Mini table saw for pen work?

[esheffield]

My mind was idly wandering this morning (nothing new there) and I was thinking about how to make some laminations and inlays. Got to thinking about these mini table saws I've seen and thought one might be handy for doing this kind of stuff rather than wrestling with a full size saw to cut these tiny pieces. Something like this maybe:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46379

Regular TS blade makes kind of a big kerf for some of the things I have in mind, so thought this might be a good alternative. Downside is they seem kinda weak. Anybody use anything like this? Any comments?

 

[Old Griz]

That looks like it might work, but I would seriously consider making a cutting sled to increase the accuracy of the cut... if you buy it let us know how it works... you obviously would not want to try cutting large stock with it...

 

[smoky10]

A lot of the larger pens call for blanks of 7/8"and if you are going to put any kind of shape on it you might need a 1" blank. This saw won't cut them.

 

[ed4copies]

Eddie,

First, if you decide to buy it, wait until it is half price (happens about every six months).

We have a saw like that to cut frames (zinc, copper, etc) for stained glass. The teeth on our blade are VERY fine and it should work great, However, it frequently "labors" on cuts through 1/16" material. For all intents and purposes, I have abandoned this saw and use my radial arm and a miter jig.

I would not suggest it for wood, particularly not exotics. I doubt it would cut reliably-and the "stall outs" are a bear, since you can't reach a switch to turn it off.

I would feel much more comfortable with a thin kerf blade on my normal table saw, even if it was just a 6" blade (cheaper-sorry, more economical).

Hope this helps.

 

[RLKnecht]

Eddie,
That TS only can cut 3/4" thick stock. It would be marginal for cutting standard sized blanks, and making a sled for it would be out of the question. I'd try a small tabletop band saw first. Smaller kerf and more depth of cut so a sled would be an option. I think HF has those too, but over $100, not $50.
Rick

 

[its_virgil]

Save your money...it will not even cross cut a blank. I have one that I now use for a trout-line weitht. I tried using it and it was no go. I lost the receipt and could not return it. It is useless...But here is the one I'm ordering soon...I have used one and it is a nice piece of equipment. There are some things I want to do an the band saw will not work and my large table saw is just too big. Take a look and maybe it can be found cheaper.
Go to http://www.micromark.com and the saw is right in the middle of the home page. Click on the picture and you will be taken to it.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[ctEaglesc]

Maximum depth of cut at 90°: 3/4''

that's the problem.
A sled will make the cuts more accurate,but will steal from the depth of cut.
The way I have gotten around this is to use framing blades on a 10" saw.
You can get them thinner than the thinkerf 10"
7&1/2 Contractors framing blades are fine for glue joint ripping.

 

[Old Griz]

MMMM never thought of that type of blade... will have to look into it.. can they be bought from Lowes and HD..

 

[jdavis]

Stay with the larger saws for safety use jigs and sleds.

 

[esheffield]

Thanks for the comments. I was mainly thinking in terms of doing inlay work more than crosscutting, so the full crosscutting depth wasn't the main thing on my mind. Though the max cut and low power is a bit surprising - I've cut 3/4 oak flooring with my 9.6V Makita 3" circular. A slow feed and fully charged battery and it goes right through. Perhaps I should figure a way to table mount it! []

Maybe for inlays mounting the dremel in some kind of table with one of their really slim straight bits. BTW, wasn't someone working on some kind of pantograph thingy for routing inlays?

Oh well. My workshop has been taken over by another more pressing project for a while now, so about all I've been able to do lately is buy some kits and think about turning. At least I've got lots of ideas to try when I finally get the chance! []

 

[swm6500]

I am glad to see all of the comments about those mini saws, I was wondering if they would do a very good job. Does not sound like most of them will and the Micromark is pretty pricy for the size.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

I would buy a bandsaw instead.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

My, my, my! Lookie who is back! Good to see you posting again Eagle.

 

[ilikewood]

I'll second Mac's comment...good to have you back Eagle.

 

[darbytee]

Glad to have you back on the forum Eagle.

 

[alamocdc]

If you really want a small, inexpensive saw for cross cutting, check this out:

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=82564

Make sure you copy both lines. You could go to MicroMark's web site and look up Item Number: 82564. It is an 8 inch Compound Miter saw for $69.95. I've been using MicroMark since my RC days and I've never been disappointed with their product line.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Bandsaw more better. []

 

[Randy_]

If Harbor Freight has a liberal return policy and you are close enough to a retail store so shipping is not a problem, you might just try one to see if it meets your particular needs. the link you posted shows the motor to be a 9 amp motor. Technically that is over 1 hp; but we all know that these guys lie through their teeth about the real power of their motors. I wouldn't argue with anyone who suggests that these small tools will "bog down" when over worked; but a little patience will frequent allow these tools to do much more than many people would think possible.

As to the concern about depth of cut, you can make your 3/4" cut and turn the piece over and cut another 3/4" for a total of 1-1/2". If you make a sled using 1/4" or 5/16" stock for the base, you can still cut material that is more than 1" thick!!

Mind you, I am not recommending this.....just offering an alternative if funds are really tight.....a major consideration for some of us!!

I was in your situation not to long ago and chose to buy a small tabletop bandsaw.....9".($70 on eBay) I haven't had a chance to use it much yet; but think it will serve most of my needs. For slightly larger work, I have a 7" tablesaw on which is mounted a thin kerf plywood blade.

For inlay work you might use a router and table and if you have a circular saw, you could mount it upside down on a table and use it to cut thin veneer.

 

[MDWine]

I've thought about a smaller table saw too, but I think I will dig out my small Makita tabletop and make a sled for it! It has a carbide blade, a very small kerf, and has the muscle to cut 3" stock! It should be pretty sweet for blank work. (Add a zero-clearance insert (and/or sled) and it should work well!

I picture it up for you when I can dig through the junk and pull it out!

 

[Doghouse]

I cannot stress enough for the type of work we do, the safest tool is the band saw.

One difference is that the force of the cut is down, not forward or back. A band saw will have problems cutting tubes (if using a low number of teeth).

If you do mostly turning, you will appreciate a band saw when you start bowls. If you never do bowls, a good band saw will allow you to turn trees into blanks. Heck even most of the cheep ones will work (ok flame me on this one, but if the choice is a cheep "table saw" or cheep band saw, the band saw is safer to make pen blanks with.)

 

[penhead]

I have one of those HF mini-table-saws...actually, last night I just burnt out the third one I have had.
For what I have been doing lately (corian) it 'usually' works pretty well..only problem is that it has very lttle power and bogs down _really_ easy even if trying to go very slowly...and the real problem is that it only bogs down a few times untill it burns out the motor. I happen to live only a few miles from a HF and so far they just take it back and tell me to get another one. I would not recommend it for the main power saw.

 

[JimGo]

John,
The only advantage I see is that, from what I understand, a table saw's blade is less likely to wander, which can be advantageous for making straight cuts. That's why I was considering getting one, if I ever get enough space. My little 9" Delta bandsaw works great for most stuff, but I'd like something that can give me a little more precision in the cut. For example, I have a design in mind for a pen rest to accompany a pen I'm making for my wife. The rest necessitates cutting some African Blackwood blanks into 1/4's and positioning them next to each other to form two approximately 1.5" wide pieces. I want the cuts to be as straight as possible, since I don't have a good way of making the wide surfaces parallel to each-other, and I thought a table saw (especially a small one, given the size of my "shop") would be a good choice. Are you suggesting that the bandsaw would be a better idea for this kind of cut? I'm not challenging you; just trying to make the best decision (don't want to buy a tablesaw if I don't really NEED it, and I don't like the idea of wasting a couple blanks trying to get this right!). Any feedback on the advantages/disadvantages of these tools is appreciated. I mean, I may be joining in the TS purchase that precipitated this whole discussion!

 

[Randy_]

Eddie: I did some more thinking on this situation and just wasn't comfortable with the things everyone was saying, including some of my own comments. I did a little more Internet research and found some additional information on the little saw you were thinking about. First and foremost, it turns out there is a mistake in the copy on the Harbor Freight ad. The HF ad says that there is a 9 amp motor in the saw. Well, that is not correct. The motor is actually a 0.9 amp motor!!! Somebody at HF dropped a silly little decimal point?? As it turns out, the motor in that little saw is only about 1/8 of a HP....about half the power of that little hand-held electric mixer that your wife uses to mix up the Jello for desert!!! That being the case, I really don't think this saw is going to be suitable for your needs unless you are willing to work with a seriously underpowered tool. Looks to me like the saw would be good for model makers and the construction of doll house furniture and not much more. I've seen some bench top 10" table saws in the neighborhood of $100 that would probably serve your needs, if you decide against getting a small band saw.

 

[Fangar]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />John,
The only advantage I see is that, from what I understand, a table saw's blade is less likely to wander, which can be advantageous for making straight cuts. That's why I was considering getting one, if I ever get enough space. My little 9" Delta bandsaw works great for most stuff, but I'd like something that can give me a little more precision in the cut. For example, I have a design in mind for a pen rest to accompany a pen I'm making for my wife. The rest necessitates cutting some African Blackwood blanks into 1/4's and positioning them next to each other to form two approximately 1.5" wide pieces. I want the cuts to be as straight as possible, since I don't have a good way of making the wide surfaces parallel to each-other, and I thought a table saw (especially a small one, given the size of my "shop") would be a good choice. Are you suggesting that the bandsaw would be a better idea for this kind of cut? I'm not challenging you; just trying to make the best decision (don't want to buy a tablesaw if I don't really NEED it, and I don't like the idea of wasting a couple blanks trying to get this right!). Any feedback on the advantages/disadvantages of these tools is appreciated. I mean, I may be joining in the TS purchase that precipitated this whole discussion!

Generally speaking, a table saw will produce a straighter cut (with less effort). This also depends on what material is being cut and how you are cutting. Cross grain cuts with a band saw usually tend to be straighter. The slightly flexible blade tends to follow the path of least resistance through a board when cutting with the grain. That being said, there are several ways to properly adjust a band saw to make it much more if not perfectly acurate. The 9" saws are not designed for precision cutting. Don't get me wrong, there are some great ones on the market, but they are not going to be able to make the cuts that the average 14" can do. Primarily due to blade thickness. My 12" jet (Great saw for the money) will accept up to a 1/2" blade. Compared to a 1/4" stock blade, that is a big difference. Larger saws will take up to 3/4" and sometimes 1" blades. The larger the blade, the straighter the cut.

Most bandsaws come stock with steel blocks at the top and lower blade guides. I would strongly recommend getting a product called, "COOL BLOCKS". The guide blocks are what control the side to side movement of the blade when cutting. "Cool Blocks" are made of a phenolic that is impregnated with a graphite that acts as a blade lubricant (Dry). This allows them to be run up against the blade without wear issues to the blade (Overheating due to friction). The steel blocks need to spaced slightly outwards as the will wear and eventually break the blade. Also, the roller bearing behind the blade on the smaller saws is not as precise.

Blade tension is also to be considered.

Now for cutting 3/4" blanks to size for pens, a small bandsaw works just fine. Since I do alot of wordworking (Furniture, lamps, frames, etc) I would not be able to get by without a table saw. You can get a decent 10" direct drive table saw from sears (Craftsman) for less than 150 dollars.

For your wife's pen cradle/stand, a table saw would be the ticket in my opinion. I have a 1/8" kerf blade for my saw that is very small. Most stock blades will consume too much material for small precise cuts like that. The thin blades solve that issue.

If you are going to be doing any quarter sawing of boards to make pen blanks, or anything of that nature, it is a must. I just did some more Zebra, and some amazing grained Bolivian Rosewood today. It is amazing how much a quarter sawn blank will change the look of the finished pen.

One final note. You said that your space is limited. My 10" band saw has removeable legs. It comes apart easily and stores under my workbench. I pull it out of my shop when using it to keep the dust outside.

Sorry to have rambled on. I hope to have helped someone. I love tools. Especially good ones. Not all good tools have to be expensive. I would stay away from the HF type saws.

Cheers,

James

 

[ctEaglesc]

I have posted this before but will post this again.
You can get a Freud 7&1/4 carbide tipped inch blade with a 5/8ths arbor that has a blade kerf of .059 ininches.
On a sled that is 1/2" thick I can easily get a depth of cut 1" on my Grizzly contractors saw.
I have found my bandsaw will not cut thin pieces accurately enough for what I want,some may have saws that do it, mine(JET14" with TW blade) does not.
After ripping on the bandsaw and sanding I have found a thin kerf tablesaw blade leaves a finished glue joint, does not waste that much more stock than a bandsaw kerf.
If you have a table saw just get a thinner blade.
The kerf for the blackwood inlay in this pen was .069(Tenyru blade)

A bench to saw mentioned earlier is a great option if used with a sled.If you make the inside depth large enough you can ripp some fairly long stock with it.
I make a smaller sled for ripping laminations that will easiliy rip a 24" long piece of stock one inch tall.
I have ripped stock as thin(or thinner) as.018 x 1 x 24"(Yes that's .018)
If you are going to rip larger stock(using the OEM fence) check the reviews on the the model you are considering.
Some are better than others.
We are doing detailed work as opposed to ripping 2x stock and firring strips.

 

[JimGo]

Thanks guys! I'm still very green, so all the feedback is appreciated.