The Woodtek 148-271 includes digital angle readout and a built-in rolling stand. At 36 inches, the tablesaw featured the widest rip capacity of machines tested. It also showed the most cutting power in our tests. When the tablesaws were pushed fairly aggressively, to 7-1/2 fpm, the Woodtek was the only one that didn’t bog down. The blade-elevation crank among is among easiest to turn and the power switch is user-friendly.
I tested the Woodtek’s blade-to-slot parallelism (parallel test) and the machine showed 0.002-in. (at 0º) and 0.008-in. (difference @ 45º). I also checked arbor runout (measured at the face of the arbor-flange) and the Woodtek had 0.000-in.
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.
You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.
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.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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