Advice for first table saw - with no change in house wiring!

[woof]

Hello all,
New here, and have very much enjoyed the extensive coverage of table saw advice in the forum, and am desperate to join the long thread of table saw owners! Well, I have narrowed down potential saws to a small handfull now, and was just about to buy an EB TS250, but then read a post about how the bigger table saws some of you own tend to blow fuses unless you revamp the electrics - something I would prefer not to have done at this stage (given I am also purchasing new router, router table, biscuit jointer ... and anything else you recommend!)
My requirement is to cut straight, 18mm oak or similar - for making bits of furniture for the house.
No dedicated workshop - rather sharing the garage with the freezer and bicycles! Hence I think one of the big cast iron tables not a good idea straight away!
So how about one of the following?
List so far:
Electra Beckum TS250
Eleckra Beckum TS200
Dewalt T745
Makia 2704

Anyone own these or happy to comment on whether they can work off normal 13amp supply? Any model stand out above the other? Any other half decent model I have mised out? Anyone selling a second hand one!!!

Thanks for advice.

 

[Stu in Tokyo]

I've got the older version of the DW745, the BT744, I just simply love it, I'm not sure, but I think the newer DW745 has a slightly smaller table on it...?

I do not have room for a larger TS, so this fits the bill.

I've cut 3" thick Oak on it, a slow feed rate, and a good sharp blade, it was work, but it did cut it.

18mm should be no problem.

The blade that came with is OK, but invest in a good blade, it will pay dividends.

There are also several portable stands that goes with this saw, get one, it will make your life much easier.

The Makita is also a good saw, but I think the DeWalt is a LOT better.

 

[John McM]

Hi Woof, You can build furniture on the kitchen table, corner of the garage, tiny shed etc. People do but I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to do it as a decent hobby plan for it right from the start. It will be a lot more rewarding and you'll get better results much quicker. If you want to step on the slope, spend your money fitting out a workshop. Evict the car, bikes and everything else from the garage. If it's a concrete floor, paint it. Paint the walls a light colour, insulate the door etc. Spend some money upgrading the lights and electrics. We all spend money on the wrong things, buy cheap, wish we hadn't, have to upgrade etc It's human nature. If I were you I'd buy:

The Axminster CI Tablesaw if you have a double garage, the SIP version if you don't (sliding table needs room). I'd fit a router table in 1 of the extension wings, there's a thread on it on the project section of the forum. I'd go for the Triton router (M001 I think). You can adjust the height from above the table without the need for any of the router raiser products. After the TS I'd buy a planer/thicknesser and a bandsaw. Make or buy a solid bench with a tail vice, invaluable. Add the rest as you can.
Hope that helps although it's probably not what you wanted to hear.
Cheers

 

[Sawdust]

Hi Woof,

I have the Fox 10" cast iron saw which I got from Rutlands: http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/F36530

It's a good machine and runs on a 13A socket without any problems.

Cheers
Mike

 

[p111dom]

My previous saw was a kity 419 and that is a great starter saw. The sliding table was probably the best I've seen on a saw of this size. The snag is the cost which with all the addon's was something ridiculous like £700. However Kity seem to go bust every other year and Fox seem to have pinched/bought the design.

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/F36524

This looks exactly the same as the Kity but costs £399 for everything.

Then there's this offering from Axminster

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=655467&name=saw&user_search=1&sfile=1&jump=0

Obviously made in the same factory as the fox but at only £278.48 I think it's a real bargin. Even seems to have imporvements over the origional Kity with a winding wheel for tilt adjust. I can't say for sure as I've not seen it in the flesh but if it is indeed a Kity copy and is built as well as it, I think it's a good choise. Plus you'd get Axminsters excellent customer service to boot!

 

[newt]

EB PK 200 great little saw, light enough to move around, accurate, sliding table very good, not cheap though around £650.

 

[chippy1970]

I have the EB TS250 now badged as Metabo I bought it just before they re-badged to Metabo. Its a great saw very powerful just a little bit too noisy, dust extract is good and its built really well.

The mitre slot isn't the standard size so most of the American jigs and sleds etc don't fit as far as I know. Its very easy to carry around and comes with a good strong stand.

 

[matt]

Where are all the Xcalibur recommendations that used to be so prevalent in these threads? I've got the 805 having considered Elektra Beckum and Scheppach (the small ones). Very pleased with it.

 

[Saintsman]

Matt,

We're still here ! I can thoroughly recommend the Xcalibur 806, but it did need it's own fuse wiring in, which the OP wasn't keen on.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[woof]

This is extremely helpful - thanks tons for the suggestions. A lot of food for thought. Love the idea of making a workshop, but think right at this time its a non starter - but maybe in the future!

I thought I was pretty decided but some new models you ahve mentioned look very neat. Love the look of the 10" Fox that Sawdust recommends - but need to see if it is going to fit (certainly seemed more expensive than I was intending ... but my eyes are getting bigger!) But how stable is the EB PK200 with the extensions/sliding table etc - and does it suffer from the same non-conventional mitre slot size that prevents add ons as Chipp has mentioned about the EB TS250? The Axminsters look great too ... and then there is a dewalt DW745 on ebay ........ 8-[ 8-[ What to get .... back to the garage and look around. Any more thoughts on one that will run off 13A much appreciated. ccasion5:

 

[chippy1970]

The EB PK200 has got a very small mitre slot totally different where as the 250 is nearer to the standard or USA one.

I didn't like the EB PK200 when I looked at it it seemed a bit like a toy not a real saw i'm sure plenty of people have them and are happy with them but I felt the ts250 was more solid. I have not seen any attachments for my TS250 yet like extensions etc but its more fun making your own.

 

[woof]

Sorry to keep this thread alive, but still undecided. The Fox 10" cast iron looks gorgeous but ... the size is just overwhelming for my space.

However, following threads here and browsing on net, the Sheppach 2010 looks rather good with the full package. However, only a 200mm blade. Two questions:
1. Anyone who owns one, do they like it? does it cut accurately and is it stable enough? - seems pretty light when compared to the Fox.
2. Are my worries of 200mm blade founded? I am not looking to build a house (yet :lol: ) but just bits of furniture round the house. Is the size of your blade a "male thing" or will 200mm suffice.

If so - how about a direct comparison of the Scheppach 2010 v Elektra BEckum 200, and also the Fox 200mm precison jobbie.


Apologies again for keeping this going.

Mark

 

[woof]

Anyone got one of these ... Record TSC200 ?? http://www.poolewood.co.uk/acatalog/Record_TS200C_Table_Saw.html
Thoughts?
Or ...Anyone thinking of selling a Kity 419?

 

[OLD]

The alterations in wireing are minimal see
Pete Robinson
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20027
just fitting a 16amp outlet then you could have say a SIP ci saw that will last for the length of your hobby.

 

[Jake]

I am surprised a "qualified electrician" would give out such dangerous and poorly informed misinformation.

 

[Slim]

I am surprised a "qualified electrician" would give out such dangerous and poorly informed misinformation.

I was thinking exactly the same Jake.

For example, see this thread

Now davy_owen_88 knows what he is talking about, although he has gone to the other side

 

[Jake]

Well quite, but it's a bit late to be sad now.

 

[andycorleone]

I run my SIP 01332 from a 13 amp socket :shock: with out problem, I asked the same question before , this Saw is great value for money,
Bad things:
dust extraction and The mitre fence (you can always buy a more precise starting at £50)

God things
Nice Cast Iron Table, Quiet Induction Motor, Strong Fence

If you need the Sliding atachment go for the Axminster version, all depends on what you need it for (Normally a Mitre like the incra 1000ES will be enough for the needs)


I have my workshop in half of the garage the other half is storage ETC

 

[woof]

Thought I would update you kind folks who gave me great advice.

In the end I bought a second-hand Kity 419. First impressions .... nice saw! :lol:

Only one small piece missing - a hand-held bolt to clamp the cross-bar onto the sliding carriage. ANyone know whether I will be able to get such a spare part?

 

[catface]

hello,
what people sometimes forget when doing the wiring etc for the machinery is the difference between what you can do on the cheep to run the machine, and what is considered safe. After all, you can run machines if you were to replace blown fuses with foil or regular wire, although its a dumb thing to do as the fuses are there protect the equipment and wiring.

We all do things on the cheep sometimes, and it can be safe, depending on the mix of wires, breakers, etc. The main thing about using under rated wiring is the fire risk - your machine may run just fine - but the wires supplying the machine will be getting hotter & hotter until (if buried in a wall or under a wooden floor) the heat starts a fire and the cable melts. And the hot wire might be the one under the floorof your house, not the wire from your 13A socket to the machine in the workshop. This is why its a safety issue. rant over. Catface.