Thread: After much searching and lurking... Another table saw choice question...

Stuart Lees bought the 10hb (I think) and seems to be happy with it.
The right-tilt/left-tilt debate seems to be a bit of an distraction. There are advantages and disadvantages to both - as far as I can see, the best way of answering which is best for you is whether you do 90 degree cuts more (go RH tilt) or sloping cuts more (go LH tilt).

In the end, I suspect that you won't go wrong with any of those saws.

Thanks for the reply Jeremy,

The right tilt/left tilt is really not a big deal for me, but still something worth mentioning in terms of safety.

I am hoping to hear from anyone who has bought a MJ2325 recently (or also hear if I am wrong about the splitter vs riving knife on the TSC-10HB). I would also like to know if the TSC-10HB is still considered and "upgrade" over the MJ2325. If so, why? (ignoring fences).

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

. . . . My contractor saw works perfectly well - I just wanted to make a few upgrades, most significantly with the dust extraction really.

I've been through this loop about 3 times since I got my contractor saw 6 years ago and every time I've checked what's available in the budget cabinet saw line I have been somewhat disappointed and have gone back to using my contractor saw.

Dust control with any table saw is as much about the DC and ducting in use, as it is about the saw. Basic cabinet saws with only one 4" dust port have disappointingly poor dust control anyway and need at least a 2 HP (preferably 3HP) DC, a 6" port and 6" ducting are needed to make a significant difference. It appears to be as much work to fit a 6" port and an under table hood to a contractor saw as it is to modify the 4" port on a cabinet saw. Most cabinet saws are starved for air flow and need vents added to the cabinet to draw enough air. In contrast contractor saw have too many holes and some need to be closed to control dust. One of these openings is in the back that allows the blade to tilt. Given that I have used the blade tilt about 5 times in 6 years I decided to forgo this so I closed up the back although it can be easily removed if I need to. Since I have done all this the dust control on my contractor saw has improved significantly

A good riving knife that rises and falls with the blade would be useful but I cannot see any basic cabinet saw with one of these.

So as far as dust is concerned maybe look to upgrade your DC system which will be of benefit to more than just your TS.

Thanks Bob,

That is certainly a fair response. I have a 2HP DC. But my dodgy rig to my TS did so little that I don't bother using it. Maybe I'd be better off reviewing that.

However, the MJ2325 DOES have a riving knife and looks like a nice saw. I just wanted to do a final quality check before jumping in the deep end.

Not sure if this will help as I have had my saw for a few years now.

The major fixes have been the DE and the lowering of the riving knife which allows non through cuts to be done and still have the riving knife in place.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f200/s...vement-115255/

Thanks Bob,

That looks like some valuable information!

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by jmk89

Stuart Lees bought the 10hb (I think) and seems to be happy with it.

Last I knew, Stuart had the 10" HD Left Tilting Cabinet Saw unless he has downgraded, which I also have and IMHO is a much better saw than the 10HB, riving knife tilts, rises and falls with the blade.

Thanks Acco,

That does look like a good saw - but I am trying to set up a left side router and the price is a good deal higher too.

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by Bob38S

Not sure if this will help as I have had my saw for a few years now.

The major fixes have been the DE and the lowering of the riving knife which allows non through cuts to be done and still have the riving knife in place.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f200/s...vement-115255/

Hi Bob,

I read over that link as I have a little time over the long weekend and notice that you actually have the saw that I was looking to upgrade to!!

Yours is already a cabinet saw (from what I can see - the MJ2325) and I am looking to upgrade from a contractor saw. However, removing the blade guard is actually not too hard. I am wondering if there is a way that I can box in the saw. Right now it doesn't have any dust collection at all. It is also hideously noisy! Hmmm...

I wonder if I could build a cabinet for the saw and also build some decent dust extraction? What does the internal dust extraction look like? I had assumed that it would just be a pipe going into the cabinet - but it sounds more detailed than that.

I am now considering just sticking with what I have though.

It would mean compromising about the lift/fall riving knife and building the dust control from scratch - but that might be fun? In a sick kind of way.

Looks like I might need to reevaluate the saw again and also maybe check the flatness of the surface...

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

Hi Bob,

I read over that link as I have a little time over the long weekend and notice that you actually have the saw that I was looking to upgrade to!!

Yours is already a cabinet saw (from what I can see - the MJ2325) and I am looking to upgrade from a contractor saw. However, removing the blade guard is actually not too hard. I am wondering if there is a way that I can box in the saw. Right now it doesn't have any dust collection at all. It is also hideously noisy! Hmmm...

I wonder if I could build a cabinet for the saw and also build some decent dust extraction? What does the internal dust extraction look like? I had assumed that it would just be a pipe going into the cabinet - but it sounds more detailed than that.

I removed one side of the plastic saw surround under the table and put a hopper sandwiched in between the base and the saw body.
I used a sheet of ally and made a inverted pyramid and then cut a hole in the middle to fit a 4" PCV storm water coupler.
Some pics and details here.
Recently I enlarged it to take a 6" coupling.
If I was making it again I would use the "duct evolution.xls" spreadsheet from Bill Pentz website to draw up the duct. Don't forget to allow material for a lip to fit in between the saw and the base.

In that link above there is a picture showing how much I blocked the back of the saw off.

Recently I improved the dust extraction by blocking the back off even more with another ally sheet as I rarely use the blade tilt function. The ally sheet can be easily removed if I do need to to use the tilt function. The picture also shows the short bit of 6" flexy that connects the hopper to the 6" ducting under the floor and the 4" flexy connected to the overhead saw blade guard which is held from the shed roof using the bits from a dust picker.

Ahhh, now that looks more like the saw that I own. (Sigh).

The other link seemed to be showing a different saw.

I also don't have any plastic cowling under the saw - but since you removed that it doesn't sound like a big loss.

I am actually thinking of boxing in the motor too to try to get it all a bit quieter.

Cheers

Cam

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

Ahhh, now that looks more like the saw that I own. (Sigh).

The other link seemed to be showing a different saw.

I also don't have any plastic cowling under the saw - but since you removed that it doesn't sound like a big loss.

It isn't so much under the saw as surrounding the bottom half of the blade, I have taken one side off so that chips and small pieces don't jam in the cowling. The cowling also has a teeny 2"? dust port on it which causes dust to back up and fluff up off the table surface. With the side of the cowling off and a grunty DC connected to the hopper this problem has been much reduced.

I am actually thinking of boxing in the motor too to try to get it all a bit quieter.

Are you sure it is the motor. Mine is pretty quite without a blade - the blade whistle is by far the loudest noise component with some blades worse than others. I also replaced the throat insert with a zero clearance insert made of ally. This made the blade whistle even louder on some blades.

Hmmm. May well be blade whistle. However, if I am boxing stuff in - why not just box in the lot and "pretend" that it is a cabinet saw.

Cheers

Cam

I checked and the motor is very quiet indeed...

So I think that it is blade whistle. It might also be belt noise, but probably mainly blade. Not much I can do about that then...