Replies

1. 
   gdblake | Nov 16, 2009 04:40am | #1

   Swifty:

   The December 2009 issue of FWW (the Tools & Shops issue) reviews small portable tablesaws.  They liked the Bosch model 4100-09.  If you're a paying member of the website you can review the article online.  One of these may work for your situation.

   gdblake

2. 
   forestgirl | Nov 16, 2009 09:12am | #2

   You can find the original Inca's, but at a price.  In the Seattle area, ~$800 with all or most accessories.

   The Bosch mentioned above is a top-notch saw in the portable class.  Might be hard to find a good one that's significantly smaller.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
3. 
   9619 | Nov 16, 2009 08:57pm | #3

   Swifty,
   For a space saving quality table saw, I used my version of the Festool for seven years. I made a workbench out of scrap plywood and two by fours, and had a "fence" which was the 8' factory edge of a piece of plywood. I clamped the fence over the piece of wood to be cut, and ran my circular saw along it. If you set it up precisely, it cuts precisely.

   I think that Festool stole my idea. Ha ha ha ha.

   A guy came into the Woodcraft store last Saturday and said that his Festool table and saw combination wasn't cutting square. Can you guess what was wrong.

   Yup, you guessed it. He had not checked for square, and he had not tweaked it for squareness.

   Have fun.
   Mel

   Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

4. 
   Dave45 | Nov 17, 2009 06:17am | #4

   My SIL has a similar problem - small one car garage with almost no spare space. I've suggested one of those fold up jobsite saws that he could wheel out when he needs it.

5. 
   YesMaam27577 | Nov 19, 2009 03:51am | #5

   In addition to my Delta stationary saw, I have the Rigid "portable" table saw. It is fairly similar to the Bosch -- a 10 inch blade, 1.5 HP, a rip fence that slides on a moving right-table extension; a folding stand with wheels......

   It took me some time to get used to it, but I've done some fairly fine work with the portable. In my business as a handyman contractor, I've use it to build nicely fitting built-ins, and to create some custom trim for houses (in conjunction with a router).

   It's drawbacks are that it is inherently less stable than a stationary saw; it is less powerful than most stationary saws; and its table is of limited size.

   It's plusses include it's portability -- I can load it and unload it from my pickup by myself -- and its resulting versatility.

   I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
   And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
   I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
   So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)

1. 
   Dave45 | Nov 19, 2009 05:49pm | #6

   One thing you want to know about any "portable" saw is if it will take a dado cutter. Many of them don't have arbors long enough for a dado cutter.

1. 
   RonInOttawa | Nov 20, 2009 12:36am | #7

   That's why God (et al) invented routers.RonI like to learn things before I need to know them!