I need a cheap table saw
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,988
Likes: 14
From: Travelers Rest SC
I need a cheap table saw
I'm looking at really cheap tablesaws, because I need one for one simple project, then I might get rid of it. I need to rip about 80 strips of 1/2" thick cedar for a boat-building project. Before you get talking about fancy fences and 5 hp motors, all it has to do is rip those strips reasonably parallel. I don't care if I have to drill holes and bolt the fence down. Anyone ever used a cheapie one? They have a Skil @ Lowe's for $87. I think it's basically a skilsaw bolted to a table. I could even make something like that, but for $87, it's hardly worth it. I used to have a top-of-the line big Craftsman, but I don't have the space to store that stuff anymore. Any ideas?
FTE Legend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 53,997
Likes: 2,399
From: NY and VA
I picked up a Delta 10" at Lowes for $79. It is light enough to move around but heavy duty enough for ripping 2x4 lumber. You can get rip fence guides for going on your "skill" saw. I used one on my Makita for ripping 1/2" of a 2x4 reasonably parallel.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
I was just in a bind last week. I needed to put a groove in a 1x2 strip of wood. There was no way I could do it free hand with a circular saw even with the rip guide. The router bits I had wouldnt go deep enough. I pretty much laid my circular saw on a square 2x4 "frame". I had to notch the 2x4 in a few places to fit for the adjustment screws but it worked. I screwed a 2x4 "ripe fence" down and it worked like a charm. I even used a shop vac and some duct tape for a dust collection system since the saw threw the chips straight up since it was mounted upside down. It worked but was not adjustable and any safety features were non existant. But it was a one time deal and i needed to get this done ASAP. Other than that the Harbor freight suggestion seems good. Good luck!
Trending Topics
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
You have a cabinet shop nearby? The ones around here do little jobs like that, when they are slow. Worth a phone call or two.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Do you have a skill saw? bolt it to a piece of plywood, turn on push the blade through, lock in place. C-clamp a board for a rip fence, rip your needed pieces. Crude, but in a pinch works fine. Saw "on" switch can be held on with a ty-rap or small clamp.
-Kyle
-Kyle
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Independence, MO
Since my work space is limited, I ended up going with a cheap little Delta 10" table saw. It's done everything I've asked of it as well as could be expected. Also, part of the reason I ended up going with that model was that while I was looking it over at Lowe's, a guy happened to be walking by and mentioned that he'd bought that same model a year ago and had been happy with it.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 512
Likes: 0
I helped a friend make kayak strips. He bought a $500 Craftsman contractor saw w/ a router table wing attachment (to make the beads and coves). We spent a solid 8 hours one evening in his apartment living room cutting strips (sometimes it's good to live in da' hood...). Before ripping the strips, we used a planer (which I have) to get the stock (cedar) thickness to the right dimension (3/4" if I remember right).
He looked at various table-saw options. Small portable saws vs. cheap Craftsman saws vs. decent contractor-type saws. He went with the better saw with the assumption he would sell it when he was done (he did). The big selling point of the good saw was after ripping and routing, the strips were ready to go. The thickness was perfect and no other finishing was required before mounting them to the forms. This may not sound like a big deal, but remember we ripped hundreds of strips. We finally ended up with well over 1000 strips - enough for two boats.
He looked at various table-saw options. Small portable saws vs. cheap Craftsman saws vs. decent contractor-type saws. He went with the better saw with the assumption he would sell it when he was done (he did). The big selling point of the good saw was after ripping and routing, the strips were ready to go. The thickness was perfect and no other finishing was required before mounting them to the forms. This may not sound like a big deal, but remember we ripped hundreds of strips. We finally ended up with well over 1000 strips - enough for two boats.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Klamath Falls
