Hi, beginner with some questions.
#11
Hi guys, beginner here looking to get into the hobby and in need of some advice. First off, the wife has allocated me funds for a contractor sawstop with the 36" rip length my main problem is that the garage space ive got can just about handle a 8x4. So, which do you think is best for me?

1 Get the Sawstop and ask for help when ripping 8x4 or build a guide for a circular saw for rip cuts

2 Get a Dewalt Dwe7491rs (https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-10-Inch-2-...B00F2CGXGG) and a Makita Sp6000j1 with a 55" and 118" track for the long cuts (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CHN...0DER&psc=1)

3 Get a delta 36-725ts (https://www.amazon.com/Delta-36-725T2-Co...B083XLLZPP) and add a JessEm TS Stock Guides for safety? + Makita track saw

id probably get a JessEm for whatever saw i get anyways and ive already bought the T-bars and katzmoses stop block to build a cross cut jig. its my understanding that using a crosscut jig helps eliminate kickback? 
I have no idea what im gonna do with it once i buy, i just like making stuff and want to explore making lots of things. The plan was to add cabinets and shelves for the garage storage first, that way if it looks bad it doesn't matter, its more for practice. if i get good maybe redo the walk in closet in the master room 

Any advice is appreciated and thanks

Lean~
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#12
First off, Welcome!  You'll find lots of knowledgeable and helpful folks here.  Space is always a problem, no matter how much you have it never will be enough.  Faced with your situation I would get the SawStop.  It's the only one that will save your fingers should you do something stupid.  And no offense, but beginners and long time users who get careless are the most likely to have an accident.  I'd also get a circular saw and a straightedge for breaking down sheet goods into manageable pieces before putting them on the TS.  Track saws are nice, but you don't need to spend all that money to get a straight cut.  My straightedge is nothing more than a piece of plywood about 12" wide and 8 feet long.  

A space saving option is to forget a TS altogether and get a nice track saw and MFT type table.  If you plan to only make cabinets this may work OK.  

And to save the most space, maybe, become a handtool user.  All furniture was made with nothing more than handtools back in the day.  But that lends itself best to solid wood, not sheet goods.  If you plan to use plywood, etc. Option A or B is the better choice.  

John
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#13
The Sawstop is a great saw, and i highly recommend it. Handling sheet goods on a table saw isn't easy for most of us, and i suspect a vast majority cut them down to a managable size before moving to the table saw. I suggest you do that as well. A track saw is great for this, but so is a circ saw and a shop made guide or straightedge.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#14
I will emphasize what Fred said, but add that for my purposes I have found that when I'm making something from plywood, most of the time I just use my circular saw to freehand cut the plywood to rough sizes and do the finish cuts on the table saw. I mostly don't need a long straight edge. A good trick for this is to keep a 4x8 sheet of foam insulation board on hand. Lay that out on the lawn, lay your plywood on top of it, set your depth of cut just deeper than the plywood thickness and cut away. So. The short answer is to get the Sawstop and a good circular saw. That will cover most of your needs. As Fred said, the shop made straight edge works great when you need it.
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#15
Welcome to the forum; another vote for the Sawstop. You'll be glad you did later.

Doug

SS PCS driver
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#16
(02-26-2022, 06:04 PM)Willyou Wrote: I will emphasize what Fred said, but add that for my purposes I have found that when I'm making something from plywood, most of the time I just use my circular saw to freehand cut the plywood to rough sizes and do the finish cuts on the table saw. I mostly don't need a long straight edge. A good trick for this is to keep a 4x8 sheet of foam insulation board on hand. Lay that out on the lawn, lay your plywood on top of it, set your depth of cut just deeper than the plywood thickness and cut away. So. The short answer is to get the Sawstop and a good circular saw. That will cover most of your needs. As Fred said, the shop made straight edge works great when you need it.

You'd be putting your foam board on 4" of snow right now up here in NY.  

John
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#17
Hi guys, thanks for the replies.
I was leaning on the sawstop option but just wanted others opinions on the matter. Cant wait to get it and start this. Maybe one day i'll get good and wife will buy me a festool track saw lol
thanks again for all the help and i'll make sure to read up while im waiting.

Lean~
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#18
(02-26-2022, 08:14 PM)jteneyck Wrote: You'd be putting your foam board on 4" of snow right now up here in NY.  

John

That's OK. It is insulation board.
Big Grin
We spent 11 years in Syracuse through the 70s. I sure do miss shoveling snow (if you believe that...)
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#19
Lean,   I have the PCS sawstop, and just wanted to add that when I was looking,  a SS user told me he would have purchased the saw even if it did not have the blade brake, it was that well engineered and constructed.  

As others have said,  it is easy to break down stock with a circular saw and a guide slightly oversized.  I normally  only use plywood for rough work, like shop cabinets and stuff, and I normally have them cut it slightly oversized at HD , it makes it easier to transport.
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#20
Stay away from the Delta; made of chineseium by the lowest chinese bidder and has a history of motor problems.
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Non impediti ratione cogitationis
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