Thread: What tablesaw do ya'll recommend?

I'm looking at getting a portable, jobsite table saw. Probably won't use it much but don't want to just get the cheapest thing on the market.

What do ya'll recommend?

Zacsdaddy

Dewalt makes a nice little portable. I believe it is in the $300-400 range, so it isn't going to break the bank, and it has a good centered motor, fence, accurate angle and height adjustment... great little table saw.

Bosch.
Hands down... in the +/- $500 range,
I use one every day. Matter of fact, I've got two. One I damaged with a little accident, and it's replacement with close on three years of hard service. The old style stand is easier for one guy to move around. The biggest problem with the new rolling stand is that it doesn't fit through doorways straight on, and is too heavy and awkward to manouver. Also, it doesn't break down, the saw is bolted to the stand, so it takes up a fair amount of room.
I've tried a few different ones, Ridged, Craftesman. DeWalt. Checked out the Hitachi, most of them are not large enough or too gimicky or not robust enough to take a good beating and still work well. Don't get me going about the 2 days I spent with a Ridged table saw.... it was a serious joke, I wrote a 5 paragraph review and posted it on their website, only to recieve a nasty email from their head office.

I haven't used the Bosch, but their tools have been, IME, excellent.

I know it doesn't sound good to most hobbyists, but you're going to want to avoid things like Craftsman, Rigid, Ryobi, etc. You really pay a premium in loss of function and safety for the $100-200 you save.

I appreciate the input.

I've gone from being a hobbiest DIY'er to a paid part-time handyman. After loosing my job of 30 years I needed to find some way to make money and since no one would call me in for an interview I decided to reopen a Handyman service that I did several years ago. Only needed a table saw once, so far, for a paid job but could have used one many times at home.

I've always told my wife "Never buy cheap tools." but I balk at spending $600.00 for a tool I'll only use occasionaly.

Still, I'll probably get a $400.00 to $700.00 table saw when the time comes since the current jobs are plentiful and paying well.

Zacsdaddy

Before purchasing any table saw you should check that the table guides are stiff enough. If there is even little slack in these guides then you have to tune and customize them before they can't be used.
Also check that the table is 100% flat and the table legs are stiff enough. Usually there is also possibility to saw guided angles (both horizontally and vertically) so check that the angle guides are accurate.
Usually table saws have no 1st class saw blade so you probably have to buy better blade rather sooner than later.

Sorry my English terms might be little weird but i hope you got what i meant.

i found that you get what you pay for, that being said you cant go wrong with dewalt tools. the table saw is verry good saw. i cant tell the difrence when cuting read oak or pine , the fence is true and what it reads on the fence is what it cuts, i have had delta, craftsman,hand tools and i wont have nothing but a dewalt from now on, the skill saw is fine to i have worked one for the last 3 years on bulding pourches and garages. and it is still runs like a new saw. same with the drill i have put in no less than 10,000 deck screws with mine and still going strong.

Y'all crack me up. I am a professional maintenance and handyman and have used a Ryobi drill, table saw, compound miter saw, flashlight for years. No they do not have some of the features that the others have, but they have never let me down. The table saw and the miter saw have always cut a straight line. I believe in you get what you pay for but for a budget minded poor person like myself, there is no way that i could afford to spend $400 to $500 on somthing for a hobby. My wife would never allow it either. If you are going to be doing handyman repairs for a business, then start out with something reliable and affordable. Then when you get your business going good and are doing it full time and need a better setup, then go out and buy a higher quality setup. No since in starting your business or hobby in the red financially by buying an expensive set of tools that you really don't need.
That is my own opinion.

+1 Chris
My Hitachi has held up for a few years and of intermitent but not gentle use. Ripped a bunch of yellow pine with it and it did fine. Lowes sells them.

I have a portable Dewalt that works great! I don't use it THAT much so I can't say about reliablity, but I have been using it for 2 years now and it has been nothing but great.