Table saw for in-bench mounting

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Flyball

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I want to get a table saw to mount in a bench I'm building with the table-saw top flush with the bench top and mounted at one end of the bench. The blade can be parallel or perpendicular to the front (long) edge of the bench (attachment below for a VERY rough illustration). For space reasons, I need the table saw area to be as small as possible, with the smallest dimension (depth) within 400-600mm. The blade and riving knife must be able to sink below the surface as there will be a "cover" bench-top on top of the whole bench when the saw is not in use (bench will be pulled out with the "cover" top hinged/sliding to become a depth-extension).

In terms of other, non-size-related criteria, I'm not worried about built-in fence (I'll use my own/3rd-party with T-track in bench top) but I would like >2.5" cut depth (pref 3"), up to 45 degree tilt, a port for shop-vac, 240v single-phase induction motor and a price of < £400. Used is fine (if I can find one). Accuracy of factory-fit gauges/rulers isn't too important (I'll calibrate) but stability is - I don't want it wandering out of true during use.

I've looked at several reviews etc. and the Axminster AC216TS is close but I'd be very grateful for any suggestions about either a suitable saw or any opinions on the stupidity-level of my current criteria/plan.
 

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Looks ok to me. The only two things I'd say that the sub table that saw is on - make sure that's on wheels - and decent ones. If you need to turn it for both orientations in your image, there is no way you'll be doing that by hand. The saw is very heavy.

Second, if you have jigs that run in the mitre slots you might want to cut some extension slots at least part way through the outfeed.
 
Cheers. The diagrams were only to show rough positioning - I was going to make the whole bench as one unit on heavy duty castors so I can pull it out front of my garage and open it up for "proper" work. The folded-out "cover" then becomes either a side extension or outfeed depending on the orientation of the saw. Until I decide/get the saw, I won't know which dimension is smaller and it's the depth of the bench that is critical.

However, the point about extending the mitre slots is a good one I hadn't thought of so thanks for saving my bacon on that one :)
 
A couple of thoughts - the axminster saw is very nice indeed, but while the blade drops below the table, the riving knife doesn't. You would either need to keep removing it (easy but tedious) or cut the top off, along with the blade guard attachment point.

Personally, I would make a separate bench that buts up against the table saw, so you can move either item around as necessary. Also, benches are for beating hell out of things - not sure you should that with a table saw built in...
 
W.r.t the riving knife - do you know if it goes up and down at all? What happens with the blade set low - does the knife have to be adjusted to compensate for the gap increase?

Good point about the beating - separate would be better but I need some length for general use and don't have space for a bench + separate saw. Need to give that some more thought.
 
The riving knife and blade are fixed together, so move in tandem, both up and down and when tilting. However, the riving knife is always higher than the blade, because the blade guard fixes to it. It is only a matter of millimetres (not measured it, but less than 10 I would think),so you do get an annoying little bump in the middle of the table.
 
Thanks - that's really useful. I might get away with it then if I put a groove in the "underside" of the "cover". Not ideal, but I can probably live with that.
 
Thanks for that - serendipity strikes again. I like his idea for the flip-down feet - I was stuck in the "flip-down casters" rut but wasn't very happy with it.
 
Thanks - more ideas to mull over.

Though about levelling too and toyed with ideas about screw threads, wooden "pistons" etc., but couldn't come up with anything that would take a beating/load and be stable but without being an impractical thickness and/or compromising main leg strength. Apart from maybe those hydraulic feet you get on cranes - but that might be a bit of overkill :D

My current plan is a drawer/box with a collection of shims that can be "socketed" in the leg bases (see attached sketch). Could probably make do with a single diagonal
groove instead of a cross - it's just there to help locate the shim and stop bench sliding off under excessive abuse :wink: . Shims are just "slices" of leg-type material with bit of baton glued on so can easily be replaced/augmented. They might not get it perfectly level but should be able to get it stable with enough combinations.
 

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I saw this last year, and did nothing about it: https://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/ta ... e-saw-tabl
FH12NOV_533_70_033-1024x1024.jpg


This DIY table saw table is the perfect solution for cutting long boards or big sheets of plywood. It's also a handy workbench with storage trays. When finished, a DIYer can quickly dismantle the table saw table and store it flat against a wall, saving valuable garage space.
 
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