Disposable table saw

[guitarbuilder]

Here's the deal. I maybe have used a table saw once every two years. Most of that was for getting a groove on each side of an 8" wide board prior to resawing on my bandsaw. I'm building a couple of shed doors and want to rip some cedar. I want to just go buy a cheapie table saw tomorrow, assemble it, and make the 5-6 cuts along the grain of the cedar. I don't want the hassle of trying to find a used one. This saw will sit in my unheated garage until the next time I need to cut something similar down the road. I need the stability of a saw table as I will be working alone. I don't want to use my router for the cuts, and moving my bandsaw up and outside is out of the question. Which $100 saw do I choose, Skil,Ryobi, Ridgid, Crapsman, or Harbor Freight? Is there one I missed in the disposable table saw category? Thanks.
Marty

[jkingma]

I have never seem a decent table saw for a hundred bucks... at least not where I live... but of all the brands you list, if Skil has a hundred dollar saw, I'd probably get it. But thats just me. YMMV.

[big-daddy-59]

Do you have a good quality circular saw? If so, I would suggest you get a guide rail for it and be done. If your heart is set on getting a table saw, another brand you might consider is Delta. Personally though, I wouldn't waste money on a benchtop table saw. get at least something like this

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardw...atalogId=10053

[guitarbuilder]

I also should add that I'm not a fan of circular saw blades, especially when getting a plexiglas kickback in the groin. Maybe 6 rip cuts should do it on this project. 3/4" cedar.... for shed doors..... doesn't need to be cabinet quality saw cuts..... I dislike circular saws even more.

[Teleblaster_1]

Originally Posted by big-daddy-59

Do you have a good quality circular saw? If so, I would suggest you get a guide rail for it and be done.

+ 1,000,000,000

Just eyeball a Home Depot "Pine Select" long board for straightness. Two big C clamps and you're done.
I built kitchen cabinets this way before I had a table saw.

[FSJazzGuy]

Although with a much crappier table and fence, my $150 direct drive Craftsman has a lot more power than my $350 belt drive Jet which bogs down all the time. I know you said you didn't want to bother with used, but they show up on Craigslist here daily.

[RodeoTex]

My dad got a cheapy Black & Decker a few years ago from Home Depot I think for $129 or so. Direct drive, flimsy construction, you know the one.

We used the heck out of it and burned it up. He took it back with the reciept and they gave him a new one, then all over again once more.

I'd suggest getting something like that even if it is a bit more than you want to spend, use it, then sell it to get most of your money back.

[Teleblaster_1]

Check this out.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=97896

[jwells393]

This little 8 in. table saw by Skil has served me well over the past 25 years. It's not a precision machine but it's great for general ripping. The DeWalt blade helped a lot. Lack of space has forced me to keep it outside. Because the table top is aluminum, rust is not a problem.

......

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by jwells393

This little 8 in. table saw by Skil has served me well over the past 25 years. It's not a precision machine but it's great for general ripping. The DeWalt blade helped a lot. Lack of space has forced me to keep it outside. Because the table top is aluminum, rust is not a problem.
...

I got an old Delta saw that is similar that I got at a yard sale for $25 last summer. I got the blade sharpened and now I use if for everything. With a square fence and a good blade, you can make nice square precise cuts all day long and most of the time you would not need a jointer. If I need a piece of wood to be exactly 4.00" and completely square - I can do that now without a straight edge or a router.

I wish I had the space for a bigger saw, but I find the table saw to be very useful. For big pieces of wood, like a door or a sheet of plywood, I still have to use my circular saw and a good straight edge - I don't know if there is a better way to make that kind of cut.

[joe desperado]

Well. some of you have seen my builds. Archtops, Accoustics, Solidbodies etc. For the most part, I use a crappy $100 plastic table saw. Lets face it here guys, if your cutting material for a instrument, you rarely making final cuts. I use a really good blade with lots of teeth for smooth cutting. I can rip a board on my saw and darn near glue them up without touching them on my jointer. I think mine is a $100 skill. When I am done, I turn it upside down on the top of a cabinet in my garage. I pull it down when needed.

You get what you paid for, but in the end, this is not cabinetry work that requires a fantastic high quality table saw. I would spend more on the Band Saw and get a nice 12 or 14" version with roller guides. For as rare as it is for me to do a final cut on a table saw (for luthiery), my $100 version is just fine.

I do have access to an nice 10" craftsman from the 60's, but can't recall the last time I needed to use it because my saw was not good enough.

Joe

[Scott Auld]

Originally Posted by jwells393

This little 8 in. table saw by Skil has served me well over the past 25 years. It's not a precision machine but it's great for general ripping. The DeWalt blade helped a lot. Lack of space has forced me to keep it outside. Because the table top is aluminum, rust is not a problem.

......

Way cool setup.

[G-log]

Can't you rent one for a day?

[guitarbuilder]

Originally Posted by G-log

Can't you rent one for a day?

I have no way to get it here unless it is unassembled and in a fairly small box.
It would just be easier to buy it on my way home tomorrow.
If I have one, I may end up using it once in a while.
If the runout isn't horrible, I have a fret slot saw for it and could cut linings too.

[Scooter91]

Guitarbuilder, I did the same thing years ago, bought a basic Skil table saw for $109, used it for the weekend, cleaned it up and sold it to a friend at work for $90 the next week. Everyone ended up happy...

[Dr.Ow!]

If you don'r need the 3.125" cut a 10" saw nets-This is an all time old timer method for a quick and dirty table saw if you don't need 3 depth of cut. The Skil77 worm drives have great torque and make good field table saws-like the old days simple router through the plywood router table method and clamp on a 2x jointed fence. A platten made from decent 3/8" fir ply that is well supported around the saw won't loose much depth of cut and is stiff enough, drill 4 holes in the saw base & mount. A screw down fence into the table- for 1 weekend of work it has merit. Good where you have a Band saw and just need to cut sheet goods once in awhile.
Anyway it is another method without needing another boxy tool taking up garage space

[SixShooter]

I think you if you buy a table saw you will use it more than you think. Buy one of these small portable ones as mentioned previously and be done with it.

Alternatively, find a friend or neighbor who will let you use theirs.

[guitarbuilder]

Originally Posted by SixShooter

I think you if you buy a table saw you will use it more than you think. Buy one of these small portable ones as mentioned previously and be done with it.

Alternatively, find a friend or neighbor who will let you use theirs.

No friends with a table saw.
No neighbors with a table saw
S0......Skil it was from Lowes.

If it rips straight, I'll be happy. 15 Amp motor. Looks like a newer model than what I remember.