Table Saw Recommendations?

[malcolm]

I've got a cheapo Titan table saw from Screwfix and the bed is folded tin and isn't flat. The depth of cut in the middle of a length of wood is 2mm different to the depth at the ends.

Going to buy a new one. Seem to be lots about with a decent aluminium bed. Can anyone recommend one?

 

[Fazerruss]

Kitty ( if they are still going) I bought mine from machine Mart years ago. Quality machine tool still as good as the day I bought it.

I have the 419

https://www.dbkeighley.co.uk/masters/junior4.htm

 

[Agroshield]

You might need to give us an idea of budget.

There are 'contractor's saws' from Bosch, DeWalt and Makita, all of which are competent and which are semi-portable. These tend to have aluminium beds.

I have an MLT100 but wish I had ponied up for a 2704.

Weigh up very carefully what you might want to do with it that you cannot do with a tracksaw and a router.

 

[malcolm]

That's a good point.

I want a workshop based table saw for making things like windows and other profiles around the house - like my secondary glazing only straighter. Needs to be able to do half height cuts to make angled profiles. I would have been happy enough with the Titan had the bed been flat.

Guess I could go about £500 if I have a stiff drink and don't look at my bank balance first. :-)

Contractors saws might be the sort of thing. Why do you wish you bought the more expensive one?

 

[julianf]

I have a wadkin ags10 that has been on my to-do list to get around to selling for about a year. It's 3ph, and will require some time and effort, but, essentially not loads.

Would be under your budget, probably even with transport and the elektrickery for the 3ph (but, in truth, I don't know what they cost)

But, again, you would have to want a saw like that. Somwhat different from the other ones menting mentioned.

 

[thinfourth]

I have a wadkin ags10 that has been on my to-do list to get around to selling for about a year. It's 3ph, and will require some time and effort, but, essentially not loads.

Would be under your budget, probably even with transport and the elektrickery for the 3ph (but, in truth, I don't know what they cost)

But, again, you would have to want a saw like that. Somwhat different from the other ones menting mentioned.

BITE HIS HAND OFF with this offer

As i had a makita with an aluminium bed after my halfwitted father bought it for me and the fence etc was utter garbage. Sadly he used my money after i asked him to buy something decent on the grounds i would go halfs on the cost

i sold it with great joy and bought an ancient cast iron topped saw that was a massive improvement

 

[Agroshield]

I want a workshop based table saw... ...Why do you wish you bought the more expensive one?

If 100% workshop-based, I would be looking at older cast-iron saws like the one julianf mentioned. You can get a lot of saw for not much money. Wadkin, Startrite, etc. Make sure it has the fence with it. You might have to look into which ones had dual-voltage motors if buying three-phase.

The MLT100 is built to a price. Dust collection is absolutely dreadful. Fence is a bit flimsy. Nothing that cannot be fixed and improved. The 2704 is better out of the box.

The fellow I bought it off made bespoke fitted wardrobes and found it a bit big for his use. He had bought the DeWalt equivalent as it was smaller.

 

[gaz1]

before you do have a look at this

ive already started making mine

have all 3 electric tools just wanted the bigger saw which was on the forums

made without a table saw in the first place its what bugs me when other users use the tools you dont have then claim its homemade and yet using a 300.00 bought item in the first place

 

[malcolm]

I was after something fairly quick so I can get on with the big window. Can still get the Makita next day which is tempting.

Want to avoid anything that would need 3 phase or any work, but get the point that a big old cast thing would be much more lovely and probably cheaper.

How bad is the fence on the Makita? The one on my Titan is flimsy and needs setting 1mm more than the cut, but dead straight and doesn't cause me any problem. Dust extraction is rubbist too.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I was after something fairly quick so I can get on with the big window. Can still get the Makita next day which is tempting.

Want to avoid anything that would need 3 phase or any work, but get the point that a big old cast thing would be much more lovely and probably cheaper.

How bad is the fence on the Makita? The one on my Titan is flimsy and needs setting 1mm more than the cut, but dead straight and doesn't cause me any problem. Dust extraction is rubbist too.

Last makita I used had a reasonably sturdy fence locks both ends and keeps itself true
Was the bells and whistles version though.


Can't see why the makita your looking at wouldnt be sufficient. Massive step up from the triton

 

[Country Joe]

I've got a cheapo Titan table saw from Screwfix

Massive step up from the triton

Malcolm has a Titan, not a Triton - I think!

I've got a Triton thing - it's a WC2000, but is left set up as a table saw for the last few years.
They've changed a lot since, though - the newer ones seem different.

All the Best,
CJ

 

[thinfourth]

Last makita I used had a reasonably sturdy fence locks both ends and keeps itself true
Was the bells and whistles version though.


Can't see why the makita your looking at wouldnt be sufficient. Massive step up from the triton

But an old cast iron topped saw would be an entire staircase up

And if you are doing windows stuff etc it won't be long before you are looking at using dado's etc

So while the makita is instant gratification it's still a long way from a big old cast iron machine and a year down the line you'll be having exactly this conversation

 

[sako243]

I'd agree with what other people say and get something heavy.

I had one of those "bench-top" saws and was always swearing at it trying to cut larger materials. My father had one of the older Scheppach saws which was a joy to use in comparison. Then the same model popped up a couple of miles down the road for not very much money so I picked it up.

With the little saws I was always finding an alternative way to do something rather than use it, this one because it doesn't move I just use it when I need to.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

But an old cast iron topped saw would be an entire staircase up

And if you are doing windows stuff etc it won't be long before you are looking at using dado's etc

So while the makita is instant gratification it's still a long way from a big old cast iron machine and a year down the line you'll be having exactly this conversation

No. A step up from a contractor saw would be a proper sliding panel tablesaw

Exactly how would half a tonne of wadkins be a massive step up. A small step up

Yes. Cast iron table. Cast Ali tables are stable. Enough.
Yes more substantial fence. Easily overcome by checking setups for critical cuts

Bigger motor is nice but the contractor saws have plenty of guts for what Malcom needs and the benifits of being able to pick it up and use it elsewhere when required and get it delivered during lockdown far outweigh the small benifits of old iron

You don't need old iron to cut dados either

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Malcolm has a Titan, not a Triton - I think!

I've got a Triton thing - it's a WC2000, but is left set up as a table saw for the last few years.
They've changed a lot since, though - the newer ones seem different.

All the Best,
CJ

Aye. Meant titan.
Though haven't had much with newer triton gear either. Thicknesser was knackered after it's first use and went back
Replaced with a Titan planer thicknesser ironically. There good value for the pennies for the odd days I need to stick it in the van

 

[malcolm]

Aye. Meant titan.
Though haven't had much with newer triton gear either. Thicknesser was knackered after it's first use and went back
Replaced with a Titan planer thicknesser ironically. There good value for the pennies for the odd days I need to stick it in the van

Don't start mentioning other new shiny things! A planer thicknesser would be handy.

 

[Country Joe]

Aye. Meant titan.
Though haven't had much with newer triton gear either. Thicknesser was knackered after it's first use and went back
Replaced with a Titan planer thicknesser ironically. There good value for the pennies for the odd days I need to stick it in the van

Glad you mentioned all that - I'd been wondering about their thicknesser being any good.
I'd heard they were quite noisy, but then most are.

I'll have a re-think!

All the Best,
CJ

 

[gaz1]

that homemade one is only out by a hair thickness for its whole length

not bad for a homemade one and built up as you can afford to buy the items

as good as a bought version of table saw oh It weighs exactly 80 lbs when all of the accessories are loaded into it.

design can be changed enough and also added too id probably add the planner thicknesser myself

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Don't start mentioning other new shiny things! A planer thicknesser would be handy.

For the money and smaller stock I can't fault it. Had a second hand one. Abused it for two years before a bearing gave out
Didn't have time to sort so grabbed another..passed the old one on to a member to repair

 

[DennisCA]

Eh I am repeating what others have said