Been thinking about getting a table saw for a while now. Does anyone have one and/or can anyone recommend any particular makes or models?

First project is to make some cupboard doors out of MDF sheet and I'm after achieving straight edges perpendicular to the faces of the sheet.

How much are you planning on spending? How much use will it get? You can get DIY places to cut big boards into more manageable pieces which will undoubtedly help in your quest for accuracy and is free,
We have a Scheppach at work which is very accurate but a bit gutless, backed up by a variety of other saws.
I have a 10" Machine mart thing at home which is Ok for occasional stuff with a Ryobi chop saw. I'm thinking of swapping it for a flipover saw so I can claw back some space and repace 2 machines with one which could also be a consideration.
hth
Mike

Good point, my budget is sub £200 really.

Usage would probably be 3-4 times a year, maybe more if it works well.

I suppose my concern is that cheaper ones may be less accurate and perhaps not powerful enough. In which case it wouldn't get used and I'd be annoyed at having spent the money.

I've used B&Q's board cutting service before, but the dimensional accuracy just wasn't good enough. Badly trained operator perhaps.

I made some shelving/cabinets/doors a while ago - this is the best pic I can find - but they are about 11ft wide in total

Description

I would say definitely go to a decent woodyard/carpenters to get cuts done - I got someone local to supply 1" MDF in 50mm x 8ft strips - he cut lengths from a big sheet but I really could not tell any variation in thickness, they were spot on (I used these for the faceframes for the shelving and for the door frames).

When I came to cut the 8ft lengths into the various shorter lengths for the door frames my mitre saw was crap - couldn't get a square edge on them. So I ended up glueing them clamped flat on a sheet - but to be honest any gaps were just taken up with woodglue (I could have used filler after but just rubbed glue in wet and sanded back afterwards). As everything was being painted it made no difference in the end.

[Edited on 23/3/18 by jps]

I got one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/173183829169?rt=nc, (mine is 20years old) for £150 a couple of years ago - great piece of kit for cross and angle cuts, but needs a bit of fiddling for initial set up. Also - although you can use them for ripping lengthways, this is strongly discouraged and is quite dangerous.
ETA, not sure what width you need to cut - if it is full width mdf sheets this won't be much use to you!

[Edited on 23/3/18 by hughpinder]

I would say for irregular work a jigsaw with a straight edge clamped to the workpiece is not a bad way to get decent cuts. Or good old handsaw!

Thanks for the input chaps.

I'm looking to cut 4' x 8' sheets down into smaller sections. The jigsaw with guides is a good starting point to get to more manageable pieces.

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Originally posted by nick205
Thanks for the input chaps.

I'm looking to cut 4' x 8' sheets down into smaller sections. The jigsaw with guides is a good starting point to get to more manageable pieces.

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^^^ This works a treat. Recently cut 18mm MDF sheets into 10" high strips for skirtings (topped with ogee architrave, close match to the old skirtings in a house) Havealso used to get decent cuts worktops and so on.

I use a pair of quick clamps and decent straight bit of timber or a metal straightedge. If you want to get flash there are saws built into guides, but VERY expensive as high end.

If buying a circular saw, do not get drawn into the huge, super powerful jobbies. Light/small is what you are after for mdf etc, much easier to handle. I use a B=Q special, under £50 and it has been used for about 10 years of intermittent use. If you really are only going to cut boards, one of the mini circular saws may be better?? And I am sure the £20 spend on decent quick clamps will be money well spent, they are really useful.

Check out the local papers, I picked up a saw with a 24" blade, 16amp motor for £40, it's terrifying!

I thought it would be useful, it really just collects dust and acts as a decent bench with the blade lowered, hand held circular saw and guides is more practical, it's what I used before and let's you chop 8' x 4' sheets up, I screw a batten and cut against this.

The other option is a rail saw, might be over your budget though. Best thing I ever bought for ripping down sheet material, trimming doors etc. Very clean and accurate cuts.

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Originally posted by 40inches

quote:

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Originally posted by nick205
Thanks for the input chaps.

I'm looking to cut 4' x 8' sheets down into smaller sections. The jigsaw with guides is a good starting point to get to more manageable pieces.

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I use a circular saw with guides

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quote:

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quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
Thanks for the input chaps.

I'm looking to cut 4' x 8' sheets down into smaller sections. The jigsaw with guides is a good starting point to get to more manageable pieces.


I use a circular saw with guides


I have a circular saw so this is certainly a viable option!

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I'm sure coozer can help you out with this!!!!!!

My preference is for the Triton table which takes a circular saw. This gives the option of Table saw, flip it over and you get a Cross cut saw. You are also able to use the circular saw hand held. If you want to put moulding on your cupboard doors pick up a router table top for the Triton and put your router in it. If you need it another for a jigsaw which then can be used in a similar vein to a band saw. Go for the earlier ones on the auction sites or for sale sites. Some have been sold with saw in place. Built side gates, kitchen, wardrobes shed etc. Gave old on to son and picked up a cheap new type and now I'm trying to convince son to swap. Doh.
This listing with seven hours to go starting bid £150 complete with router table top and router plus saw.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triton-workbench-MK3-with-saw-Stanley-router-and-extension-table/253507051275?hash=item3b06329f0b:g:UDMAAOSw3W5asTEw

That's almost like the old Shopsmith system but more compact