this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2024
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Woodworking

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What's a good basic table saw? I look at them online and can't really tell much a difference. I'm tempted to just get a harbor freight one but know the fence will probably be loose and other annoyances...

Anyone have a specific recommendation for someone who is only occasionally playing around with simple carpentry?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

When my wife and I bought ours it was only 1.5x a comparable (similar motor/blade spec) DeWalt/Bosch, maybe 2x a comparable Delta. The only saws available at 1/5 the price were on Craigslist.

Yeah, it's more, but as hobbyists we figured we were (1) more likely to make a painful (and costly) mistake than a professional who's working with the thing day in and day out and (2) less likely to be able to restore/maintain a used saw of unknown age, provenance, condition, etc. Worth it for us, and IMO probably for most serious amateurs.