HELP!! - Table saw recommendation for new workshop

[Sawdust]

Hi experts,

I will soon (well hopefully) be moving to a new house with a very good sized double garage and I've decided that I would like a tablesaw.

I've heard very good things said on here about the SIP machine and I've also looked at the Fox one from Rutlands which looks like a very solid machine and I really like the idea of a sliding table, this is at the top of my budget at £699.

Does anyone have any experience (good or bad) of these machines?

Given my budget, are there any others worth looking at?

One final point, I would really like to be able to use a dado cutter. Will either of these machines take a dado, or if not can anyone tell me any machines in my price range that will.

Many thanks for any advice

Mike

 

[Sonic]

Mike,

I have had the SIP machine for over a year, and I am very pleased with it for the money (it cost me £475, and I think it can be got for less now). It is solidly built, runs very quietly, and the fence locks rigidly in place. I got one of the first machines, so it didn't have the split fence . I also don't have the sliding table, but I have made a cross-cut sled which works for me. I had to wire the saw straight to a spur (with a 15A fuse in the distribution box), as it blew a 13A fuse when I tried to run from a standard socket (something to do with having a big AC motor).

Negatives:

The mitre gauge was a pretty sloppy fit, and could hardly be called a piece of precision engineering, but a few clouts with a centre punch soon tightened it up, and I have a good SCMS, so don't use it much.

The fine adjuster on the fence is a gimmick in my opinion, and I don't tend to bother with it.

I won't even mention the D word, as that is likely draw friendly fire on this forum !

Hope this helps.

Colin

 

[Neomorph]

D..Da..D...Drrrr.... ROUTER :wink:

Mind you using a router is supposed to be safer than using a dado stack... but just ask Tony what he thinks of that.

 

[Mike.C]

Mike have you looked at the Scheppach TS2010? http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/Prod ... uctID=2024

IMHO this table saw is in a different league then the SIP. You can buy the basic model for £397, but for your £699 you also get a sliding table, stand and table extension etc.

For £20 more you can also get this Kity http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/Prod ... ctID=37448 which also has a sliding table, stand and table extension. Gill has this saw and i am sure she will tell you all about it.

There are also members who have the above Scheppach and other models in the range, and i am sure that they will agree that these are very good saws.

Which ever one you go for good luck

Cheers

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

Mike

A Kity 419 will be in your budget with a sliding table. Many people on here own one and are pleased with them - I am particusalrly pleased with the fit of the mitre guage in the slot on mine, best I've seen (although not the 'standard' 3/4")

 

[Sawdust]

Thanks to all for the feedback so far.

The Scheppach and Kity macines look nice but much lighter than the SIP and especially the Fox machine.

Has anybody used these with big panels? They look like they would fall over with an 8 x 4 sheet on them.

Cheers
Mike

 

[ProShop]

Hi Sawdust,
Ref the Fox machine SEE HERE

IMHO if your wanting to cut 8 x 4 sheets you might want to be looking at something a bit more substantial.

 

[RogerM]

Mike - I bought the Scheppach 2010 inc sliding table, width extension and take-off extension for £599 at the Ally Pally show in February, and I think it's the "dog's dooberries" after my previous saw. Powerful, accurate, supremely adjustable and versatile. I haven't cut any large panels yet, but I have no reason to believe it won't perform equally well there too.

HTH.

 

[Sonic]

I would not personally attempt to cut 8x4s straight on my saw, not that the saw would mind, but just manhandling the sheet safely would be really difficult. So like most people I cut the sheet on trestles with a small circular saw to slightly over-size and then use the TS for the final cuts. I would think you need a pretty big saw to handle sheet stock directly, quite apart from the room you need to each side !

Colin

 

[Colin C]

You could look at the new fox too
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9201
I am waiting for a review on it myself

 

[Anonymous]

Not an 8x4 - I would avoid these on smaller table saws such as those we are discussing.

I have cut a half sheet of 19mm MDF on my kity using the sliding table without any problems or stress for me or the machine

 

[johnelliott]

D..Da..D...Drrrr.... ROUTER :wink:

Mind you using a router is supposed to be safer than using a dado stack... but just ask Tony what he thinks of that.

A router is a safer of cuting dados if used handheld in a suitable jig. Much safer. In fact, safe isn't really a word that can be used in a discussion about dado cutting with a table saw

John

 

[Sawdust]

Thanks again for all the replies.

Sorry to keep asking questions but has anyone got any experience with the Perform table saw from Axminster:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/11/product-Perform-CC10BSB-Sliding-Table-Saw-Bench-377860.htm

And a final question for the night. Can anyone tell me what the max distance is between the blade and the fence (with the table extension) on the Scheppach saw. I've tried looking for specification but can't find much!

Thanks again for all your help

Mike

 

[RogerM]

Mike - max distance from blade to fence on TS2010 is 48cms, which is virtually to the edge of the extension table.

HTH.

 

[Mike.C]

Mike wrote:

The Scheppach and Kity machines look nice but much lighter than the SIP and especially the Fox machine.

Has anyone used these with big panels? They look like they would fall over with an 8x4 sheet on them.

It may help if you tell us your needs before we reply. I personally would not have recommended the Scheppach or the Kity if you had mentioned that you wanted to cut 8x4 sheets on your purchase. IMHO you will need to spend a bit more than £699 to get a saw that will safely cut 8x4 boards. Or as Felderman states IHPO you should get a more substantial saw.

With your budget, if you have a circular saw, use it and a straight edge to cut your 8x4 boards and then look for a decent table saw without the need to cut big sheeting.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Jake]

It may help if you tell us your needs before we reply. I personally would not have recommended the Scheppach or the Kity if you had mentioned that you wanted to cut 8x4 sheets on your purchase. IMHO you will need to spend a bit more than £699 to get a saw that will safely cut 8x4 boards. Or as Felderman states IHPO you should get a more substantial saw.

All true, but it also depends how often you are going to be doing it. I can't see these things actually falling over - I can and do cut full sheets accurately on my festool site saw - not something I would choose to do more than a couple of times a week, but then I don't need to do that.

 

[tombo]

sawdust,

i was waiting for someone to pipe up and recommend an xcalibur saw from woodford, but since no one has i will. I bought an 804 a few months ago and just love it , though the service from woodford was frustrating to say the least. However i think that was down to one guy who worked for them and has now left the company.
I bought the 804 because it will take a dado, but even if it did'nt its still a sweet machine, cast iron top really good fence standard mitre slots etc... But now i have it the router wont be my first choice next time i need to cut a dado.

Tom

 

[Sawdust]

Tom,

That's an interesting point about the Xcalibur, I had heard good things about it but thought it was a lot more expensive than the other saws I was looking at it. What kind of price would you expect to pay for one?

I too like the idea of the dado cutter.

Mike.C

Fair point about me explaining my needs better. The thing is that the saws I had initially looked at seemed heavy and a lot larger than the likes of the Kity or Scheppach. Other people's points about sizing the boards roughly first makes sense and I doubt I would often want to put a full sheet through the machine. The reason I mentioned full sheets is that when people pointed me at the Kity and Scheppach machines, my first impression was that they looked very light and I wondered if anyone had ever tried it.

So to explain my needs better; I plan to place the saw in the middle of my garage which is about 20ft x 22ft and place a large outfeed table behind it which will also double up as an assembly table. I don't plan on moving it and I have always favoured heavy machines. I suppose I subscribe to the "more cast iron the better" view!

Others may disagree completely but whenever I read the word "portable", I think "light and flimsy". The machine I enjoy using the most is my bandsaw which is (I believe) about 90 years old, made almost completely of cast iron, stands about 7 feet tall and could never by any stretch of the imagination be called portable!

Thanks again for all the feedback
Mike

 

[Mike.C]

Sawdust wrote:

Thats an interesting point about the Xcalibur, I had heard good things about it but thought it was a lot more expensive than the other saws I was looking at. What price would you expect to pay for ?

Mike, It appears that you get get the one Tom has, for around £606 including vat. I must admit that i never mentioned the Xcaibur because like you i never thought you would get one for your budget. If it is anything like the other models (805 and 806 which according to those who own them are very good saws) then it may be just what you are looking for.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Jake]

Why not buy some big old proper english iron then?