Table Saw

[Marineboy]

Hi All

My first post so please go easy on me.

Have been a bodger for many years, making simple cupboards, shelves etc but now want to expand my repertoire and skills and also acquire some extra kit. I am particularly thinking of a simple table saw, e.g. the Bosch GTS 10XC, which what I have seen offers a reasonable blend of accuracy and affordability. I have a question re table saws in general - can you safely make picture frame sections (rebated) using one? That is, run a piece of timber through, making a cut part way through, then turn through 90 degrees to make the other cut and thus the rebate. I have ordered the Ian Kirby book which is recommended elsewhere on this site but wondered if this was feasible and most important safe.

 

[AJB Temple]

I would personally not fancy this with an unguarded table saw as I find them less than great with small section material and not suitable with overhead guard removed. That said I hardly every make picture frame mouldings and when I do I run them across the router table (spindle moulder), using vertical and horizontal pinch tools and a clear overhead guard. Push stick to feed through.

Others may have a different view.

(Edited to get rid of auto correct of words. Three times as I am an inept proof reader. and worse typist. This feature drives me bonkers! )

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes and no.

The main problem is that you have to have a riving knife (RK) which is lower than the top of the teeth. On nearly all saws, the RK also supports the guard, so you can make this cut only by removing the guard and RK. That is a VERY BAD idea.

However, if you fit an old-fashioned RK and an overhead guard, then you can make this cut on a TS. I would use both horizontal and vertical featherboards.

BUT, whilst not illegal in your own hobby workshop, making non-through cuts with the TS does not comply with best practice as laid out by the HSE.

Whatever you do, don't take your learning curve from home-grown YT films, mostly, I'm afraid, American, which show a casual disregard for guarding and RKs. Every single person who hurt themselves with a TS thought they knew what they were doing and it would never happen to them.

 

[deema]

It is possible to cut 'rough' rebates on a TS. As Steve has highlighted to do so with a degree of safety you need to create a tunnel to keep the cut enclosed. The old Startrite saws had as an optional extra a shaw guard for use with this kind of work and enabled a simple tunnel to be easily made. The saws are very popular relatively common on auction sites. The shaw guard assembly is very rare, however they do come up occasionally on auction sites.

The best machine for this type of work is a Spindle moulder which you need to know how to operate. Alternatively a router mounted in a table can also do this type of work and leave the part virtually finished off the machine.

The lowest cost option would be to buy a rebate plane, or a combination plane off an auction site. For softwoods they will cut a picture frame rebate faster than you could setup any of the above mentioned machines. With this being a hobby I would recommend it as the way forward. The best plane IMO would be a no405 combination plane with a full set of blades. You will be able to rebate, plough, and do a number of mouldings with the plane. It's very easy to setup and use.

I have a spindle moulder and a Record 405 plane, for small jobs, like a picture frame I would get out the plane before setting up the Spindel. I find it to be a very, very useful plane.

 

[shed9]

Whatever you do, don't take your learning curve from home-grown YT films, mostly, I'm afraid, American, which show a casual disregards for guarding and RKs. Every single person who hurt themselves with a TS thought they knew what they were doing and it would never happen to them.

+1 to Steve's comments here.

 

[Zeddedhed]

Ever since watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZHPg22TYS4 I've defaulted to unplugged rebates and grooves unless doing more than an hours worth. The lack of screaming motors, whizzing blades and droning extractors make such a nice change, and I'm convinced that it's not really taking me any longer.

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks everyone for your excellent advice. I have seen those videos of our cousins across the pond using unguarded saws and they are horrific. I never really thought of deema's suggestion re the rebate plane but I will certainly have a look at that option. I am also going to build or buy a router table but I have to figure out how to attach my Bosch 1200 to it. I used to have a router table with my Elu MOF 96 but that gave up the ghost recently after many years of abuse.

Thanks again for the advice and interest, I find this to be a really friendly forum with so much knowledge which people are just so happy to pass on.

 

[hrk]

On that bosch saw you can drop the height of the riving knife by just pushing it in, so you could make grooves without having to remove the RK. You would need to still take the guard off though...

BTW, I went to axminster about a month ago all set to buy their TS200 with all the kit, left with the bosch gts10 xc. Its fantastic. I haven't had to adjust a single thing on it.

I think a router table with a rabbet bit is a safer option.

 

[hrk]

I assume you mean like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCcbGI8rlA&list=PLrEmp5yXlKBw7MFzhY8TJpj13cSKSnevW

 

[Marineboy]

Thanks hrk for your opinion on the Bosch saw which echoes most of the reviews I've seen on it. It will definitely be on my wish list. I did know about the riving knife which you can push down to make blind cuts but that video you sent the link to which I hadn't seen before sends shivers down the spine. I definitely won't be cutting anything in that way..

Thanks again to all who took the time to respond.

 

[mind_the_goat]

I assume you mean like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCcbGI8rlA&list=PLrEmp5yXlKBw7MFzhY8TJpj13cSKSnevW

Wonder if it's a case of Risk compensation due to the new Saw Stop

 

[Wuffles]

Jimmy lost a finger last year. Watch his table saw tips video he does bang on about safety and promotes the do as I say, not as I do attitude.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[otter]

Another vote for the Bosch GTS 10 XC. I've had mine for over a year now and it's fantastic. Really accurate (but lots of adjustment posssible to eliminate errors should they occur), the fence is beautifully true and square and even the mtre fence isn't too bad. I've modified mine slightly by putting it on a permanent dolly to wheel it about and made a lid for it to protect the bed and use as a table top when not in use. Looks like they've come down in price by a few quid since I bought mine too.

 

[Benchwayze]

Ever since watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZHPg22TYS4 I've defaulted to unplugged rebates and grooves unless doing more than an hours worth. The lack of screaming motors, whizzing blades and droning extractors make such a nice change, and I'm convinced that it's not really taking me any longer.

Quite agree. Watch Richard McGuire rebating by hand. Poetry in motion. (There are other hand-workers one can watch!!!) Yes hand rebating does take a little longer, but it also works off that extra slice of toast you had at breakfast! (hammer)

I suppose you could say the same for any woodworking procedure, but there are limits, if you want to save time. :wink: