# Table Saw vs Circular Saw



## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

They're completely different tools for completely different purposes. Yes, they both cut wood, but a fork and salad tongs both pick up food, but there's only one I'd eat spaghetti with.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

rsand said:


> I wanted to get some opinions for this. Working on a small DIY project and cutting wood 1" thick. I have an old B&D 7 1/4 10 AMP circular saw with a new blade. It just stopped cutting. The motor was running but not circulating.
> 
> Looking on Craigslist someone is selling a Ryobi 10" 15 AMP table saw an older model for $100. So I'm wondering if upgrading the circular saw to a 14 AMP 7 1/4 circular saw.
> 
> ...



I remember those ryobi's, they were pretty good saws for little jobs around the house, i don't think you can go wrong for the price if it's in good shape, and you'll have better control of your cuts.


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

Well that was completely unhelpful. I know they're different tools. A box cutter can cut wood. That wasn't my question. Enjoy your spaghetti. 


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

Thank you Canarywood. I plan on taking the piece off wood that needed to be cut to test it out. I know the general pros and cons to each but I can only get one. I'll see how it does and can always stick with my old circular. Thanks again. 


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

You can get a very nice brand new circular saw for that $100. Makita, Dewalt, Ridgid, etc. 

I own a Skil circ saw and would not recommend it.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

rsand said:


> Well that was completely unhelpful. I know they're different tools. A box cutter can cut wood. That wasn't my question. Enjoy your spaghetti.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Watch out guys, we got a badass here.

A better question for you would be if it would be worth it to upgrade from your old B&D to a Skil 77 Worm Drive saw. That is an upgrade. Buying a table saw instead of a circular saw is buying something that has nothing to do whatsoever with the tool it is supposedly replacing. So, in this case, we would need to know what else, other than cutting 1" thick wood (cross cutting? ripping? mitering?) you're planning on doing with the saw. With this information, we could give you an informed opinion.

But instead of that, you decided to be a ***EDIT*** (thought better of my wording)


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

Mort said:


> Watch out guys, we got a badass here.
> 
> A better question for you would be if it would be worth it to upgrade from your old B&D to a Skil 77 Worm Drive saw. That is an upgrade. Buying a table saw instead of a circular saw is buying something that has nothing to do whatsoever with the tool it is supposedly replacing. So, in this case, we would need to know what else, other than cutting 1" thick wood (cross cutting? ripping? mitering?) you're planning on doing with the saw. With this information, we could give you an informed opinion.
> 
> But instead of that, you decided to be a ***EDIT*** (thought better of my wording)



Thank you for this reply Mort. I wouldn't have given a snarky answer had you simply asked for more specifics. I was asking in general terms. 

For this project the table saw would be a better. That being said, I have a 14" miter saw, reciprocating saw the old B&D circular and no table saw. 

In general, the projects that I'll do are smaller in scale and not fine/intricate in detail...home repairs that include straight/cross and angular cuts and smaller build projects. 

Since money is a factor I'm trying to figure what would be better until I can replace both. I guess I would saw making long straight cuts for any project is the biggest issue. 




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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Usually when you think circ saw you think rough cuts, table saw a lot more precise cuts, cuts are usually squarer, (is that a word) and miters are more on the mark. Hard to do rip cuts with circ saw, plus can be dangerous.

I haven't dealt with Royobi for years so I might be off base here but it seems like for just a little more you could get that saw new.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

rsand said:


> Thank you for this reply Mort. I wouldn't have given a snarky answer had you simply asked for more specifics. I was asking in general terms.
> 
> For this project the table saw would be a better. That being said, I have a 14" miter saw, reciprocating saw the old B&D circular and no table saw.
> 
> ...


You will never be able to give all the correct information to satisfy everyone so don't concern yourself with that too much. Hell, it's a wonder you weren't reprimanded for not telling where you live.

Consider taking advantage of the "ignore" function of the site. The one problem with it is that sort of crap follows in quotes but I just "ignore" that too.

There can be some good information here as well as the crap so stick around. If you purchase a table saw I suggest you study the tune up procedures and operation for your safety.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Brand new version of that ryobi with stand $129 at HD


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

ToolSeeker said:


> Usually when you think circ saw you think rough cuts, table saw a lot more precise cuts, cuts are usually squarer, (is that a word) and miters are more on the mark. Hard to do rip cuts with circ saw, plus can be dangerous.
> 
> 
> 
> I haven't dealt with Royobi for years so I might be off base here but it seems like for just a little more you could get that saw new.



That's what I was thinking, that rip cuts would be better served on a table saw. So am I correct in saying that a table saw is more accurate than a circular saw but less versatile in what it can be used for?


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

SeniorSitizen said:


> You will never be able to give all the correct information to satisfy everyone so don't concern yourself with that too much. Hell, it's a wonder you weren't reprimanded for not telling where you live.
> 
> Consider taking advantage of the "ignore" function of the site. The one problem with it is that sort of crap follows in quotes but I just "ignore" that too.
> 
> There can be some good information here as well as the crap so stick around. If you purchase a table saw I suggest you study the tune up procedures and operation for your safety.



Thank you sir 


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Rip cuts are always more accurate on a table saw provided it has a half decent fence. A bench top table saw will do a pretty good job with 1" stock if you feed slow and let the blade do its work.

Crosscuts are easier and more accurate with a circular saw and best done with a miter saw.

Your reciprocating saw is the best tool for demo and hard to get to places. Pretty much worthless for accurate clean cuts.

I own and use all of those as well as 3-4 other 'saws'.

Mort's reply appeared 'snippy' but was accurate.

IMO, paying more than 50% of current pricing for a used tool is seldom a good deal. The life of a tool depends on how it is used or abused and an uncaring person can destroy one real quickly.

If I could only own one saw it would be a circular saw and I would buy a rip fence that mated with the tool. I did it that way for many years before I had the money for more toys. I actually upgraded the circular saw several times, over quite a few years, before buying the more expensive toys.


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## rsand (Nov 29, 2015)

Colbyt said:


> Rip cuts are always more accurate on a table saw provided it has a half decent fence. A bench top table saw will do a pretty good job with 1" stock if you feed slow and let the blade do its work.
> 
> Crosscuts are easier and more accurate with a circular saw and best done with a miter saw.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the info. I'll definitely take what you said into consideration and likely not go with the that table saw. 


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

one thing ill chime in on about the ryobi table saws.. they are known to have bad blade wobble. i had 9 years ago which suffered from blade wobble which made it prone to sloppy cuts as well as occasional binding.. after a year i upgraded to a bosch ts4000


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## ryansdiydad (Aug 16, 2015)

I use my table saw way more than my circular saw.. I often end up using my miter saw for most things I might use a circ saw for.. But that's just me.. I am doing more rips and miters and trim work vs any serious house framing.. The little framing I do I end up using my miter saw for.. I hardly do any framing..

So that's just one DIYrs story on how much and which tools he uses.. 

I bought them all for a specific need and if I never had that need I'd likely ever have bought the tool. So consider what you need to do and then get best tool for that task..


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

I have the Ryobi BT3000....great saw....the below pic is not mine....(easier to copy an image than go take a pic)










I'm getting ready to build a wood base for it so I can store more of my wood working stuff with it and roll it around when I'm not using it.

No blade wobble for me....but I also use good blades.


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## intelpcguy (May 10, 2015)

I like to think of a corded circular saw is field duty, that is making cuts in the field where you not too concerned about being too precise, but mobility is key.

I have a Skil saw ( model 77 ), and it has lasted me 20 plus years, parts are easy to get. A good value for the money. It's one of the few tools ( maybe only ) that Skil makes right.

The Skil circular saws ( side winders ) and light duty and are not worth much. I have done very precise work with my Hitachi 18v cordless ( even ripping 1" plywood ), but that's my light finish saw compared to the 77. I have a cheap old Hitachi portable saw I carry for field duty rips ( though kinda light for 1" thick stock if it's not pine or a softwood ), and my old craftsman table with Incra fence is my go to for precise rips ( though it is underpowered with a stock motor ).


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

If that Ryobi your talking about is the BT 3000, and it's in decent shape for a $100.00 bucks jump on it, that is a little gem.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

If I only had 1 saw it would be the table saw. And I really disagree with whoever said for crosscuts a circ. was more precise than a table saw.


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## iamrfixit (Jan 30, 2011)

When you are cutting 6 inches off of 12 foot 2x, a circular saw IS a more precise tool for the job. That cut is way too cumbersome for the average table saw, especially a little portable table saw. A good circular saw backed up by a speed square can outperform a table saw in speed and rival it for precision on this type of cut.

There is no single all purpose saw, that's why they make many different kinds. For woodworking or ripping a table saw is king. A circular saw, a few good jigs, and a speed square can perform many cuts that would be all but impossible for a table saw.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I agree if your main job is cutting the ends from 2x's then a circ. saw is your best tool. But if your doing finish work then a table saw is the best tool. As stated this is why there is more than 1 kind of saw. The OP said he mostly works with 1" pieces of wood not 2x's which led me to believe (maybe incorrectly) that he is not dealing with really long pieces.

The best of both worlds cut rough size with the circ. saw then square up with the table saw on big pieces or sheet goods.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

There are ways to straighten an edge on lumber, that has both crooked edges, using a table saw, but why screw around doing that when it's so quick to use a portable circular saw and a Popular Mechanics style cutting guide to straighten an edge. So in reality both are mighty handy and I wouldn't be without them.
I've made a guide about a foot long to cut off 2x4s when I just have a couple to do and don't want to get out the miter saw. To me it's handier than a speed square by having the shoe base width already adjusted for.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

@SeniorSitizen, Your jig would be handy for someone without a table saw. I use a jig similar to you long one on my table saw to straighten crooked boards. A straight 1x4 is mounted to the edge of the 1/4" plywood. Added a couple of de-sta-co clamps and run them both through together.


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## NickTheGreat (Jul 25, 2014)

I would think most guys would get far more use out of a table saw vs a circ saw. Especially if you have a miter already.

I can't think of anything those tools couldn't do that your circular saw could. If you need to roughly break down large sheets of plywood, the circular saw will be helpful. Or do a lot of work in remote locale's.


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