Need a better tablesaw!

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Woodchipper

Woodchipper

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
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Cleveland, TN
Several years ago, I bought a Ryobi BT-3000 at a good price and a few good blades. I have regretted it ever since. I used it for some things but need something of better quality, more precision for cutting segments for pen blanks and wood turning. Also, like the the standard 3/4 inch miter slots for some DIY accessories and add on items. I figure I can spend up to $800 pending getting SWMBO to turn loose of some extra funds. Not interested in Saw Stop. Thanks.
 
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You are either model size or full size. I have looked at MicroMarks model saw for my segments. With a carbide blade it can do 1" thick hardwoods.

micromark.com

MicroLux Mini Tilt Arbor Table Saw | Precision Cutting Tool | Portable

Get precise cuts with the MicroLux Mini Tilt Arbor Table Saw. Its high-torque DC motor and speed control make it ideal for wood, metal, and plastic projects.
micromark.com micromark.com


I hate to tell you I love my sawstop and it's precise as all hell. But doing small segmenting is challenging as I have the big boy.
 
 
mbroberg, was looking at that. Had good reviews. Like the idea of folding up for storage. I have found over the years that there will always be a negative no matter what.
BTW, lived in the Columbus area from 1952-1959.
lvturner, need something bigger than that. Thanks for taking time to reply.
 
mbroberg said:
I bought one of these, used, several years ago. I've been very happy with it.

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I have one of these as well. I've had it, oh, three years now I guess? Its been a good little saw. Nothing to write home about but it gets the job done, does a good job, and it works fine with a few different sleds I have made for it. One of them is a sled for making things like celtic knots or just chaotic rings in medium-small sized blanks...stuff up to about 2.5" to maybe 3" square or thereabouts.

I don't use it for segmenting pen blanks, at least...I haven't so far. I did spend some time looking for thinner kerf blades to do pen segmenting with. Over on other forums I received some insight from other woodworkers who have used smaller diameter blades, including some with the exact same RIDGID jobsite saw linked above. You can find blades a good deal thinner down to sizes around 7", if you are willing to try that.

I have a bandsaw with a much thinner blade that I use for that kind of segmenting (celtic knots and the like) for pens, and if I need a thicker kerf than the blade I just make a few cuts to widen the kerf as needed. Thus far, I have also used the bandsaw for strait cuts for simpler pen segmenting. However, if I could find a sufficiently thin kerf blade that would work with the table saw, for simple crosscut segmenting I would probably use the RIDGID for those things...along with a sufficient zero-clearance sled...as the table saw does make cleaner cuts than the bandsaw.
 
jrista said:
However, if I could find a sufficiently thin kerf blade that would work with the table saw, for simple crosscut segmenting I would probably use the RIDGID for those things
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Not to hijack this thread, but I have one of these and am very impressed. I've used it on my 10" table saw, but it definitely limits the depth of cut.

LSHUZIYU 7-1/4”(185MM)-60T, Super Thin Kerf 1/16"(1.6MM), Arbor 5/8", Anti-Stick Coating, Circular Saw Blade, FRAMING&Ripping, for Laminate, Veneer Board, Plywood, Hard Wood, MDF and HDF Cutting - Amazon.com

LSHUZIYU 7-1/4”(185MM)-60T, Super Thin Kerf 1/16"(1.6MM), Arbor 5/8", Anti-Stick Coating, Circular Saw Blade, FRAMING&Ripping, for Laminate, Veneer Board, Plywood, Hard Wood, MDF and HDF Cutting - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
 
I will jump in here with an opinion because that is all these things are. The #1 rated job site saw on the market is the Dewalt DWE7491RS around $650. Now there has been a new player that has made many inroads in the power tool world and gets good ratings but probably too new to compete just yet but you may want to look at and that is the Evolution R10Ts tablesaw. Now with all this said yes you can use a 7-1/4" blade on a 10" saw and I have done it many times. I use the Freud brand line both 10" and 7-1/4" I have done many segmented designs over the years and all required some sort of jig. It is just the nature of the beast. It can be something as simple as making a carrier board with double stick tape to make thin strips or cut off pieces. I have shown my cut off jig that I use on my table saw . Open your mind to the world of segmenting and most times figuring out a process is more rewarding than cutting small little pieces. I have shown segmenting I have done on the lathe using a router and so forth I have done some using a bandsaw but need to play with that tool more to develop jigs for it. I get more accurate cuts with a tablesaw. I have a Byrnes saw and done some segmenting with it as well. But it is limited in height you can cut. But material saved is a plus.

Here is a pen where all cuts were made on a 10" tablesaw.

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jttheclockman said:
yes you can use a 7-1/4" blade on a 10" saw and I have done it many times. I use the Freud brand line both 10" and 7-1/4" I have done many segmented designs over the years and all required some sort of jig. I
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I will confirm what John T said. I have a celtic knot jig and use a 7-1/4" circular saw blade with that jig. It has a kerf of .075". Be aware that the blade *IS* thin and in my use has a max depth of cut of about 1". You need to go very slowly as the blade can develop a resonance called "sing". Sing is a harmonic vibration of the blade that widens the kerf being cut by the saw blade. You have to go slow and ensure the piece is clamped down.

Safety Moment: Don't put your fingers near that blade. Use some form of clamp to hold the work piece. the clamp can be replaced easily, your fingers cannot!
 
As mentioned - Jigs and Table Saw Sleds make all the difference in precision. A well designed and made sled custom made to specific 10" table saws can make them much much more accurate. And adding a 1/16" kerfed 7 1/4" blade onto a 10" table saw works well too. It does not give as much depth but still gives enough for pen blanks as Randy said.

Big table saws are overkill for pen turning, but that is where the beauty of TS Sleds come in. It tames the beast to make it work smaller.
 
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