What brand/size of Table Saw do you use?

[rbeemer]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/520635579.html

How does this look? I don't know which have a belt drive or what makes a good fence. I know Ryobi is now the brand of the Big Orange Box. Are there any brands to avoid? I'm an occassional user, by all means and don't make furniture quality pieces and probably won't any time soon.

I bought a 10" radial arm saw by Delta a few years back and now wish that I would have splurged for the sliding version. I'm building a deck with 2x8s!!! and can't use the saw. I don't want the same experience with a table saw.

There's always this. Anybody have any luck with older Shopsmiths?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/tls/520259981.html

Here's a nice one with a belt drive.....

The ryobi would be good for small stuff like picture frames but too small to do anything else.

The other thing that has not been mentioned before is that you need a good blade and you will be better in the long run to splurge on the blade I also suggest on the blade is to go with a thin kerf blade

[deputydogrick]

choosing a table saw is a matter of personal preference and what you want to do with it. I have a 25 year old makita which has served me well, lots of use portable etc. I use it 98% for ripping. has always had plenty of power, even when I used it in my remodeling buisness. Keeping a sharp blade will help it last for ever. I like General, Grizzly and Delta for bigger units.

[boomboomtulum]

I reiceived the New Grizzly Catalog today they have a nice cabinet saw for less than 800.00. Contractor style less than 700.00 both come with a good fence. I have a Craftsman bought it on a return for 100.00. They said motor was bad. Took the motor to a local electric repair shop for a check up, needed a new capactor cost me $11.00. Total for a new Craftsman $111.00 this was about 6 years ago still going fine.
Dave

[halfdome, Danny]

I reiceived the New Grizzly Catalog today they have a nice cabinet saw for less than 800.00. Contractor style less than 700.00 both come with a good fence. I have a Craftsman bought it on a return for 100.00. They said motor was bad. Took the motor to a local electric repair shop for a check up, needed a new capactor cost me $11.00. Total for a new Craftsman $111.00 this was about 6 years ago still going fine.
Dave

I received the same catalog. Buyer beware when it comes to Grizzly. Unless they have improved their cabinet saw motors they have a habit of burning up the bearings from fine dust produced from just using the saw. Apparently the bearings arn't sealed too good. One shop I worked in they couldn't afford a good brand when they open their doors and had to replace the motors in the 2 Grizzly cabinet saws. These saws were hooked up to Grizzly dust collectors. This happened in the first 6 months. The next year they bought 2 General cabinet saws and they worked perfect. They bought an edge sander that was to replace a year (Grizzly) old one and it was a piece of junk right out of the box. The 20" planer worked good but the motor was mounted on top like most planers. Dust kills more power tools than anything else. Danny

[jeep_bluetj]

That ryobi is a 'gadget' saw - It's OK, but it's aluminuim and direct drive. Basically a jobsite saw marketed to home woodworkers. Had a friend with one and he hated it.

How much you wanna spend?
What is your use?

I'm a big fan of the contractor style saws with good fences. You get 80% of what a cabinet saw would give you, for alot less. For just ripping a board or three, a jobsite saw isn't bad (the Dewalt or Bosch would be my choice)

Of the imports, I'd pick jet over grizzly any day.

Used, look for old iron. A 30 year old craftsman saw was a really good saw.

[GregB]

There are so many ways to get from here to there, it is virtually impossible to provide really helpful advice. Some people have a knack and can produce beautiful work from almost any old tool. Some have less skill and time and find that a more precise tool will allow them to produce acceptable results. I fall into the latter group. I am a big fan of a good fence, and I'm not talking Biesemeyer. I like the lead screw type made by Jointech or Incra. In my case, I'm ordering one on Monday to go on a Ridgid contractor's saw.

Regardless of what you may pay for a triple phase, 12" 7hp saw, all table saws are rather primitive machines. Other than keeping the blade at a set angle to the table and parallel with the fence, motor power and fence precision (and, of course, cost) are the only other real considerations to choosing one. Figure out how important each of those are to you, and you'll be on your way.

GB

[ccdell]

FWIW: I have a Ryobi that I got as a gift a couple of years ago. For a first saw, I guess it was not too bad. I have pushed a few projects through it (bookcase, bed, ½ a tear, etc…) However, would I recommend it for anything more then a hobby saw? No. The fence is consistent in that it is never straight, so you will need to measure front and back on every cut. The blade height wheel sticks so adjusting things is difficult (started about 6 months after I got it). And, you really have to run it up against the stops to get it to make a 90degree (vertical – aka “normal”) cut. Now that I have used it for a while and learned a bit more about what a table saw can (or should) do, there are some things that I really wish it had; for instance: a good fence, T-slot(s), and a solid base for starters.

I guess the best way to put it, from my experience, is… It is an inexpensive tool. It will work for most things but everything you use it for will take more work. If you will use it, spend the extra money for a better quality tool.

BTW: It is very high on my “to be replaced list”.

Scott “The cheap tool king”

[halfdome, Danny]

The blade height wheel sticks so adjusting things is difficult (started about 6 months after I got it). And, you really have to run it up against the stops to get it to make a 90degree (vertical – aka “normal”) cut.

Scott “The cheap tool king”

Scott, clean the sawdust from the inner workings of your saw (compressed air is best) and give all moving parts a good shot of WD40 or silicone spray and it will be as good as it was when new. As you attest and I agree, Ryobi is not the top brand and money would be better spent on something a little more expensive. Read your manual on how to adjust the fence. Danny

[Juneaudave]

I'm ashame to say, but I use an old Shopsmith Mark V. Probably the worst table saw, drill press, disk sander, lathe, horizontal boring machine, planer, joiner, strip sander, belt sander and band saw around.

But I got a bunch of options on how I want to screw up a piece of wood!!!!

[silkstone]

A Trademaster 1.5hp 10" seems to be able to do pretty much anything I need it to.... my helping hand is a colapsable gerny (gurny..?) uh roller thingy....

[prohandyman]

But I got a bunch of options on how I want to screw up a piece of wood!!!!

Dave
Any saw or other woodworking tool for that matter, can work wood!
It takes a human operator to really screw things up!