Table Saw on a budget.

[zeboim]

Hey fellow woodworkers,

 

I'm just starting out.  I currently have a circular saw, jig saw, a couple saw horses and a dremel with router attachment.  

 

As you can tell, I've got a long way to go, but you have to start somewhere.  One of the big purchases that is looming over my head is a table saw.  I have no idea what to look for, but I heard someone mention a contractor table saw and looked that up on amazon.  I was floored by the $1-2k price tag.  

 

I did see some cheaper ones (not under the contractor filter) which were labeled mini and a few that were 7 inch and 10 inch.  Those were going for under $300.  That was much more in MY price range.  I also don't need anything super sophisticated at this point as I don't even know for sure that I'll be any good at wood working.

 

My question to you fine folks is, are these cheaper versions even worth my time?  Is that going to do the trick for ply, 2x4, etc, hardwood, softwood?  

 

Obviously the blade is going to make a huge difference, but I'm more worried about the table setup.

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciate.

[woodbutcher74]

A table saw is probably the most important purchases a wood worker will make. In my opinion there are a lot of wood workers that get discouraged with their results and give up on the hobby due to having inferior equipment. If you make an investment in decent equipment and later decide wood workings not your cup of tea, you'll be able to recoup most of your money.  

[PeteJr]

I started out with a 10" craftsman table saw and their better than average quality drill press (floor model).  I still have the drill press and I still have nightmares about the table saw.  Once I purchased a high quality table saw I realized how much the original table saw worked against me.  If you are serious, save up for a better than average table saw, and start right.

[Chet]

Maybe some of them will chime in but I think there are some on the forum that are getting good results with the Ridgid saws.  I think they are in the $500 area

[RichardA]

Look at grizzlytools.com       That's a mid range for table saws and the prices are reasonable.. and they come with warranty and good customer service!

[Eric.]

Yep.

 

And it's kind of become my mantra so I'll say it again so no one else has to...if you don't like spending money on tools, woodworking ain't for you!

[woodbutcher74]

Yep.

 

And it's kind of become my mantra so I'll say it again so no one else has to...if you don't like spending money on tools, woodworking ain't for you!

I didn't want to rain on your parade.

[Raefco]

Only you know what level you are at as far as long term goals, budget and desire to get started building stuff. You will get never ending advise about "one time tool purchases", buying the best you can afford and the frustration involved with not having a perfect tool therefore it is impossible to achieve a perfect out come.

 

I have not 1 but 2 of these,

 

one stays in the basement next to this out feed/assembly table

 

 

 

 

and the other stays in a job trailer and gets drug all over the place, it is used to cut anything I can find a blade too cut that I shove across it.

You can do a lot with very little if that is what you want to do, this is not a top level saw in any category but it does the job I need it to do. So, if you want to build stuff, want or need a table saw, you can drop $150.00 on something like this and you know for a fact you will never be out more than $150 even if you only use it once or never use it again. The next step up would be a dew alt portable unit, they range from around 399-500. I like the one pictured because of the base. 

 

If you have the money, space and time go drop $750 at Grizzy  and they will bring a 400 lb machine to your door.

[zeboim]

I was hoping to find something small to start with and eventually upgrade to the high quality stuff. I certainly don't mind spending money on tools, but I would like to have something to work/practice with while I'm saving for the monster purchases.

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll check out Grizzly's sight and see what I can find there.

Cheers

[..Kev]

Buy once cry once.

 

This is not a cheap hobby.

 

Buying cheap now and upgrading later still costs you the price of both saws. 

 

Not trying to be a negative nanny but, I wish someone had been honest with me when I started out.  I've bought a bunch of tools twice as well.

[SawDustB]

I just bought a ridgid r4512 from home depot. I think it's pretty much the best saw for the money if you're buying new. I think they're around 500 or so in the US? Anyway, it has a number of nice features to it, things like the mobile base being built in.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Brendon_t]

Depending on your location, craigslist can be your friend. I bought my delta contractor saw for under $200. It's only 1.5hp and still works like a beast.

[Tom Cancelleri]

My first table saw that didn't belong to someone else that I was using was a Jet Contractor Saw that I picked up on craigslist for $320. It was a great saw, however I sold that after a year and bought a 3hp Jet cabinet saw on craigslist for $500. Check Craigslist and ask opinions, read, read some more and then read more after watching every video on youtube about setting up a tablesaw. Familiarize yourself with what to look for before looking at used saws. A lot of time you can get lucky and get a decent deal if you're willing to do a little cleaning. 

 

The former saw that I had used was a Ryobi BT3000, and it was an underpowered kickback machine. I once had a piece shoot back and go through my piece that I was working on. While you might be ok with a smaller jobsite type saw in the beginning, the moment you realize you've outgrown it, which will happen pretty quick, you'll either hate the hobby and want to quit, or you'll be mad you didn't get a better saw. 

 

If you're looking to go cheap in this hobby, you're gonna be in for a rude awakening. Tools aren't cheap, wood isn't cheap. I'd save up for a better saw, you'll be glad you did.

[wtnhighlander]

One of the woodworking magazines had an editorial, years ago, about how all tools cost the same. You can spend thousands, once, for a tool to last a lifetime, or thousands in chunks of 2 or 3 hundred at a time, replacing the cheaper tools when they die. If that were the only issue, I would say buy whichever your budget allows and deal with it. However, lower priced tablesaws are going to have less table surface, less horsepower, less fence, weaker adjustment mechanisms, and often poorer quality of construction. These things add up to a tool that is less safe, less accurate, and more difficult to use. I sympathize with your desire to not spend a lot before you know if the hobby is for you, but buying a cheap tablesaw, without fully understanding how to work within its limitations, is a garantee that you will become frustrated and more likely to give up.

Buy used if new is too costly, but buy quality. There a plenty of threads here that describe what makes a quality saw, so do a little more research. It will pay off in the end.

[ResidentEvil]

Is there a votech, community college or other type of school around your area that teaches woodworking classes?  Is there a woodworking collective in your area?  I can't think of a better term than "collective"...its basically where someone (or several people) have put together a fully equipped shop and allow others to come in and use the shop after taking a intro safety course.

 

You might try these routes to see if working the wood is up your alley before dropping money on tools.

 

I'm very very much in the camp of buying the best tools you can afford the first time around.  With the generally being the centerpiece of the shop, I'm even more adamant that this isn't the tool to start "cheap" with.  I was in the camp of being a discouraged beginner when I was working with a underpowered, poor quality jobsite type saw....

 

when I upgraded to a 3hp cabinet saw, it was like rainbows and unicorns magically appeared in my shop.  It made everything 100x more enjoyable, and the quality of my stuff increased more than that.

 

You very well can make do with a cheaper saw, but if you are woodworking for relaxation, enjoyment, hobby, etc....you are going to want a TS that helps facilitate that...not one that hinders it.

[zeboim]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll start saving for the big purchase. I'm glad I came here first.

[Eric.]

Definitely look closely at Grizzly.  The 1023 and 0690 are two of the best values out there.  You may think a 3HP cabinet saw is ridiculous overkill at this point, but if you stick with the hobby long enough, all roads eventually lead there anyway.  Good luck man.

[tim0625]

Only you know what level you are at as far as long term goals, budget and desire to get started building stuff. You will get never ending advise about "one time tool purchases", buying the best you can afford and the frustration involved with not having a perfect tool therefore it is impossible to achieve a perfect out come.

 

I have not 1 but 2 of these,

 

one stays in the basement next to this out feed/assembly table

 

 

 

 

and the other stays in a job trailer and gets drug all over the place, it is used to cut anything I can find a blade too cut that I shove across it.

You can do a lot with very little if that is what you want to do, this is not a top level saw in any category but it does the job I need it to do. So, if you want to build stuff, want or need a table saw, you can drop $150.00 on something like this and you know for a fact you will never be out more than $150 even if you only use it once or never use it again. The next step up would be a dew alt portable unit, they range from around 399-500. I like the one pictured because of the base. 

 

If you have the money, space and time go drop $750 at Grizzy  and they will bring a 400 lb machine to your door.

I'm with Raefo....I have one of these too...it came from Lowes I think.  Your table saw will probably be an often used tool in your shop and also a tool that you will buy a few times.  This Skil is a good start BUT when I moved up, I went with a Grizzly 1023RLWX and if you COULD SPEND $750 now, you'll get a good machine that's a lot of bang for the buck but Eric's right....you're going to have to get used to spending money for tools in this craft.....especially if you're bitten. Welcome!!!

[knotscott]

Everyone's perspective is different, but to many, me included, the TS is the heart and soul of the shop.  If you arm yourself with some knowledge, you don't even need to spend much to get a very serviceable full size saw with a belt drive induction motor that will easily be capable of some fine woodworking.

 

The ABCs of Table Saws

[Immortan D]

Raefco your rip setup is very clever, I mean the whole fence and saw clamping idea.

[Raefco]

Raefco your rip setup is very clever, I mean the whole fence and saw clamping idea.

 

Thanks

 

With a couple roller stands, I can run a whole sheet of 3/4 ply across this set up by myself and it has sufficient power to cut most 4/4 hardwoods. 

 

There are a lot of ways to get where you need to be, I don't really consider myself a "woodworker". I build stuff and sometimes that stuff is wood, my income is from metal and masonry so the tool budget goes to what ever my currents needs are.

[collinb]

as a fellow rookie I can say that it depends on what you are doing with the table saw.

For instance, a properly aligned miter saw can do all of your 1x and 2x cuttings nicely and take up less space.

My initial issue was getting the fence aligned properly, but now that it is it is easier and quicker than the big table saw.

There's  nothing to replace a table saw for ease when it comes to cutting large sheets.  But that does not require a high-end saw.

 

When i've done long cuts on an oak 1x my old 1hp was inadequate.  My current (older craftsman 3 hp) does a great job.  Handles 2x pieces nicely as well.  Just keep the blade clean and sharp.

 

For things like dados a good router table can also take the place of a table saw.  But not all orientations are easy with either, so both come in handy.  For instance, on a long piece it is much easier to cut an end dado on the table saw surface as, it seems, most people's router tables have a small working surface.  A small working surface makes handling difficult.  (There is a lot to be said for adding a router section to the end of your table saw surface.)

 

The type of work you do will determine exactly what to choose. I'm for getting a quality *basic* tool and becoming skilled with it before upgrading to better equipment.  You'll know when you are ready.  Don't be in a hurry.  Buy quality because when you upgrade quality has a better resale.  Cheap is always cheap.

[ResidentEvil]

 

There's  nothing to replace a table saw for ease when it comes to cutting large sheets.  But that does not require a high-end saw.

 

 

I would disagree with this point.  Especially for a one person shop without a larger slider type table saw.

 

And accurate track saw, like the Festool, should be able to easily replace a table saw for breaking down sheet goods.  Without a lot of space and the right setup, its somewhat difficult to break down sheet goods on the table saw.  With a track saw, you can bring the smaller tool to the wood.  This is assuming that the operator is able to get the track lined up parallel.

 

Once you get the sheets down to manageable size, or if you are ripping 4" wide stock down to 3.5", is really where the TS is by far the best tool for the job.

[Raefco]

I would disagree with this point. Especially for a one person shop without a larger slider type table saw.

And accurate track saw, like the Festool, should be able to easily replace a table saw for breaking down sheet goods. Without a lot of space and the right setup, its somewhat difficult to break down sheet goods on the table saw. With a track saw, you can bring the smaller tool to the wood. This is assuming that the operator is able to get the track lined up parallel.

Once you get the sheets down to manageable size, or if you are ripping 4" wide stock down to 3.5", is really where the TS is by far the best tool for the job.

I agree with this, I have been back and forth between a table saw up grade and a track saw, looked at a lot of both and hit my busy season at work before I decided, we will just have to see which one gets the impulse buy when work slows down.

[Tpt life]

Yeah, I won't get a track saw. Repeated rips are way more work with a track saw. Single rips are one thing, but repeated rips or cross cuts are far more efficient with a set fence or stop block. I also will not bend over to cut any more than absolutely necessary. This is not to bash the idea but to show how this is most certainly an individual preference issue that simply requires a little staging if full sheets are a struggle for you.