I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
questions.
After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to do
some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge and
I have some severe space limitations.
I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a contractor's
saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
away, which is a severe limitation.
I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch, and
Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or is
their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to me
and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to see
a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are yellow -
so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
there knows where I can go look at one):
(1) The Bosch and the DeWalt don't have a T-grooved miter slot for
supporting the miter off the table or a groove in the fence for jigs. How
important is this?
(2) I like the cool rack-and-pinion fence on the DeWalt as it seems very
solid, but the table seems a good deal smaller (particularly in front of the
blade) than the other two, and the miter slot doesn't have a t-groove, so I
was beginning to rule it out. Any comments on this saw?
(3) By all accounts the Bosch has a superior motor, which seems important
since these things are direct drive and the quality of cut is in question. I
like the fact that it comes with outfeed and side support rails. The lack of
a decent stand, a grooved fence, or T-groove miter slot make me question
it's value beyond homebuilding. Am I right? I am willing to buy a better,
more portable stand for this saw if it really is superior, although there is
a fair amount of pain associated with the fact that this drives the price up
close to what I would spend on a decent contractor's table saw or a DeWalt
woodworkers table saw. I don't have the space for them, but if I'm paying
the money and not getting one it hurts.
(4) The Ridgid has a nice, solid fence and a fairly large table for this
category of saw, but possibly not as nice a motor and there seems to be no
way to attach outfeed or side support to the saw. How serious is this? It
also comes with a really nice stand (available separately, so it would fit
the Bosch or DeWalt for extra $$$). I am worried that this seems to no
longer be an Emerson product but is now a Ryobi product, and I haven't had
much luck with Ryobi in the past. Also the complete lack of information on
the internet or available accessories makes me question how easy it is going
to be to improve my setup in the future. The last thing I tried to order
from RidgidParts.com is still pending after months because their website
somehow managed to let me order a power tool from the vaccum cleaner
division, and they can't figure out how to either fill it or cancel it. This
saw seems like the best value, if it is capable of doing the job. Any
thoughts?
(5) Assuming I bought the Bosch or DeWalt saw, I could get another stand for
it to increase portability. Are the Rouseau stands which make larger table
surfaces sufficiently easy to set up and store again later? How portable are
they? Can they make it up and down stairs? How good is the fence?
I have read the recent jobsite saw review in Workbench Magazine, but it is
fairly sparse on details. They say things like "It's a great saw, but lacks
a few features" without saying *which* features. Or they say controls are
"average" or "above average" without saying *why*. And they seem to focus a
lot on the quality of the stand when I'd rather they had focused on the saw.
So I am finding it less useful than I had hoped.
Any help and/or opinions on these subjects would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill Cook _/)_
In article <[email protected]>, GigaNews
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
snip
> Thanks,
> Bill Cook _/)_
>
>
Have you considered a mobile base under a contractors saw, the money
you would spend on a bench top would probably get you a good used saw,
a new blade and a mobile base, then find a spot against a wall to run
it into when you are not using it.
Are you aware that a lot of accessories will not fit in the T-slots on
bench top models, the miter gauge is really sloppy on most of them, and
the arbor is often too short for stacking dado heads?
FrankC
--
http://sawdustmaking.com
In article <[email protected]>, Pop Rivet
<[email protected]> wrote:
> Frank,
> ...
> >
> > Are you aware that a lot of accessories will not fit in the T-slots on
> > bench top models, the miter gauge is really sloppy on most of them, and
> > the arbor is often too short for stacking dado heads?
> > FrankC
> >
>
> Curious: I must be missing something.
> Isn't a "T-slot" simply a normal setup for a
> miter fence, but the bar has a sort of a
> washer on the end-bottom that rides in a
> slot on each side? The slot shape for the
> fence is like an upside down T.
> snip
> Regards,
> Pop
Not all bench top saws have a standard size slot, some do, so if yours
did you are fortunate, many of the cheaper models are narrower.
FrankC
"GigaNews" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to
do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge
and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
>
> I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch,
and
> Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or is
> their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
> useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to me
> and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to
see
> a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are
yellow -
> so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
> there knows where I can go look at one):
<snip>
> Bill Cook _/)_
>
>
Though not my first choice, given the circumstances, have you considered a
Radial Arm Saw? I bought one of these as my first workshop saw as I had
exactly the same problems you face. With a TS you have to have free space
on all 4 sides, with a RAS you only need space on 2 sides.
I would definitly prefer the RAS over the jobsite offerings.
Bernard R
I think my main goal would be to buy the saw with the best resale value. If
you get in the position to have more shop space, sell it and get something
more substantial (you will probably want a cabinet saw by then.)
Montyhp
"GigaNews" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to
do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge
and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
>
> I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch,
and
> Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or is
> their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
> useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to me
> and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to
see
> a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are
yellow -
> so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
> there knows where I can go look at one):
>
> (1) The Bosch and the DeWalt don't have a T-grooved miter slot for
> supporting the miter off the table or a groove in the fence for jigs. How
> important is this?
>
> (2) I like the cool rack-and-pinion fence on the DeWalt as it seems very
> solid, but the table seems a good deal smaller (particularly in front of
the
> blade) than the other two, and the miter slot doesn't have a t-groove, so
I
> was beginning to rule it out. Any comments on this saw?
>
> (3) By all accounts the Bosch has a superior motor, which seems important
> since these things are direct drive and the quality of cut is in question.
I
> like the fact that it comes with outfeed and side support rails. The lack
of
> a decent stand, a grooved fence, or T-groove miter slot make me question
> it's value beyond homebuilding. Am I right? I am willing to buy a better,
> more portable stand for this saw if it really is superior, although there
is
> a fair amount of pain associated with the fact that this drives the price
up
> close to what I would spend on a decent contractor's table saw or a DeWalt
> woodworkers table saw. I don't have the space for them, but if I'm paying
> the money and not getting one it hurts.
>
> (4) The Ridgid has a nice, solid fence and a fairly large table for this
> category of saw, but possibly not as nice a motor and there seems to be no
> way to attach outfeed or side support to the saw. How serious is this? It
> also comes with a really nice stand (available separately, so it would fit
> the Bosch or DeWalt for extra $$$). I am worried that this seems to no
> longer be an Emerson product but is now a Ryobi product, and I haven't had
> much luck with Ryobi in the past. Also the complete lack of information on
> the internet or available accessories makes me question how easy it is
going
> to be to improve my setup in the future. The last thing I tried to order
> from RidgidParts.com is still pending after months because their website
> somehow managed to let me order a power tool from the vaccum cleaner
> division, and they can't figure out how to either fill it or cancel it.
This
> saw seems like the best value, if it is capable of doing the job. Any
> thoughts?
>
> (5) Assuming I bought the Bosch or DeWalt saw, I could get another stand
for
> it to increase portability. Are the Rouseau stands which make larger table
> surfaces sufficiently easy to set up and store again later? How portable
are
> they? Can they make it up and down stairs? How good is the fence?
>
> I have read the recent jobsite saw review in Workbench Magazine, but it is
> fairly sparse on details. They say things like "It's a great saw, but
lacks
> a few features" without saying *which* features. Or they say controls are
> "average" or "above average" without saying *why*. And they seem to focus
a
> lot on the quality of the stand when I'd rather they had focused on the
saw.
> So I am finding it less useful than I had hoped.
>
> Any help and/or opinions on these subjects would be GREATLY appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Bill Cook _/)_
>
>
My advice as a beginner - If space is at a premium, get a decent
($400+ if new) TS. You'll probably have to get an aftermarket miter
gauge also which will run you $100-$200 easily. Check the TS bevel
adjustment also, make sure it's really fine-tunable if you'll be
making a lot of these cuts. This should eliminate the need for a
dedicated miter saw.
As far as the other features, play with the demo model if possible,
and try to imagine how each feature is really going to make your life
easier, if applicable. Try to think about what cuts you'll make the
most. If it seems worth the cash, get it.
I made the mistake of buying a TS before I really learned about them,
on impulse because it was marked down to $199 at HD. It's the makita
2703 (benchtop). Most people here say it's a junker questionable for
even contactors, and yes, it has a crappy, non-standard, non-T miter
slot, crappy miter guage and fence. But, after building a base out of
2x4's, hard rubber wheels on 2 legs and rubber feet on the other 2
legs, it's mobile as heck and I just roll it somewhere where I have
more room and go to work. It's about 2' deep by 3.5' wide, and 32"
tall - which includes the rousseau extension. I also have a 2'x5'
bench that rolls similarly, and a fold up workbench - all the same
height. I "reengineered" my miter guage so that now I can at least
get 'consistent' miter cuts, though sometimes it takes a practice cut
or two. I'd love to be able to buy a good aftermarket miter gauge,
but since I don't cut them often, I don't mind spending an extra
minute or so for setup. The TS, extension, and table cost me $350
total so far. Since I'm a weekend warrior at best, it's all I really
need. Others will smoke my setup in miter and bevel productivity, but
given extra time for setup, I can do just about anything the better
TSs can do - just slower.
All in all, you'll be able to make whatever you get work for you. I
wouldn't necessarily recommend going the route I did, but don't blow a
huge wad (just yet) either. A good used one may be right for you also.
Forget about "folding up" if at all possible, think about "rolling" -
either storebought or homebuilt. Not much else you can do if you have
space problems, imho
Have you considered a 3hp cabinet saw? You could put it in the living
room on a mobile base. With a nice tablecloth on it can serve as
television stand or a place for the wifes knicknaks.Seriously though,
maybe you could put the saw in a large shed for now, with heavy duty
electric cords to the house. A decent contractors saw like Grizzly,Jet
or Delta makes wouldn't cost much more than the better bench type saws
like Bosch or Dewalt.
Mike
The two things that have sent me a different direction are that (a) I
already own a Bosch sliding compound miter saw, and (b) even the radial arm
saw is a little harder to fit into my house than a contractor's table saw.
However, it is a good suggestion, and I will give it some thought.
Thanks again for your help and suggestions,
Bill _/)_
"Bernard Randall" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "GigaNews" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask
stupid
> > questions.
> >
> > After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to
> do
> > some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> > projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture
(baby's
> > room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge
> and
> > I have some severe space limitations.
> >
> > I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find
a
> > place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
> contractor's
> > saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> > away, which is a severe limitation.
> >
> > I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch,
> and
> > Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or
is
> > their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
> > useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to
me
> > and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to
> see
> > a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are
> yellow -
> > so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
> > there knows where I can go look at one):
> <snip>
> > Bill Cook _/)_
> >
> >
> Though not my first choice, given the circumstances, have you considered a
> Radial Arm Saw? I bought one of these as my first workshop saw as I had
> exactly the same problems you face. With a TS you have to have free space
> on all 4 sides, with a RAS you only need space on 2 sides.
>
> I would definitly prefer the RAS over the jobsite offerings.
>
> Bernard R
>
>
GigaNews wrote:
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
> ...
Hi Gig,
I think there's some advice that's at least
food for thought already but thought I'd add
my nickel's worth since we're in similar
circumstances. Think I might have a little
more room than you do but if I want to slip
a plywood sheet thru the saw I either have
to precut it down to size or open the door
to the car area: My shop's a garage bay but
it's pretty narrow. ANYway, in my opinion
and experience:
-- Don't think you'll find a foldup type of
TS. That would be more along the lines of a
circular saw, which is OK if it'd do what
you needed. If you want to do any accurate
work though you'll want the table saw. One
thing I can say is the $99 Craftsman isn't
what you want unless you only want to "test"
yourself to see if your interest in
legitimate and you only plan to make things
like birdhouses, etc. For furniture though,
you'll want a better saw, I sure agree there.
In the affordable price range for normal
guys like me, and I think you, the saws are
pretty much all the same with only a few
differences. How YOU feel about the saw's
features and specs is probalby more
important than anything else. Will you be
ripping plywood sheets? Then you probably
want the fence to be able to support over 24
inches (half of 4'). Mine's got a 29" max
cut with the rip fence. Not gonna do that?
OK, most standard saws go 22 or 24 inches
on one side of the blade.
As for space, I mounted my TS on casters.
You can either buy the saw with casters,
or put your own on, but it's easier to buy
them with the saw by a long shot.
That lets you swing it around when you
have to and slide it against the wall out of
the way. For sawdust control, I just
fastened my shop vac to the TS with a couple
of bungee cords.
I put a piece of wood on the end of one
extension, and holders, for the fences,
push-sticks, and a scrap-holder. Dado,
shapers, extra blades, etc. store on the
bottom shelf of the saw stand.
Then, the TS doubles as a spare workbench
too. I added extensions to it, made of
wood, so I have have 24" and 29" to the left
& right of the blade if I want it. So, an
old blanket over the TS and it becomes a
makeshift bench. When I made my workbench,
I made sure it was the same height as the TS
so they could be slid together and make a
bigger surface to work with.
No matter how big a shop is, you'll never
have enough room ;-). With a bandsaw, drill
press, wood lathe, battery charger, etc., it
got small in there in a hurry! Oh, and if
you have the ceiling height, I put in 8'
flourescent lighting, too. Got ten foot
ceilings in my garage, plus it's insulated.
Nice and bright, even lighting with those
flourescents, and a couple incandescents for
accent, makes visibility a pleasure.
Benchtops, etc. are all painted white, and
the garage door became a huge peg board for
hanging up pipe clamps, other tools, etc.
Then I discovered, too late, that cheap
panelling and a drill makes cheaper and
easier to manage pegboard, so anything
available became places for peg hooks,
nails, etc. to hang stuff on. I kept as
much as possible in the open, long's dust &
dirt woujldn't bother it. Hung a fan and
accent lights from the old living room stuff
up on the garage door tracks; moves around
from one end to the other real easy that way.
Dunno if any of this is helpful, but that's
about my take on it.
Regards,
Pop
OK, here's a can of worms. I am indeed experiencing pain trying to justify
$500+ for a benchtop saw, so what if I *did* manage to squeeze a bigger saw
in there? What saws would you recommend? I know the names Jet, Grizzly,
Delta, and Powermatic. Any others I should be looking at?
Any reviews of saws in the next-size-up category I should look at?
Bill _/)_
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> GigaNews wrote:
>
> > I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find
a
> > place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
> > contractor's saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw
up
> > and put it away, which is a severe limitation.
>
> My $0.02... Make room for the thing by hook or by crook. My contractor's
> saw eats most of my tiny shop. I've already ripped two pairs of jeans
> snagging them on the protruding rails, and I'm constrained in the upper
> limit of the size of work I can feed through it, but it's all worth it.
> It's so, so, so much better than my benchtop.
>
> --
> Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
> Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
> http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
>
IMHO...
I'm going to give you my opinion from the low end of the spectrum. Do NOT, I
repeat, Do NOT buy a bench top model! It is all I owned when I decided to
get into woodworking and it truly is a POS. Worked great for rough cutting
2x4 and some framing needs but doesn't even come close to the precision and
ease of use you will find yourself wanting as you get deeper into
woodworking. It has taken a lot of work to make mine somewhat usable with
new blades and making a tight sled which leads to other limitations (I'm
saving to get a bigger saw now, the current one might serve as a boat anchor
but with my luck, it will probably float!). The only dado blade I could find
to fit the arbor is a wobble blade and I hold my breath and stand to the
side everytime I use it! None of the other jigs will fit it. Making my own
jigs has also presented problems as the slot is to loose.
If you DAGS on TS, many will tell you to get the best you can afford. That
is my intent, I may even reach beyond what I can afford if I truly decide I
have the talent and desire to pursue getting deeper and deeper into working
with wood. Many have said that you get what you pay for. After not heeding
this advice in the beginning, I learned my lessons. Seems like most of us
have space constraints so I as I look at future saws, I am also looking at
various mobile base options and keeping them in mind as I continue to change
the shop layout.
Dave
"GigaNews" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to
do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge
and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
>
> I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch,
and
> Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or is
> their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
> useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to me
> and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to
see
> a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are
yellow -
> so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
> there knows where I can go look at one):
>
> (1) The Bosch and the DeWalt don't have a T-grooved miter slot for
> supporting the miter off the table or a groove in the fence for jigs. How
> important is this?
>
> (2) I like the cool rack-and-pinion fence on the DeWalt as it seems very
> solid, but the table seems a good deal smaller (particularly in front of
the
> blade) than the other two, and the miter slot doesn't have a t-groove, so
I
> was beginning to rule it out. Any comments on this saw?
>
> (3) By all accounts the Bosch has a superior motor, which seems important
> since these things are direct drive and the quality of cut is in question.
I
> like the fact that it comes with outfeed and side support rails. The lack
of
> a decent stand, a grooved fence, or T-groove miter slot make me question
> it's value beyond homebuilding. Am I right? I am willing to buy a better,
> more portable stand for this saw if it really is superior, although there
is
> a fair amount of pain associated with the fact that this drives the price
up
> close to what I would spend on a decent contractor's table saw or a DeWalt
> woodworkers table saw. I don't have the space for them, but if I'm paying
> the money and not getting one it hurts.
>
> (4) The Ridgid has a nice, solid fence and a fairly large table for this
> category of saw, but possibly not as nice a motor and there seems to be no
> way to attach outfeed or side support to the saw. How serious is this? It
> also comes with a really nice stand (available separately, so it would fit
> the Bosch or DeWalt for extra $$$). I am worried that this seems to no
> longer be an Emerson product but is now a Ryobi product, and I haven't had
> much luck with Ryobi in the past. Also the complete lack of information on
> the internet or available accessories makes me question how easy it is
going
> to be to improve my setup in the future. The last thing I tried to order
> from RidgidParts.com is still pending after months because their website
> somehow managed to let me order a power tool from the vaccum cleaner
> division, and they can't figure out how to either fill it or cancel it.
This
> saw seems like the best value, if it is capable of doing the job. Any
> thoughts?
>
> (5) Assuming I bought the Bosch or DeWalt saw, I could get another stand
for
> it to increase portability. Are the Rouseau stands which make larger table
> surfaces sufficiently easy to set up and store again later? How portable
are
> they? Can they make it up and down stairs? How good is the fence?
>
> I have read the recent jobsite saw review in Workbench Magazine, but it is
> fairly sparse on details. They say things like "It's a great saw, but
lacks
> a few features" without saying *which* features. Or they say controls are
> "average" or "above average" without saying *why*. And they seem to focus
a
> lot on the quality of the stand when I'd rather they had focused on the
saw.
> So I am finding it less useful than I had hoped.
>
> Any help and/or opinions on these subjects would be GREATLY appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Bill Cook _/)_
>
>
Hi, I've just ordered a new General Builders Saw, should look at it.
http://www.redmond-machinery.com/general%2050-185.htm
That's the link to it. It's on back order, suppose to be in first week in
May.
Tony
--
"Be good and if you can't be good then dont get caught! LOL"
GigaNews <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> OK, here's a can of worms. I am indeed experiencing pain trying to justify
> $500+ for a benchtop saw, so what if I *did* manage to squeeze a bigger
saw
> in there? What saws would you recommend? I know the names Jet, Grizzly,
> Delta, and Powermatic. Any others I should be looking at?
>
> Any reviews of saws in the next-size-up category I should look at?
>
> Bill _/)_
>
> "Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > GigaNews wrote:
> >
> > > I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't
find
> a
> > > place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
> > > contractor's saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw
> up
> > > and put it away, which is a severe limitation.
> >
> > My $0.02... Make room for the thing by hook or by crook. My
contractor's
> > saw eats most of my tiny shop. I've already ripped two pairs of jeans
> > snagging them on the protruding rails, and I'm constrained in the upper
> > limit of the size of work I can feed through it, but it's all worth it.
> > It's so, so, so much better than my benchtop.
> >
> > --
> > Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
> > Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
> > http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
> >
>
>
Frank,
...
>
> Are you aware that a lot of accessories will not fit in the T-slots on
> bench top models, the miter gauge is really sloppy on most of them, and
> the arbor is often too short for stacking dado heads?
> FrankC
>
Curious: I must be missing something.
Isn't a "T-slot" simply a normal setup for a
miter fence, but the bar has a sort of a
washer on the end-bottom that rides in a
slot on each side? The slot shape for the
fence is like an upside down T.
I love it, and if you have to pull the
fence a little out beyond the table front,
the fence won't flop up at the other end and
come out of the slot!
In my experience there is little to no
difference in the slot dimenstions except
for the washer clearance inside the slot.
The width of the slot is idential to other
saws, which if I recall right, is 3/4" or
thereabouts; it's an industry standard size
though. I've mixed & matched at least two
Delta's and a Rockwell and even loaned one
of my fixtures to a guy with a Craftsman
once. Two had a T slot and the other two
didn't. To use a T feince in a non-T slot,
just remove the washer thingy. It'll fit
perfectly.
As for accuracy and stability, I find it
superior to the non-T types. Mine in
particular, the little washer thingy can be
loosened and turned to size it perfectly to
the T in the slot. I can see an aluminum
table top maybe wearing quickly, but ...
that's prob ably why they are adjustable?
Dunno. Mine's steel and as good as the day
I bought it.
So, what am I missing? If that's not a T
slot, what is it? The TS parts manual calls
it a T slot, that I know.
Regards,
Pop
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
>
If your space limitations are really that severe, I'd look into
a combination machine like the Shopsmith. It's not the worlds
best tablesaw, mainly because the table tilts instead of the
blade which makes angle cuts on large pieces difficult, but I
made do with one for years.
Keep an eye on the local classifieds. There's usually one shows
up pretty frequently. And if you buy one used, you can probably
recover most of the cost when you get more space and upgrade to
separate machines.
--
Where ARE those Iraqi WMDs?
GigaNews wrote:
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
> contractor's saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up
> and put it away, which is a severe limitation.
My $0.02... Make room for the thing by hook or by crook. My contractor's
saw eats most of my tiny shop. I've already ripped two pairs of jeans
snagging them on the protruding rails, and I'm constrained in the upper
limit of the size of work I can feed through it, but it's all worth it.
It's so, so, so much better than my benchtop.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Have you considered a bandsaw? I don't have room for a table saw and that's
what I use. You can't "fold" it up, but if you shove it in the corner, it
doesn't take up that much room. I don't own a table saw. I use a bandsaw
exclusively. Do a Google search and you'll find a lot of comments about the
trade-offs between the two.
You could also go this route:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00035.asp That folds up to
practically nothing.
Mark
"GigaNews" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I am just getting into this hobby, so please bear with me if I ask stupid
> questions.
>
> After getting married and buying a house, I find that I have a desire to
do
> some of my own woodworking in addition to the myriad home improvement
> projects I have going. I'd like to be able to make some furniture (baby's
> room, maybe), maybe some cabinets, etc. Trouble is, the house isn't huge
and
> I have some severe space limitations.
>
> I'd like to have a table saw, but no matter how hard I try I can't find a
> place where I could put a good woodworker's table saw or even a
contractor's
> saw permanently. I really need to be able to fold the saw up and put it
> away, which is a severe limitation.
>
> I have been looking at the so-called "jobsite" saws from DeWalt, Bosch,
and
> Ridgid. Are these saws even remotely useful for general woodworking, or is
> their practical use limited to homebuilding? Assuming they are in fact
> useful, I need some advice on which features will truly be important to me
> and which ones I don;t really need to worry about. I have been unable to
see
> a Bosch in person - stores in Maryland tend to favor tools that are
yellow -
> so I am having to rely on internet info for that one (unless someone out
> there knows where I can go look at one):
>
> (1) The Bosch and the DeWalt don't have a T-grooved miter slot for
> supporting the miter off the table or a groove in the fence for jigs. How
> important is this?
>
> (2) I like the cool rack-and-pinion fence on the DeWalt as it seems very
> solid, but the table seems a good deal smaller (particularly in front of
the
> blade) than the other two, and the miter slot doesn't have a t-groove, so
I
> was beginning to rule it out. Any comments on this saw?
>
> (3) By all accounts the Bosch has a superior motor, which seems important
> since these things are direct drive and the quality of cut is in question.
I
> like the fact that it comes with outfeed and side support rails. The lack
of
> a decent stand, a grooved fence, or T-groove miter slot make me question
> it's value beyond homebuilding. Am I right? I am willing to buy a better,
> more portable stand for this saw if it really is superior, although there
is
> a fair amount of pain associated with the fact that this drives the price
up
> close to what I would spend on a decent contractor's table saw or a DeWalt
> woodworkers table saw. I don't have the space for them, but if I'm paying
> the money and not getting one it hurts.
>
> (4) The Ridgid has a nice, solid fence and a fairly large table for this
> category of saw, but possibly not as nice a motor and there seems to be no
> way to attach outfeed or side support to the saw. How serious is this? It
> also comes with a really nice stand (available separately, so it would fit
> the Bosch or DeWalt for extra $$$). I am worried that this seems to no
> longer be an Emerson product but is now a Ryobi product, and I haven't had
> much luck with Ryobi in the past. Also the complete lack of information on
> the internet or available accessories makes me question how easy it is
going
> to be to improve my setup in the future. The last thing I tried to order
> from RidgidParts.com is still pending after months because their website
> somehow managed to let me order a power tool from the vaccum cleaner
> division, and they can't figure out how to either fill it or cancel it.
This
> saw seems like the best value, if it is capable of doing the job. Any
> thoughts?
>
> (5) Assuming I bought the Bosch or DeWalt saw, I could get another stand
for
> it to increase portability. Are the Rouseau stands which make larger table
> surfaces sufficiently easy to set up and store again later? How portable
are
> they? Can they make it up and down stairs? How good is the fence?
>
> I have read the recent jobsite saw review in Workbench Magazine, but it is
> fairly sparse on details. They say things like "It's a great saw, but
lacks
> a few features" without saying *which* features. Or they say controls are
> "average" or "above average" without saying *why*. And they seem to focus
a
> lot on the quality of the stand when I'd rather they had focused on the
saw.
> So I am finding it less useful than I had hoped.
>
> Any help and/or opinions on these subjects would be GREATLY appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Bill Cook _/)_
>
>