Table saw choices

[Drich]

Well I'm on the hunt for a new table saw. I sold my Grizzly 1023 when we moved last year and looking to replace it. I think that I have looked at every job site option as I'm thinking on not getting such a large machine. Really want a festool but it's just never going to happen here in the states for what ever dumb reason. Beside the 5000$ mafell and the 400-600 job site ones from the big box stores nothing else out there to buy. The saw stop seems ok as the fence seems to deflect when locked to me. I just want a small high quality accurate saw but besides the mafell I don't think we have one to buy in the states.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

I am a hobbyist / handyman and I have been happy with the SawStop jobsite saw.  It replaced a Bosch 4000 which was working fine but didn't have the finger saver technology.  Expensive yes, but I need my fingers for my real job.

My use is mainly in the shop, but the stand does make it portable.  Also my shop is small so not enough space for a cabinet saw and the corresponding dust collection.  On the job site saw I am using a ShopVac for dust collection, it is not perfect but adequate for work that I am doing.

I use track saws for initial breakdown of sheet goods so the job site size has not been a limitation for me

 

[afish]

there is no way I would pay 5k for a portable jobsite saw.  If I had employees I would have sawstop just for the finger saver feature.  One finger saved will more than pay for the saw.  When I worked at a large shop it was surprising how many people had serious tablesaw accidents.  Medical bills and workmans comp claims I want no part of. If its just me the 4-6 hundred fits me fine. Im not looking to cut up the entire job on site typically. If its big sheets those get broke down with track saw first anyways.

 

[Mini Me]

A short stroke slider such as a Hammer K3 basic takes up less room that a cabinet saw and keeps your fingers away from the blade.

 

[Packard]

I have an old Dewalt Contractor’s saw.  It was not always old, but is has always been a utility saw.

I got it with a 48” upgraded fence.

A decent saw with a good fence will make accurate cuts.

A 48” fence will eliminate errors that creep in on wider cuts. 

My saw does not have a retracting splitter, a serious safety issue.  Retracting splitters were not in wide use when I got it.  If I were younger and going to use the saw for a long time, I would upgrade to one with a splitter and preferably one with the Saw Stop safety feature. 

I do have a sliding table miter saw and it is much more accurate for that application that either my table saw or my chop saw.  But I don’t know if it is the product of the sliding table or the accuracy invested in the making of that saw. 

If I had to do it right now, I would look into a sliding saw.  Most of the ones I’ve seen require a good deal of real estate.  So maybe not a fit for my shop.

 

[ChuckM]

A short stroke slider such as a Hammer K3 basic takes up less room that a cabinet saw and keeps your fingers away from the blade.

The fact that two major sliding saw manufacturers have offered the finger-saving technology as an option on their sliders means that sliders do not eliminate accidents and injuries. I've come across videos showing people using their sliders in such an unsafe manner that the sliders can cause serious harm as much as a cabinet saw, if not more. A slider may not cause as many injuries as a cabinet saw, but it doesn't replace. in the event of an accident, the function of a finger-saving feature.

SawStop has just released the compact table saw, and that may be looked into as an alternative to the jobsite saw, if the finger-saving technology is considered a critical feature.

 

[afish]

Yea, for me a jobsite saw can and will never be a replacement for a good cabinet saw and it shouldnt be looked at that way.  For me the portability/stand is almost as important as the saw itself.  I want easy and fast setup/take down with a decent saw attached.  For myself that came in the form of the Bosch with gravity rise stand.  I dont use it much but I can whip it out and be cutting in about 30 seconds if I already have a cord out. I have had it for over a decade and it works well. Is it a replacement for a 3-5hp unisaw or powermatic, nope and never will be. 

 

[woodferret]

Since you eyeballed jobsite saws, you could wait for the SawStop compact that's due out this Sept.  Looks like they just shoved a SawStop into a DW745.  Probably the closest to the TKS80 you lament than anything out there.

 

[pixelated]

I am going to be looking at the new Saw Stop, when it is available, and likely replace my Bosch with it.

I don’t have the space for anything bigger, and the smaller and lighter, the better.

 

[ChuckM]

 

[Drich]

Kind of what I thought this unicorn that I'm after dose not exist. Hate to waste money on a cheap job site saw but I may have to as I'm building a new house and need something to get by till the shop is all finished up.