Advice on a table saw.

[wkerswell]

I know there are a fair few threads here on the matter and I have read most of them. Just looking for tailored advice towards my situation. I am pretty new to woodwork and having spent countless hours watch people on YouTube I can see that the table saw seems to be a pretty key tool for the workshop. I was looking to spend around £150-200.

I was looking to get the Clarke CTS10D (£190) table saw from Machine Mart as it seemed be what needed from their demo video. It also seemed nicer than the ones I was looking at for £100-150. After reading through the threads on here I can see a lot of hate for the saw and a lot of love for the Axminster hobby ts200 (£290).

Is the Clarke really that bad and is the Axminster worth the extra £100 bearing in mind it will be used for hobby work use not trade.

Thank you for any advice.
Will

 

[pcb1962]

I was looking to get the Clarke CTS10D (£190) table saw from Machine Mart as it seemed be what needed from their demo video. It also seemed nicer than the ones I was looking at for £100-150. After reading through the threads on here I can see a lot of hate for the saw and a lot of love for the Axminster hobby ts200 (£290).

Is the Clarke really that bad and is the Axminster worth the extra £100 bearing in mind it will be used for hobby work use not trade.

One huge difference between the two is noise. The Clarke has a screaming universal motor, whereas the Axi has a nice quiet induction motor. If you value relations with your neighbours and family that could be an important factor. Note that the sound you hear on the video is no way representative of the real noise level of that saw.

 

[Doingupthehouse]

In a word yes!

The Axi weighs twice as much, has a better fence and a quiet induction motor. The Clarke is very loud 112dB which makes me think it uses a brushed motor, so you won't want to use it without hearing protection. IMO a cast-iron table is a huge benefit for a table saw. Axminster's after-sales is pretty good too.

Simon

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Will
Welcome to the forum
There is a well-known saying that if you buy cheap you buy twice.
I did!

The Axi is a well-regarded little machine. The Clarke isn't. Only you can decide if the difference in price is worth the difference in quality, I'm afraid.

 

[nev]

I'll play devils advocate here
The main (only?) purpose of a table saw is to cut a straight, clean line in sheet material, accurately and repeatedly.
So regardless of noise, build quality, after sales service and all those other things that cost money (quite rightly) does the Clarke work?
i.e. does it cut clean straight and accurate lines time after time?

 

[mind_the_goat]

Am sure others will mention this too, but I would guess many of the Youtubers you have been watching are Americans. They definitly have a different approach to woodwork and a Table saw is often their do everything tool. Before buying yo may also want to check out the accident stats in the states. Maybe suggest what you would like to build and people can advise if a table saw is the best way to go. If you do go for it there are several things to keep in mind:
1. In Europe tables saws (unless it's an old one) will not take a dado stack cutter. A router is considered a better tool for doing this. A Table saw is not the best tool for cutting slots as this often requires removing the safety devices, and it's easy to not bother putting them back (see 2).
2. Don't be tempted to remove the guard or riving knife, these are essential safety devices.
3. Do read up on correct and safe use of the machine, there are many things that can go wrong and unless someone explains it it's not all obvious. Look for You Tube videos on Kickback as a starting point.
4. Use push sticks and think about using a short fence for ripping timber
5. Don't use a blunt blade, for a cheaper saw you almost certainly need to factor in the cost of a replacement blade.

I started with a cheap B&Q saw, with no idea about the dangers, still have my fingers, and the saw lasted well, although it's never been very accurate. I put this down to a lot of luck and a reasonable sense of self preservation. Having recently purchased a band saw I do wish that had been my first big tool.

I'm sure others will add to this, and actually answer your question about the better choice.

 

[wkerswell]

Wow I wasn't expecting so many relies so quickly! Thank you all.

From the sound of it the Axminster is the way to go. There is a shop about an hour away so I may make a trip down there on the weekend.

Thinking about what mind_the_goat has said most of the channels on YouTube are of Americans so I could be thinking of using the table for purposes that it was not designed for. I didn't know that most European saws didn't support the use of dado stacks. Maybe I should be looking at a band saw instead. I guess if I am not cutting slots I could replace the idea of getting a table saw in favor of a reasonable circular saw with my work bench and a router. I imagine that would put the cost down a little too.

 

[Wuffles]

Wow I wasn't expecting so many relies so quickly! Thank you all.

From the sound of it the Axminster is the way to go. There is a shop about an hour away so I may make a trip down there on the weekend.

Think about what mind_the_goat has said most of the channels on YouTube are of Americans so I could be thinking of using the table for purposes that it was not designed for. I didn't know that most European saws didn't support the use of dado stacks. Maybe I should be looking at a band saw instead. I guess if I am not cutting slots I could replace the idea of getting a table saw in favor of a reasonable circular saw with my work bench and a router. I imagine that would put the cost down a little too.

I managed perfectly well with a track saw for years, in fact, I recently decided I'll be selling my Startrite Table Saw as I don't use it enough to warrant its footprint in the workshop any more. Track saw and a band saw seems to cover most uses in my life.

Perhaps consider a track saw - even if it's a Lidl/Aldi one when they come up every so often.

 

[wkerswell]

I managed perfectly well with a track saw for years, in fact, I recently decided I'll be selling my Startrite Table Saw as I don't use it enough to warrant its footprint in the workshop any more. Track saw and a band saw seems to cover most uses in my life.

Perhaps consider a track saw - even if it's a Lidl/Aldi one when they come up every so often.

Thanks for letting me know. Seems that us Europeans do things a little differently. I am going to have to look into Band saws now . I have seem people using circular saws and making their own guides so that could be a good idea as well as looking at track saws.

 

[wkerswell]

I am guessing that same advice for Clarke Vs Axminster applies to most tools including Band saws?

 

[dynax]

I am also looking at table saws, i looked at the clarke,evolution rage 5( a new version is due in June), and a few others, but i have decided to go for a scheppach hs105, on the toolstop website have it for £209.00, but the reviews do seem offputting, but it has a cast alloy table, sliding table extension which looks quite solid, and standard mitre " T " mitre slots, 2000w motor, it is brushed, but not bothered about neighbours, there seems to be a few near me that do a bit of wood butchering, can hear saws and planers going virtually every day, anyway it has a max rip of 570mm, i think the max height is about 80mm, and 60mm at 45 degrees, i will be making a cabinet to make more capable for sheet ripping, but for the money it should suit my needs,

 

[MattRoberts]

Can't comment on those saws, but I would offer one piece of advice.

Almost every project starts with the table saw. If you don't make accurate clean cuts at the very start of a project, things will only get worse / harder.

 

[Steve Maskery]

i will be making a cabinet to make more capable for sheet ripping

Can I respectfully suggest that you forget the idea of using a small TS for cutting sheet material. The issue is not the power of the machine, it is the stability of the machine when it has a sheet of MDF on it. For sheet materials it is a MUCH better idea to use a track and saw - a posh Festool or Makita or Dewalt if you have the budget, or a Lidl special with a home-made track if you don't. You move a small saw but the big, heavy, unmanageable workpiece stays still. With a setting gauge like mine you can get precision and repeatable accuracy this way, just as well as with a TS and much more safely.

 

[Bodgers]

Axy TS200 is the absolute minimum price for a decent standard of static Tablesaw. It seems it just isn't possible to sell one in the UK that is any good for any less...

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[DiscoStu]

I bought a TS 200 and various other machines early on. Then a Axy bandsaw came on offer and I bought it on a whim, I use it nearly every time I'm in the workshop. It gets a lot more use than my table saw. I just wish I'd bought a bigger one! However a tuff saw blade and a change of speed recently has given it a big boost. If I had to choose between a table saw and my bandsaw then I'd be keeping my bandsaw. I do also have a track saw which is great for sheet materials.


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[wkerswell]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am definitely going to look in getting a Band saw and a track saw.

 

[JonnyW]

I would stump up for the extra £100 and go for the Axminster. Or go for the best you can afford.

I bought a Draper for £235 a few years back, and it 'just' did the job and no more. The fence ran off (which kills the saw's reason for being!); the mitre gauge was as sloppy as a finger up an a***; the grove on the saw table wasn't a standard size so couldn't take an aftermarket mitre gauge or tenon jig etc; an airbus a777 taking off made less noise. But hey, it was a cheap saw and it just did the job.

I'm currently waiting for my new table saw to arrive and have paid - for a hobbyist - a lot of money for it. But in my humble opinion, it's your backbone machine, partly due to its versatility.

Rob, the newer Scheppach saws can take an expandable groove/rebate cutter (8mm-15mm). Very pricey, but worth it I think.

Jonny