I’m on a large framing project on my own. I’m building an additional structure on my own property for myself … not a pro job for a client. So far I’ve gotten by on a radial arm saw that I bought just before starting the job — never had used one before — and a fairly cheap homeowners hand-held circular saw.
Yesterday at the local big-box i saw a special display of little table saws for $99 each. My question is, is there really that much more that can be done with a table saw over what I’m now using? The other day I ripped the length of 5 10′ 2X6 with the CC and they came out perfect. I guess a table saw woulda been less fuss … but i never minded a little fuss.
I’ve got another several months on this job… and that’s just the framing. Would a table saw really be that much of a boon to me OTHER than ripping boards lengthwise?
Thanks!
T.
Replies
Every experienced carpenter and woodworker knows that a good table saw is worth every penny. A $99 saw... throw it in the trash without even taking it out of the box. At a minimum get a Dewalt DW744 or equivalent from another maker. If at all possible get a Unisaw or Powermatic 66. You can work more quickly, more safely, more accurately, and do much more with a tablesaw that with a circ saw. Most framing jobs do not require a table saw too often, but just about everything else does.
I should say that I am NOT a lifelong, full-time builder. I am doing this one huge job -- basially building a whole house -- beause I've always really enjoyed this KIND of work .. working with my hands/body .. .working outdoors ... being faced with a myriad of problems that need creative on-the-spot solutions. But any saws or tools that I purchase will pretty much be for THIS job ... then .. that's about it. So ... not looking for a tool that will last me through a 'building career'. Wondering if I should get a cheap one for this job only ... not caring if it falls apart before year's end.
You say "Most framing jobs do not require a table saw too often, but just about everything else does." What do you mean by that? "just about everything else"?
Thanks!
Terry
a $99 TS will disappoint you, slow you down, do lousy work, and probably burn itself up before the house is done. A DW, PC, or Bosch portable at about $500 will serve you qwell and you will have a saw that you can sell used for $350 -400 when the job is done, so the net price will be about the saame but you will have had the pleasure of using a real saw, not a toy that was designed for making balsa models.A TS will rip lumber faster and more safely than your Radial arm is doing fir you as wel.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I am doing this one huge job -- basially building a whole house -- beause I've always really enjoyed this KIND of work
Guaranteed if you buy that $99 saw you will not enjoy it.
A piece of sheet tool is worse every time you use it.
If you have $99 to throw away, buy beer instead. At least you'll enjoy it.
Joe H
A thought.
You say you will do this one job, then never do another. So you will have no use for the tool.
I thought that as I outfitted a small toolbox with some harry homeowner stuff 15 years ago. I now have a pretty loaded shop and I'm looking to fill it further. Along the way I bought some really lousy tools that I regretted immediately and could not wait to get rid of...including a $99 tablesaw.
You start doing this stuff, and if you enjoy it, you'll want to do more. You'll regret a cheapie tablesaw, because it won't do what you want it to.
Be honest with yourself, and if there is even the whiff of a possibility that you will use it in the future, look at a decent portable contractor's saw. At the very least you can sell it for good money if a few years down the road it has not been fired up since. Maybe someday I'll know a little something.
I really appreciate this great bunch of thoughtfull responses. On the one hand it's clarified things for me ... ok .. not to buy a tin-foil ts ... but on the other hand, of course .. it's opened up some more "ok, then..." type questions .. as in:
OK, then ... is a worm-drive CC really so preferable to a 'homeowners' CC? I've never used a worm-drive but they look unnecessarily heavy and cumbersome!
and
OK, then ... if I dump the idea of a TS altogether ... is that SmartGuide setup really as good as it looks?
Thanks again for the really helpful input -
Terry-
Your options are not Worm drive professional or Homeowners sidewinder - it's pro-brand Worm or Pro-brand Side.Get a Porter Cable or Makita sidewinder and chances are it'll outlast you. Get a work drive if you like working out every time you make a cut.JT
I am loath to fly in the face of so much expert opinion here, but I do have a different take on all this. I have a Powermatic 66 in my shop and a Bosch 4000 for site work.Last fall we were building a big victorian style porch, and every once and a while, having a TS was a real convenience. So we bought one of the cheap $99 Ryobi's -- and I thought it was great to have around.You could carry the thing around with one hand, and the cuts were perfectly adequate for framing. Because it was so cheap, it was almost like having a disposal saw that we could leave on site, and not worry about theft.If you want a TS for anything beyond rough framing, then you certainly want a better saw than this cheap Ryobi. But for any framing stuff, it was nice to have around, and certainly worth a $100. ********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I don't know how you could work without a table saw.
Grunge on. http://grungefm.com
Well, I went thought two homeowner type sidewinders Craftsman and B&D, berfore the last ones safety kept jamming the power switch in the on position. After hearing good things here about worm drives, and reading the favorable review in FHB, I got the Rigid wormdrive saw (again, like the Ryobi contractors tablesaw, it had the right features for the right price).
Yes, it is bigger and heavier than any saw I've handled before... and that combined with the inline nature of the wormdrive enable me to make straighter cuts than I ever have before. Plywood and OSB rips used to look like funhouse cuts, now I can cut nearly perfectly without an edge guide. Night and day difference! Once you set the saw on the material, you don't feel the weight at all. They are a little better on the ears too.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
To answer your SmartGuide question... absolutely yes it is.
Personally, I think the worm drive/sidewinder choice totally depends on how you do your cutting. If you always cut stuff on a saw horse, buy a sidewinder. It's lighter, a little cheaper, and a good one will outlast you. To me, the beauty of using a worm drive is in cross cutting lumber. With a worm, it's practical and (reasonably) safe to cross cut a piece of lumber sitting where it lies by drop cutting it. I've never been comfortable doing this with a sidewinder. The other advantage of a worm drive is it has a heck of a lot more power. If you're cutting concrete or steel, they work like a champ. I have an old (about 30 years, before they went really cheap) B+D sidewinder, and a Milwaukee worm. I'm waiting on parts for the Milwaukee (I took it apart to clean it, and trashed an oil seal in the process), so I've been using the sidewinder for a week or so. It's nice for plywood, but it drives me nuts cutting studs (I should add I'm remodeling my house, I'm not a contractor.) I've always found it easier to lug around the worm drive than to keep moving pieces of wood over to a sawhorse when I need to cut them. Personally, unless you want a worm drive or a hypoid, I wouldn't replace your saw: just use the thing until it dies, but know that it may be pretty soon. Do put a good blade on it, though. I wouldn't buy another cheap one, but it's probally all you need. Also, pick up a piece of electrical track, and a couple of spring clamps. It makes a very accurate saw guide that isn't *too* cumbersome, for a total cost of about twenty bucks.
The framer I worked for owned a lot of tools--including a fork lift. He did not have a table saw. Instead he had a miter saw (compound, sliding with a ten inch blade). Of course, those aren't cheap either, but a lot more useful thatn a table saw. That saw, we called it a "chop saw" was indispensable. First thing when we got to a new job site we built saw horses and got a 2x12 plank and set it and the saw on the horses, nailed the saw to the horses and used nails or a block of wood as a stop block. Then we could cut headers to length and do all sorts of repetitive cuts. I imagine your radial arm saw can do pretty much the same thing.
For cutting sheets of plywood and ripping, a circular saw works just fine and is safer. Panels are hard to hold parallel to a fence while pushing them through a table saw--while also keeping them from riding up the blade. I often clamp a straight board or piece of aluminum bar stock to plywood as a guide for the circular saw. With framing, many cuts to plywood didn't have to be that accurate--I remember making many cuts the width of plywood while holding the sheet up off the floor with my foot under the bottom edge. Probably not an OSHA approved method.
Get all the tools you can afford : )
Just don't buy junk.If Blodgett says, Tipi tipi tipi it must be so!
TipiFest 06~~> Send me your email addy for a Paypal invoice to the greatest show on earth~~>[email protected]
new:
i started with a 10" Craftsman radial arm saw in '72 and a black & decker sidewinder with a 2' cord
when i went in business i bought a Rockwell 12" RAS and wired it for 220V.. put it on a trailer and made 8' side tables for it.. by that time i had graduated to Rockwell sidewinders
we bought a chop saw ( makita ) about 15 years ago..
nowadays
we have a Delta 705 with stand.. and a Bosch scms
we have a PC table saw ( about $400 ) , set up on its own portable outfeed table, and
numerous sidewinders, one 8 1/4" Skill wormdrive which never sees the light of day. my go-to saw is either my left hand PC, or my Bosch CS20..... we have a 10" Milwaulkee for 4x material
as to the question of a TS or what?
i'd recommend the Eurekazone EZ-Guide.. i have three of them , one set up for a Bosch 8 1/4", and one set up for one of my PC 7 1/4"...
there are a lot of things i can do with the EZ-Guide, faster and safer, with a better cut, than i can do on our TS ....i have lot's of young home-owner friends and i always recommend they get an EZ-Guide setup before they buy a TS or chop saw...
if you REALLY think a TS is for you... keep in mind that you may want to move it from job to job... no way am i going to rassle a 10" cast iron table saw... they become permanent shop fistures or pushed over into the corner of the garage
if i had to have a TS, i'd look at the Bosch, the PC, the DW, or the Rigid...since i bought our PC just before WoodWorkers Wharehouse went belly-up in '03 and it doesn't show signs of dying.. i don't know which one i'd buy tomorrow if i had to..
it would have to pass the lift test for me..
if i can't lift it , i ain't gonna buy it Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
>>If at all possible get a Unisaw or Powermatic 66. You can work more quickly, more safely, more accurately, and do much more with a tablesaw that with a circ saw.Given the background of the original poster and what he's trying to do - reccomending a Unisaw or PM66 is almost reckless advice.You were right on track suggesting the DW744, but to suggest he buy an $1400-2000 tablesaw given his situation is not at all a good idea.Now, I'll be the first person to agree that both above mentioned saws are the cream of the crop, but that's like someone asking how they should smooth out their deck railings a bit and being advised to get a Festol Rotex/vac combo.The Dewalt would suit him fine as would the Ridgid or Bosch - or, if he had a little more interest one of the contractor or newer hybrid saws would be a good fit.Some of us can justify the high-dollar tools, but that doesn't mean that's what part-timers or homeowners need to use, unless they are also tool fiends and have the wallet (instead of the work) to back up the purchase.JT
It sounds like you answered your own question. You are doing fine without it. As the wood gets smaller and the ripping becomes more frequent, the tablesaw starts looking better.
A $99 saw is not going to make you smile when that day comes. Save your money until you really need a tablesaw, then spend a little more and get a decent one. Check the archives, there are loads of good threads about "which tablesaw?" Short answer: It depends. Archives have the details.
Bill
Most radial arm saws I have worked with can be set up to rip by turning the carriage 90 degrees and locking the carriage on the frame at the needed distance from the fence.
The draw back is safety, you need a push block of sufficient length to keep your hands clear of the blade at the tail end of the cut. Because the blade comes from above obviously! Use your anti kick back also.
The radial arm saw for framing purposes I would say is more functional than a table saw ie: cross cutting crips, headers, trimmers, gyp blocking,fire blocks,fixture blocks etc.
All these are much easier with this type of saw more so than even the CS
Just My thoughts.
I had a $99 table saw. It was too lightweight and unstable, actually dangerous to work with as I learned the hard way (It was a nice thumbnail I had there. New one grew back fine. It was the in between part that sucked).
After reading the Fine Homebuilding review, I picked up the Ryobi saw with the collapsing table. WOW - WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Quick and easy to set up, stable, accurate. Only $100 more than the saw you are looking at, and worth every penny.
BTW, I'm rebuilding my own house right now... I use it all the time.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Paul
I live down the road from you, you want to borrow/store and heavy cast iron Sear table saw?
>>"I guess a table saw woulda been less fuss ... but i never minded a little fuss.
Your sentence is the key to the answer to your question.
I grew up with radial arm saws. My dad did plenty of fine cabinet work and trim work with basically a radial arm, big cast iron jointer and router table as the "bench tool" lineup. I did my share when I got old enough to play with the "sharp tools."
My brother and I each bought ourselves radial arms saws when we moved away into our own places. To make a long story short, neither of us has them any more. SCMS for cross cutting, table saw for ripping or for short pieces (sled). My table saw is pretty much a cheapie but it does the job. If I ever get my shop straightened out, I may graduate to something more spendy. One thing I can tell you for sure is although I have no problem with the power of the saw, it can be as much of a pain to do the setup for a cut as the radial arm -- actually more in some ways. As everybody already said, don't skimp on the tools you will use almost constantly (when I win the lottery, I will take my own advice ;-)
Sooner or later you will likely switch to the table saw. Much safer and easier. Not necessarily better though if you already don't mind a "little fuss." ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
I had a $99 table saw that lasted about 4 years. It was actually quite useful, but I had a full-size saw in the shop for big jobs.
I would agree that the Ryobi would be the least expensive saw you would want to conside. And I think you will be suroprised at the difference a TS makes over a radial saw for ripping. Same for using a cheap circ saw.
Another option would be to buy a good circ saw and the EZ dealie from Dino ... brain freeze won't let me remember the correct name. There are several decent circ saws that would do well, but you will need to spend about $150 on it.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
If you want to do quality work you need quality tools. If you want to save money and buy a 99 dollar table saw, don't bother- just rip it with your crapsman circular saw. Maybe you can save more money by cutting crown molding with a chain saw. The point is, time is money, and materials are expensive. A good tool pays for itself many times over, making it a much better value than a cheapie.
If you were to buy any saw get a quality circle saw and make you some straight edges out of something like a unistrut or a steel stud plate.
I have built several houses without ever using a tablesaw and I own 3 of them.
ANDYSZ2
I MAY DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOUR SAYING BUT I WILL DEFEND TO THE DEATH YOUR RIGHT TO SAY IT.
Remodeler/Punchout
As others have said, dont buy a cheap sheet metal saw.
I've 4 old cast iron Craftsman table saws, wouldn't be without at least 2 of them, plus an even older 8" table saw.
Built my first house without a table saw, just a RAS. Wish I'd have gotten a table saw back then, esp for trim work. Built almost all my own furniture also, really a need for TS for that.
BTW, as for value as in $$$, I'm having a garage sale starting Friday in Renton and this weekend and have 2 of the old Craftsmans for sale, one for $40 without the motor, the other for $90 (no sales taxz) with a 1HP motor, fence, and miter.
Since you are a breaktime denizen and live in the area, e-mail me if interested, may even give you one of them there table saws if you 'look needy' and drive up in an old Datsun, S-10, or GMC and NOT a beemer. <G>
Pretty much all I do is frame houses. Literally. Sometimes I find the time to eat, watch the Red Sox and bid more jobs, but for the most part, I just frame houses. ;)
I hardly ever find a reason to pull the tablesaw out of the trailer. When I do, its a safe bet that it's for some sort of exterior finish work like a deck or exterior trim. But just for framing? No way.
I can't think of a framing situation where I couldn't get by without a table saw. Circular saws are a framer's workhorse. For rough cuts, just snap a line and rip away. If you need an accurate rip on a board up to around a 2x8, buy a $20 rip fence for your circular saw. If you really need some accuracy (MDO soffits or something) then whip together a quick shooting board.
If I had $100 to blow on a framing tool upgrade, I'd get rid of that homeowners circular saw you have and step up to a pro-grade wormdrive or good quality sidewinder. That'll still run you closer to about $150, but will serve you much better than any other saw for framing. A chopsaw would be nice to have too, but since you've got the RAS, you really don't need it.
No matter what.... don't buy a $99 table saw. It'll wreck more stock and waste more of your time than if you had never bought it in the first place. It's not the life of the tool that is the problem. In fact, if you buy it, it won't die soon enough for you because you'll immediately wish it would sh2t the bed so you could go out and buy a better one. Buying a $99 tablesaw is like getting a lapdance from a dude. Yeah, it's a lap dance.... but it's not going to do what you want it to do and you sure won't wanna tell your buddies about it.
U do light years more framing than I do ...
but the only time my table saw comes out of the van when I'm framing ...
is days like today ... because it was blocking the compressor!
a chop saw is a nice addition to framing if there's a nice cut area to set up ...
but that's even a toss up ...
makes life easy as much as it slows things down.
since I'm no production framer ... I don't mind the slow down ...
but for most framing jobs ... it's the circular saw and nail gun.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
ROTFLMAOYou definitely have talents with that keyboardBTW, You are right too
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Do you use your SCMS a lot on a frame? I've seen it both ways. Some framers use them a lot some don't.
Pardon my fat fingers.
No, not right now, but that might change. We use the 10" chop box a lot though. We use that to cut studs, cripples, jacks, etc. But we still cut all our header stock with circular saws. It's just because of the handling. I just don't think it's any easier to haul a 16' 2x10 over to the saw, up on the table, position it square, etc. when compared to walking over to the pile, laying a square on it and cutting it into managable header sizes with a circular saw.
That's just our experience though. And our system is always evolving and changing. Right now, the scms only comes out for our exterior trim work. I say "only" but there's actually a fairly extensive amount of it on most of our frames. Part of the scms being dedicated to trim probably has alot to due with the fact that I only own one right now and I need it to stay accurate for trimming. Throwing large size framing lumber around on it doesn't seem to make much sense.
Incidently though, there's been quite a bit of slop in my Makita LS1013 in the past months so I've been shopping around for a new slider. I'm actually probably going to pull the trigger on the older model of the Dewalt 12". It's about $200 cheaper than the newer model and seems to be taking on the status of 'industry standard'. If I do buy that one, I'm sure the boys will find more uses for the Makita in our daily framing routines. They're always itching to use it, so I'm sure they'll leap at the opportunity of using it more. As long as it's productive, I let them participate in molding our system, so I'll let you know what they come up with.View Image
I do mostly high end millwork installations with my portable table saw and its the biggest piece of crap table you would'nt believe. I won't even let any of my helpers operate it. I think its funny and I get kind of a kick from it. I really believe a sharp blade and an experienced craftsman can do better with my set up than a novice with a top notch cabinet saw.
I once set up my radial arm saw for ripping, only once. There's too much exposed blade for my liking.
Radial arm saw is great for cross cuts.
Bad for ripping. I own two and have used them for 30 plus years. The negatives are that there is so much blade exposed. Even with proper guarding and kickback pawls it leaves a lot of spinning blade to contemplate.
The biggest issue is the ripping. First you have the part between the blade and the fence that needs be pushed. Second the surface is particle board not a good sliding surface. Third if you for a moment let your mind wander you can get material behind the blade (ie a cocked piece of thinly ripped stock) and the radial blade will climb up the stock and then sling it back at you at 80 MPH. I've got a dent in the furnace plenum to illustrate it. Thankfully it went past me.
It cuts cross cuts like a dream. Miters almost as good as a miter saw. Do yourself a favor and leave the rips and dado's to the table saw. I didn't mention a shaper blade did I? That (shaper blade & radial saw)is the most fearsome combination I've ever experienced at woodworking. Anyone back me on this?
That (shaper blade & radial saw)is the most fearsome combination I've ever experienced at woodworking. Anyone back me on this?
I'll back you that it's mighty fearsome. Especially if you don't have the special small diameter wide guard (I never did). 360 degrees of flesh hungry steel. ;-)
Most fearsome; likely but I have to think on that a minute. Maybe somebody should start up another thread -- most fearsome tool and setup ever encountered. This one has got to be at least near the top of that list. ;-)
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
I bought a craftsman 10" table saw in 1985. I paid about $400 at sears.I paid extra and got mine with a cast iron table top and I think that's the best way to go.My table saw has a cable drive from the motor to the blade and I would rather have a belt.My saw has plastic handles which are used to raise and lower the blades or set the angle and this was a mistake by the manufacturer. The plastic wheels have broken.My table saw doesn't have wheels and I should have bought the wheels from sears and installed them but I didn't.Do not buy a table saw that is low powered and will not rip a 2 X 4.When running a table saw with an extension cord you need a heavy extension cord.Good luck!^^^^^^
"The Older We Get, The Better We Were"
I have a similar craftsman saw, but belt drive, cast iron top and wings. Wish I had bought the "contractor" version as it had a 120/240 motor. Plastic handwheels both broke, now replaced with metal? handwheels. Bought the base wheels too, but the base is kind of floppy since it has long skinny legs instead of a cabinet. Overall, a good deal, can't say the new ones compare. The cutouts on the wings are sharp, had to ease some after a bloody knuckle or two. I might put a good fence on it someday too, but the clunky old one is pretty fair to use for my purposes.
Well I am going to be a contraian.Not that I disagree with one word that any of you are saying (other than a unisaw is a little overkill for this situation).But rather in the interest of upholding BT reputation I don't think that we should allow any unchallenged recommendations.
U suck!
hope that helps ...
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Glad to be of help.
I guess it depends on what you do, what your job is. I can see not needing a table saw to frame up houses and I can see the "chop saw" being valuable there as well.
Currently, I use the portable Makita.
Grunge on. http://grungefm.com
I have a craftsman TS and a Rockwell contractor. One up north and the other here. I agree they are shakey. Even with a Casty Iron top and loving care to tune them it still gets a bit weak when moved.
I took the time to put a plywood cutout trapezoid in the gap on each legset. Then put a bottom on the legset with plywood as well. It makes each one rigid and it takes away the spindly feeling. Best of all it collects sawdust. Cut a hole and it is a plenum to use with a shop vac (if you can stand the noise)
Biggest improvement was changing out the pulleys to cast iron ones. Get rid of the zinc pulleys for the belt. They are too slippery and bog down the blade. 20 bucks makes a world of difference in the saw with those new pulleys.
Hand wheels are an issue. I have metal replacements.
all the bestJack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?
Is that the Ryobi TS? I bought one of those a couple of years ago thinking that it would essentially be a "throwaway" after that job - and I'm still using it. It certainly isn't a substitute for a "real" contractor's TS, but it does pretty well anyway.
It may not be enough saw if you're mostly working with 2x material (or bigger). The rip fence isn't very stout and may want to move when you rip thicker stock.
A couple of things that would make it better (and probably more expensive) are:
On rereading your first post, it seems that you're interested in using the saw for more than just framing. If that's the case I'd strongly recommend you consider a SmartGuide set up (http://www.eurekazone.com) . I have a Unisaw with all the bells and whistles, but I rarely use it since buying the SmartGuide. In addition I carry one in my truck and 99.9999 % of the time it more than covers anything I'd need a portable TS for as well as many things a TS isn't good at.
PaulB
I do a lot of woodworking so there's no way I could work withou my tablesaw. I suppose it has to do with the way one learned. I recommend a good portable like the DW or the Bosch 4000, that can break down and be stored. They're around $500 or so and shoud serve you well.
I framed for a lot of years without a table saw. Managed to do all the ripping I had to do with a worm drive saw, a rip guide for the saw, and a straight edge for ripping sheet goods. I've used contractor saws wIth the cast iron tops and found them heavy and prone to blowing breakers and reset switches, and feed rates that had to be kept below that of the newer saws I mention. Since then, there have been a slew of new tools on the market. I don't often use my SCMS for framing, (I find it easier and faster to bring the saw to the studs than the studs to the saw) but use my Makita table saw with the Rousseau stand all the time. The fence is accurate and trustworthy. Bosch & DeWalt both make good saws too. I'd stay away from the Ryobi though, I've worked with two guys who had them for a short time and both developed serious problems, both have moved up to one of the other three. Cabinet saws (like Powermatic are for the shop, not for the job-site. The $99 saw is for the homeowner who doesn't know better.
The saws mentioned will do a great job of ripping finish trim and sheet goods as well. I think you would find it worth the investment of $500 or so to get a good job site table saw. You will shortly begin to wonder how you got along without it.
I have sixty, count 'em 60, stitches in my hand from a cheap saw. The saw cost $50.00 years ago, the stitches cost almost $3,000.00. Always buy the best you can afford.
My 2 cents. I Have a decent table saw in my shop, used mostly for cabinet construction. I have a small Craftsman $100 special in my trailer for job site work.For the 'ripping' I do on the job site that l'il ole Craftsman has been going srong for over 3 years now, aside from cleaning out the switch now and then. I'm not building cabinets out in the field so the little portable takes up less space, is lighter and easier to move, and is up to anything I've thrown at it to date.Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
Again ... thanks for all the great responses.
I'm gonna stick with my vintage circular saw for now ... look into that Smart Guide. When my current CS bites it I'll poke around for a real 'quality' CS that'll really do me for a good while. Someone strongly recommended to me the Hitachi C8 ... strong and light and good visible line.
In moving along through this project I've never said, "damn .. wish I had a good table saw!" I've just gotten to work setting up with clamps and straight-edges from time to time to throw the CS into service and haven't been disappointed yet.
Thanks again.
Terry
((now if I could just figure out what guys here mean by a "scms" !?))
SCMS.... Sliding Compound Miter Saw.View Image
newbuilder,
I started out with a $99.00 tablesaw.
I did an awfull laot of work with it. My brother in law built his whole house with a $99.00 tablesaw and his work is as fine as you could want.. (actually far better than most professionals).
When after a decade of use my tablesaw finally gave up due to the abuse I gave it I replaced it with a much more expensive contractors saw at 10 times the cost. Delta.
What a piece of Junk!
In less than 2 years I was so angery with it I gave it away.. That's right gave it away!
I replaced it with a Grizzly 12 inch cabinet saw that so far has been an excellant dust and junk collector.. If you go over to Knots you will find a great deal of discussion about this very subject.
My advice, is to buy that $99.00 tablesaw, throw the blade that comes with it away and buy a expensive blade for it.. (actually you'll want several blades differnat teeth depending on if you are doing. Solid wood ripping or plywood for a finish work etc..
This has been a good topic and it got me to thinking about my table saw. I have used it to rip laminate flooring and it's fast and easy.My problem is the damn thing takes up too much room and I'm thinking about getting rid of it because I don't use it very often !I'll bet there are a lot of guys in the same boat I am who are tired of having something in the garage that takes up a lot of space and maybe you could buy a good one (used) for say a C note?^^^^^^
"The Older We Get, The Better We Were"