Good Choice of Table Saw for very casual home use ?? - Page 2

> aemeijers wrote:

>> jim wrote:

>>>> James wrote:
>>>>> I am not a carpenter or even a handyman. The only kind of saw I
>>>>> have owned
>>>>> for 25 years is a skill saw. Even with very casual use, I am
>>>>> still not
>>>>> good at using a skill saw to cut a straight edge on a piece of
>>>>> plywood or a
>>>>> 2 x 4 !!
>>>>> Perhaps several times a year, I will have a need to cut 2 x 4's
>>>>> , some
>>>>> trim pieces , and perhaps some plywood. Because I am not really
>>>>> skilled
>>>>> at using a skill saw, I have thought of getting a bare bones, but
>>>>> quality
>>>>> table saw. Again, I just need something that will allow me to cut
>>>>> boards
>>>>> and trim pieces and end up with a straight cut. It doesn't have
>>>>> to be very
>>>>> high powered, or have a lot of fancy adjustments. I guess just an
>>>>> adjustable fence (isn't that what they call it........ the piece
>>>>> you move
>>>>> left and right, and put your stock up against for cutting?) and I
>>>>> guess
>>>>> something that adjusts the depth of a cut. I don't think I would
>>>>> need any
>>>>> angle cutting, such as a miter saw is used for.
>>>>> So, what is a recommended brand, and/or a particular saw not
>>>>> exceeding $150
>>>>> ? Can I get a quality one for that price ??
>>>>> I am thinking of looking at Sears and Home Depot, but wanted to get
>>>>> comments
>>>>> here first.
>>>>> Thanks for any advice !!
>>>>> James
>>>> I think your price range is low for a decent unit. A Ryobi *might* be
>>>> passable as some of their other products are. For my occasional table
>>>> saw needs I have a Bosch (branded) TS4000? contractors saw that has
>>>> been
>>>> very good. I recall it being closer to $400 though.- Hide quoted text -
>>>> - Show quoted text -
>>> Not sure of the price but have always ahd good luck with Craftsmen

>> Going through a similar mental exercise (Plus some hands-on
>> experimenting, visiting my father's place where all needed tools are
>> available), and came to the following conclusions:
>> 1. The low end table saws with the tiny tables are useless for ripping
>> plywood and panels more than a couple feet on a side, unless you rig
>> all sorts of tall sawhorses, and/or have a helper available. And
>> unless you have a walkout basement, barn, or extra bay in the garage,
>> they are pain in the ass to store and set up. Surprisingly easy to
>> get them out of adjustment if they get moved around a lot.

>
> You can build a bigger table around it and build extensions.
>

>> unless you have a walkout basement, barn, or extra bay in the garage,
>> they are pain in the ass to store and set up. Surprisingly easy to
>> get them out of adjustment if they get moved around a lot.

>Yes, I know all that. And if I had a good space to build all that and
>leave it set up, I would.

> If you plan to rip any wood, you'd still need a table saw. That was the only
> advantage a good radial arm saw with a head that turns a full 90 degrees has...

> Robert Neville wrote:
> ...

>> If you plan to rip any wood, you'd still need a table saw. That was the
>> only
>> advantage a good radial arm saw with a head that turns a full 90 degrees
>> has...

> Au contraire, good buddy... :)
> The RAS is also the perfect tool for cross-cutting long material that is
> otherwise a pita for the tablesaw...fitted w/ a long table and rollers, it
> is the cat's meow for the sizing of large stock prior to next step...
> It does, of course, imply one has the resources in both money and space to
> dedicate to it... :)
> If I had to eliminate one or the other, it would be a hard choice at this
> point. It would help in that decision if one had a specific dedication to
> a type of work as, say, a cabinet shop or specialty furniture of some
> variety that would favor a given size/type of material. As a
> general-purpose do everything and anything as it comes up, having the
> flexibility is something I'd hate to do without.
> So, in the end, "different strokes..." :)
> ymmv, $0.02, etc., etc., etc., ...
> --

> My stroke, if I have the choice available, is to use table saw for rips. I
> like the better full length visibility of the lumber piece while ripping
> while usng a table saw. My opinion, the lumber piece tends to more likely
> "walk" vertically with a radial arm saw when ripping. Many table saws
> already provide vertical stops, anti-reversal fingers, for rips. More
> control of the material with a table saw for ripping purposes. The depth of
> blade exposed for table saw is minimal vs full exposure for a radial arm
> saw. Rather than a "stroke", seems like a more logical choice for rips.