First big tool purchase? £800 budget

[matt]

I traded in a cast iron tablesaw for a DeWalt 745. It's noisy but does the job. More importantly it is both compact and portable so I get more use of it than I did the cast iron monster. This is primarily because I work in a garage and on the adjacent patio. The DeWalt is accurate too and has a brilliant fence system.

I also have a rail saw which could easily make the tablesaw redundant if I chose to. My bandsaw is indispensable. Having a small workshop I like the fact the bandsaw makes is dead easy rip cut, even quite small timber. This means I get through my timber offcuts effectively and also usually have what I need to do a job vs having to go buy more timber. It's the one tool I would never be without but put off purchasing for some time.

 

[MikeG.]

I have searched the forums endlessly for tips for beginners on table saws and the like and, honestly, I think I'm more confused than ever....

I have a budget of £800 to get more seriously into the hobby, this is a lot of money for me and I really want to use it intelligently..........

My suggestion is that you sit on that money, and don't spend it on kit until you run up against a problem that can't be solved without spending it. I don't have a table saw, and 40 years of projects large and small have only seen me need one a couple of times, for difficult rebates. I nipped over to a friend's place and borrowed his.

I would make that a principle for any and every tool. Learn to use what you've got, and keep using it until you run into something that you can't do. Tablesaws are great eaters of workshop floorspace. It isn't just the area it stands on, but the work area required around it. I value space higher than kit, and find a bandsaw much more efficient space-wise.

In the meantime, spend the money on wood, and make more stuff!

 

[Cordy]

When I first bought my 745 D/W I had it sat on a Workmate type bench; this put the t/saw surface to about 37 inches
It wasn't easy keeping the timber right up to the fence when cutting
Then I read somewhere that table height is critical

I made a wooden table to bring the t-saw surface to about 34 inches; this transformed the sawing experience to excellent

just thought I'd mention......

 

[MikeJhn]

Have to admit I have no idea what my saw table height is, I just know its at exactly the same height as my workbench, Planer Thicknesser and Router table, all act as outfeed or infeed for each other.

Mike

 

[Raymond UK]

Looking at a couple of reviews of the Charnwood W619 and W629 and the mitre slots are not standard size and seem sloppy.

Not sure what to look at now as the Axminster comes in a fair few hundred quid more and without a sliding table.

 

[MikeJhn]

Just under £800.00 will buy one of these: http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... w-ax943888 complete with cast iron table top and cast iron sliding table, its a perfectly capable table saw, have a look at this thread: https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/axmi ... 02284.html But you don't have to have the side table extension on it.

Mike

Hate to repeat myself, but did you read this post, the cast iron mitre slide is available as an extra as is the side extension table, with the cast iron mitre slide you can ignore the mitre slots you will never use them.

Mike

 

[Raymond UK]

I did have a look at that one Mike but both the saw and the sliding table are out of stock and they have no idea when they'll be available again.

I assume you reviewed the saw on their website and said you wouldn't buy it again. Just interested what you have upgraded to now.

 

[Raymond UK]

Also, would you be able to give me the full dimensions width and depth including the sliding table and extension table.

Would be grateful if you could as I can't seem to obtain that from their website.

Thanks in advance

 

[matt]

Having used mitre slots and sliding table... I think I'd be considering a sled. That is, if I didn't have a mitre saw. The other thing I would consider is a multi-function table and a rail saw.

 

[MikeJhn]

I did review the saw on the Axminster web site and sang its praise, don't know how you got the idea I would not buy it again, to my mind its worth every penny.

Dims on Axminster site: https://www.axminster.co.uk/media/downl ... tprint.pdf

Another contributor recently wanted one and found one in stock at a store, if you do a bit of work you may be able to find one to.

I don't know where this fascination for the "SLED" American *******isation of the English Language, has come from, if it has two runners its a Sledge, but as I have said previously if you have the cast iron mitre slide table you will not have to use the mitre slots and can throw the mitre gauge into the spares bin.

Mike

 

[Raymond UK]

Sorry Mike. I've reread the reviews on a computer screen rather than my phone.

I thought the first review was yours as it has a link to your TS modifications thread.

I'll have a ring round and see if I can source the table and sliding table.

Dimensions are smaller than the Charnwood which is a bonus too.

 

[rafezetter]

Mango hasn't been around for some time
If you pm him it should meander towards his email inbox

Still got my Dewalt 745 and Metabo mitre saw
Recently bought a Metabo Bandsaw

Must have is a table saw; then M/saw, Bandsaw is a luxury -- imho of course

I'm still thinking of upgrading to Axy or similar table saw and perhaps a larger Metabo Mitre saw -- pure gluttony on my part

Personally I'd argue the toss about the Mitre Saw - I bought a basic one years ago, just a simple non-slide 1 axis angle version.

I hardly used it.

I then sold it for peanuts and upgraded to a 300mm capacity slide with full compound angle ability.

And still hardly use it

They only really come into their own for mitres and compound cuts plus making crosscuts in thick timber, quickly, which they obviously excel at.

For everything else, if you have a good tablesaw, a homemade crosscut sled will work just fine, and give you options like trenching etc, that can be a bit of a fiddle with a MS. Oh and you can also cut through thick timbers by making 4 quick passes.

Made correctly, even a saw like the Axi TS200 with it's small top can utilise a crosscut sled larger than the top size.