table saw recomendation?

[Glenbirnie]

Hi

Im after a table saw for general timber work, im renovating an old house. I could probably spend about £300 but couldnt justify spending more. Im keen on the site saws like the makita and dewalt ones, I know the budgets already blown!

I will need to store it for a lot of its life so the compactness would be handy. Is there much disadvantage over these type?

I think the joinery big names might be better than the likes of SIP, Clarke etc What do you think?

Any best out of the makitas, dewalts, hitachi etc or is it just a personal taste?

cheers

 

[Norcon]

Open frame SIP availaable from rutlands. £300 quid.
And has a 315mm blade.
Made in china probably but will do the job.

 

[Glenbirnie]

looks a decent saw, might be an option. cheers

 

[big-all]

if you have attached neigbours go for an induction motor to reduce the noise

have you thought about a flip saw or combined table/chop saw

you may actually find a miter saw is more what you need

red combination saw and yellow dewalt flip

saw flipped

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Any best out of the makitas, dewalts, hitachi etc or is it just a personal taste?

My own suggestion if you need to do a lot of ripping (although you probably won't) would be the saw I chose for myself a few years back, a Makita MLT100, which should be not far over £300. If your budget will stretch that far go for the MLT100X variant - it comes witb a mobile base (very handy). The MLT100 is streets ahead of the low-cost Clarke and Ryobi saws - in a different league. In making this suggestion I'm assuming that you've already got a mitre saw to handle long cross cuts like skirtings, architraves, floorboards, etc

If you don't have a mitre saw already then I'm more inclined to look at the sort of solution offered by B-A. For many years I had a DW flip-over specifically for refurb work - I got rid of mine in favour of the MLT100 and a mitre saw, though - no flip-over I've worked with to date has been that wonderful in mitre saw mode (I've had or used DW, Metabo and Makitas and they're all much of a muchness). My own feeling is that if you might be better off with a reasonable chop saw, such as a Makita MLS100, in combination with a reasonable portable rip saw, such as a Makita 5704RK, and a (home made) straight edge guide. For finer cuts get yourself a fine tooth saw blade for the rip saw, like this 190mm diameter x 30mm bore 40 tooth one from Dart. In total two saws, some materials to make a guide and a fine tooth blade for just under your £300 budget. I have both of those saws and they are basic, no-frills tools with more than enough power and robust enough for trade use (so should last a DIYer at least half a lifetime). If you have anything left over in the kitty do make yourself four (or more) sawing stools (trestles) - two for the saw to stand on and two to support long pieces/or do rip cuts on. Working off the floor will save your knees and back, too - not so much of a problem when you are 20, more of a problem at 40 and older

 

[streetlighter]

The cheap Clarke table saws can give you quite a fright when they start up don't half make some noise

 

[Glenbirnie]

thanks a lot of sound comments there. I do have a Mitre saw, small Dewalt one, cant remember the name but its more for finishings etc. And I have a hand guided circular saw (snotter some folk call them) thats the Makita one that has been suggested.

Im therefore looking at the Makita table saw as suggested or the Dewalt one which has the roll cage round it the contractors one. Both are about thr same price. Dewalt looks more basic. any ideas over these two?

cheers

 

[big-all]

The cheap Clarke table saws can give you quite a fright when they start up don't half make some noise

it was the predecessor off the flip and was little used after that its last use was to cut plugs in wood into 3- 6mm discs for covering screw heads
where it sat is now a dw 712 pull saw

those pictures are around 8 years old now
i got rid off the clarke for something like £65 3 years ago as it hadn't been used for several years to any extent

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Im therefore looking at the Makita table saw as suggested or the Dewalt one which has the roll cage round it the contractors one. Both are about thr same price. Dewalt looks more basic. any ideas over these two?

Would that be the deWalt DW745?:

If so then it's quite a bit smaller than the Makita, doesn't have the table extensions built in that the Mak has, although you still need a helper to handle long rips and neither saw is big enough to contemplate ripping 8 x 4ft sheets of MDF. To me the biggest objection would be the price - the DW is about £70 more if bought without the legs/base (street price). On the upside it has 200 watts more motor power (not really a lot) and a cast iron table as opposed to the ally table on the Mak. Can't see the cast iron table being a plus on such a small machine, either - the reason that big static machines have ci tables is to add mass and damp vibration/noise and frankly that just isn't going to happen to amy appreciable extent on a 22kg saw with a universal motor, and cast iron won't take being dropped whereas ally will to an extent. Personally I also reckon the Makita has a better (safer) fence design:

Should you need to do any cross cutting on shorter pieces the Mak's small sliding mitre fence/table are pretty useful (although I don't use mine all that much):

The MLT100 isn't as well finished as it's more expensive brother, the 2704. It's made by Makita in China (not subbed out, I'm told - but then the DW is Chinese as well isn't it?) and at half the price of a 2704 I reckon mine was a bargain. For another impression by someone else, see here by CroppyBoy

 

[EightyTwo]

I love my Triton...

http://www.tritontools.com/Product/330185

It's not exacly "professional" quality but it's easy to store and set up and pretty accurate at cutting. I've also got the sliding extension table which makes it very easy to cut up 8' x 4' sheets (with some help from the wife or a couple of roller stands!).

You get to choose your hand-held saw and you can also flip it over and use it as a radial arm saw for cross-cutting or routing. Oh yes, and the clip-on router table is pretty useful too!

 

[big-all]

i have never used triton stuff but have been quite impressed by the design and appearance yes it may be misplaced i dont know but love the design

 

[r896neo]

I have one of these and really like it. very good fence and the extension tables are good.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jet-jts-315-s-site-saw-bench-prod32026/

 

[Norcon]

Where are Jet manufactured?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Where are Jet manufactured?

I read an article a few years ago which said that Jet were a Swiss company mainly distributing to the USA with most products bought-in from Taiwan and China. The parent company is called Walter Meier

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

Ive had a 12" pressed steel site saw for donkeys a Polish REMA with German motor cheap as chips its been thrashed and treated badly for years and never missed a beat or needed repairs,"It owes me nawt" as they say up north but its a bit a numb heavy pig to move about so it never goesd on site,I dont know if they are still in business?I would be interested in having a look at the Makita, for site work.