Which First?

[David Beeler]

Which would you first purchase, sliding compound miter saw or table saw?

Since I don't plan on doing any crown molding in the near future I am thinking table saw first. My reasoning is that most things that are done on the scms can also be done on the table saw plus the table saw can do things the scms can't. Would you agree with my reasoning?

Opinions appreciated.
David

[Bob Genovesi]

Without a doubt the table saw is the number 1 tool in any woodworkers shop.

[Bill Huber]

Go take a look at this tread and I think you will get your answer and then some....

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=69735


I still say it was the chicken.....

[Gary Keedwell]

The kind of work I do, I use the SCMS for rough cutting. All my mitering and finish work is done using my sled on the TS.I guess alot has to do with what kind of projects you have. When I did my house over, my SCMS went everywhere including outdoors. I'm just glad I have both of them at my disposal.
Gary

[Don Bullock]

... I'm just glad I have both of them at my disposal.
Gary

Me too, but if I could only just have one it would have to be a table saw. That said, I have to say that I feel my SCMS "paid for itself" the first time I used it.

[Norman Pyles]

Well I have a table saw, and use it on every project. I have a CMS, and loaned to my brother inlaw, who is refinishing his base and window trim. I hardly use it. This is what works for me, and like others have said. It has a lot to do with what type of project.

[Bruce Page]

The table saw can do just about anything the miter saw can do. Not so the other way around.
'Bout the only time I use my MS is if I'm fixing a fence or trimming baseboards.

[Charles Wiggins]

Which would you first purchase, sliding compound miter saw or table saw?

Since I don't plan on doing any crown molding in the near future I am thinking table saw first. My reasoning is that most things that are done on the scms can also be done on the table saw plus the table saw can do things the scms can't. Would you agree with my reasoning?

Opinions appreciated.
David

I made thirteen custom oak frames with mitered corners for a friend's art exhibition, and replaced all of the baseboard in our bathroom, all with the table saw and without a CMS. However, I could not have made the frames WITHOUT the table saw.

[Gene Michael]

My table saw is the most used piece of equipment in the shop, but on certain projects, the MS gets a pretty good workout. I bought mine new from Sears for about $150 on sale. Recently saw the same model and a few higher end ones for much less at the local pawn shop. I believe the one like mine was about $75, but I've found that a "What's your lowest price?" knocks 20% or more off of the price. My best buy was a duo, a Makita 9 amp, 7" circular saw and a 1/2 " Makita VS hammer drill with hi and lo speed ranges. Paid 100 for the pair.

[Stan Welborn]

Without a doubt the table saw is the number 1 tool in any woodworkers shop.
Uhhhh no. Maybe in yours, maybe in most, but not in every.

[Randy Klein]

Without a doubt the table saw is the number 1 tool in any woodworkers shop.

Have to disagree with that one as I don't even own one, so it can't be my #1. Of course this is a classic debate as evidenced here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56074)...

As to the OP, get the TS vs the SCMS.

[Greg Cole]

I bought the miter saw first, but I started this honny doing more house remodelling. For general home remodelling, anything you need to cut on a TS (well for the most part, you can do with a circ saw and straight edge).
My slide down the slope to finer woodworking started after the remodelling and my #1 purchase for the woodworking shop was a table saw.
My miter saw goes everywhere and is used in just about every project, be it building a deck, rough stock prep for a cabinet etc etc etc.
As said above, it really depends on what you want to do with the tools.... you can't really go wrong buying either as long as the tools gets used frequently. I hate to see tools purchased, used once and left to sit.....

Greg

[Danny Thompson]

Assuming your budget is over $200, get the table saw. Anything under that and you have to worry about safety (tipping, fence stability, blade guard reliability). You can build a simple miter sled to address most of your mitering needs and a crosscut sled for most of your crosscutting needs.