miter or table?

[duane ribron]

Hi everyone, I am kinda new again to woodworking, having returned after some time. My tools are limited, a small bandsaw, drill, router and table, and a miter that belongs to my brother in law. We'll he and my sister are planning to move in two months so he has asked for his saw back. So now I am going to have to buy something new or used.

 I am wondering if I should go with a miterr saw that has served me well, or a table saw. With the exception of ripping which I rairly ever need done, I feel that a miter saw serves most need better than a table saw. Well that and a router whjich I also have. Having said that I am wondering what all of you think might serve better a miter compound saw or a table saw. Keep in mind that I am limited to around 400.00 but no more.

 Thanks, Duane

[Richard James Anderson]

Skill has a new flooring saw out,it rips and miters,its only draw back is it cuts up to 3/4 stock and flooring but is small lightweight and wouldn't take up a lot of room in asmall shop.Check it out.the saw moves on bars like a sliding miter saw ,the base piviots to give you miter cuts and well within your price range.If most of your projects are with deminional lumber this may be the answer.Good luck.I tend to use my miter saw alot more than I do my tablesaw,in fact I use my router to cut dadoes and rabitts even tho I have a very good dado blade for my table saw.

[duane ribron]

That looks pretty cool. It wouldn't be a good replacment to a table saw, but does look to be a nice alternative to a miter saw. Giving some of the flexability of a RAS without the danger. One draw back is that replacment blades must be bought from Skill. Lowes whom carry's the saw does not seem to carry the blades, or so it seems in the reviews offered @ the lowes site. Another is that it has a limit of 3/4" thickness.
Does anyone here have any experience with this saw?

[Chet Zarzycki]

duane ribron said:

That would be fine but the closest Sears is about 50 miles from me.

Gary roofner said:

The company that makes that mitersaw I been told was a well know industrial manufacture.
General machine company went out of business and sears liquidating there miter saws. I bought that and a mitersaw table with extentions and stops this helped me out a lot with getting pieces the same size. Look at this way your pieces have to be the same size so you have to have good stops. You can be off by a 1/6 of an but all pieces are off by a 1/16 it's still square. The stops are the key. Cut all pieces that are the same together square your fence to your stop. Cut a test piece and measure make sure its right if not adjust and cut another till its right some times takes couple cuts. Like they show in the one krig video after cutting flip the piece over is still tight fit. I'll take a picture of the setup. If you don't have a lot of money this mitersaw for $139 is good. I do not work for Sears. I believe this one of the best buys in tools. This is a sliding mitersaw.

[Chet Zarzycki]

You can have both, Sears has a nice portable table saw for $329 (Red in color) wait for a sale, Harbor Freight has a selection of Miter Saws that will serve you well for under $100. You can have both shipped if you are not near either one. All this should be close to your budget. These saws are so different that you really need both to make your sawing life easy.

[Bill Alexander]

RIDGID makes an outstanding 10" Benchtop table Saw (I'm using one daily myself) for around $300. Sold at Home Depot. had mine for over a year now and works great. It will also accept a stackable dado set. (upt 13/16"). Make yourself a cross-cut sled for it and you'll be happy as pig in poop!

duane ribron said:

Can't I also do most of thouse things with a router? We'll other than ripping of course. I guess my big worrie is that I can't afford a 800.00 table saw. I have a limit of 400.00 and less would be better. I figure that I cvan get a decient MS in that price range. Can I also get a decient TS in the same price range?

[Bill Alexander]

Hey! Quick note for you guy! Get some old boards a combination square and a good handsaw and start practicing. Believe me about 40-50 practice cuts and you be able to free hand cut perfectly square. I'm 63 yrs old and my father made me do that when I was around 12-13 yrs old and believe me, I still hand cut 2x4, 6, 8's free hand to this day.

duane ribron said:

Well I ended up finding a miter saw at a pawn shop for 50.00 it is a ridged. The blade was so dule it coudnt cut balsa with out tear out ...lol So I bought a diablo 80 tooth, now it cuts threw oak like butter, no tear out... completly sweet. So although I was searching for a table, I got a miter and the search in on once again..... lol

Well I need more than time. No matter how well a project is doing for me at some point it amost always falls apart on me. But have a Kreg jig helps, and having a way tp cut a straight will make a real difference. I admire people whom can cut as straight of a line by hand than with a saw. I however am not made of the same gene pool it seems....lol

[duane ribron]

I'm sure I have cut way more than that.... Rarly do I get it square from one cut to another. I guess it is just me...

[JIM COLLINS]

i can't speak for everyone, as i have both a table saw and a compund laser miter saw, but if i could only have one it would be the miter saw. you can do so much more with it and if its a sliding compound miter with a laser so much the better. mine is 10 inch, and works for almost everything. hope i helped

[Kenneth Hill]

The EZ Eureka wood working system may be what you are looking for. In store or on line. Consists of a circular saw, a guide and guide rails that act as fence. You can also use your router. It is safer than a table saw, portable, does not take up much room. Precision cuts no offset. I an a novice and just completed making over 35 feet of wall and base cabinets with the Kreg Jig and EZ system. I do not think you would need a table saw if you had this system. Ken

[Don Hays]

Duane,
I would recommend a table saw, as others have commented there are a lot of other things you can do with it as compared to a mitre saw. There are a lot of good ones out there and I think you will be able to get one for $400. I own a Sears and have had it for app. 10 years and it's gave me no problems.

[Ray Romero]

Duane,

I do some occassional wood working. I don't drop the BIG$$$$ on name brands. I shop Harbor Freight Tools and have a wide selection of tools and shop equipment. If you don't abuse your tools they will last. I bought a Compound sliding mitersaw and a wet tile saw from them, have used them for many projects. Home Depot also has a wide selection of affordable tooling for the novice or occassional DIY wood worker. I have bought Ryobi 10" table saw and a Band saw from them also a Bosch self leveling laser level. Another good source of places to look are Pawn shops. And of course, a Kreg pocket screw Jig.

Ray

[Michael Campbell]

good call on that Christopher,, I have had a lot of luck on Craigslist also...keep making saw dust my brother..
 
Christopher Jacoby said:

For $400.00, I'd go to craigslist. You can get a decent contractor's saw AND a miter saw for that money. I've got a semi-firm rule that for medium and large machines I won't buy new; I'll buy only used equipment in good condition selling for under 50% of lowest retail. Nice thing about craigslist, too, is that many of the sellers just want to get rid of bulky, heavy things like shop equipment- their motive isn't necessarily to make a big profit. Make them a fair offer and they'll usually take it.

You may have to troll craigslist for a few weeks to find what you want at a price you're willing to pay. In my experience, when you see something you want, act immediately! Too many times I told they guy I'd come take a look at something the next day and it was sold by then.