TOOLS AND THE SHOP > CARPENTRY HAND TOOLS WE USE

I'm thinking about getting a small portable table saw

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slip knot:
I’ve got one of the cheapest portables made a real POS but I can leave it in a rental and it doesn’t walk away. I’ve built cabinets with it doors you name it. The saw is not my limiting factor. My only suggestion would be to get a 10in blade. No bigger or smaller. Cheaper than a 12 in blade and easily cut a 2x4

hickory n Steel:

--- Quote from: slip knot on June 10, 2021, 07:14:32 PM ---I’ve got one of the cheapest portables made a real POS but I can leave it in a rental and it doesn’t walk away. I’ve built cabinets with it doors you name it. The saw is not my limiting factor. My only suggestion would be to get a 10in blade. No bigger or smaller. Cheaper than a 12 in blade and easily cut a 2x4

--- End quote ---
I was thinking a 10" would probably be better .
The Ryobi RTS21G has been fairly well reviewed and it has the folding stand with it, I will look into this model a little more and see if anyone has found it accurate enough for simple stuff.
There are other brands, but they use rack and pinion adjustment which I don't really know much about and would rather stick to simplicity.

One thing I have noticed is the tendency for people to compare stuff like this to a regular full sized table saw and the tendency to recommend against these small saws thinking the potential buyer is looking at it as a cheaper alternative.


In my situation I don't have room for or really need a normal table saw at the moment,  just some table saw capability for small projects.



For example the other day I was making a simple box out of some 1×10×36 or so shelf boards i saved from an old cabinet I threw out.
Ripping the board down the middle and such was a bit annoying with the clamp on guide and circular saw.

pep:
Same here Slip Knot, this saw was given to me, trued it bought a good blade. Have it for many years.

H&S might give some estate sales or craig a look? Most likely pick up something usable to fool around with. Take a chunk of wood with you and test. No plastic, metal table, look under it, motor mount and so on. Make sure it can move to adjust the blade

slip knot:
Thats the exact same saw I got. I think mine has a Mastercraft name.

coolmercury:
Lets talk about table saws!  I have owned table saws for about 60 years, mostly cast iron carpenters saws.  I borrowed the first one to build a house.  Back then the fences were terrible and it was hard to get a perfect cut with that type of saw  The Craftsman saw I now have I bought new about 30 years ago with a quality fence.  This saw still does a fine job and I can built quality projects with it as long as I keep it trued up.  That is a key to any saw, keeping it trued up according to the instructions provided.  If the blade does not run true both horizontally and vertical you will never produce a quality job.  So, you don't have room for a large saw and from what you say, really don't need one.  Some of the smaller saws can do a good job, so check to see if it has provision for truing, a solid slide that can be adjusted and a fence that can be tightened from both ends so it stays solidly in place.  A 10 inch blade would be better than an 8, but may be hard to find in a small saw.  Get one with a stand and with as large a motor as possible and buy a quality blade.  And lastly, be careful when using your saw!!!!!!

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