Choosing a tablesaw

Quite the tough decision really – almost worse than buying a car, because you’d expect to have the same tablesaw even after buying, and selling a number of cars! So it is a purchase that you want to get right, and be happy with. Any purchase is always a compromise – a trade-off between quality, features and price.

As I eluded to earlier, this is a list of features I’d want to see on a new saw, in no real order, and not necessarily with any locked in – after all, everything is a compromise!

10″ blade (minimum). Upgrading from the Triton, which runs a 9 1/4″ blade which on the Triton gives a maximum cutting height of 64mm. Having a 10″ blade doesn’t add much to that, but passing the magic 75mm mark is a good start (means I can split a 150mm post in half in 2 passes)

Dado blade capable. Not quite sure whether I need this, but I see dado blades used all the time on woodwork shows, and I do have one so would be good to see it being used!

Decent motor 2.5HP or greater. I rarely need all that power, but using a Triton saw (3.25HP) for so long, and you get used to all that grunt. There is a reason why some people opt for 3 phase machines, and one is power. A saw that comes out in a 1 phase model could have 3HP, the 3 phase version is 5HP. Seeing as I would be extremely hard-pushed to justify the expense of installing 3 phase power.

Full cast (cast iron) top, with 1 and preferably 2 mitre channels.

Quality fence

Riving knife, which is easily removed, and rises and falls with the blade. To this (ideally) there would also be the blade guard.

Left-tilting blade. Lots of controversy here, but after seeing some photos of ripping with the blade tilted over to the right, I can see why left-tilt wins some friends. Granted that you can move the fence to the other side of the blade, I’d rather not have to.

So, where does that leave us?

Gabbett Machinery: Saw Stop

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: 20mm Depth of Cut 90°: 79mm Depth of Cut 45°: 57mm Direction of Cut: Left Motor: 3HP (1 Ph 230V 13A) Arbor: 16mm Table Size:1118x762mm Weight: 240kg Price: $5500 Other features: Saw Stop, heavy duty castings

Carbatec: TS10L

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: 15mm Depth of Cut 90°: 78mm Depth of Cut 45°: 54mm Direction of Cut: Left Motor: 3HP (1 Ph) Arbor: 16mm Table Size: 1075x740mm Weight: 230kg Price: $2200 Other features: Heavy duty trunnions, quick release riving knife, spindle lock

Carbatec: TSC-10HB

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: 15mm Depth of Cut 90°: 77mm Depth of Cut 45°: 58mm Direction of Cut: Right Motor: 3HP (1 Ph) Arbor: 16mm Table Size: 1015x685mm Weight: 190kg Price: $1700 Other features: includes router table extension wing

Woodworking Warehouse: Jet SuperSaw

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: 20mm Depth of Cut 90°: 84mm Depth of Cut 45°: 54mm Direction of Cut: Left Motor: 1.75HP (1 Ph) Arbor: 16mm Table Size: 705x685mm Weight: 210kg Price: $2475 Other features: sliding table

Woodworking Warehouse: Powermatic PM2000

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: 20mm Depth of Cut 90°: 79mm Depth of Cut 45°: 54mm Direction of Cut: Left Motor: 3HP (1 Ph) Arbor: 16mm Table Size: 1067x775mm Weight: 210kg Price: $3415 Other features: (shown with extension table- other tables also have this), spindle lock, quick release riving knife, cast iron base w built in raise-able castors.

Ledacraft MJ-2325CB 10″

Blade Size: 254mm (10in) Dado: ?? Depth of Cut 90°: 75mm Depth of Cut 45°: 60mm Direction of Cut: Right Motor: 2HP (1 Ph) Arbor: 25.4mm Table Size: 1170x800mm Weight: 189kg Price: $1232 Other features:

(I’ve not listed 3 phase motors as it is not in most sheds)

I’ve amended this list with a couple more models – there are just too many saws out there to provide a comprehensive list, and there are still all the 12″ saws etc that I haven’t tried looking through.

Where possible, I have listed the price of including a Biesemeyer Style fence.