New Table saw

[mbrogden]

Hi everyone.

I am in the search for a new (rather, first) table saw. I am not really a heavy user but a table saw would come in very handy. I have started making small projects from oak.
My budget is £200
I have looked at a few table saws, that being a Einhell a ryobi and a Clarke one. However the reviews on them are all up and down. Does anyone have any advice on any of the above or maybe a better alternative.

Thanks

 

[mbrogden]

Well I've just ordered Clarke CTS 10D 10 inch

 

[selly]

Well I've just ordered Clarke CTS 10D 10 inch

That's a shame. It will be a disappointment as all these cheap saws are.

If I were you I'd send it back unopened and get on ebay and spend a little bit more for a used one. Seriously.

 

[RogerP]

If you're looking for a new saw then I'd recommend Axminster's TS-200

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-ts-200-basic-table-saw-prod825722/

A bit over your budget but a lot better than anything new you'll find within it.

Second-hand is probably the best way to go but you'll most likely have to do some remedial work.

 

[mbrogden]

Well I've just ordered Clarke CTS 10D 10 inch

That's a shame. It will be a disappointment as all these cheap saws are.

If I were you I'd send it back unopened and get on ebay and spend a little bit more for a used one. Seriously.

How do u know this saw will not be suitable then? What saw should I be looking for?

 

[selly]

Its just a spinning wheel in a box. It will be flimsy, gutless, noisy and innacurate.

good luck with it but it is good advice to spend a bit more - even a 2nd hand contractors saw will be better. These big companies churn out this sort of poor saw in their thousands.

 

[mbrogden]

This saw will only be getting used every now and again. If it's no good I'll send out back, but for what I'm using it for it shouldn't fail

 

[Webby]

This saw will only be getting used every now and again. If it's no good I'll send out back, but for what I'm using it for it shouldn't fail

What you using it for ?

 

[mbrogden]

i will be cutting some small pieces of oak first. I am making a small end table for my conservatory. I was thinking of making a TV unit next, also for my conservatory. Surely this saw will be accurate enough for me as a general DIY man and some small ish projects. Im not a joiner/carpenter by any stretch of the imagination.
I have been using my dads 800w cheapie that he got 10 years ago. The clarke is 1500w and looks a lot more sturdy.

 

[Webby]

Let us know how you get on ....i am also looking for a saw...quite impressed at the Axi 200 now i have looked at in the flesh at the Axminster shop on Saturday
and i also am no Joiner/Carpenter ..but love to make things out of wood ...I am a Fitter Turner by trade ...but am now semi retired
so can indulge myself occasionaly in the small space i call a workshop ...wife calls it wasteing time lol ...while i was in shop at Axminster droolin over all the machines etc that they have on display she went to Tesco's that is up the road :?

Dave

 

[mbrogden]

well ive just finished putting the saw together are gave it a test drive on the 4 legs to my end table made from oak and it was fine. Nice straight cut just what i wanted. The saw isn't noisy at all. All the parts seem to be well made (even the plastic parts) The saw sable for the one i got CTS10D is really big, so if anyone is considering purchasing please be aware, alternatively they also sell smaller ones (without side extensions). Nice and easy to use, really glad i bought it. Got it quite cheap (tesco) compared to internet tool websites

 

[Webby]

Got it quite cheap (tesco) compared to internet tool websites

Maybe my wife knows something about Tesco's
I hope so lol
Dave

 

[McGill]

Oof, only £119 on Tesco Direct! That's got to be worth consideration. . .

Would be interested in hearing comment on the solidity/straightness of the rip fence and mitre guide slot and the ease of depth control of the blade. Plus, how easy is it to remove and replace the blade guard and riving knife?

I too am a novice hobbyist, with accompanying financial restraints, and I get absolutely frustrated at the overly-elitist advice laid down by seasoned professionals to humble eager-to get-going novices like us.

I hope you have a long and content relationship with your new saw, and I hope it's a good enough entry-level tool for me too, as and when the time comes.

 

[mbrogden]

Saw blade is straight. Very simple to change, take safety guard off 1 screw. There's a plastic plate to take off 8 screws. Then just un bolt the blade. Riving knife stays in. Haven't used rip fence yet but I can say it's quite solid, it can be altered for alignment. Mitre guide slot has a little play in it but it's fine for me. Height adjust is easy, just turn the handle to raise/lower it, same with angle. Cut 4 bits of 2 inch oak last night and its square. Overall im very happy, especially with the cost

 

[mailee]

It's horses for courses really. I started many years ago with a Clark table top saw and thought it was fine until I progressed and my hobby woodwork improved. I then found the saw inaccurate and lacking in power so upgraded to a power pro contractors saw 12" which served me well for a few years until my wood working improved and I needed more accuracy, power. At this stage I was doing more cabinet work and making bigger items so needed to upgrade. I then replaced this with a the 12" cast iron SIP saw and couldn't believe the difference! Far more accurate, sturdy and powerful. I am still using this saw running a business and it has done me proud so far but I just know I will be upgrading it in the future as my work changes again (cutting large panels) When I now look back at the first table saw I wonder how I managed with such a cheap inaccurate machine. Best advice I could give would be buy the best you can afford at the time and tailor your work to the equipment you have. :wink:

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I started out with the £150 Ryobi and the fence was crap, everything else was fine and I got very accurate cuts buy simply clamping the fence down at the rear end or timber up to it. It taken me longer to get accurate cuts due to the clamping but everything else was as it was. I never trusted the scale so always used a tape measure to measure from blade to fence. It was loud but not as loud as the sound timber makes when being cut on any saw. At 1500w the saw was powerful but I had tripped the cut out a few times. With some patents and slow going it will get you there.

I made same nice furniture with it.

 

[heimlaga]

I too am a novice hobbyist, with accompanying financial restraints, and I get absolutely frustrated at the overly-elitist advice laid down by seasoned professionals to humble eager-to get-going novices like us.

So was I for many years but I discovered that I could buy secondhand tools of good quality within my budget and fix them up. That way I got tools that would otherwise have been far beyond my economical means .....but...well..... does it make me an elitist.....?
My cousin was recently looking for a cheap table saw and I convinced him to buy a secondhand EJCA cabinet saw for 300 euros. It has 2,2KW three phase motor and cast iron table and a sliding table with all accuracy anybody can possibly expect from such a small saw. The prize as the same as a Chineese plastic and aluminium saw with half the power.

I think people should get away from the mindset that everything has to be new out of the box.

 

[Webby]

to me its about the budget i have to spend now ...yes i would like to buy a top notch saw straight away but as can be seen from the other posts everyone has to start somewhere it may be cheaper than the top brands but you can work with it ....or you may never do anything but dream .....i say get out there and do it ....i have heard the story buy cheap and then buy again ....but that is why the secondhand market is there
my adage is this .....did you all buy your dream house straight away probably not cos you could not afford it so you built up to it slowly over the years ...so tools must be done the same in my eyes
Dave (no i still dont live in a castle ...but i am happy)

 

[McGill]

I too am a novice hobbyist, with accompanying financial restraints, and I get absolutely frustrated at the overly-elitist advice laid down by seasoned professionals to humble eager-to get-going novices like us.

So was I for many years but I discovered that I could buy secondhand tools of good quality within my budget and fix them up. That way I got tools that would otherwise have been far beyond my economical means .....but...well..... does it make me an elitist.....?
My cousin was recently looking for a cheap table saw and I convinced him to buy a secondhand EJCA cabinet saw for 300 euros. It has 2,2KW three phase motor and cast iron table and a sliding table with all accuracy anybody can possibly expect from such a small saw. The prize as the same as a Chineese plastic and aluminium saw with half the power.

I think people should get away from the mindset that everything has to be new out of the box.

I agree, and that's a very fair point. However, for the likes of me living way on the north coast of Scotland, second hand sales are very, very rare, and any eBay listings are collect only, usually in Cheshire or somewhere equally distant. Might as well be Timbuktu.

So for some of us, second hand isn't really an option. That's just one of the reasons why I appreciate user reviews of cheaper kit.

 

[heimlaga]

I think Sutherland actually is roundabout as densely populated than Österbotten. I understand your problem very well.

My drill press came from a place 600 kilometres away and my combination machine had to travel more than 300 kilometres on the road and 100 kilometres on a ferry. There are several local lorry companies from my area who pick up secondhand machinery along their routes and transfer payment at a rather reasonable cost. I just have to wait for a homeward bound lorry passing through that area where the seller lives. Then I just have to pick the machine up from their headquarters.