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New table saw (UK)….. that is the question

PitStopCrew

PitStopCrew

Seedling
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Location
Inverurie
Name
Gavin
LOCATION
Aberdeenshire
Having just about given up on my Einhell TC-TS 2025 with it’s limited adjustability, floppy fence and flappy blade I appear to have purchasing authority from Commander in Chief Home Forces (ie Mrs PitStopCrew) for a new one …. My research so far is pointing me at one of 3 contenders - Evolution Rage 5S, DeWalt DW745 and possibly the Bosch Pro GTS10. If my budget is +/- £500 do these options sound about right? Are there any others out there that hit the budget? I’m looking for something that will allow me to develop my skills so need to be accurate with a solid fence supported at both ends across the full length of the table base, a decent solid base which is flat and true and probably more besides…… grateful for any input!
 
or do I bin the table saw and spend the money on a Festool Plunge Saw…?
 
Do you do lots of big rebates, Gavin? In a typical UK home workshop, that would be the best argument for a table saw, I reckon. Otherwise I'd suggest you look at a tracksaw, and/ or a bandsaw.
 
It's a difficult decision. Tablesaw, bandsaw, tracksaw. They all have their pluses and minuses and it largely depends on what sort of work you do..
If you use lots of sheet goods like MDF or plywood, then a tracksaw is ideal, especially if you use a few easy accessories to make life easier. I have a short series on YT about handling sheet goods, free, start here.

If you do a lot of curved work, then a bandsaw is infinitely better than a jigsaw. Always buy the best you can afford, otherwise buy what you think is a bargain and then buy another one a year later :). Resources for getting the best out of one (not free), can be found here.

I have a cast iron tablesaw, Xcalibur, no longer available in the UK sadly. Ancient design, but built like a tank. Resources for getting the best out of it (not free) are here.

I am fortunate to have all three and I would not like to choose just one. Although I use my TS the most, if I was tortured on the rack, I'd choose the Bandsaw.

Buy the lot. Go on, you know you want to. How old are you? How much wealth have you got? How long have you got left to spend it? Live a little! :)

That's my attitude these days. I've just spent €20 on a rolling pin.
S
 
Cabinetman said:
I was quite impressed with the DeWalt that I fitted for my new Daughter, quite a clever design in a few places.
It’s not quite the same as it has an 8 added to the ref no.
As you can see she is a DW nut.
View attachment 30847
Click to expand...
this one is running favourite at the moment…. love this workshop set up too! The DeWalt comes out well in all of the reviews I’ve read so far and I love the fact it can handle some really wide pieces.
 
I'd never spend my money on something with a universal brush screamer motor,
as the consumable nature of such, doesn't lend themselves to making proper fixtures,
be it mobility wise, infeed & outfeed, well advised being so close to the blade,
or any other such jig, which for something cast iron, would be more worthy than making a lash up as you go.
It's the same cost for an old Startrite or similar.

Though I'd have a decent sized bandsaw any day, say a 20" machine, especially if I didn't have anything else
for so many reasons...
(a three phase machine using a VFD to tame it, if using 13a plug)

Dust for one, the bandsaw produces much less, and should you be on domestic 13a plugs, then you might
get away without requiring 16a plugs from the get go.


Safety for another, (should one not have the means for surfacing face and edge)

The versatility compared, i.e all the jobs a tablesaw will do, (bar trenching cuts)
mainly involving either ripping panels or crosscutting,
(for which a panel gauge and a hand plane will do, and a shooting board for the ends.)


Whilst resawing (i.e bookmatching panels) or planking stock, if you happen to like hoarding timbers.

That's my 2cents

All the best
Tom
 
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PitStopCrew said:
this one is running favourite at the moment…. love this workshop set up too! The DeWalt comes out well in all of the reviews I’ve read so far and I love the fact it can handle some really wide pieces.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I should have mentioned that it still had its underframe to be fitted at that point, hate to give out bad ideas.
If you want to sink your saw in the top like that one I have more pics, it took a bit of designing to get it right.
Ian
 
From experience: I've had the DW745 and it's a bit of a curate's egg IMHO, at least on 110v. The rip fence adjustment is really rather good, very fast and pretty accurate for a lightweight saw and with an auxilliary fence which allows you to keep the crown guard in place for bevel and narrow rips. Dust extraction is reasonable, too, and the 10in blade is a boon, however the saw can bog down and even stall occasionally on 3-1/2 to 4in stock (e.g. C24 structural softwood - but maybe that was asking too much) but romps through smaller stuff. That may be why they replaced it with the 8in DW7485 model.That motor is pretty noisy, though. The mitre fence is basically pretty so-so, but not an issue for me as I always have a mitre saw available. The mobile base is really good if you are in a site situation

So, providing you aren't trying to run it at the end of 100ft of electric string, that you don't need to cut large, long heavy section timbers and you don't mind the noise it's OK. Against other portable saws I've used from Bosch, Makita and Metabo it is neither a stand out nor a dullard, but it seems to be of better quality than DIY saws I've looked at
 
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I have a DW745 also which is used on job sites. I have run it hard for almost six years, best portable contractors table saw I have ever had.
Whenever possible I will plug into a 20 amp receptacle using a 20 amp rated extension cord.
 
chataigner said:
Personally I could not manage without a table saw. You can do a lot with a good bandsaw, but they cant cut straight which is a major handicap.
I'd try to find a good solid second hand TS rather than a new one for the same money.
Click to expand...
If you're meaning, won't leave a finished surface, then perhaps you should look into carbide tipped blades,
seeing as there are some cheaper alternatives popping up here and there nowadays, than from Lenox etc..
seemingly for around the same price as M42 here.

Hard to tell which is from the planer, and which from the bandsaw.

The Incredible Woodmaster CT

On the left is a 10" wide piece of walnut that I face jointed. On the right is a veneer slice from the same board manually cut with a Woodmaster CT 1" x 1.3 tpi on my 17" BS.
sawmillcreek.org

Tom
 
chataigner said:
You can do a lot with a good bandsaw, but they cant cut straight which is a major handicap.
Click to expand...
I'd have to disagree with you there, my friend. With the right blade for the job, I can cut a stright line, against the fence, and it will vary along the length by just a few thou. I just need to adjust the tracking knob properly. Next time you come up this way, I'll show you.
Admittedly I don't get the surface finish shown in Tom's post above - perhaps I should investigate carbide-tipped blades.
 
PitStopCrew said:
or do I bin the table saw and spend the money on a Festool Plunge Saw…?
Click to expand...
Bin the tablesaur notion and buy a decent bandsaw. Depending on how you work and what you make, you may find a ground gobbling tablesaur isn't needed; somat I found out a long time ago - Rob
 
If I had to ditch tablesaw, bandsaw or tracksaw ....it would be tablesaw every time.

Bandsaw, as others have said, cuts fine in a straight line if well set up, has a sharp blade to correct tension and feed rate is slow enough. I use a Mafell tracksaw (fantastic) and have done literally thousands of cuts with that, all of which were perfect, clean and less hassle than a table saw. Very versatile with a few blades. Table saw does some things really well, but you need lots of space, a good quality saw (£££) and the £££ is only worth it if you are doing significant volume.
 
I use my table saw much more than either the bandsaw (mainly used for cutting up sourdough loaves) or my track saw. Try cutting a rebate down the length of a piece of wood with either bandsaw or track saw.
 
Sourdough slicer! Good idea but in my case the workshop is not near the kitchen. I think you've got a proper workshop Roger with a very good quality table saw? I might well use a table saw more if I had the space but my workshop is long and narrow and there is no way I could get an 8 by 4 sheet onto a saw in there. I suspect that most people are limited in this way.
 
I'm another bandsaw fan. I sold my table saw and I still see that sale as one of the best things I ever did. Selling it gave me enough extra workshop space for a bandsaw and some space to spare and, more importantly, forced me to learn how to do things by hand, which has definitely made me a much better woodworker. The bandsaw resaws far better than the table saw ever did and it's be the one woodworking power tool I'd never be without. I wouldn't want to ditch the track saw (as it's great for dealing with big sheets of plywood etc), but if I were forced to choose, it'd be the bandsaw I'd keep.
 
Track saws passed me by, I had to ask what one was! Also cutting up 2” Oak I managed to bend the arbor on two circular saws and escaped injury so won’t risk it again. The Bandsaw which is a good one hardly gets used, it’s very rare I resaw any timber. But the Tablesaw which is now part of a combination spindle and planer thicknesses is used all the time.
I think what I’m saying is it depends on what you’re used to and also what sort of things you make, I’m into furniture, so more long cuts.
 
AJB Temple said:
Sourdough slicer! Good idea but in my case the workshop is not near the kitchen. I think you've got a proper workshop Roger with a very good quality table saw? I might well use a table saw more if I had the space but my workshop is long and narrow and there is no way I could get an 8 by 4 sheet onto a saw in there. I suspect that most people are limited in this way.
Click to expand...
Sheet material is done on a sheet of Kingspan on the floor and a track saw.
 
You were a professional Ian and all pro shops I've ever seen use a table saw all day. Repeatable accuracy is unmatched. I've owned 2 table saws both rather cheap and underpowered - still have one as it is useful occasionally, but I use it just about exclusively for rip cuts on oak planks. Bandsaw could do it, but not as well.
 
chataigner said:
Can you creep up on a fit with a bandsaw ? I can with the TS.
Click to expand...
I've never tried, but I can creep up on a fit with a hand plane. Since I sold the table saw I've got good enough with hand planes that I don't need to do any sanding any more and that makes the whole experience far more enjoyable. I'm absolutely convinced that if I'd kept the table saw I would have used it a lot more to make jobs easier and it would have meant I took a lot longer to get to the level of competence that I have reached today (which is still far lower than many members on this forum, but nevertheless satisfying for me as someone who started woodwork less than five years ago).

Horses for courses an' all that. There's rarely only one right answer for anything and we all choose the tools that suit us best. For me a bandsaw is an absolute no-brainer (I don't enjoy resawing by hand) and I doubt I'll ever buy another table saw to replace the one I sold. For you the table saw is essential and that's also perfectly valid if that's what works for you.
 
I’d keep the table saw and ditch the others personally but I have always struggled with the bandsaw

As a side point, you say you want a fence that locks front and back. My table saw fence locks at the front only and is solid. Some fences that lock at the back are trying to compensate for a poor fence and locking the back can actually pull the fence out of square. What you want is a front only but is solid and doesn’t move

Mark
 
Some bloke;) on youtube explaining why the fence on the table saw should only go just a tad over the centre point of the blade. Any fence does does clamp fore and aft should also have a sub-fence .

 
Being fortunate enough to have a bandsaw. A table saw and a track saw I think they are all good for different things. If I were starting out again I think I would go for a track saw with an MFT type table as a way of getting very repeatable and accurate cuts for less than the cost of a decent table saw. Plus it has the advantage that you can use it for cutting down sheet material.

However at the end of the day there are many different ways of doing things when woodworking so pick which way you want to do it.
 
Everyones's circumastances are different, but this is my experience (I have all three as well). When setting up my current workshop which is a fairly small at just under a single car garage I went for things in the following order. I had prior experience with all three options and my first purchase was a track saw which I set up with and MFT. This was because I knew I would be using a lot of sheet goods for house work.

Next came the bandsaw, I love a bandsaw it is so versatile I always planned to get one in addition to the track saw.

Finally the tablesaw, which I didn't intend to have in my workshop. But there are things that are just so much easier with one, I got fed up with the difficulties doing longer and particularly thinner cuts with a tracksaw. I only had room for job site style and settled on the Bosch. It's OK but I would not trust it for joinery as you see Youtubers doing on big table saws. My Bosch is a lower spec model than the one you are considering though.

Have you seen any of Rag 'n' Bown Brown's videos on Youtube, he reviewed Evolution saws recently

Saw video
 
Don't know if it's been mentioned but one of these might be worth a look: Site Saw.jpgPowerful motor and better depth of cut than a table saw.

A cast bench saw with sliding table would be my go to for a workshop (but new is out of the £500 budget), instead of a bench saw a site saw is ok if used in a workshop and can still do heavy rip work. I like table saws for carting to building sites as they are very portable and can usually handle most medium tasks with relative ease but the larger motor and blade on a site saw tends to be better for larger ripping jobs.

It all depends upon what you need to do with the saw and how portable it needs to be. I have used a dewalt table saw on site and found it to be very good for site use, I have also used the Makita site saw and found that to perform very well too. The saw I take to use on site is a dewalt 743 flip saw which never seems to struggle when ripping through 50mm timber on site. From what I can gather Dewalt make the best table saw followed by Bosch.
 
Pity is they no longer sell it in Europe AFAIK
 
I feel like I owe everyone an update but have been away on a mini break to Les Arcs (close to one or two of you)!! ;-) I went for the latest Evolution in the end and am thoroughly impressed with the features on it and accuracy of the cut. The fence is bob on and apart from a fairly cheap mitre gauge that comes as standard it’s spot on for what I’m going to use it for (enthusiastic DIY woodworker). Thanks everyone for your inputs…. and, OK, I’m now keeping a beady eye on FB marketplace for a bandsaw. Reckon I might be able to sneak that one in under the watchful radar of the boss! ;-)
 
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