"Budget / Hobby" Table saw - Do they exist?

[twodoctors]

Hi all,

I do have a table saw... a cheap one from Screwfix which I bought about 9 years ago now. Terrible saw because the table was crap: plenty of play on the mitre slot; fence doesn't line up straight without support; dust everywhere despite connecting the shopvac to the tiny exhaust port. It is what it is, and that's probably why I rarely use it. Prefer my bandsaw (and bandsaw boxes).

B&Q is having a sale now, and a Scheppach table saw (budget version obviously) was on offer at for £90 (from £125 I think). I was tempted but got in the game late and there's none in stock around me. Looking on review (and looking at the pictures) the table doesn't look very good quality anyway. I have now in my own mind that I shouldn't get anything that hasn't got a cast iron table... the cheap and nasty ones has "moulded steel" table, but then there are some with aluminium table that looks good.

Does decent budget table saw exist? Which one would fall in that catergory and how much do I have to spend to get one?

If someone has a decent table saw (that I can take home in an estate car) that they want to shift let me know!

Adrian

 

[dzj]

Does decent budget table saw exist?

Depends how you define decent. Can a budget TS be cajoled into making a repeatable, precise cut?
It can, but there will always be more preparation, checking, twiddling and fiddling than on a larger cast iron model.
These usually won't fit in an estate car.

 

[sunnybob]

I've just ended a 3 years search for a decent table saw. Notice I said DECENT, not CHEAP. Finding one that fits both descriptions is easier than winning two seperate lottery jackpots two weeks in a row.
Cheap always is and always has been... cheap. If you buy on that reason alone, you will regret it.

The first decent option is an old wadkin type that will cost you between 400 and a thousand depending how much work you want to do on it.

The next is a modern table saw from people like axminster, which will still cost over 500 before you get into the "decent" category and could again go to nearly a grand.

I've found a very good inbetween saw. Its a DeWalt 745 site saw. There are several in use on this forum. the table is cast ali (not flimsy pressed metaL). the fence is an amazing piece of technology, infinitely adjustable and solid as a solid thing can be. As long as you dont want to rip 8 x 4 foot panels all day long its a great piece of kit.
Down side is it sprays sawdust in a wide circle, but its a small price to pay for a decent table saw that costs less than 500 quid . FFX had it for 450 (ish a month back.
And as its a site saw, it can be lifted easily because it weighs 22 kgs, same as a decent holiday suitcase.

 

[woodbloke66]

Hi all,


Does decent budget table saw exist? Which one would fall in that catergory and how much do I have to spend to get one?

If someone has a decent table saw (that I can take home in an estate car) that they want to shift let me know!

Adrian

Yep, there's one for sale on the forum. No connection with the seller btw - Rob

 

[twodoctors]

DeWalt 745, I'll keep and eye out for one of these.

My workshop is only 1 half of the "single garage". I've only just started putting castors on m my machineries (300mm sander, table saw, pillar drill, router table, scroll saw, bobbin sander, dust extractor, shopvac and a Basato 3 bandsaw!). A proper tablesaw is out of the question!

I can't cut in a straight line with hand tools to save my life. I couldn't with my old smaller bandsaw (that's why I only made bandsaw boxes as cutting straight is not essential!). I cna now with the Basato 3 and hopefully cut even better withe a better blade. Still, a table saw would do a better job. Planning on making a workshop cabinet for the router table as my next project.

Saw an Axminster TS200 sold on eBay for £155, and thay looked pretty decent. There was also a TS250 sold for £125. Bargain! Also found out about the new(er) Evolution Rage 5S on Google which seemed pretty good but the mitre gauge still has some play.

I'll keep looking! Thanks.

Adrian

 

[twodoctors]

Hi all,


Does decent budget table saw exist? Which one would fall in that catergory and how much do I have to spend to get one?

If someone has a decent table saw (that I can take home in an estate car) that they want to shift let me know!

Adrian

Yep, there's one for sale on the forum. No connection with the seller btw - Rob

The Kity sure looks good, but out of my budget range and travel range! (Don't want to spend more than £200 secondhand to be honest! Yes I'm stingy, but this is only a hobby for me.)

 

[Fitzroy]

My twopence worth. Buying new then not for your £200 budget. Buying secondhand, yes but you’ll have to be patient, ready to jump on a bargain, and prepared to do some work tidying/fixing up.

Gumtree is your friend, surf daily all saw adverts within 40 miles of your location. The worst described saws will be the cheapest, and the hardest to find, but the best bargains. Get familiar with what certain saws look like so you can identify them from the picture.

I’d be looking out for:
Kity 418 or 618 ( I’ve bought both for c. £100)
Old Axminster varieties
Wadkin AGS 10
Anything Startrite

You may be pushing it with the last two but I got my AGS recently for £250 off eBay. However if the’re priced low then you need to be quick or you’ll never see them let alone buy them.

Depending how mechanically minded you are then saws with stuck rise and fall systems, vibrations, missing fence etc can be a bargain. I’d avoid anything with broken motor/electric issues though. 3 phase units can also be cheap but will cost you c.£100+ to adapt to single phase so likely outside your budget.

Hope some of that may be helpful.

Fitz.

 

[twodoctors]

I've put most of those search terms on Gumtree and eBay!

Thinking laterally, might I be better off with a track saw or handheld circular saw? I know they serve different purpose, but the amount of stuff I need to do to cut in a straight line with this crappy table saw, I might be better off clamping the tracks on the material and saw it that way. A Scheppach one is on offer at £80... or a secondhand "man-size" circular saw is "only" about £30-40...

Any thoughts?

Adrian