I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
cramped quarters?
Any advice appreciated.
TIA,
Howard
On May 21, 11:22 pm, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
> cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
You get to cut a 4 x 8 sheet in half. That's about it.
On May 21, 11:22 pm, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
> cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
I have the 30" and have at times wanted more but it is nothing that
can't be handled with crosscut sled
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/howto_crosscut.htm
and a circular saw jig
http://www.womeninwoodworking.com/tips/startingpoints7.cfm
As already said if you are cutting lots of plywood you may need 50"
but then you would also need lots of space around the saw to manuever
the plywood. I would not want a saw that big in a space the size of a
one car garage, a 30" makes a one car garage much smaller.
Also consider a used saw, you could pick up a decent saw
(contractor)with 30" fence on craigslist for $200 or less. Then if
you need bigger you could sell it for what you paid for it.
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/tls/329567011.html
On May 21, 10:22 pm, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
> cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
I have a Vega '50 inch fence on mine. I've used that extra twenty
inches a couple of times. Not enough to make it worthwhile in my
opinion, but... I'm planning to build a saw station for that Grizz
contractor saw and have decided that when I do, I'm going to move the
mounting holes further down the fence, so it's about 40 inches to the
right and 30 to the left. I have found that I've wanted more fence on
the left side more times than I've wanted the full 50 on the right. So
I'm going to move it to the left. Not sure how far left yet. 10 inches
or so, maybe. I think I'll use that configuration more, and the saw
will have a smaller footprint.
My shop is a two-car garage. The long fence has been awkward at times
but with a mobile base it hasn't been terrible. I don't regret buying
the long fence at all. I think I *would* have regretted not buying it.
On May 22, 8:05 am, Art Greenberg <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 03:22:14 GMT, Howard Swope wrote:
> > I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly
> > recommended to me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the
> > overall width of the saw at about 80". I have limited space, but
> > could make this fit if needed. Is what is gained by going with the
> > 50" fence really worth dealing with the cramped quarters?
>
> I have a TS with 50" fence. It makes cutting full size sheet goods
> (plywood, MDF) relatively easy. But if you have a means of supporting
> the sheet on the left side of the saw, you can do that with a 30" fence.
> You might just have to do a little arithmetic to determine where to set
> the fence.
>
> If you are going to cut full size sheet goods, you will need to leave
> space around the saw for the purpose, and you will need infeed and
> outfeed supports. So your saw ends up using a lot more floor space,
> unless you can arrange for a workbench or assembly table to provide some
> of that support. Having stationary tools on mobile bases (guess they
> aren't stationary then!) might be necessary if your shop space is small.
>
> I do use my saw to cut sheet goods from time to time. But for me, the
> biggest advantage of the 50" fence is in having a router table in the
> right-hand extension, and being able to use the TS fence for the router.
>
> --
> Art Greenberg
> artg at eclipse dot net
I have to agree whole heartedly with Art. The biggest advantage is
haviong my router there and using the same fence, I just change which
add on im using to use the router table. And let me tell you, having a
router table the full size of the extension table is a HUGE advantage.
I buiold a lot of outdoor pergolas and arbos with benches in them and
I do all my routing on the table, even with 8 foot long pieces.
Besides that, if you don't do full sheet goods, the 30" is fine.
I actually found a deal yesterday on a Factory Reconditioned Unisaw
with the 30" fence, 3 hp, and left tilt for $935.00 US. I am still
thinking about it, seems like a good deal to replace my Delta
contractor saw and I can move my 50" to it..
On May 22, 11:01 am, "Leon" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > Howard,
>
> > When I need to crosscut a panel or sheet of plywood, I prefer to use a
> > straight edge "saw board" with my circular saw and a fine plywood blade.
> > It's MUCH easier to move the saw than it would be to wrestle a full sheet
> > of plywood across the saw, and the results are just as accurate. It takes
> > a
> > lot less space in the garage too!
>
> > Anthony
>
> I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do you
> put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting plywood
> with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a straight edge on
> to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top of a table or saw
> horses.
> If the TS is large enough, its not that big of a deal to cut large panels
> and if you have a helper it is a breeze.
I built this table
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm
and keep it folded up stored with the sheet goods. I made an eight-
foot and a four-foot straightedge guide for the circular saw and I
prefer cutting my pieces on that table rather than the table saw. I've
tried both and it's easier and faster with the table. Mostly because
my shop is so small that setting up the table saw infeed and outfeed
areas for an eight-foot sheet takes more time than just unfolding the
table and tossing the sheet on it.
And the table is much more of a multitasker than I thought it would
be. With a scrap piece of plywood it's a spare assembly/work table,
vinyl flooring cutter, and a yard sale table. Last summer it got a
sheet tossed over it and worked at a neighbor's backyard wedding
reception.
I find it interesting that so many of the household items I've made,
the ones that get used the most, are the ones I built in an hour or
two out of scrap and/or a few bucks worth of parts.
Dan
On May 21, 11:22 pm, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
> cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
If you purchase the 30" now you'll probably get the 50" later. That's
IMHO.
Joe G
On Tue, 22 May 2007 03:22:14 GMT, Howard Swope wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly
> recommended to me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the
> overall width of the saw at about 80". I have limited space, but
> could make this fit if needed. Is what is gained by going with the
> 50" fence really worth dealing with the cramped quarters?
I have a TS with 50" fence. It makes cutting full size sheet goods
(plywood, MDF) relatively easy. But if you have a means of supporting
the sheet on the left side of the saw, you can do that with a 30" fence.
You might just have to do a little arithmetic to determine where to set
the fence.
If you are going to cut full size sheet goods, you will need to leave
space around the saw for the purpose, and you will need infeed and
outfeed supports. So your saw ends up using a lot more floor space,
unless you can arrange for a workbench or assembly table to provide some
of that support. Having stationary tools on mobile bases (guess they
aren't stationary then!) might be necessary if your shop space is small.
I do use my saw to cut sheet goods from time to time. But for me, the
biggest advantage of the 50" fence is in having a router table in the
right-hand extension, and being able to use the TS fence for the router.
--
Art Greenberg
artg at eclipse dot net
On Wed, 23 May 2007 10:11:27 -0500, HerHusband wrote:
> It's mostly when I'm crosscutting a panel that I use the circular saw
> and my 4' straightedge saw board. If I have a 2'x8' panel and need to
> cut 6" off one end, I'm not sure how you would feed that safely
> through the tablesaw without a huge crosscut sled or sliding table.
I made a panel cutting sled for the purpose. It has a runner that rides
in the right-hand miter slot, and another that rides on the right end of
the right-hand extension table. It has a fence on the leading edge that
runs the full length of the sled. It also has a few lengths of T-track
that run perpendicular to the fence, which allow for hold-downs.
To support the offcut, and effectively make a zero-clearance support, I
install another "sled" that locks into the left-hand miter slot. It
didn't take me very long to make these, and they see a lot of use in my
shop.
If I can find SWMBO's digital camera, I'll take a picture of it and post
it on ABPW.
--
Art Greenberg
artg at eclipse dot net
"Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Glt4i.3745$Ud7.707@trnddc08...
>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>cramped quarters?
How often have you needed to cut 50"? Or more than 30'? If I had the space
I'd go for the larger one, but I don't and get by. Maybe once or twice a
year I wish I had the larger one but IMO, it is not worth the extra space it
takes up.
If, however, you are using a lot of sheet goods, it may be worth it for you.
I've never brought home a full sheet of plywood that was not already cut
down.
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Howard Swope" wrote in message
>> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended
> to
>> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of
> the
>> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if
>> needed.
>> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with
> the
>> cramped quarters?
>
> I have a 52" in a small shop. Cramped though it is, I would not want to
> downsize. The overriding factor/plus for _me_ is the extra table top space
> for assembly.
>
> YMMV ...
>
> My rationale to get the 52" fence at the time was that if I found being
> cramped to be a problem, I could always cut it down. You can do so also.
>
> --
> www.e-woodshop.net
> Last update: 2/20/07
> KarlC@ (the obvious)
Get the 52" fence with extension legs and table (this will allow you to add
a router on to the extension). I guarantee you that you won't be sorry. If
you settle for the smaller one you'll be sorry later on. If you are cramped
for space get put the saw on movable rollers.
"HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Howard,
>
> When I need to crosscut a panel or sheet of plywood, I prefer to use a
> straight edge "saw board" with my circular saw and a fine plywood blade.
> It's MUCH easier to move the saw than it would be to wrestle a full sheet
> of plywood across the saw, and the results are just as accurate. It takes
> a
> lot less space in the garage too!
>
> Anthony
I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do you
put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting plywood
with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a straight edge on
to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top of a table or saw
horses.
If the TS is large enough, its not that big of a deal to cut large panels
and if you have a helper it is a breeze.
"Stoutman" <.@.> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>> A pinner is really cool and leaves almost undetectable results.
>
> If the result is undetectable, how do you know you accomplished anything?
>
>
+
Did you miss the word, "almost"? I was careful to use that word. ;~)
Howard Swope wrote:
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing
with the
> cramped quarters?
A 50" fence allows you to cut 48"W x 96L ply sheets directly to any width.
A 30" fence requires you to cut 48"W x 96L ply sheets indirectly to
any width. (ie: need a 32"W piece, you cut a 15-7/8" piece and the
remainder is the 32" piece)
You make the call.
BTW, IMHO, run out tables are more useful than a 50" fence.
Lew
Leon wrote:
> I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do you
> put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting plywood
> with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a straight edge on
> to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top of a table or saw
> horses.
I have a 52" fence, but have columns that make full sheets a pain. The
extra room on the side table is also handy to put sleds, etc... off to
the side for a moment without having to put them on the floor.
A 50-52" fence can easily be cut down to anything less than it's full
length (42, 64, 36...), should the craftsperson decide a shorter length
is better. You can't stretch a 30" rail and table. <G>
On another note, why mess with horses, etc... with full sheets?
Put the sheet on the floor, driveway, trailer, etc... on (2) 2'x8'
sheets of 2" foam insulation, kneel on it and cut away. Most of the
time, I freehand to a line and clean up the final edge on the TS. If you
need to clamp a straight edge for a finished edge (or no TS is
available), simply move the foam to clear the clamps. I cut my 2'x8'
foam boards to 2'x4' for easy handling and storage, and I've been using
the same boards for years.
"LRod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 22 May 2007 04:03:04 GMT, "Leon"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Its like getting your first nail gun, once you have it you wonder how you
>>did with out it. I just got my 6th first nail gun. ;~)
>
> Damn! Now I have to order that pin nailer to complement my suite of
> five Sencos.
>
> (SN65 framer FRH nailer
> SFN40 15ga finish nailer
> SLP20 brad nailer
> SLS20 narrow crown stapler
> SFW08 upholstery stapler,
> if anyone cared)
A pinner is really cool and leaves almost undetectable results.
I looked at Senco and have two Senco nailers but went with the Grex. The
place I bought from included 1000 of each of the 9 sizes of pins that the
nailer will shoot. Pins are typically cheap but 10,000 of each size would
cost over $100. Having a sample of each to determine the size you like the
best is a nice +. The supplier also will break pin sets and sell them in
lots of 1,000.
If you are interested,
http://thefastenercompany.com/grex_p635_grex_p635.htm
"The Davenport's" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Anthony does it the same way I do...altho I shouldn't say if he does it
> exactly the way I do.
>
> I use a circular saw and straight edge for sheet goods in the garage, on
> the floor...no table or saw horses. I use 1" thick insulation board to
> support he plywood and cut into it. I use 2X4 foot sheets and they last
> for a very long time, they are easily moved and stored and I don't have to
> sweat the saw blade hitting concrete. When I'm done, I can pack them into
> the attic in the garage and they are out of the way until the next time.
>
> I feel I have no real choice, as I do not want to give up parking our cars
> in the garage and I do NOT have the space needed in the basement, where
> the shop is, to handle sheet goods. Trust me on this one, I've tried and
> I have the scars to prove it.
>
> Mike
>
You basically have no choice. Perhaps HerHusband has no choice either. The
OP does have a choice and is asking for the benefits of the larger saw. The
larger saw, simply put, makes cutting plywood easier than other methods.
>> When I need to crosscut a panel or sheet of plywood, I prefer to use a
>> straight edge "saw board" with my circular saw and a fine plywood blade.
>> It's MUCH easier to move the saw than it would be to wrestle a full sheet
>> of plywood across the saw, and the results are just as accurate. It takes
>> a
>> lot less space in the garage too!
>>
>> Anthony
>
> I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do you
> put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting plywood
> with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a straight edge
> on to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top of a table or saw
> horses.
> If the TS is large enough, its not that big of a deal to cut large panels
> and if you have a helper it is a breeze.
Anthony does it the same way I do...altho I shouldn't say if he does it
exactly the way I do.
I use a circular saw and straight edge for sheet goods in the garage, on the
floor...no table or saw horses. I use 1" thick insulation board to support
he plywood and cut into it. I use 2X4 foot sheets and they last for a very
long time, they are easily moved and stored and I don't have to sweat the
saw blade hitting concrete. When I'm done, I can pack them into the attic in
the garage and they are out of the way until the next time.
I feel I have no real choice, as I do not want to give up parking our cars
in the garage and I do NOT have the space needed in the basement, where the
shop is, to handle sheet goods. Trust me on this one, I've tried and I have
the scars to prove it.
Mike
I have the 30" Beisemeyer on a Unisaw in a small shop with the saw on
rollers. In 10+ years of use, I think I have needed more fence capacity
maybe 3 times. I build cabinets and casework for a business now and still
haven't upgraded to larger rails. while in the 1-car garage, I could not
imagine rolling such a big table around. My router table was in the RHS
table as well.
People will say that you can cross cut a full sheet of plywood, but I think
managing a full sheet of plywood on a table saw like this (without a
full-size cross-cut sled) is too difficult to do accurately. Especially in
a small shop. Personally, I like the Festool saw and guide rail to cut down
full sheets to manageable sized pieces and then it's off to the table saw.
So, my advice is that if you have a small shop, and room is an issue, the
30" fence will be fine. If room is not an issue, then go with the 50"
fence. Don't get too hung up in the "bigger is better" thing. We all seem
to needlessly strive to always have the biggest and latest thing when, for
generations, people didn't have a fraction of of the horse power we now have
and did quite well.
Mike Dembroge
Dembroge Woodworks
"Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Glt4i.3745$Ud7.707@trnddc08...
>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
>
>
Howard,
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly
> recommended to me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the
> overall width of the saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could
> make this fit if needed. Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence
> really worth dealing with the cramped quarters?
I have a small old Craftsman tablesaw I inherited from my dad. I installed
a Mule Accufence on it a few years ago, and am limited to about a 26" max
ripping width. That's more than adequate for most ripping needs, including
cutting 4x8 plywood sheets in half.
When I need to crosscut a panel or sheet of plywood, I prefer to use a
straight edge "saw board" with my circular saw and a fine plywood blade.
It's MUCH easier to move the saw than it would be to wrestle a full sheet
of plywood across the saw, and the results are just as accurate. It takes a
lot less space in the garage too!
Anthony
Hi Leon,
>> When I need to crosscut a panel or sheet of plywood, I prefer to use
>> a straight edge "saw board" with my circular saw and a fine plywood
>> blade. It's MUCH easier to move the saw than it would be to wrestle a
>> full sheet of plywood across the saw, and the results are just as
>> accurate. It takes a lot less space in the garage too!
> I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do
> you put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting
> plywood with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a
> straight edge on to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top
> of a table or saw horses. If the TS is large enough, its not that big
> of a deal to cut large panels and if you have a helper it is a breeze.
I have a mobile workbench that is 3'x6' that I can easily set a full
plywood sheet on for cutting. But, I almost always use the tablesaw for
ripping sheets lengthwise. The workbench is the same height as my tablesaw,
so I use it for outfeed support.
However, I do have an 8' sawboard too if I need to rip a thin sheet that is
difficult to maneuver on the tablesaw, or if I need to make a long angled
cut for some reason.
It's mostly when I'm crosscutting a panel that I use the circular saw and
my 4' straightedge saw board. If I have a 2'x8' panel and need to cut 6"
off one end, I'm not sure how you would feed that safely through the
tablesaw without a huge crosscut sled or sliding table.
It's quite easy to set the panel on my workbench, slide some spacers under
it, clamp on my sawboard, and cut. I have a pair of spring clamps dedicated
to the sawboard, so it's always ready to go. The only downside is the
circular saw is a lot noisier than my tablesaw. :)
Anthony
> it would be a major PIA to reach all the way across a 4'
> panel to finish a crosscut with a circular saw and
> straightedge unless you are very tall.
Maybe it's just the type of projects I build (cabinets generally), but I
don't crosscut full sheets very often. Usually I rip the sheet down to 15"
or 24", then crosscut those to length.
Having said that, I did need to crosscut a full sheet of 1/4" plywood
yesterday and didn't find it difficult at all. I'm six feet tall, and my
worktable is about 30" high (whatever the height of my tablesaw is). If
you're cutting on the ground, reaching across would be a no brainer, though
it's a little harder on older knees. :)
> have everything in a small shop on rollers
Everything on wheels, and combine functions when possible. For instance, my
3'x6' rolling worktable doubles as outfeed for my tablesaw, has a router
mounted on one end as a router table, has drawers to keep router bits and
other accessories, and a large compartment underneath for storing all my
tool cases.
Anthony
"Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Glt4i.3745$Ud7.707@trnddc08...
>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>cramped quarters?
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> TIA,
> Howard
>
Its like getting your first nail gun, once you have it you wonder how you
did with out it. I just got my 6th first nail gun. ;~)
Besides the obvious I very often cut cabinet doors that are way longer than
30 inches long.
Think of the 50"er this way,
The saw ends up being only 20" longer than a little ole 30"er.
"HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a mobile workbench that is 3'x6' that I can easily set a full
> plywood sheet on for cutting. But, I almost always use the tablesaw for
> ripping sheets lengthwise. The workbench is the same height as my
> tablesaw,
> so I use it for outfeed support.
>
> However, I do have an 8' sawboard too if I need to rip a thin sheet that
> is
> difficult to maneuver on the tablesaw, or if I need to make a long angled
> cut for some reason.
>
> It's mostly when I'm crosscutting a panel that I use the circular saw and
> my 4' straightedge saw board. If I have a 2'x8' panel and need to cut 6"
> off one end, I'm not sure how you would feed that safely through the
> tablesaw without a huge crosscut sled or sliding table.
>
> It's quite easy to set the panel on my workbench, slide some spacers under
> it, clamp on my sawboard, and cut. I have a pair of spring clamps
> dedicated
> to the sawboard, so it's always ready to go. The only downside is the
> circular saw is a lot noisier than my tablesaw. :)
>
> Anthony
OK, I gotcha now. Basically you are not taking extra steps to cut the
plywood other than pulling out a circle saw and straight edge.
On 22 May 2007 07:09:01 -0700, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On May 21, 10:22 pm, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>> cramped quarters?
>>
>> Any advice appreciated.
>>
>> TIA,
>> Howard
>
>I have a Vega '50 inch fence on mine. I've used that extra twenty
>inches a couple of times. Not enough to make it worthwhile in my
>opinion, but... I'm planning to build a saw station for that Grizz
>contractor saw and have decided that when I do, I'm going to move the
>mounting holes further down the fence, so it's about 40 inches to the
>right and 30 to the left. I have found that I've wanted more fence on
>the left side more times than I've wanted the full 50 on the right. So
>I'm going to move it to the left. Not sure how far left yet. 10 inches
>or so, maybe. I think I'll use that configuration more, and the saw
>will have a smaller footprint.
>
>My shop is a two-car garage. The long fence has been awkward at times
>but with a mobile base it hasn't been terrible. I don't regret buying
>the long fence at all. I think I *would* have regretted not buying it.
That's funny... I think if I had the smaller fence I would move it to
the *right* to get an extra foot of capacity. A 30" fence becomes a
little less than 42", etc.
Bob the Tomato
You have a very valid point, Mike. I picked up my dream table saw
this last weekend and have not had time to put it together yet. It's
the Jet JTAS 10XL with the 50" bessey clone fence... and the panel
crosscut attachment. It's going to be HUGE when it's assembled. I
actually wasn't going to get one this big, but the price was right...
a little over 1/2 discounted retail and the saw was used, but it was
so new that it hadn't been halfway assembled yet. I didn't get to it
this weekend because of the honey-do list which involved a leaky pipe
in the basement.
Bob the Tomato
On Sat, 26 May 2007 04:43:34 GMT, "Mike Dembroge"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have the 30" Beisemeyer on a Unisaw in a small shop with the saw on
>rollers. In 10+ years of use, I think I have needed more fence capacity
>maybe 3 times. I build cabinets and casework for a business now and still
>haven't upgraded to larger rails. while in the 1-car garage, I could not
>imagine rolling such a big table around. My router table was in the RHS
>table as well.
>
>People will say that you can cross cut a full sheet of plywood, but I think
>managing a full sheet of plywood on a table saw like this (without a
>full-size cross-cut sled) is too difficult to do accurately. Especially in
>a small shop. Personally, I like the Festool saw and guide rail to cut down
>full sheets to manageable sized pieces and then it's off to the table saw.
>
>So, my advice is that if you have a small shop, and room is an issue, the
>30" fence will be fine. If room is not an issue, then go with the 50"
>fence. Don't get too hung up in the "bigger is better" thing. We all seem
>to needlessly strive to always have the biggest and latest thing when, for
>generations, people didn't have a fraction of of the horse power we now have
>and did quite well.
>
>Mike Dembroge
>Dembroge Woodworks
>
>
>"Howard Swope" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:Glt4i.3745$Ud7.707@trnddc08...
>>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>>cramped quarters?
>>
>> Any advice appreciated.
>>
>> TIA,
>> Howard
>>
>>
>
On Wed, 23 May 2007 11:31:47 GMT, B A R R Y <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Leon wrote:
>> I'll have to respectfully disagree with your above comments. Where do you
>> put the plywood when you cut it with a circle saw? When cutting plywood
>> with a circle saw I have to maneuver the panel and clamp a straight edge on
>> to it. Typically it has to be maneuvered to the top of a table or saw
>> horses.
>
>I have a 52" fence, but have columns that make full sheets a pain. The
>extra room on the side table is also handy to put sleds, etc... off to
>the side for a moment without having to put them on the floor.
>
>A 50-52" fence can easily be cut down to anything less than it's full
>length (42, 64, 36...), should the craftsperson decide a shorter length
>is better. You can't stretch a 30" rail and table. <G>
>
>
>On another note, why mess with horses, etc... with full sheets?
>
>Put the sheet on the floor, driveway, trailer, etc... on (2) 2'x8'
>sheets of 2" foam insulation, kneel on it and cut away. Most of the
>time, I freehand to a line and clean up the final edge on the TS. If you
>need to clamp a straight edge for a finished edge (or no TS is
>available), simply move the foam to clear the clamps. I cut my 2'x8'
>foam boards to 2'x4' for easy handling and storage, and I've been using
>the same boards for years.
>
>
That's another angle of the 30" vs 52" argument that is really
interesting to look at. You are not losing just the sq footage of the
saw footprint, you are also losing the sq footage of *any potential
usage* of the saw. If you rip plywood, you need an area as wide as
the saw by more than 16 feet long, free and clear (plus the area that
you stand in). If you crosscut plywood, you need at least 8 feet wide
by more than 8 feet long (plus the area that you stand in).
It might make sense to lay out the foam board atop the table saw to
perform the big cuts, to save that extra square footage that would
otherwise be taken up by the inrip/outrip footprint. But it would be
a major PIA to reach all the way across a 4' panel to finish a
crosscut with a circular saw and straightedge unless you are very
tall.
The inrip/outrip requirement just shows grapically how really
important it is to have everything in a small shop on rollers and be a
neat freak about keeping surfaces cleared off.
Bob the Tomato
Greetings and Salutations...
On Tue, 22 May 2007 03:22:14 GMT, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>cramped quarters?
>
>Any advice appreciated.
>
>TIA,
>Howard
>
That is a hard question, and, has been addressed in a number
of ways elsewhere in this thread. For my $0.02...I have a 20' by 40'
shop, which sounds large except it was also used for storing ALL the
wood I worked. Got small then, I have to say.
In spite of that, quite a few years ago, I bid on (and won) a
Unisaw with a 14' side table and fence system. It had been used in a
door factory, and, they made some BIG doors. Well, I did cut the
table in half, and used the half I cut off to build an outfeed table.
There have been half a dozen times when it as been VERY useful
to have that extra capacity in the fence. Also, I ended up mounting
a router in the table area, so I would have use of the fence system
for THAT too. Now, THAT has been really handy.
For me, the bottom line is that, as a "uni-tasker", I would
probably get the smaller fence, and cut down any stock that is too
large using the Skilsaw and a clamp-on fence. However, by getting
the LONGER fence system, you can turn the saw and table into a
"multi-tasker", and, for me that is a good thing.
Oh yea, I may be a "bad person", but, I also use that long
side table as an assembly table at times...adding to the
multi-tasking!
Regards
Dave Mundt
On Tue, 22 May 2007 03:22:14 GMT, "Howard Swope" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended to
>me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of the
>saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
>Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with the
>cramped quarters?
>
>Any advice appreciated.
>
>TIA,
>Howard
>
The table saw is often the workhorse of the shop. Unless you're just
building bird houses go with 50". If you have limited space think
about a table saw on wheels.
On Tue, 22 May 2007 04:03:04 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Its like getting your first nail gun, once you have it you wonder how you
>did with out it. I just got my 6th first nail gun. ;~)
Damn! Now I have to order that pin nailer to complement my suite of
five Sencos.
(SN65 framer FRH nailer
SFN40 15ga finish nailer
SLP20 brad nailer
SLS20 narrow crown stapler
SFW08 upholstery stapler,
if anyone cared)
--
LRod
Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite
Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999
http://www.woodbutcher.net
Proud participant of rec.woodworking since February, 1997
email addy de-spam-ified due to 1,000 spams per month.
If you can't figure out how to use it, I probably wouldn't
care to correspond with you anyway.
On Wed, 23 May 2007 03:49:02 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"The Davenport's" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>
>>
>> Anthony does it the same way I do...altho I shouldn't say if he does it
>> exactly the way I do.
>>
>> I use a circular saw and straight edge for sheet goods in the garage, on
>> the floor...no table or saw horses. I use 1" thick insulation board to
>> support he plywood and cut into it. I use 2X4 foot sheets and they last
>> for a very long time, they are easily moved and stored and I don't have to
>> sweat the saw blade hitting concrete. When I'm done, I can pack them into
>> the attic in the garage and they are out of the way until the next time.
>>
>> I feel I have no real choice, as I do not want to give up parking our cars
>> in the garage and I do NOT have the space needed in the basement, where
>> the shop is, to handle sheet goods. Trust me on this one, I've tried and
>> I have the scars to prove it.
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
>You basically have no choice. Perhaps HerHusband has no choice either. The
>OP does have a choice and is asking for the benefits of the larger saw. The
>larger saw, simply put, makes cutting plywood easier than other methods.
>
The bigger fence is obviously a good choice if there is room. The
extra big flat space doubles as an assembly bench too.
If you were forced by sheer lack of square footage, you could build a
wall mounted panel saw for handling sheet goods, then move over to the
table saw for accurate cuts. There is a good article in last month's
Shopnotes that has a shop built panel saw. I was strongly considering
building it but it looks like I may be getting the bigger table saw
instead.
Bob the Tomato
"Howard Swope" wrote in message
> I am in the process of purchasing a table saw. It was highly recommended
to
> me to get the 50" fence option. However, this puts the overall width of
the
> saw at about 80". I have limited space, but could make this fit if needed.
> Is what is gained by going with the 50" fence really worth dealing with
the
> cramped quarters?
I have a 52" in a small shop. Cramped though it is, I would not want to
downsize. The overriding factor/plus for _me_ is the extra table top space
for assembly.
YMMV ...
My rationale to get the 52" fence at the time was that if I found being
cramped to be a problem, I could always cut it down. You can do so also.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/20/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)