WoodlandRenovations Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hello all still doing homework on a new table saw just wondering how much rip capacity is really necessary. I have the festol track saw is this helps at all. Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Capwn Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Any and all advice is subjective because it depends on what you are making and how much space you have/want to use.Since you have the tracksaw, that tells me that you plan on cutting down sheet goods down to at least rough-size with it.Building lots of bookshelves, or trimming wide glue-ups, large panels/crosscuts then go wider. Building smaller boxes or projects, then go shorter. I would figure that most rip cuts with solid materials are going to be 4" - 8", with 14" on the high end. I have 30"~ on mine and feel that it plenty.Try to think of what you want to build and then figure what the widest cut you would make on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottacat Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Indeed, very subjective decision. I have 50" capacity and don't regret it for the following reasons:I do occasionally do wide ripsI have a SawStop, so the 50" includes a table, which gives me a large work surface when sometimes necessary. For example I will remove the fence, set down a series of 2' x 4' MDF sheets and use the resulting surface for my veneer press. I have sometimes also put down plastic and used it a finishing areaThat being said, I don't have a track saw and if I did then I really wouldn't need it for the rip capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 (edited) I have 36" on my SawStop which serves me well. Right off the top the only thing that I would come up short on is cutting a 4 X 8 sheet of ply in half and that doesn't happen all that often. If I had the room I may have gone with the 50".But like Al said, you need to decide what you want to do with it. Edited December 1, 2015 by Chet K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 I had a 52" fence for 15 years & only used that capacity a few times. My new SawStop is 36 & I really like the floor space it doesn't use up. Not that one is better, just a matter of your space & work requirements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Since you have the track saw you don't need much rip capacity. I only have about 27" capacity and it's fine. I rip sheets then crosscut with the TS55. Without the track saw you have to rely on your table saw much more.Bottom line, if you have a small shop, don't think twice about keeping your rip capacity minimal. If you have lots of space, bigger is always better and it doesn't cost a whole lot more for more rail. It would make absolutely no sense in my shop to have a giant table saw. Waste of space. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 You can always make a panel sled to cut long panels to length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I have 36" on my SawStop which serves me well. Right off the top the only thing that I would come up short on is cutting a 4 X 8 sheet of ply in half and that doesn't happen all that often. If I had the room I may have gone with the 50".But like Al said, you need to decide what you want to do with it.this is my newness kicking in, but if you have 36" capacity, why can you not rip 24" board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Crosswise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Crosswise?haha whoops! ya that is most likely it ... my bad I am still trying to wake up - Jet lagged on Thailand time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxdabroxx Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I was thinking the same thing Bush, then I had an ahha! moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I noodled a minute and guessed at that. Won't be surprised if he checks back in with a different answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I had a 30" and found I needed more, I've got 50" rails now and it's just too big. After getting the track saw there was no need for that much capacity. New saw is on the shortlist, with 36" rails. Big enough to handle standard size cabinet pieces, and small enough that my shop doesn't have a football field sized table in it. The extension wing usually gets filled with stuff I'm using currently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vyrolan Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 So who DOES have, like, and use the big 52" rip capacities? I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone say they actually DO use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I'm building rails for the vsct that will give me 40" to the right. I have 30" now and have on occasion wished I had a few more. I don't have a track saw so sheet goods break down on the tablesaw rather than laying out on the floor with a circular saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) I use it. Not that often, but anytime we build cabinets or shelves, or use plywood on a roof, walls, or subflooring. I have two helpers though. We run to finished size first cut. The rest of the time it's just extra table top storage space. Picture is my portable saw. Portable with a front end loader, and two strong helpers. Edited December 2, 2015 by Tom King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 52" is nice for when you need exactly 48" out of five or six foot sheets. I am not sure if it was SIP stock or some other locally sourced custom OSB, but we ripped ten foot sheets to 48" wide a few times in the trades. That is not cabinet work, but I am curious if that is why they exist as they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch Stanton Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 I bought my saw with 52" capacity and never have used it even before I got a track saw. If/when I upgrade my saw it will probably be 30". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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