The first big workshop purchase for most people is a tablesaw. Priced and sized between the large cabinet saws and small benchtop saws, a contractor-style saw is the logical choice for many. I surveyed several brands on the market, checking for flatness, runout, and whether the factory settings of the trunnions and motors were parallel to the miter-gauge slots in the tops. I also ripped and crosscut 8/4 white oak and hard maple to test the machines under load. All of the saws I tested performed well.

This hybrid Jet is a cross between the older style contractor’s saw and the heavier-duty standard cabinet saw. The saw is equipped with the same arbor and trunnions as the Jet contractor-style saw but with a new motor location and a great drive-belt system. The fence has a sight glass that is hard to read from some angles and a rubber thumbwheel for fine-tuning the fence setting.

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Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM

While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test.

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Forrest Woodworker II Blade

A high quality, staple blade for your table saw. With 48 teeth, it is suitable for both ripping and crosscutting.

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Makita LS1219L Miter Saw

This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.

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