I’m a big fan of buy it once buy it right, for many of my hand tools I started with the likes of Bosh, JCB, Macalister, over time I’m moving to Dewalt and upgrading to cordless when needed. The table saw is one of those, I’d like one but I’m not a full time carpenter so spending a months disposable income on one tool is a big hit.
I also want one that has a large capacity so I can make small items of furniture - things like draws and cupboards - something many of the cheaper tables out there can’t do. The Dewalt, and evolution have a 650mm rip, not many others do.
The original table saw I bought was powerful, but awful from a practicality point of view. I usually buy from Amazon just so I have the great customer service. Needless to say I sent it right back.
I think evolution/rage are UK only, one of the frustrating things is I can see all the nice tools you can get in the US, they are almost half the cost to the UK. When I bought my dewalt drill/impact wrench I ordered a set from the US, paid import duty, postage and VAT and bought a 240v charger and it was still cheaper than buying the same set from the UK. Unfortunately a 20kg table saw costs allot more to ship.
I’ll jump on the table saw bandwagon and recommend a small contractor saw if you have limited space and budget. The nice thing about a table saw is that you can set up a jointing jig and turn not so good wood into nice straight pieces for gluing. https://www.thespruce.com/table-saw-jointer-jig-plans-3537053
When I moved from Virginia to Pennsylvania (and to a single car garage shop), I had to make a lot of decisions about which tools I could bring with me. I left behind the tablesaw, one drill press and planer/joiner. I am able to live with one drill press and I can work around the planer. But I do miss the tablesaw. I will probably buy one of those soon. My bandsaw is not an adequate replacement for the tablesaw. As for the planer, I think I can duplicate much of its functions with a facing bit and the CNC
Evo/Rage are readily available in the US, just not carried by Menards and Home Depot. I got mine off Amazon. Their DCT Steel cutting blade works great, by the way.
Yeah, I remember the first time I placed a rush order in the wee hours of the night at PC Zone (they had just located their warehouse in Kingsport, Tennessee I think it was (or on the grounds of Memphis International Airport?), so that any FedEx order placed by 2AM could go out on that day’s planes) — had my Wacom ArtZ before lunch.
Well that was short lived, in under 24 hours I’ve started a return. My house is on multiple levels, and for some crazy reason I assumed that having wheels and being made for the UK market it would fit through a door. It does not, which is somewhat problematic.
Ouch. I sympathise. (I got started on this whole CNC thing 'cause a Bridgeport showed up used on the local Craigslist for less than its scrap metal value, and I couldn’t figure out how to get it into my (finished) basement — it was a bit after that I figured out why the previous owner left the ping pong table behind)
Aye, I need a proper workshop but that won’t happen any time soon.
I’m going to Dave my pennies and buy the dewalt I think, but I probably won’t get the stand as its another £150 - I have a very good Keter workbench it can go on when in use that folds up and fits snugly between my workbench and racking.
I have the Dewalt DWE7491RSc. I have to admit that I love it. The stand folds up and doesn’t take up a lot of room in my little shop when not it use. I use it regularly and then fold it up and roll it out of the way.
Since you’re now contemplating the Dewalt, if you give me a day or two I’ll see about taking some pictures of mine next to a yard stick. I have the one that comes with the stand (excellent stand btw), but I think they sell the same model without the stand. Either way I’ll try to remember to snap photos for you so you can guesstimate if everything will be mobile through your house. I’m lucky in that I have a two car garage and it’s right at street level, and a wife that is really into learning woodwork So my biggest issue is just too many tools and a poor layout. I’ve also been, very slowly, gently, working up the courage to ask my wife, again, if I can park my motorcycle in my living room…, but I doubt I will win, and with more space I’d just buy more tools, haha!!!
Some pics would be much appreciated. Im having another sort out of the garage tonight so will be re-evaulating my space again. Im hoping to put traditional DIY supplies up in the loft, and move things like the spare Honda engine I have off the floor - I might then be able to find space with a saw and stand.
“park my motorcycle in my living room” that would be the dream, I’d also have to take out the front window and add another garage door
Yeah, bummed that I just have a carport, and my work stuff has migrated into the finished basement.
It does help that I can at least fold up my main mode of transportation and store it in the living room / entry closet:
(I should take a photo of it folded)
Almost fully set up for winter commuting / mountain biking (want a spare set of wheels w/ studded tires and a different set of grips which will necessitate slightly wider handlebars — once I’ve got the latter two, new photo). Then need to set up for commuting (want a Geoorbital wheel) and touring (need new hand-built wheels w/ a rim width to match to Geoorbital, a better cassette/freewheel, and a nicer saddle).
Sold my last mountain bike before leaving California for Texas 17 years ago, I was too spoiled running the trails around Santa Cruz to consider the prairie land I live in now as mountainbikeable. Here’s a picture of my current ride, leaning against my other current ride:
Instead of moving to current technology I went back to the 1980’s and got a hooptail framed BMX bike. There’s a tiny difference between this and the 1980’s version though, I’m not the skinny teenager I was then, so this is a 26” wheeled version of the 20” bike. Basically everything is “grown” bigger to fit my 6’ tall 215 pound grown up self
Make no mistake, it’s not a mountain bike, it’s got no gears and zero suspension.
Yeah, thanks to a certain part-time gig doing well, I was able to order all but the last thing to get it set up at least for mountain biking (frame lock, mounting gear, matching chain and wider handlebars — still need to order Ergon GP1 Neo grips — mostly out of vanity, though I do find them more comfortable than the GS1s I have now).
Come spring I’ll get the Geoorbital Wheel I hope, then we’ll see about the other wheelsets, and the perfect saddle…
Hi want to join in here about a single car garage.
In mine I have a 10"Craftsman cast iron table saw with 15" sides tables .There is a out feed table that is 48" long and 20 inches wide with a built in router lift. I have 14" Floor type band saw with a 6" riser block. I have a combination rolling cart that holds my Power miter saw with 34 " folding wings.
IT doubles as a Dewalt 13" planer stand also .I have a table top Drill Press.
Also I have a work bench with drawers in it Wall mounted shop vac. and an out side shop vac with trash can separator the a cabinet attached to the out side of the garage that collects dust from the table saw router and planer.
I have a second work bench that is 24 x 60 with a pullout with legs that holds another top that is 20x60.
I have 2 Sanders 1 is a 6x48" disk/belt sander.
The other is a 16x32 Drum sander with infeed and out feed tables.
Some wall cabinets and floor cabinets to hold small power tools.
A verity of jigs for the table saw and router.
And the not to be forgotten my Shapeoko 3 XXL cnc with a Dewalt 911 router.
I still have space to build cabinets and furniture.
Jeff
So my biggest issue is just too many tools and a poor layout. I’ve also been, very slowly, gently, working up the courage to ask my wife, again, if I can park my motorcycle in my living room…, but I doubt I will win, and with more space I’d just buy more tools, haha!!!
