There are many table saws available in the market. Table saws are among the first woodworking tools, which have stayed relevant in the contemporary lifestyle. The table saws are placed on an arbor placed in some height so that there is an upward and downward movement to support cutting needs. The material used to make the blade gauges the strength of a table saw. You need a table saw that can cut hardwood with ease. The arbor is a separate entity from the table saw. A table saw can cut any shape and pattern in a wood; all you need is tilt the blade at an angle with the wood to get the pattern. These patterns ca not be completed when there is no planer. Table saw and planer are two main equipment you should have in woodworking.
Planners has a lot of types: Thickness, Electric, Portable, Jointer, Power Hand Held, Benchtop. Read more here and see the basic information you need to know like thickness vs electric planers and other important woodworking stuffs.
Types of table saws
Bench top
Cabinet
Contractor
Hybrid
Bench Top
Just as the name suggests, the tabletop is placed on top of a bench when running wood cutting projects. They use a universal motor to propel the blade. They are light in weighing hence portable. Ii is ideal for home use for running DIY woodwork activities. It is the cheapest type of table saw, cheap is expensive, so where is the catch. Let us look at the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
It is cheap
Light in weight
Portable
Has a low capacity
The steel blade support all woodcutting needs
Disadvantages
Durability is compromised
The universal motor cannot run pulleys
The horizontal distance between the tabletop and arbor plane surface is short hence cannot support straight wood cutting works
Cabinet
This type of table saw is ideal for commercial woodwork projects. It’s bulky and occupies a bigger space and also use high voltage and current to propel the blade. The motor capacity is also very high hence reduced vibration. You need an expert to mount it. The blade is made of cast iron and steel.
Advantages
It can handle large woodwork contracts
It can run pulleys
Minimizes vibration
Disadvantages
It uses a lot of power
It is heavy and cumbersome for home use
Contractor
This table saw is ideal for both commercial and home use depending on the type of motor you use. The multipurpose equipment uses direct drive or pulley drive to run the blade. Despite the bulkiness and heavy weight, it has a wheel for portability.
Advantages
Uses dual motor movement
Ideal for both home and industrial use
It is affordable
Consumes less power
Disadvantages
Cannot handle commercial woodwork projects
They lack dust collection strategies
Hybrid
Hybrid table saws are the modern table saws for the high-end market. They have solved the traditional challenges of old table saws using the current technologies. Hybrid, contractor, and cabinet are the order of bulkiness of the table saws from the heaviest to the lightest.
Advantages
It has improved cutting patterns
Have more driving mechanisms
Disadvantages
It consumes more power
Only uses pulleys and belts
The best table saws depend on the type of woodworking project you wish to use. Have a comprehensive analysis on the best table saws depending on your location and availability of power within your location.