Good Contractor Saw Inplace of Cabinet Saw...

[Derek Arita]

I know I'm opening up a can of worms, but here goes...I'm likely going to be selling my PM2000 cabinet saw and replacing it with a more portable, smaller contractor type saw. I'm keeping my Festool stuff, so I can do a lot with that, but for narrower stock ripping, I really do like using a table saw. Suggestions?

[Jim Becker]

Aside from raw power, a Contractors' style saw of decent quality will do what you want to do very nicely. But about portanility ...they are not lightweight, either. Still cast iron tops, stile have fence weight, etc. Easier to move on a mobility base, however, because they are less heavy than a cabinet saw.

[Myles Moran]

When you talk contractor saw, are you thinking of the traditional contractor style saw with the motor hanging off the back, or like a modern small saw that big box stores sell that folds up on it's stand to slide in the back of a truck?

[Derek Arita]

When you talk contractor saw, are you thinking of the traditional contractor style saw with the motor hanging off the back, or like a modern small saw that big box stores sell that folds up on it's stand to slide in the back of a truck?
Good point. The smaller footprint the better, as I'd like it to be able to go against the wall, nothing hanging off the back. Of course, I'd still like it to be able to rip styles and rails and stuff like that, where consistent 90* edge cuts are important.

[Rod Sheridan]

Good point. The smaller footprint the better, as I'd like it to be able to go against the wall, nothing hanging off the back. Of course, I'd still like it to be able to rip styles and rails and stuff like that, where consistent 90* edge cuts are important.

If you’re doing smaller stuff keep your cabinet saw and remove the right extension wing to bring it down to 30 inches or smaller.

The cabinet saw may have a smaller foot print....Rod.

[Derek Arita]

I'm downsizing my garage shop, so I'd like to have the smaller footprint saw that uses a vac for DC, then I can get rid of my 2hp DC, that takes up about 3'x4' of floor space.

[Jim Becker]

Consider one of the "hybrid" saws .... cost and weight of a Contractors' Style saw but with a cabinet similar to a cabinet saw with the motor enclosed. Using a shop vac for DC is going to be minimally effective even for a really small saw...nature of the beast.

[bill epstein]

I can't say enough good about my year old Bosch 4100 with Gravity Rise Stand. It has about a 36"x 24" footprint folded. Open, though, because of the stand, it's quite a bit wider. No stand, about the same 36"x 24".

The fence, blade alignments and miter channels cut dead balls accurate straight, although the rule and pointer can't be trusted. Not like the Biesmeyer. The sliding extension out to 27" is a little wonky but again, the fence aligns perfectly. Likewise the left tilt blade is dead on at 0 and 45 degrees. My one cavil is that the blade height doesn't lock, although I've never caught it out drifting. The supplied miter gauge is the usual junky after thought. The splitter aligns perfectly with the blade.

I've ripped 2x SYP and 5/4 Maple with no bogging. Likewise, 3/4" dado's with a 6" dado set. The arbor is juuust long enough for the set.

[Derek Arita]

Thanks Bill. Good info for me to research.

[Andrew Hughes]

I had a Bosch with the gravity rise stand. It was pretty darn good portable saw easy for me to load and unload out of the truck. Unlike my air compressor that I think gave me a hernia.

[Dan Hahr]

I can’t imagine going back to a contractor saw. And I had a pretty solid one.

Dan

[Richard Coers]

I'd hate myself for going to one of those little portable saws every time I turned it on. Those universal motors scream about like an old Craftsman shop vac. Your neighbors will agree every time there hear it through the garage walls too.

[Phil Mueller]

I understand your limits on space as well and, while primarily a hand tool user, my Delta contractor saw does what I need it to do. And when adjusted properly, is as accurate as I need. You mentioned running a shop vac only. Just keep in mind that these saws do not have great dust collection without some modification (custom build enclosure). My shop vac gets maybe 50%. The rest is all over me and the floor.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Just so you know where I'm coming from, I currently own and use in the business, (1) Bosch 4100 small contractor, (2) Dewalt 7491RS small contractor, (1) Delta contractor like the 36-5000, but with a Biesmier, (2) Delta Uni w/Bies, and a Felder. Have had another Delta contractor and a Jet uni clone. If the consideration is saving space and dust collection, don't get a conventional contractor like the Delta. The dust collection is not good, and the footprint is same as a cabinet saw assuming the fence is the same length. Felder takes a whole wing of the shop by itself. As for the small contractors, they have great stands, the gravity rise Bosch is slightly better, but heavier to load. They both have pretty good vacuum dust collection, but not as good as a cabinet saw with a dust collector. Both have good fences, but the Dewalts are better. They aren't as loud as mentioned above, but they are a little louder then a cabinet saw. Both use 10" blades. Neither have blade height lock, but they seem to stay put. The Bosch is currently down waiting on switch parts, which because I like the Dewalts better, may be the next owners problem. Downside to the small contractors is a short (front to back) table, you'll definitely want a roller stand system at your disposal, and the fences, while being good, both have issues. The Bosch needs measured every time you use it, and the Dewalt can be knocked out of parallel if you smack it with a board.

Summary, you won't save much space unless the small saws are stowed. Their dust collection is ok at best, and their capacity for sheet goods is bad. If that's ok with you, as it usually is on a job site, then they make excellent saws when driven carefully.

[Geoff Crimmins]

I'm downsizing my garage shop, so I'd like to have the smaller footprint saw that uses a vac for DC, then I can get rid of my 2hp DC, that takes up about 3'x4' of floor space.

Another option would be to keep the cabinet saw, sell the dust collector, and buy a good half-mask respirator like the 3M 7500-series.

[Frank Pratt]

Another option would be to keep the cabinet saw, sell the dust collector, and buy a good half-mask respirator like the 3M 7500-series.

That's an excellent suggestion. If space is the concern, then a contractor saw is not good cause it has a bigger footprint than a cabinet saw. And I just couldn't see going from a cabinet (especially a good one like a PM2000) to a job site saw.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, reducing the footprint of the existing cabinet saw is a valid option here. One could also use a shop vac with an overarm guard to collect what comes off the top of the blade while just cleaning out the cabinet periodically manually, combined with good PPE.

[kent borcherding]

Bosch saw is a great saw. I had an older Unisaw for years , sold it several years ago.
If I was buying a contractor saw today I would buy the Skil worm drive saw , I know contractors that have and use the saw, well satisfied with the Skil worm drive contractor saw.

[Frank Pratt]

Perhaps terminology should be cleared up here. The most commonly accepted terms are:
Cabinet saw: trunions mounted to the cabinet, motor enclosed within.
Hybrid saw: trunions are table mounted, but the motor is enclosed within the cabinet.
Contractor saw: trunions are table mounted, motor hangs out the open back, table is cast iron & similar in size to a cabinet or hybrid saw.
Job site saw: portable table saw with a direct drive universal motor, smaller stamped steel or aluminum table, truly portable.

My main point is that there is a huge difference between a contractor & job site saw. The terms shouldn't be used interchangeably because it causes confusion.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I borrowed a Bosch job site saw and loved it!

[Thomas McCurnin]

I borrowed a Bosch job site saw last year and loved it.

[Peter Kuhlman]

Due to moving and space limitations I went from a 3hp cabinet saw to a Dewalt 7491rs I believe is the model #. I really miss the larger table top, the extra space in front and back of the blade. Several of my accessories are near useless on the small top of the Dewalt. I do like the Dewalt and it is not much louder than my cabinet saw as it doesn’t scream like some others I have used. Really though the Dewalt when set up takes quite a bit of space but does fold down and stores upright in a small space. I find though that the Dewalt spends most of its time set up so I really didn’t save much space. I use a track saw for a lot of my needs also.

[Russell Smallwood]

That's a huge decision that can easily become a regret depending on the work you're doing and your skill level, etc. If it were me, I would buy the jobsite saw and use it for a couple of projects that are somewhat challenging to me and see how I like it. You can always sell it for most of what you paid for it, or you can decide it works for you and sell the other. Either way, you get a definitive answer with a minimal investment.

[Charles Lent]

One of the bigger problems with the job site sized saws is that the ones that I have seen and used do not have nominal and accurate 3/4 X 3/8" miter slots. Saws with non standard miter slots do not work well with tenon jigs, box joint jigs, and many other commercially made table saw jigs. Many of these saws also do not have good fences or any kind of saw dust control.

My shop is a 1 car garage sized building and I have a mid 80's Unisaw with a 52" Unifence in it. I think I would consider getting rid of almost everything else in my shop before getting rid of my Unisaw, because of it's accuracy and ease of use. To make it work I had to butt the end of the side table up against the center of the long wall and I can't cut full sheet stock without almost emptying everything else out of the shop. I have to break down my sheet stock outside on a cutting table. This is still preferred over my experiences using any of the job site saws that I've seen and used. If someone knows of one of these saws that does have an accurate fence as well as accurate 3/4 X 3/8" miter slots I would like to know about it. Horsepower is of less importance than these requirements, but at least a 1 1/2 hp induction type motor would be the minimum that I would consider. Saws with universal motors scream and do not last very long.

Charley

[Andy D Jones]

A couple of thoughts...

I know space is tight, but I would sure hate to downsize to a table saw with less than a 27" deep table (standard for 10" cabinet and contractor, but not jobsite saws.) A 24" deep table would seriously hamper wide crosscuts, and many jigs/sleds, since there would not be enough room in front of the blade.

As for compact dust collection, I have an Oneida Mini Gorilla (the newer, molded model), and like it A LOT! It consumes very little floor space, compared to any other DC, especially with a cyclone and really good filter.

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[Ken Kortge]

I have a Dewalt DWE7491RS Jobsite Table Saw, the one with the folding stand. In my view it is surprisingly quiet, and very good quality. The table is cast aluminum, probably to save weight. My reasons for buying it was small storage folded, speed of folding, ability to stow it away in my garage, stability in use, and price. I have no plans to lift it up into my truck bed. I think if I did I'd have my wife help me.

I am purely a weekend hobby woodworker in my garage. My process is to use a miter saw wth a stop block for cross cutting dimensional wood, a track saw for breaking down plywood, and the jobsite table saw for ripping dimensional wood (with Grripers), final cuts of plywood, and for rabbets & dadoes, as appropriate.

[Derek Arita]

As the OP, let me just explain a little...I'm 67 and sooner or later, somethings going to happed to me. I figure while I"m still able, I want to clear out all the heavy machinery from my 2-car garage shop, so that the wife doesn't have to. Another thought is that if something happens to my wife, then I'll have to downsize and move, which again means that I'll have to deal with all the heavy equipment, so I'd best do it sooner rather than later. I'll still be keeping most of my Festool gear, as it is made to be stored away. I can tell you this...some folks are going to be getting some killer deals.

[Jack Frederick]

Derek, I have to say that without adding a location, you are doing the ultimate tease here. Approximately where are these deals going to be found?

[Derek Arita]

Jack, its not all written in stone, but something I'm trying to plan and get used to. I'm in the Sacramento area of CA. Not many deals around here, but I plan to list what I can ship, here on the site. As you know, when you've owned table saws for 25 years, you accumulate several accessories that just don't go with other saws. I even have a built-in router lift that must stay with the saw, so I figure most of my larger bits and accessories will have to go. Stuff like that is all over the shop. It's a shame, cuz as a hobby WW, my machines were really hardly used at all and I'm already having to say goodbye. Oh well, I'll post here when the day comes.

[Tom Bender]

Derek
I'm a couple years ahead of you but I'm planning on another 10 years. Not reducing any machines but not getting any more either, just the odd tool or accessory. Working thru the wood and hardware supply and giving a hard look at anything that has not been used in a while. It's a process. All that said, I think Rod's suggestion to reduce the size of your PM deserves a look. Maybe the router lift etc need to go. The saw will be easy for anyone to dispose of.

[Jim Becker]

I hear you, Derek. While I'm not contemplating any downsizing of my shop at this point, we are starting to work on decluttering and "getting rid of" so that Professor Dr. SWMBO and I have the option of downsizing our property in a few years if we choose to and I can see it's going to be a LOT of work! Hopefully, on the shop front, I'll only have to maybe go to a short stroke slider if wherever we choose to move can't support a shop size large enough.

I think your plan is sound for the reasons you state, too.

[Geoff Crimmins]

If you don't mind looking for a used saw, there were some nice smaller saws made in the 1940-1960s designed for home use from Delta, Craftsman, etc. Most of them are smaller and lighter than a modern contractor's saw, without some of the drawbacks of job-site saws. Another used option would be an Inca table saw. They are smaller, but well-built machines. They were made in Europe, though, so the miter slot is probably a metric size.