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Every woodworking enthusiast needs a good table saw. It is the cornerstone of any good workshop and even woodworking professionals need to get a new one every few years.
This guide shall cover table saws in different aspects. This information is important for you to predict how easy a tool is likely to be to use, and how long it will last.
Comparison Chart of the Best Beginner Table Saws
Product | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
DEWALT DW745  | Best Overall | |
Bosch GTS1031  | Runner-up | |
SKIL 3410-02  | Best for the Money | |
Bosch 4100-10  | ||
Metabo HPT C10RJ  |
What is a Table Saw?
A table saw is a tool that's used to cut wood, mostly in a workshop or construction site. It is made up of a circular blade that has been attached to an arbor. This saw is driven by an electric motor through either gears or a belt. The blade juts out through the top of a table, whose main purpose is to provide support for the wood being cut.
Most table saws allow you to change the depth of cut according to your needs, by manipulating the position of the saw. You get to control how much of the saw juts out of the table, with a higher blade position resulting in a deeper cut.
How Does a Table Saw Work?
A table saw’s main job is to make cuts in wood. A table keeps the wood stable as you push it through the blade. This type of tool uses an electric motor to drive the blade, vastly reducing the time and effort needed to make cuts in wood. Table saws are capable of making three types of cuts and they are:
Crosscut
This is a cut made across the grain of the wood, Over time, however, this meaning has evolved in the woodworking community to include any cuts made across the narrower side of the board.
Rip-Cut
This is made along the grain of the wood. A fence is used as a guide to set and maintain the desired width in the wood as you cut.
Dados
This is a wide-cut made to the wood and is mostly used in jointery. It can be made on a table saw using the miter gauge, although there are special blades intended to accomplish this faster.
How to Choose Your First Table Saw
Choosing your first table saw is a delicate balance of needs, budget, and information. It pays to know what to look out for in a good table saw and what to expect from your new purchase. These are some of the things to look for in your first table saw:
Power is key
How much power the motor is capable of producing is important. A table saw with a powerful motor is capable of cutting through wood with speed and leaves a smoother finish. It is of special relevance to a busy workshop of site, where you are required to cut through different types of wood in a day. This requires power to do efficiently, especially when dealing with hardwood.
How easy is it to use?
Your first table saw should be easy to operate and live with. The start button should be big and easy to reach in case you need to stop the saw in an emergency. The table should also be large and stable enough to provide adequate support. The fence and miter gauge should be easy to position and read to improve the accuracy of the cut.
Extra features
A good table saw should come with extra features. Look for a foldable stand if most of your work is going to be done outside. This will give you the necessary support on the uneven ground on a work site. You should also look for safety features such as the blade guard and for extra storage underneath the table.
Quick Take: Best Beginner Table Saws
Hoping to cut right to the chase? Below are the best best beginner table saws:
Reviews of the Best Beginner Table Saws
There are several table saw options on the market today and shopping for the perfect one for you can be quite a task. This guide helps you cut through the noise by identifying and curating the best saw in different categories which include ease of use, pricing, and brand strength, among others.
Best Overall:
DEWALT DW745 10-inch Table Saw
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People love how portable this table saw is. It weighs only 22 Kilos (45 pounds) which is excellent if you are working on-site most of the say. It can easily be moved from place to place as needed without requiring extra manpower to lift and set up. The 15 amp motor is powerful enough to make clean cuts even on hardwoods and pressure treated timber.
What We Love About It
We love that the lightweight design does not compromise on the functionality of this table saw. You get a decently sized 20-inch rip capacity on the table. This can be retracted when not in use. You also get the modular guard system which allows you to set up an assortment of applications making use of a tool-free adjustment of the guarding components needed for the application.
Who’s This Perfect For?
This is a perfect tool for busy contractors, house remodelers, and DIY enthusiasts who have limited workshop space. The portability is important to a contractor who needs to move between different sites. It also means you can easily carry the saw out to the yard and use it safely without compromising on workshop space. It also has onboard storage for various components.
Final Thoughts
This table saw is the perfect combination of convenience and application. The lightweight design means you can virtually use it anywhere as long as there is a connection to the grid. It also comes with a powerful motor, a sizeable 10-inch blade, and a decently sized 20-inch table rip capacity.
Runner-Up:
Bosch GTS1031 10-inch Portable Jobsite Saw
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People love the durability of the frame on this saw. The base is made from steel and can comfortably handle workplace accidents and drops on the saw. This is an important feature in a saw that may be used on a construction site. The saw remains light and portable, weighing only 52 pounds. It can be carried in one hand.
What We Love About It
We love the SquareLock rip fence that comes with this table saw. It is designed to help you increase the accuracy of your cut and therefore decreasing the amount of wood you waste. It comes with auxiliary fence slots and a T-slot miter gauge that rivals the best in the market at accuracy. This saw’s riving knife is designed to prevent material from pinching the blade. It also lets you cut pieces of wood upright which is a useful feature.
Who’s This Perfect For?
This saw is perfect for DIY enthusiasts, furniture makers, and house contractors. The small size and weight make it easy to move around the site to where the saw is needed most. The all-steel frame is designed to withstand knocks and drops. This gives you peace of mind on a job site where tools and other building material might fall on your saw. The one-handed carry design is an added advantage.
Final Thoughts
This is a great saw for someone who is required at different job sites in the course of his work. It is easy to carry and easy to set up. The motor is no slouch either and is capable of generating a no-load speed of 5000 RPMs. The 10-inch blade uses every one of the 24 teeth to make clean cuts to both timber and board. There are limitations to the minimum cutting width and to the process of changing the blade however.
Best for the Money:
SKIL 3410-02 10-inch Table Saw
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
The biggest talking point is that the saw has a good balance between portability and build quality. The heavier steel body makes can withstand workplace bashing, but also makes the saw a bit heavier than other options on the market at 67 pounds. They have added a foldable stand which improves the saw’s portability and makes up for the added weight.
What We Love About It
We love that this saw has successfully tried to give you all the benefits of a much more expensive saw. The table is sturdy and made of cast aluminum and measures 20 inches by 26 inches. It also extends to 32 inches on one side to accommodate larger rips. You get a 47-degree bevel angle as well.
Who’s This Perfect For?
This table is perfect for beginners and small woodworking contractors and repairmen. It is portable enough to be lugged around from place to place and easy to store. The setup process is quick thanks to the foldable stand. The entire saw weighs under 70 pounds and can be easily handled by one person. It also has a self-aligning fence which will help improve your accuracy.
Final Thoughts
The functionality of this table saw at that price makes it the best value for money. You get a durable tool with an extending aluminum table and a decent 3½ inch cut height. The steel body can withstand accidental tool drops and workplace bashes. This means you can experiment and perfect your cuts without fear of damaging the saw.
Honorable Mention:
Bosch Power Tools 4100-10 Table Saw
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People love that this is s a powerful table saw that you can easily move from place to place on the worksite. The Gravity-Rise wheeled stand allows you to easily move and set the table up anywhere. It provides adequate support and significantly reduces wobble on uneven ground. The 8-inch wheels are large enough to roll over pieces of wood and debris on the worksite.
What We Love About It
We love the electricity safety and running that comes with this saw. The soft-start circuitry minimizes the intensity of the start-up process by smoothly yet quickly ramping up the operating speed. This reduces the chances of the saw tripping a circuit breaker. It also comes with constant response circuitry which helps maintain the saw’s speed under load and overload protection.
Who’s This Perfect For?
This saw is great for contractors who handle multiple job sites at once, and home workshop owners. It is reasonably priced which means you can own a couple of them or more. It also has the power, accuracy, and build to withstand the rigors of a midlevel construction site or a house renovation.
Final Thoughts
A lot of useful and practical features make this a great table saw to own. Although portable thanks to the wheeled stand, this saw remains heavy and lifting or carrying it into the back of a truck can be annoying. The large ripping capacity is an added plus, however.
Honorable Mention #2:
Metabo HPT C10RJ 10" Jobsite Table Saw
PROS
CONS
What Are People Saying?
People love that this saw does exactly what it was intended to do, cut through large pieces of wood. The table is larger than most of the options in its range and extends to 35 inches when needed. The 15 amp motor generates up to 4500 rpm and powers a 40 tooth carbide blade. This leaves cleaner finishes even on hardwood and pressure-treated lumber.
What We Love About It
We love the user-friendliness of this saw. It is capable of making rip and cross and rips cuts and also has an 8 by 13/16 inch dado capacity. This versatility is paired is appreciated on busy worksites, since you do not have to spend money on extra tools. The riving knife and anti-kickback pawls protect you against injury from wood accidents when ripping.
Who’s This Perfect For?
As the name suggests, this table saw is suitable for busy job sites. It works excellently for small contractors, house remodelers and woodworking professionals. It is built to withstand the rigors of a busy workplace and even has additional storage under the table. The power button is oversized and placed at knee level for additional safety. It comes in handy in the event of a workplace mishap and the saw needs to be quickly shut down.
Final Thoughts
This is a stable and durable saw that can hold its own in on any professional workspace. The ripping capacity is one of the best in its class and you will not have trouble working with large boards. It comes with a soft start feature which reduces both recoil and noise, for a smoother and quieter start-up.
How to Use a Table Saw
Knowing how to safely use a table saw not only improves efficiency but also helps you remain safe. As a rule of thumb, always wear noise and eye protection when using a table saw. You should also make sure your clothing is fitting with tight cuffs to reduce the chances of being caught on the blade.
Note: Make sure the saw is turned off when making any sort of blade measurement or adjustments.
The first step is to check the accuracy of the blade and the fence against the miter. The fence should be parallel to the miter. You should also make sure the blade is at a right angle to the table.
Next, change the position of the blade so that it is not more than half a tooth above the wood. Set the positioning of the fence using the guide or a tape measure and lock it.
Push the wood through when ripping making sure to hold it where the kickback occurs, using a good push block. Avoid using your hands. This is where a riving knife with a splitter or a guard with anti-kickback pawls comes in handy.
When making crosscuts, make sure that the fence is far enough away that if the piece you cut off started moving, it would not be dangerous. Use the miter gauge to set the wood before cross-cutting.
How to Change a Table Saw Blade
Every blade gets dull after some time and needs changing. This is a simple task that you can accomplish by yourself. For this exercise, you will need a small block of wood, the tools that came with your table saw, and a few minutes.
- Turn off the saw. This is to ensure all your body parts remain intact during and after the process.
- Remove the throat/blade plate and take the tools that come with your table saw. Use one to hold the blade in place and the wrench to unscrew the arbor nut. This is done by moving them a quarter turn in opposite directions.
- Remove the washer and the blade and insert your replacement into the housing. Make sure the teeth face the front of the table saw. The blades should never be put on the table surface directly, since this damages the carbide. Always place them on a block of wood.
- Place the washer nut with the concave side facing the blade and use a wrench to tighten the nut and secure the blade. You can use a block of wood to hold the blade safely away from you.
- Reinstall the plate and make sure it is secure.
Conclusion
A table saw is one of the fundamental requirements of a functional workshop. By now, you should have the information necessary to figure out what features you need in a table saw. You should also know how to pick one. Our carefully curated list is a good place to start your table saw search.