Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • Table Saws
  • gatsby
    Free Member

    Seeing as there are plenty of wood-workers and tool fanatics, does anyone have any experience of cheap table saws?

    I use a lot of small-section strip-wood, various thicknesses ranging from 5x5mm upwards in lengths up to 2000m.

    It’s not cheap to buy from B&Q etc, so I wondered about a cheap table saw and ripping down larger pieces.

    Is it the right tool for the job? Are the cheap ones any good? It would only get occasional use…

    verses
    Full Member

    I have a cheap Aldi/Lidl one that’s been invaluable for many DIY jobs over the last few years.

    I received it as a gift from my dad and initially thought I’d hardly use it, but if it went pop tomorrow I’d replace it in an instant.

    nickjb
    Free Member

    I go round in circles as to whether I need one or not. I cut long strips of wood using a rail saw or saw guide which works very well and takes up little space. Axminster and FFX are good places to start for decent range and prices

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    trail_rat
    Free Member

    when i get into my projects at the house i find mine invaluable.

    Picked up an old(1995 according to serial) but good condition ELU table saw for 100 quid from a roup (basically a farm auction)

    Its a design thats been adopted by dewalt these days – its a table saw on one side and you flip it over and it becomes a mitre chop saw.

    Really clever.

    Bought a new fine blade for it and its done floors,my stairs , new door frames,new skirtings and architraves built sheds. Saved so much time and head scratching – previously id have used a circ saw and guide rail or cut it by hand…… neither particularly accurate or nice finish.

    finishthat
    Free Member

    A track(rail) saw is an excellent tool for ripping sheets.
    Table saw will require a massive amount of space to work with and a cheap one will be noisy and frustrating to use – but with a home made sled can be good for the smaller jobs.
    Lidl have recently sold a very decent track saw for half the price of the
    cheapest alternative. adding a decent blade and you can trim off whatever you need , although you will not be able to split a 15 mm wide stick without some
    jigging.
    Personally I would try a track saw – just from the safety perspective.

    gatsby
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies, I’m not sure a track saw would be the right tool – I use all sorts of sizes from 5x5mm up to ‘slate baton’ size. I’d probably need a much finer blade than what these things come with but are they capable of ripping wood down into thin strips with reasonable accuracy and a clean finish?

    finishthat
    Free Member

    There are loads of resources about thin ripping – for example :

    Cutting Thin Strips at the Table Saw

    Any track saw setup is going to be a minimum of £160 with a thin ripping blade.

    They do not exist in cheap form even second hand unless Lidl do their offer again.
    A cheap second hand table saw might be the best option – if you can get one
    with an induction motor like an Axminster TS200 then your ears will thank you – decent blades are now very available . Just make sure you can get a safe setup.

    gatsby
    Free Member

    Thanks for the link Finishthat, very useful! I might have to do a bit more research…

    takisawa2
    Full Member

    I’ve got one of the Aldi ones. Its never been used.
    Bought (as usual), on a whim. 😀
    If you want a cheap(ish) one to start out out, you can have it for £40.

    TooTall
    Free Member

    Make sure the table saw can rip close enough for your needs. Their minimum gap from guide to blade varies between manufacturers. Conversely, look at how wide you can set the guide. Some saws have adjustable extensions to the table width and the wider the better.
    Make sure the guide clamps true and straight. I nearly ruined a job using a borrowed table saw where the guide wasn’t quite square to the blade.
    Buy a better used saw over a cheaper new saw.

    gatsby
    Free Member

    Where abouts are you Taki?

    There are a few vids on Youtube about making better beds and gates for cheap saws…

    goldfish24
    Full Member

    I brought a used SIP and it’s been used for all sorts. Building a good cross-cut sled makes it even more useful. See YouTube for more.

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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