Table saw???

[chrapladm]

I have always used my fathers table saw to build whatever and now that I am living in OZ now I need to buy my own.

Well when it comes to buying new tables saws I am an idiot. SO anybody out there, can you point me in the right direction on what I should look for in a table saw please?

I was just going to go out and buy the cheapest Bunnings ($135) table saw and be happy but I want to make sure that I am not going to be having to replace that in a few months. I will be making a "panel," jig so I can cut pieces that are alot bigger than the table.

So can anyone tell me what I need to look for specification wise, and how much is a good beginner table saw?

I don't need the best, plus my skills and projects dont require the best either. I will be cutting Baltic Birch plywood 90% of the time if that helps any. Most of the lumber I will be cutting will be less than 50mm roughly thick.

Thanks for anyones help.

[kiwigeo]

Bunnings......you get what you pay for. I steer clear of the place and go to my local Jet retailer if I want decent machinery. Carbatec used to be ok but of late I haven't had much satisfaction with service.

I dont own a table saw but I've heard good things said about the Jet Supersaw. Others in here own saws and can advise on same.

Also check out the Ubeaut's woodworking forums...machinery gets reviewed and talked about there.

Cheers Martin

[sebastiaan56]

I'll echo what Martin said,

Go to the Ubeaut forum where there are plenty of gurus on the equipment available in Aus, a whole sub forum in fact http://www.woodworkforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=153

I bought the $136 TS and it is almost enough for my needs but very limited with a small table and not much power. I still have to cut scarf joints by hand.....

[Allen]

Sort of depends on what you are wanting to do. If all you're going to cut is some plywood, then a circular saw and a straight edge will do the trick, and take up far less room.

On the other hand, I've got the Jet Super Saw with a sliding table. It's a brilliant saw for everything that I've needed it for. You get what you pay for, and I've used those small contractor table saws that Bunnings and the like sell. They may get you buy, but in my case, it didn't take many uses to want to get rid of it, and buy something better.

[chrapladm]

I will keep searching for a used table saw. A friend of mine has a Triton table saw that he said I can use for now.

How do you cut angle cuts with the circular saw?

I am referring to the edge. I know on a table saw you can adjust the blade and most can cut up to a 45 Degree angles. I am not sure how to do this with a circular saw. And yah I could probably do about 95% of my work with a jig saw and a circular saw.

[Allen]

Virtually every circular saw I've seen will allow you to do the same sort of cuts as the table saw will, with respect to bevels up to 45 degrees. The base simply adjusts with some sort of locking mechanism that is slackened off, then tightened once adjustment is made.

I had to do a bunch of work exactly like this on Friday at work, as I was deemed the "Best at working with wood". Sure it would have been far easier to do everything on my table saw at home, but that would have meant an hour commute at rush hour for something that only took 15 minutes with a skill saw, a couple of saw horses, and a straight edge.