# $130 table saw vs. everything else



## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

For occasional projects, like rail stile cabinetry tongue/groove, the standard for this price range includes 10" 15amp table saws.

At the low end, you have the Skil and Ryobi table saws.

They appear full featured, and enough for my needs.

So, what do more expensive table saws offer over these cheaper saws in terms of performance?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

What other uses do you think you'll use it for?
How much room do you have to store and use one?


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## RRH (Nov 24, 2016)

pman626 said:


> For occasional projects, like rail stile cabinetry tongue/groove, the standard for this price range includes 10" 15amp table saws.
> 
> At the low end, you have the Skil and Ryobi table saws.
> 
> ...


The fence for accuracy. And or stand like the easy to use one on the bosch.
Matter of fact the Bosch is would be a good buy for what you get.

Some guys will spend more on a fence than the price of a Ryobi or Skil table saw.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Build quality is what the more expensive saws offer. Play with a Ryobi in the store and you'll see what I mean. Notice all the slop in the miter gauge. Notice how much the table flexes. And how chintzy the blade tilt and height adjustments are. And when you turn them on how little power they have. And that everything is made of cheap plastic. 

Not everyone needs a $3500 Powermatic, but in your case I'd buy an older contractor saw from Craftsman or Delta or Jet. The apron and vest store saws are little more than toys to sell to people that will use them once every five years.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

Mort said:


> The apron and vest store saws are little more than toys to sell to people that will use them once every five years.


that pretty much describes me.

I'm planning to reface the kitchen cabinets in my rental property, and then put the saw away for 5 years.

I just need something that can make precise cuts repeatedly.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

The best kind of table saw for really fine cabinet work is a belt driven saw. Direct drive saws tend to transfer motor vibrations to the blade and to the cut. The belts tend to absorb that vibration. Belt drives are usually pretty expensive though.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

pman626 said:


> I just need something that can make precise cuts repeatedly.



What folks are saying here, is if you buy a piece of junk, you may or may not be able to make precise cuts repeatedly.

Small saws will likely have a narrow rip capacity. Do you know what capacity you need? Some cabinet doors might be 16 to 24" wide. Not going to get that on a $120 saw.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

In addition to what was mentioned above, two other factors to look at closely with a cheap saw: does the table use standard size miter slots which will let you use other miter gauges/sleds (nearly all OEM miter gauges are junk), and will the saw support the use of a dado stack? This may or may not matter to you, but you mention tongue and groove, cabinetry, so it might. Many people prefer router tables for this sort of thing, so it may not matter, but I'd have a hard time living without my dado stack.

Depending on where you live, $130 could likely buy you a used craftsman contractor saw like Mort alludes to. I find the fences on these saw a bit of a pain, but they are capable of doing accurate work. Although used, this will still outlast anything you can buy new at this price, and hold its value better if you decided you no longer need it when you're finished. It comes down Joe's question on whether you have the space.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Mort said:


> Not everyone needs a $3500 Powermatic


I believe these people are called Unisaw fans. In fairness, I hear the newer Unis aren't as good as the older one's I'm used to.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

cheap table saws also suffer from blade wobble which makes for a wavy cut.. i had that problem with my first ts 13 years ago.. i used it for about 16 months on my own projects at home but upgraded to a bosch as i needed it on the job for finish work huge difference


and regarding guys buying a fence seperately a buddy just did so not long ago.. he dropped about $300 on a fence for his ts,, he needs the accuracty though he builds and sells custom musical instraments and amplier cabinets


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

Yodaman said:


> What folks are saying here, is if you buy a piece of junk, you may or may not be able to make precise cuts repeatedly.
> 
> Small saws will likely have a narrow rip capacity. Do you know what capacity you need? Some cabinet doors might be 16 to 24" wide. Not going to get that on a $120 saw.


i plan to make doors out of 1x3 rails and stiles. with tongue and groove.

I'll need the groove to be precise width to fit 1/4 plywood, so I can't have the blade wobbling.

are basic table saws sufficient for such an easy task? Otherwise I might just have to buy one and see for myself, then return it if it sucks


Do entry level saws really have that much wobble? I mean everything is bolted and screwed into one unit, I'd imagine the fence and blade would vibrate in sync, and if your wood is held tight against the fence, you should get a pretty good cut??


Lemme rephrase my question to.... $130 saw vs. $500 saw.
I imagine all the saws in this price range are not belt driven




LanterDan said:


> It comes down Joe's question on whether you have the space.



no, i don't have the space. I would be working in my driveway.


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

I have the DeWalt DWE7480. I really like the rack and pinion fence.

Keep in mind the smaller saws have a short arbor and won't accept a dado stack. Just sayin'
Good luck.

In my mind, for a couple hundred dollars more, it is a no brainer.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

that fancy fence looks like overkill for me. I will only be working with 1x3 lumber, and the door panel inserts will not require precision, as they sit in the grooves.

I've tried to make tongue and grooves with a homemade router table before, but I found it time consuming and imprecise. 

The main thing I'm worried about is how much adjustment I will have to make after X number of cuts.
If the wobble is so bad that after feeding 10 pieces through, my groove grows from 1/4" to 3/8" wide, then that is unacceptable.

For basic cabinet doors, I'll be doing a lot of identical repeat cuts.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Between the fence and the miter gauge on the skill saw, I don't think it is accurate enough for cabinet work. Yes you can do it, but you need to be real careful setting up each set of cuts. At best, the work is acceptable to some people, not fine craftsmanship.

Haven't used the Ryobi, but would expect similar results.

The fence on the DeWalt, which you call overkill, is a lot better/easier to use than the skill saw fence.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Get a router for the slotting.
If you're using 1x3's, you only need a chop saw to cut to length.

The router can be bolted to a sheet of plywood and a 1x3 can be clamped to the board as a fence.

Use the router to slot the same board and you can make yourself a squaring arm to run the end cuts thru.

A skil saw bolted to a plywood board can also be used as a table saw.
A 1x3 clamped on for a fence.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

123pugsy said:


> Get a router for the slotting.


the one thing i don't like about the router is that the bit gets gummed up quickly, and the slotting takes a long time compared to what a table saw could do.

This door project should take me several days. I have 26 doors to make, but i don't want to spend too much time cutting.

I don't want to spend too much on a saw either, as I don't see myself using one very often after this project.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

Oso954 said:


> Between the fence and the miter gauge on the skill saw, I don't think it is accurate enough for cabinet work. Yes you can do it, but you need to be real careful setting up each set of cuts. At best, the work is acceptable to some people, not fine craftsmanship.
> .



I'm just looking to make the doors in this video here at 1:58....

https://youtu.be/T867u2d-aWs?t=1m58s


I don't expect fine craftsmanship. It only needs to be acceptable to me, and I'm only looking for good fit of the pieces.

Are you implying I can't make a hundred grooves of the same width with an entry level saw?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

pman626 said:


> I'm just looking to make the doors in this video here at 1:58....
> 
> https://youtu.be/T867u2d-aWs?t=1m58s
> 
> ...



No i don't think you can, not with the fence that comes with that saw.

Wait to you try and fit the plywood panels to the door, and you will understand a little better.


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

pman626 said:


> I'm just looking to make the doors in this video here at 1:58....
> 
> https://youtu.be/T867u2d-aWs?t=1m58s
> 
> ...


I understand you are trying to get by as economically as possible but expect to have some joints misaligned and other problems that may rear their ugly head.

This old saying holds true even today...:surprise:
*“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” – Benjamin Franklin*


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I hope he doesn't mind that over spray tint he was putting on that nice truck parked close by. OMG


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

After I read this thread last I went on Craigslist, there are a bunch of old saws with cast iron tables and better fences for that price and less. If you don't have the room to store it, just use it for your project and resell it. Doesn't sound like you'll use a table saw enough to warrant it taking up space, even a small one like the Skil.


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## RRH (Nov 24, 2016)

Again the Bosch 4100 saw.

Folds up easy to store.
Also will take a dado blade and has a pretty good fence.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

pman626 said:


> i plan to make doors out of 1x3 rails and stiles. with tongue and groove.
> 
> I'll need the groove to be precise width to fit 1/4 plywood, so I can't have the blade wobbling.
> 
> ...



The wobble comes from cheap bearings and cheap saw blades. Which causes a wavy, visible saw cut finish when you rip your boards. 
Are you planing to plane the edges or run them thru a jointer? If not they will need plenty of sanding, making it difficult to keep your edges straight, and square. 

Not likely to find a belt driven saw for under $1500.

I think that if you have the skill set to do this project successfully, that you will be using a table saw again before long.

I have never regretted spending more than I initially wanted to upgrade on a tool purchase. In fact, just the opposite. I am always glade that I did.
Good luck with your project.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

you guys talk about the cheap fence.

what exactly is the issue with the fence on entry level models?

if it won't clamp down tightly, I have large c-clamps to hold it down on the other end.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

pman626 said:


> you guys talk about the cheap fence.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Lots of things can be wrong with a fence. I have a 35 year old Craftsman 10" table saw with the original stock fence. The fence face isn't perpendicular to the table. That's a small issue. 

The biggest issue is that when I move the fence it doesn't stay parallel to the blade. As a result I have to pull out a tape measure and measure from the front most tooth of the blade to the fence and the back most tooth of the blade to the fence and adjust if they aren't equal. If you rip a board with an unaligned fence it either binds and burns or pulls away from the fence. Neither is good.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> The biggest issue is that when I move the fence it doesn't stay parallel to the blade. As a result I have to pull out a tape measure and measure from the front most tooth of the blade to the fence and the back most tooth of the blade to the fence and adjust if they aren't equal.


+1

Another issue is limited rip with the fence installed. 10-3/4, iirc. 

The miter slide is also not very precise. Nor can you replace it easily with a better one as the grove size is not the same anything other than a few of the other Skil models.

If you do buy it, first thing you do is throw away that cheap blade that comes with it.

You might note that in the video the guy wasn't using the Skil saw. Don't expect to work anywhere near the same speed, accuracy, results, etc.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

I've never used the SKIL table saw you are talking about, but I can agree with the recommendation to get a good blade. In fact you'll probably get better cuts from a good blade in a $500 saw than a crummy blade in a $1500 saw. 

You've seen how a dull chisel performs vs a sharp one and a dull handsaw vs a sharp one. A table saw blade is no different. Think of the blade as having 32 chisels on it. They all have to be sharp and perfectly aligned. 

It's probably too much for you given the type of saw you're looking at, but this article covers the problems you can run in to with a table saw and how to fix them. 

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodwor...itting-woodworking-shop/tune-up-your-tablesaw


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

abrowning said:


> Lots of things can be wrong with a fence. I have a 35 year old Craftsman 10" table saw with the original stock fence. The fence face isn't perpendicular to the table. That's a small issue.
> 
> The biggest issue is that when I move the fence it doesn't stay parallel to the blade. As a result I have to pull out a tape measure and measure from the front most tooth of the blade to the fence and the back most tooth of the blade to the fence and adjust if they aren't equal. If you rip a board with an unaligned fence it either binds and burns or pulls away from the fence. Neither is good.


That's about the age of thousands of Craftsman saws that required the fence head (operator end ) to be pushed against the angle iron rail to square it. Maybe better said, make it parallel to the miter slot. Square it by pushing to the rear then lock. 

Those fences were adjustable for accuracy. Both fence adjustment and blade adjustment should be made parallel to the miter slot as the reference.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

pman626 said:


> you guys talk about the cheap fence.
> 
> what exactly is the issue with the fence on entry level models?
> 
> if it won't clamp down tightly, I have large c-clamps to hold it down on the other end.


If you must do that a table saw may as well be built by screwing a portable saw to a 4x4 piece of 3/4 plywood and flip it over onto a couple of saw horses and use a 2x4 as a fence clamped for each adjustment.

But I'd use my Quick grip clamps and leave the C-clamps for welding projects.


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## pman626 (Jun 28, 2016)

I've decided on getting the DW745.
hopefully the rack n pinion fence will let me adjust to a fraction of a millimeter.

just have to wait for a sale.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I do not own that saw, but am pretty sure it's the one that a couple of my buddy's own, and that I will likely end up buying one of these days. They stop over occasionally to use my larger saw, so I have used theirs for a few smaller jobs, and like them. If I'm thinking right, the main thing on the fence on that saw is to read and follow the instructions. It seems something like you align it one way, but, once you have it straight, you move or remove it in a different way. As I said, I don't have one of my own (yet anyway), so can't walk out and look at it, and maybe I'm thinking of something else, but it's straight forward enough and would come right back once I had my hands on it. Either way, I don't think it's a bad choice at all, although I still wouldn't rule out Mort's suggestion, because there are a lot of larger saws available. Just a matter of keeping an eye open for them.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

I don't own it, but my BIL has one and I've used it quite a bit. Good saw, I recommend it if you need one that size.


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

Mine is very easy to adjust. I wish the big saw had the same adjustment.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Excellent choice. I have the saw and love it. The fence is VERY good....not equal to the biesmeyer fence on my cabinet saw....but VERY good.


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

123pugsy said:


> A skil saw bolted to a plywood board can also be used as a table saw.
> A 1x3 clamped on for a fence.


NO. Hell no. No way. No how. That is an express ticket to the emergency room and a lifetime of not counting to ten on your fingers if you're lucky enough to keep the whole hand. 

Just buy a used Bosch table saw and if you don't find a use for it after this project then just sell it to someone else for what you paid for it. 
The other option is seeing if there are any tool libraries or woodworker coops around that you could join. That cost would be way less and you'd get access to much better tools.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

NotyeruncleBob said:


> NO. Hell no. No way. No how. That is an express ticket to the emergency room and a lifetime of not counting to ten on your fingers if you're lucky enough to keep the whole hand. .............
> 
> .


No , it's not.

The OP was clear that he wanted a cheap saw at the beginning of the thread.
I can make up a nicer, more accurate saw like this than a cheap piece of #@%&^ from the apron store.

Of course, you need to use your brains to do so, so everyone out there reading this, if you have no brains, do not attempt!


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

123pugsy said:


> No , it's not.
> 
> The OP was clear that he wanted a cheap saw at the beginning of the thread.
> I can make up a nicer, more accurate saw like this than a cheap piece of #@%&^ from the apron store.
> ...


Nope. Still no. Still hell no!
Circular saws are just not meant to be used like this and the jury rigged setup to make it happen has way too many possible points of failure and safety shortcomings. Too much play, too many opportunities for something to move and then the blade will bind on the work and kickback or worse. Just a really unnecessary bad idea when you can get a tablesaw cheap enough to do the job properly.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

NotyeruncleBob said:


> when you can get a tablesaw cheap enough to do the job properly.


If it's that cheap, it won't do the job properly.............

The best idea on this whole thread is to buy a used cast iron saw, do the job and then sell it to recoup the money.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

Yeah, I have to say that it's a bad idea, too. Number one problem is the fact that a bottom mounted circular saw will be locked in the on position and take too much time to shut off in an emergency. With my table saw the shut off can be operated in a fraction of a second because of its location on the table. 

Number two is the lack of rigidity and smoothness of the top. The last thing you want is the top to flex and cause the wood to bind in the cut and burn or even worse shoot back at you. And if it isn't smooth the wood can get caught while you're feeding it and again bind and burn or kick back. 

Lastly, is there even a way to securely attach a circular saw to a piece of plywood? I know that the base plate of my circular saw has no holes that could be used for that purpose. There's no way you could clamp it. Even if there were holes, how could you get that connection to be rock solid in plywood?

I didn't even mention blade guards or anti-kickback devices because I don't use them on my tablesaw. Yes, I have all of my fingers. 

I have built a plywood router table that is quite safe and functional and let me tell you that it is cheaper and quicker to buy a basic table saw than build a good enclosure for one.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

abrowning said:


> Yeah, I have to say that it's a bad idea, too. Number one problem is the fact that a bottom mounted circular saw will be locked in the on position and take too much time to shut off in an emergency. With my table saw the shut off can be operated in a fraction of a second because of its location on the table.
> 
> Number two is the lack of rigidity and smoothness of the top. The last thing you want is the top to flex and cause the wood to bind in the cut and burn or even worse shoot back at you. And if it isn't smooth the wood can get caught while you're feeding it and again bind and burn or kick back.
> 
> ...


As I mentioned earlier, if you have no brains, do not attempt.

Do you really think I didn't install a switch controlled receptacle for the saw?
How about drilling holes in the skilsaw base plate and using thru bolts and nuts?

Anyhow, I've "safely" used one in the past.

Again, if you're not smart enough to overcome any safety issues, do not attempt this at home boys and girls.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

123pugsy said:


> As I mentioned earlier, if you have no brains, do not attempt.
> 
> Do you really think I didn't install a switch controlled receptacle for the saw?
> How about drilling holes in the skilsaw base plate and using thru bolts and nuts?
> ...



Some people don't know they're not smart enough. Just read ER accounts of construction accidents to confirm that. 

There's a big difference between quickly mounting a saw in a sheet of plywood and building a safe and useful homemade table saw. For the time and effort you might as well buy a cheapo.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

abrowning said:


> Some people don't know they're not smart enough. Just read ER accounts of construction accidents to confirm that.
> 
> There's a big difference between quickly mounting a saw in a sheet of plywood and building a safe and useful homemade table saw. For the time and effort you might as well buy a cheapo.


Yep. Buy a good used cast iron job is better.

But, for some who have more time than money, and a bit of savvy, they can make up a decent outfit that would work better than the China junk table saws.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

pman626 said:


> i plan to make doors out of 1x3 rails and stiles. with tongue and groove.
> 
> I'll need the groove to be precise width to fit 1/4 plywood, so I can't have the blade wobbling.
> 
> ...


What type of wood will you be using? A cheapo table saw will have a hard time with hardwood. Also, cheapo saws are not easy to align. You'll probably spend a lot of time aligning and realigning. What is the rail and stile design that you want? If you're going to do all your cutting on a table saw you'll need good blade alignment. Do you need to rip the rails and stiles to final width? Cutting rails and stiles to final length will require good blade and miter gauge alignment. What tools do you currently have?


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Just get a decent router, mount in a table, add two decent bits done and done, and you haven't spent a bundle of money, also takes up very little room.


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## NotyeruncleBob (Mar 9, 2017)

123pugsy said:


> As I mentioned earlier, if you have no brains, do not attempt.


How would you know if you don't have the brains? I like to think I'm pretty smart, and I have enough brains to realize that it's a bad idea to do this. 



123pugsy said:


> Do you really think I didn't install a switch controlled receptacle for the saw?
> How about drilling holes in the skilsaw base plate and using thru bolts and nuts?


So it will take a bit of work to make this and it's still not going to be that good. 



123pugsy said:


> Anyhow, I've "safely" used one in the past.


No, you've used one and didn't get hurt. It's like saying you've "safely" played Russian Roulette because the gun didn't go off when you pulled the trigger. 



123pugsy said:


> Again, if you're not smart enough to overcome any safety issues, do not attempt this at home boys and girls.


You're not going to overcome all the safety issues with bolting a circular saw to plywood and calling it a table saw. Maybe you'll get lucky and not get hurt but there's too many things that can go wrong, and you can't predict all of them with this kind of setup. Fully functioning, good quality, properly maintained and operated table saws are dangerous enough.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

NotyeruncleBob said:


> How would you know if you don't have the brains? I like to think I'm pretty smart, and I have enough brains to realize that it's a bad idea to do this.
> 
> 
> So it will take a bit of work to make this and it's still not going to be that good.
> ...


Thanks.

And this is why I recommended using a good quality used cast iron saw after the dangers were pointed out for those without the parts to do it safely.

You win.
Don't do it people, even though I will if I have to.


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

123pugsy said:


> Thanks.
> 
> And this is why I recommended using a good quality used cast iron saw after the dangers were pointed out for those without the parts to do it safely.
> 
> ...




We'll keep your fingers in our prayers! [emoji846]


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

abrowning said:


> We'll keep your fingers in our prayers! [emoji846]



You guys are blowing Pugsy's remarks way out of proportion!

Versatility, improvise, use what you have to get the job done. Sometimes that is what it takes. Personally as someone who has done this all his life, I call it a admirable. Doesn't mean do it unsafely, just means use your noggin for something other than a hat rack.

I have adapted and bolted up jigs saws, routers, belt sanders, even chain saws to fill my needs. I have always had a table saw so the thought of mounting a circular saw has never crossed my mind. But as soon as I have room for a panel saw, I have a saw ready to fit the bill.

I think mounting a saw to sheet of plywood, rigidly and used for light duty cutting is only marginally more dangerous than using a actual table saw. If your fingers are near the blade, you had better be using a push stick!

It may actually stir a heightened sense of awareness and keep you safer.


Like Pugsy, I am not recommending that anyone do this, but I know if that is all I had to work with, I know what I would be doing. Heck, some folks can't even use a cross cut hand saw without bleeding.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

And I agree Yodaman, that's just how it is when Ya need a stationary sander rather than a portable .:biggrin2:


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

Yodaman said:


> You guys are blowing Pugsy's remarks way out of proportion!
> 
> Versatility, improvise, use what you have to get the job done. Sometimes that is what it takes. Personally as someone who has done this all his life, I call it a admirable. Doesn't mean do it unsafely, just means use your noggin for something other than a hat rack.
> 
> ...


I thought pugsy did recommend that as an alternative to a $130 bench saw. 


I've resorted to some pretty cobbled together arrangements too. Sometimes you just have to make something work with what you have on hand. I get it. 

But I would stop short of recommending that anyone try one of my workarounds unless I knew they were pretty skilled to begin with. I think it's because I have years of experience with most power and hand tools and I know how even the ones that are designed for the purpose can go wrong. User error can trump built in safety features so if you put the same user on a make shift tool with no safety features then watch out. 

BTW, I almost never use a blade guard on my table saw. I've had it for 32 years and haven't even been nicked yet. It's all about knowing the risks.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

abrowning said:


> I thought pugsy did recommend that as an alternative to a $130 bench saw.


Yes I did recommend it. I said it. A cheap contractor saw has not now, nor has ever been, good to use for cabinetry.



abrowning said:


> I've resorted to some pretty cobbled together arrangements too. Sometimes you just have to make something work with what you have on hand. I get it.


It's OK for you? Ha............


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

abrowning said:


> We'll keep your fingers in our prayers! [emoji846]


Haaaa........


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## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

123pugsy said:


> Yes I did recommend it. I said it. A cheap contractor saw has not now, nor has ever been, good to use for cabinetry.
> 
> 
> 
> It's OK for you? Ha............



Agree. A $130 saw can't possibly be up to the task of turning out cabinetry. 

It's okay for me to do but not for me to recommend. I believe that I'm aware of the risks but I can't say for sure if another person is.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

abrowning said:


> It's okay for me to do but not for me to recommend. I believe that I'm aware of the risks but I can't say for sure if another person is.


Totally agree and withdraw my recommendation. This is a good point.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

Haven't read all posts, but kitchen resurfacing caught my attention. If you're cutting very thin material, you must have zero clearance throat plate as well as the fence. Any wobbliness in that space or blade hole that is too large for the stock, you can lose a finger (very bad cut for me). I haven't found any cheap tablesaw with very good parts. Years ago after ryobi went cheap, I bought and returned one because the fence will not lock tight enough - decent tap on it would move it. There can be a fair amount of pressure between the blade and fence when a stock is between them. This is one time you want to see the tool and kick it around. If the store can't show you the manual, get the model number, search for manual and make sure they sell you or insert space is enabled for making your own zero clearance insert.


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