Wood’n Bits Workshop

Q&A – Will You Be Selling Your Tablesaw?

Larry | February 3, 2010

Several people asked me that question as I’ve made comments about my tablesaw being little more than a table in my shop as, more and more, I use handsaws to do my work. The short answer is “No.”. The not so short answer is “Heck No!” But the only answer worth writing about is a bit longer still.

Admittedly one can discuss the value of a table saw forever and not find common ground that all woodworkers would agree with so I’ll only talk from my perspective.

I’m not one who believes there is anything more ‘pure’ or ‘better’ about using hand tools exclusively any more than I believe another common view that power tools are the only way to be precise in one’s work. I bought my first table saw because I grew up in the Norm-era, watching the New Yankee Workshop. I read all the books that told me that “the table saw is the center of any woodworking shop.” I believed it. I no longer do. THAT, in a nutshell is my “philosophy” about table saws.

But my planer isn’t the center of my woodworking shop either but I wouldn’t sell it. My lathe isn’t the center of my woodworking shop and you’ll not pry it from my dead cold hands. Once purchased, I see little reason to get rid of a table saw. But it is true that the table saw requires more space than any other tool in the shop. It is also the most dangerous and messy tool in a shop. The multitude of jigs and fixtures required to do things with it exacerbates the space problem. We often ignore these downsides of table saw ownership. Particularly those with small shops should keep these in mind before accepting the need to own a table saw.

Most jobs the table saw does can be done quite well on a bandsaw or by hand, often in less time. When people imply in forums the need for this tool in cabinetry I have to chuckle as much fine furniture was created during the 17th and 18th Centuries without table saws. It wasn’t until the mid- to late-19th Century that table saws became common and even these did not provide the precision of the modern table saw. Take a look at my blog header for an indication of what early 19th Century table saws looked like and think of the “precision” one could achieve with such a device. Modern table saws are marvelous, but several centuries of furniture production have demonstrated that they are not required to produce fine furniture.

But, Chippendale and Hepplewhite produced their furniture from solid wood exclusively. They had none of the plywoods and composites we currently have available to us. When one starts working with any of these modern materials, a table saw is far superior to any hand tool. When I want something built from plywood, MDF or some other constructed material, I don’t reach for my Disston saws. The top comes off my table saw and I put it to work. If I’m cutting ply inserts for frame-and-panel construction, the table saw will get the nod for cutting those panels even though I’m using hand tools to create the rails and stiles.

So, will I be selling my table saw? No. But if I had it to do over again, I probably wouldn’t own one. I’d much prefer to own a large bandsaw and have the room devoted to my tablesaw available for other things. I might own a track saw for cutting plywood. These days, however, I’m content with having my tablesaw shoved out of the way and used as an assembly table, abeit an expensive one.