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Table saw or cordless circular saw?

Yokordiy

Before I start building I am carefully checking that I have everything I need. I've just examined my circular saw and the motor is mounted on the left as I hold it with my right hand, the space between the motor housing and the base of the saw is only 3/8" and it overhangs base meaning it can't be used against a clamped edge (unless it's less than 3/8") because of the motor. I could, of course, saw from the other side! but I find it more comfortable with my left hand on the clamped side, or am I being silly?

So it's looking like I'm going to have to get a new saw. What would you recommend? Another mains saw a cordless saw or a table saw? You can pick up table saws and cordless saws for around £150, but they are basic models.

The second question, is it worth investing in a replacement blade from the one supplied with the saw, will it make any difference to a novice like myself?

Thanks.

Hobbyman2

Interesting situation , one question is how much space will you have to add a table saw to your tool cash , a table saw has many benefits but it takes up space, it does help if you have a shelf or bench or even a closet to store it in, on, or under . I have seen folding stands with wheels for portable table saws . you can save room and make a table saw with a circular saw using a piece of plywood and mounting the saw from the bottom,, however you will lose some depth of your saw cut. then there is the issue of he fence and miter gauge and slots, , maybe the thing here is to decide what you will use it for and how much you could benefit from a good table saw ? as far as the blade you will not go wrong with a good lade , especially a thin kerf blade . like a router you may find a selection of blades will serve you the best . FYI I bought a inexpensive table saw a while back and use it a lot , it is easy to plug in and go ,easy to move around and esy to clean up after , I have a larger saw however it is bulky and with out wheels not a good choice for portability. if you want a good product with many uses the SS is hard to beat and requires much less storage foot print then all of the stand alone tools . also a table saw can allow you to use a larger blade allowing the cutting of thicker stock. good luck in what ever you decide .

chapmanruss

A hand held Circular Saw and a Table Saw are two different tools that each do a type of job best. For the ones I have the cordless circular saw uses the charge quickly so get extra batteries also they use smaller diameter blades. For construction a Circular Saw works great where accuracy is not as critical. It is pretty easy to get a nice cut through a 2x4 by making a straight line across it and cutting but remember to keep those fingers away from the cut area. If you are going to build furniture and cabinets than a Table Saw is the way to go. Although one of it's weaker functions as the table tilts instead of the arbor for angle cuts the Shopsmith does still make a good Table Saw. In addition you get the other functions it can provide. Besides how often does anyone cut angles compared to regular 90 degree cuts on a table saw. I am trying to remember the last time I cut a 45 for a project. I admit if I needed to cut a 45 I would use my 10" Table Saw but I would have to dig it out of the corner first.

thunderbirdbat

Track saws provide a lot of accuracy to a circular saw and will allow angled cuts. Besides the depth of cut allowed being less than a table saw, the biggest difference is the ability to use a dado blade. You would have to take multiple cuts and then smooth the bottom of the dado/groove. I have used my track saw to rip a 45 bevel an a board before. It makes quick work of squaring up an edge and breaking down plywood. The one I have is corded but there are options for cordless saws.

roy_okc

Probably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293

RFGuy

roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293

Good catch Roy! I was wondering about the OP of this thread...Some forums, social media groups, etc. actually require new members to answer a few questions before they are allowed to join the group. I don't know how hard this would be to implement with the Shopsmith forum software, but this could cut down drastically on the amount of spam. Being able to answer very basic Shopsmith questions should be possible as a test to determine who is a legitimate forum member and who is a spammer. For example, you have to do this before entering the Shopsmith groups on Facebook. Just a thought...

jsburger

roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293

I kind of wondered too when he said "saws for around £150". English Pounds?

dusty

jsburger wrote
roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293
I kind of wondered too when he said "saws for around £150". English Pounds?

This is very interesting. The poster joined this forum on Feb 5 with the exact same "questions" as the referenced post from years ago. That post was in a forum for welders.

WHY? Why repeat a previously asked question? Why even link to that post? Why was the "original post" posted? Why did this poster (spammer) chose to post here on a wood working forum?

Why should this poster be banned? Not an argument, just a question.

P89DC

roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293

Except OP has 3700 posts on that speaker building forum. I looked at his posts, he's very helpful and has posted as recently as today...

You ain't from around here, are you, Englisher!

P89DC

dusty wrote
jsburger wrote
roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293
I kind of wondered too when he said "saws for around £150". English Pounds?
This is very interesting. The poster joined this forum on Feb 5 with the exact same "questions" as the referenced post from years ago. That post was in a forum for welders.

It's not a welders forum, it is a speaker building forum. Last I checked ked they make speakers out of wood. In fact, a few decades ago I used my Shopsmith to make subwoofer cabinets.

You ain't from around here, are you, Englisher!

rpd

P89DC wrote
roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293
Except OP has 3700 posts on that speaker building forum. I looked at his posts, he's very helpful and has posted as recently as today...

You ain't from around here, are you, Englisher!

We have seen this before, The spammer here is not the poster on the speaker forum, they just cut and pasted text from that old post.

I believe they do that because their English is not good and they get spotted right away if they create their own text.

dusty

rpd wrote
P89DC wrote
roy_okc wroteProbably a spammer, these comments are word-for-word for 2007 posting here: https://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3293
Except OP has 3700 posts on that speaker building forum. I looked at his posts, he's very helpful and has posted as recently as today...

You ain't from around here, are you, Englisher!
We have seen this before, The spammer here is not the poster on the speaker forum, they just cut and pasted text from that old post.

I believe they do that because their English is not good and they get spotted right away if they create their own text.

I have been watching the forum for years and I have never understood the "spammer" who joins the forum, never visits the forum again and does not leave a link for us to follow. If you would routinely click on the Newest Member or the Birthday list you would see what I am talking about. It just seems to me that there is something sinister about that behavior that I simply do not recognize.

JPG

Who cares "where he is from"?