I never used a table saw......what are the pros and cons

[Omarvelous 10+ year member]

The risk is no more than with any other power tool. If you're smart/careful there is almost no risk. No offense to the guys that hurt themselves, but you have to do something dumb to injure yourself with a table saw. If you don't put your hand in the path of the blade with the saw running EVER, you won't cut off fingers, period. Complacency will bite you, though and not just with a saw.
There is a lot more to it than speed as well. There are things you can do with a table saw that you can't with a circ saw, Dados come to mind.

I hear ya on the space thing, though. My garage is full.

But in all honesty, i think a circular saw is far more dangeous then a table saw, now that I think about it....

One is free hand, and the other is stationary...

So, i mean, if your doing a lot of boxes, i'd say get the table man.

 

[iamamp3pimp 5,000+ posts]

I do do a lot of boxes, but i dont think im willing to sacrifice the garage to get one,..

id like to do dados though....

 

[Crown_amps]

Wow, that was incredibly and profoundly insightful. You should share more of your wisdom with the forum //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

THX i try //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

 

[Team RD - Evan]

There is a safety table saw with an aluminum brake, they are expensive and when the brake kicks in the saw is dead for the time being but id rather have a dead saw then a nub.

 

[Roddy_T 10+ year member]

I build Kitchen Cabinets for the last 10 years, the only 2 things i seen were a kick back from a tablesaw and a finger lost ina shaper(large router)

the only time you cut your self is when u are not thinking or doing something that you shouldnt

I would bet that ppl lose more fingers on a circular saw then a table saw(if you have to hold your piece what are you cutting?)

heres a kick but saw if you have the room

http://www.sawstop.com

take a look at there vids with the hot dog lol

I dont like any one to cut there hands on any tools

circular saw's are a lot cheapper then tablesaws

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

table saws have no cons

 

[THUNDERBIRD 10+ year member]

i do well without the table, i was just striving for a little more, but judging form the pics, i dont thing its necessary

dont let the pictures scare you. i mean a table saw is a no joking tool. if you have never used one i would suggest looking into taking a woodshop class maybe at the local community college. you learn to use all the tools properly. they are nice i have one myself, a craftsman 10in. i dont remember the specs on it but it was like $179 on sale. you just have to know where to keep your hands, that a table saw isnt for crosscutting, thats what a chop saw is for. to push the wood all the way threw straight and not stop otherwise it can flyback, KEEP THE BLADE GUARD DOWN. you do enough where you would benefit from a table saw.

 

[THUNDERBIRD 10+ year member]

o yeah you have to respect the saw thats the big one when you get comfortable with it that is when you get hurt.

 

[Ruffy 10+ year member]

bumping an semi old thread to post some words of wisdom.

1) It doesnt matter how much power it has, How expensive it was, or how awesome you think you are at using it. Always treat any saw with fear and respect.

2) Dont cut things with the wrong blades, dont crosscut with a blade thats not made for crosscutting.

3) It's best to go slow and steady than fast.

4) Always, Always, ALWAYS use pushrods, featherboards, pushsticks on a table saw. There is no reason your hand should ever go farther than where the blade starts.

5) No reason to ever lean over even at an angle, It doesnt matter if your 2'+ away from the blade.

6) If you feel resistance back the material off and go back to cutting slowly. Don't force it.

7) Make sure your tool is clean and aligned properly. A Misaligned blade is the most common reasons for kickback.

Lastly, $100-200 dollar saws arent bad if you know what they're for. You wont build 100 cabinets/boxes in a row with it. But a few cuts here and there ever so often is no problem. The most common problem with them is small fence and misaligned blade.

If you truly want a safe saw, buy a sawstop

http://www.sawstop.com/

look at the demo videos, you can press your finger against the spinning blade and just get a small cut.

We bought one of these at my job. It replaced the Grizzly table saw we used prior after someone had an "accident" and cut 2 fingers off.

 

[Anonymous User 10+ year member]

Sawstop FTW!

we have one in the wood shop at my school.

 

[04_edge 10+ year member]

i hate using table saws, im not gonna lie, they scare me.

but thats because ive seen my grandpa cut his finger off, and he was a cabinet maker for a lloooonnnngggg time and new what he was doing.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

2) Dont cut things with the wrong blades, dont crosscut with a blade thats not made for crosscutting.

Ripping with the wrong blade is the one you really have to worry about.

6) If you feel resistance back the material off and go back to cutting slowly. Don't force it.

Only back it out after turning off the saw. Otherwise you're asking for a kickback. Also, most good saws will have anti kickback pawls along the riving knife making it impossible to back the work out without disengaging them. That requires a hand near the blade which means the saw should be off.

Things like the Sawstop are nice but still no replacement for good safety practice. If you're relying on such a device to keep you from getting hurt, you're a fool.

 

[mightycrappy 10+ year member]

Actually if you are relying on it from keeping you from getting hurt you're smart. Because regardless of how safe you are, or always try to be, accidents happen.

If not you maybe someone you know that has used or needs to use the saw.

Better safe than sorry and that's pretty **** safe.

 

[ballstothewall 10+ year member]

Actually if you are relying on it from keeping you from getting hurt you're smart.

No, your not. It is a mechanical device, it can and will fail.

 

[doyoshuffle5 10+ year member]

most saws of an adjustable deck on them so u can pretty much make them any size and the one i have really doesnt take up much space

its a delta pretty i got it from lowes

done alot of flooring and a few boxes with it and it still works like a champ