Looking for my first table saw

[jimwillsher]

Hi everyone

My first post, so apologies if I'm not following etiquette....

I am a home hobbyist who enjoys wordworking. I am comfortable using the various tools I have - planer/thicknesser, router etc - but a significant gap in my toolset is a table saw, which I have wanted for a long time and now I am ready to make a purchase.

I had initially been looking at the SIP 01332, but last night I was reading up on a Laguna Fusion 3, which I had not previously heard of. I realise one is double the price of the other but I am happy to spend the right money for the right saw.

So assuming I have £2400 to spend, what would people here recommend? Either one of the two saws I mention, or a different saw?

I will be mostly ripping softwoods, but I also want the option to deal with MDF and plywood sheets, so I'm looking for something that can handle sheets safely. A dado option is useful but not critical, and a 90 degree cut depth of up to 80mm would be fine.

My tools live in a workshop that's slightly bigger than a single garage (roughly 4.5M x 6.3M) so whilst I don't have a ton of room I do have enough for a permanent saw setup.

Many thanks for any guidance.



Jim

 

[Jameshow]

I'd suggest the sip X2 one for you and one for me!!

No seriously the Laguna looks a really good piece of kit.

I'm waiting for the Fusion 1 to land!!

I think it probably carries on where the old English saws left off.

Others will have a proper expert opinion.

Cheers James

 

[Cabinetman]

For just over £3000 you could buy a brand-new Sedgwick T A 315, just looked at my local dealer and unfortunately they don’t have any secondhand ones (unusually) which is what I bought 10 years ago and it’s still wonderful, suggest you look around, they really are a superb machine.

 

[mindthatwhatouch]

Welcome.
I ended buying a secondhand xcalibur (same as deft/Harvey) ok I spent just under half your budget, but the benefit of my hindsight is.
I now use a track saw for sheet goods, so that maybe worth thinking about.
Also wish I’d stumped up the extra for something that will accept a dado stack, but don’t always get the choice when buying secondhand.
Don’t underestimate the amount of room the table saw will gobble up.

Good luck with the search

 

[jimwillsher]

Thank you for the additional insights.

I had previously looked at the Sedgwick but I don't have the power capacity. Looking at the spec, startup power is 70A and it needs 4mm cable; I only have 40A to the workshop (it's a separate building fed from the house) and whilst I fitted 16A sockets when I wired the workshop I only used 2.5mm cable and it would be a pain to change now.

I'd wondered about a tracksaw and it seems ideal for whole sheets, but once you get to shelf-sized bits of MDF then I imagine a table saw would be eaier to work with, but admittedly I could then be using a smaller table saw.

I still like the look of the Laguna, but it comes with a minimal 1 year warranty and that's a bit offputting.


Jim

 

[SamTheJarvis]

I can recommend keeping your eye out for a good used machine. I got a hammer B3 for £1900 from ebay last year.

Wadkin table saws (preferably with the aluminium rip fence) can be had cheap too and are fantastic.

 

[jimwillsher]

This is highlighting the fact that I don't know what's out there

Wadkin, Sedgwick etc I've heard of, but until this week and never heard of Laguna (other than the car) and Hammer is a new brand to me. I want to avoid buying some random brand that fails after a year, so I don't know what's good and what's bad.

 

[Daniel.l]

I purchased the Laguna Fusion 3 from IGM tools and machinery for €2000 and I had added a CMT blade a router bit and the optional riving knife. I am very happy with it so far.
From previous experience owning a sip machine I would not recommend, if you have the money the Laguna is a quality machine.
I have ripped softwood and MDF sheets and the CMT thin kerf ripping blade I got is fantastic.
The fence is solid and the adjustment feature is great and the outfeed table is brilliant.
I don't have a bandsaw yet and I have been ripping softwood and hardwood boards in half with ease plenty of power with the 3hp.

Good luck with your search anyway

 

[jimwillsher]

Hi Daniel

Oooh interesting, an existing owner it sounds like you are pleased with it....is there anything you dislike about it? Did you have any problems with 16A supply re: fuses tripping etc? It's a powerful motor.

I'd really love to see one but no-one has stock at the moment.


Jim

 

[Daniel.l]

Hi Jim,

I'm very pleased you can really feel the quality. There is nothing as of yet I dislike. When I first got it it was tripping the breaker every time I would try to start it but it says in the manual that it runs off a 16amp supply with a type c breaker. I had the 16amp supply but my breaker was a type b. Once I got that changed it runs perfectly.
I tried to have a look at one too but they sell out very fast. I've attached a picture of mine when it arrived.

 

[jimwillsher]

Thanks Daniel, very helpful.

I have emailed IGM to check on stock and shipping. UK is leaving the EU soon and I don't want to find I have warranty issues for any reason; not a concern for you if you're in Ireland.

With the exchange rate the GBP equivalent price looks attractive from IGM.


Jim

 

[Daniel.l]

Yeah I understand that could cause problems. It was a no brainer for me it was 600 cheaper than what I could get it here and free delivery

 

[jimwillsher]

To round this off, I finally managed to track down a UK supplier with stock of the Fusion 3. Everyone else - including IGN in Prague - is quoting February for stock. So I've paid over the odds, I know, but it looks like a good machine.

I've pulled out the RCD on my 16A circuit this morning and it's a type B, so I'll collect a 20A C from Screwfix later this week.

The only thing I still need to look at is blades, I normally opt for Freud, although I will look at the CTC that Daniel mentioned.


I now have to hope it'll fit through the door.....


Jim

 

[Daniel.l]

Good luck with your new machine I hope it serves you well. If you like I can measure it for you without the side rails attached you may also find the dimension in the manual you can get it online fairly handy. There are some good tutorials on youtube from laguna on the setup its quite straight forward

 

[jimwillsher]

Hi again Daniel

My Fusion 3 arrived yesterday and I set it all up last night. Once I removed it from the pallet it fitted through the doorway by 3mm

I changed my B20 fuse to a C20 fuse at the weekend too, and it's working great.

One suqgestion: the manual shows a place on the right had side to store some of the accessories. Does yours have that? Mine just has two square hooks, then another square hook underneath, and I have no idea what's supposed to go on there


Jim

 

[Daniel.l]

Hi Jim,

That's Great! The two on the top is for your mitre fence if you tilt it to say 45 degrees it should sit nicely there. I use the bottom hook for the blade changing spanner and my extra riving knife. The second riving knife is a separate accessory.
The two hooks on the back of the saw will hold your fence too. I find them very handy.