Portable table saw advise DEWALT BOSCH MAKITA

[Fishandchips]

Hi Guys,

I am in the market for a new table saw. Waiting for Black Friday to get a good deal hopefully. Killing me waiting.

I have narrowed my search down to the following 3 machines. I am pretty sure they are all very nice and powerful machines I would really like to know which is more accurate as I would also like to use it for finer work. All 3 have all the power I need and the capacities of them all is more than enough. I have a small workshop and I need to be able to take the saw outside to cut 8x4 plywood sheets and will also be handy as I maintain a few properties and the ability to take the saw with me would be handy.

Dewalt DWE7491 currently cheapest £690

Makita 2704 currently cheapest £570

Bosch GTS 10 XC currently cheapest £525

Again its the accuracy I am looking for, I am aware they are not cast iron cabinet saws.

Anyone got one of these machines? anyone got experience with all 3? Thanks for any advise, I have been looking at them for weeks and still cant decide.

 

[transatlantic]

I don't have any of them but am also looking for a table saw (although I don't need it to be portable), and people seem to be very happy with the Bosch, which is what I plan on getting.

I wouldn't expect either to be as accurate as a cabinet saw, but with suitable jigs (e.g a sled), you could possibly rectify that

There is a review on youtube by Mike Waldt you may find useful.

 

[JandK]

None of these saws are really suited to cut 8 x 4 sheets of plywood safely, it can be done but it would be better to cut the sheets into smaller sizes with a circular saw.

Why not buy a track saw it can cope with everything these saws can do and you will save a bundle.

The Festool plunge saw with a 1.4m track is about £360 and if you buy a MFT top for £45 plus bench dogs you can almost do what any table saw can do.

 

[Fishandchips]

Hi guys,

Just found out there's a tool show up here this weekend. I'll go to that and see if I can get more info.

I like the look of the Bosch but the none standard mitre slots put me of a bit to be honest. I had a ts200 I just sold and that had 15mm or something like slots, can't buy anything to fit them off the shelf. However if it's a whole lot more accurate than the other 2 I might still buy that. It's cheapest too

I love the festool stuff but it's not what I had in mind. I guess I was demonstrating the need to take the saw outside to cut larger items. I would try cutting the 8x4 sheet but maybe once

I am really just looking at the 3 machines. The makita is advertised as having a maximum dado width of 21mm on FFX. Is this right? A few other sites say the same also?

Cheers

Garry

 

[ColytonJohn]

Up until recently I also used a small portable saw but the motor blew, was BER which forced me to think about a replacement. A friend who regularly borrowed the saw (a drawback of portability! ) needed one urgently and his thorough research led him to buy the Bosch. My independent research also led me to the Bosch but using his I found it very well made but just too noisy so I went the induction motor/belt drive/cast iron route sacrificing portability for quiet. However, noise apart, I was impressed with the Bosch and were I in the market for a small portable saw then that's what I'd buy.

Cheers,
John

 

[Fishandchips]

Cheers John. I do like the Bosch. I wonder why they didn't use an induction motor? Cost probably.

I wonder if the dewalt or makita have an induction motor? I can't find that information anywhere but I guess it would be a selling point so would be mentioned in the details.

 

[ColytonJohn]

A rule of thumb I use is, because an induction motor is such a good selling point if the manufacturer doesn't explicitly say that's what's fitted, then expect a brush motor.

In addition to having some nice Bosch tools I also have some peaches by Makita and DeWalt (my DW RAS in particular has a cracking, whisper quiet, motor) so can't fault their reputation for quality but the Bosch XC seemed to have fewer moans about reliability issues 'on the web' hence it being top of my list. One aspect that put me off was the inability to take a dado set yet the American equivalent (4001?) has a 5/8" arbour that someone here detailed retrofitting to the XC thereby removing that complaint. In the end, however, it was a lust for cast iron and quiet that took me in the direction I went - well, that and not wishing to give my friend the smug satisfaction of my having made the same decision as him.

Cheers,
John

 

[Bodgers]

Cheers John. I do like the Bosch. I wonder why they didn't use an induction motor? Cost probably.

I wonder if the dewalt or makita have an induction motor? I can't find that information anywhere but I guess it would be a selling point so would be mentioned in the details.

Cost is probably part of it. Although, induction motors are typically (but not always) larger and heavier duty affairs - probably less suited to site use.

 

[xraymtb]

Can I ask why these saws? When someone suggested a track saw instead you seemed to imply that taking it outside to cut an 8x4 wouldn't actually happen.

And if you recently sold a TS200 you might be disappointed with any of your options in terms of accuracy and certainly in terms of noise and feel.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I had the Bosch until quite recently (bought a used Electra) and really liked it. I found it could produce accurate cuts (good enough for finger joints in small boxes with a basic jig (bit of ply with a pin in it)), was easy to set up and work with, and the aluminium table makes it lighter, rust-proof and stable when the temperature changes.

As others have said it isn't a quiet saw, and while it's portable it's not something you can easily pick up and go for a walk with. Definitely get the wheeled stand if you're planning on moving it around much.

 

[eezageeza]

I have the Bosch, and can't fault it for power, accuracy etc. It is loud, but you get used to it, and unless you're planning on running it for prolonged periods, the noise realy isn't an issue. It is quite heavy - I have a small workshop where stuff needs shuffling around to make work space, and it would be a problem I'm sure with a standard (non-wheeled) stand - so consider upping the budget a bit for that.

 

[Fishandchips]

Cheers guys. Good comments on the Bosch much appreciated. I will be wanting to use it for finger joints and I also have a small workshop, so far so good. I don't mind the noise too much as it's not running all the time. Did you find the smaller mitre slot annoying at any time? I fancy an incra 1000 at some point in the future but I don't think it will fit. 3/4 inch seems to be the standard for a table saw mitre slot. Don't understand why any manufacturer would make a machine with a different slot..... Like the ts200 and Bosch. It's probably the only reason I am holding back on the Bosch.

Anyone using the makita or dewalt?

 

[transatlantic]

I didn't know that about the mitre slots. That is really really frustrating. why why WHY!!!???

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I never found the mitre slot annoying; the mitre gauge it comes with is OK for quick & dirty work and I made a sled for everything else. Your application may differ!

 

[Fishandchips]

I mean the fact it's not standard is annoying. It's not like Bosch has a load of aftermarket table saw goodies to sell. They don't have anything I can find so why make it an odd size? I am not sure of the slots of the makita or dewalt yet but I am guessing 3/4"

So I want the Bosch with induction motor and 3/4" mitre slots. Please.

 

[Ali]

Have you considered the Metabo Table Saw TKHS 315? (http://www.metabo.co.uk/Product-catalog ... d7a.0.html)

 

[Alexfn]

i have the Dewalt DW745 i cant fault it, i looked at all the other saws and one thing stood out,, the rack-and-pinion fence on the dewalt. In practice it works brilliant and leads to being able to get amazingly accurate repeatable cuts on most work. ive used it to make doors and windows on site and got perfect t&g joints and rebates, again its the quick dial in repeatably that makes it.

its also proven to be durable, it gets tossed about a bit in the van and its been soaked by unpredictable downpours more times that i care to remember not a spot of rust on it 3 years in.

regardless id back what others have said, if your main job is cutting sheet goods then get a track saw, pushing sheet goods through saws this size is unwieldy and id say dangerous unless its 2 people doing it, much better to take the tool to the wood in this case,

consider a cheap track saw such as the scheppach, i picked up one of the track saws lidl had on offer and im amazed by it for the price, with your budget you could pick up a cheap track saw and a table saw and get the best of both worlds..

cheers

alex

 

[damo8604]

I have the Bosch, in fact it's Sporky's old one, I haven't used it yet, I've hidden it in a Lock 'n store until the right moment to sneak it into the workshop without SWMBO seeing it, I might go and get it today though, I'm itching to try out the finger joint jig