Mother's Table Saw Survey

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It's probably safe to say that the table saw is the flagship of any home workshop. It's the first stationary tool most people purchase and, by and large, the one that sees the most use. But not all saws are cut from the same cloth; price aside, saw construction and design can vary considerably among different manufacturers, and even pieces of equipment of the same marque may differ depending upon their intended uses.

So, understandably enough, choosing the right saw can be a confounding and intimidating task. Consequently, we've done some homework and have come up with a number of parameters that'll help you evaluate your prospective purchase in view of your needs . . . and we have also prepared a buyers' guide listing most of the saws that the popular manufacturers and importers have to offer.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT . . .

All too often, the difference between what you'd like to have and what you need could double the cost of your purchase. The first question to ask yourself is what kind of work the saw will be doing. If your chores are minor fix-up or hobby jobs that won't involve large pieces of stock, consider the bench-top models. Though they have smaller blades (usually under 10"-diameter) and tables, are designed for light service, and generally aren't precision-machined, they might retail for less than half the price of a basic stationary saw. (Then again, smaller saws are not necessarily small in quality!)

If your needs are more substantial, set your sights higher . . . but consider the sheer size of the machine and its table. Will the saw fit to the shop space you have available for it? :1 good rule of thumb is to allow a working space that's 8 feet wide by 16 feet long for the tool. Less will do, but there's no point in buying a machine whose usefulness is going to be limited by its environment.

Try to match blade diameter to your work :3s well. Naturally, larger blades allow a deeper cut, but a 10" model will handle most home woodworking tasks. Keep in mind, though, that you'll be able to do small work on a large saw, but the opposite isn't always possible. Also, remember that table dimensions vary even among saws with the same size blade . . . and that the length of the rails upon which the rip fence travels determines the effective width of the table and thus the maximum ripcutting width.

Furthermore, think about the distance from the front of the table to the cutting edge of the blade when it's at full height. The greater this-distance, the better you'll be able to control your work, because the table, rather than your hands, will be supporting the load.

LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

There are at least a half-dozen construction or mechanical considerations you ought to inv vestigate before you lay down your hardearned cash. Starting at the top, examine the quality of the table itself. Generally, it'll be made of either cast iron, cast aluminum, stamped steel, or some kind of composite. All things considered, a cast-iron platform is like 1Y the best, because it's probably machined accurately, it's less prone to damage or warpand it has enough mass to minimize vibration. On the other hand, aluminumespecially if it's been anodized-will resist rust better, and composites are both strong and inexpensive.

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