Get rid of tablesaw?

Holistic woodworking (rambles a little)

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>The love of my life is PASSIONATEly frustrated with the physicians locally available, because she would like a holistic physician - one who recognizes that different medical approaches each has its benefits and strengths and who's interested in working with the patient to apply the most effective and least harmful medical approach, whether that be acupuncture, herbal remedies, pharmaceuticals, surgery, etc. Most people doing holistic medicine use the Western methodologies (drugs and surgery, particularly) only when other, gentler methods aren't effective. Now, I'm not saying all that to get an OT conversation about medicine going - if someone wants to discuss it with me offline, I'd be happy to.

But there is a related point here; just bear with me

I think a lot of us here are holistic woodworkers - using electron-driven and cholesterol-driven methods to work wood, depending on which will balance all the factors (need for speed [which does not always argue for power tools - some things can be done once twice as fast with a hand tool], dust, quiet, smoothness, process we're completing, physical pleasure in what we're doing, and so on). But I suspect most of us lean away from the electrons, preferring the quieter, gentler methods of a sharp edge.

Naaaaa...

Scott Burr Ben Lomond,CA

>What else are you going to trim your nail with? Besides it makes a great referance surface. Besides a nice flat assy table...

Re: Get rid of tablesaw?

Jack Guzman from Maine

>To answer your question directly,I think you should get rid of it. You will lose the temptation to use it when it will speed things up.It's a crutch of sorts. If you get rid of it ,you'll learn to work without it better,and that's what you want anyhow.

I will keep mine.It's just too useful to me to even consider getting rid of it. Of course,since I began on this slope,I have a dusty,unused,router table(self made),mortiser,biscuit joiner and other electrical gizmos I haven't used in so long I can't think of them offhand.I will get rid of them when I can think of a constructive way to do it.

Jack

Re: Get rid of tablesaw?

kees

>Bob,

plywood should not be a problem; most buildingmarkets/woodsuppliers have a service to saw that stuff isn't it?

Maybe you can change it for a bandsaw.

kees

Re: One word in your message....

Bob Rozaieski in Eastern PA

>Steve, perhaps fear was not such a good word to use. I'm not so much afraid of using the saw, I just have a lot of respect for what it is capable of. I've seen the evidence of and heard far to many stories about accidents, some of which were recent and here!

Thanks all!

Bob Rozaieski in Eastern PA

>As always, opinions vary, depending on the way one works. I'm still undecided as to what to do though I wasn't expecting anyone to convince me either way, just looking for others' experiences. Thanks very much for those. I think that eventually I will end up getting rid of it, mostly because of how I like to work. I have a bandsaw big enough to rip/resaw fairly large boards when time is an issue, and I certainly won't be giving up the planer/jointer as they are big time savers when that is an issue. I am fairly short so using it as an assembly surface is not really a great option as the surface sits at 36" from the floor. This is higher than my workbench. I think I'd like to replace it with a 4'x4' or so assembly table/work surface that sits about 28" from the floor for more comfortable assemblies. And as stated before, to make it the real precision instrument that most power tool users like it to be, it would need a fence upgrade ($300) and a dado stack ($100-$200) and I am just not willing to sink any more money into it. It's not worth much as it is ($150-200 tops). Thanks for all of your experiences and opinions!

Re: Thanks all!

Steve Wargo

>I recently sold both my table saw (1965 Unisaw with upgraded Biesmeyer) and Bandsaw (souped up 14" Jet) and replaced them with a new Laguna 16HD. My table saw was rarely if ever used except to cut dados, because it's quick. I was tasked with making a few display boxes and simply didn't take my time cutting stopped dados. Long story short, I cracked my thumb in 2 places and dented the wall in my shop. I'm aware that the majority of this was my fault, careless technique and the inability to overpower a 3HP 220V motor. Since I still felt the urge to cut dados quickly I also purchased a router. I've never regreted selling the TS, but I will admit that purchasing the Laguna has made the transition very easy to accept. I usually have only one or two passes with a jack plane after ripping even a long board. And in my opinion, the Bandsaw is much safer. Oh... and resawing 1/16" 13" wide material with ease is a bonus (small dive-by gloat). No affiliation with Laguna, just a more than satisfied customer.

My misunderstanding

Steve Kubien

>That's good. A healthy respect for its power and potential for mishap is a good thing.

I'd love to get rid of my assembly table (TS) but too much plywood gets cut for me to give mine up...yet.

Take care,

Steve Kubien

Ajax, Ontario

Re: you said it all,and well.

paul womack

>

Re: Get rid of tablesaw? (longish)

Mitch

>Thanks for posting this question and for the informative responses. This is what I was trying to get at in my post about power tools on the Messages board, but didn�t express nearly as well. If I could have a table saw, believe me I would get one. But I�m doing woodworking in my small NYC apartment. I�m building a workbench and I was able to use a table saw and a mitre saw for some of the parts. I strive to be competent with hand tools and by desire and necessity I use mostly hand tools. But for accuracy and efficiency, some power tools would be a big help. Obviously in my situation, noise and dust are the most important things to avoid.

As I tried to express in my Messages board post, I wonder why power tools have to be as powerful as they are. It seems to me that tasks (such as cross-cutting, making grooves and rabbets, and cutting tenons and dovetails) that can be done on table saws could also be done effectively with much less power. Most of what I make and want to make (boxes, drawer parts, table aprons and stretchers, chair parts, etc.) requires wood an inch thick or less. It seems like a table saw is a bit of overkill. I would love it if there were such a thing as a mini-tablesaw, with, say, a 4�-diameter blade.

Another idea I have is to try to make a sliding table with a small circular saw (like a Makita or Delta 4� trim saw) mounted underneath. The blade could be raised or lowered just like that of a table saw. I could mount this apparatus on my workbench somehow. A workpiece could be secured on the bench and the saw table (riding on a carriage or rails of some kind) could be pushed so that it cross cuts or cuts the shoulder of a tenon. I�m even thinking the workpiece could be secured (very strongly) vertically so that the saw could cut cheeks�

I�d love to hear comments about this idea.

Thanks!

Re: Get rid of tablesaw? (longish) *LINK*

Bob Rozaieski in Eastern PA

>What about this?


PROXXON Table Saw

I'm keeping mine

Kevin French, Antrim, NH

>A sister Shaker invented the circular saw blade, so if it was good enough for them, I'll keep mine.

I'm looking for a balance between the two trying to do more with hand tools,but I'm not giving up my power tools either.

This Fall will see a new 18" Bandsaw, but I'm still looking for a #8

Kevin

Where, at the dump? ;~)

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>I'm gonna keep my TS as well. It's not much, just a 1950's Craftsman 3/4 hp contractor saw, with a homemade aluminum angle fence that I clamp down with Quick grips, for a edge straighting shhoting board I have a slab o' particle board from a old computer desk, and a cutoff sled. I'm sure that Unisaw users would faint if they saw my saw, but I can cut straight cuts with it all day long right down to a gnats @ss. Use it mostly for plywood and for batch ripping when I want to speed up the process. 'Sides it makes for a good surface to flatten chisel backs on.

Todd O.

Got ya beat,Todder.

Bob Hackett

>Shopsmith 10ER.It`s so underpowered and a PITA to set up and dial in it`ll make anybody switch to handtools.;^)

It does cut slate pretty well though.The diamond blade cost me more than the Shopsmith and all the geegaws that went with it.

Mainely,Bob

Re: Got ya beat,Todder.

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Egads Bob you sure do have me beat.

I knew a older fellow that had a shopsmith and brother, you couldn't pay me to use that rig. He really liked it tho due to severe space restrictions, plus he only did "small" projects. giving credit where credit is due he sure made some nice stuff with it I'll give him that, but to me it just seemed to be a big PITA to swap it's confiquration around to use it in a different capacity.

Why for you cut so much slate? Why does the idea of cutting slate make me homesick?

Todd O.

You want homesick?

Bob Hackett

>One word chummy,GRANITE!Think Deer Isle.

Mainely,Bob-Who will now send a mason jar of Androscoggin river water to Todd`s family to be poured on him in order to revive him.

BTW-The slate was for both the floor in the mud room and the floor under the woodstove.Are you reaching for the carkeys yet?

That 10ER was bought from an old yowlah that only used to to rip white oak for...you guessed it,lobstah traps.

THERE HE GOES FOLKS!Don`t get in his way or try to stop him!He won`t slow down til he hits the Kittery(pronounced kit-tree)bridge!

@#%&* U Bob! U Dirty Rotten...

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Bass-ted!

Just so happens that I have a round piece of Maine Granite about the size of a grapefruit that I fondly almost daily in an effort to keep some level of sanity.

You know bloody damn well that the mighty Androscoggin runs right thru my home town. That was a low blow Bob, very low.

I'm an inlander so the coastal references don't hurt me to badly, but if 'n you where 'n to mention potatos or blueberrys I'd go stark raving mad.

Brother, when the day finally comes when I snap you'll know as you'll hear on the news that I-95 Northbound is on fire and there appears to be some sort of green streak that resembles a '93 S-10 trying to out run it.

Told the wife a long time ago that I'd leave here in a second if our home ever got destroyed by hurricane or twisters, or if I ever came eye to eye with Tick-Tock-Croc,or if I got bit by a poisions bug of any type, or if I got shot at or mugged.

If all that fails once the daughter finally gets out on her own I'm outta' here, and folks, Bob is right, don't get 'twix me and Kittery if you value your Life.

What's the definition of frustration? The overwhelming desire to choke the living $hit out of somebody who so richly deservers it but you can't. Translated to The overwhelming desire to go home to Maine, but the wife won't let you.

Between you and Kevin I'm pretty well frothing at the mouth. U Bass-teds

Todd O.

Glad I could help.brother.

Bob Hackett

>Just so you know,I went down to the dump only twice this week and only came back with a measly dozen shipwright augers,2 plow plane irons(Greaves and Butcher)and a caulking iron the first tip.Somebody had bought out a local and trucked all the shop rust to the dump.

The second trip only netted 3 cast iron plates(2 of them off machinery,machined flat)to be used for sharpening.

Kind of a slow week.Spent more time talking to Paul than I did pickin`.Did load up half the back seat with hardwood scraps for kindling.Maybe get some small turning stock(chisel handles,etc.) out of the cherry and teak and afew mahogany pieces.:^)

Mainely,Bob-Potatoes and blueberries huh?They been selling the blueberries at the roadside stands for awhile now but so far the only spuds I`ve seen were at Shop+Save.

Sounds to me like

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Ol'Red has been getting the drop on ya'.

It is so sad that somebody would take that stuff to the dump without so much as a clue. Damn outta-stateahs. I think a pounded thumb has more sense than the average person these days. Spent 20 in the service defendin' 'em, and for 95% of them I wouldn't give you a plugged nickel.

Wise Mainer say: You stay on your side of blueberry bush, and Mr. Blackbear stay on his.

Todd O.

It comes back to Steely Dan

Bob Hackett

>"The things they think are useless,I don`t understand"

Mainely,Bob-Who thinks his buddy Todd O. better get across the Kit-tree bridge before some old yowlah nukes it.(remember those old bumpah stickahs,chum?)

No I don't Bob

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>guess I've been away to long. :~( what's the jest of it?

I do remember the sign on the border of NH that said "You Are Now Leaving the United States and Entering Maine" tho.

Have you by chance ever seen on of those Maine Blue Potatos. I never did. Always wanted to bum arounf The County, but never did that either. got sidetracked by girls and it all went downhill from there. :~( Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh well, so it goes eh?

Todd O.

Re: No I don't Bob

Kevin French, Antrim, NH

>YO, T.O. Just got back from a weekend in Wells Maine. Had to take my mother, up from FLA, for a Lobst'a Feed. No Blueberries or Tatt'as were had. I did make it to Tulley's for some of Maine's finest Brews. As a matter of fact it time to pop open another, an Allagash Double Ale. Cheers!

Kevin

Kevin,you dog!

Bob Hackett

>But if you`re drinking Allagash ale,you`re definately not a Sea Dog.

MB

Re: Kevin,you dog!

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Bob,

I could'nt of said it better!

And just what's wrong with being a sea dog?

Allagash Beer--Never had it. :~(

Kevin, where in Fl. does Mum live?

"Went to Wells" Your killing me Kevin, just killing me, you dog!

Todd O.