New to woodworking - table saw advice

[Cooler]

I'm glad I didn't know about this site when I bought my table saw.  The only pro brand from my local dealer was DeWalt and I wanted a 48" fence.  So the decision was easy. 

This is way too much information for me.  I would never have made up my mind.

[Tapper]

I'm glad I didn't know about this site when I bought my table saw.  The only pro brand from my local dealer was DeWalt and I wanted a 48" fence.  So the decision was easy. 

This is way too much information for me.  I would never have made up my mind.

"Knowledge is Power", it never changes.

Doug

[TDKPE]

I had around 3k I will be able to spend over probably the next year or two on setting up a wood shop and need a table saw and jointer/planer to get started. I would love to get the 3hp. However, the dealer by me that sells them does not offer financing and unfortunately I cannot afford one at the moment. I looked around for used ones but it seems they are very hard to come by. 

And yes, I am a very new beginner and would really like to have the safety feature on the sawstop.

Just remember that many folks have been using contractor style saws for decades and turning out work that could put most to shame.  Not me, but 'folks'.  I like my Unisaw, and if I ever got a replacement, it would probably be a SS, but only if I could afford it.  Otherwise, no point in changing to something else.

The CNS175-TGP36 1-3/4 HP Contractor Saw is about $2k, which leaves you a grand for a good used jointer and a new lunchbox planer.  And maybe an assortment of blades.

The contractor saws are definitely limited in power*, but if you use a high quality ripping (not combo) blade, maybe thin-kerf, and keep it sharp, you'll be able to rip anything that fits.  You just can't do it as fast as a heavier saw with a bigger motor.  But how often do you have to do that, and is there any harm in going a little slower?  For commercial work, it would be a liability.  But (speaking for myself) I work at glacier speeds (it's a hobby - I take my time and savor the experience
), so no harm to me.  And you should be able to sell it in the future if/when you want a heavier machine.

But by way of fence straddling, I do agree with those suggesting buying your last saw.  That's why I bought my floor-model Unisaw from Wood Workers Warehouse in the late 90's, on clearance because of Delta's "Great White" promotion.  But if that keeps you from doing anything, then go to plan B.  A clean used Unisaw or PM66, as already discussed, would put you in business for less than a third of your budget, but if you really want the SS technology, then the SS contractor saw sounds like your best bet.

And speaking strictly for myself, I'd have gone after that green PM66 about five minutes after I saw the posting, even if I had to drive over a couple of State lines to get it.  


*Make sure your wiring is heavy and short when running a TS on 120V power.  A lot of the wimpiness of contractor saws can be traced to long/light wiring.  Induction motors are very sensitive to voltage sag (the torque curve sags as the square of the actual to design voltage ratio) and much of the flabbiness can be rectified by keeping the wiring short and heavy.  It's actually the root of the 120 vs 240V debate.

[Bill Wilson]

I look at it this way.  It would be great to start off with a once in a lifetime table saw, but spending 40% of your budget on one tool may not leave enough to acquire some of the other things you may want/need.  Building a woodworking shop generally isn't a short term endeavor.  I've been making sawdust for almost 40 years.  For many years, I pursued this hobby on a shoestring budget.  I've spent more $ on tools in the past 10 than I did for the first 30.  I still have most of the tools I started with.  Most of my tool acquisitions, over the years, have been additions.  I've only upgraded a couple of my machines, my scroll saw and my TS.  The scroll saw is the only tool that I spent a lot of money on (relatively speaking).  I bought an Excalibur a couple years ago that cost almost $1,000.  That's twice as much as the one it replaced and 5X more than my first scroll saw.  No other tool in my shop comes close to that number, including my TS.  I have a Jet hybrid TS that cost me $400 new.  It was my 2nd TS.  My original was a Craftsman direct drive that was little more than a glorified benchtop saw and probably cost less than $200 new, back in 1980 or so, when I got it.  Would I like a bigger, better table saw?  Sure, but what I currently have serves my purposes and I suspect it will for some time to come. 

I'm not trying to talk you out of spending whatever you want/need to spend to get what you want.  It's your money and we all have different ways of working and different priorities.  My point is, you can enjoy this hobby without having the best, most expensive equipment.  Sure, it probably makes great sense to get the best you can.  Buy once, buy for life is certainly a valid approach.  However, if you are young and just starting out, you have a long way to go if you intend to make this a life long hobby.  Consider what other tools, accessories, wood, shop furniture, etc you may need to get started.  Personally I wouldn't have a problem with stepping back a little on one major tool in order to acquire an extra router, a bunch of clamps, a small air compressor, etc.  That's just me, but it may be something for you to consider.

Good luck and have fun putting your shop together.  Buying new tools certainly is one of the enjoyable aspects of this hobby. 

[Pirate]

A contractor saw limits you to 1.75 H.P. and you will have trouble cutting thicker hardwoods.

You never saw a Craftsman contractor style saw, that someone put a 3 hp motor on?

[Mike L B]

TDKPE made some excellent points.
The inappropriate extension cord may explain why I had so much trouble with an old delta contractor saw I was using before I got my SawStop. The thin kerf blade is an excellent suggestion as well.

A coworkers fiancée severely mangled all the fingers on one hand yesterday. After seeing the pictures I could never recommend anything but a SawStop.

[DaveParkis]

Late to the party, but I'll offer some insights from an occasional hobbyist point of view. First, my opinion is that a cabinet saw will give you much better dust collection than a contractor saw. If you are patient, there will be a great deal offered up sooner or later. Check out the classifieds at vintagemachinery.org . There are a lot of guys over there that restore and sell old saws. I would also suggest using Searchtempest.com to see if there's anything within whatever distance you're willing to drive. I got my Uni about 5 years ago for $350 from a CL ad in a town about 3 hours from me. Good luck!!

[bmich]

Or you can do what I did and my first TS purchase was a once and done. 3 HP Saw Stop Professional model. I hemmed and hawed over what to buy and what to spend. I am very glad with my purchase and never once looked back as to what I should have went with. The instructions for assembly are worth their weight.

[AHill]

I agree with Doug, look for a jointer if you are working warped lumber. Cutting warped boards on a table saw can be seriously dangerous. A good bandsaw would be safer than a table saw, but they're not terribly safe either with warped lumber.

Look for a jointer no matter what wood you are working with.  IMO, there's no such thing as solid lumber that's straight and square.  If it were me, I'd purchase a TS, jointer, and planer together.  If you can't afford all three, get them in the same order.  If you are going to buy used, make sure the thing is in good working order.  Parts availability can be a big deal for vintage machines, especially if you're not handy with doing repairs / refurbishment by yourself.

When I started woodworking, I bought a contractor's table saw.  I had a hard time getting things to fit properly, and I thought it was the TS.  It wasn't until I learned you need properly jointed and thicknessed lumber to start with before you start using your TS.  It was a HUGE difference in the quality of things I made once I learned this.

Proper sequence:

Joint two adjacent sides on your jointer.  Those two sides should now be flat and square to each other.
Use your planer to get the desired thickness of your lumber.  Now you have three sides flat and square, and the upper and lower sides are parallel.
Use your TS to dimension the board to width.  Now you have all four sides or your lumber flat and square.

At this point, you can then start cutting things to proper width (if narrower boards are required), and length (crosscut sled recommended).

[Cooler]

The only time I ever bogged down my Contractor's II saw (Delta) was when I tried to saw three thicknesses of 1/4" particle board.  And even then a slow feed allowed me to finish the cut.  

A narrow kerf blade would have made the cut even easier.  

The contractor saws are an excellent value and if you get it with a good fence I think you will be satisfied for many years.  The open base on the contractors saws makes dust collection inefficient.  I closed off three sides but still some of the dust escapes.  

My fence allows a full 48" width and that was important to me.  I had a dedicated outlet installed for the saw and my electrician suggested that it be 220 volt.  I agreed and he changed the motor wiring for 220 volts.  I don't know if that improves the performance or not.  My electrician said it should and it did not add any cost to the job so I went with it.