probably just keep what I have or spend the money on a Saw Stop.

You didn't note what the saw would be used for or what your budget is. Your likely options are one of the following two.

Job Site or Portable tablesaw

Lots of models, but this Hitachi C10RJ is arguably the best cost to value option. This saw is both portable and stores in a minimal amount of space.

Contractors Tablesaw

Rigid, Grizzly, Jet all make great options, and their very similar in capabilities. These saws are less portable and require more room for storage than the job site saws, but they're usually more stable (due to weight), accurate, a bit more powerful, and can usually handle wider stock. Of course they're also more expensive.

As to the Saw Stop products, they're a neat product. They are not however my cup of tea. I've been building furniture, cabinets, and a myriad of other projects for over 25 years, and I can think of a number of better ways to spend the additional money one of those saws cost. Learn and practice shop safety, and you'll be just fine using any saw.

quote:

Originally posted by Shackelford:
Finally moving into a place with some proper room for a workshop. I'd like to get a proper tablesaw. If I'm honest, it'll maybe get use a couple of times a year.

What should I look for in a tablesaw? Do they all take stacked data head cutters? What brands or models do you recommend? Is SawStop the only one with hte fancy new detection and safety mechanism? Those look speedy, way more than I can swing for such occasional use.

Look for a stable, heavy saw with no vibration. Fasten the saw to the floor unless it weighs 200#. Build extension TABLES on the left and rear. Use sharp blades with lots of teeth. Dado blades can be a hazard due to the nature of their purpose/use so be very careful when using them.

You probably should look for a good contractors saw. Not a jobsite saw. Cast iron wings help to dampen vibtation which makes for cleaner cuts. You will also want at least a 30" fence. Beisemeyer or delta uni fence are good choices. I upgraded from a jobsite to a delta contractors 25 years ago.

A good quality carbide blade is a must.

As to dados, you really need cabinet saw. Don't get hung up on dado blades, there are many other ways to make the same cuts.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

Learn and practice shop safety, and you'll be just fine using any saw.

Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this, there is no more important safety rule than to wear these: safety glasses!

quote:

Originally posted by DaveL:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

Learn and practice shop safety, and you'll be just fine using any saw.

Be sure to read, understand, and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this, there is no more important safety rule than to wear these: safety glasses!

Norm? Is that you?

One of the nicer deals I came across was twenty+ years ago. A late 1980s-manufacture Craftsman new-in-box, all metal, about ten years old, bought and never unpacked. 10" blade machine with disassembled base. I reached into the box for the cord, snaked it out and plugged it in, hit the switch, and it ran smoothly with zero vibration. $50.

Used it for all manner of home remodeling. Let a passing enthusiast have it for $50 a few years later. Wish I had kept it.

I've a plastic-bodied Craftsman someone gave me. Plastic height adjustment wheel. Mickey-Mouse blade angle adjustment (not a wheel). It works for smaller cuts but has no leg kit. And it is missing the sliding gauge thing. (I cross cut small pieces but it is not the safest practice.) The deck is on the small side. But I've made wall shelves and a wall cabinet with it. I will eventually attempt a few trestle tables with some late-1800s drawer bottoms I salvaged.

Bigger is better. Heavier is better. Two dedicated adjustment wheels. Dado attachments (I think the deck insert plate is different).

All this said, I'd buy a $50 contractor saw off CL which looks new and unused. Make sure it has the fence (and the fence locks in place) and the miter gauge. Screw it to a bench in the middle of the room, use it for a while, and if it has limitations for your use, then look for something bigger.

A miter gauge is a device used for holding workpieces at a set angle while being cut on table saws, band saws or sanded on stationary disk sanders. The miter gauge slides in a slot on the worktable on the machine being used.

Can't give any recommendations, but I can give some idea about Saw Stop. It is amazing technology, within its limitations. That said, I've been sewing people up after various power tool/garden tool injuries for years. Everything from reaching under the running mower deck, to chainsaw injuries, and lots of thumb/finger injuries from table saws. I make it a point to ask all of them if they had removed the safety guard that comes on the saw, 100% of table saw injuries have removed the guard. Leave the safety equipment in place and learn how to use your equipment properly, don't be in a hurry, and your likelihood of injury goes way down.

I sold my Delta Contractor's Saw a few years ago and got a Sawstop cabinet model. It's a great saw, even without the safety feature.

Lots of good advice!

I spent some 1100 dollars for a cabinet saw nearly 30 years ago. 10 inch blade, dado blades, etc. Have done a whole lot of wood working with it and it never missed a beat. Even got into some what might be described as commercial work with it, too.

Unless the user/buyer is going to do a whole lot of work on it, such a saw is overkill.

One of those fold-up saws will do the job for most people's needs. And a whole lot cheaper.

Lowe's has some nice equipment at reasonable prices, and that is where I would start.

Not attacking anyone here, but while dado cuts can be done without dado blades, or sets, the expense for such blades is not significant.

Dado blades come in at least 2 styles. One is a set of blades/inserts that determine the width of the cut. The other is a single blade that "wobbles" or oscillates is a better description.

I have both and used both with success.

One might consider renting a saw, as well.

As to brands, I have a couple pieces of Grizzly tools. One a 22 inch wood lathe, the accompanying 17 inch band saw. Both work very well, no problems. Reasonable prices, etc.

I am on my 3rd wood lathe, from Grizzly, each time moving upwards in size and capability. Not to mention price. Just a thought as they make good products at reasonable prices.

To summarize, unless one wishes/intends to do a lot of woodworking requiring a table saw, I would stick with one of those 10 inch portable saws. Equipped with the necessary attachments/blades they will do a LOT of good work with accuracy.

I bought a Ridgid R4512 tablesaw six years ago. I'm a hobbyist and didn't need to spend large dollars. I've been completely satisfied with it and would buy it again without hesitation. I've set it up for dust collection with a dust deputy and it works well. one need I did have was portability and the R4512 has wheels that pop down and make for ease in moving it around. Minimal vibration, a nickel will stand on edge when it's running. The only issue I had with it was aligning the blade with the miter slots because there wasn't enough adjustment in the trunion bolt holes. I removed them and elongated the holes with a round file. That gave me enough space to properly align the blade. It will take a set of stacked dado blades.

What type of stock would you use the saw to cut? What other capabilities are important to you?

I get the most use out of mine with miter and crosscut sleds which I didn't anticipate having or using as much when I bought my table saw. A good sized, stable base and decent motor power are essential to those operations so I think that would rule out most of the contractor saws. I'm sure you could greatly expand the capabilities of a small cabinet saw with infeed and outfeed tables, fences, tenoning jigs, etc. but that is far more than casual use.

If you're using it almost entirely for rip and crosscuts, I would consider a good miter saw and a track saw. I find myself using the track saw for a lot of what I would have used the table saw for previously. You can cut dados very accurately with a router if it's something you do only occasionally.

At bottom, I'd suggest realistically assessing the capability you would like to have and then selecting the equipment based on that. A good table saw with accessories is a significant investment both in money and space and can be worth it if you are going to really use it. But you don't need it to do many of the more routine things.

A lot of what has already been mentioned but first determine if you want a mobile unit or permanent one.
Never cared for the portable units but they can be handy if you need it different places.
My Craftsman saw has been flawless for 35 years.
In a shop version think stability and size of the table and quality of the motor and IMO should be belt driven.
It will be heavy and now days a little expensive.
A good fence is critical.
Other than that > cut on!

If you have the room get as big/heavy of a saw as you can. The jobsite/portable models are nice for moving to create room, but they're really difficult to use with full sheets due to their light weight. Unless I add a couple hundred lbs to mine, ripping a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" MDF is damn near a 3 person job simply because there is no support and the saw wants to tip due to it's light weight.

Unless I have to make multiple cuts at the exact same size OR if I'm ripping smaller stock I now reach for a saw guide and my skill saw - much easier to set up for the occasional cut - it won't do dado cuts, but works great for cutting sheets and is a bit more flexible if you're making odd shaped cuts.

Get one of these and an extension and you can rip a full sheet. Personally I'd still use clamps with it.
Saw Guide

I'd personally rather use a router (and the above saw guide or an smaller routing table) to do dado type work since the sheets are likely cut already and the pieces will be much smaller.

Shawn

The stationary tablesaws are called "Cabinet Saws" in my world. Because they are in a cabinet, not just used to make them. A portable tablesaw has foldable/detachable legs/runoff etc.

If you have the space, save up and get a propper tablesaw. As others have mentioned, while you can get by with a portable saw, they are les versatile.

Between available fence options, and such things as dado sets, you're better off with a shop/cabinet saw. I'd call a portable saw a contractors saw.

Sawstop isn't worth it for serious use. Nor have I yet found adequate safety aparatus for a table saw. Anything that obscures the blade or restricts fence usage is out. Also forget doing anything unconventional with most tablesaw garbage in place. The one piece that does stay is the riving knife, but not one with antikickback barbs.

Power tools are much like firearms. A degree of respect myst be afforded the tool, and safe usage observed.

When I bought my Sawstop PCS I compaed it to Powermatic, one of the gold standards. The Sawstop seemed to be every bit the Powermatic is for a little less money and a safety feature I hope I never use. It's been a dream to use in every way. For a fair amount less money Grizzly will get you a very good saw, just not quite all the way but most people would never regret the purchase. If you get a cabinet saw a mobile base can be worth it's weight in gold.

Generally, this is a purchase where you get what you pay for.
Precision, heavy, finely machined table saws are expensive.
Portable "contractors" saws are less expensive and can made to do "a pretty good job" on not-too-critical home projects.
So you have to be realistic about your expectations and your expenditure. You are not going to be able to make nice looking cabinetry or furniture with an inexpensive saw; but you can accomplish a lot of home projects, make bookshelves, install baseboards, etc., with it.

I bought a Rigid 4512... Think it is $500 ish at Home Depot, a fantastic value, and about best bang for the buck I believe.

At that price point, it can't be beat unless you find a craigslist deal.

Excellent value.

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Originally posted by mark60:
When I bought my Sawstop PCS I compaed it to Powermatic, one of the gold standards. The Sawstop seemed to be every bit the Powermatic is for a little less money and a safety feature I hope I never use. It's been a dream to use in every way. For a fair amount less money Grizzly will get you a very good saw, just not quite all the way but most people would never regret the purchase. If you get a cabinet saw a mobile base can be worth it's weight in gold.

The Sawstop is my new gold standard in cabinet saws. We have added 3 to our shop in the last year. They replaced two Delta Unisaws and a Powermatic. If they are in the budget, it's a no-brainer in my opinion.