Thrifty Table saw....

J

jsfinn

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Nov 26, 2003
Messages
1,093
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Hey EE, the link isn't working. Try posting the item number so we can search for it.<br /><br />For what it's worth, I got a cheapo Ryobi table saw from Home Depot for $99 for a buddy of mine for a birthday/housewarming present and he says it does alright. His comment was that the stand is a little short, but it gets the job done.<br /><br />I guess it depends what you're going to do with it. If it's going to get a ton of use, maybe look for something a little better, but for weekend work, I bet it won't matter much. As long as it cuts straight - who cares!? :)
 
Boomyal

Boomyal

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Aug 16, 2003
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12,072
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Won't let you copy the link for the table saw. I just takes you to the home page.<br /><br />I'd be suspicious of a 10" table saw for $99.00. I know that ryobi makes decent products but it can't have very much poop for what you would like a 10" saw to be able to do.
 
eeboater

eeboater

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Jul 19, 2004
Messages
2,644
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Sorry guys, posted that at school and I think things got a bit screwy. Here is the saw<br /><br />
164069_4.jpg
<br /><br />I'm only planning on doing minor weekender work with it, not planning on building myself a wooden boat :D ...<br /><br />Mainly, I'm putting Pergo flooring in this weekend and I want something that I can cut well with.<br /><br />Sean <br /><br />p.s. yeah, it is the $99 one from Home Depot.
 
snapperbait

snapperbait

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Aug 20, 2002
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5,754
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I got one very similar (k-mart,Benchtop).. Actually, looks like the same saw.. You might be supprised at what you can do with it..<br /><br />I used mine when I put down pergo few years back... Laminate dulled the blade, but then again I had alot of cutting to do too.. <br /><br />Watch your fingers.. ;)
 
L

Link

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
4,221
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Bought that exact same model 3 years ago without the stand for 99.00 from K-Mart.<br />Was being lazy and didnt want to break down my Ryobi BT 3000 wood working center for a weeks worth of work on a job site a hour away.<br />When I picked it up with one hand and brought it in the guy I was working with almost blew a fuse!<br />I dropped it off and went to pick up some more supplies..when I got back he had nothing but good things to say about it. Was really impressed that he could rip 2X4s with it. After we finished that job he bought one also. Looks like a POS but works very well. Also the same company that makes that for Ryobi also makes the same model that uses a air compressor for power. When sparks are a no-no. Have that also. Use it for cutting plastics (sp)<br />Bought one of my SILs a new light weight table saw a couple years ago. (Mrs.Link reminded me that he would think it was charity) so I gave him my used "Ryobi" table top..and kept the new one.. sure miss it :( <br />But his pride was kept intact! And he is still using it!<br />Kinda long winded but you get the idea. Nice little table saw and it depends on the skill of the user.. count your fingures :D
 
J

JamesCoste

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 15, 2003
Messages
595
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I've got one and really like it the 4 or 5 times a year I use it.<br /><br />The only "problem" with mine is it doesn't have the metal legs under it. I use mine on my shop floor for most of my quick cuts. When I'm doing a bunch of work, I put two saw-horses close together and screw some screws through the base (in pre-drilled holes) into the saw horses.<br /><br />I'm about to install Armstrong laminate flooring myself once my order ($1800) gets in. The guy at Lowes said that a table saw would be a great tool for cutting it. I'm shopping for a low-end compount miter saw. Doesn't that seem like a better tool for the job? I honestly don't know.
 
Fly Rod

Fly Rod

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Oct 31, 2002
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2,622
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

:) That table saw will work fine for ya!!!! "Watch Out"!!!!! Sometimes them table saws do not discriminate between wood and fingers, that's why they call a friend of mine "KNUCKLES"!!!! ;) :cool:
 
J

JasonB

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Feb 10, 2003
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1,455
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I have a GMC, General Machinery, found at Lowes for $79 normally. I found mine on a Thanksgiving sale for $39. It's cheap, but cuts what I need it to. I would, however, prefer one of the $100-$150 models as they usually have stands and I think a larger table.
 
R

Ralph 123

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Jun 24, 2003
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3,983
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Do you have a miter saw? Most of your cuts will be cross cuts and that's best done with a nice 10" or 12" miter saw...
 
Fly Rod

Fly Rod

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Re: Thrifty Table saw....

:) What ever happened to the "Good Ole Days"!!! when true carpenters free handed the miters with a hand saw!!!! And with the power tools of today some still can't cut a tight miter!!!! ;) :cool:
 
M

Moody Blue

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Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Ditto what Ralph said. I have both mid-priced table saw and mitre saw. Use the mitre saw 20X more than the table saw. Great for fencing, decks, household trim, flooring etc etc etc. Other issue for me is space. Its easier/quicker for me to use mitre saw than haul table saw out of storage. Oh yeah, and haven't lost a finger yet ;)
 
eeboater

eeboater

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Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Ok, question for you. Instead of buying a Compound Miter saw AND a Table saw, If I bought a table saw and needed to cut a 4 ft piece of Pergo to 3' in length, is that Do-able? <br /><br />Sean
 
dolluper

dolluper

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Messages
3,903
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I have both also the table saw is a must if your ripping wood but it mitre's well also The compound mitre saw is sweat and the laser almost warns you that your going to cut your finger it's the cats meow for flooring though
 
J

JamesCoste

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Jun 15, 2003
Messages
595
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I'm going shopping today for the miter saw. I'm going to be making quite a few cuts and want to use the safer of the two tools.<br /><br />I also like the idea of just placing the board on the fence of the miter saw and bringing down the saw where I would have to put the board against the guide of the table saw and push the board across the deck to make the cut. You've got to be careful to hold a long board against a small guide.
 
rogerwa

rogerwa

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2,339
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

I installed about 700SF of laminate and primarily used my table saw. Sometime you have to rip the boards, sometimes you have to trim them..<br /><br />I bought the Sears model with legs and extentions that go out both sides and in the rear to support your work. I paid $199 a few years ago. <br /><br />I found that the cheaper saws, like mine, really suffer on the fence. That is one of the big differences. With my fence I need to set it where I want it and to check the measurement at the front of the saw blade and at the back to ensure a true cut.<br /><br />Another main difference is the cheaper saws have direct drive blades as opposed to belt driven. Off hand I don't know the advantage, but that is what it said when I was researching this.<br /><br />This saw will have the same issues most likely. If that is OK, you should be OK.<br /><br />Or you could check out a sliding compund mitre saw. This allows the head of the mitre saw to slide in and out allow for semi-rip capability. Like this HF tool:<br /> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90891
 
R

Ralph 123

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3,983
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Yes you can cross cut with a table saw but its not as easy as it is with a miter saw (also called a "chop" saw by many). You'll have to use the miter gauge in combination with the table saw's fence (or not) for cross cutting. A long board can walk on you as you feed it through the blade because the miter gauge on a cheap table saw stinks - they have a small surface area to hold the board as you push it through the blade like James said above.<br /><br />When laying flooring or decking 95% or more of your cuts will be cutting the boards to length (cross cutting - cutting across the grain) and that's best done with a miter saw.<br /><br />Table saws are best for ripping (cutting the length of the board with the grain)<br /><br />You can buy a decent 10" miter saw for short money these days. You can even buy the cordless models pretty cheaply. HomeDepot has a cordless model from Ryobi that was like $75 or less if I recall.
 
K

KM2

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Oct 15, 2003
Messages
556
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Make sure you buy a miter (chop) saw that will cut wide enough. I borrowed one to do my floor and it wouldn't cut a 6" wide piece only cut about 5 inches so I had to fill every piece over to finish cut. Hope that makes sense. <br /><br />I had to rip only a few pieces and did it with a circular saw. You cover the edges of pergo with trim so a perfect cut isn't required. A table saw would be better and easier.
 
eeboater

eeboater

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Re: Thrifty Table saw....

So which one do you guys think I should go with to purchase... Miter or Table? I'll buy one, rent the other :D
 
E

Elmer Fudge

Lieutenant Commander
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Aug 25, 2003
Messages
1,881
Re: Thrifty Table saw....

Get a chop saw, if you need to rip any of the boards an inexpensive circular saw is quite capable for your job.
 
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