another newbie.. another what saw thread!

[5teve]

Hi guys

new user here but been browsing for a while!

im just setting up a workshop for making my own cabinets etc. fist purchase has been a sherwood 10" combo thicknesser and joiner and a 2hp double bag dust extractor bit of a rush buy but timbecon had 15% off so i had to do it there and then.. hopefully it will work out well...

my next buy is to be a table saw.. new or used i dont mind. but it has too be reasonably cheap, but not crap! im on the same restrictions as the rest of you.. (ie swmbo) any suggestions? and any hints on what i am looking for ideally

Thanks in advance

Steve

[jefferson]

Steve, do a quick search and you'll find a minefield of info on this forum about table saws.

Please ignore all the argument on the SawStop, it goes on forever.

Jeff

[Chipman]

Welcome to the forums Steve...

A cabinet saw will enable you to have better dust collection (a contractors saw is cheaper but tends to throw dust every where)

Make sure you get one with a good quality fence

If you are into making cabinets, a sliding panel saw would be good but is a lot more expensive

Also Try looking on the web... Jet, Carbatec, Woodfast, Hafco, to see what is available and then ask questions on the forum.

Try and make sure you have a clearer idea of exactly what you want to do with your saw. Helps narrow down the choices.

Cheers,

Chipman

[5teve]

Thanks Guys

i have done some searching and deduced that the fence was amongst the most important things, i guess my main question was really where to get one from (as im new to this) or good stockists of second hand machined (or offers from here )

my main aim with the equipment will be to build furniture (basic kind) such as tables benches and some display units (of the open 350 mm square lattice type) the saw will initially be used to rip (or carefully cut) some 38mm x 250 marri that i have (a mere 2tonne) down to size so i can get a joined board of around 350 wide for the display cabinets... from there... well we'll see!

i'll carry on searching too.. but if anyone is passionate about a particular saw at a budget price then let me know

Thanks again guys

Steve

[mat]

Steve

You are likely to get more response that is relevant to your situation if you post a price range.

[5teve]

yeah i appreciate that Mat..and thanks

the problem is that i dont really ever have budgets... i buy the thing i think is best suited. Obviously as everyone does tho... they try and get the cheapest machine that satisfies their requirements...

i have been looking at some contractor saws around the $700-800 mark and maybe a little more, but if i could get a second hander considerably cheaper there will be more peace at home if i was to say under the 1k mark... i'd be in there.. $500 would be even more satifying!

Thanks

Steve

[mat]

If you are buying new this is my recommendation in your price range. Sure you can get similar clone saws cheaper but it is worth paying for the Jet QA and therefore a better product.

http://gpwoodturning.yahoostore.com...._id=1107444498

[5teve]

wow thanks Mat.. thats a very reasonable price for a nice bit of kit.. cheaper than the ones i have seen so far from carbatec and timbecon.

im also chasing a used sliding table saw i think it is.. im waiting on some pictures.. and a call back... a little more than the jet unit but 12" i beleive..

again .. thanks so much.. this forum could prove to be very useful.. and not just a forum.. more like a community! just like the landrover one i use too

Thanks

Steve

[ronbrunton]

Steve

If you are looking for a table saw with a sliding table, perhaps you could also consider a Ryobi BT3100K. Bunnings sells them for $899, but I was able to pick one up from them for about $780 at the beginning of this year, by showing them that Just Tools in Melbourne was selling it cheaper. Although I had an argument getting the local store to honour the 10% cheaper promise because Just Tools was not local, a call to the State office quickly solved that.

I am very happy with the Ryobi, and there is an excellent American-based forum of enthusiasts (www.bt3central.com) which is an ongoing source of assistance. And the instruction manual that comes with the saw is pretty good. Although initial alignment can be a bit fiddly (but there are easy to follow instructions available from BT3Central as well as the manual), once aligned the saw gives very good results. The rip fence is particularly good. It comes with a shroud for dust-collection, but I find that my 1hp collector and a 4 inch to 2 inch reducer works well. It also comes with various accessories, including a router table wing, although having built my own table, I don't bother with this.

Dean Bielanowski has written a lengthy review of the Ryobi at http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/rev...obiBT3100K.htm and it was this, together with the enthusiasm of someone who had owned one for a couple of years that led me to give it serious consideration along with the other table saws I was looking at in the price range, and ultimately to buy it.

Ron

[Jerryj]

Hi 5teve hows it going. Not sure if you are interested but I am about to sell my 10 inch contractors saw complete with bessimeyer style fence. Would be looking at $475.00. and I live in Perth,

Cheers Jerry