Oh the choices! Dewalt, Hikoki (maybe others, like Makita)

I feel like this is almost certainly an FAQ, and so let me prefix that I don't really want a review as such, but some advice on fences.

So, I am in the market for a new job site table saw (I would love a contractor(?) or cabinet style, but I simply do not have the space - maybe in a few years that might change, but definitely not now). I currently have a bent sled on a Triton 2000, and I'm not keen on putting any more money into that unit. Will sell that as spares at some point.

Anyway, to get to the point. I was mostly thinking "I'll get the Dewalt DWE7491, because I know it's highly rated by so many people". I decided to take a trip to Sydney Tools to see if they had anything else on display, and they had a good few - the smaller Dewalt, a Milwaukee (M18FTS210-0 - cordless), and the Hikoki C10RJ (X) or maybe the (H1Z) - the price displayed on the unit said it was for the C10RJ(H1Z), but the saw model the price was on was an C10RJ(X)?.

I had a bit of a go with playing with the fence, the saw height and angle adjustment, etc in the store, and honestly, yes, the dewalt *was* more solid on the fence, but the rest didn't seem like a difference between the smaller dewalt and the C10RJ - am I missing something, are all rack and pinion fences mostly equal? The C10RJ and the bit of play - when I locked the fence, the measurement moved ever so slightly, while the Dewalt was solid and did NOT move even a tiny amount. Is /that/ basically how good the Dewalt is? If so, I /think/ I can get away with a cheaper rack and pinion. If there's more to it that I don't get, please educate :)

What do I want a table saw for? To make small furniture, chopping boards. Later moving to slightly bigger furniture (hopefully outdoor/garden furniture, maybe even a couch). I'm only be using it on weekends, and I only have a small shed, so I think a jobsite saw is going to do me good enough.

If anyone has a Makita 2704N, any comments about the fence on that - can it be made parallel quickly and easily, or because it's not rack and pinion, that's just not going to happen?
Hopefully someone can help me choose so I may be able to make a black friday sale decision quickly :U (Honestly, the CR10J appeals because it's in stock).

Don’t buy one, buy a cabinet saw from hare and forbes or carbatec, or secondhand from Facebook marketplace, I’ve seen at least two of those makita ones emit terminal smoke after doing not very serious work, they’re rubbish.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Don’t buy one, buy a cabinet saw from hare and forbes or carbatec, or secondhand from Facebook marketplace, I’ve seen at least two of those makita ones emit terminal smoke after doing not very serious work, they’re rubbish.

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OP said space limitations force a job suite saw (or maybe a track saw [emoji3]).

Personally, I've got the dewalt and for a weekend hobbiest is good enough for me. I also have space issues

Another one for the Dewalt, I have one and for the type of work your looking at doing it will be more than capable. I built a stand for mine with a set of retractable wheels so I can move around when needed.

We have a brand new Makita 2704N at the timber loppers yard.
I'ts bolted onto a mobile stand and is wheeled outside when in use.

The boss uses it to rip smallish stock (80x60mm or less), and I use it to slice up slab stickers (40 x 20mm).
Motor has plenty of grunt, brake is great, and cutting is helped by the thin kerf blade but the fence is pretty ordinary.
Overall I'd rather use my 15 year old 3HP contractor saw.

Having used a few of those site saws I just don't like how light weight they seem.
Even bolted down they feel like they are going to take of.
And dust extraction wise . . . . . . . . OK if you're outside.

Thanks folks. And yes, I’d absolutely love a cabinet style saw, but… space :(

No comments about the Hitachi, sorry, Hikoki? :)

I think i need to investigate track saws too. I haven’t seen them used by youtube woodworkers, and my two books don’t seem to mention them…

Any suggestion on what a beginner should start from to investigate, from a track saw? Are they good for my use case of chopping boards, small furniture, etc?

Don’t let this be another rabbit hole I have to go down - took me long enough to decide on the Dewalt! :-D

I have a Makita one and everything about it is good except the fence is rubbish, I am a big Makita user but would not buy it again. A tradesman mate recently bought a Milwaukee cordless model to lay a floor and he loves it, said the fence is accurate and solid, the Dewalt appears to be much the same.

As I'm risk averse, I think I'm just going to wait for the DWE7491 to be back in stock end of this year/early next - I can wait for bargains, but not sure this will get a decent one anytime soon! Will do other hobbies in the meantime. Or maybe get the hand tools out and see if I can't do things that way :)

Thanks folks!

First this is not a comment on the saws above. I've not had one. I have a table saw, I had a triton years ago.


I have a set of guide rails from a manufacturer that no longer exists as far as I know. The system is more primitive than the newer ones in that there is a bit more setup and fiddling about. Here is my opinion FWIW.


I love my track system. To break down sheet goods it kills a table saw. My guides double as light duty clamps and I use them a lot for that.


Where a table kills guides is on smaller stock. When the job is small it makes much more sense to bring the material to the tool, while on larger work it makes more sense to bring the tool to the work. Where the work is narrow I use a second piece to clamp and stabilise the situation and hold the work to that. For example if I were ripping a 2x4 8' long I'd lay a second board, put the clamp on that and fix them together or to sawhorses etc to make the cut.


But cutting a piece say 2x4x a foot long you are asking for trouble. That's where a table saw comes into it's own.


2c

Hi VA. What Damian said is spot on. For the work you want to do, the track saw would be pointless. I have the Makita MLT100 and as BobL said it's only drawback is the fence. It's not hard to set the fence parallel, just a little more fiddly than it could have been. I recommended the DeWalt to my cousin and he loves it.