Table saws

[Jon Ziverts]

I'm interested in buying a table saw soon and have been looking at several. I read reviews and there is always something not right with every saw whether it is blade alignment issues, the fence is horrible, etc. I am looking for something stationary and if possible, in the $800 - $1000 range. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't have an actual shop yet so size does matter.

[michael evans]

Hi jon everybody got different views on table saws ,bosch pretty good .I have a dewalt 744 not had any problems in 2 years .Heard some good comments on believe its called a ridged ,don't have them here .

[Ken Darga]

Jon,

Enter "table saw" in the search field, 

located in the upper RH corner of this page.

I believe there's over 150 pages---

there is much to peruse.

[Nicholas W. Kostella, Jr]

Jon,

You need to look up "SawStop" table saws. Look them up on youtube.com for demonstrations. You will be amazed!!! If your hand or finger touch the blade in any way, the blade is forced to stop and drops under the table. I have a friend with a big custom cabinet shop and he has two sawstop table saws. He tells me they cut great and they are very durable. As far as their price, they are priced in between most other table saws. Right now I have a Delta (which works fine) but my next saw will be a SawStop table saw! Visit the site for more info. Let me know what you think. I know you will be impressed!!! They will be a bit more than $1000, but it is worth your fingers!

[Russ Haynes]

I've got a SawStop contractor saw.  It's an incredible machine.  But even the contractor version  with the stainless steel wings and the normal 30" aluminum fence is going to run you $1,800, which is without a mobile base, without a 36" or 52" T-glide fence/rail upgrade, without an outfeed table, or the blade guard with dust collection port on it.  My saw has all those goodies, the 52" rails and T-Glide fence system, the 27" outfeed table, the upgraded blade guard, mobile base, DC shroud, etc.  The total price tag was well over $3k, right between "ouch" and "BOING."  But before I got my SS, I had a DeWalt contractor saw (DW 745) that I think served me very well.  All of the projects I have posted on the site were made with that little DW contractor saw (I have to update my stuff on here -- haven't posted anything recent).  

Whether your saw is set up well often has more to do with the quality of cuts than the size of the saw.  A properly aligned fence, good miter gauge (cough, cough . . . KREG!), blade (cough, cough . . . Freud or Forrest), and a zero clearance insert will do more for your cuts than upgrading to an expensive saw.  My DeWalt got a lot of TLC -- it had side tables and an outfeed table to support pieces, good dust collection, and was kept in perfect condition . . . and that saw goes for around $300.  Buy a decent saw, well under your budget and use the money you save to get (1) a GOOD blade, (2) a GOOD stacked dado assembly, (3) a GREAT miter gauge -- the Kreg is amazing, (4) a couple phenolic plates to make ZCIs, (5) push blocks and sticks, (6) a dial indicator for setting your blade and fence, and (7) materials to make side table and outfeed table support.  If you get hooked and later on get a bigger shop and want to upgrade to a "real" piece of equipment . . . yes, buy a SawStop.  It's as badass as it looks.  Sometimes I just sit in my shop lately not working on anything but just cleaning and waxing my SS.  

Here's the short version:  A table saw is a critical piece of equipment for accurate, hybrid or power-tool based woodworking.  But, you don't need an expensive saw to make precision cuts, just the patience and know-how to turn a blunt instrument into a precision cutting machine.  It's just like a chisel -- you can buy the cheapest POS you can find at Home Depot and turn it into a razor-sharp tool that will last for years.  Hope this helps!  Happy sawdust making to you!