Buying a Table saw

jogdish

Hi,
Thinking about buying a table saw, im a small time DIY'er/maker but more and more I find myself struggling to get straight cuts, or it taking forever to set up with edge and clamps, and compensating for the circular saw. It's never great.


However I don't want to spend a fortune. I want a machine that is safe, small(ish) and suitable for my wants.


Time to time im ripping large plywood (1m x 2m would the the absolute max), would want a fence system.


Are those ones that you see in Woodies good? (Evolution I think is the brand)

Calahonda52

get a track saw, much safer and accurate

Lumen

I'm been dithering over this for ages.

I have a track saw but struggle to get accuracy less than 1mm, and this results in getting cuts which are not perfectly square. Over the course of a few cuts in a sheet these errors add up unless I mark out all the cuts in one go, accounting for kerf width, which makes my brain hurt.

I think I've concluded that in the absence of a massive workshop with a big cast-iron table saw, an MFT with bench dogs and a cross-cut setup is the best solution.

Or just improve my technique and work more systematically.

Calahonda52

Yes, less than 1mm requires a serious weapon

listermint

jogdish wrote: »

Hi,
Thinking about buying a table saw, im a small time DIY'er/maker but more and more I find myself struggling to get straight cuts, or it taking forever to set up with edge and clamps, and compensating for the circular saw. It's never great.


However I don't want to spend a fortune. I want a machine that is safe, small(ish) and suitable for my wants.


Time to time im ripping large plywood (1m x 2m would the the absolute max), would want a fence system.


Are those ones that you see in Woodies good? (Evolution I think is the brand)

As has been said get a track saw. One with a plunge cutter.

To elaborate more. For breaking down large plywood table saws are absymal. They are only good if it's a large table saw. You have workshop with outfeed and in feed tables to take your material. It's a waste of time using a woodies or any other cheap saw for this. And more often than not dangerous and needs two people to work the material.

A track saw with a good track doesn't need clamping and allows breaking down of large pieces of board easily and quickly with one person with little more than a 2x4 underneath to lift the piece off the ground.


I have very expensive track saw and a reasonably high priced portable table saw. DeWalt cordless.

I only use the tablesaw for small repeatable pieces. Because it will take a limb or an eye out quite easily if dicking around solo with a big board.

Tracksaw is a dream it's ridiculously priced (festool) but similar results can be got from Titan track saw Amazon or Screwfix.

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

I'm been dithering over this for ages.

I have a track saw but struggle to get accuracy less than 1mm, and this results in getting cuts which are not perfectly square. Over the course of a few cuts in a sheet these errors add up unless I mark out all the cuts in one go, accounting for kerf width, which makes my brain hurt.

I think I've concluded that in the absence of a massive workshop with a big cast-iron table saw, an MFT with bench dogs and a cross-cut setup is the best solution.

Or just improve my technique and work more systematically.

You should be overcutting and working down using a planer electric or manual to get final finish. Final cuts on table saws leave sloppy or quick work. Generally in and out quick jobs work that way.

Lumen

listermint wrote: »

You should be overcutting and working down using a planer electric or manual to get final finish. Final cuts on table saws leave sloppy or quick work. Generally in and out quick jobs work that way.

I do the overcutting thing e.g. when laminating plywood together, and for my purposes it's fine, it's more like if I'm making a piece like door frame with a bunch of pieces that all have to fit together squarely with neat joints, then that's hard with a tracksaw alone because all the errors add up (the French doors I'm making have about 48 separate pieces for the doors, and another 10-15 pieces for the frame).

Also, for small pieces the tracksaw is fairly useless because there's not enough support for the track. That's where a table saw seems useful - for dealing with small pieces.

And that's why the MFT + track saw appeals, because it works not just for cutting large sheets but also for holding smaller pieces square for cutting and gluing.

jogdish

Hi OP again,

I had heard of track/plunge saws and honestly never understood the point of them, guess I should do some research. Would have never occurred to me.

I was slightly reluctant about the table saw for safety and expense for what I need it for, perhaps the track is better.

Lumen

jogdish wrote: »

...guess I should do some research

There's some good stuff here:

https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterMillard/search?query=track

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

I do the overcutting thing e.g. when laminating plywood together, and for my purposes it's fine, it's more like if I'm making a piece like door frame with a bunch of pieces that all have to fit together squarely with neat joints, then that's hard with a tracksaw alone because all the errors add up (the French doors I'm making have about 48 separate pieces for the doors, and another 10-15 pieces for the frame).

Also, for small pieces the tracksaw is fairly useless because there's not enough support for the track. That's where a table saw seems useful - for dealing with small pieces.

And that's why the MFT + track saw appeals, because it works not just for cutting large sheets but also for holding smaller pieces square for cutting and gluing.

For repeatable pieces like a door. Then yes table saw with a good blade and solid fence stock.

sean.casaidhe

@Lumen, thanks for that youtube link.

I thought I knew my tools... now I've realised I have a huge tracksaw-shaped gap in my life. Goodbye circular saw - I useta love ya, once!

Tenshot

If you don't want the cost of a full MFT bench, you can get pretty close for right-angle cuts using an MFT-style CNC'd top, an aluminium fence and some fencedogs:

(Add a couple of tall benchdogs to butt your tracksaw rail against too).

Works really well!

I've been promising myself a table saw for years.
Used to have access to a full size panel saw so after having the best everything else is ****e.
There is loads of cuts you can't do with a track saw that you can do with a table saw.

Quick tennons for example.
Let's see you make a drawer with a track saw.
Or tapered legs for a table.
Track saws like any other tool have their place but they are not replacement for a table saw.

It's like saying you have a hammer so you don't need a mallet.

awec

I have a track saw, does the job. Works well for sheets. You need to spend a bit of time setting up your cutting station if you're making repeated cuts, because having to mess around setting the track all the time will be time consuming.

I'd say if you had a track saw and a mitre saw you'd be covered for almost all home DIY scenarios.

randombar

Jumping in here.

Looking to build a workbench to take my chop saw and table saw currently. (Converting an old large table)

Similar to this or this

I have a parkside table saw which has really sped up a few small projects but the fence is complete s h 1 t so I wouldn't trust it for anything serious.

Just wondering what peoples recommendations are before I go cutting space for the table saw.

Is there an cost effective upgrade in between parkside and dewalt or a way of building a fence for the parkside that you can trust.

Also I see a lot of references to MFT benches about. Should I make space for an MFT section on the work bench? What do people recommend?