Table saws are essential to professional woodworking. If you use manual saws, and you need to increase your production rate, a table saw is a wise investment. Compared to manual saws, table saws are more expensive and feature-specific, making it crucial to assess what type of saw you need. Below, we examine four types of table saws—from lowest to highest capacity—that are routinely implemented in woodshops to increase production rate.
Portable Saw
Portable models are valued for their maneuverability. In addition to being transportable on a wheel cart mechanism, they can also be moved from place to place along the counter space of a woodshop. Portable models typically feature a 10-15 amp motor, and 15”-25” ripping capacity. If you need a saw that cuts thin, refined wood, a portable saw could meet your needs. But if you need to cut thick hardwoods, you should choose one of the saws below.
Contractor Saw
Named after their original demographic—construction contractors—contractor models offer a mix of maneuverability and cutting power (1-2 HP). Consequently, they are the most common woodworking saws found in woodshops. Unlike portable models, contractor models are floor standing, and have increased power and ripping capacity that make them ideal for various types of woodwork, such as cabinetry making, carpentry, and furniture making. They also offer more cutting options, and have a heaviness (roughly 300 lbs.) that provides excellent stability.
Cabinet Saw
Named for their cabinet style base, cabinet models are an upgrade from contractor models in terms of cutting power (3-5 HP). Due to their industrial construction and powerful motor, they cut the thickest wood stock with ease, making them ideal for heavy furniture making, cutting floor and ceiling planks, and cutting raw wood stock into smaller pieces. Compared to cabinet saws and contractor saws, other advantages offered by cabinet saws include quieter operation, easier dust collection, and less vibration.
Hybrid Saw
Hybrid models are precisely what they sound like: a combination of the best aspects of portable, contractor and cabinet saws. From these saws, hybrid models borrow the following features: a floor standing cabinet style base, compact dimensions, 1-2 HP motor, and roughly 300 lbs. weight. Hybrid models are ideal for woodworkers who need an economical table saw that offers a variety of features.
RT Machine has quality used table saws
RT Machine offers a variety of table saws for the serious woodworker. From contractor models for woodshops to industrial models that serve in production lines, we specialize in table saws and other woodworking machines that help you increase production rate, expand your woodwork, and increase its quality.
If you need woodworking machinery at a discount price, browse through our selection of used machines that have been inspected, serviced, and priced based on dependability, projected longevity, and performance. In addition to selling machines, we also perform machine location if we don’t have what you need in stock. Whether you need a new table saw or a used one, RT Machine has the equipment and resources you need.
