Table saw powerful enough?

[slikrider20 10+ year member]

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Bench+Power+Tools&pid=00921805000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Table+Saws&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Would this table saw be benifical/powerfull enough for MDF cutting? I'd like to keep it in the 200 dollar range if possible, and this one kinda caught my eye.

Click to read more...

 

[rpfuror 10+ year member]

plenty powerfull enough.

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

if you ask me, which you shouldn't, the way a saw cuts depends more on the quality of the blade versus the actual power of the motor. kinda the same way a better fence will result in better cuts. anyhow, you should be good with that saw.

 

[Trixter 10+ year member]

get a good blade. got my table saw at menards for $80...works like a champ.

 

[jeeper07 5,000+ posts]

good blade ftw. 80 tooth with carbide tips iirc is what i use

 

[Max_Power 10+ year member]

never had a problem with my freuds I use! to be honest they're not even that expensive.

 

[PSturmer 10+ year member]

mdf is relatively easy to cut. i have always been using a 500 dollar table with a bad blade and today for my first time i will be using a brand new 5hp table saw with a new carbide blade. so i will tell you what the difference is when i get home from school

 

[Trixter 10+ year member]

the first box i made....going back 14 years....was almost entirely with a sawz-all. now i got all this fancy stuff...table saw, skill saw, router, rotozip.....almost seems dangerous.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

People always mention it, but wtf is a skill saw? Do you mean like a skil-saw as in the brand?

And no, both me and saywhat? have owned that saw and it's absolute horseshit. Craftsman fences are simply appallingly bad.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

I have a Craftsman table saw (but not that model) and have had very good results with it. The fence locks solidly and is adjustable. From there any problems with the saw are induced by the user and are not problems with the saw. If it isn't cutting square then you muffed the initial setup of the saw. Hardly the saw's fault. Though that fence on that model seems a bit balky. If you can get an upgraded fence...

Skil-saw has become the generic term for a handheld circular saw in the same way that Kleenex has become the name for tissue and Frisbee the term for a flying disc and Coke means soda in the South (and anywhere else with half a sense of decency). Reason: They made the first widely used good one and the name stuck.

 

[W8 a minute 10+ year member]

People always mention it, but wtf is a skill saw? Do you mean like a skil-saw as in the brand?
And no, both me and saywhat? have owned that saw and it's absolute horseshit. Craftsman fences are simply appallingly bad.

Skil-saw = Circular saw. At least thats what I think they are talking about.

I have an old cast iron Craftman table saw and yes, the craftman fence is crap. Make sure you check the fence with a square before you start cutting. I don't know about this particular saw but I would definitely change the blade. I bought a carbide tip "Pirrahna" blade and it cuts like butter. 100 times better than the original blade ever was.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Got it, so I have a Hitachi Skil-saw? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Anyway, the fents on that saw is miserable. You have to check it every time with your carpenter's square, and as SOON as you set the wood against it, it goes awry. Either get it and upgrade the fence, or head to lowes and look at something else. Note that the design for that saw is the same for many manufacturers' saws. Don't get any of them. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Note that the design for that saw is the same for many manufacturers' saws. Don't get any of them. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

One manufacturer, many brands. It's the industry standard economy grade contractor's saw. Made to be portable. Compromises in other areas to acheive that end. Step up to a real contractors saw like a Hitachi and you've made a hefty leap in both quality and price. The other option is to spend a bit more and get a shop saw instead of a contractor saw.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

I've got a hitachi table saw that's 300 at lowes, and it's night and day between it and the craftsman I had. It's should be worth 600 dollars in relative money compared to the craftsman. Thank god it's only an actual $100 difference. I actually ended up giving the craftsman away to some redneck who actually brought it back a week later because his trash collector wouldn't take it either //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[2loud4u 10+ year member]

PV Audio is this the saw you have?

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=93317-67702-C10RB&lpage=none