Help choosing a saw

[fishguy242]

HI ,opinion ,craftsman table saw,and...harbor freight dual 12"slider,1 the blade you use is the cleaner the cut,contractor,use the heck out of both till this,day including today,full basements,6 flat apt bldg complete upgrade,including ,counter tops,right blade rt cut,metal too on chop ,again rt blade,knock on wood ,both champs,since approx 2010,jmo approx 600$ both ;) best wishes trigger!

 

[DrDeGuzman]

Harbor freight is decent if your not using it daily

 

[DrDeGuzman]

Yep. I have a nice predator inverter generator that runs better than the hondas we use at work.

Ive broken more Ryobi tools than HF tho lol.

Off topic but: As in The Honda EU series? The ones from northern tools and harbor freight died on me but the eu2000 I use daily for the past 3 years is going strong

 

[Saltyreef]

Off topic but: As in The Honda EU series? The ones from northern tools and harbor freight died on me but the eu2000 I use daily for the past 3 years is going strong

Dont forget to change the oil :)

 

[Billdogg]

The two saws you show have two different purposes. The tablesaw can easily do what the miter saw does. The miter saw cannot do what the table saw can. That being said, I have both, and a circular saw as well. I use the circular saw to cut down sheet goods (plywood) to a more manageable size and then do the finish cuts on the tablesaw. My miter saw has been underneath my pool table since I finished the basement. They excel at making appropriately sized lumber shorter and cutting precise angles and can be easily portable. By the time I was finished with the basement, my jobsite tablesaw needed a few seconds to come up to speed and lose it's wobble before I could use it, and even then it was a bit unnerving.

I now use my tablesaw (sawstop cabinet) for 99% of my work. A couple simple jigs allow me to cut perfect 45 and 90 degree angles. If you have to choose one over the other and have the space to dedicate to it, I'd invest in a good table saw over a miter saw anytime.

As others have said - look on cragslist etc for a deal on a better quality saw than one of those jobsite saws. They just are not as durable and at least IMO, you are way better off buying good once rather than good enough multiple times. The better saws will also have better safety features - remember that one simple mistake can mean loss of fingers, an eye, etc. The more safety features the better imo. Although pricey, google sawstop. You'll see what I mean.

 

[Sleepydoc]

Ok so this is probably a stupid question for 99% of you but I’m a girl and don’t know a whole lot about power tools...I need help choosing a saw. I need one that is capable of cutting 2x4’s. I believe both of the saws below are capable and I would prefer the miter saw because I can use that to finish the trim in the basement. Is there a table that I’m supposed to mount the miter saw to or do you just use it on the ground?

Or is a table saw sufficient for what I need? Will I get more use out of one over the other?

First, that’s no excuse and don’t sell yourself short!

Miter Saw:
As the name suggests, miter saws are for cutting miters (i.e. Boards at an angle) and 90º cross cuts (cuts across the grain of the wood.) The larger the blade, the thicker the board you can cut. A regular miter saw basically pivots up and down on a hinge while a sliding miter saw slides in and out allowing It to cut wider boards. Sliding miter saws are also heavier and more expensive. A regular 12” miter saw will handle boards up to about 5” wide.

A compound miter saw both rotates left and right (making an angle as you look down from the top) as well as ’leans’ over (making an angle as you look at it head-on) A double bevel miter saw will lean both to the left and to the right while single bevel saw will only lean in one direction. Compound cuts are handy to make if you are doing crown molding but most of the time you will only be doing simple miters, so I’d focus on that.

You can use a miter saw on a table/bench, on the floor, up on saw horses or you can get a dedicated miter saw stand. If you’re doing much work, your back will thank you for having the saw up at a standing height. No matter what option you use, make sure you have a support to hold up long boards and keep them flat on the saw.

Table Saw:
The big thing a table saw can do is rip boards (cut them lengthwise along the grain.) It can also cut miters, rabbets (a notch along the edge of the board,) dados (grooves in a board) and handle larger goods like plywood to some degree.

If you are looking and a table saw, you need to spend a lot more money to get a decent one. The small cheap ones like you posted are under powered, not very accurate and will generally be frustrating to use. Even a good portable table saw will have trouble ripping thicker or harder stock like maple or hickory.

When it comes to cutting miters, especially in longer boards, a miter saw wins hands down. You can do it on a table saw but it’s difficult to support the board properly and unless you get a good miter setup for the table saw the cuts won’t be as accurate. The table saw is more versatile, but the miter saw is better.

I have a 12” dewalt single bevel miter saw and a totally happy with it. For what you describe, a similar saw would be perfect.

Suggestion: if you are doing trim-work, check into renting or buying a small air compressor and finish nailer. It makes a world of difference!

 

[AKReef]

Can I offer up a third option? Maybe a track saw would do what you need to do.
Makita Track Saw

It can do almost everything a miter saw and table saw can. That being said, use the right tool for the job. Miter saw is great for doing lots of repeatable cuts (cutting boards to length and installing trim) and the track saw is great for breaking down sheet goods. A table saw has it's uses, such as ripping stock (cutting a board down it's length), but for your DYI'r I feel like you will get more mileage out of the a miter saw or track saw.

I would look on craigslist for used tools. I've gotten a great collection of Festool tools off of craigslist for half the price of new. Quality tools last a long time.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Picking up a single bevel dewalt tomorrow! Whoohoo!! thanks for everyones replies! First project is building stands for smaller tanks and another stand to hold my roto mold container

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’m not too keen on Craigslist for stuff like this. I don’t have enough experience to know if it’s been taken care of or if something is missing...plus if it breaks the first time I use it then I don’t have a receipt to return anywhere.

 

[fishguy242]

Picking up a single bevel dewalt tomorrow! Whoohoo!! thanks for everyones replies! First project is building stands for smaller tanks and another stand to hold my roto mold container

looking forward to build thread ;)

 

[TriggerFinger]

looking forward to build thread ;)

I have a 5 month old and a 3 year old so it may take me 3 months to even get the wood cut. ;Hilarious

 

[fishguy242]

we can wait,still be here ,i know you decided,reread my opinion,used the heck out of them ;) :)

 

[TriggerFinger]

we can wait,still be here ,i know you decided,reread my opinion,used the heck out of them ;) :)

The boyfriend wanted the dewalt too so I’m happy with it. We definitely won’t be finishing out any basements or building apartments. The basement is finished except for the trim because we didn’t have the proper saw. I, personally, refinished all my cabinets and drawers in my kitchen and 3 bathroom vanities. I removed wallpaper, patched and painted. We replaced the countertops and sinks, appliances and all flooring. This was all before we had kids. The miter will be good for the small projects I would like to do...one day. Appreciate your input

 

[Sleepydoc]

Can I offer up a third option? Maybe a track saw would do what you need to do.
Makita Track Saw

It can do almost everything a miter saw and table saw can. That being said, use the right tool for the job. Miter saw is great for doing lots of repeatable cuts (cutting boards to length and installing trim) and the track saw is great for breaking down sheet goods. A table saw has it's uses, such as ripping stock (cutting a board down it's length), but for your DYI'r I feel like you will get more mileage out of the a miter saw or track saw.

I would look on craigslist for used tools. I've gotten a great collection of Festool tools off of craigslist for half the price of new. Quality tools last a long time.

Huh? Track saws are great for cutting sheet goods and can be used to rip boards to a certain degree, but really aren’t good for miters, much less compound meters.

 

[Billdogg]

Congratulations on your new saw!

FWIW, I prefer to buy new whenever possible for power tools for the very same reasons. Many hand tools, OTOH, just aren't made like they were in the "good old days". Some of my very best hand tools belonged to my grandfather.

And a word of caution with your saw - BE CAREFUL!!!!!! If you have the slightest doubt about whether or not a cut is safe to make, RETHINK IT!!!! It takes all of a millisecond to remove a finger with a power saw. Eye and ear protection EVERY TIME!!!

Don't allow yourself to get distracted. My wife and I have an agreement - if a power tool is running in the shop she does not enter until it is clear that I am done or at least between cuts. I like my fingers right where they are, TYVM!!!

Pictures of your progress please!!!!

 

[Joekovar]

I’m not too keen on Craigslist for stuff like this. I don’t have enough experience to know if it’s been taken care of or if something is missing...plus if it breaks the first time I use it then I don’t have a receipt to return anywhere.

Craigslist is like playing hot potato. I've found that tools in the 100-500$ range can typically be bought, used for a month or so, then sold for what I bought them at.

I rent anything worth more than $500.

At one time I had all sorts of tools. Then I realized I value the space they start to clutter up more than any savings from owning them.

 

[WVNed]

I bought one of these and am extremely happy with it. Sliding compound miter. I got a stand for it as well. I also have a used small table saw I got for $50.

Just the stuff to knock things together quick.

 

[Erick Armanii]

Honestly it depends on what you are using it for and how often you intend on using it.

We frame large houses and apartments with a circular saw/skill saw, when cutting 2x4 or 2x6 or any 2 by whatever, it’s quicker and easier then setting up a cutting station to cut 4 inches or something like that.

Most DIY projects would use a miter saw, I have a 12” sliding compound for when I’m doing decks, and a small battery powered dewalt for doing trim.

You can’t go wrong with the miter saw and ultimately that will be the best for exact cuts

 

[TriggerFinger]

We decided on this one, picked it up this morning! Whoohoo!! I’m so excited! Thanks for the pics @WVNed, gives me good ideas!

 

[WVNed]

I find it to be fun to make stuff. I am never going to frame a house or build a deck.
But I did make the plant stand above, screen tops for my tank and a few tank stands for the fish room.
The table is very nice to have. It holds long pieces and lets you set stops so you can cut multiple pieces to the same length easily.

You can get PVC trim in different sizes and glue or screw it together.
That's what I made this out of.

Next is stands for the deck to hold some big ferns.
It comes in 12 inch widths. Awesome for shelves outside.
I think I am going to make another plant stand in PVC that I can put outside.

Get a nice jigsaw to cut curves and holes too.