Table Saw Comparisons: Finding The Right One For The Job

Whether you are buying your first table saw or replacing that treasure that has lasted for twenty years but is nearing the end of the road, you’re going to be faced with a lot of different types of table saws and saw manufacturers to compare before making your selection. So where do you start looking for table saw comparisons?

Considering the fact that when it comes to “woodworking tools of the trade” there is universal agreement that a quality table saw is an essential need, you would think you could find all the comparison help needed to find the right saw for you on the Internet. However, when you are looking for table saw comparison help you may find more than one table saw guide that is more confusing than enlightening. For one thing, they often compare saws from different manufacturers across so many different features that it is very difficult to get a picture of the overall quality of any model other than the one that gets the review’s top ranking. In this case, if the best portable saw is too pricey for you, how can you compare the remaining models?

When you are looking through article directories for comparisons you will be confronted with some reviews that sound like they were written by a manufacturer’s representative. To compare table saws some reviewers feel the best sources of information are woodworking magazines like Fine Woodworking, or Popular Mechanics, or Workbench. But the online versions of these publications require a subscription fee. If you want to make use of them you may want to consider doing things the old fashioned way: pay a visit to your local public library and search the indexes for each magazine.

Internet woodworking discussion forums are another potential source for table saw comparisons but here you will run into the kind of “Ford versus Chevy” mentality that was prevalent way back when American automobiles ruled the market. Back then if you were a Ford person you could see nothing good about any Chevy, and if you were a Chevy person, you could see no value in any Ford model. Spend some time on the forums and you’ll find “Bosch” people and “Delta” people and so on.

You are your own best resource when it comes to comparing table saws since you are the one who knows how you will use the saw. Spending time reading is a valuable investment since it will expose you to table saw features you might not have thought of previously and you may find you could use them. There are three key considerations against which you can compare any model or make of table saw you are considering: Power, Ease of Use, and Precision. Many of the reviews you will read will discuss many features without grouping them into these three categories. And the biggest flaw of many Internet reviews is the failure to highlight safety issues resulting from some of the features, or lack of features, in certain table saws.

Comparing Power

If you’re not going to be ripping hardwoods a simple 1 HP motor will do the job, but not as safely as a more powerful motor which will not vibrate as much. To rip hardwoods less than two inches thick, a 1.5 to 2 HP motor will do just fine. A saw with higher RPMs (Rotations per Minute) will rip faster and kickback less than a motor with lower RPMs.

Comparing Ease of Use

The most popular type of table saw on the market today is the portable table saw and most people rate the Bosch 4100DG-09 as the best portable table saw available. This saw gets this rating largely due to its ease of use features like the gravity feed stand and the “smart guard” system that includes a blade guard that can be attached and removed without tools. This is an extremely important safety feature as many novice users leave the guard off when they find it cumbersome to reattach.

Comparing Precision

If you need precision cuts you need to get a table saw with a good rip fence. Fences with single locking mechanisms frequently loosen during operation requiring constant readjustment. You’ll find many experts advise throwing away the included rip fence and replacing it with a better quality after market replacement. Saws with cast iron or the newer granite table tops produce more stability and less vibration.

Although the table saw is the most useful home improvement tool you can own, it is also one of the most dangerous. The “flesh-sensor technology” first introduced with the SawStop Cabinet Saw is now available with their more modestly priced SawStop Contractor Saw and other manufacturers are adding this safety feature as well. These saws have a flesh-sensing blade that triggers an automatic braking system when human flesh gets too close to the blade. Contrary to popular opinion, most table saw injuries are not the result of kickback but the result of blade accidents. This technology is worth more than a look. Go to TableSawz.com to see some table saw comparisons.