£500 - £750 Table Saw Advice

[burpsmirk]

Hello!

I've been reading what seems like an endless succession of reviews & posts of various table saws in the £500 - £750 range, but feel like I'm just getting lost now! As this community seems to be so knowledgable and friendly, I thought I'd see if anyone had the strength to offer table saw advice yet again!

I am just a 'hobbiest' at the moment, though a small handful of pieces I've made have been sold commercially in the past, and having just built myself a 6m x 3.6m workshop I finally have the space to aquire a few 'essentials'. I tend to get obsessed with accuracy, so I'm looking for something with extremely reliable & accurate fence/guides, and otherwise just the best that I can buy for my budget.

I was strongly concidering the Kity 419, but there don't seem to be many 'rave reviews' lately, nor any comments on quality since production moved from France to the East. Someone even commented that their customer support was abysmal and another mentioned that the fence moved when locking it down...

So - is the Kity 419 still highly regarded or am I better looking elsewhere (if so, where :wink: ).

Thanks very much.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

Whatever make you go for, you are not going to find an accurate and easy to use fence in that price range. I suggest you think in terms of buying a suitable looking saw, and make your own fence. One of the guys on here publised some pictures of one he had done that incorporated a digital scale, and at a damn good price. I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to remind me of who it was, and maybe even post a link to the thread.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to remind me of who it was, and maybe even post a link to the thread.

That'll be me, I reckon.

His forum name is 9fingers, and this is the thread-

post624791.html#p624791

 

[woodbloke]

I've just installed a Charnwood W650 and after setting up and some fettling, the fence is dead accurate and very smooth. It's also got very good fine adjuster to bring the measurement spot onto the line - Rob

 

[burpsmirk]

I suggest you think in terms of buying a suitable looking saw

So what would you say makes a saw look suitable? Once I've narrowed down to a 'semi portable' style (like the kitty 419), they all seem pretty similar. Anything in particular I need to look for?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

So what would you say makes a saw look suitable? Once I've narrowed down to a 'semi portable' style (like the kitty 419), they all seem pretty similar. Anything in particular I need to look for?

I meant suitable in the sense of it being something which you thought might best suit all your requirements, AND, if you choose to make something as in the thread I linked to, a saw that would be suited to that too.

The Charnwood saw suggested by Woodbloke might be an idea though, as he says that the fence is very good after a bit of work. But it's certainly not a semi portable.

In the end it depends on whether or not you need to move it (don't buy a lightweight saw unless you absolutely need one) and on just what you mean by accurate.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

[Mike.C]

Whatever make you go for, you are not going to find an accurate and easy to use fence in that price range. I suggest you think in terms of buying a suitable looking saw, and make your own fence. One of the guys on here publised some pictures of one he had done that incorporated a digital scale, and at a damn good price. I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to remind me of who it was, and maybe even post a link to the thread.

I would not say that about all saws in his price range. I have had both the 10" and 12" SIP saws and both had/have rock solid fences straight out of the box. Ok the 12" is a bit more then £750, but you can get the 10" if you shop around. Axminster do the same saw (cloned and rebadged)

HTH

Cheers

Mike

 

[burpsmirk]

Well it's looking more & more like I should go for a cabinet saw, rather than a lighter one on a stand.

Just wondering though... if someone with a 10" SIP/Charnwood cabinet saw had to use its lighter, more portable sibling, what would they find most frustrating?

 

[Chems]

I had a more portable saw before my 10" SIP, its mainly the size of the tables that's the real difference. Trying to compare the two is like chaulk and cheese thou. If you can fit one, get a proper 10" Cast Iron saw.

 

[woodbloke]

The Charnwood weighs in at 125Kgs, so it's a moderate sort of weight, not so heavy as the SIP or the Ax, but then it's an overall smaller saw with a slider that's a manageable size. As I have a suspended floor in my 'shop and it's only 12' wide, this is a much better size for me. I did look at the SIP at Yandles, complete with it's slider, a couple of years ago and decided that I'd need an aircraft hanger to use it effectively - Rob

 

[burpsmirk]

I did look at the SIP at Yandles, complete with it's slider, a couple of years ago and decided that I'd need an aircraft hanger to use it effectively

Yes, that worries me a little. My space will probably take it ok, but I fear it will be a bit of a squeeze! I'll have to double check.

Having looked at the Charnwood a fair bit since your post, it looks very good but I'd be concerned that its max ripping width of 605mm will be too small. If I want to cut some pine board down to a decent desk depth (around 650/680mm - a project I have coming up soon), the Charnwood's not going to be able to do it unless I cut 2 peices and join them. Which I'd rather not.

But the inclusive sliding carriage is a real selling point. I only have a sliding mitre saw for crosscuts at the moment, and it's fairly woeful. Stumping up an extra £400 for the SIP 01332 sliding carriage wont be happening any time soon.

What a dilemma!... :?

 

[Digit]

I have the SIP 10 inch and my worshop is only 2.5 mtres wide, I would add that the saw is on castors.
For real accuracy I would avoid using a fence altogether, for other than ripping, and use jigs, sleds etc.

Roy.

 

[woodbloke]

Yes, that worries me a little. My space will probably take it ok, but I fear it will be a bit of a squeeze! I'll have to double check.

Having looked at the Charnwood a fair bit since your post, it looks very good but I'd be concerned that its max ripping width of 605mm will be too small. If I want to cut some pine board down to a decent desk depth (around 650/680mm - a project I have coming up soon), the Charnwood's not going to be able to do it unless I cut 2 peices and join them. Which I'd rather not.

For the sort of stuff I do, the ripping width of around 600mm is more than enough (after all, this is the width of a standard kitchen worktop which is wide enough for most purposes) and for anything else there are generally 'ways and means' :wink: round the problem. Although I've found it to be a really great saw and ideal for my means, there are aspects of it which are intensely irritating :twisted: so I've spent the last couple of days giving it a good fettle...it's also being written up for an F&C article/review, so I'm loathe to reveal exactly what I've done. Suffice to say that certain aspects have been improved 100% with a minimum outlay in time and materials - Rob

 

[Doug B]

I tend to get obsessed with accuracy.

Just a thought & obviously it depends on what you are going to be doing on the table saw, but I`ve recently bought a track saw (£450), it is extremely accurate, to the point that my old Wadkin AGS is collecting dust & will probably be out the door in the new year.

The finish cut on larger sections of timber & sheet panels is far superior off the track saw, with no need for making zero tolerance throat plates to prevent breakout. Obviously it wont do everything, but what it can`t do the bandsaw & compound miter saw will, so the table saw is fast becoming redundant.


Cheers.

 

[Lord Kitchener]

I tend to get obsessed with accuracy.

Just a thought & obviously it depends on what you are going to be doing on the table saw, but I`ve recently bought a track saw (£450), it is extremely accurate, to the point that my old Wadkin AGS is collecting dust & will probably be out the door in the new year.

The finish cut on larger sections of timber & sheet panels is far superior off the track saw, with no need for making zero tolerance throat plates to prevent breakout. Obviously it wont do everything, but what it can`t do the bandsaw & compound miter saw will, so the table saw is fast becoming redundant.

I have come to the same conclusion. I cut up quite a few 8x4 sheets into panels for kitchen cabinets, and I now do it all with two Festool saws, one on one table for ripping, with a 2700 rail, and one permanently mounted to a dedicated crosscutting table, comple with scales and stops either side. I've had various table saws, including two with largish sliding tables and scoring blades, and none of them were as accurate, or gave the quality of cut, that I get with the Festools. OK, so my set-up is a bit slower, and certailny requires more space (2 8x4 tables), but I much prefer it. I could manage with just one table, but it would take more time which is OK for a hobbyist, but I need to make a living out of this.