Is there a small, accurate table saw?

[Geoff Crimmins]

I need to downsize my hobby woodworking shop a bit, and would like to have a table saw that is smaller than a cabinet saw with the extension table. Is there a smaller table saw that would still be as accurate as a cabinet saw? Most of the smaller saws are jobsite saws, and they don't seem to have a reputation for being especially accurate. Is there a better options?

[Michael Burnside]

I’ve used this one and I was somewhat blown away at how great it felt when operating.

https://www.festoolusa.com/products/new-tools/new-tools/576821---csc-sys-50-us#Overview

I also know people on YouTube have had great success with the DeWalt line, but I’ve no experience with any of the newer models.

[Rick Potter]

I suggest you consider simply taking the table/wings on your cabinet saw, as the footprint isn't much bigger than a benchtop. This also leaves you options for later.

You could even rig fold down wings since the saw would be more stable/sturdy than any jobsite saw.

[Michael Jasper]

I have a Dewalt 7491RS jobsite saw. I removed it from the folding cart as I don't have any desire to "put it away" and built a sold stand for it. I am not an advanced wood worker by any means but it's been workable for me in very small shop. The fence is pretty solid. The table top is some kind of synthetic and definitely not metal or magnetic. The miter slot is a bit weird - you'll definitely want a better miter gauge and one that is easily adjustable for fit. (You may already have that if you're downsizing). My biggest complaints about it are a) very little room on the infeed end so it can be very challenging getting a long piece started. Also the adjustment for blade angle for miter cuts is stiff and has no "micro adjust" - you have to push it pretty hard to set the angle, making it very challenging to dial in a perfect angle. I wish that setting used a wheel like the depth setting. Other than those issues, I've found it very serviceable for my needs. Wish I had the space for something larger, but right now, I don't.
Tamar at 3x3 Custom has a nice video about how she managed with one of these for a long time till she got a full-sized table saw.
https://youtu.be/22oqr6o5z-w?feature=shared

Hope that's helpful.

[Bill Howatt]

I suggest you consider simply taking the table/wings on your cabinet saw, as the footprint isn't much bigger than a benchtop. This also leaves you options for later.

You could even rig fold down wings since the saw would be more stable/sturdy than any jobsite saw.

I think this is an excellent idea to consider.

[Warren Lake]

I have one General 350 no wings. I agree with that as well. I cant stand all those light saws. Last used a ridgid whatever full size thing at a job site. It worked and even surprised me. Cant say anything much I like about it rather have a cabinet saw with some weight and no wings.

[Earl McLain]

I suggest you consider simply taking the table/wings on your cabinet saw, as the footprint isn't much bigger than a benchtop. This also leaves you options for later.

You could even rig fold down wings since the saw would be more stable/sturdy than any jobsite saw.

Doing that would actually create a smaller saw than any job-site saw with the motor hanging out the back, retain the accruacy and most of the mass. And...give one the opportunity to put the wings back on --OR-- add a great cross-cut sled when needed. Removing only the left wing and shortening the fence rails could still provide probably 12" to 24" rips (plywood) and not be a larger footprint than most any job-site saw.

If you truly want to go small, and could live with the reduced cut depth, Byrne gets very high marks from model makers. byrnesmodelmachines.com However, Jim Byrnes passed away last fall and i don't think they are back to selling new machines yet, so the used market may be the only market for a Byrnes saw.

[Bill Dufour]

Sears sold a 8"? tablesaw in the 1950's. Much smaller footprint. Seemed well made. There is a printers type saw that folks convert to a wood working saw.
BILL D.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126120257292?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=126120257292&targetid=2295557531670&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032274&poi=&campaignid=19851828444&mkgroupid=160536780385&rlsatarget=aud-1297930287338:pla-2295557531670&abcId=9307249&merchantid=116936273&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzom4pOTRhQMVvSitBh0PPga-EAQYASABEgJmq_D_BwE

https://www.briarpress.org/27948

[Ron Selzer]

Scraped a couple of those 8" saws twenty years or so ago. Could not give them away. Dad inherited them in the 60's
Ron

[Jim Becker]

Michael identifies one of the most accurate small table saws going at present from Festool. I does have limited rip capacity so combining with a track saw and parallel guides for wide rips is necessary, but the small sliding table is the bee's knees for accurate and safe small parts production, too. For a more "traditional" saw, some folks like the DeWalt with the better fence. If you will still have 240v power, the deal of removing the extension wings and using short fence rails on your existing saw has merit, too.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

There is Micro Mark If you want to go real small. My small saws are a Ryobi and an antique Wards Powercraft.

https://www.micromark.com/mini-powertool/-saws/table-saws

[Richard Coers]

Another vote for Festool. An amazing little 33 pound machine. Blade tilt is -10 degrees to plus 47 degrees, miter gauge mounted on a sliding table that will make you squeal with delight on how smooth it is, adjusts from 0 degrees to 70 degrees. Nearly dustless and cuts as smooth as a Forrest Woodworker II with the stock blade. I had always wanted a Bryrne modeling saw, but with Jim's passing the company is in a bit off kilter. Pretty certain you can't even order a new saw right now, only accessories. An amazing machine for picture frames! Sure the price of the Festool stings a lot, but darned if you don't smile every time you use it.

[brent stanley]

I believe this is considered the Rolls Royce of small, light table saws now: https://www.timberwolftools.com/mafell-erika-85ec-pull-push-saw

B

[Patty Hann]

I believe this is considered the Rolls Royce of small, light table saws now: https://www.timberwolftools.com/mafell-erika-85ec-pull-push-saw

B

:eek: :eek: :eek: xxxxxxxxxxxx

[Brian Holcombe]

The Erika tablesaws look impressive. My Ulmia tablesaw has a push feature, and double miter, it makes life easier for mitering.

Also the Erika cuts 2-13/16 or 3-5/16” depending on the model. The festool cuts 1-11/16, so it’s not cutting 8/4 material.

[John Erickson]

I have an old (1940's) Delta 1160 tilt top saw that I like which is solid, accurate and very smooth. Another more resent choice is the Inca 259 with the mortising attachment, I never used one but past reviews were very favourable.

[Larry Edgerton]

I used a new Bosch saw the other day, with a fold up stand, not mine. Was skeptical as I generally have a low opinion of job site saws, and I was impressed. was just pine, but the cut was as smooth as my slide saw! Did a couple of deep cuts and it seemed to have plenty of power. Fence was fine. Saved me from running back to the shop.

[John M Wilson]

I used a new Bosch saw the other day, with a fold up stand, not mine. Was skeptical as I generally have a low opinion of job site saws, and I was impressed. was just pine, but the cut was as smooth as my slide saw! Did a couple of deep cuts and it seemed to have plenty of power. Fence was fine. Saved me from running back to the shop.

I have used one for years, and am very pleased with the results. My workspace is a garage that we actually use to park our cars, so the ability to fold up my toys and put them away trumps all of the advantages of a bigger saw. Still, combined with a tracksaw, I have built plenty of projects, and never really found a cut I couldn't do.

I am, however, contemplating selling it and getting the similar Sawstop model, for the safety feature. (But, that's a different thread entirely! :))

[Mark Gibney]

I'm restoring a 1938 Craftsman 8" cast iron body table saw. It came with removable wings. Here's a photo of the machine (not mine). They come up for sale in better condition than this rusty one.
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And here's a link to a restored version
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=36593

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I'm restoring a 1938 Craftsman 8" cast iron body table saw. It came with removable wings. Here's a photo of the machine (not mine). They come up for sale in better condition than this rusty one.
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And here's a link to a restored version
http://www.vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=36593

I have something similar in the shed. I plan to set it up as a dedicated 1/4" dado. Mine is a really neat little saw but the arbor tilt does not tilt the motor so its usefulness is limited. The little Power Kraft has the same flaw with the tilt function.

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[Brian Backner]

If you can find one, an extremely accurate - and heavy - small saw is a Hammond Glider. These were originally meant for cutting lead type for printing presses. I have a model G4 (there are a half-dozen or more models) and it can routinely cut accurately to a thousandth of an inch. There are quite a few people on Old Wood Working Machines that have them and there are threads about maintaining and converting them. Takes about a 7" blade with a unique three bolt pattern around the arbor - Forrest can configure blades for them. Craftspeople that build wooden puzzles go crazy over these things at auctions. You can also find them on CraigsList for little money on occasion.

These are obviously meant for small scale work and cutting small parts though I have seen people ripping long 1Xs and cutting up half sheets of plywood on them. Those operations seemed dicey to me, however.

Here is a brochure on four of the G series:

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=21520

Here is a guide to rebuilding a G100:

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=29988




(http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=29988)

[Bill Dufour]

The horrible fright mini tablesaw is bad, floppy, et..
Bill D

[Mark Gibney]

You can buy a new arbor from Peter Harrison for the Hammond TrimOsaw that allows the saw to take a 5/8" arbor sawblade.
https://www.instagram.com/peter_harrison_furniture/p/C4OP7IsLtF7/

I bought one but haven't fitted it to the saw yet.

[Wes Grass]

Another vote for Festool ... Blade tilt is -10 degrees to plus 47 degrees ...

I did not know that. Pretty sweet for sure.

Martin, or Altendorf, does +- 45 or more?

I remember looking for pic's as to how, but don't remember if I found anything.

'We' had ... maybe still have (Dad's garage) an 8" Craftsman on a pretty nicely designed and built stand that doubles as a dust bin. I kinda remember doing some nice work on it.

I had a Dewalt portable. It had a couple little quirks, like a hollow in the die cast table that really only mattered on small pieces. Built a nice bench with it, a circular saw, and a borrowed 4" jointer. All used on my knees on the floor ... no bench ...

And...

I was waiting for the Hammond to be mentioned ;-)

[Cameron Wood]

Another mention of the Delta 1160 saw. Compact, and quite capable (except for the tilting table, and lack of dust collection).

518757

[Randy Heinemann]

I suggest you consider simply taking the table/wings on your cabinet saw, as the footprint isn't much bigger than a benchtop. This also leaves you options for later.

You could even rig fold down wings since the saw would be more stable/sturdy than any jobsite saw.

I think this is a great idea. Spacewise the saw without wings is likely to have about the same footprint as a jobsite saw. Plus, your existing saw is likely to have a bit more power than a jobsite saw and probably a greater distance in front of the blade (which is significant when ripping).

However, if you need the ability to fold the saw up and move it out of the way, then a jobsite saw on a foldup stand would have some advantages. I own a Sawstop Jobsite saw. It's very accurate. It easily folds up and to allow storage out of the way when not in use. It has plenty of power (although not likely as much as a cabinet saw). It's one drawback for me was the miter gauge which I replaced with an Incra miter gauge/sled kit. Of course, you get the safety of the Sawstop saw also which I feel is significant.

The Festool CSC SYS50 is a great saw and appears to be highly accurate. However, it seems as if it would be necessary to purchase it with the portable stand to make it versatile enough to be replace a cabinet saw which brings the price to $2,000. It's probably not as powerful and lacks a little bit in the table size department compared to your current saw. It does have a lot of excellent features which make it a great saw. I've only seen in-person demos, but I think it's possible the miter gauge setup may not be quite as accurate as an Incra gauge on a regular tablesaw. (I'd research that before I'd buy.)

[Patty Hann]

I did not know that. Pretty sweet for sure.

Martin, or Altendorf, does +- 45 or more?

I remember looking for pic's as to how, but don't remember if I found anything.

'We' had ... maybe still have (Dad's garage) an 8" Craftsman on a pretty nicely designed and built stand that doubles as a dust bin. I kinda remember doing some nice work on it.

I had a Dewalt portable. It had a couple little quirks, like a hollow in the die cast table that really only mattered on small pieces. Built a nice bench with it, a circular saw, and a borrowed 4" jointer. All used on my knees on the floor ... no bench ...

And...

I was waiting for the Hammond to be mentioned ;-)

I have the 10" 7480... it still has the dip in it near the throat plate (top is aluminum).
Not a problem when using a Crosscut sled. Problem is when doing thin rips

[Warren Lake]

drop a sheet of quarter inch ply with a stop block front and back on the table saw. Turn your blade up through it and thin rips are fine.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

The Delta Homecraft 8 1/4 inch is another nice vintage option. These had a drill press and jointer that shared the same motor. I have the drill press set up on its own. I regret giving the jointer away. I am on the lookout to replace the jointer and set this back up as original.

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http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=3754

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.garagejournal.com%2Fforum%2F threads%2Fdelta-homecraft-drill-press.416939%2F&psig=AOvVaw2nEwhq-Ebc3RxxO7FMcFBw&ust=1714015535700000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBUQ3YkBahcKEwiInrnT89mFAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQCQ

[Andrew Seemann]

I picked up a DeWalt DWE7491RS last year to use as a jobsite saw while residing my house. I am actually quite impressed with it. It is a far better saw than my dad's 1956 Craftsman 9" saw that I learned on and used until I was nearly 30. Between my dad and I, that 9" saw made a lot of furniture.

And with an actual riving knife and a semi-usable blade guard on the DeWalt, it probably is safer than my 1986 Unisaw (which the Unisaw reminded me of a couple months ago. Kickback hurts!). I didn't do much crosscutting on it with the miter gauge, but I rarely crosscut on a table saw in general.

I would miss the power of the Unisaw, but if I absolutely had to, I probably could get by with the DeWalt. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it would be a workable one.

Acme even has them on sale now:)

[Patty Hann]

drop a sheet of quarter inch ply with a stop block front and back on the table saw. Turn your blade up through it and thin rips are fine.

Will try it. Thanks :)

[Rich Engelhardt]

drop a sheet of quarter inch ply with a stop block front and back on the table saw. Turn your blade up through it and thin rips are fine.
Tried that with my Hitachi job site saw.
I never solved all the problems I had getting it to work with the fence.

[Steve Demuth]

I had one of those that I purchased from a friend 45 years ago. He had it from his father's estate. I used it as my primary table saw for a couple of decades, but one day the friend shows up and wants to lend to a young fellow building his own house. I was traveling all the time for work, and saw no need for it in the forseeable future, so of course gave it back to the guy I had gotten it from on loan. Never saw the saw again. He still apologizes for having lost my saw about once a year, when I see him at a community event.

It was a great saw for it's size. Plenty of mass, solid bearings with minimal runout, and accurately ground miter slots. Assuming he only very rarely needs blade tilt, would be a perfect compact saw for the Geoff's situation. Can't recommend it though for anything most things that do require a blade tilt. Tilted tables on a saw are just all kinds of difficult to work with.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I had one of those that I purchased from a friend 45 years ago. He had it from his father's estate. I used it as my primary table saw for a couple of decades, but one day the friend shows up and wants to lend to a young fellow building his own house. I was traveling all the time for work, and saw no need for it in the forseeable future, so of course gave it back to the guy I had gotten it from on loan. Never saw the saw again. He still apologizes for having lost my saw about once a year, when I see him at a community event.

It was a great saw for it's size. Plenty of mass, solid bearings with minimal runout, and accurately ground miter slots. Assuming he only very rarely needs blade tilt, would be a perfect compact saw for the Geoff's situation. Can't recommend it though for anything most things that do require a blade tilt. Tilted tables on a saw are just all kinds of difficult to work with.
My Hitachi job site saw was none of those good things.
15 amp direct drive motor screamed like a Banshee - aluminum top was lightweight - miter slots were stamped out of the aluminum, were not a standard size (metric size of some sort), the legs were weak and spindly and the saw was very prone to tipping over, indifferent fence - not bad - not good - just there.
Horrible excuse for a tool.
I did manage to remake all the doors in a kitchen with it so it paid for itself.
I think we're talking about different saws.

[Edward Weber]

You could always go for a combo
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806385584610.html?src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&albagn=888888&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&albcp=20268592310&albag=&trgt=&crea=en3256806385584610&netw=x&device=c&albpg=&albpd=en3256806385584610&gad_source=1&aff_fcid=b6ea97ada4b64da39746d607c6167c49-1713976635540-04171-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=b6ea97ada4b64da39746d607c6167c49-1713976635540-04171-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=a820ed6b57964f00b73d4d1d080dba16&afSmartRedirect=y&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

[Warren Lake]

putting ply down works great, its no different than a zero clearance insert and maybe better.

[Tom M King]

Looks like this place has a couple of the Trim-O-Saw's for sale:

https://industriallynx.com/hammond-g100-glider-trim-o-saw-glide-table-saw-for-trim-28-fence-1hp-3ph/

[Warren Lake]

for 400.00 to 1,000.00 you can buy a used cabinet saw. You can add a few jigs made from scrap and probably have a better saw than most shown here. You are limited by these smaller saws where the larger cabinet saw can do the small stuff and larger stuff. Past experience ripping material on small saws is painful.

[Mike King]

How about an Inca table saw? You can find used ones in great condition...

[Richard Coers]

Geoff has never come back. I think we can stop suggesting solutions until he comes back.

[Patty Hann]

Geoff has never come back. I think we can stop suggesting solutions until he comes back.
Maybe he's reading all the comments, but not saying anything at the moment.

[Geoff Crimmins]

Thank you to everyone for all the good ideas! I suppose the best saw for the lowest price would be to follow the suggestion to remove the extension table from my cabinet saw and buy a shorter fence rail. Then I can always put the extension table back on if I have more room in the future. But some of the other suggestions look interesting, too, so I'm going to learn more about some of the other saws that were mentioned.

[Matt Day]

A Hammond Trim-O-saw is pretty sweet.