Table Saws

When it comes to any kind of home improvement project, nothing quite beats the versatility of a table saw. You can make just about anything on it, and you can add some accessories to turn it into a jack of all trades for your home projects. But since table saws come in a variety of types and sizes, what one suits you best? Let’s look at the four basic types of table saws and what they do.

Portable Saws

As you might guess from their name, portable table saws are intended to be small and light enough for you to carry them to the site of your project. If you are a serious woodworker or intend to use your saw to rip through heavy wood like oak, this would not be a good choice. Also- because it has a lighter motor that is not housed it can be noisy. Most of the portable saws also use a lighter weight aluminum top instead of cast iron to make them easier to lug around. However, if you are a hobbyist and see it’s primary use as a carpenter saw that you take right to the site of the project, this might work just fine for you.

Contractor or Pro Saws

The next step up from the portable saws named above, a contractor saw is still designed to be portable from site to site;  it is just better built and meant for heavier use than the lighter weight portable saws. Generally, in the 250-350 pound range, they are normally priced within the reach of any serious home project worker. They will usually have a cast iron tabletop, although the extension may be made of open-webbed cast iron or stamped iron. Still, it is a much sturdier top than the smaller portable setups and will often come with a high-end fence system to improve the quality of your projects. Trunions and gearing may be less substantial than on a high-end commercial or cabinet saw but are still much huskier than what you would find on the smaller portable saws. These are great saws for the home project carpenter that wants to move up to do bigger projects around the house or for small contractor jobs.

Cabinet Saws

These are the real workhorses that can saw through just about anything and do it all day long. They are not portable but are intended at 600 pounds weight and more to be a permanent part of a working shop. The motors are 3-5 horsepower, as opposed to the portable ones that are in the range of 1 to 1.75 HP so they can handle a lot of work. It’s a good thing they are enclosed in their own cabinet (hence the name) or they would be very noisy, but the enclosure means that the noise and vibration are kept to a minimum. This is handy as they are usually run by an operator for hours at a time. Everything about this saw is stronger, heavier and more precise. As you can imagine, this means they cost quite a bit more. However, if you are a pro or a serious amateur, this could well be the saw that is well worth every dollar you put into it.

Hybrid or Combination Saws

With the increased interest in home project work, many companies have come out with a saw that is a combination of the smaller less precise portable and contractor saws and the more expensive and higher quality cabinet saws. These hybrid saws usually have the engine enclosed, though not necessarily within a full cabinet like the pro saws. They will often have better quality trunion and bearings, better gearing and more precise blade alignment. All in all, these new hybrid saws make a higher quality saw but in a scaled down version that is more affordable for the home hobbyist.
So if you are thinking of investing in a table saw for that next big project, take a look at several models from each of these categories before making your decision. That little portable saw might be cheaper, but how much work can it handle compared to what you are planning on doing? If it is just a little baseboard work around the house, it would be fine. If you are planning a complete kitchen renovation, you might want to take a look at one of the new hybrid saws or even a full on a cabinet saw. Each type of table saw has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you need to know your own needs to decide what will work best for you. But whatever you choose, the smell of sawdust and the end result of your project will make it all worth the work.

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