SheikYerbuti Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I'm thinking about getting a new hobby. I'm going to get into woodworking. Specifically, building some basic furniture: bookcases, desks, shelves, that thing that goes over your toilet with the cabinet. Should I be investing in a table saw, a circular saw, both, or something else? Discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I'm thinking about getting a new hobby. I'm going to get into woodworking. Specifically, building some basic furniture: bookcases, desks, shelves, that thing that goes over your toilet with the cabinet. Should I be investing in a table saw, a circular saw, both, or something else? Discuss. If you're going to build furniture, it's of my opinion you need a table saw. I got a circular saw, and from what I know (which isn't much), you can't do good miter cuts with a saw like that. Much easier with a table saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tford Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 A circ saw is going to be much cheaper than a table saw. That said, if you are going to build any kind of furniture, you need a table saw. Better precision, mitering capabilities etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 A cabinet saw maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tford Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I should qualify my previous statement by saying that if you bought a large enough miter saw and good circ saw, you could probably get by. But if I were you, I'd still get a table saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 A cabinet saw maybe? WOW they're expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montster Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 i just started woodworking myself. about seven months ago i built a table for my big green egg, using mainly a circular saw and miter saw. being a novice, my cuts were imprecise, and even though i was generally happy with the finished product, the imperfections bug me. this summer i began building a playhouse for my kids. i got this miter saw, which i really wish i had when i did the table. i barely used my circular saw after that. i also have been using a ryobi portable table saw, which i borrowed from a friend. so advice from a beginner: definitely get a miter saw. it doesn't have to be anything fancy. if you don't want to get a table saw, i use a couple adjustable table saws and my saber saw to cut plywood. a cheap shop-vac is also very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Table saw and a miter saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furd Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 (edited) WOW they're expensive. Yeah. But I think that you need a table saw in a woodshop. Circular saws can't do nearly as much, they are harder to use and you can't get nearly comparable results. I think that the only time that you use a circular saw in a woodshop is if you cant get the material on the table. (My uncle was a carpenter.) You don't need a full blown cabinet saw. I don't know how much a decent table saw is - $500-$600 maybe? A jig saw is cheap. If you get serious, you can graduate to a band saw. You'll want to pick up a router too. EDIT: I forgot about the miter saw. Edited September 15, 2010 by Furd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 they talked about saws and they talked about gauze, they talked about laws and they talked about flaws. they talked quite a lot about old santa claus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 I think that you will need two saws to do a good job and be able to get almost anything done. That would be a good miter saw and a decent table saw. The miter saw will become your best friend in the saw class quickly when it comes to woodworking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driveby Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 One of these Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuke'em ttg Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Table saw and a miter saw. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whomper Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 a see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 a see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 sometime around next Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Table saw and a miter saw. +Router Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted September 16, 2010 Author Share Posted September 16, 2010 sometime around next Thursday I saw the title and clicked off. :shivers: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 A radial arm saw is still the most versatile tool around. Mitre's, cross cuts, rips, plus it can sand, dado, and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Sheik, A table saw is in your future, but you don't have to have one right now. I'd start with a drill, a circular saw, a GOOD compound miter saw, a decent set of chisels and a few other things. Build on it as you go. If you have the coin I'd get a good jig saw and a plunge base router to start, too. When I got into it a few years ago, I got the idiots guide to woodworking and it was VERY helpful - I highly recommend as your first book. The thing is, furniture building is probably a few years down the road for you. Start with stuff like outdoor planters, little shelves, toys, etc. As you get better your preferences will crystallize. Additionally, there are coops you can become a member of that have outfitted shops you can use. You'll probably want to build yourself a good workbench and router tables as your first furniture build. Go to the library and borrow a few books on the subject. There are books for certain tools even - projects make entirely with a bandsaw, a scroll saw, etc. Get some books for beginners and start making the planters and such. You'll build up your skill in no time and progress to better projects. Myself, I have a very old Craftsman table-saw and the tilting-head band saw. My routers are Porter-Cable, and I have a cheap chinese scroll saw. Stanley planes, Record chisels, mostly mid-level stuff. If I had my druthers, it'd be a Powermatic 66 cabinet saw (with the fence and outfeed tables I want it'd be $2500 or so). Oh, and ALWAYS buy the best measuring and marking tools you can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 A radial arm saw is still the most versatile tool around. Mitre's, cross cuts, rips, plus it can sand, dado, and more. I agree, but you have to have a pretty big area in which to set one up and use it effectively. That's it's downfall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montster Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 and always remember: measure once, cut twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiggieFries Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 When I saw the thread title this is the first thing I thought of: M249 (SAW). I think I've been playing too much America's Army. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skippy Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 A radial arm saw is still the most versatile tool around. Mitre's, cross cuts, rips, plus it can sand, dado, and more. For sure on this but the area and the cost probably dose not make this an easy one to start up with. However, if I had my choice and the room and money, this is the way I would go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh B Tool Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 Radial arm saw good router then table saw. Oh yeah and plenty of patience to put up with the mistakes you will make early on. Use cheap wood until you get experience or you will have a lot of boxes etc. made of really nice wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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