I need a ts for ripping

[Brian Sommers]

I'm looking for a table saw to do nothing but mainly ripping. I do everything else by hand. Do I really need a heavy duty table Saw just for that? What are rigid RS 4512 be OK or should I get a grizzly?

[mark mcfarlane]

Please describe the types of lumber / sheet goods that you want to rip. Include typical lengths and widths.

Ripping plywood is easy and accurate with a track saw, ripping 16/4 Maple, not so much...

[Prashun Patel]

"I do everything else by hand"

If you are comfortable jointing, smoothing, crosscutting, and grooving by hand, then I suggest you invest in bandsaw instead. A big bandsaw. It will take up less space, will allow you to resaw, is safer for ripping rough lumber, can do curves. Far more versatile to the neander, IMHO.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Prashun here. given you seem to be primarily a "Neander" using hand tools...a beefy bandsaw will provide a huge amount of utility to you for rough preparation of solid stock, even when it is heavier stuff. And if it's sheet goods...track saw is most practical and safer than a less than heavy table saw as Mark eluded to.

[Robert Engel]

Prashun nailed it.

[Doug Hepler]

Brian,

An honestly rated 1.5 HP TS should be plenty. I never had to cut 16/4 hard maple but I can say that my Craftsman "zip code" saw cut 8/4 maple easily with a sharp rip blade on it. My main advice re a TS is to get a cast iron table and a solid fence that will stay where you set it. Make sure the arbor will take a 3/4" dado stack. Prefer cabinet mounted trunions. As your search narrows, there will be many many people on this forum who are more knowledgeable than I about specific models. However . . .

Depending on space considerations and what size lumber you need to rip, consider getting a band saw for ripping. When I downsized into a smaller (1-car garage) woodshop space, I gave up my table saw because of its large footprint. I am happy with a Laguna 14/12 BS. I rip sheet goods with a carpenter's saw and a saw guide. The latter takes a bit longer to set up than my TS did, but I get cabinet-quality cuts with it. The saw and guides take very little space when not in use.

A BS takes a bit more attention than a TS, e.g., adjustment and blade changes, but is very versatile. Mine cuts without measurable drift. The cut edges often need to be smoothed with a pass or two with a hand plane.

Doug

[Brian Sommers]

ooohhh I forgot about the possibility of a BS.. Great idea. Re-sawing would be really nice as well. I'll look into that.

forgot to answer the question.
I'll be using maple 4/4, cherry, walnut, purple heart maybe.
I stay away from plywood unless I'm making jigs or stuff for the shop.

For small tables I want to use nice hardwoods.
I looked at that Laguna and that would be all I need. It would get the main bulk down and then hand plane the rest.

[John Lankers]

Hands down, bandsaw.
For ripping and especially resawing a good size motor and weight (beefyness - if that's even a word) is paramount IMO.

[Brodie Brickey]

With a Bandsaw, one thing to keep in mind, there is a width that you can cut. Most 14" bandsaws give you just under 14" of cut capacity. So if you were cutting down something wider, you might need a bigger bandsaw.

[Jim Dwight]

I have no issue with a bandsaw as a solution to your question but to directly answer you about what type if you are still interested in a table saw, I would say that if the rip capacity is enough for your projects (smaller saws may be limited to 24 inches) and it has dado capacility (if you want it), it pulls at least 15A, and it has a good fence, it will do good work. The best "jobsite" saws will do this except possibly for the dado cuts. The DeWalt with the geared fence seems to get the best reviews. Many contractor type saws would meet this minimum specification. If you want a finished cut from your ripping saw, the table saw will do that better than a bandsaw. But it won't cut curves at all, isn't good at resawing, and causes more injuries than a bandsaw. So they both have plusses and minuses.

[Jim Finn]

I have a 14" band saw and a 1.75HP table saw and I NEVER rip using the band saw. With a 24 teeth blade a table saw will make a perfect cut ready to glue up. A band saw will require more work after ripping with it.

[Dok Yager]

Brian I have both a cabinet saw and a 14" bandsaw. I never rip anything on the bandsaw, however I do re-saw on it and do many other cuts. As far as a Table Saw is concerned I would weigh your space concerns if any. As well as the continued type of use it looks like you plan to use it for. I rip everything on my tabelsaw and crosscut as well. I have cut 12/4 8/4 6/4 and smaller with little problem. I think the key here is A: Budget B: Space C: Type of continued use
D: Get a GOOD fence system and finally get more than enough horsepower to do Any job that may come up in the future. Spend once and wisely. JMHO.

[lowell holmes]

IMO, bandsaw ripping is normally safer than ripping on a tablesaw. I've never experienced kick back nor boards exploding like I have on the tablesaw.

That being said, while large boards are difficult on a bandsaw unless you have put an out feed table (which I have done). The problem with the bandsaw is long heavy boards will tilt the bandsaw unless it is anchored. I over come that with an out feed board that knee braces back to the band saw base.

I have experienced kick back and knicks on the tablesaw. Ripping small short boards on the tablesaw is difficult to do and often does not lend itself to the use of push sticks.

Also, 4x8 sheets of plywood can't be cut on the bandsaw.

[Michael Zerance]

I had the Ridgid R4511 which I believe is similar to the R4512 you mentioned. It was a great saw but it would bog down occasionally and trip breakers when I worked it hard with thicker hardwoods. I upgraded to a 3hp Grizzly and haven't had any of those issues since.

[Rollie Kelly]

You might want to look on the OWWM.org site forum and BOYD. I found a 1 hp stock feeder there for a $1k with a Tannewitz model U 5hp direct drive tablesaw attached. This saw will still be ripping 12 and 16 qtr stock when those other saws are back in China being made into something else.
Yes, this is a 3 phase machine however, after that problem is solved (RPC or VFD) a whole new world of inexpensive industrial machinery is opened up for you.
Just something to think about,
Rollie

[glenn bradley]

Another Prashun supporter here. Tablesaws are for cutting material that is already milled true. Bandsaws are for ripping irregular material as it comes from the BORG, the yard or the sawyer. Cutting material with untrue surfaces is what causes many tablesaw "accidents" (read, people who got hurt misusing their tools).

[lowell holmes]

Often I will rip on the band saw and then plane the surface.But then, I have cut myself on a table saw while ripping wood, and had kick backs, and as a result, I really do not like ripping on the table saw.

One word of caution, if you do get a table saw, when you start feeling fatigue,STOP ​ripping.

[Jim Finn]

Unlike many, I keep the fence on my table saw to the left of the blade and I push the push stick with my right hand. This puts me to the left of any kickback that may occur.

[Robert Engel]

Unlike many, I keep the fence on my table saw to the left of the blade and I push the push stick with my right hand. This puts me to the left of any kickback that may occur.I've heard this before and it seems quite awkward and counter-intuitive.

If one is that worried about kickback (and I don't know why you are) simply stand to the left of the blade.

It would seem difficult to keep the stock pressure against the fence, especially with narrow stock. Also not being able to visualize the stock against the fence is a disadvantage IMO.

I've learned there is a balance between respect, fear and mastery of power machinery and I don't think this is a good solution to a rare problem.

[Curt Harms]

Something I don't think has been mentioned -- space. A bandsaw can take up much less room than a table saw, especially one with a wide table/fence. A table saw used for ripping long stock will require infeed and outfeed support, so will the bandsaw. But the infeed/outfeed support can be collapsible/storable so it doesn't take up prime real estate when not needed. For a mostly neander, I think a band saw makes more sense.

[lowell holmes]

I've used this method and had no issues with it. With my dominant right hand on the push stick (requiring more control), fingers from the left hand draped over the fence keeps the stock flat on the saw top and moving smoothly.

[lowell holmes]

I often rip on the bandsaw. I have an extension board attached to the back of the saw table so that the stock does not fall off of the table during the cut..

[Curt Harms]

A little O.T. perhaps but I just discovered Laguna makes the Resaw King in 3/4" width and .024" band. Woodcraft has 'em on sale right now - 111" is normally $149.99, on sale for $134.99. That blade fits the Rikon 10-325 among others. I wonder if that class saw can tension that blade adequately. If so, the cut quality should be very good, near table saw quality.

[Marc Burt]

I have a 3hp cabinet and a 3hp bandsaw. I do all my ripping, save for the final cut to width, on the bandsaw. Given the OP's intended use I agree with Prashun. A bandsaw is the way to go. Sure on most small saws you only have 15" to the post but it's not that hard to figure out a work around and especially since OP states he doesn't work with plywood I doubt it would even ever be an issue for him.

I prefer ripping on the bandsaw. It's quieter, makes less waste, no risk of kickback, and even with a cabinet saw still faster than ripping in TS. I know it's a personal preference thing though. The kicker for me though is that in my case it makes SO much less dust! I might feel different if I had blade guard collection (wish list item for a decade now) but as it sits my midsection is covered in dust after a miderate tablesaw session.

[Prashun Patel]

I was @ Highland WW a few months ago when a guy came in asking this same question. He had a 3/4" blade that he could not make work without bow.

The guys at the store just thought he hadn't set up properly but I suspect the saw was not big enough to tension properly. I had the same issue with my 14" grizzly and concluded it was tension. The 1/2" blades worked fine and as advertised.