If you were (or did) get rid of your table saw only to have a TS + MFT3...

grbmds said:
Certainly you are right about ripping thin pieces. However, for dadoing, I have found the use of my OF1400 with guide stops on the guide rail to be far superior to use of a dado blade. Also, more and more, I rip and do other jobs with my bandsaw. But, I think a good quality, accurate tablesaw that can be folded up and moved out of the way would be a great thing to have as long as dust collection is also great on it. I'm hoping the Sawstop will be that saw. The others don't seem to excel at dust collection and make a mess.
Click to expand...

I haven't got a Dado blade, UK saws do not typically allow their use, I have to do it the slow way, but I do really like using my crosscut sled.

I have to agree as to the amount of dust that is not captured by the Dust Collector, its even worse with a zero insert plate installed.
 
If you have the room, a table saw is pretty nice to have.  I love my tracks saw and encourage everyone to get one ASAP.  I should have bought it before most tools in my shop.

BUT, I would never get rid of my table saw.  There's just to many quick repetitive cuts that are SO much faster to do on the TS.  I have a jobsite saw and think it's still a valuable tool in the shop.

 
I wouldn't say just for narrow strips.  It's also very handy for repetitive cuts.  Like trimming down shelves or drawer fronts.

All doable with other methods, but easiest on a TS 
 
I think having a table saw is a must, I love my track saw, however everything has it's place. I have a nice unisaw at my shop and a  dewalt for installs i do. If I didn't have the unisaw, I would probably be lost.  For those with a small shop, I believe it's worth keeping a small but well made table saw tucked away under a bench somewhere. 
 
When I started using Festool I used my stationary stuff less and less. It got to the point I only used my deltaTS for the occasional rip of small pieces. Then it was because I was to lazy to set up the tracks saw.

When I moved to the UK I gave all my stationary tools away and don't miss them.
I did buy the CMS saw module and do use it quite a bit.
However I do the same thing with a track saw. You just got to make a few jigs and get creative.
 
I've got a SawStop and with that saw there's nothing to be afraid of or nervous about.  It's the last tool that I'd give up.  I love my track saw and can't imagine how I got along without one but I only use it when I can't use the table saw.  The table saw is so much easier and faster to use.  Don't get me wrong, the track saw is a fantastic tool and it's made some cuts much easier (and more accurate then using a circular saw) but there's no way it can replace a table saw.  Sure you can use a track saw to make most of the cuts you can make with a table saw but a table saw is faster and more accurate, yes I said more accurate, for most cuts.

My table saw also doubles as a large work area.  I've got an MFT for smaller (width) track saw cuts that are too long to cut to length on my table saw, anything over 52".  For sheet goods that need to be broken down I have a sacrifice table that I put together and lay it on the table saw for use with my track saw.  I also use that setup to rip rough cut lumber to a width that I can use on my 8" jointer. 

The placement of the tools in my shop was designed around the table saw.  IMO, it's the most used and most important tool/work space in the shop.

Don't sell your SawStop.  You'll regret it.
 
I would agree that, if you already have a Sawstop cabinet saw, don't sell it. I had a older under powered saw that wasn't anywhere near as accurate, high quality, and safe as the Sawstop. I'd make room in my shop for it and the work around it somehow. However, my situation was different and, now that I've sold my old borderline saw, I am trying to find ways not to spend the money to get another, much smaller saw. It is a struggle though and I do meet up with tasks that evan a "job site" type saw would easily solve.
 
I'm always looking for ways to improve my products.  Higher quality and less time.  Most DIY have demands on their time too.  The tracksaw is great, but a good tablesaw is an important tool in my process.  I wouldn't want to have to build stuff with one hand tied behind my back.  Let the Sawstop help you use all your digits!  (Pun intended.) 
 
I'd recommend keeping your SawStop.  I, like you, have contemplated selling my table saw because of space constraints- my shop is much smaller than yours.  I use the TS55 to break down all my sheet goods now which is much easier on my back since I'm a one-person shop, but I do use my table saw for shorter rip cuts and for narrow rip cuts of solid stock.  BTW- the GRRipper has made these cuts much cleaner and safer.  I have found that having both the TS55 and the table saw is a good balance to cover all the tasks needed.

The only way I'll get rid of my table saw (Delta Unisaw) would be to upgrade to a SawStop or Powermatic.

Regards,
Gerald
 
I'm in the same boat here. I had to sell my grizzly cabinet saw when I moved but have a track saw but miss the table saw. I do want a large band saw some day. Can it rip thin strips nice or will it be real ruff compared to a small table saw?  Not many choices in a small saw. Most of them seem pretty cheaply made. I do see the saw stop one but kind of pricey. Can you get it with out the stand? I'm sure it adds 300 bucks to the cost of it. Would be nice to find a nice compact one for about that 600 to 700 range. The cms saw would be nice.
 
I wouldn't say that it is an intense fear.  I see it as respect.  Well grounded respect.  You can get injured with any tool, sometimes by stupidity, but many times by complacency.  "I've done or seen this done lots of times and it worked out ok..." then the unexpected happens.  An interesting fact I learned long (decades) ago when I started using chainsaws was that the professionals got injured more often - not because they used the saws more but rather that they became overly comfortable.

You've cut yourself with your Kapex - as you've written here.  I am sure that you weren't working unsafely, but stuff happens.  I cut off the tip of a finger while using a portable drill for god's sake.  Got metal in my eye twice doing something that I did previously hundreds of times.  Stuff happens.

In my mind, for what its worth, a little fear and a whole lot of respect for a tool and what it can do, both good and bad, is a good thing.  Spinning blades don't give a rip about what they are cutting; wood, flesh, bone.

Peter
 
3 times with a miter saw, always from being in a hurry. 

There are several other machines in the shop that I find to be potentially much more dangerous.

Shapers are one of those, especially a larger one with high HP capable of slinging big cutters. 

The table saw is the only tool/machine that I keep reading about people being afraid of. 

Maybe that is marketing. 

I find using a well built, higher hp, heavy table saw with up to a 16" blade to be a joy.  They run smooth and true and I find no apprehension standing in front of one.

 
Tablesaws are great. They do a lot of work other tools just don't do as well or as easily. I have never cut myself on a tablesaw, but that doesn't mean I don't know the risk. I'm not sure why you wouldn't make any tool safer if you could. That just makes sense. So, sure there are other tools which are dangerous - routers mounted in tables, miter saws, shapers for sure. So, if there are ways of making any of these tools safer, I'm for it. I am always careful. However, all it takes is one fraction of a second when you are distracted and that's it. With tablesaw that is generally serious, as it would be with an exposed router bit spinning at 20,000 rpm's. So it's not intense fear as much as understanding what can happen regardless of how careful you are. I've cut myself badly with a sharp chisel, but is isn't spinning or moving at the same rate of speed a tablesaw's blade teeth are. We all probably can't have a Sawstop and maybe don't need one but it you're buying a new saw and there is one that is a high quality tool, fits your needs, and is safer, why not buy that one?
 
Table saws are a good tool. But for those that have limited amount of space a track saw will get them better results then a small bench top table saw. I use my ts75 in the CMS which gives me a decent cut almost as good as the TS does useing a rail.
With that being said
In the states I used mainly ply and didn't have much of a need for a table saw. I used my saw infrequently maybe 2 to 3 times over a 6 mos period just for quick tHin cuts.
 
I have tried both routes.  Had a TS, sold it and went strictly with the TS55 and MFT.  After that experiment lasted a year, I decided there were simply too many limitations and workarounds for me to do what I wanted just with the TS55 so I ordered a Hammer K3 Winner and have never looked back.  It's the workhorse of my shop and I'm now thinking about selling it and getting a Hammer B3 combo saw/shaper.  It's simply too important when you do a lot of thin strips like I do. 
 
Scorpion,

Perhaps I'm missing something here when you say nothing beats a table saw for cutting down sheet goods???  Breaking down sheet goods, to me, was always a pain in the rear to do on my cabinet saw.  Getting the sheet goods up and balanced, kept against the fence, careful with the outfeed, etc, etc...  The TS-55 excels in breaking down sheet goods, to the accuracy that I don't need any rough cuts.  I purchased my cabinet saw years ago and wanted the long rails and extension table just for allowing cutting down of sheet goods. 

I've now purchased the shorter Incra rails with the thought I will NOT use my cabinet saw going forward for breaking down sheet goods and now want to reduce the cabinet saws footprint.  That will be my downsizing!  I will agree with you that since I've bought into Festool, I have used my cabinet saw less, but will not consider getting rid of it....  It offers too many other benefits do not have it...
 
I don't know how some woodworkers are able to get by without the use of a table saw, I'm intruiged I'd love to have more insight into their workflow. I can see the benefit of space saving with a track saw but I can not see how you can be as productive doing tasks typically done at the table saw. I don't think a table saw takes up that much space and at the very least it can double as another work surface and we all know that can be invaluable. I'm not suggesting a tracksaw can't achieve the same outcome as a table saw just that it can't do it as productively.
 
Just a second point...my wife Samantha and I are making a master bedroom upstairs in our sixty five year old post war cape. There is a divided bedroom up there and it's chock full of pine knotty board. The chair rail up there is 1-3/4 bead board and the original builder skimped when putting it up. We tore out a room dividing closet and noticed the bead board rail on the other side was nearly 2-1/2" thick. With old board I was able to take some of the demoed pine and trim aeveral pieces down so that I can do one full wall with the thicker rail even adding a forty five degree bevel. I can't match the other side alas. It came out beautiful though and the saving grace was my little DW745 contractor saw which incidentally takes the same 50mm anti static hose that I use on my Kapex. Disaster avoided thanks to that little guy! It'd been a pain to use my rail and line it up. Still use my TS for almost everything but I'm glad I have that Dewalt!
 
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