Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anybody have any recommendations for tablesaw models?

Any of the bid brands should work fine. I prefer one with legs or on a stand so i don't have to squat down though

well there are a ton of makes and models, so a lot depends on what your needs are. for instance are you thinking a smaller portable one, something bigger for like a garage shop, or a huge uni saw... do you have any size restrictions, where are you putting it, is it gonna be permanent, movable, or portable?

also what do you plan on using it for and how much will you be using it, that will help determine what features you need

and lastly how much are you looking to spend? you could go to h-depot and pick up a small ryobi for $100-$150 or you could spend as much as a few thousand...

just like with most things there are a ton of options and it depends on what exactly you need. be a little more specific with what you need then we can help narrow it down.
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-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)

I'd like to make fairly large, accurate cuts. I read reviews and wasn't really sure what to think about putting up a lot of money for something that is inaccurate. I'm looking to spend between 500 and 1000. Being portable is a plus, but it doesn't neccesarily have to be.

Thank you for your help!

IMO if you waqnt portability you have to sacrifice capacity and also accuracy. Nothing beats a big honking accurate table saw. Of course a roller base makes them somewhat portable.

Myself - Delta Unisaw, custom edition with 52" capacity, "Unifence" and roller base. Can cut anything, any time. Bought for me by my surplus rodent sales!!! I used to have a 24" contractor type. Upgraded it with a 50"plus bismeyer guide and built a stand for the whole thing. It was alright, made lots of things including cages, but was not as rock solid as my unisaw.

I'm 100% certain many of the other brands are just as good if not better. Of course direct comparisons are hard for all the differnet aspects. Maybe you can find a xmas season sale to get something in your price range.

IMO key points to consider are minor adjustability of the blade - table alignment. If the blade is not parallel to the slots in the table you will never be happy with your results. That and a really good rock solid fence!!!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

>> If the blade is not parallel to the slots in the table you will never be happy with your results.

Depending on the make of saw and how out of wack this can be fixed. Most saw manufactures do a decent job off initial setup. the issue I remind is warp. Or the amount of positive or minus change essentially curve to the table measured diagonally.

Most companies allow for a huge variance within the acceptable criteria there are a few within the 5 thousands of an inch range. They are the few and should be the norm.

Another issue is how true the arbor is within the arc of the trunnion, again this changes from manufacture to manufacture. You want to make sure what is straight and true at 90° is straight and true at 45°.

>>Does anybody have any recommendations for tablesaw models?

Talk about a open ended question...

As mentioned there are a ton of makes and model all with different and strikingly similar options.

I did a lot of research before I bought this last saw and I can tell you, knowing what you are going to do with the saw makes the biggest difference in buying a saw.

Table saws come in 3 basic types;

Contractor Saw
-These can either have fixed legs or the more popular option is the pop up saw with fixed wheels.
-They are smaller limited to what they can do but they are meant for small on site jobs for which a bigger saw is impractical to move and setup.
-The key component of a contractor saw is that the motor typically hangs off the trunnion and keeps belt tension by gravity.

Hybrid Saw
-These are basically contractor saws that have a cabinet base designed for a fixed use but offered at a lower price.

Cabinet Saw
-These are the big boys of the saw world although there are smaller models poping up everyday.
-They offer a solid base with an enclosed cabinet and typically require some sort of dust collection.
-The motor is typically attached to the trunnion and belt tension is adjusted by the old fashion way (positioning the motor with adjustable bolts)
-These are offered in 110 volt and 220 volt models (1 and 3 phase models)

Sliding Saw
-This is technically a forth model of saw however seeing as thought the table bed itself moves across the blade rather than the material sliding across the table they are specific for material reduction and little else.
-These are true monster saws, weighing in at or above the ton mark, and having features one would find along a CNC machines panels

As for what to look for it really all depends on the end use. For me it comes down to;

-Rip capacity, can the saw cut at widths I need 30" is what I would consider a minimum.
-Arbor size, 10" saws all use 5/8" arbors however the length of the arbor is getting smaller and smaller. If you use or plan to use a DADO blade arbor length is critical.
-Miter slots, its rare to find slots of odd size but they are out there, avoid propitiatory sizes as accessories will be hard to find.
-Table options, Many makes now offer router bases to bolt in the left or right wing. This is a welcome option and for me shoots the name tot he top of the list.

Lastly read reviews on forums or on review sites, pay attention to things like table out of square or trunnion miss aligned. Some things can be fixed warped table isn't one of them, but in the end the closer the table is to true when you get it the easier it is for you to set it up.

My last advice is to avoid the options that are superficial, by that like tires on a car fences don't make the saw. In fact there are so many aftermarket fences available now a days I wouldn't even decide on a saw based on the fence. Although I suppose smaller contractor and propitiatory fences will have to be considered.

By the way I have a 10" 53" Rip capacity Grizzly Saw, it ways just under 600lbs and runs off a 220 circuit. It is by no means the best saw but it allowed for a good starting base, at a reasonable price.

I also have a 10" Craftsmen contractor saw I use for on site, its far from perfect not true and a pain to use but its easier to move and for rough jobs or certain trim work it works just fine.

I paid $500 for the Craftsmen in 2001 and $1300 for the Grizzly earlier this year.

Best of Luck
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.3 Normal

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

go to www.grizzly.com they have decent machines at a decent price. their trade mark color is green though.

Pitoon
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Homepage
My BLOG
2010 European Shows

>>go to www.grizzly.com they have decent machines at a decent price. their trade mark color is green though.

If I had a picture of my shop I'd post it but my entire shop is built around that or similar green colors....Nothing wrong with Green. Although its mainly due to a grizzly shop of tools...LOOL
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.3 Normal

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

......and i thought i was the only one who used their machinery, lol!

Pitoon
-----
Homepage
My BLOG
2010 European Shows

i would KILL to have a huge shop filled with green!
-----
-Stephen-

0.1 Fiance (Babe)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer)
1.0 norm corn (Jake)
1.0 col redtail boa (Switch, formally known as Dixie)
0.1 ball python (Bella)
1.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Torpaz & Saphira)

I use to be obsessed with table saws, but the space they take up (for a good one that can handle larger material) and cost wasn't worth it. my opinion is to either get a panel saw (lower end is going to be just above your 1k price range) or go with a circular saw with a guide rail system, that will be the most versatile.
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Randall L Turner Jr.

>>I use to be obsessed with table saws, but the space they take up (for a good one that can handle larger material) and cost wasn't worth it. my opinion is to either get a panel saw (lower end is going to be just above your 1k price range) or go with a circular saw with a guide rail system, that will be the most versatile.
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>>Randall L Turner Jr.
>>

The Festool guide is one of the highest rated guides and a breeze to work with.

Even the largest table saws can't handle the material with the same ease as a panel saw, nothing but a slider can. However panel saws take up valuable wall space and can be a pretty penny which is why I didn't mention them.

Neither are as versatile as a TS when it comes to the multitude of jigs and sleds one can use. However the Festool guide has the ability to mount a router as do many panel saws so they can fill more than one niche in the workplace.

Cheers

I have one of the Orion hybrid saws. Mine is the one distributed by Sears/Craftsman.

I do like the cabinet mounted trunnions vs. the table mounted trunnion assemblies you see on a lot of contractor saws. I'm a big fan of the Beismeyer fence. I think if you wait for friends and family sales and stack other discounts you can get it for well under $1000.

It is sort of a bad time to by a saw in the $500 to $1000 range as there is a bit of technology fallout going on as different companies combine different features on their saws.

Personally if I were looking today I simply could not see getting anything less than a saw with cabinet mounted trunnions and a riving knife. A Beismeyer fence or approved equivalent would also be my preference.

What is the main purpose you see using the saw for? Cutting sheet goods? If so, what kind? Plastic? Plywood?

Buying a table saw and setting it up is just a first step. A lot of people don't realize how much else needs to be done to get a saw up and running properly for what they want to do.

I'm glad to have my saw but if I could do it over again I would have purchased one of the high end saw guides and high end circular saw.

A lot of high end cabinet shops with fancy table saws still use these guide systems for breaking down sheet goods. Table saw only gets used for smaller parts.

Thanks for the information guys. I want to be able to cut sheets of plywood,especially pieces of 4x8s that I haven't used and some irregular shaped pieces that could be used once the sides are straight and square. Some concerns I had were looking at models that aren't aligned, or where the table and extensions weren't level that would cause a cut that's not square. I'm working on buying a house, and would like to set up a shop so I'm some what concerned about the size and price, but not too much as long as I can get good results from the saw.

Just keep in mind that even guys/gals who have super nice table saws are still using circular saws and guides for cutting sheet goods.

As far as adjusting, the one flaw that a stock saw can have is a table top that is outside the acceptable tolerances of flatness. It is good to buy a product that the manufacturer will support in case you end up with one with a bad top.

It's really only the center part of the table you need to worry about. The wings are often installed improperly and when you get a saw home they can be shimmed flat with the main table.

Just about any other alignment issue on a table saw can be dealt with through tuning.

Tuning a table saw is not something to take lightly. I have a dial gauge mounted on a jig and even with the cabinet mounted trunnions it has taken me hours to get my saw dialed in.

Most of the contractor saws have trunnions that are mounted to the bottom of the table. These are much more difficult to adjust.

When the trunnions are mounted to the cabinet like on a cabinet saw or some hybrid saws you only need to loosen the mounts to the table and then tap it with a rubber mallet to get it adjusted.

Bighurt mentioned the Festool guide system. Another good one is the Eureka Zone Smart guide. There are extensive comparisons of them all over the web. For such a simple system the info on them is a lot to take in.

Interestingly enough, the popular combo a few years ago was the Eureka Zone guide used with the Festool saw.

Dewalt has one now as well but I have stopped keeping up on on woodworking reviews since then. I don't know what is popular today.

>>Just keep in mind that even guys/gals who have super nice table saws are still using circular saws and guides for cutting sheet goods.

I'll confess to that, although many of my sheets are pre-cut at the distributor. seams they have a very high end panel saw and offer one free cut typically.

I find this a particular benefit when working with .75"x49"x97" melamine...
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0.2 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Anerthrystic
0.0.3 Normal

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis