Table saw buying advice

[mikey78]

Hello guys
I haven't seen any section for presentation, so I will shortly introduce myself here.
I'm a young Italian woodworker and a few years ago I've lived for a while in UK,
then I came back to my country always keeping with me a good memory of your Country.
I've a very crap table saw, I'm feed up with it and am looking for an upgrade !!!
My shop is very small and although my dream would be a proper cabinet saw I have no space for it
so I need something smaller and lighter in the size of a 10" contactor saw,
with cast iron top and a quiet induction engine
If I was in the USA market there would be no problem in buying my new saw (Delta, Craftsmann, Rigid, and so on ...),
but in Europe as you all know buying a decent small size table saw is a nightmare :x .
The only american style 10" cntractor saw I managed to find is the Xcalibur ( am I right ?) ...
I know some of you members have this saw and are happy with the overall quality of the saw but,
searching the forum I didn't find any recent discussion on this machine
so it would be great if any of you wanted to share his thoughts about the saw !!!
Furthermore I have seen this saw shamefully advertised (no specifications no pictures) on two different websites : woodfordtooling and woodfordwm
And have heard that there is an older and a new version of the saw, with right and left tilt, different prices . . .
It's a mess could you please help me to understand which one is more suitable for my needing
( and wallet of course) ???
P.S. Sorry for my poor English

 

[MikeJhn]

Lots of options here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/machinery/sa ... aw-benches I have the TS-250-M-2 with the side extension and sliding table and have no complaints, seems a bargain at £650.00.

Mike

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

Ciao Mikey, benvenuto!

Tutto bene?

I have the TC10RAA (non sliding table version) and until recently it was my only table saw (I recently purchased a Startrite 257DS that needed some work)

I have used it to cut sheets down and it's been dependable and reliable. (with Freud blades)

Only caveats were the fact it's the American "splitter" with anti-kickback fingers which attaches and does not raise and lower as easily as a riving knife (it is more fiddly to set up)

The fence is the type which locks "front to back" and so you should give a brief check to make sure it's square.

That said, I set the saw up when I got it and again when I moved house and the blade-miter slots are spot on.

I have an 8" dado set for it and have used that up to 19mm accurately. All in all I was very happy with the saw, I believe the newer version with the big paddle 'off' switch brings some more improvements as well.

I got the cast iron side table as well because I figured with wanting to cut larger sheets down more "mass" was a good thing.

stammi bene e buon fine settimana

Ciao

Stephen.

 

[mikey78]

To MikeJhn :
Thankyou for replying . . . I've already seen those Axminster table saws
and keep them as an option, if I don't find the kind of saw I like . . .
In that case I will probably buy the one you mentioned,
and make you (if you don't mind) some more detailed questions !!! :wink:

 

[mikey78]

To happymadison1978 :
I'm very glad to hearing from because you confirm that the saw is good quality one (apart for the splitter),
nevertheless I'm very concerned because I've sent a couple of emails to woodford and didn't receive any reply !!!
On woodfordwm website the TC10RAA model is only mentioned,
and I couldn't figure out its features because there is no description at all (I'm wondering how can they sell a machine this way) !!!
Because I don't need the sliding table, I'm interested in your same model , which actually is also cheaper,
but before spending that amount of money I need at least to read the user manual (for example i don't know if it's left or right tilting, if the motor is hanging at the back of the saw or if it is fully enclosed and so on )
I can not even figure out what model is more recent (probably the one on woodfordtooling)
Anyway If get an exhaustive reply I will think about this saw otherwise I will go for a different product . . .
One more think : I have found an other old fashioned contractor saw, sold from general international (general.ca),
that apparently is sold by a canadian company that has some retailers in Europe . . .
Have you got any idea about were to find it for sale ?

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

Hi,

The saw I have is a left tilt, the motor is enclosed (not like the Delta contractor saw it's a copy of)

the rip fence locks front to back, the arbour will take a dado should you need one (another extremely controversial tool I know, but the facility is there and I've used a 19mm wide dado on several occasions with an auxilliary guard)

Mine is a 1 1/2hp machine it has standard 3/4" mitre slots and was pretty easy to ensure everything was square/parallel.

It's heavy enough to be stable but with a simple mobile base, easily movable. I was able to lift the saw out of a van and assemble it myself without issues.

I hope this is of some use.

Cheers

Steve

 

[MikeJhn]

The use of a Dado blade is not controversial if you know the truth, the problem is caused by those who jump on the Health and Safety wagon and don't know what they are talking about, middle management have used the H&S aspect of working principles to explain away their own deficiencies for long enough " Its not me its Health and Safety" is an often heard Phrase in the workplace, its not rocket science to look up the use of Dado blades on the HSE web site and learn the truth.

Mike

 

[mikey78]

Thanks guys for replying . . .
Still waiting for a reply from woodford :x
(this is not a good sign, unless they are so busy that have no time for non uk customers )

 

[MikeJhn]

mikey78

Have a look here : axminster-ts-250-upgrading-base-and-dust-extraction-t99592.html
Gives a better view and details of the TS-250-2.

Mike

 

[mikey78]

Have a look here : axminster-ts-250-upgrading-base-and-dust-extraction-t99592.html
Gives a better view and details of the TS-250-2.

I'm glad to see some more details about this saw . . . thanks !!!

In the meantime I've solved the mistery of the saw still advertised on woodfordtooling . . .
It was sold on ebay years ago but it still present on theyr website :shock: :shock:
Anyhow they didn'reply to my email :?

I've also sent a mail to woodfordwm . . . after a week still no answer

Anyway if I ever would buy a new saw It would be the axminister one (customer service it primary to me),
though the basic model id still a bit pricey for what it offers !!!

 

[MikeJhn]

Mikey 78

The Axminster TS250 is basically a TS200 (Kity) just a bit bigger, there is an extensive thread here: fettling-an-axminster-ts-200-tablesaw-t38719.html on the TS200 you may be interested in.

Have you considered second hand?

Mike

 

[mikey78]

Hello MikeJhn
Many thanks for the link you posted,
I'm going to do a careful reading . . . so many informations :shock:

I've considered second hand but in southern Italy there are very few saw suitable for a small shop,
most of them are for professional use and are big and too heavy !!!
Anyway I will keep an eye on that market and if something appear I'll go to see it in person :wink:

 

[JonnyW]

I bought a Scheppach Precisa 4 a few months back and love the thing.

I don't have a big workshop (hobby), so bought the rear take-off table and the side table. The side table can fold down should you need more space. I also bought the wheel set, so I can move the thing around with ease.

Aah the good old dado blade controversy! All new Scheppachs (I think the Precisa 3 as well) can take their groove cutter blade. It's adjustable from 8mm to 15mm. I think it gets around all the stupid EU safety regs buy being classed as one blade (I think that's what the agent told me) and it stops in the recommended time.

Regards

Jonny

 

[MikeJhn]

The perpetual myth about Dado blades, there is no ruling in either the EU or the HSE that prohibits the use of Dado blades, don't follow the herd, look it up on the HSE web site and learn the truth.

Mike

 

[Steve Maskery]

Dado blades in a nutshell:

Using a dado blade is not illegal. Using an unguarded blade on a TS in a commercial workshop is.
Using a dado blade is not illegal. Using a blade that takes longer than 10 seconds to stop in a commercial workshop is.

Mikey, have you been in contact with Francesco Cremonini in from LegnoLab in Rome? He has a good grasp of the Italian market and might be able to suggest alternatives that are a bit closer to home.

I'll PM you with some details.

 

[JonnyW]

Yep I understand it's a 'commercial' workshop HSE safety guidelines.

The HSE website is an interesting read. You learn something new every day.

Baaa


Jonny

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

I mentioned Dado controversy DUE to the lack of informed people making sweeping statements (as Mike correctly pointed out) certainly it's not at bad as sharpening, but any mention of it seems to bring zealots out on either side. @MikeJhn, @SteveMaskery as always very clear and helpful information- one of the strengths of a good forum, thank you.

 

[MikeJhn]

Deleted due to a misunderstanding.

Mike

 

[Tortion-Stephen]

Deleted due to causing the misunderstanding

 

[MikeJhn]

It would seem from your response that I misunderstood the @ on either side of my avatar, for which I apologies.

Mike