Table Saw

[Ryan Albrecht]

My shop doesn't have a table saw, and the construction is suffering for it. However, I've not got much space to put an actual table saw so I'm looking at the portable/job site table saws.

My question for the group is, what have your experiences been with these portable types? Anything to look for/stay away from?

 

[sk8rsdad]

What's the budget? A panel cutter, or a circular saw and a set cutting guides may be a better alternative for most set building tasks. A quality table saw on a wheeled base doesn't take up much more space than a portable table saw and would be a much better for the task.

 

[Amiers]

Budget is a must.

The el cheapo table saws are just that. You get what you pay for. Sometimes I feel like they build them just to be used once and thrown away.

 

[Gobokat]

My shop doesn't have a table saw, and the construction is suffering for it. However, I've not got much space to put an actual table saw so I'm looking at the portable/job site table saws.

My question for the group is, what have your experiences been with these portable types? Anything to look for/stay away from?

Ryan,
if it's just floor space, but you have budget then I would suggest definitely going with a good panel saw - they'll take up a good bit of wall but only come out about 14" at the base. For most flexability, look at a rail saw. They're a heavy body circular saw with a detachable guide rail. If you need the saw for cutting dimensional, not just sheet goods, then you'll only want the table saw, but as long as you don't go for the super cheap store special, the Rigid or Dewalt contractor portable table saws are just fine, but they're going to run you 5 - 6 hundred dollars.

 

[Colin]

The little jobsite table saws can have plenty of power for basic scenery construction. Downsides include the obvious size issue- you don't have much table to work with, so long rips or sheets require help, or you build out from your saw until you have a cabinet saw sized table and outfeed, but your space is limited... Also, the direct drive motors with no enclosure are very loud compared to a cabinet saw, and a fair amount louder than any circ saw I've laid ears on.

Things to watch for in my experience have to do with the fact that most of what you're paying for in the job site saws is a big-ass motor that spins a blade, and the finer points like a fence and guard that work and any other accessories may get less attention than they should. That said, all the usual decent brands I've used have been okay (which are Bosch, Makita and DeWalt) and the DeWalt I have at home now has a really impressively good fence and guard/riving knife. When I was researching that purchase the DeWalts seemed to be a near universal favorite as far as that goes. Bosch and Makita seem good too. I am very pleased with my DeWalt for about $350 on sale.

If in your space situation and on a tight budget (if more money, sure, look at a larger portable TS, panel saw, track saw setup) I wouldn't hesitate to get a sub-$400 DeWalt jobsite saw for ripping boards, plus a track saw or plain circ saw with shop built guides for sheet goods. Longevity of that setup? I don't know, but I bet a decent brand gets you your money's worth even if it is dead in 3 years instead of 30. My Sawstop cabinet saw was around $3K with some options and dust collection. It'll last a very long time, can do more, and is more fun to use, but that's near ten times the cost of my jobsite saw that is totally usable in every reasonable way if a larger saw isn't an option. Oh, and my $100 Rigid vac does a pretty solid job on the DeWalt saw's dust port, too.

 

[josh88]

Ryan, you may also need to check with higher ups/the risk management people because you're in a public school. I know some out here on the east coast required sawstop style saws and I encountered it in Ohio some as well.

IF you can/do go with a portable style, build a table for it either literally build it into one, or at least make an outfeed table and weight the base or clamp it so that its more stable. If you go with an outfeed table sized to the height of it, you also get a work table out of it.

 

[porkchop]

Look at a track saw. They break down easily into a very small space, cut straight lines reasonably quickly (not quite as fast as a table saw admittedly), and are much safer to use than a table saw. Also they can be much cheaper.

 

[Skervald]

IF you can/do go with a portable style, build a table for it either literally build it into one, or at least make an outfeed table and weight the base or clamp it so that its more stable. If you go with an outfeed table sized to the height of it, you also get a work table out of it.

A similar set up has served me quite well. I've got a Dewalt contractor saw on a small rolling base with wagon brakes. The base brings the saw up to the same height of my three rolling 4x4' work tables. The four pieces can be clamped together in multiple configurations allowing a single person to rip pretty much anything with ease. When not in use with the saw, the work tables are extremely useful. By itself, the saw takes up very little space, is easily moved, and can be used for smaller projects without the tables. I don't have a ton of space so for me, this is an ideal set up and precise enough for my needs. I've been happy with the Dewalt but I've also used a Rigid with good results.

There are times a track saw or even a decent straight edge is easier to work with. I'll often set up a couple of sawhorses outside the dock door to cut down sheet goods. (although if I had a panel saw...)

 

[StradivariusBone]

I like your idea, @Skervald! We've got a an older Delta portable table saw (which is actually quite capable) that I built it into one of our shop tables some time back to help with outfeed. I do like the idea of being able to move it around the shop like yours is though.

Also, where is everyone finding panel saws cheaper than table saws, or did I miss something? Last time I looked they weren't even in the same ZIP code, but maybe I'm not looking at the right place.

If you really want to go cheap but still maintain functionality you can find radial arm saws on eBay/Craigslist for ~$100, but using those with kids might be questionable.

 

[sk8rsdad]

I don't think anybody is finding panel saws cheaper than table saws. Everybody is saying a panel saw is a better choice for most jobs in a theatre workshop. I haven't seen any reply to the several questions about the budget. The OP posted and went silent.

 

[josh88]

I don't think anybody is finding panel saws cheaper than table saws. Everybody is saying a panel saw is a better choice for most jobs in a theatre workshop. I haven't seen any reply to the several questions about the budget. The OP posted and went silent.

I can probably ask him on Facebook. Its been almost a decade since I've seen his shop and it was new then, I do think a built in table saw option would fit better than a panel saw in his space.

 

[RonHebbard]

Ryan,
if it's just floor space, but you have budget then I would suggest definitely going with a good panel saw - they'll take up a good bit of wall but only come out about 14" at the base. For most flexability, look at a rail saw. They're a heavy body circular saw with a detachable guide rail. If you need the saw for cutting dimensional, not just sheet goods, then you'll only want the table saw, but as long as you don't go for the super cheap store special, the Rigid or Dewalt contractor portable table saws are just fine, but they're going to run you 5 - 6 hundred dollars.

@Gobokat You'd NEVER confuse me with a carpenter but I've pushed my share of 4' x 8' x 3/4" through a panel saw by myself with decent speed and excellent accuracy. At my stature, I wouldn't be enjoying schlepping sheets on and off a table saw near as much, with neither the speed nor accuracy / repeatability. Accuracy, yes. Repeatability, yes. Speed, no way.
[Cue guffawing carpenter track in 5 or 7.1]
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[Gobokat]

@Gobokat You'd NEVER confuse me with a carpenter but I've pushed my share of 4' x 8' x 3/4" through a panel saw by myself with decent speed and excellent accuracy. At my stature, I wouldn't be enjoying schlepping sheets on and off a table saw near as much, with neither the speed nor accuracy / repeatability. Accuracy, yes. Repeatability, yes. Speed, no way.
[Cue guffawing carpenter track in 5 or 7.1]
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

Ron - Sorry I think you're slightly missing the point of my post - my first suggestion if he had the budget to afford such a tool was definitely to get the panel saw - I agree they're great tools for sheet goods. My 2nd suggestion was the rail/track saw for flexibility and space consideration - but then I conceded the table saw would be the best all around choice if he was looking for something that would do both sheet and dimensional material. I'm not sure how I came off as disrespecting the panel saw, but that was certainly not my intention.

 

[RonHebbard]

Ron - Sorry I think you're slightly missing the point of my post - my first suggestion if he had the budget to afford such a tool was definitely to get the panel saw - I agree they're great tools for sheet goods. My 2nd suggestion was the rail/track saw for flexibility and space consideration - but then I conceded the table saw would be the best all around choice if he was looking for something that would do both sheet and dimensional material. I'm not sure how I came off as disrespecting the panel saw, but that was certainly not my intention.

@Gobokat I fully understood your position, heartily concur and support your statements. One of the panel saws I've used is a Milwaukee with a cute little table accessory to let you rip 16' one and two by up to about 6" wide. It's a less than ideal way of ripping but manageable with a pair of patient users when push comes to shove.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[peacefulone61]

Look at a track saw. They break down easily into a very small space, cut straight lines reasonably quickly (not quite as fast as a table saw admittedly), and are much safer to use than a table saw. Also they can be much cheaper.

I have a tight shop even though we have a table saw we most of the time cannot move 4 x 8 sheets through the space our track saw is a life saver

 

[bobgaggle]

My issue with jobsite saws being used as stationary tools is that in order to have good material control, you need in/out feed tables and an extension wing. Adding all these ends up enlarging the tool's footprint to that of a hybrid or cabinet saw. Granted, you could make all these extensions collapsible or multipurpose work surfaces.

I give my vote to the track saw. We had a festool saw in college and used it mainly to break down full sheets to then be run through the table saw (not enough room to run a full sheet through the saw)