Thread: New Table Saw - which one to get

Originally Posted by glenpinn

Hi guys, ok i am in the market for a Table Saw for cutting up 2.400m x 1.200m sheet materials for kitchen cabinet making.

Considering that any 2400 x 1200 sheet is going to be very troublesome to move around and break up on a table saw, I would first start looking at a track saw and then make a framework at ground/waist level you can use to break up the sheets into manageable pieces first.

Track saw: Festool - TS 55 160 mm Plunge Cut Saw Plus - plenty of other manufacturers have them, I personally enjoy this one.

Kit for sheet breakdown: Veritas Panel Platform Kit - Lee Valley Tools - this is one I know of, there will be plenty more around, and you can make your own, too.

I second what Midnight Man said. Get a track saw if sheet goods are what you need to work with. Even on a full sized cabinet saw without a sliding attachment, 2400x1200 sheets are tricky.

If this is a one off job, get some quotes from a cabinet maker to cut and supply your pieces. You may be surprised at the cost.

I have the Makita equivalent of the Dewalt saw you are referring to. The Dewalt one looks to be a much better featured saw than my Makita one but still think they are not the right saw for what you are wanting to do.
They are more aimed at being a portable contractors saw than a workshop saw.
I also have a Festool tracksaw and the quality and accuracy of its cut is superior to my little table saw.

Hi again, sorry guys i should have posted the photos of my current sheet bench and track saw setup, so here they are below.

The bench is 2.2m long by 1.2m wide, made from 70x35 pine side rails with 35x35 cross bars and 2 additional long bars down the centre.

I lay sheets on this table and i mark the width of my rip cut and i clamp the saw track so the edge of the MDF is precisely on that mark at both ends, and i run my old 184mm Makita saw along the track bed (made from 18mm MDF) so it slides against the aluminium that is screwed onto the MDF.

This gets my long cuts done, and i use this saw track for cutting sheets from 1.2m to 2.4m long, and this saw track cuts the sheets perfectly ready for final trimming on a table saw.

I probably over stated my need for ripping up to 800mm wide, because for kitchen purposes, the widest component would be pantry side panels which usually come in at around 610 or 620mm wide, especially if a 600mm benchtop is being fixed against it, and the widest base panel would be 580 to 600mm for the outside of exposed cabinets, and the widest door would be no more than 500mm, usually the maximum would be about 450mm wide on a 900mm wide cabinet.

The DeWalt table saw i mentioned is about 25kg, no not that heavy, so it makes sense to use the bench frame to do the initial rips, and also the rough cross cuts to length before using the table saw to trim off to size.

I would still need a slide table or trolly on the left side of the saw that can cut up to 600mm, similar to the LedaCraft panel saw that i posted in my opening post, and i have used one of those but it is just too heavy, and i need portability and plug in power as i don't have a very big workshop in my new townhouse, and i intend to sit the table saw that i buy on a steel framed trolly bench that i bought recently, which has locking wheels to hold it in place.

The biggest issue i have with my home made saw track is that i need to make sure that the saw base plate is always running against the aluminium strip, which is fine for cutting 2mm or 3mm thick aluminium sheets, but i think i need to modify the track for cutting 16mm and 18mm sheets.







EDIT: i have done a drawing of the modification that i could make to my Track Saw so that the saw runs in an aluminium channel so it can't move sideways when ripping sheets.



Below are photos of 2 T-Squares that i made a few weeks ago from scrap Aluminium sections bought at the local tip shop, the big one is 1300mm x 900mm and the small one is 750mm x 650mm, and i made these to do my cross cutting after the rips have been made, and i would just set one of these up so it is 28mm from the right side of my final cut mark and i then clamp it on both sides of the sheet to do the cross cut (the base plate setback measurement with my old Makita saw is 28mm, the new DeWalt one i bought and broke was 32mm blade setback)

I have not had these 2 T-Squares calibrated yet, as i need to have it done professionally, or at least i need to get hold of a big sheet of board and cut that to an exact width, and place these things on both sides of the board and check it for accuracy from both sides, the main thing with doing this is to be sure that both sides of the sheet are cut perfectly straight and parallel.

Its a bit hard using the 3-4-5 measuring method, tried it and it was just too difficult to get it precise.

Originally Posted by Midnight Man

Considering that any 2400 x 1200 sheet is going to be very troublesome to move around and break up on a table saw, I would first start looking at a track saw and then make a framework at ground/waist level you can use to break up the sheets into manageable pieces first.

Track saw: Festool - TS 55 160 mm Plunge Cut Saw Plus - plenty of other manufacturers have them, I personally enjoy this one.

I saw one of these, or one very similar in youtube, and wondered how they stick to the surface without moving, and i tried to find some of that special rubber tape that they use, but had no luck finding it, so i just clamp my track saw to my sheets on the big work bench.

(EDIT: found out that Carbatec sells the tape that is used on the Festool track to hold it in place)

I was wondering if Festool has a cross cut jig that has a long straight edge that fits against the leading edge of my ripped sheet, and cuts the sheet to length so it is square to the side cut that the straight edge is fixed to, similar to the way a sliding trolly works on a panel saw, where you do your rip to width on the rip side, then you place the ripped edge against the trolly bar and do your cross cut, which is meant to be cutting the finished material square to the ripped leading edge.

I can use my Track Saw to rip, and i know the cut edge is perfectly straight as the flat Aluminium section that is screwed to that MDF is true and straight (had it tested using a laser) but if i need to do a square cross cut, i have to place one of my 2 T-Squares on the board against the leading edge and clamp it in place on both sides of the board and hope the cut is square.

At the moment i have not had my 2 T-Squares tested for perfect accuracy as i only recently made them, and have not had any large sheets to test then with, but i do believe they are as close to square as i could get them, using the 3-4-5 measuring technique.

TSO sell an attachment to saw rails that enable you to get square cuts.

Originally Posted by Bohdan

TSO sell an attachment to saw rails that enable you to get square cuts.

That company is in USA, but it seems like Carbatec are the resellers here in Australia, and they have a branch here in Hobart, not far from my place.

Home

I was going to say that the cross cut plate is not very long, but it does have an aluminium angle extension that screws in place to make it longer.

Wonder if Festool would ever think of making such an attachment ?

Originally Posted by glenpinn

Wonder if Festool would ever think of making such an attachment ?

They do but most users consider that it is not very user friendly or accurate as it is adjustable for angle.

(Had to go to the US site as the Aust one is designed to ensure that you can't find anything.)

Originally Posted by Bohdan

They do but most users consider that it is not very user friendly or accurate as it is adjustable for angle.

(Had to go to the US site as the Aust one is designed to ensure that you can't find anything.)

Wouldn't this be what i need, it looks similar to the one you linked to before, from the USA website.

I could use just one of the long guide tracks and clamp the Festool saw track to that, or use both guides, and it looks like it is adjustable to suit angle cuts, so is this the bit your say is not very reliable.

Festool Guide Rail Parallel Side Template | Accessories - Carbatec

Their saw tracks and accessories are not cheap, then you have to buy one of their saws on top.

I think i can make a similar cross cut jig myself, just need to go to the local Ullrich Aluminium supplier and find the right sections to use.

On a side note, i forgot to mention that i actually made the 2200mm x 1200mm sheet bench and the MDF saw track (shown in my 2nd post) for cutting Aluminium sheets on, and for cutting the Aluminium sheets i use an Irwin branded 64 tooth Triple Cut Blade in my 184mm power saw, as these are designed to cut Aluminium, and i also use a DeWalt branded 64 tooth tripple cut blade to cut my Melamine and Lamiwood sheets with as well, as it prevents, or helps to eliminate the chipping of the cut melamine or laminate edge, which can happen on the top side of the sheet caused by the upward motion of the blade as it cuts.

I would always place my Melamine or Lamiwood sheets on the bench to cut them so that the good side is always facing down, so i always get the better cut edge ready for edge stripping.

Originally Posted by glenpinn

Wouldn't this be what i need, it looks similar to the one you linked to before, from the USA website.

I could use just one of the long guide tracks and clamp the Festool saw track to that, or use both guides, and it looks like it is adjustable to suit angle cuts, so is this the bit your say is not very reliable.

Festool Guide Rail Parallel Side Template | Accessories - Carbatec

Their saw tracks and accessories are not cheap, then you have to buy one of their saws on top.

I think i can make a similar cross cut jig myself, just need to go to the local Ullrich Aluminium supplier and find the right sections to use.

That guide rail template is for making parallel cuts on panels. I have one and it is not user friendly, there are many better and cheaper examples from other manufacturers specifically designed for use with guide rails.

Most of the other brand guide rail accessories will work with most of the other brands of plunge saw so if cost is an issue there is plenty of choise.

If you are looking at cross cutting panels (and even parallel cutting) I think that the TSO Products accessories are amongst the most user friendly and best out there.

One of the advantages of the Festool and similar rails is that they have a plastic strip that the blade runs against and this helps to eliminate chipping on the top surface. Festool also have a chip suppresser on the side of the blade away from the rail.

Just priced up a Festool HK55 (160mm) power saw with a 1400mm track = $775 (saw motor is 1200w)
It isn't the same as the bigger plunge saws but i think it has a plunge function of some kind.
Festool - HK 55 160 mm Circular Saw Plus FS

a 1080mm track to extend the 1400mm track to 2480mm for long rips = $185
Festool - FS Guide Rail 1080 mm

Plus an 800mm track to make myself a 90 degree cross cut jig = $145
Festool - FS Guide Rail 800 mm

that's $1105 for a 2480mm track, an 800mm track and the saw.

Can't really see the need for the bigger plunge saw to be honest, but i need to check out the motor on the smaller HK55 saw, and i would need to buy a few 160mm tripple cut aluminium cutting blades as i currently only have a bunch of 184 blades for my busted DeWalt and old Makita saws.

DeWalt has a similar 160mm plunge type saw with a box and 1500mm track for $749
Dewalt 1300W 165mm Circular Saw Kit DWS520KTXE | Total Tools

You’ll need a longer rail than the 1080 plus 1400 for 2400mm rips. Don’t forget you need room at the start and end of cut otherwise you’ll need to reposition the rail. I use 2 x 1400’s and it’s perfect!

Originally Posted by groeneaj

You’ll need a longer rail than the 1080 plus 1400 for 2400mm rips. Don’t forget you need room at the start and end of cut otherwise you’ll need to reposition the rail. I use 2 x 1400’s and it’s perfect!

Yes your correct as the saw will need at least 150mm lead in and out on each end.

Found this guy who made a cutting bench (i think he has way too much time on his hands) which i think is way too low, and should have been made from 2 support stands with lockable trolley wheels (just my thoughts)

He then uses the long Festool Saw Track to rip one edge, then he has this huge contraption attached to a 1400mm Saw Track to do his cross cut, to whatever various angles up to 90 degrees, set out in 5 degree increments.

YouTube

The home made MDF saw track that i currently use is 2550mm long, and i think i will just continue using that as it is 100% straight and the saw base glides along the MDF beautifully, i just need to be sure that the saw base is always held against the aluminium straight edge that is screwed to the MDF.

I added a 25x3mm flat aluminium strip to the underside of the cutting edge, and i used my router to recess it so it is flush with the underside of the MDF, it just seems to make it easier to place the saw track onto my pencil marks at each end for the cut.

I am going to our local Carbatec store tomorrow to buy some of that rubber hold down tape to stick to the bottom of my track so i don't need to use clamps to hold it down.

I have also made myself a light weight 800mm long x 600mm 90 degree L shape cross cut jig that i rest against the leading edge of the board and the saw cuts across the board against the cross bar, but at the moment it will need to be clamped to the board on each side, and i will apply some of that rubber hold down tape and see if that works.

Also buying my new 184mm DeWalt power saw tomorrow, which will be used exclusively with the triple cut blades for cutting melamine, lamiwood and aluminium sheets, my old 184mm Makita saw will be used for rough work.