Any advice?

I don't plan on being a woodworker, but have a few projects that I would like to tackle around the house.

11/26/2012 8:20:10 AM

I got a craftsman one for lik2 225 or something... works great for me but i would really like a bigger table with more supports.

11/26/2012 8:24:44 AM

i got a Hitatchi that i make cornhole boards with. it was on sale for 129 at lowes months back. hasnt given me any trouble and i used it like a chop saw

11/30/2012 12:55:24 PM

Quote :

"i used it like a chop saw"

wut?

11/30/2012 1:22:30 PM

related, i need a recommendation for a chop saw

11/30/2012 2:10:28 PM

^I'd say dewalt from lowes will do 90% of what a garage-guy would need.

11/30/2012 2:59:40 PM

A portable direct-drive contractor saw will be fine, though I'd avoid the benchtop/jobsite models and at least opt for one on a folding base. Having a bigger table and fence is very helpful when you start ripping up sheet goods, but most will have a 24.5" or better rip width, so you can carve up whole sheets in a pinch. Craftsman makes a good full-size "Professional" fold-up saw, and you can probably find a used one for around $300 on CL. The Bosch and Porter Cable jobsite saws aren't bad, but they don't have the spacious table that the Craftsman does.

If fold-up portability is less of a concern, any major brand belt-drive contractor saw would be ideal for the home shop. I'm partial to Delta, but Craftsman saws are just fine in my experience, and there's lots of good used ones out there because they're very popular entry-level woodworking saws. With these saws, check for rust on the cast-iron top - little to no rust is ideal, but as long as it's not actually pitting the table, a small amount is trivial to remove and pretty normal for saws stored without being waxed. Also check that the tilt mechanism and fence work smoothly, and that the motor doesn't have excessive vibration. Doing some test cuts and checking against a combination square will tell you if it's been adjusted properly.

[Edited on December 2, 2012 at 11:40 AM. Reason : .]

12/2/2012 11:38:46 AM

We need a budget here, mang...

12/3/2012 5:07:53 PM

I don't think it matters any more

12/3/2012 5:31:01 PM

I still want one even thought i already isntalled the floor. It was handy as hell.

After using a cheap one, I want one with a better fence (Ripping half a sheet of plywood would now be my minimum.

12/4/2012 7:15:29 AM

Any of the non-portable contractor saws will have a decent fence. If you want to buy the saw separately, even one with a relatively crappy fence, Delta sells a nice T-square fence for only $150 that will work with any standard size saw. If you're ripping up ply on it, I'd recommend buying or building a decent outfeed table. I've seen a few saws on CL that people made outfeed tables for, and there was a Delta model that came with an outfeed table, extension wing, and T-square fence. They're usually around $500 in good shape.

12/9/2012 1:02:58 PM