Table Saw

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Could any recommend a really good table saw?

[Andrew Hughes]

For cutting plywood or solid wood ?

[Matt Day]

That’s a loaded question, with zero background and intended use information given. Please tell us more about what you plan to do, and what your budget is, and if you’re looking new or used.

[Rick Potter]

I cannot help assuming you must have a saw of some kind now, since you have 764 posts..but more info is needed.

I will however give you my answer in generalities, noting your requirement of 'a really good' saw.

1: For general hobby and DIY use, it is hard to beat a SawStop PCS, or ICS if the budget allows. Their safety features make them a great saw for most anyone.

2: If your likes run to using sheet goods, making kitchen cabinets and such, rather than furniture, check out the Felder or Mini Max sliding table saws. This is the starting point for 'really good' sliders.

[Frank Pratt]

I have a SawStop PCS & it does everything I need it to, and very nicely.

[robert wiggins]

I found a pre-owned Rockwell Mod. 10 a couple pf years ago at an auction and bought it for my son ( $225.00 ) and he loves it.
Reply #6 in the link has a - how to load it -

Link - https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?259236-Older-Rockwell-10-Inch-Contractors-Saw


(https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?259236-Older-Rockwell-10-Inch-Contractors-Saw)

[Justin Rapp]

All depends on what you do, like other's said. However, if budget allows, SawStop professional is a great saw. Safety is important and this saw is also my choice when I replace my existing contractor JET.

If budget doesn't allow for Sawstop Professional, they also do make a contractor saw that has the same safety features. However if sawstop isn't your cup of tea, you typically can't go wrong with any powermatic or jet 3hp cabinet saw if the saw fits your needs.

[Mark Hennebury]

Martin T17

I have a crosscut fence arriving for it this weekend.

407721

Robinson ZT/E
Made in England in 1951

407722

[Tony Pisano]

The second hand Craftsman I got around 1975 has ser ed my needs. I added a free extra table top on the right hand side to give me about 36" from the blade, and an incra miter gauge which I have been loving.

[Robert Chapman]

Get the most expensive SawStop that you can afford.

[Maurice Arney]

Could any recommend a really good table saw?

Are you looking for a "cabinet style?" "contractor style?" ora portable?

[glenn bradley]

Could any recommend a really good table saw?

Hi you guys,

I'll try to dial down the attitude a bit :). To get you a better answer, maybe you could tell us the following:


Your budget, how much do you want to spend.

I know it is tempting but, don't way "as little as possible"
Be realistic with your number


What type of work are you going to do?

Frame houses
Build small items for a craft fair
Make highly detailed mid-century-modern replicas
Build a few pieces of furniture for the house


What kind of a work area do you have?

Can you support a 240volt machine?
Do you have dust collection equipment?
Does it need to be mobile?



I'm sure there is more but, you get the idea. there are so many machines and so many ways to use them. Give us more info on what you are trying to do and we can give you better info.

[Martin Siebert]

"really good table saw".....as far as new, my vote goes to the Powermatic PM2000B. Couple that saw with an Amana electric blue blade and you will be in table saw heaven. It's smooth, quiet and powerful and as a bonus it has very good resale value. The Jet is not a bad saw at all for the money and neither is a Grizzly, but you will take a bath when you sell them. As to the Sawstop, it is a fine saw and you should probably buy one IF you are uncomfortable about using a table saw. If you are comfortable because you know you can operate a saw safely and have no inhibitions about cutting your fingers off then no, don't bother. This one always causes the Sawstop owners to lose their mind and blow a gasket but.....if you can safely operate a table saw then why pay a lot of extra money for a feature that will do absolutely zero to help you cut wood??? The nice Sawstop cabinet saw is somewhere around $3000.00. The feature that stops the blade is around $1000.00 or very slightly under, so, you are paying 3k and getting 2k worth of actual table saw. The rest of which is a feel good feature that again, does zero for you as far as cutting wood goes.
Current owners always chime in with the same comment and say "how much is your fingers worth???" My answer...they are worth enough that if I felt they were in that kind of jeopardy every time I fire up one machine because I cant run it properly and safely I will take up golf. Either you can run machinery in a safe manner or you cant, if not then get out of the shop.

[andy bessette]

Unisaw or Powermatic 66.

[Frederick Skelly]

James and Zelma usually hang out on the Engraving forum here, IIRC.

Folks, I recall a post by you a week or two back where you were trying to make "frames for canvas". LINK (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?273102-Frames-for-Canvas) Is this tablesaw intended to help with that kind of work? It will help the guys give you better advice to know that.

Good luck,
Fred

[Marshall Harrison]

If you want and can afford a SawStop then buy one. But don't get bullied into it because someone recommended it on here.

It isn't necessary to have a SawStop in order to build good stuff. Those black and green tools aren't needed either. Nor are any of the other fancy tools that the Youtube bloggers got for free and now think you need to have to be a real woodworker.

I would love to have those tools but with my financial situation it just ain't going to happen. Instead I just keep trudging forward. And you can too. Get the best new or used that you can afford.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

We would like one to do both, not to be limited.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

General use, we are looking for new. Budget will depend on the saw. We need and want one with precise measuring and cutting.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

We are not wanting a portable saw.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Our budget needs to be reasonable, we can’t afford too much, somewhere between 2000-4000.

What are we going to do with it? Loaded question. We are living in a metal building we are trying to finish out, we are wanting to build cabinets, furniture, custom wood working.

We are a small business, been in business since 2006, since we retired. We run a 36X20 laser, we have a 4X8 CNC, we have also recently started producing photography onto canvas and need to make frames for stretching. There are some things you need a table saw for, we have a 20 year old craftsman and it needs replaced.

We can do 220, yes we have a dust collection system. No, we do not want mobile.

The laser group here have always been such a great bunch of people and have always had the knowledge and is always more than glad to help us, I thought I try in a different group.

Sorry guys for not giving enough information. My husband, James, doesn’t do computer too much, just the wood working and I do the research.

Thank you and God Bless,
Zelma

[Brian Holcombe]

Mark's Martin saw is the choice I'd make if it fits your space and budget. I have a short stroke slider and it has been quickly transformative to be able to make panels sized exactly.

I use a milling machine for some of my work (knee mill) and was able to make through mortises in the middle of a large panel that had been sized on the saw using both sides to reference with next to nothing in error. The cuts came through from both sides of the panel to meet exactly. A ridge of less than .002" can be felt in wood and it was not present.

That's something that a short stroke slider can help with.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Fred, yes, this a part of it but not all of it. We need one that can do the stretcher frames as well as cabinets, and furniture

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

I want to first apoligize for not giving enough information and not seeing all the post that were put on here and not replying soon enough. Thank you Matt for sending me a private message and asking me if I was going to reply.

Now, THANK YOU, to all that have given us true advise. We will research each one and the look at what we are getting for our money, then make a decision. You have given us name of table saws that I have never heard of, and that is why I ask and what I wanted to know. I may have more questions, hope you don’t mind.

Thank you again, I really appreciate it!
Zelma

[Jim Becker]

You may want to consider a short stroke Euro slider because of the precision and repeatability that's built in which will be very helpful to you for things like making frames, etc. You'll have all the normal advantages of a North American "Cabinet Saw", too. It will push your budget a little, perhaps, but given you know the value of good tools given the laser and CNC work you already do, it's worth consideration.

[Rod Sheridan]

You may want to consider a short stroke Euro slider because of the precision and repeatability that's built in which will be very helpful to you for things like making frames, etc. You'll have all the normal advantages of a North American "Cabinet Saw", too. It will push your budget a little, perhaps, but given you know the value of good tools given the laser and CNC work you already do, it's worth consideration.

Agreed, a short stroke slider is often the ideal machine from a footprint/capacity/capability analysis.........Rod.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

Thank you Jim, we will look into that also.

Zelma

[Dave Cav]

Examples of a short stroke Euro slider would include a Minimax SC 2c, Hammer K3 or Laguna P12.

[Matt Day]

How much do those saws cost?

[Chris Fournier]

A high end cabinet saw from the past that has been treated well is the ticket. Delta, Powermatic, General in the 10" build. Had one for years, it more than paid for itself and with the tooling I owned was a dream to use.

[David Kumm]

Here is an example of a short stroke slider like Mark's ZTE. Very nice machine.407819407820 Dave

[Zach Dorsch]

A homemade sliding table saw that I saw on another forum:

https://youtu.be/BgA3Rml1HzY

Seems like a lot of work, but seems useful too!

[glenn bradley]

We are living in a metal building we are trying to finish out, we are wanting to build cabinets, furniture, custom wood working.

Perfect. Don't be confused about all the various responses. We all tend to recommend those things that we have come to use ourselves. This personal experience is exactly why I ask questions on a forum so, its all good. The short stroke slider makes good sense. Those of us who have solid quality cabinet saws have come to rely on them for a high level of repeatable accuracy. Either format of machine will be required to be setup and aligned correctly in order to do good work.

Your space to work in may help with your decision. Draw a simple diagram of your workspace, place each type of saw in it and draw out the area required to operate the machine. If both formats fit I would then consider the percentage of work to be done and the compatibility of each format. I am a bit prejudice because I have learned to do a lot of joinery on the cabinet saw format machine. I am sure either type would do the job. If your budget starts getting pushed, I would ask about specific brands and models. An inaccurate slider or an inaccurate cab saw will be a constant battle.

[Mike Ontko]

General use, we are looking for new. Budget will depend on the saw. We need and want one with precise measuring and cutting.

FWIW - as a hobbiest, I've been eyeballing Grizzly's G0690 for some time. But if it weren't for the cost, my choice would be the PM2000.

[James & Zelma Litzmann]

You guys have given us a lot to think about, thank you. Our budget is a little (or a lot in some cases) less than most of these cost but we will continue to do research.

[Carl Beckett]

It sounds like you are doing a number of different things with different equipment. So are not going to be living on the table saw, but use it to support projects needing done. Its hard to give the best advice without knowing you and your work area and project wish list in detail, but just my $.02 to throw in with:

I would likely not buy used equipment in your case (I do all the time, but it doesnt sound like where you want to spend your time and effort - researching, locating, rebuilding used equipment). But if you have the patience and knowledge and time for it, look for something used. (it means spending less time completing projects though)

It is hard for me to NOT recommend a Sawstop. So I will make that as the first recommendation. Having suffered a tablesaw injury myself, I have to recommend it. And with a traditional 'cabinet style' there are many how to's, jigs, fixtures, etc etc all available for this style of machine. And it is a top quality equipment.

Then the smaller stroke slider. It takes a little getting used to and there is less familiarity in general (because fewer have them perhaps). More expensive, unless you find a good used one.

Not even sure that is worth $.02, but there you go. Good luck and keep us posted which direction you go!