table saws and miter saws

[mizzou]

Any opinions on the cheaper versions of these?

Looks like you can spend anywhere from $100 to $1000

 

[todpod]

I got an el cheapo miter saw from harbor freight, it's ok. I wouldn't try and make a living with it but it does the job. It was like $90 when I bought it.

 

[Aikouka]

Unless you need to put it on credit or something, you may be better off just scouring Craigslist for used tools from notable brands.

 

[Humpy]

...you may be better off just scouring Craigslist for used tools from notable brands.

If OP happens to buy anything with "CSSC" engraved in it that shit's mine and I want it back.

Especially my made in USA Skil HD77.

 

[mizzou]

If OP happens to buy anything with "CSSC" engraved in it that shit's mine and I want it back.

Especially my made in USA Skil HD77.

I was just thinking of that hahah. I guess I'll call the police and run the serial numbers first

 

[monkeydelmagico]

For casual use most any will do the trick. I've got craftsman units from around 20 years ago. The only thing I wish for is that my miter saw was a slider as well. There have been many times I wanted to miter cut wider boards than my simple chop saw would handle.

 

[RagingBITCH]

If you have to ask, a cheap one will do. The casual/novice won't know the difference. I bought a Skil tablesaw from Lowes during Thanksgiving and have used it for many projects. I couldn't tell you the difference b/t that and a DeWalt that cost 5x more. My FIL who used to do construction has used it many times for various house projects and hasn't had any issues with cuts, ripping, etc.

 

[Subyman]

There is certainly a difference, but if you aren't a pro then just get a cheap one. I have a $600 Dewalt miter saw that is much, much smoother and more powerful than the $150 Hitachi one I use for rough cuts. Worlds of difference, but they both get the job done.

IMO for home use, get a cheap saw and a $50-$60 blade.

 

[master_shake_]

There is certainly a difference, but if you aren't a pro then just get a cheap one. I have a $600 Dewalt miter saw that is much, much smoother and more powerful than the $150 Hitachi one I use for rough cuts. Worlds of difference, but they both get the job done.

IMO for home use, get a cheap saw and a $50-$60 blade.

if your dewalt is the same as my brother in laws... man is it a great saw.

 

[Greenman]

If you're building a fence, a cheap chop saw and table saw will work fine. If you're doing stain grade trim, it's not going to work.

There is a reason good tools cost a lot more than cheap ones. Blade wobble is an issue on some of the cheap tools, the motors generally can't take near the load you'd put on a pro grade saw, and they tend to be sloppy. With power tools, quality is always the best value.

 

[herm0016]

i have a rigid ts3650 off craigslist for 300 and a used rigid sliding miter that are great. the 3650 has a one piece cast iron trunion that keeps it true to the fence. these were built by the same company that was building the craftsman saws 10ish years ago.

the small contractor table saws are not very good, the fence on them is not accurate and will not stay square to the blade with any force. I used a dewalt for a small project and it was a pain to even rip a 2x4 lengthwise, not enough power and was burning due to the misaligned fence. look for something on CL with a good fence system. I see the ridgid's on there for around 300, some similar older craftsman for 150 or so.

look for something with an induction motor and belt driven. The induction motors have more torque than the "universal" motors ( perm. magnet) found on most small/portable saws. Remember, you can only get about 1.5 hp out of a 110 volt outlet, anything that says it has more power than that is lying to you. the new bosch says say they are 4hp! its a bs marketing number that does not mean anything.

for miter saws, i would go with a 12 in if possible. sliding is nice too, but i have found the sliders to be a bit less accurate when doing things like crown molding. Their downsides can be overcome by getting to know the saw and setting it up well. i would say any of the name brands will be good, I think the dewalt stuff has gone downhill a bit, and is over priced. you can get the ridgid, hatichi, etc. for less and they are just as good. the only standout (imho) is the bosch with the hinged arm, it takes up less room and is exceptionally stiff compared to the normal sliding rails of the rest. What i find important is the size of the table on the saw, the previous model ridgid has one of the largest tables i have seen.

i have cut sections of maple bowling ally 2.5 in thick with my 1hp table saw and it did not complain at all. a good, sharp blade and proper setup is very important also.

my previous miter saw was an older red 10 in ridgid that was a piece of crap.

i seem to end up with orange tools for some reason, its just what comes my way for a good deal.

damn.... i would cry loosing an older skill worm drive.

 

[RagingBITCH]

There is certainly a difference, but if you aren't a pro then just get a cheap one. I have a $600 Dewalt miter saw that is much, much smoother and more powerful than the $150 Hitachi one I use for rough cuts. Worlds of difference, but they both get the job done.

IMO for home use, get a cheap saw and a $50-$60 blade.

I certainly don't debate there is, but as you said, the OP just needs a cheap table saw for the 2x a year he'll use it. (Or whatever frequency) My FIL's garage is a wonder of awesomeness of various tools he's collected over the years.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

I've been generally happy with my Ryobi miter saw that I got from a pawnshop. It's a 10" model. If I had to buy again, I'd look for a 10" slider to some extra length of cut. A lot of the work that I have done lately involves cutting 1x6" lumber, and angling the cut on a 6" board with a 10" blade will go *almost* all the way through, but you will have a tiny quarter-inch left hanging on, so you have to cut the last little bit by hand. PITA.

 

[mindless1]

If you need to transport it, or even more than occasionally move it around, then the cheaper end of the cost scale are designed more for that, typically weighing closer to 50lbs than 250lbs, due to overall construction but largely the aluminum table instead of cast iron.

Cast iron has advantages in not only dent and scratch resistance, but less vibration, and far more likely the saw will stay where you put it instead of walking around or moving itself if there's a kickback while sawing.

Cast iron tables also tend to have a larger table more suited to longer cuts or just bigger pieces like plywood.

As far as homeowner grade vs prosumer grade vs contractor grade, consider how long you need it to last, how often you'll use it, and even whether your children seem predisposed towards eventually being able to make use of it as a higher end table saw will last longer than any of us here, provided a little maintenance and a repair every few decades.

In the end, besides the pros and cons of cast iron vs portable aluminum, buy the best your budget allows, but also measure the space it needs to fit in. Some space saved is some space you can use for other tools.

 

[bigi]

For home, non-pro use it should be one in lifetime purchase really. I'd not go for cheapo HF stuff. I'd get something in 300-400 range per piece and enjoy its use for years/projects to come.