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Table Saw Recommendations please?
We’re looking to invest in a table saw for cutting off cuts down to size, and to enable us to cut boards down quickly and consistently. A wall saw will take up too much space in the workshop, and so a table saw is the better option as we can move it about.
Can anyone recommend a decent make or model saw that’ll tick the boxes.
Cheers
Dave -
12 Replies
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We are looking into this atm too.. Ive been told along as we can get a fine blade for the saw anything should really do…. However some of the more expensive ones seem to have stronger and more accurate guides.
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We’re trying to find one with a wide enough guide, as it’s not much use if we can only cut do 300mm, seen a Dewalt saw that will goes to 31.5 inches.
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Depends on the size of boards you’re cutting but if it’s mainly 2.4M x 1.2M then a max width of 600mm fence would do you. If you’re making a panel wider than 600mm then you’d turn it around and cut the waste off.
Also if you’re expecting to be cutting long lengths, a roller table/fence is handy You can get some saws with these fixed to the fence – slides across with the fence. Very handy. Blade should be 80+ teeth with negative rake.
Neil
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The Charnwood and Axminster models look good value and have reasonable reviews, these are the ones I’m looking at for the workshop to cut ABS, glass fibre & wood panels
Get a decent one and you can buy a range of different blades depending on the material you are cutting, cast base and decent fence I’d say are the priorities. Some come with extendable rollers or attachements so you can cut larger sheets and keep the rest level
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Looking at the W619 tablesaw from Charnwood, will do cuts upto 700mm so more than sufficient. Has an optional base with wheels, and there is a blade designed for cutting composites & plastics.
The 8in blade is likely to be more than sufficient for us, and saves us a few quid over the 10in.
Got 120 A3 boards to print and trim, so should make life easier.
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Just for the record we have had several table saws over the years for this type of thing. Since then…
We now have a 3 metre wide electric foot pedal operated guillotine, we also have a wall saw. However, what i would suggest other than a table saw is the Festool Sawtrack. We have also had one of these for about 4 years now, and they are great!Table saws maybe portable, but you still need to be able to guide a full sheet through the blade.
This can be difficult as the blade jams at the slightest twist of the sheet and i mean slight. The space needed for it is just as bad as a wall saw space other than the wall saw occupies the space permanently. in fact the wall saw requires less space.
you also need to think about the dust thats kicked off from table saws. i know you get the extraction options etc but still.have a look at the Festool sawtrack. has its own extraction unit, guides etc.
it also allows you to cut perfect rebates in composites for pan signs and the like.
you will see how compact the unit is and the guide rail it uses really is a god send and so easy to use.$this->BBvideo_pass(‘$8’, ‘$4’, ‘$7’)
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Interesting Rob, and certainly worth considering.
Although I assume we would need tressels & an MDF sheet to cut on, and help keep the sheets flat, as I’m not chopping up my work bench and filling the print room with dust.
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quote David Hammond:Interesting Rob, and certainly worth considering.Although I assume we would need tressels & an MDF sheet to cut on, and help keep the sheets flat, as I’m not chopping up my work bench and filling the print room with dust.
I would echo Rob, I have a metabo 18v skill saw (purely as it shares batteries with all my cordless power tools), I use straight edges but have just ordered a guid like the festool one.
The builders working on the cottage next door to us are using the festool to do all the oak floor boarding and chipboard underflooring, kitchen stuff, etc…. and what a bit of kit!! cuts mm perfect to about 25mm – more than we need, the extraction system is brilliant – they’ve been in there two weeks and there’s more dust on my tv than in that cottage they’re working on! Definitely my next purchase!
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No argument, Festool is great kit and a joy to work with. For anybody who doesn’t want to splash out Festool prices, you can make a Sawboard very easily, quickly and for a few quid, to use with your existing saw. I’ve used them for many years – very effective and accurate too.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Sawboard -
Neil we owe you a pint! :thumbsup:
We had a sheet of MDF which we’ve made a saw guide from.
Our circular saw has depth control for the blade, so we’re using the off cut of MDF as a base to prevent them flopping about, and without cutting through the MDF.
A new 40t balde and we’re away!
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quote David Hammond:Neil we owe you a pint! :thumbsup:
We had a sheet of MDF which we’ve made a saw guide from.
Our circular saw has depth control for the blade, so we’re using the off cut of MDF as a base to prevent them flopping about, and without cutting through the MDF.
A new 40t balde and we’re away!
Way to go! 😉
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Dave
120 boards….could knock them out for you in a couple of hours….saves you messing around…
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