Thread: Mitre saw and router?

My advice if you are setting out with a bench as your first project and are looking at going the power tool route would be not to get a mitre saw. If you have the money, go straight to a decent Table saw, this will allow you to rip timber and do your cross cut mitres, all you need to build a great bench. You can spent $1000 on a decent sliding compound mitre saw so you are just as well spening a few hundred more on a full cabinet saw.

A Makita router is a good choice - I read on a thread that bunnings has the big router on special at the moment. You can use the router to level the top of your new bench with a basic rail type jig. This allows you to use recycled timber so you can sink more money into tools and less into timber initially. I constructed my bench this way out of old house timbers so the materials coast me nothing. I ripped the timber to get a square edge using a table saw then laminated these edges together to get a large solid top before flattening it using a router.

A decent old stanley hand plane will help alot as well - a number 5 is pretty functonal starting point.

Dear Blazk,

You're in Adelaide by the looks of it. Ring around the Bunnings down there and ask them if they've got any of the 1400w Triton Routers left. If they have, go there and ignore the sticker price, take one to the counter and get them to scan it. It should come up as $99. Unbeatable at that price. Pretty damned hard to beat even at the full price of $287! End Of Story (except to say that if there is more than one of them in any of the stores, please post details to the following thread)
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=72886

Regarding a Mitre Saw, there are better brands around to be sure, but I think you'll also find the various GMC's being cleared out of Bunnings for about half-price. If you're not looking to spend serious dollars, one of these could easily give you a lot of capacity, and certainly the best Bang for your Bucks if you're starting out.

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

Yes im an adeladian , i saw a couple triton routers in cash converters today not sure make and model but they were quite big, $150 price on them i think, also saw a couple Hitachi ones for $125. i will look into the bunnings ones. They just opened up a shop at woodville massive place just a 5 min drive away, but they have all new stocks, didnt see the triton. Not quite sure where to purchase bench saws from though...

For bench saws, the new Carbatec in Adelaide would be a good start - if it is open yet. Have a wander around there and it will give you a better idea of what is around.

Where you start is really dependant on what you want to spend and how serious you are about making it a longer term hobby. At the end of the day, if you have the money you should spend it now as you will only be throwing good money after bad if you buy a GMC mitre saw or similar now only to go out in six months time and buy a decent table saw or decide you really would like the accuracy of a Makita or similar mitre saw instead.

Originally Posted by Burnsy

My advice if you are setting out with a bench as your first project and are looking at going the power tool route would be not to get a mitre saw. If you have the money, go straight to a decent Table saw, this will allow you to rip timber and do your cross cut mitres, all you need to build a great bench. You can spent $1000 on a decent sliding compound mitre saw so you are just as well spening a few hundred more on a full cabinet saw.

I agree, don't buy a mitre saw till you're sure you need it and read a few more threads here on start out tools. The most common advice is start making things and work out what you need as you go. Then buy good quality the first time its cheaper in the long run.

Have fun
Mike

my budget is around $400 for the saw the router around $150. the makita stuff is really nice if i had the $$, as the usual father of a 6 month old $$ is the key. In saying that id rather spend the money ive saved towards a hobby that will "get me out the house" as my wife says, which i loved during my days at school.
I would rather a table saw but the $$ might be out of my league.
Ps by looking at the Carbatec webste the adelaide brunch is open...the range of saws on there... i have no idea

Originally Posted by Blazk

my budget is around $400 for the saw the router around $150. the makita stuff is really nice if i had the $$, as the usual father of a 6 month old $$ is the key. In saying that id rather spend the money I've saved towards a hobby that will "get me out the house" as my wife says, which i loved during my days at school.
I would rather a table saw but the $$ might be out of my league.

Have a look at the cast iron top contractors saws at Carbatec, they have a 10inch for $800 and I would be surprised if you can't get it a fair bit when the sales come around. Keep an eye out and they come up second hand if you are willing to wait a while. I recently picked up the Jet equivalent for $600 and it a big improvement on my old Triton table, even though it is the contractors saw and not the full cabinet saw.

Then get a decent old stanley hand plane and build your bench.

Your idea of keeping an eye out at Cash Converters is well worthwhile. Over half of my power tools are from there but I never go there with the need to buy, then I am not tempted to buy not so good gear. At Cash Converters I only buy Makita (my choice in power tools, not necessarily because it is better than Dewalt etc) and I only buy tools that look like they have had little if any use.

I actually think that a router is something that you can do without when you are starting out. Better putting the money towards a saw that is more functional ie. can rip and mitre/crosscut.

Just my opinion though, there are a million ways to start out, a handsaw and hand plane will slao get you going while you wait for the right saw to come along.

Thanks. Cash Converters have nothing in the range of table saws unfortunatly but i wll keep my eye out for them. There are a couple on ebay but they look like they have had a very long life. Least have an answer about the mitre saw, i think i will save for a table saw, reading most plans and diagrams all of them use them. Trying to find is there are any places for meets with these sorts of things, getting some face to face advice from people. I herd a rumor today from a stair builder to go to a place called 'Trade Tools pty ltd" aparently they sell makita copies which are pretty much identical. Ii read alot about thoes on this forum what do you people think ? Id still rather a makita, dewalt, triton, but insaying that the tradey was saying hes got a Hitachi for many years no worries...hard to know.

Hi Blazk,
If you're set on a tablesaw or even if you're not go and talk to the blokes at Ledacraft on Richmond Rd, good fun drooling. They have a range of saws and often have trade ins and therefore take trade ins which is handy when its time to upgrade

There is a shed meet being organised in Adelaide next month plenty of advice available there

Mike

Meet sounds good...ill have a big notebook taking a million words of advice a minute. lol. let me know when / where. Damm was just down at richmond road today too. l will have a look there on sunday when I am down that way again. Table saw sounds like the way ill go..Ill build my own router table, the prices seems a bit steap, should be able to make them cheaper.

Originally Posted by Blazk

Meet sounds good...ill have a big notebook taking a million words of advice a minute. lol. let me know when / where. Damm was just down at richmond road today too. l will have a look there on sunday when I am down that way again. Table saw sounds like the way ill go..Ill build my own router table, the prices seems a bit steap, should be able to make them cheaper.

There is a thread going in the events forum here go to the end as it covers a couple of forumite get togethers.
I don't think Ledacraft open on Sundays here is their web site so you can school up on the goodies.

Cheers
Mike

I got a router from cash converters looks like a brand spanking new Hitachi 3hp, got them down to $150 so thought it was a steal..now im looking for a table saw. For now im using a circular saw. Quick question what bits do i need etc for the router, not sure what size (im guessing 1/2") i need either as the router didn't come with a manual, but i did read the post that directed me to the link: http://www.toolpartsdirect.com/cgi-b.../hitachi/TR12/
any help would be awsome. thanks.

Look around second hand for a table saw. Wait long enough and you'll find something within your price range that's decent. The forum's buy/sell forun, ebay, trading post, weekend shopper etc are all good sources of second hand bargains. Personally I got a Durden Pacemaker off a fellow forumite for $400. I like it. It's not the best table saw around, but it suits me and the price was workable.

Peter

Blazk, you'd be amazed at what you can do with a circular saw and a router (just take a look a Wolffie's thread about getting a straight edge for butt joins http://woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=73671).

If I was you (and this is what I did many years ago) I would pursue a few projects with the minimal tools you have available and save up enough money to get a good tablesaw (even a good used tablesaw). Time and a few projects under your belt will give you a feel for what you want/need and give you a chance to see what's available.

Don't rush out and buy something you will later regret.