Introducing the Table Saw
Introducing the Table Saw
The table saw is generally the centerpiece of any work shop, and is the first major purchase of woodworking equipment for most woodworkers. This is one piece of equipment that a lot of thought should be gone into before purchase, including decide exactly how much to spend.
The table saw is the heart and soul of every woodworking shop, so you want to buy the best tool you can comfortably afford. Take the time to learn which features you really want and the saw that best fits your budget and your needs. This tool is one that you will use on virtually every woodworking project, and a prudent purchase will provide a lifetime of good service. The table-saw is designed to cut in straight lines. Whether you intend to cut with or against the grain or on any angle, you want the table saw to create a straight line. There are some factors that conspire against you, and your ability to fix them will depend on your willingness to make the necessary adjustments. Refer to the tips section below for advice.
This is probably a woodworkers first major purchase, there are three basic categories of table saws on the market, bench, contractor's and cabinet. Though they all are sold with blade guards and guides there are custom products available that offer advantages over the stock parts. There are also many attachments and jigs that can be made for more accurate cuts.
The table saw (or bench saw) is the heart of woodworking. Unless you are specialized in veneering, or instrument making for example, you would not be much of a woodworker without a professional table saw. Before I became a woodworker I didn't even realize that there were different categories of table saws. They all looked similar to me aside from the table platform size. Essentially I was right, all table saws are the same, in that they are designed with a protruding blade above a flat surface. But the devil is in the detaiils as they say, and all table saws are not created equal.
As oven is to a baker, so is the table saw to a wood worker. There can be no wood working operation unless there is an efficient and good sawing machine in the workshop. Wood cutting operation has been going on since time immemorial. Earlier it was done by using axes and other hand held saws. But with the changing times, technology also altered and innovative ideas set ground for the modern day table sawing machines. Earlier the whole operation was done manually and proved to be quite a tedious task. But the invention of electricity and the subsequent technological advancements lead to the introduction of the motor run saws. These tools use electricity to operate. This has also lent a push to the production lines too. More is achieved in comparatively lesser time.
The table saw is typically the most heavily used pieces of machinery in a wood shop. In our shop, like most others, no project regardless of it's size is done without one. It generally is one of the first pieces of equipment to be used. The uses for them range from rough cutting lumber to creating moldings. They come in a vast amount of configurations, and range in cost from a hundred bucks to many thousands of dollars. The differences in capabilities is also enormous. In the United States alone, there are over six million units being used, and eighty thousand units sold per year. Due to the sheer amount of use of these machines they account for most of the serious injuries in a wood shop. It may be surprising that the majority of injuries happen to professional wood workers, until you consider the fact that in general they are using the machines on a daily basis.
