Improve Cheap Table saw

[Aidex]

Hi Everyone

Weather's starting to look up this week so fingers crossed we get a sunny and mild spring!!!

10 years or so ago I bought my first batch of tools, among them a little Ryobi table saw. I only used it to cut a few thin strips of plywood (to fill gaps in the kitchen floor between floorboards) and it's been boxed up since.

The fence on it wasn't particularly accurate but the table itself was light enough to move around if and when needed and the table top seems nice and flat.

I use a track saw to cut down sheets so I don't need nor have the space or budget for a good big saw. However, a cross cut sled would be a really useful tool for me and this is where I need your advice!

In your experience, would I be wasting my time making a cross cut sled for a cheap saw such as mine given that it was never built as a precision tool? Or, properly "tuned" (I've seen the YouTube videos ), would/could it be perfectly accurate?

If so I'd keep it and might also consider making a new fence, perhaps over a new mdf top (I can afford to lose about 25mm cutting depth).

Many thanks, as always, for all your advice!

Aidex

 

[LancsRick]

What sort of precision are you aiming for?

 

[owen]

For cross cutting you'd be better off getting a sliding mitre saw. I use mine a hell of a lot more than my table saw.

 

[JWD]

Have you checked the alignment of the tracks in the table with the blade? if they're off then you'll struggle putting an accurate x-cut sled together! the saw probably has adjustment, but a dial indicator will be the gold standard in terms of getting the tracks and the blade perfectly parallel.

Once you sort that out it should be dead straight forward, the best video i've seen on youtube is the wood whisperer's take on cross cut sleds. I can't remember exactly but i think he gets his exactly square with a really clever method that you don't necessarily need an extreme precision square for.

Joe

 

[powertools]

To make a cross cut sled would take less than an hour to make and would be as accurate as you care to make it even on the cheapest of table saws.

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

I agree that even on a cheap saw a cross cut sled can be pretty perfect, they are also safer and easier to use than a mitre fence
Good method for getting the cut perfectly square here at 28 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbG-n--LFgQ
I wouldn't trim my runners on the table saw like he does though, that kind of job is what a hand plane is for, nor would I use a pattern bit on a router table for no good reason when making a worshop jig, but hey, maybe that's just me
Paddy

 

[Aidex]

Hi EVeryone!

Thank you all for your advice. I'll keep hold of the saw for now then and aim to make a cross cut sled soon.

The one other thing I can see it being useful for (the table saw) is for ripping pieces of timber thinner than the guide rail. I've managed with the guide rail so far but with an accurate fence I think it would be faster with the table saw. So, if I add a new fence to the "to do" list, might it be better if I made this to work on a new mdf table surface that I can square to the blade?

Many thanks....again!

Aidan

 

[Orraloon]

I had a ryobi table saw and did a lot of work with it. If it is the one with the aluminum top and the router wing then it can be tuned up to be reasonably accurate. This clip shows how to align the blade with the slots in the table. Not the same saw but principle is the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF_s0TKoeuw
After that align fence with blade. I think the book shows that but you should be able to work it out. The fence is the weak spot with those saws but a bit of care and checking of measurements before cutting goes a long way. And of course a sled will make huge difference to all sorts of crosscutting and small work.
Regards
John

 

[transatlantic]

To make a cross cut sled would take less than an hour to make and would be as accurate as you care to make it even on the cheapest of table saws.

Not true. A cross cut sled can only be accurate if the saw itself is acurrate. If the mitre slots aren't the same width along their length, then the sled will have play. If the slots aren't parallel, then it obviously can't work at all, unless you make it a loose fit and again have play.

If the slots are the same width along their length, but aren't parallel, you could try a single runner sled.
If the slots are parallel, but aren't the same width along their length, you could try runners that nudge to the outer sides of each slot.

 

[thegsey]

-

 

[powertools]

To make a cross cut sled would take less than an hour to make and would be as accurate as you care to make it even on the cheapest of table saws.

Not true. A cross cut sled can only be accurate if the saw itself is acurrate. If the mitre slots aren't the same width along their length, then the sled will have play. If the slots aren't parallel, then it obviously can't work at all, unless you make it a loose fit and again have play.

If the slots are the same width along their length, but aren't parallel, you could try a single runner sled.
If the slots are parallel, but aren't the same width along their length, you could try runners that nudge to the outer sides of each slot.

Not true the most important adjustment on any table saw is that the rip fence is parallel to the blade. If having made that adjustment you find that the miter slots are not parrell to the blade the worst outcome is that the kerf is wider than the blade but with a sled made to compensate for this it will be accurate. If both miter slots are not parallel then as you say then just use one.

 

[transatlantic]

To make a cross cut sled would take less than an hour to make and would be as accurate as you care to make it even on the cheapest of table saws.

Not true. A cross cut sled can only be accurate if the saw itself is acurrate. If the mitre slots aren't the same width along their length, then the sled will have play. If the slots aren't parallel, then it obviously can't work at all, unless you make it a loose fit and again have play.

If the slots are the same width along their length, but aren't parallel, you could try a single runner sled.
If the slots are parallel, but aren't the same width along their length, you could try runners that nudge to the outer sides of each slot.

Not true the most important adjustment on any table saw is that the rip fence is parallel to the blade. If having made that adjustment you find that the miter slots are not parrell to the blade the worst outcome is that the kerf is wider than the blade but with a sled made to compensate for this it will be accurate. If both miter slots are not parallel then as you say then just use one.

I don't think that is correct. You generally adjust the table to the blade (i.e adjust mitre slots to blade) and then adjust the fence last accordingly. Anyway - not sure why you have brought up the fence, as it has nothing to do with a cross cut sled.

Anyhow, I still stand by what I said. The sled is only going to be as accurate as the saw, due to the points I mentioned.

 

[powertools]

I'm quite happy to accept that you absolutely have superior knowledge to me of table saws at all levels of quality. In my experience lower price saws have less adjustments than higher price saws but with a bit of ingenuity can be made to perform as well. I hope the op has been encouraged by your advice.