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I have a nondescript table saw. 90% of the time the blade is down and it is covered with a board and functions as a bench. I didn't plan that, it just turned out.

I'm with Howard - I'll take the WW2 for most cutting operations over the 7-1/2 Diablos.

Exceptions:

I do like the idea of losing less to the saw when milling bindings (and they all get scraped afterwords anyway)

The Diablos do the basic cuts on my classical bridges - cutting the saddle slot and shaping the tie block.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I'm not having problems, so far as I know. This is the blade I use for most cuts. I just don't think it leaves the "as good as any blade I've used" finish that some people claim. I can sand out the marks with 120 grit easily enough. I never expected any more from a blade that costs $13 or so.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

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i hope the OP doesn't mind if I butt in with a question here (although useful and relative to the topic)...

This weekend I'm going to look at a Craftsman table saw from the 50's. He is asking $300. Is this a reasonable price? What should I look for as far as problems? Are there any deal breakers?

FWIW I have learned something from this topic. My previous practice on bindings was the band saw then thickness sander. Since I'm cheap, I didn't want to waste wood on the huge 1/8th kerf. I had not considered using a 7 1/2' blade with a thin kerf, being stuck conceptually in the 10" table saw equals 10" blade rut. I will add the stabilizer disks from the LMI fret blade to help with the wobble factor and try it out.

Now, on the merits of 60 vs 40 tooth. I can go either way, but may I suggest a 50 tooth compromise? I'm kidding.

Danny R. Little

Wow Todd - those photos show amazingly clean cuts. I may not have decided on a TS, but this thread sure has been good to help me know a lot more about blades.

Thanks

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

It depends on the saw and its condition, but $300 seems way too much. Avoid the Craftsman saws where the tilt and raise mechanisms go from the same front knob (you pull the knob to tilt the blade, push to raise it), they tend to wear and gears were proprietary and are impossible to replace. As with every old saw, look for play in the arbor. If you can, find an old Delta/Rockwell, they were better made and are more solid.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Thanks for the advice - I found a Delta/Rockwell with a Ronk phase converter and a Vega fence for $500. It also has a nice cabinet/extention. Does that seem like a fair price?

If that is a three phase saw, and in good condition, it is a fair price. I'm not familiar with the Vega fence, but these saws usually go for a few more hundred. Check the bearings in the motor and the movement in the arbor, make sure there is no wear, look at the belts. It is not unusual to see a fifty year old saw that works like a new one. Depends on how much use it has had and how much care it has had.

Vega fences are good. A static phase converter is appropriate for a small operation but rotary types are more reliable. Three phase power opens you up to a whole different world. The Industrial auction sites are flooded with equipment. The fence/rails and converter could probably be resold for more if in good condition and if the saw is a dog sell it cheap. Get the model number of the saw and research it on the Old Woodworking Machines site.

I've skimmed through the five pages of this thread and thought I could add some fuel. Paid 250 for this 1939 Rockwell Delta Unisaw with wings rip fence, miter and mobile base. It does have new motor, 1.5 hp single phase and I converted it back to 220 so it would stop popping breaker and start up faster. After 100 in parts (new motor pulley and belts) and some TLC it now passes the nickel test. I don't have that much experience when buying used saws but here is what I would look for. Before you start it up (unplug it) check the arbor and motor to make sure there is no slop, make sure the table is 'flat', twist everything that should twist, push everything that should push and then start her up and make a couple test cuts. If it sounds right and you still feel good about it go for it and know that you are in for a learning experience. You should enjoy to set up machinery if you plan on buying a used machine.




I've read and heard about these great deals and have always wondered how people find them. Well it was finally my turn. Whatever it is you get make sure its what you want. And its safe.

_Mike

ps. I do like the small freud blade for quick dimensioning and material I don't want to waste. But for a clean cut my favorite reasonably priced blade is the Freud 10" x 60T x 5/8" ATB Thin Kerf Blade. Clean cuts at half the price. And it stays sharp.

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_Mike Tracz
MCT Guitars
https://www.instagram.com/mustcreatethings/
https://www.youtube.com/mustcreatethings

Good deal and great looking saw Mike!

nice saw mike and a great deal! i decided to go with the delta/rockwell i found on CL. it looks just like this one. i pick it up on monday and i will post pics. i thin i got a great deal on it, with the vega fence and table extention/drawers.

There is almost no price too low if you have a few months to wait, and live in an active area. But though you can pick up a perfectly good saw for next to nothing, you may sometime come across a very nice one that will take more money to shake loose. At that point it isn't a mater of whether it is worth it, it is a mater of what it will take to get the perfect example. Sometimes you come across a really great tool and price, but not always. Given that all these prices are ridiculously low it is up to you to decide what is important to you. On a lifecycle basis the really nice ones are often a much easier sell on the way back out, particularly if they have more accessories or better paint. But I find that is less true of tablesaws because there are just too many available for sale out there.

There are more than enough cheap, well worn direct drive table saws out there, but a good cabinet makers saw doesn't come up near as often, in my experience.

If I put the 7.25" Freud Diablo 40T on a Ryobi BT3000 table saw will I need some type of blade stabilizer?

Would there be a reason to go with the more expensive 10" blade with the same 40T?

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

I've used the 7.25" blade for years and never needed a stabilizer.

The only reason you'd need the 10" blade is if you had occasion to cut something thicker that the smaller blade won't cut. I've only changed to a 10 " blade a handful of times in 7 years. The Ryobi has such limited power that the small blade just seems to be right-sized.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Give the little Diablo a try, if you are happy with the cut quality, then you are good to go.

If you don't like the quality of the cut, provide some more specifics on what you are trying to do (species, how thick, crosscut, mitre or rip) and I am sure you can get some intelligent recommendations on how best to improve things.

-jd

Over 250 instruments with my name and I still don't own a tablesaw. I would like one but in reality I don't think I would use it much.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

And some say they couldn't live without a tablesaw in their shop. I have both bandsaw and tablesaw and wouldn't want to live without either.

John...in your case a tablesaw takes up too much dance floor space!

Buy the DVD's to find out why!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[quote="JJ Donohue"]
John...in your case a tablesaw takes up too much dance floor space! /quote]


But if the table saw is big enough you could use it for a table-dance!

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

I have a BS and TS, but hardly ever use the TS for guitars. But I do use my TS for a lot of other stuff!

Mike

Heh.. I've used a table saw a lot at McPherson, and Bourgeois, but it was always for things like making runs of parts. I wouldn't mind having one for jigs, large batch part processing and such, but the reality is I can easily get away with not having one.

I've had one accident on a table saw where I had the blade too low, and it caught on the way out, and threw it back at me. I was always taught to keep the blade low-ish, but it makes more sense to me now to keep it raised up little higher so that things are less likely to catch on the back as well as the force is running down into the table rather than slightly more forward. I moved fast enough so that it only hit me in my thigh, but had I not moved it would have hit me in the jewels. Pic attached

As for my dancing.. it's sad. I'm white. I can't dance, but I don't care if people laugh at my expense

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I have a Craftsman, fold up saw, similar to the Bosh, probably not as good, but hey, it works for me. It lives here, under my 4/36 sander.

I use it mostly for making the male V of the V-joint necks. Almost everything else is cut on my band saw.

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Waddy

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