36" vs 52" rails?

[Anthony Anderson]

If I need to rip/cut wider than 36", I will use my Festool Tracksaw with the appropriate length of track. Results are as good as my Tablesaw, maybe better when you consider that I don't have to fight with the wood to keep it from moving as I am pushing it through. Dead Wood concept. Works Great!

Bill

[Jacob Reverb]

I have a contractor's saw with the shorter rails.

If I need to cut something that won't fit on the TS (rare), I use a circ saw.

[Larry Edgerton]

Get the long rails. They cost very little more and if the take up too much room in the end you can cut them down to a size that works for you. You can't make the short ones longer..........

[Doug Shepard]

...
the cost difference is negligible between the 36" and 52" models (~$100)so space is the only real issue. I could fit it but would prefer not to.....

Go with your gut. If you get something so large it's hard to manuever in your space, you'll regret it. I've never really missed the longer rails or table on my PM66 and would struggle fitting it into my space too.

[Austin Grote]

I had the 52 inch rails on my Unisaw. Took up too much space in my 2 car garage shop. Bought some shorter rails on ebay. Now I can keep the saw pushed up against one wall all the time.

To cut full sheets on the table saw not only requires the big fence, but also a big infeed table and outfeed table.

Save your back. Plan out what sizes you need your material cut down to.

Much easier to have sheet goods cut when you buy them. At least one cut to make it easier and safer to handle.

I also use a track guided saw to cut sheet goods, I cut the stuff as soon as it is out of the truck. Full sheets in the shop are a nuisance (unless you have lots of space).

[Rob Price]

I had the same dilemma, I went with the 52 and glad I did. It does take up some space, and even when I'm not cutting sheets at 48" I have a nice, flat area right next to my saw for keeping work pieces, jigs, etc that I'm using on the saw. The times I need it, it just speeds up the process.

I've used (and still use) the straight edge and circ saw when I have to, but it's so much faster, more accurate, and cleaner cut with one cut on the TS than two cuts with CS and then TS.

If you have room, I would go for the bigger table. one more flat horizontal surface in the shop is a good thing.

[Norman Pyles]

My shop is small, and I don't have room for the long rails. I break down my sheet goods with a circular saw, and a home made guide rail. I gotta tell you, a piece of 3/4 ply gets mighty heavy when you try to lift it up on a table saw.

[Ramsey Ramco]

I made due with a 30" the got a new saw with a 72" biesmeyer, Ill never go any shorter. The saw takes up more than 8' but it's well worth it

[Paul Ryan]

I went with the shorter rails 1 year ago and have never needed the longer length. It all depends what you build with. I hardly ever use sheet goods. Even when I made my bathroom cabinets I didn't need the longer rails. Breaking down sheet goods with a circular saw is almost necessary if you use MDF plywood and are by yourself. I went from a 30" saw that was frequently to short, but the extra 6" to the 36" fence has been a real help and large capacity has never been needed.

[John Coloccia]

re: breaking down sheet goods

A sheet of whatever is 4' wide. All I really need for breaking down sheet goods is 2' of capacity. If I want a piece that's 30" wide, for example, there's nothing stopping me from ripping 18" - kerf, and I end up with 30" to the left of the blade.

I have the 36" rails and have never come close to capacity. 52" rails would be HUGE for my shop....it would really take up a ton of space that I need.

edit: I would also consider getting no rails, and using the complete Jointech system. Their setup is very slick.

[Peter Quinn]

At my job in a cabinet shop I use the long rails all the time, and we'd be sunk without them. I'm certainly going well past 36" on a regular basis. So for my home shop I naturally bough a cabinet saw with long rails, and I've probably gone past 36" 5 times in six years? I have the space to spare, sort of, and don't regret the long rails, but they may not be essential in many cases. Keep in mind you can always get the long rails. live with them, and cut them down to suit your needs. ADDING to the short rails is much more difficult.

To make use of the real estate, I have a cut off bin under the outboard extension table, and a nice router table parked there too. At this point the long rails are worth it to me just for the router lift. The whole thing makes a good assembly table too in a pinch.

[Tony Bilello]

[QUOTE=Mike Davisson;1370109]....My use for this saw is general hobbyist and some home cabinets....between the 36" and 52" models.... space is the issue....What would I need a 52" for? ....what cutting would require that much room on the fence side? ,,,[/QUOTE]

Both plywood and hardwood cutting for furniture parts would be more than 32". The fence would give you repetitive cuts. There are other ways to do it, but I feel the table saw is best.