table saw and workbench advice

[mattdurkin]

I'm sending back an awful Clarke table saw on Monday, and am looking for recommendations on something higher quality to replace it. The Clarke blade was misaligned by about 2-3mm along the fence front to back with no obvious adjustment. Whatever I buy needs to be accurate - I'm only a home DIYer so it will only be used to that extent, but I still want to buy a decent tool.
Could I get something in the £200-300 that would be nice and accurate? If not, what do people here recommend?

Also - my current workbench is inadequate. I really need to get my (Small) garage kitted out better. Does anyone have any pointers on fitting out a small workshop - is there a good starting place on the web (for a beginner), or a good recommended book I could read. I'm working on building some fitted wardrobes, and I'm finding my current lack of a decent workshop quite limiting!

Ta,
Matt

 

[matt]

Do you have a handheld circular saw and cutting guide? If not, that would be my start point with a small workshop. It's the only way to cut sheet material (i.e. assuming sheet is what you'll be using to make the wardrobes).

Welcome, BTW.

 

[Karl]

Hi Matt.

T/S - lots of good advice will point you towards the Axminster 200 t/s as the minimum entry level saw. Or you could browse e-bay for a bargain 2nd hand machine.

For workbenches, I would offer my own bench as an idea of what can be achieved with a small budget. Other bench ideas are available........... :lol:

HTH.

Cheers

Karl

Edit - I see you refer to a "small" garage workshop. See here for my workshop tour of a single garage 'shop.

 

[mattdurkin]

Thanks guys - this is getting me off to a good start. I don't have a hand held saw and guide. This is probably going to sound like a silly question (to the more experienced of you!) but if I build a bench (Karl - love the bench, I think I'll try something similar), and then buy a guide and saw, what do I put the sheet on? I guess I mean how do I support the sheet so that where I'm cutting I don't just saw up whatever's below it?

Any recommendations on the portable saw and guide? I think my preference would be something that attaches and slides down a fixed guide so is very accurate - is there anything like this available? I guess a simple clamped piece of wood is a guide, but presumably there are more advanced systems out there? I quite like the idea of portable saw and guide as I then have the flexibility of the portable saw, and it might help with my space problem in the garage (Karl - looks like our garages are similar sized). Also, could the same guide be used for other tools? A router?

 

[matt]

Long guide rail (8ft)
Short guide rail
Saw on rail.
Sacrificial panel supports (two or more in workmates to support the panel - each 4ft+ wide to support both sides of the cut)

 

[mattdurkin]

ok - that makes sense! I'm also just looking at some aluminium guides which I think do the same job - some seem to have accessories, like clamps, fences, featherboards etc which might be useful.
All that said, your wood guide approach looks like it might be simple and accurate - for the purposes of cutting sheets down.
Any suggestions on a decent hand held circular saw that doesn't break the bank?

Also - for those who made their own tables, what were the finished dimensions? Am I right in thinking ~600 x 1200? My compound mitre needs about 700 depth - I have it bolted to my current bench, but maybe I shouldn't do that? Also, any views on fitting a router table to the bench, or is the general view to keep it all separate?

 

[mattdurkin]

This is nice - Makita SP6000K1. Comes with a guide rail (though only 1.4m), plunge saw, so pretty versatile. bit pricey, but then I've sent back 3 poor quality cheap tools in the last week, so I'm not interested in buying cheap poor quality stuff any more.
Or maybe the Dewalt DWS520KR. Apparently the guide rail has various accessories, and their routers can be attached to it but I can't find any more details.
Anyone using this? Alternatives? Do I need the plunge - the only thing I can think I'd use the plunge for is cutting a sink hole on a worksurface? I certainly like the idea of the rail, but the wood ones look like they'd do the job perfectly well.
Maybe I'm getting carried away now
Perhaps I'll build the bench first
But seriously - advice on the saws and advice on workbench guide rail systems/clamps/featherboards etc would be really appreciated.

 

[big soft moose]

This is nice - Makita SP6000K1. Comes with a guide rail (though only 1.4m), plunge saw, so pretty versatile. bit pricey, but then I've sent back 3 poor quality cheap tools in the last week, so I'm not interested in buying cheap poor quality stuff any more.
Or maybe the Dewalt DWS520KR. Apparently the guide rail has various accessories, and their routers can be attached to it but I can't find any more details.
Anyone using this? Alternatives? Do I need the plunge - the only thing I can think I'd use the plunge for is cutting a sink hole on a worksurface? I certainly like the idea of the rail, but the wood ones look like they'd do the job perfectly well.
Maybe I'm getting carried away now
Perhaps I'll build the bench first
But seriously - advice on the saws and advice on workbench guide rail systems/clamps/featherboards etc would be really appreciated.

I (well work)ve got the dewalt - its a good system , but imo you really need the optional clamps as the non slip on the underside is rubbish and the rail will slide off line without them

also note that the standard rail is only 4'6" so you need an extension if you want to easily cut an 8ft panel down its length

other options include the mafell, the festool, and the EZ

edit: see here a forum member has the mafell ssaw and rail for sale https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/vari ... 42960.html

 

[Shane]

1 piece of ply makes 3 guides that are wide enough to fit clamps clear of the saw motor housing (1 x 2.4m, 1 x 1.4m, 1 x 1m)

makita 5704 saw with homemade chipguard out of the same ply + freud blade =

 

[mattdurkin]

wow - just had a look at the EZ. Very flexible system. I like the fact I can take any router and circular saw, clamp it up and get great accuracy. I've seen a cheaper similar system on axminster, but it doesn't look as good. still - I'll spend some time comparing...
bench first though I think...!

 

[mattdurkin]

shane has a good point about the cost of the ply solution though...

 

[matt]

My saw is a Makita. About 8 years old. Very pleased with it. I don't understand the benefit of a plunge circular saw. You could try cutting a sink hole but you'd still need to switch to another tool to cut in to the corners.

 

[diarmaid]

Matt, i got a clarke table saw a few years ago...it worked but not a brilliantly accurate or quiet tool, so i recently upgraded to a startrite saw from ebay (ironically it cost less than the clarke saw).

I would recommend looking on ebay, you could get lucky with an old startrite, or record power, or inca etc saw or even hit the jackpot and get a wadkin...best to just keep looking every so often...good luck!