*
What are some good setups you’ve seen or use for moving & using table saws on site. I work alone, and most of my jobs are of relatively short duration(1/2 day to a few days), so mobility is pretty important. However, accuracy and ease of use obviously is too. Somehow, benchtop saws don’t seem very appealing, but…?? I’m looking for any recommendations from contractors saws on special bases perhaps, to home made setups with a good fence. Or both, depending on the job. Accurate ripping, and the ability to cut sheet goods would be nice. Is there such a creature, or can one be made?
Thanks,
Jeff S.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Skim-coating with joint compound covers texture, renews old drywall and plaster, and leaves smooth surfaces ready to paint.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Triton
*I have an old Delta 9" table saw on full size stand. I drilled holes in the legs opposite the bars for the fence about 2" off the floor and put a piece of all thread through the holes to serve as an axle. Then I put lawn mower wheels on the all thread - nuts inside wheels, wing nuts outside. To move the saw I simply lift the bars and wheel it like a wheel barrow. To put it in my van I lower the blade, remove the fence and wheel it right up next to the van. Then slowly tilt it over on its top and slide it as far in as needed. Has worked great for me for 15-18 years now. - jb
*JeffS,I bought one of those DeWalt 8" table saws. Works great, but I wouldn't want to push a 4x8 through one.Our standard saws are Delta 10" contractors saws. We fix them up with biesmeyer (sp?) fences and 2 HP Dayton motors pulling 220. Work great even for heavy work. Two men can handle it easy to load and unload from a truck bed. One man can do it, but not easily. You can tilt it up on the left side table edge and move it with a two-wheeler.We have three of these set-ups. Never failed us yet.Wouldn't want to move my Unisaw around. Too big and heavy, but a great saw if you're going to be set up for a long time.Mark...Where do you get a Triton? I'd like to see one.Ed. Williams
*Yes, Mark, who sells triton in the U.S.?? I searched the name and came up w/two web sites, but no info on U.S. sales. I'd seen the web site before, but as no sales or price info, it's easy to forget about. What are the crosscut & rip capabilities in inches?? How accurate is the fence? How much $$ in U.S.?? thanks.For others, here are the web sites i found:http://www.netstar.com.au/triton/products.htmhttp://www.alphalink.com.au/~itm/w2000.htmJeff S.
*Try this
*The best I've seen and had is the 8" Makita with the Rousseau fence-stand, extension and outfeed tables. The Rosseau stuff is great. Makes a sturdy, accurate and very portable setup with plenty of capacity for finish and trim. Saw and stands will run about $700 but the outfeed and extension could be added later. And a good blade of course.
*man, that chain blade looks a little scary. - jb
*Mark, interesting setup from Triton. Flipping the circular saw to slide on rails like a SCMS is clever. I would guess that you would get much better results from a separate belt drive contractors saw and SCMS, though the Triton certainly seems more portable. Correct me if I'm wrong on my guess. Do you own one? What does the Triton cost?
*Dave, Yes I do own one. They are under $300 AUD ( without the saw). Very portable. I'm not familiar with the SCMS sorry.Mark
*I have had a Makita 8 1/4 table saw with a Trojan Saw stand. It has been working hard for 3 years set up every day take down every day. Added a small plywood table under it with 8 outlets and a 25' cord so I have a work bench, look in an old FHB for a review and picture. I will also reccomend the Trojan chop saw stand. I you have to set up and take down every day it is worth it.
*thr trim crew that I work on uses one of the new Dewalt 10" table saws. We have been impressed with it so far. The rack and pinnion fence stays accurate and is capable of reaching out to 25". It also seems to have plenty of power for ripping hardwoods. To us, it has the advantages of a contractors saw without all the weight and bulk.Eric
*I first posted that the DeWalt table saws that we had were 8"....oops...DeWalt 10", and we like 'em too. Great for trim. Haven't tried to build cabinets with one yet. A little small for sheet goods.Ed. Williams
*Ditto on the DeWalt. I've had mine for 6 months now and I love it. I do 90% of my work at the job site, and often must set up by myself. The optional stand seemed like a lot of money, but it is extremely stable and I haven't had to clamp the saw down yet.(It has two tabs that slide into slots on the stand.John
*I keep reading these posts on table saws, and I still can't decide between a Mikita and a DeWalt. Last week-end brought me closer to buying one though as I was ripping a short piece of maple trim nailed to a plank with my circular saw when it jammed, tore loose from the small nails, and landed half way down the drive.
*Hey, anything else about portable outfeed tables? To attach or not....Jigs welcome...(no, I'm not being subtly racist)clay
*Dennis-My old worn out $100 Craftsman is better than no table saw. :) Flip a coin for Pete's sake! Seriously, I would never trade that rack&pinion fence on my DeWalt. But you would have to be happy with either one. SO go for it!Regards, John
*I run a DeWalt 10" in a homemade stand with out feed table. Used to run Deltas, but kept burning them up. A couple of knock down stands with balls that move in any direction, and we can rip 16' 5/4 hard maple, or make cabinets out of sheet goods on site. Still like the unisaw in the shop, but like Ed sez, that sucker IS hard to move. That DeWalt fence is sweet.BB the Ripper
*Where can you buy one of these titons?Are the fences accurate?thanks
*I too have debated the Makita/Dewalt choice. Haven't purchased one yet but have used the Dewalt quite a bit and have to agree on the fence and the 25" rip capacity. For $499 you get a great saw that will probably do most of what you need without having to spring for an extension set-up. Why not buy some baltic birch and use the saw to build some sort of drop in table? se.
*A power matic 66 and my 325# brother in law [ He has an uncanny resemblance to Goldberg , from pro wrestling ]
*
What are some good setups you've seen or use for moving & using table saws on site. I work alone, and most of my jobs are of relatively short duration(1/2 day to a few days), so mobility is pretty important. However, accuracy and ease of use obviously is too. Somehow, benchtop saws don't seem very appealing, but...?? I'm looking for any recommendations from contractors saws on special bases perhaps, to home made setups with a good fence. Or both, depending on the job. Accurate ripping, and the ability to cut sheet goods would be nice. Is there such a creature, or can one be made?
Thanks,
Jeff S.