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Tool Review: Mid-Priced Tablesaws

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Mid-Priced Tablesaws

For $500 to $700, you can choose from a lot of tablesaws (we tested 11 for this article). So how do you decide on one? To find out, we put them through a series of tests cutting hardwoods.

In this section, we've posted a portion of the mid-priced tablesaws product review from the June/July 2005 issue of WOOD magazine. We also included a chart listing each product in the test and its specs, and a forum for you to discuss your opinions of the mid-priced tablesaws in this review.

Note: You may also download the entire review including product ratings in the WOOD Store.

Pages in this Story:

	• Introduction		• Chart
	• Tool and Tool Buying Forum

With tablesaws ranging in price from $200 to more than $2,000, you can pay as much or as little as you want for this workshop centerpiece. The lowest-priced tablesaws are lightweights both figuratively (with anemic motors) and literally (small and light enough to stow on a shelf). And at the other end of the price range you'll find cabinet saws: heavy, closed-stand stationary tools with powerful 3-hp motors.

Smack in the middle of the price range--with enough power to cut hardwoods and not break the bank--are the eleven tablesaws we tested for this article. They fall into two basic saw styles: eight are contractor-style (belt-driven stationery tools with open leg stands) and three are lighter portable saws (collapsible-stand saws with direct-drive motors).

Key tests of any tablesaw, regardless of price:

Power. Ripping thick hardwood with a full-kerf combination blade requires substantial power, and it's a demand you're likely to make of your tablesaw. To test the power of each saw, we timed how long it took the tool to rip a 2' length of hard maple. We used new, identical full-kerf carbide-toothed blades in each saw, and pulled the hardwood through the blade on a sled pulled by 20 pounds of weight.
Cut quality. We evaluated cut quality using the samples from our power test as well as a series of controlled crosscuts, looking for signs of blade scoring.
Fence quality. A fence that deflects under pressure can increase the likelihood of dangerous kickback, so we measured fence deflection at the arbor with 20 lbs of sideways pull at the rear of the fence.
Tabletops. All of the saws in our test were within .004" of perfectly flat across the diagonals and along the blade path. The difference in crosscutting capacities, though, is markedly different.
Dust collection. 'Nuff said.

For the complete review including performance ratings click here.

Find out which tablesaw earned Top Tool honors, and learn the results of our testing of the Bridgewood TSC-10CL, Craftsman 22114, Delta 36-680, General International 50-185, Grizzly G0576, Jet JWTS-10JF, Ridgid TS3650, and Shop Fox W1725, contractor-style saws and the Bosch 4000-09, DeWalt DW744S, and Ridgid TS2400 portable saws when you pick up the June/July 2005 issue of WOOD magazine and turn to page 76. Or you can download the review for only $4.95.

Editor's Choice Top Tool: Ridgid TS3650

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