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OK, so you may have heard my woes of limited space, so a space hogging table saw is currently not a good option. Yet I am always needing something cut on one, and cannot do it (I do not have one). I know about contractor table says, but I am worried about accuracy (should I be?). I do not own a Mitre saw either. It seems to me that what I now lack is a table saw and a spindle sander.

So please, suggest away and thank you!

Mike

Mike,
I have the portable Dewalt table saw and bought it only because of space saving needs. I've built 12 guitars with it and so, yes it can be done. I am now in the market for a larger more accurate saw because I'm tired of trueing the fence to the blade and dealing with the insert that is not completely level with the table surface. I also have a little more room now. I find the table saw is my most often used saw and want one that has a decent fence and accurate cut.

I've been getting by with a Jet contractor's saw for ten years. It can be kept tuned accurately enough, and I would assume that is not unique to Jet.

That being said, I plan to replace it with a cabinet saw this year.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Mike, you might consider just going with a band saw instead. They have a small footprint and with a good fence, etc., can do most of what a table saw can do and some things a table saw cannot do. If space is tight, this might be the best solution.

any contractors saw should be fine. Get yourself a set of engineers squares to set it up and invest in an Incra 2000 mitre guage and you will be able to do just about anything...
- Justin

My Delta Unisaw is the best workbench I have. I use my bandsaw at least 10x more than the Unisaw. That said, you know what you need but I'd suggest you think through it very well if your space is really that limited.
Tom

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(alias: gasawdust)

Space in my shop is precious and I chose to go with a small bandsaw -- a decision that I have not regretted in the least. A bandsaw seems quite well suited for guitar work. If you intend on doing some furniture building, you may wish to go the table saw route. Space and budget permitting, I'd look at the new 'hybrids', the crosses between a cabinet saw and a contractor's saw. The Jet version is getting pretty good reviews in the wood working forums.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

I just spent the day at a skills competition for high school students, and watched the Saw Stop tablesaw in action. Before the day began, the local Woodcraft people did the hot dog demonstration. Saw stopped, and you could not tell where it hit the hot dog. Amazing.
Saw Stop will be coming out very soon with a contractor's saw - probably in the $1500.00 range. I'd wait. It is expensive, but if any the quality of the table saw is any indication, this will be a great saw.

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Ken Bremer
Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.bremerguitar.blogspot.com

If I was going to buy a contractors saw it would be a Bosch. Good saw and very portable.

Thanks for all the responses. May go and evaluate the Jet. I have a small bandsaw. And it is wonderfull for many things. And if all I was interested in doing with wood was guitars, I'd prolly be OK.

As for the Saw Stop, I might consider shelling $1500 if they used their finger instead. Remember the guy who invented the bullet proof vest? Video taped himself shooting himself with a 32 cal handgun. The MOST impressive product demo I have EVER seen. And he never lacked in orders from that day forward. That's commitment. That's belief.

Mike

Ryobi BT3100. They don't make them anymore, but if you can find one used, I love mine. Sliding table is good for miters, and it's accurate for such a little saw - real good fence system (again, for such a little saw). Riving knife is a nice feature. Easy to roll around on a mobile base or castors bolted right to the stand. I have my router mounted in the wing so I don't have an extra router table also taking up space. Screams like a banshee though.

If you are sawing though 2" hardwoods with a 1/8" kerf blade you need 3hp if you don't want to get bogged down. I'm planning to go with 3hp on the new saw, but am wondering if I'll regret not getting 5.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I've got a Ridgid contractor's saw and it does a pretty nice job. Needed a little set up and there's some wiggle in the stand, but all in all I am impressed. It was originally a temporary saw until I could upgrade, but 4 years later, that has not been an issue. Once in a while I could use more power, but I get by just fine. You almost certainly will want to plan on upgrading the miter and probably the fence. Oh yeah, new blades too.

As Todd said, just because it's a contractor, don't mean it's small. It really eats up my basement. I could carry it downstairs myself though (in parts). Cabinet saw would have killed me.

Finally, if you can at all swing it, I'd go for the Saw Stop. It's a nice machine and the first time you turn away from the saw shaking your hand wondering, "Why'd I do that?" you'll regret saving the cash before you can bring yourself to look down. And my brother's cousin's sister's neighbor's ex-boyfriend's mother-in-law's hairdresser has a client who knows a guy who said the inventor had tested it on his own finger. It did cut it, and it did hurt a lot, but it wasn't bad.

Miek

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Mike Lindstrom

The table saw is the most important tool in my shop for guitarmaking. I bought a unisaw twenty years ago and have never regretted it in the least. The table saw extension was quickly converted into a router table so the entire unit serves two functions. The point is, is that you make jigs and fixtures very accurately with a table saw and those jigs and fixture help determine the ultimate quality of your work. Buy the best you can afford and make room for it. There is a learning curve to its' use but over time you will find that it is indispensable to your work.

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

Hi Howard,
when I replaced my 25 year old 10" Craftsman table saw a few years back I bought the Unisaw and have not regretted it. If you can bog down that 3 horse motor, you're doing something wrong. With a proper blade, they will cut through anything. Maybe if I was constantly working with big timbers I would consider the 5 hp, but once you fire up this saw and compare it to your old one you will hear the difference immediately. The extension table is a great option if you have the space and as mentioned above, quite appropriate for mounting a router. A mobile base is a big plus too.

As far as recommending a table saw, while I gave up years ago on Craftsman tools, the 10" table saw (not contractor's saw) is still a good product at a very reasonable price and can be kept tuned to make perfect cuts.
Craig

Thanks Craig. I was considering the Grizzly 1023, and would welcome comments from those who have used it.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I love my table saw too, I use it all the time. I have an older, British made Wadkin 3 HP, 3 phase cabinet saw, similar to a Unisaw I think. Two things that really made a difference in its performance was upgrading to a professional Biesmeyer fence, and learning how to set it up properly. This online guide to table saw alignment worked for me. http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/tsalign.html

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

PowerMatic 64 A here. I needed portability and power for sawing billets to braces. Mine was shipped to Arkansas from South Dakota, an Amazon purchase. Best price around. Chucked a dolly they sell also, about $49 under it. The saw at the time was under $900. Free shipping, no sales tax, and all solid steel top including wings, powerful motor, forget it's size. The best thing is the rugged and easy to set fence. If you don't have a great fence, you don't have a great saw, it's that simple.

I agree with others, the Unisaw is fantastic and I've used them in teaching situations, really great. The comprimises one has to make due to space and size, or money have to weigh in. At the school for portability we had a Makita on a small stand. Any one of the students could bear hug it and carry it anywhere by himself. We built houses on site. The darn thing was handy as a pocket on a shirt. Fence was fairly crappy, one of those compromises. Good luck on your decisions. I love a table saw and wouldn't be without one, no sir.

A few jobs I use mine for are 1 sawing out billets, 2 braces, 3 resawing for neck material, 4 fret slotting, 5 tapering fretboards, have a jig for that, Sylvan's is cooler and simpler, so, probably forgetting the other half of the jobs, but it's a must have for me.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I seem to remember that FW gave the Craftsman Hybrid Cabinet saw pretty good ratings not too long ago, FWIW.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Howard...I can't speak about any Grizzly brand products, but I do have a 3hp General Cabinet saw with the Baldor motor. While buying the Canadian made General saw was quite a bit more than the import General International, I feel it was worth every penny. In terms of power, I've had no problem, and yesterday I was ripping through 2"+ birdseye maple with no problems. Also, with the extension table, it is my most used workbench since the rest are usually covered with projects and tools.

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Jamie M

Filippo,

I have one of the Craftsman "zip code" 22114 saws. On several woodworking forums it is mentioned that it's built by Orion, a company formed by former Delta employees to provide equipment for others to label. They don't have their own label on the stuff they make.

Mine is the in-between hybrid, doesn't have the Besemeyer rip fence, no outfeed table, smaller table. Decent, not great, good enough for the price, but certainly not on the level of a unisaw. Trunnions are cabinet-mounted and reasonably stout, table flatness is OK. I was on a budget and got it on sale for $600 delivered to the top of my driveway.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com