seb1982
Member
Hi everyone! I've just joined this fine forum as a new woodworker, so ... first things first .... Hello!
Right. Another table saw thread. I apologise in advance, but assure you I've read all the others I can find!
So I'm pretty new to woodworking, but I've completely got the bug having started building myself an electronic pipe organ. I've found I'm getting more and more interested in the woodwork on the organ console, and less and less interested in the instrument ... which wasn't how it was supposed to be... :roll: :mrgreen:
Anyway. I'm looking to set up my garage as a workshop. I've spent the last few weeks looking over the internet for table saw reviews. My budget limit is £1,000 max at the moment, which sadly just rules out the Jet 600 and Axminster Trade ones once extension tables and sliding tables are factored in. The garage hasn't got a 16A supply, either.
What I've narrowed it down to is as follows, with my thinking:
1. Bosch GTS 10 XC
The cheapest. Reasonable power at 2KW ish. Reasonably square-locking fence system. But non-standard mitre slots, and rather lightweight. Only small cross cut capability. Only aluminium table. Could buy from Axminster and enjoy decent after sales if any problems.
2. DeWalt 7491
Not cheap. Love the rack and pinion fence. Reasonable 2KW ish power. Still a site saw at the end of the day, though. Non-standard mitre slots (I think). No sliding cross cut table. But a nice small footprint with massive ripping width. The only large place that sells them is Machine Mart, and I frankly don't trust them to put right anything that was wrong. Bad experiences with them. I can't find anywhere that would let me actually get a hands-on experience before parting with the best part of a grand.
3. Axminster 250 full kit
Good price. Axminster have none in at the moment, but I gather that some are due in a couple of weeks. I've read many good reviews, and many bad reviews. Non-standard mitre slots (I think). Only a 1.5KW motor, though, and I'm going to be sawing a lot of oak. The fence locking system doesn't *look* the strongest thing in the world, but I haven't had a chance to fiddle with one properly.
4. Charnwood W650
Popped into the Charnwood Leicester showroom and saw this one today. My gut says to go for this one. Massive 2.2KW power, smooth sliding table with stop block. Reasonable mitre guage. Cheap. Feels solid. Fence seems to lock squarely, even if it moves a bit on locking. However, I'm aware that I've only seen the showroom one, and the chap there basically told me that the ones they have on display have had a lot of fettling done to them. I worry that I'm not experienced enough to fettle! But I guess the same would apply to the Axminster. I don't know whether the fence system would be upgradeable with an aftermarket fence. I've seen a lot of people say that they're decent, but not great. But most of those statements seem to be from a few years ago, before it had the mitre slots cut added to the table. I don't know how it stands now. Have heard a couple of people say that aftersales is non-existent from Charnwood.
So. There we go. I suppose my main concern is accuracy, closely followed by being able to make and buy useful jigs for it to get the most out of it, which is why I'm wary of the Bosch and the DeWalt.
Anyway, I hope you don't mind me posting my thoughts here. I'd appreciate it hugely if anyone could chime in with anything they think might be helpful. I think whichever one I buy, at some point I'll wish I'd bought one of the others, but .... God, this is more difficult than I thought!
Thanks so much!
Right. Another table saw thread. I apologise in advance, but assure you I've read all the others I can find!
So I'm pretty new to woodworking, but I've completely got the bug having started building myself an electronic pipe organ. I've found I'm getting more and more interested in the woodwork on the organ console, and less and less interested in the instrument ... which wasn't how it was supposed to be... :roll: :mrgreen:
Anyway. I'm looking to set up my garage as a workshop. I've spent the last few weeks looking over the internet for table saw reviews. My budget limit is £1,000 max at the moment, which sadly just rules out the Jet 600 and Axminster Trade ones once extension tables and sliding tables are factored in. The garage hasn't got a 16A supply, either.
What I've narrowed it down to is as follows, with my thinking:
1. Bosch GTS 10 XC
The cheapest. Reasonable power at 2KW ish. Reasonably square-locking fence system. But non-standard mitre slots, and rather lightweight. Only small cross cut capability. Only aluminium table. Could buy from Axminster and enjoy decent after sales if any problems.
2. DeWalt 7491
Not cheap. Love the rack and pinion fence. Reasonable 2KW ish power. Still a site saw at the end of the day, though. Non-standard mitre slots (I think). No sliding cross cut table. But a nice small footprint with massive ripping width. The only large place that sells them is Machine Mart, and I frankly don't trust them to put right anything that was wrong. Bad experiences with them. I can't find anywhere that would let me actually get a hands-on experience before parting with the best part of a grand.
3. Axminster 250 full kit
Good price. Axminster have none in at the moment, but I gather that some are due in a couple of weeks. I've read many good reviews, and many bad reviews. Non-standard mitre slots (I think). Only a 1.5KW motor, though, and I'm going to be sawing a lot of oak. The fence locking system doesn't *look* the strongest thing in the world, but I haven't had a chance to fiddle with one properly.
4. Charnwood W650
Popped into the Charnwood Leicester showroom and saw this one today. My gut says to go for this one. Massive 2.2KW power, smooth sliding table with stop block. Reasonable mitre guage. Cheap. Feels solid. Fence seems to lock squarely, even if it moves a bit on locking. However, I'm aware that I've only seen the showroom one, and the chap there basically told me that the ones they have on display have had a lot of fettling done to them. I worry that I'm not experienced enough to fettle! But I guess the same would apply to the Axminster. I don't know whether the fence system would be upgradeable with an aftermarket fence. I've seen a lot of people say that they're decent, but not great. But most of those statements seem to be from a few years ago, before it had the mitre slots cut added to the table. I don't know how it stands now. Have heard a couple of people say that aftersales is non-existent from Charnwood.
So. There we go. I suppose my main concern is accuracy, closely followed by being able to make and buy useful jigs for it to get the most out of it, which is why I'm wary of the Bosch and the DeWalt.
Anyway, I hope you don't mind me posting my thoughts here. I'd appreciate it hugely if anyone could chime in with anything they think might be helpful. I think whichever one I buy, at some point I'll wish I'd bought one of the others, but .... God, this is more difficult than I thought!
Thanks so much!
