Do You Need a Table Saw?

Do You Need a Table Saw?

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If you are planning to get into the world of woodworking, there are some tools that you need to be familiar with. There are of course many different machines and tools used in woodworking. One of the most common and widely used ones out there is the table saw.

So, what is a table saw, what can it do, and do you need one?

What Is a Table Saw?

Table Saw First things first, let’s figure out what a table saw actually is. This can be a bit confusing, as there are many types of large saws that use some sort of table. Bandsaws, scrollsaws, and more, all come to mind. However, this is not what is meant when people refer to a table saw. A table saw is more specific than just a saw that has a table.

A table saw is a special type of circular saw. So, for one, it has a circular blade with many sharp teeth. This blade travels in a single direction at very high speeds. The main purpose of the table saw is cutting wood, although, given the right blade, it can also handle a variety of other materials too.

One of the defining features of a table saw is that the blade is mounted underneath the table. There is then a slot through which this blade protrudes from the bottom up. This allows the user to continuously feed wood over the table and through the blade in a controlled and simple manner.

This blade can be adjusted for height to accommodate a variety of projects. Most table saws also allow you to set the blade at an angle. Table saws also come with fences for measuring and precision, and some might even come with miter sleds or miter gauges as well. Let’s move on and figure out exactly what table saws are used for.

7 Common Table Saw Uses

Now that we know some table saw basics, let’s figure out what these awesome woodworking machines are actually used for.

1. Making Rip Cuts

The number one most common use of a table saw is making rip cuts. To be clear, a rip cut is when a board is cut lengthwise. In other words, a table saw is used to make wide boards narrower. Moreover, this also means that the cut is made with or against the grain of the wood.

Simply take your measurements, adjust the rip fence as needed, and push the wood straight through the blade. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

2. Making Crosscuts

Another common table saw use is making crosscuts. This is the so-called counterpart of the rip cut. Whereas a rip cut is about cutting wood lengthwise, a cross-cut is about cutting wood widthwise. In other words, a table saw can be used to make long boards shorter.

Now, what you do need to be aware of is that the cross-cutting abilities of table saws are fairly limited when compared to their rip-cutting abilities. The reason for this is that a table saw’s surface is only so large, and the maximum space between the fence and the blade is also only so large.

That said, if the piece of wood in question is not overly large, using a table saw for a cross-cut is certainly an option.

3. Making Miter Cuts

Another fairly common table saw use is for making miter cuts. Miter cuts are also known as angled crosscuts. This is when you cut across the grain of the wood at an angle other than a straight 90-degree cut. This is what that miter gauge on your table saw is for. Before making a miter cut, always double-check the angle first!

4. Creating Rabbets and Grooves

The next common use of a table saw is for making joint cuts. These are special types of cuts made into wood with the purpose of attaching them to other pieces of wood. Two common joint cuts that the table saw can make are rabbet cuts and grooves.

Rabbets are generally made in the ends or near the ends of boards, whereas grooves are usually cut more into the middle of a board. Just keep in mind that you need to remove the riving knives and blade guards for this. Moreover, a special rabbet cutting blade will come in handy as well.

5. Making Bevel Cuts

Another type of cut that is commonly made with a table saw is a bevel cut. As mentioned above, table saw blades can usually tilt to a certain angle, usually in both directions. This is known as a bevel. What is cool is that both rip and crosscuts can also involve a bevel or angled blade.

6. Cutting Many Other Joint Types

The next common use of a table saw is to make a variety of joints. Yes, the rabbets and groves discussed above are the most common, but there are others. Joints that a table saw can cut include tenons, dados, dovetails, finger, and lap joints.

For dados, there is even a special dado blade.

7. Making Kerf Cuts

A kerf cut is when you cut a very thin strip of wood away to create a flexible or bent piece of wood.

Table Saw in Use

5 Table Saw Alternatives

Let’s take a quick look at some alternatives that can be used instead of a table saw.

1. Miter Saw

The miter saw is a circular saw that is designed specifically for making crosscuts, miter cuts, and bevel cuts. In all reality, it’s the better machine to go with for crosscuts, miter cuts, and bevel cuts.

2. Track Saw

If you need to cross-cut many pieces of wood, and they all need to be the same, then a track saw is the way to go. Track saws, as the name implies, run on a track, thus making them extremely precise and able to make identical repeat cuts.

3. Circular Saw

Table saws usually aren’t portable. If you need a circular saw that is handheld and portable, then your normal circular saw is the way to go. Generally speaking, these can do most of the things that a table saw can do, although you do need to be a bit more precise as there is no table to work on.

4. Jigsaw or Scroll Saw

One thing that a table saw cannot do is to cut curves and patterns. If you need patterns and curves, it’s the jigsaw or the scroll saw that you need. A scroll saw is more like a table saw in the sense that it has a table, but the blade works more like that of a jigsaw.

5. Bandsaw

A bandsaw also features a table, but it has one long blade that looks like a loop, which moves in a single direction. Bandsaws are ideal for making a variety of cuts.

Do You Really Need a Table Saw?

If you are planning to work with wood, then in all reality, yes, you do really need a table saw. As you can see from above, these tools are capable of performing a wide variety of cuts and accomplishing a wide variety of tasks. Cutting wood down, whether through a rip, cross, bevel, or miter cut, can all be done with a table saw.

In fact, it is probably one of the most versatile woodworking tools out there.

Summary

You should now know everything there is to know about what table saws are and what they can do. As you can probably tell by now, it’s one of the most useful woodworking tools that you can have in your arsenal.