Thread: table saw vs panel saw

Originally Posted by silentC

In fact, I think a drop saw is the easiest method of getting accurate cross cuts because you can easily see the blade coming down onto the mark. This is slightly harder with a sled or sliding table because it's difficult to see the blade as it approaches the face of the item being cut. If you have a calibrated stop on your cross cut fence, this is much easier.

Panel saws generally (always?) have stops on the calibrated cross cut fence. You set the stop using the magnified cross hairs and your cuts will be the same today as they were last month and as they will be a few months down the track. the only time I use a tape when on the saw is if I'm measuring up some stock to see if I can get what I need out of it. Ditto with the pencil, only use it to write on the stock so I know what I'll be cutting it up into.

Mick

You can do the same on a drop saw - something I haven't gotten around to yet but every time I've had to use one for any period of time in an industrial situation, it's the first thing I've set up. Repeatable cuts are important when time is money.

In the shed, I just use a steel rule and a marking knife but I agree a cross cut fence with an accurate stop would be nice - as long as the fence is long enough. Cutting stiles for a full height cupboard would be challenging on a sliding table saw. Big panel saw or drop saw - no problem

Originally Posted by silentC

.................Cutting stiles for a full height cupboard would be challenging on a sliding table saw. Big panel saw or drop saw - no problem

My cross cut fence only goes out to 3.6m unfortunately there's so much stuff in the way I generally can't go past about 2.5 - 2.6m

Mick

That was the other thing I was going to say - a panel saw needs a hell of a lot more space around it than a table saw if you're going to use it to it's full potential.

With my table saw, if I ever need to rip a full sheet, I have a roll away out-feed table and the saw is on wheels, so I can move it to a clear space.

Originally Posted by silentC

That was the other thing I was going to say - a panel saw needs a hell of a lot more space around it than a table saw if you're going to use it to it's full potential.

With my table saw, if I ever need to rip a full sheet, I have a roll away out-feed table and the saw is on wheels, so I can move it to a clear space.

Just get a panel saw with a smaller 1200mm sliding table, this will be sufficient for most of the panel cuting.

Now look you fellas I've been following this thread/post with interest and now I'm confused. The Felder I've got is a sliding table saw with a 2.5m stroke so you can cut up a 2400x1200 panel on it. So - does that make it a panel saw??
There was an option to have it with or without a scriber blade, the option was $500, as I do not use melamine or other coated board I did not take the option. It can however be retrofitted at any time in the future.

As far as accurarcy goes, took a 75mm slice off the 2400 side of a piece of 12mm MDF the other day, and I am here to tell you it was spot on 75mm at both ends.

When the bloke set it up he had a dial run out indicator and the run out over the 2.5m stroke was .08mm or so he reckoned.

I can live with that

Originally Posted by Colin Howkins

Now look you fellas I've been following this thread/post with interest and now I'm confused. The Felder I've got is a sliding table saw with a 2.5m stroke so you can cut up a 2400x1200 panel on it. So - does that make it a panel saw??
There was an option to have it with or without a scriber blade, the option was $500, as I do not use melamine or other coated board I did not take the option. It can however be retrofitted at any time in the future.

As far as accurarcy goes, took a 75mm slice off the 2400 side of a piece of 12mm MDF the other day, and I am here to tell you it was spot on 75mm at both ends.

When the bloke set it up he had a dial run out indicator and the run out over the 2.5m stroke was .08mm or so he reckoned.

I can live with that

I guess all the saws are table saws, it's a question of whether the sliding section runs alongside the blade or the table.

Panel saws have a sliding table that runs alongside the saw blade.
Zelk

The real problem is people's definition of a panel

a 2400 x 1200 (or bigger) sheet of glued together saw dust is a panel to some

others will say a panel is any rectangular "thin" bit of wood
so you have panels for drawer bottoms, raised panel doors, table tops, etc
and specialised tools like drum sanders, panel planes (a darkside device), and panel saws (for which there are darkside versions)

I belong to the latter camp, so for me a powered panel saw has a sliding table that runs beside the blade, and an arm that allows the user to register one edge while the adjacent edge is cut at whatever angle is required (hence there is no need for cross cut or mitre sleds). The size of the sliding table and the presence or absence of a scoring blade doesn't matter. What does matter is how the sliding table is supported. Those with out-rigger legs to support the sliding table will be a right pain when it comes to ripping short lengths of timber.


There are also specialised saws designed for cutting up sheet material that to add to the confusion are also called panel saws. Their prmary advantage is that they work in the vertical plane and hence don't take up much floor space.
But unless you're ordering your ply, chipboard and MDF by the truck load, I can't see the jutification of putting one in a home workshop.



ian

The real problem is people's definition of a panel

No I disagree, because I frequently make panels that are for cupboard doors and such and are much smaller than 2400x1200. So I agree with your definition of a panel but I disagree with your definition of a panel saw, because a panel saw is a term that has until recently been used only for the large saws used in joineries.

People now want to call any saw that can be used for panel work a panel saw - that's their prerogative. It's nothing to do with your definition of what constitutes a panel, it's more to do with whether you attach any special significance to the term panel saw and that probably has more to do with your background and past experience than anything else.

As I said before, if you want to, you can extend the term panel saw to any saw that has a sliding table, which includes the Triton with the sliding extension.

It's another of those pointless debates that people will never agree on, so let's just agree that the term 'panel saw' as a generic description can apply to any saw with a sliding table but that if you use the term to describe any saw that has a sliding table as one of its attributes, some people are going to misunderstand you.

I now know not to take it for granted that people who refer to panel saws know what they're talking about

Hmmmmm,

No wonder I'm confused.......

From all this discussion I conclude the following:

A Cabinet saw generally isnt designed to always have a sliding table
A panel saw always has a sliding table
A cabinet saw can be retrofitted or be delivered with a sliding table to provide the facilities of a panel saw to varying degrees (mainly in terms of size of sheet handling)
Panel saws are typically very large purpose built units that typically have a scoring blade which a cabinet saw may or may not provide.

For my needs I think a sliding table would be handy at times. At my wood working course I have used both types and would conclude that trimming up panels, cutting short lengths and sheet work the panel saw would be best. For ripping long lengths of timber the slide would be a pain and get in the way - particularly for longer lengths when doing them on your own.

Ideally I would then want a cabinet saw with a slide that easily moves out the way to rip long lengths yet has a slide that provides a good level of accuracy with out a lot of setup.

What does everyone suggest meets those requirements?

Regards

It is confusing because of all the different terminology people want to use. For the purpose of this, I'll put aside my prejudices and offer the following:

A cabinet saw is a standard table saw that has no sliding table. There is a mitre slot on both sides of the blade, so you can use a mitre gauge, tenoning jig, crosscut sled and other devices on either side of the blade. It has a tilting arbour, so you can cut bevels - they come in right or left tilt which is another can of worms. You can buy sliding table attachments for these saws, but they are a compromise and the slider does not come right up to the edge of the blade.

A panel saw (or sliding table saw) has an integral sliding table that comes right up to the blade and it cannot be removed. It also has a cross cut fence for mitres and cross cuts - the fence is usually graduated and has a stop for repeatable cutting. You cannot use tenoning jigs on these saws, as they have no mitre slot to the left of the blade. I presume that the cross cut fence can be removed easily.

For cross cutting, it's a no-brainer. A sliding table saw is going to win hands down. For ripping, most of the action takes place on the right of the blade, between the rip fence and the blade. The sliding table shouldn't play any part in this. I'd imagine the only problem would be having to remove the cross cut fence - people who own this type of saw can confirm.

So I wouldn't write off a sliding saw yet. There are also the safety features to be considered. You really want a saw that has a riving knife, rather than a splitter, because these are considered safer to use.

I think your best approach would be to consider how much you want to spend first, then you can have a look at the machines available in that price range and compare features. Generally speaking, you will get a better quality cabinet saw for the same price but there are probably exceptions if you shop around.

Originally Posted by silentC

I'd imagine the only problem would be having to remove the cross cut fence - people who own this type of saw can confirm.

Mine has two large "thumb screws" (probably better described as "hand screws") to remove the cross cut fence.

Alignment when replacing the fence shouldn't be a issue as one point is fixed (no slop at all) and the other has an alignment stop screw.