Budget table saw

[markblue777]

Hi all,
next year I will be re-building our shed and I plan to make it bigger to take it over as my workshop (as well as a small section still for storage or ill get shouted at by the misses).

I would be looking to get a table saw in there and I was wondering what budget table saws people would recommend. Straight off the bat I could go for up to £200. However, If saving a little extra would be be a much better one then I would be open to doing that (realistically up to £350 say).

The saw I have been looking at are:
Sub £200 range
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Power%2 ... 966/p20010

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ryobi-ets-152 ... -saw/39072

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-ebs25 ... 230v/24053

£300 ish range
http://www.screwfix.com/p/scheppach-ts- ... 240v/15413

http://www.screwfix.com/p/woodstar-st12 ... 240v/81018

http://www.screwfix.com/p/evolution-rag ... 230v/38948

Anyone have any opinion on these or any other suggestions (if I can get a good one for a cheaper amount I can obviously get some other toys )

Cheers
Mark

 

[MMUK]

Personally I'd go for the Evolution Fury. However, if you shop around a bit I'm sure you'll find it cheaper than Screwfux

 

[markblue777]

Hi MMUK,
Any reason to go for that over the others?

Cheers
Mark

 

[MMUK]

Just experience of the brand. They're ******* good! Universal blade cuts pretty much anything

 

[Mar_mite]

Id look at the Axminster ts200 basic saw. It's £240. But I think it's a better option than the others.

 

[RogerP]

Depends so much on what you want it for and your expectations. All of the ones you list are noisy brush motored machines with basic rip and mitre fences that won't be accurate enough for anything other than rough dimensioning.

I've been down this route and within a year I'd bought a much better induction motored machine that was over twice the price but ten times better. I felt I'd wasted my money on the first saw so think carefully before you splash out. In my opinion you'd be better to wait and save up a bit more cash. I wish I had.

 

[marcros]

Id look at the Axminster ts200 basic saw. It's £240. But I think it's a better option than the others.

i went to post a link to this, but I stopped. I started to ask myself whether it was that much better. It is certainly better, but people moan about the fence still. The extension kit is needed to cut anything usefully wide, otherwise you are restricted to very narrow stock, and either a stand or the materials to make a stand is needed. With all that taken into account, it is £330 odd quid, perhaps a bit more. The blade will also want replacing. At least it is induction motored

i think i would invest in something 2nd hand. unfortunately i cant find anything on ebay to suit at this second, but if you are patient...

 

[Mar_mite]

Id look at the Axminster ts200 basic saw. It's £240. But I think it's a better option than the others.

i went to post a link to this, but I stopped. I started to ask myself whether it was that much better. It is certainly better, but people moan about the fence still. The extension kit is needed to cut anything usefully wide, otherwise you are restricted to very narrow stock, and either a stand or the materials to make a stand is needed. With all that taken into account, it is £330 odd quid, perhaps a bit more. The blade will also want replacing. At least it is induction motored

i think i would invest in something 2nd hand. unfortunately i cant find anything on ebay to suit at this second, but if you are patient...

If £300 is the top of your budget you could spend the extra £60 on plywood or mdf and build some sort of station for the saw, including a cross cut sled for wider timber /boards.

 

[markblue777]

Any suggestions of second hand saws to go for? I'm looking at doing various projects with it that would possibly need to be more of an accurate cut. Will be making a cross cut sled as my first project for whatever one i get ( can also get free ply from a mate as he works for a maintenance firm. Anything else to spend the 60 quid on to improve it? New fence or the like?
Cheers
Mark

 

[Rhossydd]

Any suggestions of second hand saws to go for?

A lot depends on the space you have available, plus what you have available to collect a second hand one in and how far you are prepared to travel.
If you're looking at placement in a shed with a suspended wooden floor, anything really big will be difficult.

When I bought my first table saw (second hand) this year my shopping list went;
Cast iron table,
Induction motor,
Able to break down enough to fit in an estate car,
All individual bits light enough to be picked up single handed (less than 50kgs).

I reckon I got lucky with an Axminster TS200 complete with stand, extension table, sliding table and a couple of brand new spare blades all for £230.
It was easy to disassemble into my estate and I had a 4 hour round trip drive to collect it, so add £60 for fuel onto the cost.
With only a little bit of fettling I've found it very good and accurate for my work.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Can't help on the model (I'd rec the Xcaliber from Woodford, but it is in a completely different price bracket), but if the only thing that is poor is the fence, you can make one that will rival a Beismeyer for about £70.
S

 

[marcros]

you do need to check that there is something solid to fix a better fence to. I have seen at least one saw that is just a folded top- nothing at right angles, and no substance. If you can screw the supports to a solid frame, it would correct a lot of the shortcomings of these saws.

 

[Steve Maskery]

If any saw you buy has an ali extrusion or round bar on which the fence is mounted, I strongly rec that you replace it with a length of 2x2 box section, it's very mush easier to work with from a home engineering point of view.
S

 

[Karl]

I would always go 2nd hand.

I bought a virtually unused Xcalibur 12" saw for £700, new cost was circa £2k.

The saw it replaced was a Metabo TS250 - not a bad little saw for a small workshop. I sold it for £250 iirc.

HTH.

Cheers

Karl

 

[markblue777]

Hi all,
Thanks for the input so far, I have found this one any thought's?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charnwood-W625P ... USEPJGNEWV

It is an Induction Motor and from what I have been seeing these are better as they are quieter, correct?

Cheers
Mark

 

[Rhossydd]

The Charnwood is described as a "Contractors Table Saw". Great for building sites and similar, very portable due to the pressed steel table, but is it going to be suitable for the "accurate" work you specified earlier in the thread ? I'd guess not too much.
There's also no mitre slot in this type of table, so your idea of a cross cut sled won't be an option either.

 

[RogerP]

Hi all,
Thanks for the input so far, I have found this one any thought's?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charnwood-W625P ... USEPJGNEWV

It is an Induction Motor and from what I have been seeing these are better as they are quieter, correct?

Cheers
Mark

Yes, induction motors are much quieter than brush motors.

BUT

You'd really, really do much better to save up the extra £180 and get one of these (on same page as your link)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charnwood-W619-Table-Sliding-Carriage/dp/B006LLGSO4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_diy_2

 

[markblue777]

Hmm yeah that ain't to bad really. I suppose I should just save the extra. I really have to build the space first and see how much space I have anyway.

Cheers for the feedback all, has helped me a lot.


Cheers
Mark

 

[Rhossydd]

The Charnwood W619 looks to be just another re-badge of the same Chinese machine that's available as other brands like the Axminster TS200.
So you might choose a different badge with alternative(cheaper) options, eg you might not need the table extension or would prefer to build your own custom base.

 

[heimlaga]

The Charnwood looks like a fairly flimsy affair made for rough carpentry

What about a secondhand Wadkin-Bursgreen? They should be plentiful in Britain and seem to be rebuildable forever unless the worm gear that lifta and lowers the blade gets worn out (It can probably be rebilt too but I would hesitate to take on such a rebuild)........ or would it take up too much room......... or would it require power that you don't have.........or are they above your budget? I have no idea about old tool prizes over there.