Table saw v Track saw A bit of advice please

[DBT85]

My suggestion is to keep the table saw at least until you've used a track saw long enough to make your own mind up.

I use both depending on the job. If I want to rip a bunch of ply or MDF to 100mm wide, the table saw does that very quickly. If I want to square something up or cleft a whole sheet in twain, I use the track saw.

For the things I want to do I don;t think I want to be without either at the moment.

I have both; the table saw rarely gets used - very narrow rips and cutting wedges - and I may get rid of it before too long. But that’s down to the kind of work I do; I’d be curious to know why the OP wants to ditch his table saw??

Peter, do you think your position might be different at all if your supplier didn't offer their cutlist service?

 

[bluenose]

Mine has the sliding table and also has the 'fine' adjuster on the sliding fence which is not shown in any of the images.. It has the small table extension on the back-end as shown in image 2 but not the extension on the right-hand-side as can be seen in image 3. Mine is a bit of a cross between the three. My sliding table is solid as shown in image 3 opposed to the open frame in image 1.

EDIT: It's definitely an age thing you know, it would have been easier for me to take a piccy of my own machine!!

 

[TRITON]

Another point is using a track saw, its likely you'll have to make/use a big wide table to sit things on. Table saws have big flat surfaces, so fence off, blade retracted you have your working surface. But it's there should you need it.

Best of both worlds as its likely that the track saw cannot complete every operation you need it for, so simply raise the blade, fit the fence and continue working. Remember when you try to adapt something to do a job it's not really designed for, you run the chance of having an accident.

 

[Spectric]

In a large workshop enviroment with space and cash then the industrial table saw is a must have, fast and easy to use with precise cuts.

In our home/hobby small workshop enviroments then if you are doing mainly sheet goods and use a lot of full sheets which you cannot get cut down when purchased then the tracksaw has the advantage but if you use more real wood and ripping then the table saw is the better option.

I would not attempt to cut an 8by4 sheet on my table saw but get any sheet goods pre cut to a managable size, but also a tracksaw would struggle to rip 6ft lengths of timber so really if you do both then keep both if space allows.

 

[Terrytpot]

Looks like a lot of folk skipped the part where you asked "What is it worth?" You state it's in excellent condition but not how old it is but given there seems to be a situation currently where demand exceeds supply I would have thought you can't go far wrong with the rule of two thirds the cost of new. I've had a quick trawl online and see someone in Lincoln wants £2500 for an oldish one with the ally table top (optimistic if you ask me) but DM tools sell the newer cast iron top models to your spec at a shade over £2800 so anything around £1800 should get a fair response..

 

[Droogs]

and it's not too far for terry to come and get it, nudge nudge, wink wink, say noooo more

 

[Louie10]

As a cabinet maker of maybe 20plus years I can offer some advice, both are needed and both offer very good options, I have a Laguna fusion 3 table saw and ofcourse a festool 55 track saw. I wouldn't want to let any of these clever machines good, the festool track saw is very versatile and with sheet good really is my go to saw, for most other sawing especially of solid wood the Fusion 3 table saw offers power, accuracy and fast set up and repeatability. These machines are expensive and the table saw does indeed require room but if you can, if you have the room and your budget allows my strong advice would be to have both!