Which Table saw

[DaveH]

I am currently looking for a decent portable table saw, well as portable as they get.

The specs i would like are as follows:
Portable
Can cut 8"x4" in half using fence
Can Stand up to site work

I seem to be looking at the following ones

Makita MTS100
Dewalt DW745
Bosch GTS10
Makita 2704

I am thinking about the Bosch one, any advise and other suggestions would be mush appricated. Also will these table saws fit and be useable on a Workmate?

 

[Karl]

The only similair saw I have experience of is the Metabo TS250. It was noisy, but the d/x was good, and the maximum rip was 610mm.

However, if you are planning on plonking one of these saws (any of the ones you mentioned) on top of a workmate and then offering up a full sheet of MDF, forget it. Even when mounted on a proper bench, the table surface area is far too small to safely support a full sheet.

Much safer with a circular saw.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Blister]

I am currently looking for a decent portable table saw, well as portable as they get.

The specs i would like are as follows:
Portable
Can cut 8"x4" in half using fence
Can Stand up to site work

I seem to be looking at the following ones

Makita MTS100
Dewalt DW745
Bosch GTS10
Makita 2704

I am thinking about the Bosch one, any advise and other suggestions would be mush appreciated. Also will these table saws fit and be usable on a Workmate?

I have a Bosch GTS10 and would not think its big enough size wise to handle a 8x4 sheet

When doing my workshop re build I used a skill saw to cut up the sheets , but then I drive a lorry and am not a carpenter , maybe it will

Only my 2p worth

 

[misterfish]

Another vote for using a Skil hand-held saw to to do the initial sheet break down.

If you really want to use a portable table saw then you not only need to provide support for the sheet at all stages of the cut, bearing in mind that after cutting there will be 2 pieces to support, as well as considering the weight and inertia of the sheet material. An 8 x 4 sheet of 18mm MDF or plywood is heavy and awkward to manoeuvre and its inertia gives it a life of its own. This brings me on to the other important consideration - the stability of the saw. By its very nature a portable saw is not heavy, so it needs to be fixed down so not to either move or tip if there is an overhang of material (the leverage effect of the overhanging weight) and also to stop the saw moving as you try to keep the sheet of material flat against the fence while pushing it through the blade.

I used to own a small portable tablesaw and would have been retiscent about using it on a workmate, and even then I would have wanted it properly attached to the top. I would only have used it with small pieces of timber in this configuration. My saw actually had its own legstand but this never was rock solid so I always treated it with respect.

Misterfish

 

[wizer]

Agree. Even medium size tablesaws I wouldn't run sheets through. Use a circular saw to knock down to manageable sizes.

 

[thomvic]

DaveH wrote :

Can cut 8"x4" in half using fence

You all seem to assume he made a typing error and actually meant 8' x 4' but did he?

Richard

 

[woodsworth]

I have the bosh, older one though. With an out feed table set up behind it you can cut full sheets with no problem. I used to do it a lot. They are powerful and pretty accurate for what they are. I still have mine as surplus as I don't use it any more, but haven't been able to sell it. Possibly because it is a 110 unit and no rifling knife it came with one but i tossed it, oops.

Any how great saw, wouldn't buy any other portable one, i don't think any of them compare to it. Just my opinion.

 

[plug]

I have the Makita 2704 with the opitonal stand/trolley. Also use it in my workshop and on site. Its a very nice saw, will cut about 640mm I think so 8' * 4' sheets are ok, but you will need roller stands or a helper to cut them. The one issue I have come across is the plastic teeth on the tilting mechanism mine have started to round over a little and it can be a pain to tilt the saw.

 

[DaveH]

Thanks given me alot to think about now will have to see what I can afford.