ByronBlack
Established Member
I know I know, it's an age old thread and it's been done to death. I've spent the last week reading most of the old threads on the forum, and my head is in a spin.
I've been saving my pennies, and i'm in a situation where I can go either for a tablesaw (Axminster Cast Iron Cabinet) or a bandsaw (14" Jet). Here is the questions that are causing me a bit of hassle:
1. The extractor will be located outside at the back of the workshop. The tablesaw if I get it will be located a few feet in from the front. Thats about 6m away. Is that too far for adequate extraction?
The reason I ask this question is because currently as most of you know I use a rail system with an MFT - and only need a small trend vac as extraction, but won't be able to use that with a tablesaw, so i need to think about larger extraction. I'll probably be getting an Axminster 220 model.
2. I plan to mostly make cabinets, tables, and furniture and can think of an equal amount of tasks for both machines - but in reality, which one would get used the most?
3. I have two concerns with my current rail setup with the MFT. One is the limited 47mm depth capacity - I have to cut from both sides of the stock if thicker than 2", not a problem for one off's but could get tedious. This is for both crosscut and ripcut. A Tablesaw would solve these problems, could I adequately in the long-term do these tasks on the bandsaw, or would it but just another half-measure? I did do some long-ripping to a degree on my previous bandsaw, but it was just in pine, and not hard-wood.
4. Rip length - is limited to about 600mm on the MFT unless I fix the rail the other way which won't suit my layout, I have to resort to laying the stock on the floor and cutting with the rail - which again is fine for sheet work, but not great for repeatability.
So far I seem to be needing the services of a good tablesaw, BUT
(i'm sorry this post is so long, please bear with me)
5. Joints. I like the idea of using the bandsaw for cutting tenon cheeks and possibley dovetails - if I make a lot of them (smaller numbers i'm happy to do by hand). Is it safe and accurate to do tenons on a tablesaw as opposed to the relative safety of a bandsaw?
6. Re-sawing, obviously the bandsaw is the king here, but i'm limited to the jet 14" which is going to only be able to resaw about 6" - is this possible on the tablesaw by doing it from both sides, or is that asking for trouble?
Basically, my conundrum is that I really only want one machine to preserve my delicately planned machine/hand tool balance but can see a great deal of use for either, so I need to see which can do most of my tasks to a satisfactory level.
Thats it really - any thoughts will be greatly received and entered into a hat for a prize draw competition for a holiday in Thurrock
If I do go for a Tablesaw, I will be selling the MFT as it'll be more of a replacement than an addition.
TIA
P.S Please excuse my terrible typing and grammar - had a liquid lunch today, hick...
I've been saving my pennies, and i'm in a situation where I can go either for a tablesaw (Axminster Cast Iron Cabinet) or a bandsaw (14" Jet). Here is the questions that are causing me a bit of hassle:
1. The extractor will be located outside at the back of the workshop. The tablesaw if I get it will be located a few feet in from the front. Thats about 6m away. Is that too far for adequate extraction?
The reason I ask this question is because currently as most of you know I use a rail system with an MFT - and only need a small trend vac as extraction, but won't be able to use that with a tablesaw, so i need to think about larger extraction. I'll probably be getting an Axminster 220 model.
2. I plan to mostly make cabinets, tables, and furniture and can think of an equal amount of tasks for both machines - but in reality, which one would get used the most?
3. I have two concerns with my current rail setup with the MFT. One is the limited 47mm depth capacity - I have to cut from both sides of the stock if thicker than 2", not a problem for one off's but could get tedious. This is for both crosscut and ripcut. A Tablesaw would solve these problems, could I adequately in the long-term do these tasks on the bandsaw, or would it but just another half-measure? I did do some long-ripping to a degree on my previous bandsaw, but it was just in pine, and not hard-wood.
4. Rip length - is limited to about 600mm on the MFT unless I fix the rail the other way which won't suit my layout, I have to resort to laying the stock on the floor and cutting with the rail - which again is fine for sheet work, but not great for repeatability.
So far I seem to be needing the services of a good tablesaw, BUT
(i'm sorry this post is so long, please bear with me)
5. Joints. I like the idea of using the bandsaw for cutting tenon cheeks and possibley dovetails - if I make a lot of them (smaller numbers i'm happy to do by hand). Is it safe and accurate to do tenons on a tablesaw as opposed to the relative safety of a bandsaw?
6. Re-sawing, obviously the bandsaw is the king here, but i'm limited to the jet 14" which is going to only be able to resaw about 6" - is this possible on the tablesaw by doing it from both sides, or is that asking for trouble?
Basically, my conundrum is that I really only want one machine to preserve my delicately planned machine/hand tool balance but can see a great deal of use for either, so I need to see which can do most of my tasks to a satisfactory level.
Thats it really - any thoughts will be greatly received and entered into a hat for a prize draw competition for a holiday in Thurrock
If I do go for a Tablesaw, I will be selling the MFT as it'll be more of a replacement than an addition.
TIA
P.S Please excuse my terrible typing and grammar - had a liquid lunch today, hick...