Keep tablesaw???

[Randy Linton]

I will likely be moving to a new home and will need to transition to a smaller workshop. In years past I used primarily used power tools but over the past 3-4 years I have been rapidly moving to primarily using hands tools and truly love the transition. I no longer use plywood and most of my work is medium to small on size. I did recently upgrade to a high quality 16" bandsaw.

So my question.... How many of you no longer use a tablesaw? With my move I plan to build a new smaller shop ( roughly 16-18 x 20-22) and the absence of a tablesaw would obviously help this transition

Thanks your thoughts!

[Maurice Ungaro]

I have a couple of friends that do all their ripping on their bandsaws. So there's that. Personally, I still have my big Unisaw, with the large rails. My router is in the right table wing, and the whole thing is on a mobile base. It stays pushed against the wall until I need it, and then I swing it out into position. I'm working with a shop about your size.
How long are your rails? You might cut them down.

[David Weaver]

I once had a cabinet saw (or hybrid, actually) with a 50" bies and ditched it. I never really missed it. It'd be nice to have sometimes, but if you really need a TS, you can add a used contractor saw later for the project you need it for and then dump it. Just don't sell all of your blades.

[Jim Koepke]

I do not have a table saw and have seldom thought, "if only there was a table saw for this."

Some might suggest a good bandsaw is more useful than a table saw.

jtk

[Sean Hughto]

I do a lot of hand work, but I would miss my table saw.

I routinely appreciate it for getting me almost ready for edge jointing, quickly ripping unlimited feet of uniform sticks, forming molding on a wide board and slicing itoffwitha clean back,etc.

i go rid of my jointer, and never miss it.

Everything I mentioned can be done in other ways, of course. For me, those ways would take more time and be more of a pia.

[Keith Outten]

In order to stop using my table saw I purchased a Felder FB 610 band saw. Since last year I haven't used my table saw once. The new band saw does everything I used to do with my table saw from cutting pen blanks on a sliding table to ripping long wood pieces and cutting plaques and sign blanks. With a one inch blade the FB 610 will cut faster than my table saw ever did and it will resaw with very little effort since I installed a Trimaster 3TPI blade.

I also own a 10" Rikon band saw that I use for tight curves on small projects so I don't need to remove the one inch blade on my Felder band saw.
.

[Pat Barry]

For me the table saw is a go-to tool. I would miss it significantly. I use it too rip boards for edge glue ups (right off the saw), accurate cross-cuts, dadoing in both directions, making cove cuts (door panels), and the occasional tenon or 45 degree cut (lenghtwise or for picture frames). Are there other methods to accomplish these tasks? Of course. If yo love doing the grunt work then by all means sell your table saw and spend the money on better planes and chisels

[paul cottingham]

I have a Delta contractor saw, and rarely use it. My cheesy 12" sears bandsaw/sander gets way more use in my shop.

[Jim Matthews]

I have a circular saw and Eurekazone track for breaking down sheet goods, mostly.

My bandsaw is used less often than I would hope, given the cost.
If you really want to save space, sell the larger gear and buy lumber
that's already dressed close to the dimensions you like to work with.

If you're making lots of very long, parallel cuts - a tablesaw is ideal.
If you're making things with parts less than 48" long, it can be done
with much smaller tools that fit into a drawer.

Before you spring for a bandsaw in exchange for a tablesaw,
may I recommend you consider a modern tracksaw, first?

If that's insufficient, there are lots of Big Dogs in the Creek
that will steer you to the best value for money.

[Simon MacGowen]

The tablesaw is indispensable for me even though I teach hand tool classes. You can't beat it for efficiency when I do stock prep. So if speed isn't a concern for you and you don't quite have the space, you can make do with the bandsaw or handsaw. The tablesaw top is also good for assembly work after I put a plywood top on it. Efficiency is #1 factor for me and hand tools are just there for precision. The last project I did all by hand dated back to several years ago. If you plan to do things mainly by hand. get of the tablesaw (and the bandsaw down the road when you decide to go all the way).

Simon

[Judson Green]

I tried selling mine earlier this year and couldn't get what I was asking so decided to keep it. If I was moving I'd consider selling it for what I could get. Right now I'm not hurting for room and do use it very infrequently, but mostly as a table. Its small but very well built. Guess its good to have just in case, but wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

Edit: my shop is bit shy of 400 sq ft.

[Lee Reep]

I have a small shop (actually, about the square footage of your new shop), and have had a contractor-style table saw for about 10 years. I got by without a table saw for years, being a huge fan of radial arm saws. I have one I bought new in 1976. It was my first major power saw.

I did all my ripping, crosscuts and miters on it for years. But, it was somewhat of a pain to switch back and forth, and change blades from a good crosscut, to a good ripping blade, and then back. I never really did try to find a combination blade that worked well for both. I found that I preferred to limit it to crosscuts once I got the table saw, and with some true-ups every few years, it is super accurate. The new compound miter saws are great for miters, and I have one of those as well.

Last year I was considering a SawStop cabinet saw, but went a different route. I bought a Festool track saw. That saw could make it possible to do without a table saw, but I've mostly used it for breaking down plywood sheets, and it definitely excels at that. I am not sure now that I'd ever really need a larger table saw. I put a premium blade (Forrest) on my contractor saw, and that made a huge difference on handling tough woods like oak.

Just my $.02 -- maybe you would not miss it. If my contractor saw ever dies, it would be hard to justify replacing it with a large cabinet saw, instead of maybe just getting another contractor-style model. O maybe doing without for awhile and see how bad I miss it.

[Kees Heiden]

I would love to buy a bandsaw and sell my tablesaw. But I never get round to alloate the money for this. I don't think I would want to go without a powered saw.

[John Coloccia]

When I brought the CNC into the shop, I sold the table saw and was like that for a year or two. Now that I had to switch back to more hand work for various reasons, I just brought a tablesaw back into the shop. Having been on both sides of the fence here, keep the tablesaw, at least for now. When you've gone a year without touching it, ditch it. I got by OK. Maybe you will too.

[george wilson]

I'm selling nothing !!!