Looking to buy a mini table saw

[James Spillman]

I would like to get a mini table saw for craft projects. I'm starting to do some kumiko panels. Since all the panels are less than 1/2" thick a mini saw would be ideal. I think a 12"x12" mini saw would be perfect for such fine work.If you have used a mini saw and like it for small projects like this I would like to hear about it. Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

Professor Dr. SWMBO's one sister has one and likes it, but since she lives in Spain, I've never seen it up close and personal. (She bought it for doll houses and other things when she's not doing reproduction Barbie outfits) I believe her's is Proxon brand, or something like that.

[Edward Weber]

It sounds like you're looking for a model makers tablesaw
Many of the modeling forums have threads on these tools

[Michelle Rich]

if you want the best, google : byrnes model machines

[Stan Calow]

As mentioned, Proxxon is a maker of such tools. There's also a catalog company I think called Micro-tools. But if you want cheap, Harbor Freight has a mini table saw, with I think a 3-4 inch blade.

[andy bessette]

The very best table saw I ever came up with for precision model-making type projects is an ancient 8" Sears tilt-table machine I've owned for many decades. Heavy cast iron construction. I installed a 4-1/2" 40-tooth thin-kerf carbide blade on it and a new oversize Baldor motor. It is so smooth and precise.

https://i.postimg.cc/V65k4qJh/sears-saw-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/zBfjJGBh/sears-saw-2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/HxLffH1Z/sears-saw-3.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/SssxVwTq/sears-saw-4.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Thomas L Carpenter]

When I was visiting a boat building exhibit in Beaufort,NC I noticed they had a model building shop on the second floor balcony. The guy in there was using the smallest table saw I had ever seen. He told me it was a Dremel. Might be worth looking into.

[Curt Harms]

I have nothing to add re small table saw but if the concern is cutting thin stock - 1/4" or less - I find the Freud Diablo 7 1/4" 40 tooth blades with zero clearance insert used on a table saw smoother and less aggressive than the 10" 60 tooth blade I have. Certainly not for production use but for occasional cuts on thin stock it works pretty well.

[Derek Meyer]

I have the Dremel table saw. I bought it 30 years ago at an Ernst Home Center. It uses a 4" blade. Micro Mark sells blades for it still, either a standard 20 tooth steel blade or a 40 tooth carbide blade. The carbide blade is amazing - it gives glue-ready joints right off the saw.

Not that you should, but I have cut 3/4" red oak at 45 degrees with this saw. It is slow-going but the cut was clean with no burning. The saw is best with 1/2" or thinner stock. The carbide blade is great for plywood and mdf.

Micro Mark sells their own small table saw as well. Micro Lux table saw (https://www.micromark.com/MicroLux-Mini-Tilt-Arbor-Table-Saw-for-Benchtop-Hobby-Use_2)

[Terry Therneau]

A favorite of the older iron crowd is a Hammond Trim-O-Saw. They were used for lead type in the printing trade, smaller and very accurate, with a sliding table.
Terry T.

[George Yetka]

Im not recommending this, the price is kind of out there, but have you guys seen the new festool cordless? It would work for what you are speaking of but $1500 is a little crazy if your not an installer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15KEC-vvM_4

[andy bessette]

Im not recommending this, the price is kind of out there, but have you guys seen the new festool cordless? It would work for what you are speaking of but $1500 is a little crazy if your not an installer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15KEC-vvM_4

"A little" crazy?

Can't see a huge need for a battery-operated table saw.

[George Yetka]

"A little" crazy?

Can't see a huge need for a battery-operated table saw.

I think the market is for someone doing one day installs of kitchen cabinets. Its not actually as crazy as I expected before looking it up when you compare it to their domino or edgebander.

[Justin Kwong]

I would like to get a mini table saw for craft projects. I'm starting to do some kumiko panels. Since all the panels are less than 1/2" thick a mini saw would be ideal. I think a 12"x12" mini saw would be perfect for such fine work.If you have used a mini saw and like it for small projects like this I would like to hear about it. Thanks.

I am also interested in a mini-table saw for kumiko purposes. Please report back with what you end up and how you like it!

[Jim Becker]

Can't see a huge need for a battery-operated table saw.

There are already several battery operated saws from other names being used in the field...the value within a woodworking shop is certainly a lot less, but for the large population of contractors that work "on site", the migration to battery operated "everything" has been in full swing for quite some time now. The Festool offering isn't for everyone, but it has features not available on any other product, to the best of my knowledge. That's going to be valuable to folks who do installs and quality trim carpentry for sure.

Now for the OP's application...it's still not what was asked for, but for repeatable precision, some folks might bite.

[Richard Coers]

The Bridge City Joint Maker Pro with the precision fence would be ideal for kumiko. Nice and quiet!

[andy bessette]

...for the large population of contractors that work "on site", the migration to battery operated "everything" has been in full swing for quite some time now...

Jim, I am not an expert on contractor site work, but understand that a power pole is one of the first things installed on a building site. Of course there are exceptions with people building off the grid. Young guys coming into the trades might think that battery-powered everything is a must-have. Not sure how this thinking ever got promoted. But, if someone needs a stationary machine, like a table saw, it seems that running power to it should not be a problem.

Perhaps the fact that companies like Festool are actually marketing them proves me wrong.

[Mark Hennebury]

Reinhard in Switzerland make a nice little saw.
507868507869 507870507871

Precision circular saw type PKN 200 small, high-precision all-rounder

Its features:

-longitudinal stop, speed and blade height with digital display -infinitely
variable speed
-sliding table up to 400mm
-circular saw blade 0 200mm
-blade height max. 53mm
-minimum quantity lubrication
Price from CHF 23,156.00 ( approximately $25,800.00 USD

[Wes Grass]

Lol!!!

Hammond, I'd 'forgotten' about. Was on my list for small stuff.

I started with with a Dewalt contractor saw. Plastic base ... did what I needed ...

Ironically... I think I did more with it then I've done since I replaced it with a Felder 700.

A workbench... combined with a borrowed 4" craftsman jointer ... pretty nice I think.

My dad's 8" Craftsman on a pretty slick plywood base cabinet was 'productive' ..

[Jim Becker]

Andy, while many building sites do have power at some point, contractors are embracing battery operated tools big-time because they are more flexible to position and move around and don't have tails to trip over. The latter is the same thing that has moved them from pnumatic nailers to battery or gas operated nailers. The site power is leveraged for charging stations, etc. Even jobsite lighting has moved to battery power...Milwaukee has some pretty nifty solutions for that. Milwaukee and Makita (and I believe other brands) have been selling battery operated table saws for sometime now, especially since they have worked out higher voltage/multi-battery setups that can handle ripping 2x stock with ease. Festool is not first to the party, but as can be expected, they added some additional finesse with their new portable offering.

[James Spillman]

Because I will be using the mini saw mostly for making kerf cuts I plan to buy an inexpensive saw. Amazon has many that would serve my needs for under $100.00. I'm going to do more research before buying.

[Alex Zeller]

Andy, while many building sites do have power at some point, contractors are embracing battery operated tools big-time because they are more flexible to position and move around and don't have tails to trip over. The latter is the same thing that has moved them from pnumatic nailers to battery or gas operated nailers. The site power is leveraged for charging stations, etc. Even jobsite lighting has moved to battery power...Milwaukee has some pretty nifty solutions for that. Milwaukee and Makita (and I believe other brands) have been selling battery operated table saws for sometime now, especially since they have worked out higher voltage/multi-battery setups that can handle ripping 2x stock with ease. Festool is not first to the party, but as can be expected, they added some additional finesse with their new portable offering.

Plus you don't have to deal with trying to find an outlet. When there's a power pole there's usually no free outlets. Then, of course, you have the roaming OSHA inspector who tells you that the cover on your extension cord has a nick and can't be on-site. The only downside to batteries is making sure you don't have yours walk away while charging out of your sight.

[andy bessette]

Plus you don't have to deal with trying to find an outlet. When there's a power pole there's usually no free outlets. Then, of course, you have the roaming OSHA inspector who tells you that the cover on your extension cord has a nick and can't be on-site. The only downside to batteries is making sure you don't have yours walk away while charging out of your sight.

Oh come on! You still have to charge the batteries.

[Jim Becker]

Oh come on! You still have to charge the batteries.
He more or less said that...by expressing the real concern about batteries walking away by themselves (not!) while out of sight on a charger. That just takes good site management and hopefully a good charging setup in the contractor's work trailer or truck.

[Bill Dufour]

The horrible fright mini saw is a piece of garbage. You have to see it in person to realize how bad. Under one amp power. No rip fence. Miter gauge is loose in the slot. does not really lock into place. I think it is a brush type super high rpm motor. Easy to push the blade to tilt it while locked? down.
Think cheap tilesaw design.
Bill D

[James Spillman]

I ended up buying the Harbor Freight mini tablesaw. I will only use it for kumiko projects It will only have to crosscut pieces that are at most 1/2" wide. No rip cuts. I wish the table was bigger. It is only a little over 4" square. We'll see how it works out.

[Jim Becker]

I wish the table was bigger. It is only a little over 4" square. We'll see how it works out.
Embed it in a shop-made auxiliary table to provide more work surface.