Table Saw For Sale?

How big of wood can you cut with table saw?

An 8 and ¼ inch table saw will limit you to be able to cut wood at approximately 2 and ⅕ inches of maximum depth at 90 degrees. In addition, it also allows you to cut wood at 1 and ¾ inches at 45 degrees.

Is a table saw better than a circular saw?

4. ACCURACY – Table saws are the undisputed champions in terms of precision. Because of their rip fence, table saws can easily make long, straight cuts. Although circular saws lack a rip fence, you can increase their accuracy using an additional straightedge or accessories.

Are old table saws worth anything?

UltraDork 2/19/23 10:59 a.m. I hate my current table saw. I have found in the past that I am better off buying good quality used power tools than new lower grade tools. On the used market there seems to be plenty of craftsman table saws that appear to be from the 80s in the $100-200 range. Similar to this. Many of these have cast iron tops and belt drive, which is usually the sign of a good saw. Are these good saws that I will be happy with, or are they cheap disposable tools like later craftsman stuff? If not these what would you recommend? Thanks I have a nearly identical saw- but branded Montgomery Ward. I bought it new/surplus at a tool liquidation sale not quite 40 years ago. The switch broke after a couple of decades but it has been a tank otherwise. The fence clamping isn’t ideal, but otherwise highly recommend. Im running a 50s craftsman table saw. What are your uses for your new saw? A craftsman contractor saw like your picture is ok, but not for cabinet grade or furniture grade without a lot of attention to setup,etc. Or an aftermarket fence. My brother and I both have the same saws, one was my father’s and one my grandfather’s. They’ve been used for countless projects had have needed nothing but regular cleaning and an occasional belt replacement. As other mentioned, quality saw with a fence that leaves something to be desired. In reply to Dusterbd13-michael : I would like to step up my woodworking game. The beef I have with my current saw (a craftsman from probably early 2000s) is that the table is too small, ripping sheet goods is almost impossible to do it well and i need a helper to do it poorly. I might approach this by asking “what’s a solid saw inexpensive on the used market” rather than “is the Craftsman any good?” Just because I think older Deltas and such might be better and I think the advent of the SawStop has sort of driven down all other used saw prices at least a bit. Usually when cutting sheets, folks in the business have built large tables all around the saw to support the material during the complete cut. Most of us don’t have the room to install 16′ tables. In a small shop like mine I rough cut the pieces down to sizes I can manage, then run them through the table saw for finish cuts.

Those older Craftsman style saws with the solid steel decks are better than the saw sold today in the big box stores. YMMV I have a version of that saw from the 80’s. As mentioned the stock fence is the weak link. I was able to get a fence from a Delta saw from a friend who had upgraded his saw to a Beisemeyer fence.

It took only a little work to retrofit it and set it up for accuracy and it really upgraded my saw. Otherwise it’s been reliable and plenty powerful for my usage. I have that exact saw. Big beast of a saw, but as mentioned it is better for ripping down big boards then precision work like cabinetry. I also have the same saw (mine may be a little older, the table side wings are cast instead of sheet metal). It works well, but does require some setting up and fine tune adjustment in order to do fine work. It takes a bit more time but using a tape measure at a couple points to ensure the fence is aligned helps get better results from it Wally (Forum Supporter) said: It takes a bit more time but using a tape measure at a couple points to ensure the fence is aligned helps get better results from it Agreed. The standard fence on them isn’t particularly accurate if you rely on the graduations along the front rail. For those commenting on space and accuracy issues, have y’all tried any of the recent wave of track saws? I have a lot of woodworking projects coming up but no space for a table saw, so a track saw is calling my name, but would like to hear opinions on them. I think a Sears saw from the 60’s would be a better buy. A friend of my wife’s family had an old Sears and raved about it. At that time he said you could get any part needed to repair it. Not sure that is possible any more with the situation with Sears now. Ill be the voice of dissent and suggest a newer saw. I have the DeWalt contractor saw and its the bees knees in a smaller shop. Big aluminum table and a decently accurate fence. Cuts real nice with a fine tooth blade – good enough to build all the trim for both my cabinet installations Lots of power, direct drive, no belt to slip. In reply to gearheadmb : I had the saw in the picture with cast iron wings. That particular saw is a direct-drive saw and not belt drive. It worked. OK. But I did do a few things to it to help improve performance. For one – notice those legs. They are flexy as hell, which actually affected the saw performance because they would allow the saw to vibrate.

I used some 1x3s bolted to each leg near the feet which helped stiffen up the saw. Second, the factory set-up was crap. I didn’t know this for years and wondered why the saw never worked well. Then I read a couple of magazine articles about table saws and started working to figure out how to get everything adjusted so all of the various parts were parallel and square.

This improved performance a lot. That said, it was still a direct-drive saw, so its ability to use accessories and good dado blades was limited. And after a while, I got tired of bumping into it in the garage and sold it. Until I can actually have a proper work shop and can fit a proper full-sized cabinet table saw, I will get one of the portable contractor saws like the DeWalt pictured above if I’m in a situation where I need a table saw again. RossD MegaDork 2/20/23 10:10 a.m. I had the same saw. When the motor finally locked up I was excited to get rid of the thing. The fence was terrible. I could never get it parallel to the blade without a ton if work. The wings or whatever off the sides could not be adjusted to be flat, or coplanar to the cast iron top.

I would look for something newer or that already has a good fence upgrade. When I looked up the cost a fence upgrade and a new motor, I was super excited to get rid of the old thing. I tried to find a cast iron base used saw but ended with this from Lowes: https://deltamachinery.com/products/table-saws/36-725t2/ I am very happy with it.

Huge upgrade from the Craftsman. wae PowerDork 2/20/23 10:28 a.m. I’ve not used that type of saw before, but a big out feed table can be a huge help. We’ve got a 4×8 table with a Formica top that is the precise height of the saw which is typically butted up to the saw. An old scrap bit of laminate is there to bridge the little bit of a gap that exists.

No matter what we’re cutting on the saw, there’s no worry about what the far end is doing because it just slides on down the line and stays level. To make it a little more modular, I got the kick-down wheels for the outfeed table so we can easily roll it around if we need to, but then when it’s time to work, it’s on the ground and solid.

The other advantage is that pretty much anything you’re working on will fit on the table, so it’s a great work table for stuff that doesn’t require sawing as well. SV reX MegaDork 2/20/23 6:15 p.m. That particular saw doesn’t qualify as a “good quality used power tool”. The fact that it has a cast iron table doesn’t make it a good saw. That saw is what is typically called a “contractor’s saw”. Portable enough to get to to job site, but no where near accurate enough to do precision cuts, or powerful enough to dig deep into oak slabs, etc.

If you want portability, the modern portable table saws will FAR outperform that saw. If you want accuracy (and have the space), look for an older Delta Unisaw. Something usually referred to as a “bench saw” or a “cabinet saw”. Larger cast iron top, cabinet style base (instead of flimsy legs), and a much more powerful 3-5 Ho 240V motor.

That saw is crap. SV reX MegaDork 2/20/23 6:19 p.m.and honestly, the Craftsman name on power tools has never meant quality. SV reX MegaDork 2/20/23 6:20 p.m. In reply to spitfirebill : FWIW, a Craftsman saw IS a Sears saw. SV reX MegaDork 2/20/23 6:24 p.m. In reply to gearheadmb : Honesty, if you want a good saw, you are gonna have to up your budget. $100-200 will ONLY buy crap. RossD said: I tried to find a cast iron base used saw but ended with this from Lowes: https://deltamachinery.com/products/table-saws/36-725t2/ I am very happy with it. Huge upgrade from the Craftsman. It’s funny you should mention that. After I started this thread I got paid for a couple side jobs and thought about upping my budget.

I saw this particular saw and almost pulled the trigger. The only thing holding me back is trying to make up my mind between this and a used unisaw. I’m having a hard time making up my mind. Im sure a unisaw is a better unit, but it would be used so the wear and condition is a variable, plus the headache of dealing with sellers.

The 36-725t2 would be less saw but it would be brand new. Anybody have any input on this decision? SV reX MegaDork 2/20/23 7:50 p.m. In reply to gearheadmb : Used Unisaw is FAR superior. But that’s not a bad little saw.

What are the disadvantages of a table saw?

Which is Better a Panel Saw or a Table Saw? – To determine which is better a panel saw or a table saw, you need to figure out your needs, and depends on the individual woodworker. A table saw is an essential tool for most woodworking shops and DIY woodworkers and is capable of crosscuts and rip cuts on large sheets of wood, especially the large table saws paired with an outfeed table.

I personally use a full 4×8 foot outfeed table and roller supports to break down plywood on my table saw. However, I only need to cut large panels on a few occasions and panel saws have a very large footprint and are quite expensive. Although, vertical panel saws are great for larger shops or cabinet makers that need to process plywood sheets on a daily basis.

Panel saws are better than table saws and are ideal for cutting large sheets of plywood in a commercial workshop. The main advantage of a panel saw is that you can easily handle large pieces of wood panels with one person safely. It only takes a few inches to lift the sheet materials onto the roller channel and eliminates any risk of kickback with a fumbled panel.

• Also, panel saws can make unlimited rip cuts with ease by sliding the panel through the saw blade without having to lift the panel.
• If you’re processing a lot of sheet goods a panel saw makes quick work of vertical and horizontal cuts and could save you a considerable amount of time and money.
• One of the main disadvantages of a panel saw is the initial cost of the new saw and the limited versatility.

A panel saw is very limited in that it can’t cut angles or bevels which would have to be done on a table saw. Also, adding a panel saw would take up quite a bit of space in your workshop, and depending on the panel saw they are not portable for job site construction.

1. The main advantages of table saws are they are affordable and can be used for countless functions including breaking down panels.
2. A table saw is a perfect choice if you want to cut more than standard 90-degree crosscuts and rip cuts on sheet goods.
3. A table saw is also able to rip solid wood due to having much higher hp motors than a panel saw.

Also, job site table saws are portable and easily stored away for DIY woodworkers. Unless you have a large sliding table saw or a cabinet saw with additional work supports, breaking down a full plywood sheet is difficult. I have on occasion made rip cuts on a full sheet of plywood on my hybrid table saw but wouldn’t recommend it if you need to do it regularly.

Also, one major downside of a table saw is safety, with a lot of injuries and accidents by accidental contact with a spinning blade. Realistically one person can’t have control over large pieces on a table saw, increasing the risk of a kickback or injury. Both panel saws and table saws can produce accurate cuts for crosscuts and rip cuts but depend highly on the build quality.

Most panel saws are engineered to an accuracy of 1/32 of an inch and some saws made by Safety Speed offer an accuracy of 1/64 of an inch. To get a perfect cut on a table saw you will need a highly calibrated rip fence as well as the ability to keep the panel against the fence, which can be hard to do with large heavy panels. One of the biggest differences is the type of cuts you can perform on a panel saw vs a table saw. Table saws are designed to handle more complicated cuts like bevel cuts and small pieces, whereas a panel saw is limited to only making straight cuts either vertical or horizontal on large panels. The biggest difference between a panel saw and a table saw is the ease of use and time savings. If your woodworking shop is continually breaking down plywood on a table saw or a track saw you are potentially losing money. The time it takes to set up rollers and work supports on a table saw, or measuring and clamping down tracks could be used for more productive tasks if you had a panel saw.

1. It makes the most sense to use a panel saw and will likely pay for itself in a cabinet shop or commercial workshop.
2. When comparing a table saw vs a panel saw for dust collection, the table saw defiantly comes out ahead.
3. Most panel saws don’t come with dust collection kits and require you to buy add-ons that only surround the saw head.

Also, what is not collected by the blade on a panel saw will fall to the bottom of the saw leaving a pile. Most table saws provide adequate dust collection at the back of the saw but when working with large panels it helps to have a floating dust collection on the top. By far a vertical panel saw is much safer to use than a table saw in every sense. Panel saws are designed to be used in a commercial business with operator safety in mind as well as speed and ease of use. A panel saw doesn’t have the risk of kickbacks, blade contact, or heavy lifting however, it’s not suited for smaller pieces.

• Tables saws can still be safe but only if you have complete control of the panel and are properly using a riving knife to prevent kickback.
• If space is an issue, adding a panel saw may not be a good idea however, you could get a compact panel saw like the Milwaukee Panel Saw which would take up less space.

In a home workshop it may be better to upgrade your job site portable saw with a sliding table saw which would use less floor space than another tool. If you need portability, a panel saw or table saw is not the ideal choice, I personally would recommend a track saw.

When it comes to comparing the cost and affordability of a panel saw vs a table saw, it can vary significantly. Most full-size panel saws are in the price range of 2 to 6 thousand, yet smaller versions like the Milwaukee compact panel saw are less than 2 thousand. Table saws come in a wide variety with portable table saws only costing a few hundred dollars, and hybrid cabinet table saws around 1 thousand.

On the higher end, a sliding table saw would set you back anywhere from a few thousand up to 10 thousand for a high-quality machine. Luckily if your woodworking shop isn’t ready to invest in a panel saw there are quite a few good alternatives. The best alternative is your existing table saw with added workpiece supports like an adjustable conveyor and an overhead dust collection system.

Is a 10 inch table saw enough?

Table Saw Blades – The standard table saw blade diameter is 10-inches These will give you somewhere around a 3-1/2″ cut capacity at 90°. Many cordless table saws running around have blades in the 8-1/4″ range. These require you to give up some cutting depth. If you need maximum depth, you get more versatility out of a table saw with a 10″ blade.

Can I rip a 4×4 with a table saw?

Ripping Thick Stock – Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community View Full Version : Mark Kristan 01-10-2009, 11:02 PM Well I bought the saw and have it pretty much set up. One of the first things I was planning to do with it would involve ripping 4X stock into thin strips.

1. The one manufacturer whose blades are readily available in my area which specifies how thick of stock I should use their blades on, indicates up to 2.75 inches.
2. Is this pretty much a standard thing or should I try to determine this spec for different blades and buy one that can rip through at least 3.5 inches? If you typically don’t cut stock thicker than 2.75 inches with a 10 inch blade, can I get away with cutting about half way through then flipping it over, or do I really need a band saw to accomplish this? I have a 3HP cabinet-style saw.

TIA. Mark Joe Chritz 01-10-2009, 11:15 PM Can you even get the top of a 10″ blade 4 inches above the table? Ripping a 4 inch thick chunk is a pretty big order for any tablesaw. With careful feed rate, sharp tooling and a dedicated rip blade it would work.

• I would be nervous while running that through, there is a lot of stock to deal with.
• Yes you can cut and flip if needed.
• A bandsaw is really the tool for that job I think.
• Joe Alan DuBoff 01-10-2009, 11:35 PM Well I bought the saw and have it pretty much set up.
• One of the first things I was planning to do with it would involve ripping 4X stock into thin strips.

The one manufacturer whose blades are readily available in my area which specifies how thick of stock I should use their blades on, indicates up to 2.75 inches. Is this pretty much a standard thing or should I try to determine this spec for different blades and buy one that can rip through at least 3.5 inches? If you typically don’t cut stock thicker than 2.75 inches with a 10 inch blade, can I get away with cutting about half way through then flipping it over, or do I really need a band saw to accomplish this? I have a 3HP cabinet-style saw.

TIA. Mark Mark, Re-think your cut, and consider another method. Ripping 4x stock on the table saw is a hefty cut, and ripping it into thin strips is not smart. This is better suited for a band saw, IMO. I have a 5HP direct drive tablesaw, and I was ripping wide section of 2 1/2″ thick laminated stock a week or so back, I had about 3″ of blade exposed.

What type of saw do you have, out of curiosity? Certainly it can be done, but the cut you describe presents a lot of risk. Your talking about ripping thin sections of stock that is 1 1/2″ thicker than this! http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=105223&d=1230692378 Dennis Puskar 01-10-2009, 11:39 PM Well I bought the saw and have it pretty much set up.

• One of the first things I was planning to do with it would involve ripping 4X stock into thin strips.
• The one manufacturer whose blades are readily available in my area which specifies how thick of stock I should use their blades on, indicates up to 2.75 inches.
• Is this pretty much a standard thing or should I try to determine this spec for different blades and buy one that can rip through at least 3.5 inches? If you typically don’t cut stock thicker than 2.75 inches with a 10 inch blade, can I get away with cutting about half way through then flipping it over, or do I really need a band saw to accomplish this? I have a 3HP cabinet-style saw.

TIA. Mark Bandsaw would be the best and safest way to cut thin strips. But it can be done on a table saw. Dennis Chris True 01-11-2009, 12:02 AM I did 2&7/8″ last week and that’s about as thick as the saw blade can handle. The max blade height on my Uni is 3″.

Anything taller than the cut I did requires you to flip it and pass it through twice. It would also require you to remove the splitter which makes it a much riskier cut. I’d do it on the bandsaw myself. Andrew Joiner 01-11-2009, 12:48 AM I have ripped/resawn 1/8″x 8″ wide veneers on my 10″ cabinet saw.

My 10″ has room for a 12″ blade. If it’s softwood and a good blade I start with a 2″ deep cut. Then 3″ and then 4″deep, flip and do the same to total 8″ of cut. In hardwood I take less with each pass. The saw tell you how fast to feed by the sound. With a Matsushita 40 tooth rip blade I get a finish cut better than any bandsawn cut I’ve seen.

1. Ready for 80 grit RO sander.
2. I use a feather board and push stick.
3. I have done cuts like this for 40 years and have never had an injury.
4. In fact 40 years ago I used HSS blades because carbide was to costly.
5. With HSS you go real slow and take very shallow cuts but it still worked! You could easily rip a 4×4 on a 3 HP tablesaw IMHO.

Chris Padilla 01-11-2009, 1:00 AM Yikes! Scary.this is what bandsaws excel at and, IMO, are much safer in doing. Paul Demetropoulos 01-11-2009, 2:22 AM Mark, I read your posts here on SMC and I’m assuming you are new to woodworking or at least new to the table saw.

That being the case I can’t believe any sensible person would advise that you make these cuts. It’s not a matter of the whether the saw is capable of ripping that stock, with all due respect, you are not ready to do this procedure and anyone that suggests you should attempt it is irresponsible. A 3hp saw could launch that 4x stock back at you and kill you.

This is not hyperbole. You need to get some knowledge about table saw use before you make your first cut, and that cut should not be ripping a 4×4. I saw in another thread someone recommended that you get Kelly Mehler’s table saw book. I think most would agree that his book is one of the best and very strong on safety.

1. At the very least you need to read and absorb information on basic safe procedures and then make practice cuts on straight flat 3/4″ scrap stock to get used to the techniques and your new saw.
2. There are more than just a few things to know.
3. For instance; how short a board can be safely ripped, at what minimum width do you need to use a push stick, where should you stand when pushing the board through the blade, what hand do you use to complete the cut, when do you release the board completely with the other hand? Can you instantly turn off the motor if you get in trouble in the middle of a cut, which you most certainly will at times.

For cutting larger stock you need both infeed and outfeed support, featherboards, hold downs. Would you know where to place the feather board so as not to pinch the blade and cause a kickback? How and when do you need to use a splitter?If there are even a few of these things that you don’t know you shoudln’t be using your saw yet.

I’m new to this board but not to woodworking, I’ve got many hundreds of hours logged in the shop and believe me when I say that you don’t want to learn safety lessons the hard way. You’re obviously eager to get started but you need to be smart about this. You can make mistakes using these tools where you won’t get a second chance.

I’m shocked and disappointed that people who have already posted to this thread that I know are knowledgable from reading their other postings haven’t more forcefully warned you. Dewey Torres 01-11-2009, 2:34 AM I have ripped/resawn 1/8″x 8″ wide veneers on my 10″ cabinet saw.

1. My 10″ has room for a 12″ blade.
2. If it’s softwood and a good blade I start with a 2″ deep cut.
3. Then 3″ and then 4″deep, flip and do the same to total 8″ of cut.
4. In hardwood I take less with each pass.
5. The saw tell you how fast to feed by the sound.
6. With a Matsushita 40 tooth rip blade I get a finish cut better than any bandsawn cut I’ve seen.

Ready for 80 grit RO sander. I use a feather board and push stick. I have done cuts like this for 40 years and have never had an injury. In fact 40 years ago I used HSS blades because carbide was to costly. With HSS you go real slow and take very shallow cuts but it still worked! You could easily rip a 4×4 on a 3 HP tablesaw IMHO.

Please tell me you are kidding.!!! This is advice to a new woodworker.:eek: Wilbur Pan 01-11-2009, 7:22 AM Another vote for doing this on a bandsaw. Mark Kristan 01-11-2009, 10:29 AM Thanks for the feedback all. Yup, I’m an amateur woodworker. As a matter of fact I’ve never so much as used a table saw before I bought this one (a Steel City, 30″ rails, granite top).

I’m really not planning to do any super tricky cuts anytime soon and it seems there is near concensus that a band saw is probably the way to go. What I need to do is add facing, perhaps about a half inch or so, to 4X4’s placed about five feet apart on the walls of a metal building that I’m turning into a woodshop(probably around fifteen or so of em).

1. For the record, I did by Kelly Mehler’s book and refer to it a lot.
2. Mark Steve Southwood 01-11-2009, 10:33 AM Go for it.
3. It won’t hurt that bad.
4. Ok, kind of dramatic.
5. Blade stuck barely thru top.
6. Part kicked back.
7. Operator was in way too much of a hurry.
8. Thumb went right over the exposed part of blade.
9. Scott spencer 01-11-2009, 11:51 AM Hi Mark – While a BS is a safer way to make the cut, a BS blade inherently leaves very pronounced saw marks that will need to be removed before finishing.

If the marks aren’t an obstacle, then rip them with a BS. A TS blade will also leave marks but they’re typically less pronounced and easier to remove. Your 3hp saw should have little trouble ripping to full blade height with a good 24T ripping blade. There are some bulk rippers that have 10T-18T teeth for extra thick stock, but they’ll leave even more saw marks than the 24T blade.

Most saws won’t rip much beyond the suggested max anyway.one work around that I’ve used quite a lot is to resaw (http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2005/02/18/wb/) the strips by cutting just a tad over halfway thru, flipping the piece end over end and then completing the cut. You’ll get better results if the wood is flat and straight.

With good hold downs and proper push shoe, this isn’t an overly difficult or particulary dangerous task, but all cutting tasks have some element of danger. It’s best to give a practice try or two. I typically use just one featherboard before the blade.the pics below will give some idea.

1. Some clean up of the surface may still be necessary depending on how smoothly things go.106556 106558106557 Joe Chritz 01-11-2009, 12:01 PM I know people who have smoked for 20, 30 or 40 years and are still healthy.
2. It doesn’t make it safe.
3. Use safe processes for all operations, especially ones that are more risky.

All woodworking is a “calculated risk” operation. I wasn’t aware that the cuts were going to be all very narrow and very thick (reading is fundamental), so with that in mind I would do this on a bandsaw unless I had some industrial equipment available.

• Joe Byron Trantham 01-11-2009, 12:03 PM Well do I really need a band saw to accomplish this? TIA.
• Mark In a word – YES! 😮 Jim Becker 01-11-2009, 12:40 PM For ripping that thickness of stock, I’d move to the bandsaw.
• I can get close to that with a 12″ blade on my slider (it’s set up for 12″ blades), but I find that much blade exposure “scary”, even with my hands well away from it due to the way my machine works.

Alan DuBoff 01-11-2009, 2:32 PM one work around that I’ve used quite a lot is to resaw (http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2005/02/18/wb/) the strips by cutting just a tad over halfway thru, flipping the piece end over end and then completing the cut.

I don’t advocate this cut myself, but as stated in this thread it will work. It doesn’t surprise me that you would think of this cut Scott, and maybe it is safer than I believe. I know you often think of solutions on your table saw, and use it.as an example, I remember you cutting dovetails on your table saw, I would never attempt that.

I don’t often attempt cuts on my table saw that I can accomplish on another tool safer, in this case the band saw. You say cleanup to clean the cut from the band saw? Modern blades don’t leave that much in the way of marks, I use the Woodslicer, works ok for me.

• But I do usually clean things up after using it.
• I’d rather take a pass over the jointer/planer than cut that stuff on the table saw.
• I think it’s important to realize that our table saws are not our only tools in the shop.
• While it will work for many operations, it also presents the most danger in the way of kickback, and I take most every precaution I can when using it, so that doesn’t happen.

Andrew Joiner 01-11-2009, 2:44 PM Great discussion. I’m glad that everyone pointed out that Mark has never used a table saw before. I was sharing my method on how I’d rip a 4×4. It works for me and has been safe. Thanks scott for your photo’s. My experience tells me the first photo without the feather boards is NOT AS SAFE as the second photo.

• Hands close to blade are NEVER as safe as push sticks,push shoes and featherboards.
• The second photo with the push sticks and featherboards is close to the method I use.
• I would NOT use a featherboard on the far side of the blade,just one featherboard on the front side.
• I’d say ripping a 4×4 with the blade “captured” in the wood(not exposed) with a featherboard and push shoe is safer than ripping a 3/4″ thick board without a featherboard and push shoe.

A person new to the table saw may hand feed the first test cut they ever do on a table saw as you see in many photo’s. So, with that in mind the method I described might be safe, even for a beginner. Hi Mark – While a BS is a safer way to make the cut, a BS blade inherently leaves very pronounced saw marks that will need to be removed before finishing.

1. If the marks aren’t an obstacle, then rip them with a BS.
2. A TS blade will also leave marks but they’re typically less pronounced and easier to remove.
3. Your 3hp saw should have little trouble ripping to full blade height with a good 24T ripping blade.
4. There are some bulk rippers that have 10T-18T teeth for extra thick stock, but they’ll leave even more saw marks than the 24T blade.

Most saws won’t rip much beyond the suggested max anyway.one work around that I’ve used quite a lot is to resaw (http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/2005/02/18/wb/) the strips by cutting just a tad over halfway thru, flipping the piece end over end and then completing the cut.

You’ll get better results if the wood is flat and straight. With good hold downs and proper push shoe, this isn’t an overly difficult or particulary dangerous task, but all cutting tasks have some element of danger. It’s best to give a practice try or two. I typically use just one featherboard before the blade.the pics below will give some idea.

Some clean up of the surface may still be necessary depending on how smoothly things go.106556 106558106557 Alan DuBoff 01-11-2009, 4:19 PM Great discussion. I’m glad that everyone pointed out that Mark has never used a table saw before. I was sharing my method on how I’d rip a 4×4.

• It works for me and has been safe.
• As long as you feel comfortable with it, that is what counts.
• Elly Mehler does show this cut in his book, “The Table Saw Book”.
• I don’t have the text handy, but he doesn’t highly recommend it, and I think that is where my reservation comes from.
• I could see doing it for decent sized rips, but this thread mentioned ripping thin sections off the 4x stock.

This is certainly one of those cases where “caveat emptor” comes to mind.in the sense that we make our own bed and then we sleep in it.;) Jim Finn 01-11-2009, 8:52 PM I have ripped/resawn 1/8″x 8″ wide veneers on my 10″ cabinet saw. My 10″ has room for a 12″ blade.

If it’s softwood and a good blade I start with a 2″ deep cut. Then 3″ and then 4″deep, flip and do the same to total 8″ of cut. In hardwood I take less with each pass. The saw tell you how fast to feed by the sound. With a Matsushita 40 tooth rip blade I get a finish cut better than any bandsawn cut I’ve seen.

Ready for 80 grit RO sander. I use a feather board and push stick. I have done cuts like this for 40 years and have never had an injury. In fact 40 years ago I used HSS blades because carbide was to costly. With HSS you go real slow and take very shallow cuts but it still worked! You could easily rip a 4×4 on a 3 HP tablesaw IMHO.I also do this cut often, in hardwood and soft.

Hundreds of times actualy. My 10″ Ridgid saw is not as big as yours and I have had the motor slow so much I hit the kill button but I never let the wood get out of control.J.R. Rutter 01-11-2009, 9:11 PM People have been doing this for as long as there have been table saws. Be smart about setting up. Don’t try it on stock that is warped or bowed.

Don’t stand right behind the cut. I try to cut just shy of halfway through, so there is a thin sliver holding it together that is easy to break apart by hand. Be aware of where the blade is and where your hands are. I often stick some masking tape to the table beside the cut to give me a visual aid of where the blade is sticking up out of the table.

1. Gary Breckenridge 01-11-2009, 10:42 PM Let me see: a rookie, a 3hp saw and some really thick stock. Well Mr.
2. Sawmill I hope you health care is paid up.:eek: Load those puppies on the roof of your Jaguar and get them professionally sawn.
3. Bill Keehn 01-13-2009, 3:21 PM As long as you feel comfortable with it, that is what counts.

Kelly Mehler does show this cut in his book, “The Table Saw Book”. I don’t have the text handy, but he doesn’t highly recommend it, and I think that is where my reservation comes from. I could see doing it for decent sized rips, but this thread mentioned ripping thin sections off the 4x stock.

1. This is certainly one of those cases where “caveat emptor” comes to mind.in the sense that we make our own bed and then we sleep in it.;) Mark, I agree with Alan that this method is better suited to larger rips.
2. The preferred method for this cut is to use a bandsaw.
3. I just saw a guy on Roy Underhill’s Woodright’s shop cut a veneer with a handsaw and it looked darn good! A bandsaw will waste half as much material as your table saw.

While I don’t recommed it either, on the chance that you might attempt it anyway, I’ll tell what I would do if I had to make this cut on the cabinet saw. I’ve only been doing this a couple years myself, so these guys might even have better ideas. I think with the proper preparation, the flip it over method can be made much safer (but still not as safe as the bandsaw).1) Read the manual and Tune up your saw.

• It is new and you need to insure that the fence is parallel to the blade and the tracks.2) You have to remove the splitter, but if you have a riving knife you should use it.3) You should also use something like these Anti-kickback rollers.
• They keep the stock down on the table and don’t allow it to move backwards.4) If the pieces are long, get an outfeed table or support stand.

You don’t want the end of the board rising off the table as it falls.5) Never rip small pieces between the blade and the fence. This is a kickback situation. For small pieces you should let them fall to the outside. Bear in mind you will need to readjust the fence after each cut and that once you reach a certain point, the stock will be too narrow to use.6) Get a feather board.

• I’d position it about 2″ in front of where the blade will contact the stock.
• Any closer to the blade and the blade could bind or the cutoff piece could become trapped between the blade and feather board and kickback again.7) Get a push stick of sufficient length.
• You will push the stock on the fence side of the blade until it is well past the blade.

You don’t want any part of your body reaching over the blade. Never get your hand within 3″ of the blade even if wood is between you and the blade.8) Watch your body position. Don’t stand directly behind the blade (danger zone) or even between the slots.9) Your stock should be good and solid,

If it has a split it could self-destruct on the saw and send fragments flying.10) Your stock should have two reasonably flat surfaces at 90 degrees to each other. One against the table and the other against the fence. You could use hand planes or a jointer to accomplish this.11) And of course don’t forget vision protection and dust collection.

Now I know this sounds like a lot of things to worry about. You might wonder if everybody else really bothers with all those things. The answer is yes and no. Most people wouldn’t do these things in this case because they know the bandsaw is a better tool for the job.

• However there are plenty of other tricky cuts that are better on a table saw and these precautions are not unusual.
• I pretty much consider a similar list of things for each of my power tools each time I setup for a new operation.
• Take your time and do it right.
• Chris Padilla 01-13-2009, 3:41 PM I just saw a guy on Roy Underhill’s Woodright’s shop cut a veneer with a handsaw and it looked darn good! A bandsaw will waste half as much material as your table saw.

Wow.that would’ve been cool to see. How thin a veneer? That takes a very sharp saw and skill way beyond me! As far as the waste material between a bandsaw and a table saw, I don’t know if it is quite that good. Close, I think. Remember, a table saw can yield glue ready joints but I seriously doubt one can get that on a bandsaw.

• I get close with my Trimaster blade (1/16″ kerf) but the veneer still needs some sanding.
• I’m still working on the ultimate resaw blade to maximize yield from stock but 50% of the yield is resawing dead straight.which is something I’m still working on! 🙂 Bill Keehn 01-13-2009, 4:41 PM Wow.that would’ve been cool to see.

How thin a veneer? That takes a very sharp saw and skill way beyond me! As far as the waste material between a bandsaw and a table saw, I don’t know if it is quite that good. Close, I think. Remember, a table saw can yield glue ready joints but I seriously doubt one can get that on a bandsaw.

I get close with my Trimaster blade (1/16″ kerf) but the veneer still needs some sanding. I’m still working on the ultimate resaw blade to maximize yield from stock but 50% of the yield is resawing dead straight.which is something I’m still working on! 🙂 The Veneers were on the order of 3/32″. They required very little in the way of scraping.

They used a toothing plane to prepare the glue side for hammer veneering. It was indeed very cool. He was using a reproduction of an antique ripsaw with little or no set to the teeth. I’m not sure you could do anything like this with today’s handsaws, as they are poor imitations of the originals.

• Maybe you could do it with a japanese saw.
• He started with a board he planed until it was dead flat.
• Then he used a marking gauage with a knife blade edge to score a line all the way around the face of the board he was going to saw off.
• After that he clamped the board in the vice at an angle and started cutting at the corner, following the marks on the two adjacent edges he could see.

He claimed that once you get started the saw wants to naturally follow the score marks. Then he worked his way to the other corner on the same end and continued to saw down the lenght of the board. I haven’t tried it yet but I am going to. Well for the bandsaw kerf, I’m going off my Amana blade with a 1/8″ kerf versus my 3/4″ Timberwolf resaw blade which is only,025″ thick and has a kerf of,049″ (1/20″).

• Last month I took a class on bandsawn veneers and inlays with David Marks, and trust me, your kerf can be less than 1/16″ and your veneer can be 1/32″ thick and glue ready right off the bandsaw.
• The face might need to be cleaned up with a couple passes from a hand scraper before finishing, but that thats about it.

You need a good bandsaw, a good blade, a good homemade veneer sawing fence, and you need to spend a good hour or so fine tuning your setup. But the results are impressive. David’s recommendation was to throw away your resaw bar as it is a poor excuse for a tall fence.

1. The bar is to allow you to pivot the stock to account for drift.
2. Instead he says you need to align your fence with the line of drift.
3. He puts a lot of tension on the blade.
4. The 1/2″ Timberwolf blade he used on the 14″ Powermatic was set to the tension recommended for a 1″ blade, even though the Timberwolf is a low tension blade.

He always cuts the veneer off between the fence and the blade, since it allows him to easily repeat the cut at exactly the same thickness. As I said the magic is in the setup. Once it was done, and he demonstrated, he let everyone in the class cut some too.

Our results were as good as his. Now after you cut an inch or so of veneer, the tension released in the board may cause it to cup slightly. At that point it’s a good idea to flatten it again by shaving 1/32″ off at the jointer or planer, so there is a little waste there, but you’d have the same problem on the table saw.P.S.

ANY vibration in the bandsaw setup translates to marks in the veneer. You need to make sure the tires are free of built up sawdust. David recommended the link type belt for the motor. Lock the mobile base if you have one.P.P.S Sorry, the bandsawn veneer was not 1/32″ thick.

It was slightly less than 1/16″ thick, which I assumed was 1/32″, but it was more like 3/64″. After a little hand scraping it was probably closer to 1/32″. I remember that it was Jatoba, and if you held it to the light it was slightly translucent. However it was not as thin as knife sliced veneer. Robby Tacheny 01-13-2009, 4:57 PM I have only been woodworking for 5 or so years and now have all of the tools mentioned.

I have had my finger go into the blade while trying to resaw on a tablesaw and my finger looked worse than the picture in a previous post. I kept the piece of wood around to remind myself not to be stupid. Recently while cutting bandsaw boxes with a 1/4″ 6 TPI blade on my bandsaw, I also accidentally hit the blade twice with my hands.

1. Once with my pointer finger and once with the side of my hand.
2. Neither time did I even break the skin.
3. I realized two things.1.
4. My reflexes must be much better now than when I was resawing on the tablesaw 2.
5. Nicking a finger on a bandsaw is WAY more desireable than nicking a finger on a tablesaw.
6. My advice to you is to use a bandsaw and just clean up the saw marks with a handplane or jointer.

-R Bill Keehn 01-13-2009, 5:15 PM I have only been woodworking for 5 or so years and now have all of the tools mentioned. I have had my finger go into the blade while trying to resaw on a tablesaw and my finger looked worse than the picture in a previous post.

1. I kept the piece of wood around to remind myself not to be stupid.
2. Recently while cutting bandsaw boxes with a 1/4″ 6 TPI blade on my bandsaw, I also accidentally hit the blade twice with my hands.
3. Once with my pointer finger and once with the side of my hand.
4. Neither time did I even break the skin.
5. I realized two things.1.

My reflexes must be much better now than when I was resawing on the tablesaw 2. Nicking a finger on a bandsaw is WAY more desireable than nicking a finger on a tablesaw. My advice to you is to use a bandsaw and just clean up the saw marks with a handplane or jointer.

R Sorry, but if you really believe your reflexes have gotten faster or that getting nicked with a bandsaw isn’t so bad, then you haven’t learned your lesson. If you continue to think like that and ignore the 3″ rule even after having these close calls then it seems like you are won’t stop until you hurt yourself severely.

Any accidental contact with the blade like that would make me sit down and seriously reflect on my safety habits. My advice to you is to take that piece of wood you kept from your table saw incident and and use it as a pushstick at the bandsaw. Robby Tacheny 01-15-2009, 7:08 AM I think you misinterpreted the humor of my post.

• Of course I don’t think my reflexes have gotten better! My point is that you should work with the tool better suited to the task to reduce the chance of injury.
• Accidents happen though.
• I have cut my hands open worse trying to get something out of those hard to open plastic packages than all but one woodworking injury.

-R Bill Keehn 01-15-2009, 10:08 AM Sorry to get all serious on you :o. In fact I don’t entirely disagree, but I still think you are being a little cavalier. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. I do believe the bandsaw is generally safer than the cabinet saw.

1. But that is because of the elimination of kickback and your ability to lower the blade guides to the point where the minimal amount of blade is exposed.
2. Don’t forget that the bandsaw was invented for cutting through meat and bone.
3. Accidentally move your fingers through the exposed blade while reaching for something and it’ll cut one off before you feel it.

I’ve only been doing this about half as long as you, but in that time I haven’t had a close call with a blade yet. Thats because I really like my fingers and I keep them well away. Accidents DO happen and you should take steps to minimize the damage they can cause.

Want some humor? Let me ask you this then, imagine if you could use your favorite body part to guide the wood past the blade? Would you do it, especially after you made accidental contact a few times? 😀 Or would you use protection? Your fingers just want the same respect. During the class with David Marks when we were bandsawing the veneers, everyone got to take a try.

David did the first one and used a push pad on the outside of the board and a push stick on the end. Everyone else did the same. The last guy to go put his hand over top the board and was pushing the end of the board with his hand on the side and the thumb hooked over the end.

• He made David so nervous (and everyone else) that David got another board and stood there and held it between his upper hand and the blade.
• The guy didn’t seem to get the hint and kept going, so he said, “Ok, everybody look, this is an example of what I don’t want you to do”, as he turned off the saw.

Maybe the risk in that situation was minimal, since the guy would probably move his hands away as he got closer. However, David has all his fingers intact after so many years, so I have to respect that. Taking a minimal risk over and over is the best way to make it happen.

Bill White 01-15-2009, 10:17 AM I did all sorts of stuff with it. Rip, cross cut, dado, etc. Now I have a TS, BS, and the same old RAS. I am now cutting some 2 1/2″ sq. table legs on a tapering sled. No way am I gonna try to cut anything thicker on my TS. Get a BS. Bill Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2023 vBulletin Solutions Inc.

All rights reserved. : Ripping Thick Stock – Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community

Can a table saw rip wood?

How to Make a Rip Cut on a Table Saw – Table Saw Beginner’s Guide Once you buy a table saw, you’ll wonder how you ever built anything without it. Ask anyone who does woodworking, and they’ll tell you the table saw one of their most-used tools. The first and most common cut you’ll make with your table saw is the rip cut.

How thick will a 10 table saw cut?

Table Saw Depth Capacity – A table saw depth determines how deep your saw can cut into the wood. This vital feature of table saws helps get those perfect rips every time. An example of this is a 12-inch blade that can cut through four inches of thick wood, and a 10-inch blade can roughly cut wood that is about three inches thick.

Can a table saw do everything?

Table Saws for Woodworking – The Spruce / Chris Baylor The table saw is typically thought of as the workhorse of the woodshop, as it is likely the most versatile and productive of all woodworking machines. This one tool can rip, cross-cut, miter-cut, square, dado, rabbet, and even apply shapes to edges of wood stock.

What is better than a table saw?

The best way to cut large sheets of plywood or other materials is with a table saw, right? A table saw does have its place in the workshop, but it can be dangerous and difficult to use. A track saw is safer and easier to use than a table saw. It can be more accurate too!

Is it necessary to have a table saw?

Cross-Cuts – Whether you use a miter gauge or a cross-cut sled, the tablesaw is incredibly well-suited for cross-cuts. But what else could we use? For smaller boards (and if you don’t have a lot of cuts to make), a hand saw seems like a perfectly reasonable alternative.

• You might need to clean up the edge afterwards, but if you own a decent hand saw you probably also own a hand plane and a shooting board.
• Of course the miter saw is a good alternative for cross-cutting narrower boards too.
• A circular saw and a track or other guide could certainly be used for wider boards.

If you don’t mind a rougher cut, you could also use a jigsaw. And while the bandsaw will work in some cases, I have never been a fan of using it for cross-cutsmaybe it’s just me.

What not to do with a table saw?

13. Don’t Start With Material Touching the Blade – Before powering up your table saw, ensure the material isn’t touching the blade. Turning on the saw with your workpiece contacting the blade can cause it to kickback, Instead, turn the saw on, allow it to come up to full speed, and then feed your material into the blade.

What is the most common cut made on the table saw?

The two most basic cuts that a table saw performs are rip cuts and crosscuts. Cutting along the length of a solid-wood board with the grain direction is referred to as a rip cut, The cut is nearly always guided by a rip fence attached to the table saw, The cut will be most accurate if the edge that runs along the fence is straight. When you rip a board you are cutting it to a specific width. Crosscutting (here using a crosscut sled to make a 45-degree angled cut) is one of the two primary cuts performed by a table saw. A crosscut sled helps to make crosscutting safer and can add functionality. Crosscutting is when the saw is cutting across the grain of the lumber. Cutting miters, which is a special form of a crosscut, is another highly useful operation at which the table saw excels. In this photo a miter gauge is being used to guide the stock through the cut from behind. The terms are a bit less accurate when cutting sheet stock.

Does a table saw use a lot of electricity?

A typical table saw will draw 10 to 15 amps on a 120-volt circuit. That’s not as much, especially considering the nature of work and the convenience it will give you. Even so, the amount of power it needs depends on your chosen settings.

Why use a bandsaw over a table saw?

Wider Cuts – When it comes to wider cuts, the bandsaw is the clear choice. With its wider and deeper cuts, bandsaws can cut a variety of materials with ease. Bandsaws can make curved cuts, rip cuts, and coping cuts that table saws simply cannot do. This makes bandsaws ideal for larger and more complex cutting jobs.Table saws, on the other hand, are limited in their ability to make wide cuts because they are restricted to one blade size at a time.

• This means that even a large 10-inch table saw may be unable to cut through a 12- or 14-inch wide piece of wood.
• Table saws can still be used for smaller tasks such as ripping boards or making straight cuts in thinner material, but when it comes to making large, precise cuts then a bandsaw is generally the better tool for the job.Bandsaws also offer more versatility when it comes to making wide cuts.

They can be used to make curved and angular cuts which are difficult to achieve with a table saw. In addition, many modern bandsaws come with features such as variable speed and adjustable tables which allow them to make more precise cuts than a table saw ever could.In conclusion, while both bandsaws and table saws have their uses in woodworking, the larger size and versatility of bandsaws make them the best choice for projects requiring wider and more precise cuts.

A study from 2020 found that a band saw can cut curves with more accuracy than a table saw. The same study found that cutting complex shapes with a bandsaw is faster and easier than using a table saw. According to the Woodworkers Source, a band saw is typically able to make deeper cuts than a table saw, and can make beveled or angled cuts, while a table saw typically is only able to make straight cuts.

Is a band saw safer than a table saw?

Bandsaws – The smaller, more upright Bandsaw takes up a much smaller footprint in your workshop, although you still need to account for infeed and outfeed, but generally with narrower workpieces. Bandsaws are generally regarded as safer than a table saw, but a moving blade on any machine MUST be taken seriously.

Bandsaws generate noise while cutting, but can be almost silent between cuts. Their blade can be just as dangerous as a spinning table saw blade, but with less chance of kickback. Bandsaw blades are a continuous loop of sharp toothed material, stretched tightly between two rotating wheels. The bandsaw’s much larger cutting depth and their ability to cut curves and irregular shapes, tapers and fairly good straight lines, makes them one of the most popular and versatile machines in the workshop today.

A Bandsaw is generally used on larger stock, for bringing the dimensions of the timber down into usable board widths and thicknesses. They are measured by their cut depth capacity, and their ripping capacity from the blade to the upright column. Compared to a table saw, the thinner Bandsaw blade makes for a less accurate cut, with a cut surface that needs cleaning later on either a table saw, thicknesser or jointer.

Can I use a 7 in blade on a 10 in table saw?

Asked 6 years, 11 months ago Viewed 12k times I need a 1/16″ kerf for a project. All the 10″ blades I can find that thin are into hundreds of dollars. Meanwhile, I see thin-kerf 7.25″ Freud Diablo blades selling for under $15, These say they’re rated for 10,000 rpm. feetwet feetwet 1,320 3 gold badges 13 silver badges 38 bronze badges 3 I use 7.25″ and 8″ blades on a 10″ table saw all the time, with no problem. You will have less depth of cut, of course, and also a reduction of rim speed,which will slightly increase chances of tearout, and slightly reduce risk of burning, both to a negligible degree under most conditions. 1 It’s common to use 8″ dado sets on 10″ table saws. The main disadvantage of a smaller blade is simply that your maximum cut depth is reduced. There is also going to be a reduction in the speed at which the teeth meet the wood, and increase in torque. Matt 20.1k 37 gold badges 96 silver badges 202 bronze badges answered Oct 31, 2016 at 14:04 keshlam keshlam 9,171 3 gold badges 20 silver badges 43 bronze badges If you are doing through cuts, your table saw’s stock riving knife will not be close enough to the back side of the blade to prevent kickback. To address this, you can create a custom throat plate with an appropriately-sized and -located splitter. answered Nov 1, 2016 at 14:28 rob ♦ rob 18.7k 8 gold badges 53 silver badges 129 bronze badges To add to rob’s answer, it is unlikely that your saw’s factory riving knife/splitter will be thin enough to pass through the smaller kerf. This may require you to remove the splitter or purchase/make one that will work safely with the blade kerf and diameter you are considering. Another advantage to using smaller blades is when cutting custom moldings from preferred stock, particularly cove moldings. You can dial in a smaller radius to create very distinct molding. answered Feb 17, 2022 at 18:13

Can you put a 7 inch blade on a 10 inch table saw?

In choosing the best blade for your table saw, you’ll have several important considerations. What size blade does your saw require? Most table saws use 10″ blades, but some take smaller blades, and some take larger. Though not generally recommended, you can use a smaller blade than your saw is designed to handle (with the obvious loss in depth of cut). Never try to use a larger blade. What kind of cuts will the blade need to make? Primarily rip cuts (with the grain) or crosscuts (across the grain)? Because it’s easier to remove material with the grain, ripping blades typically have fewer teeth, and they’re set at a more aggressive hook angle and separated by larger gullets to cut and clear wood chips as quickly as possible.

The teeth themselves are flat-topped or shaped with triple-chip-grind geometry, both of which are well-suited to cutting with the grain. Because it’s harder to get a clean edge when cutting across the grain, crosscut blades have more teeth, which generally are set at a slightly less aggressive hook angle and feature a knife-like alternating-top-bevel geometry that allows them to slice across the wood’s fibers.

If you’re working in a shop with table saws dedicated to each type of cutting operation (or if you don’t mind switching out blades on a single saw), specialized blades might be the right choice for you. But if you need the blade to handle both types of cut with more or less equal frequency and you don’t want to have to switch the blades each time (or buy two blades to begin with), you’ll want to check out a combination or general purpose blade. These blades balance the number of teeth, hook angle and tooth shape to give you the best results in a variety of cuts.

• Freud’s Premier Fusion general purpose blades, for example, promise excellent results in all kinds of cuts.
• What kinds of material will the blade need to cut? Some manufacturers have developed blades designed specifically for certain materials that are prone to splintering or chipping when cut with a regular blade.

Freud, for example, offers blades designed to deliver excellent cuts in plywood and melamine- and laminate-coated materials. These blades feature a high tooth count, less aggressive hook angles and tooth shapes that score the material to avoid chip-out. Finally, how powerful is your saw? Many blades are available in full-kerf and thin-kerf varieties. Although they can be used in any table saw, thin-kerf blades were developed specifically for use on portable and contractor-style table saws with 1-1/2hp or smaller motors.

Can I use 8 blade on 10 table saw?

As long as the diameter of the arbor hole on the stacked dado blade set matches the arbor diameter of your table saw or radial-arm saw—and the arbor is long enough for a dado blade— you can use an 8-inch dado blade on a 10-inch table saw.

What is the best saw to have at home?

2 Best Saw for Home Projects – One saw can be considered the single best saw for home projects: a cordless circular saw. Expanding the list to two saws would also bring an electric miter saw into your workshop or garage.

Cordless circular saw : With more power than ever, cordless 24V circular saws closely rival the power capacity of the corded models. With a cordless circular saw, you can cut long lines, chop off short pieces of wood, and make plunge cuts, plus by changing out the blade you can cut metal, plastic, or masonry. Switch out the battery pack to use with other compatible cordless tools. Electric miter saw : This stationary saw, often called a chop saw or compound saw, lets you cut precise angles in trim and other millwork or simply chop off two-by-fours for a large building project.

What is the most versatile shop saw?

Circular Saws – If there’s one type of powered saw for woodworking to own, it’s a circular saw. You see circular saws in every wood shop and toolbox. They have a round or circular blade full of various teeth designed for fast and repetitive cuts. You’ll hear circular saws called by the brand name “Skilsaw” or just “circular handsaws.” Even though they’re electrically powered, circular saws are designed for hand operation rather than being fixed or bench-mounted.

1. There are two common circular saw types: Direct-Drive Circular Saws: These are one-hand-operated power saws and by far the most common of the two types.
2. Their circular blades are mounted at a 90-degree angle to the electric motor.
3. All have fixed handles on the device’s top rear with a finger-trigger activation.

Circular saw blade diameters range from 7 ½” to 10″. This allows for different cut depths. Worm-Drive Circular Saws: These are larger and more powerful circular saws. They still have toothed circular blades, but the drive from their electric motor is parallel to the blade.

• You operate it turning a shaft like a screw or a worm.
• Worm-drive circular saws are held with two hands.
• One operates the rear handle and trigger.
• The other holds the power saw from the top, guiding it through the work.
• Blade diameters range from 10″ to 12″.
• Circular saws are the most versatile electric cutting tools.

Like all tools, there’s a learned skill involved in operating circular saws. They let you perform these main cut types with one machine:

Crosscuts : These are the mainstay woodworking cuts. Crosscuts refer to cutting across the wood’s grain. Most lumber pieces are manufactured with the woodgrain running parallel to the longest length. Rip Cuts : These circular saw cuts are used more in rough carpentry than fine woodworking. They saw the wood lengthways along the grain and are usually used to make smaller lumber or panel sections. Combination Cuts : This refers more to blade design than actual cutting. Combination blades on circular saws have teeth set to do both cross and rip cuts. Many woodworkers use combination blades on their circular saws most of the time. If there’s only one electric saw to have, it’s a circular saw. They’re exceptionally handy when used by an experienced woodworker. Common circular saw uses include: Rough carpentry and framing Deck and stair building Fast panel cutting Trim and finish carpentry Fence building

Many woodworkers consider their table saw as the shop’s anchor point. Table saws have been used for several hundred years and come in many sizes. They also have countless variations and features. Table saws are like bench-mounted circular saws where the saw motor driving the circular blade is lower than the table surface.

• This makes them ideal for ripping large pieces of lumber or panels.
• Miters, dados and bevels are easily performed on table saws.
• Table saws have three main designs.
• They all serve the same purpose of making accurate and fast wood cuts, but these different designs are used in various locations.
• Much of this depends on what the woodworker is using their table saw for as well as where they’re operating it.

The three different table saw types are:

Cabinet Table Saws: These are the big workhorses standing on the shop floor. Most are very heavy, with cast iron frames and ballast weights. That’s to ensure the tool stays rigid and allows the worker to pass heavy timbers and huge panels through its revolving blade. All cabinet table saws have an adjustable fence as well as a tilting blade assembly to allow bevel cuts. Blade diameters range from 7 to 12 inches. Commercial and industrial table saws have even larger blades. Almost all cabinet table saws are driven by a belt and pulley system. Benchtop Table Saws: These are more compact table saws. They’re designed for smaller spaces and lighter-duty work than cabinet table saws. You’ll often find benchtop saws in home hobby shops or in commercial business where they serve secondary duties. Special features include portable table extensions and variable-speed direct-drives rather than bulky pulleys and belts. Blade diameters are usually on the smaller size. Contractor Table Saws: These are designed to be portable. Contractors benefit from having a table saw away from the shop they can quickly set up and take down. Portability doesn’t give away power and precision, though. Leading brand contractor table saws are highly accurate and make multiple cuts through dense materials. Saw blade diameters range from 7″ to 10″.

Table saws are versatile equipment pieces. Almost every shop that does any amount of woodworking can’t function without one. You’ll find table saws used for these functions:

Panel ripping and cross sectioning Lumber ripping Furniture building Dado notching and bevel angling Trim carpentry

Is a portable table saw good enough?

Accuracy – For the best accuracy on a table saw, don’t buy a portable one! Cabinet table saws are much better suited for ultimate precision when 1/16th of an inch makes a huge difference in your results. Still, high accuracy is something you should expect from your portable table saw.

1. Most of this happens along the fence.
2. We try to avoid fences that are easy to lock down out of square when possible.
3. Models with clamps on both sides tend to fall into that category.
4. Single clamp fences typically do a nice job of self-squaring when you lock it down.
5. Just be sure that it’s beefy enough not to push to the side when you start feeding material.

One of the easiest fences to use that’s also highly accurate is the rack-and-pinion style. The first one we used was on DeWalt’s popular DWE7491 and more brands have come on board with similar designs. In our opinion, it’s the way to go.

Jordan McKenzie