Whether you’re a homeowner or a contractor, a table saw is an essential piece of woodworking equipment. Choosing the best one for your needs involves considering many factors.
Safety is paramount, so consider table saws that feature anti-kickback pawls and blade guards to prevent injuries and jams. Luckily, most of the top-rated models in our roundup have these features built in.
Power
Table saws are a popular tool for woodworking. They can cut a wide variety of materials with high accuracy and speed.
You can use a table saw for many different types of woodworking projects, including cutting boards, cabinets, and moldings. They are great tools to have in any home shop or garage.
But before you can get started using your new table saw, it is important to understand the power that it uses. The amount of power that a table saw requires depends on its performance and how it is used.
When you are making thin cuts on the low end of your table saw’s settings, it will not draw much power. But as you increase the settings, the power required increases.
This means that it is important to make sure that you have enough electrical power in your shop to run the table saw. The National Electrical Code recommends that you have a circuit that can handle 125% of the current your table saw draws.
Safety
A table saw is a powerful piece of machinery that can be very dangerous if used incorrectly. Woodworkers should always follow the safety guidelines that come with their saws.
One of the most common table saw injuries is kickback. This occurs when the material catches in the blade teeth and is thrown back at high speed, often causing damage and bruising.
The best way to prevent kickback is to avoid free-handed rip cuts with long pieces of stock. Instead, always use a rip fence or miter gauge to support the cut off piece.
Another way to reduce the risk of injury is to install proper push sticks in the stock being cut to keep the woodworker’s fingers away from the saw blade.
In a recent survey, we found that while many woodworkers are aware of the safety features on their saws, many are not using them. In fact, 23 percent of our participants said they had permanently removed their guard and 29 percent had almost never used it.
Performance
Table saws are durable, reliable tools that can make quick work of ripping average-size wood. But a few times a year, they’ll need a little attention to keep them running at peak performance.
One of the most important things to check is your blade’s alignment. If the angle between the blade and the table top isn’t right, your cuts won’t fit tightly together and will be hard to square up.
This can be an easy fix with a digital angle gauge (if you have it), or with a combo square. Position the fence of your combo square on the table top and set the saw blade against it.
Repeat until you get a straight, level cut at 90deg. Then, adjust the blade to 45deg and lock down the two tilt stops.
Table saws can come in a variety of sizes and power levels, from benchtop models to heavy cabinet saws that sit on a sturdy frame. Some even feature sliding tables and riving knives for safety in job sites.
Value
If you’re a serious woodworker, a table saw is essential to your success. This versatile tool enables you to rip boards and sheets with ease, quickly and accurately.
Whether you’re looking for a model that can help you with your own woodworking projects or one that can be used by a professional contractor, there are several key features that you should consider before purchasing.
Power is a major determining factor, as you want to make sure that your saw has enough horsepower to cut the wood. This is especially important if you’re working on large projects that require a lot of cutting power.
You’ll also want to look at the type of motor that the saw uses. The two main types are direct-drive and belt drives. While both offer increased power, belt-drive models have less vibration than their direct-drive counterparts. This can be a valuable factor for both professionals and those who suffer from allergies.