Cheap table Saw project

[OM99]

Hello Everyone,

Just joined but already been visiting the site a few times. Very new to wood working, got a few tools ( mainly cheapish one) as tight budget and also have some other hobbies that need funds too.

First i don't know if i am posting this in the right place on the forum, if not just move the thread where it belong .

I just bought a cheap Perfromance power pro table saw of ebay (i know they are not that good and accurate) however and this is where your advice will be greatly appreciated.

I plan to remove the cast aluminium top completely from it and make a new top out of 2 18mm plywood, i was thinking of 600mm deep and 1500mm wide is that a sufficient table size and roughly where would the blade should be (I understand that the blade should be more to the back than the front, and the to the left of the top).

Would 2 laminated 18 mm plywood be strong enough for that size? I also plan to laminate the top with some formica to make the table smoth and easy to slide the piece of wood.

I also intend to build a small cabinet around it. ( seen plenty of example on you tube for that)

another querry i have would be for the mitre slot, would you get one of those t-slot rail or just rout a 3/4" groove on the top?

All advice very welcomed.

Thanks
Oli

 

[flh801978]

I think I would leave the top on and make a table out of your 36mm thick ply and drop that over the saw ( with a hole cut out to suit the saw)

Place your mitre slot to the left of the blade and use a alloy profile or t slot rail
You may have to make an extension arm to get your mitre closer to the blade

If you replace the table directly you have lost perhaps 26mm of cut depth (36mm - 10mm alloy top )

Ian

 

[lurker]

Sounds like a lot of work to try to make a sows ear into something else
It's a sub 100 quid saw so its never going to be as good as something costing 7 times the price
Having said that mine was fine for years until I pushed it too hard and cooked the motor
You can easily fettle the current set up to turn out reasonable results
What's wrong with the cast ally table
I had one of those saws for a number of years and thought the table was one of its redeeming features

 

[OM99]

Table didn't come with a fence or mitre gauge, if I replace the top I can make a new fence for it and I am not sure the mitre slot on the table are the standard 3/4 inch for me to buy an off the shelf gauge. If they are the standard 3/4 inch slot then i would re-use them

Am I just better off just to build a table around the existing top as suggested by flh801978?

Also another thing i don't like is the throat plate for the saw, its very thin and i can't see how i could make a one out of ply to replace the plastic one.

I am aware its only a cheap saw, and will never compete with the like of axminster TS-200/TS250 but if i can modify it to make it better, i saw i good example on you tube with some mdf and hardboard for the top but he bolt it in straight on the existing top, which i would like to avoid. if i remove the existing one i shouldn't loose much depth of cut.

 

[lurker]

I might still have the mitre if you could remind me what the slot looks like
It was crap anyway iirc. I made a sled to do that stuff
Also the fence was rubbish

I drilled a couple of holes in the ally top and made a sliding one out of some wood and a few knobs

Actually I don't see why it would not be as good as axey low end offerings
If the blade is parallel to the slots or adjustable so it can be, an accurate saw is a possibility.

 

[lurker]

I just looked at the axminster ones you quote yours is not far from that standard with a bit of thought.

 

[lurker]

Regards the throat plate
You make one out of thickish sheet .... I used a scrap of laminate floor

Then you rebate all the way around a narrow lip to the correct height (not sure i have explained that very well).
I used a router but you could use hand tools
I tend to make a few at a time then I have years worth of them.

 

[OM99]

Lurker,

thanks for the advice, the slot do look like the one they sell in rutlands, i would post a link but my account doesn't allow me. Will try to measure them out as accurately possible.

the slot do look parallel to the blade, i am waiting delivery of a framing square so it will help check this out and is the blade is square to the bottom edge of the top.

I do get what you mean for the throat plate, i do have lots of scrap laminate flooring.

 

[OM99]

Dismantled the saw and removed from the top, cleaned it up, the rail on the saw are not the 3/4 inch standard, no real surprise there.

also there is a rod at the top for the blade angle adjustment, this however slot onto the ally top.

So put everything back together, while doing so i have noticed that when I raise the blade there is an arc to it, the blade would be at 89 ish degree when at the bottom and maybe 90 maybe a bit more. Also the blade moves from right to left by about 2 mm as I raise it. :shock:

Will see if i can sort it, if not will have to invest in a better one, but can't afford a proper saw either.

Cheap for a very good reason.

 

[Bodgers]

Matthias Wandel has just completed a simple, accurate table saw build on YouTube - look it up. It basically uses a piece of flat kitchen top, a hand held circular saw, some plywood etc. His guide assumes basic tools to build it.

If you are after cheap, the cheapest decent saw is the Axminster TS200 - it has a cast iron top and a belt drive induction motor, and if you can tweak the fence you have a decent setup. Should be able to pick one up for about 150 on eBay.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lurker]

If you give up and decide to buy this might be of interest
http://www.charnwood.net/shop/product/1 ... ly?cid=135

I have the same saw.
I bought via a similar offer about a year ago, they are quite close to where I live.
With tweaking it works well
You need to factor in travel
They are less than an hour from you I think.

 

[OM99]

Well spend most of yesterday on it and the rise and fall of the saw seems to be working as it should.

Next is squaring the blade to the table top (but if replace it then just need to put the top square to the blade )

I might use an off cut of a kitchen worktop, or just one 18 mm ply and some hardboard to give me a smooth top.

Lurker would the link you gave me just be pretty much the same as i have though? Or is that charnwood a better quality to start with?

 

[MMUK]

Would it not be easier to take a circular saw and build a timber table from scratch? There's a few how-to's on YT

 

[Angusdog]

Get some ideas from the excellent Matthias Wandel's videos on YouTube. I find his videos an excellent source of ideas as his approach is very economical and thoughtful.

 

[Bodgers]

Get some ideas from the excellent Matthias Wandel's videos on YouTube. I find his videos an excellent source of ideas as his approach is very economical and thoughtful.

See post #10

 

[OM99]

Matthias Wandel has just completed a simple, accurate table saw build on YouTube - look it up. It basically uses a piece of flat kitchen top, a hand held circular saw, some plywood etc. His guide assumes basic tools to build it.

If you are after cheap, the cheapest decent saw is the Axminster TS200 - it has a cast iron top and a belt drive induction motor, and if you can tweak the fence you have a decent setup. Should be able to pick one up for about 150 on eBay.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I did look at a couple on ebay and both went for 250+ way more than i want to spend.

On another note all the tinkering is paying out, rise and fall for the blade working properly, blade now square to the top. Did a test cut on some pine with the crappy blade i have and it was square but not a nice cut (new blade needed as per my other thread)

Will now use the top and do what flh801978 suggested, but first need to build a cabinet for it .

 

[Bodgers]

I did look at a couple on ebay and both went for 250+ way more than i want to spend.

On another note all the tinkering is paying out, rise and fall for the blade working properly, blade now square to the top. Did a test cut on some pine with the crappy blade i have and it was square but not a nice cut (new blade needed as per my other thread)

Will now use the top and do what flh801978 suggested, but first need to build a cabinet for it .

Crazy money considering, thou could get them new for under £200 before Feb this year!

 

[OM99]

Crazy money considering, thou could get them new for under £200 before Feb this year!

I should have started on this a few month earlier,

I'd like a proper cabinet saw though, maybe one day.

 

[JakeS]

Crazy money considering, thou could get them new for under £200 before Feb this year!

I think the reason that the price is usually higher, though, is that most people seem to buy the all-in kit with the sliding table and the extension and the leg stand - which has been over £200 for a long time.

 

[OM99]

Table is coming along nicely. Not as fast as i like thought but not a lot of free time.

I kept the original top as i think it would have been too much hassle to replace it completely. I did make a zero clearance insert out of laminate floor i had and much better than the plastic crap that came with the saw.

Still have to make a couple of doors, one for under the saw as i have cut out the shelf to allow saw dust to drop on there will have a bucket for collection and another door where the shelves are. and some edging around the top to protect the plywood a bit.

I also still need to make a rip fence and will most likely make a simple T-square one (as per Matthias Vendel) and a cross cut sled.

Added some small casters for easy movement too ( but i don't thnk they are strong enough so might have to replace those).

Oli