Saw questions and opinions.

[Tnstratofam]

I'm thinking of upgrading my circ saw as well as my miter saw. I have a cheap Skill circ saw that is okay, and has worked fine for the tasks I've had so far. I'm planning on doing some remodeling, and later will do some cabinet projects, and was wondering should I look into getting a better circ saw now or should I just save my money for other things? One circ saw I've considered is the Makita.

On my miter saw I have a Black and Decker 10 inch that I picked up a couple of years ago for I think $70 dollars. Again it has pretty much done all I needed up to this point. I'm thinking of buying a 12 inch compound sliding saw, and have been trying to figure out for just doing some remodel work/cabinet bookcase building what to look at or for. I've looked at the Dewault 12 inch saw at my local Lowes, and it runs about $400 bucks. There is a Kobalt that is $100 dollars cheaper, and it looks like a nice saw. I haven't been to Homedepot yet so I haven't had a chance to see what they've got.

Now I'm not planning on starting a woodworking shop, or a cabinet shop, but I do plan on building several projects over the next few years so I suspect I'll certainly use what ever saws I get allot compared to the average do it your selfer.

One last thing for all you wood working guys out there. How many of you have a radial arm saw, and would you recommend one for the typical wood shop setup. I have used one in the past, but I think between my table saw, and a sliding miter saw I should be covered for most stock I would need to cut.

I'm also picking up a used band saw from my dad and a lathe simply because he doesn't use them, and he wants more room in his shop.

Any tips and or advice would be appreciated. I did look up an old thread on miter saws, but it was from about 4 years ago, and I'm curious if there might be some new takes out there.

Thanks in advance Dave..

P.S. I'm willing to pay a little more money for better tools, it just means it will take me longer to get my projects off the ground.

 

[alldodge]

Would recommend the Makita circle saw. Like you I've had a few skil brand saws and bought a Mikita several years ago, and what change. Plenty of power, feel is better and using it is easier. Also doesn't have the trigger lock which I like, sure you can just pull the trigger, but the trigger takes a bit more pull then the skill. Never had an accidental turn on.

Table saw, depends on how much you use it, and if you would use it more if it was better. Have a Rigid cast iron deck table saw and hardly use it. It is a great saw, and I do like it, but I don't have it located where I can get at it easy, so I just don't use it much.

Would love to have a 12 inch compound sliding miter, could have made good use of it many times. Only have a 10 inch compound which works but 12 slider would be much better.

 

[thumpar]

A friend of mine bought the 12" Dewalt a couple years ago and swears by it. He did all the trim in his house plus some other projects with it. I have never used it myself but he loves it.

 

[Tnstratofam]

I've read allot of positive reviews on the Dewalt miter saw, and am leaning that way. I have been watching cl for a good used one. You know one that somebody bought just to run some trim in their house, and it's not been needed afterwards. There are a few near me, but the prices are to close to new for me to jump on any of them.

 

[gm280]

WOW a subject that I can get into. I actually have a nice 24' by 36' shop that is very well equipped with about every type woodworking tool one could ever want. I'll start out with my recommendations and please understand, these are only my opinions and others will have theirs I'm sure. I have a wood lathe, metal lathe, band saw, radial arm saw, 12" chop saw, table saw, floor stand drill press, router table, And more hand power tools then I can remember. I use both my table saw and 12" chop saw the most and near daily. If that is all I could afford, I could work around everything else. I do have a very top notch radial arm saw, but honestly, it gets used very little. Between the 12" chop saw and the table saw, I really don't use the radial arm saw much at all... I do build my own wood projects and can simply walk into my shop and use any one of those listed tools without issue. And I do have lots of other metal working stationary tools as well in that shop. As far as chop saws, I've own my compound 12" chop saw and I have never needed anything more then that model. I see sliding chop saws, but personally, I don't see a real need for a sliding model my self. I can easily cut 6" by 4" wood all day long without any problems. I can cut 1" by 10" wood all day long. And those are usually cross cuts. For with grain cuts, I use the table saw. All of my tools are quality manufactured tools too. Between DeWalt, Craftsman, Porter Cable, Jet, and even Grizzly tools, everything I buy is good quality tools that I know will last. All my power hand tools are either Porter Cable or DeWalt... In summary, I'd buy a good table saw and 12" fixed or sliding (if you like) chop saw first. Then as money becomes available, buy the band saw and other tools as you learn more and see a need. But I would let the radial arm saw until the very last. I hope that answered some of your questions. :encouragement::encouragement:

 

[Tnstratofam]

Thanks gm I like the feedback. Currently I have a ( cheap ) 10 inch portable Delta table saw, a older Craftsm cast iron table saw (no rip fence for this saw, and it is a belt drive.), the 10inch Black and Decker miter/chop saw, a craftsman router table and router, a 1960ish floor model drill press, and some assorted brands corded and cordless tools. Porter Cable, Skill, Milwaukee and Dewalt.

I have no idea what brands the lathe or band saw my dad is giving me are, but I know they are big. I'm wanting to pick up some other tools later like a shaper/joiner, and maybe a planer. I feel that as I've gotten older I'm more interested in building/restoring things, and less interested in paying someone else to build/restore things for me.

 

[MTboatguy]

I swear by my old craftsman cast iron top table saw, I upgraded the drive belt to a link style and it made the saw a dream to use, I also put a new rip fence on it that is much more accurate and used it to build my Kitchen cabinets(19) of them and it was great. My cheap Ryobi chop saw works great and I have don't a heck of a lot of trim work with it for several years now, I added the laser to it for $12 bucks from HF and never looked back. As far as circular saw, I have used a magnesium Skill worm drive for about 5 years now and would not trade it for anything, nice stable saw and none of it so expensive that it breaks the bank.

 

[gm280]

MTboatguy has some really good ideas as well. I also installed the LASER cutting guide on my 12" DeWalt compound chop saw. It is amazing how accurate that LASER is too. My Radial Arm Saw came with one and it works great. So I had to put one on my chop saw. I have a 10" Old Cast iron top Craftsman table saw that I rebuild with new 1 1/2 HP motor, arbor, bearings and link belt as well. And then I made some large table extensions so I can actually cut 4' by 8' ply woods without problems. I bought an extremely nice Biesemeyer fence system and love it more then anything else I ever bought. That made that old saw a pleasure to work with and use. Slide to the measurement you want on the scale and lock and it is there to stay and right on the money every time.... I also build a modified New Yankee Workshop Router table with a Router-Razer system installed and made it with large dual locking casters so I can move it around and lock it and if stays there like it is bolted to the floor. Then I added in Jet 6" Jointer, 12" DeWalt Planer, DeWalt Scroll saws, and the list goes on and on. There are so many things you can make when you start such a hobby. Even working on my boat, my woodworking shop has come in handy and makes such things easier to accomplish and everything I build looks like professionally built furniture. Even the neighbors were very impressed with seeing the items I built. And there starts the "Can you make me" syndrome... I always tell them I'll but it on my list and get back to them...

 

[Tnstratofam]

MT what kind of fence do you have for your table saw? I think I would consider redoing the Craftsman table saw if I can get a good fence for it, and if it can be tuned up a bit. I'll try to post some pics tonight of it so people can give me an opinion if it's worth trying to utilize.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I too have a DeWalt 12" compound miter saw, non slider. Like it a lot. No complaints. My circular saw is DeWalt too. Haven't used it enough to say if it's good, bad or otherwise...... For a tablesaw I have this setup, Bosch. I love it...
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-4100-09-10-Inch-Worksite-Gravity-Rise/dp/B000S5S5CW

Skil used to have real good tools. Not sure about the quality in the past 20 years, never used one.

 

[gm280]

I have an old Craftsman corded Circular-type hand saw, but I also bought an 18 volt DeWalt 5" or 6" battery powered hand saw and I use it so many times to cut down larger sections of 4' by 8' wood outside the shop and it does an amazing job... Just one of those extra niceties you don't think you'll use until you get one...

 

[MTboatguy]

The Skill Magnesium circular saw is a dream to work with, and I love the worm drive version of it, really not an expensive saw and it is good quality, lighter weight, I would not hesitate to get another one.

This is the fence I have on my craftsman saw:

https://www.google.com/search?q=accu...yHZI6kdXvys%3D

I have found the Accusquare to be good and not quite as expensive as some of the others, but that said, the Jet is good as is the one that gm280 mentioned.

 

[rbh]

If you are going to do any cabintry work and will be cutting rabbits or dados with the special cutter on the table saw, make sure it will fit on the shaft and the table deck will allow it to go through it.

 

[gm280]

rbh, there are so many really good quality table saw fences available these days. I just seen the Biesemeyer fence used in so many woodworking shows that I went with that one. I am sure others would work equally great if they are set up correctly. Having everything parallel and square to the blade and the table saw slots is a must. Once that is achieved, it works like magic...every time!

 

[Tnstratofam]

I know that having the saws setup correctly is important, and I'm sure most people don't have them as square as they think. This is one of the reasons I'm looking at upgrading some of my equipment. I want to be able to do more work without having the frustration of my tools making me work harder than I should. I've seen a Biesemeyer fence system installed on a table saw at a customers shop, and it looks like a real nice setup. I've also seen a similar system that was homemade of sorts on youtube. I'm also debating a layout along the back wall of my shop that will incorporate my miter saw. I have a portable saw stand that I'm using now, and it kind of works. Like most of my shop it kind of works. My shop/garage is used for everything from auto maintenance to boat restoration to wood working so it's become kind of a hodge podge of work area which I want to improve.

 

[rbh]

rbh, there are so many really good quality table saw fences available these days. I just seen the Biesemeyer fence used in so many woodworking shows that I went with that one. I am sure others would work equally great if they are set up correctly. Having everything parallel and square to the blade and the table saw slots is a must. Once that is achieved, it works like magic...every time!

Its not the fence that I was referring to but the shaft the blade goes onto, those adjustable dado/rabbit cutters that cut from (if I remember right) 1/8" to1" total cutter width is 1.5" wide I think and some shafts will not except them as well as the table decks hole for the blade (I will se if I can find an example)

 

[NewfieDan]

I do a lot of woodworking like gm280. My sliding compound is a Bosch 12" sliding compound and love it. For a table saw I have a General International. Most of my big tools, like saw, lathe, floor drill press are all General International. As for circular saw I am looking at the Rigid left handed saw. This puts the blade on the left side and in full view. My advice is to look at your budget and how much you will use it. Buy what works best for you, that's within your budget.

Like I said, I do a lot of woodworking so my tools all get used lots. But the 2 most used are the miter saw, and table saw. Routers, and drill press are nice but can usually be worked around. I did start out with a Delta bench top table saw. It worked for me until I outgrew it, the same applies to my table top drill press.

My small portable power tools are a variety of brands. I research to find what will work best for me before I buy. I look at price, quality, and reliability. Once I get that info on all the brands that interest me, I can make a purchase.

 

[rbh]

I went to find the adjustable dado/rabbit cutter we used way back when and no go.

The old cutter looked like a big hockey puck that when twisted moved the teeth in and out, like a cam set up.

 

[mla2ofus]

I went to find the adjustable dado/rabbit cutter we used way back when and no go.

The old cutter looked like a big hockey puck that when twisted moved the teeth in and out, like a cam set up.

I have one of those I picked up cheap and only used it once on my radial. Too much vibration to suit me.
Mike

 

[Tnstratofam]

So here is my cheap Delta table saw that I currently use/ It has been a good saw and is about all I've needed so far.