Alternate Reality - Tablesaw ga ga

[silentC]

The last few days I've felt like I've entered an alternate reality.

People are questioning how useful a tablesaw is, and I've even read a claim that they are limited! Well, isn't everything limited? But I'm flabbergasted.

I've had access to a tablesaw since I was a teenager. For some tasks, I couldn't imagine using anything else. I mean, sure you can rip on a bandsaw but it must be mind-numbingly slow. And then you probably have to joint it before you can run it through the thicknesser. And the blades heat up after a few minutes and start to drift and the guides wear out and go out of adjustment. Why would you bother?

And having to set up the router and do multiple passes just to cut a rebate? Why on earth when you can do it in two passes on the tablesaw? Set the fence, run the board through - hell, run a hundred boards through, set the fence and run it through again. Simple and you have a useful strip of timber to use for something else instead of a pile of sawdust on the floor and up your nose.

Cutting tenons with a router? What a fiddly pain in the butt that must be. All I need is my mitre gauge and I can cut tenons with a single setup. No jigs, no clamping and unclamping and frigging around. Or set up the tenoning jig and it's even quicker.

Ripping with an Ezy Guide or whatever? More fiddly mucking about. And you want limited? How do you rip a 4 metre board with one of them? How do you rip a 90mm board into 20mm strips with it?

Nah, give me my tablesaw any day. You people enjoy your freaky jigged up alternate reality, I'm happy here in mine

[TassieKiwi]

Hear hear Mr C. I was all ready to buy one at the Hobart WWW show - until the wife's car blew up. Maybe later. I'd been slightly swayed by the Festoolers towards the darkgreen side, but I cannot go past the fact that a big spinny blade on a big, flat, square metal table is a must in my shop.

[silentC]

Yeah stay away from those little strap on power tool solutions.

Nothing says "impressive workshop" like a nice big cabinet saw in the middle of the shed. It's certainly the first thing people notice when they walk into mine

[Bleedin Thumb]

Yeah stay away from those little strap on power tool solutions.

Nothing says "impressive workshop" like a nice big cabinet saw in the middle of the shed. It's certainly the first thing people notice when they walk into mine

The first thing people notice when the walk into mine is the big first aid kit on the wall with bloody fingerprints all over.

I must agree with you about the strap on versions, after a while you become very aware of their limitations, although their portability is a plus for me, as my shed is so crowded I have to take it outside when I use it.
I have never owned a bandsaw so don't know what I'm missing out on - but I could never live without a TS even if its orange. Probably because I'm a tight ass that doesn't buy timber, I just rip down old salvaged stuff.

[Lignum]

I would use my Jet Super Saw once maybe twice a week at most.

[silentC]

Well you should give it to someone more deserving then.

But seriously, what is it about the way you work that renders it useless? I suppose everything you build now uses floating tenons. What about ripping. Do you really rip everything on the bandsaw? How do you find that?

[tameriska]

The first thing people notice when the walk into mine is the big first aid kit on the wall with bloody fingerprints all over.

I have yet to put the blade back in my tablesaw (and to work out all the adjustments), but it is most definately a keeper in my shed.

Bleeding Thumb, Hopefully I don't end up with the same artwork eeek

[Barry_White]

Even a Triton 2000 is better for straight cuts than a bandsaw.

50 years ago when I was an apprentice pattermaker the table saw was for nice straight cuts and bandsaws where for nice curved cuts, that hasn't changed in the last 50 years or so.

I would love a nice tablesaw but the Triton gets me out of trouble at the moment.

[NewLou]

T
Ripping with an Ezy Guide or whatever? More fiddly mucking about. And you want limited? How do you rip a 4 metre board with one of them? How do you rip a 90mm board into 20mm strips with it?

Nah, give me my tablesaw any day. You people enjoy your freaky jigged up alternate reality, I'm happy here in mine

I can Rip 200inches on my EZ Smartguide in 10mm strips without fear of kickback repeatedly n accurately faster than you could on your tablesaw.

I can cut full size sheet goods to any spec faster than you can on you tablesaw all this with an EZ Smartguide

All this with 1 person no help and a lot less experience than you and your tablesaw at 1/4 the setup costs...............my reality sounds better already

http://www.eurekazone.com/
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26

[outback]

I don't have a real tablesaw, just a strap on, I don't have a bandsaw of any type. Given space and dollars I'd love to make a decision on which TS I'd buy. A bandsaw is hardly on the radar in any form.

[silentC]

faster than you could on your tablesaw

Bet you can't. You have to move it each time. I set the fence once and rip away.

I can cut full size sheet goods to any spec faster than you can on you tablesaw

Bet you can't. I can rip a 2400 sheet in a matter of seconds. And then another one and another one. I set the fence once. No clamping a silly jig to the sheet and then mucking about with a hand held saw, just pick the sheet up and shove it through.

How would you rip a 90mm board into 20mm strips with it?

I'll ask again, have you ever used a tablesaw?

[Barry_White]

I'll ask again, have you ever used a tablesaw?

Sic him Rex

[Barry_White]

I can Rip 200inches on my EZ Smartguide in 10mm strips without fear of kickback repeatedly n accurately faster than you could on your tablesaw.

I can cut full size sheet goods to any spec faster than you can on you tablesaw all this with an EZ Smartguide

All this with 1 person no help and a lot less experience then you and you tablesaw at 1/4 the setup costs...............my reality sounds better already

http://www.eurekazone.com/
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=26

They are pretty bold statements Lou.

[silentC]

I'm just curious, he seemed pretty keen to buy one yesterday, now they are slow and dangerous and you don't need one if you have the EZ whizz bang thing.

[Barry_White]

I thought it was every woodworkers dream to have a table saw, even the darksiders.