First Saw, Circular or Table?

[Zinfandel]

I am a newbie in the whole tool/construction thing, while i have worked for others briefly in construction i am by no means an expert, but i am mechanically inclined which is, well enough to figure out stuff.

I recently finished replacing a 20 ft section of my yard fence. Used a circular saw to do all the cutting needed, the saw wasn't mine, and now that it's gone i kind of feel i need one.

Money is not an issue this time, i am starting to conduct a little bit of a professional handyman practice which led me to look at two saws, because it's going to be a main first saw, i need it to be cordless.

I am already invested on DeWalt's platform so.



Dewalt Flexvolt Circular Saw.

Dewalt Flexvolt Table Saw.



The Circular saw is hands down the most portable, but i don't find the flexvolt table saw terrible to move and well, easier to operate, so money not being a restriction, is there ANYTHING one can do that the other can't and viceversa?



Am i crazy for considering a table saw as my first main saw, even saw if i decide to take it to a fence construction project?



Thank you!

 

[davethorik]

Circular saws are like hammers. You will always need one on a jobsite. I'd go for one of them first.

 

[txvwnut]

What’s your plan for it, just general construction and repair get a circ saw. Building cabinets and overall wood working, get a table saw. But you can get a circ saw and then get a track guide setup for it and make nice straight cuts like a table saw and have something that is easily portable and doesn’t take a lot of room to store it.

 

[Toolfool]

I started acquiring my first tools while I was in high school. Started with a circular saw, jigsaw, drill, and belt sander. They were all cheap Black & Decker, but they did the basics. As I upgraded, the first to be replaced was the circular saw ... wormdrive Skilsaw. Then Milwaukee corded drill and router. Then an 8" Craftsman table saw. The Milwaukee drill and router and the Skilsaw are still used almost daily, 45 years later. The other stuff served their purpose and was replaced. Buy quality tools.

 

[Gizmosity]

Ripping narrow stock with a circular saw can be a problem. Consistency/repeatability can be a problem as well. It would also be difficult to let the tops of the fence run wild, snap a chalk line and trim the tops straight with a table saw.

 

[Packard V8]

On most jobsites, it's possible to get by with one of the newer compound miter saws. However, a hand held circular saw is so inexpensive, I can't imagine not having one.

(I also can't imagine getting by with a battery powered. I'm so used to the bad boy worm drives, anything less feels wrong.)

jack vines

 

[Zinfandel]

Thank you for all the answers, at this moment i just can afford one, DeWalt Flexvolt seems like a quality future-proof lineup of power tools for me, i usually buy good quality tools that would last, that's why instead of buying a cheap 100$ table saw and a 100$ circular saw i can only afford one off the 400$ flexvolt circ saw or the 450$ flexvolt table saw, so portability aside (despite one being a table saw it's portable), the circ saw would be more useful if you could only have one? What can it do that the table couldn't and viceversa?

Thanks again!

 

[Zinfandel]

Ripping narrow stock with a circular saw can be a problem. Consistency/repeatability can be a problem as well. It would also be difficult to let the tops of the fence run wild, snap a chalk line and trim the tops straight with a table saw.

True, thank you.

 

[Jlbc212]

Saws need lots of power. I doubt a battery operated saw would be able to make lots of cuts unless there's plenty of spare, charged batteries handy.

 

[Zinfandel]

What’s your plan for it, just general construction and repair get a circ saw. Building cabinets and overall wood working, get a table saw. But you can get a circ saw and then get a track guide setup for it and make nice straight cuts like a table saw and have something that is easily portable and doesn’t take a lot of room to store it.

Thank you.

 

[Hytekrednek]

I say get both eventually, but first get the circular saw. Some straight edge guides are very handy too. You can make them or buy them.

 

[joe_pinehill1]

If money isn’t an issue at this time, buy both. Otherwise buy the table saw new, and pick up a corded circular saw from Craigslist

 

[Zinfandel]

If money isn’t an issue at this time, buy both. Otherwise buy the table saw new, and pick up a corded circular saw from Craigslist

Well money is not the issue for ONE of them LOL :'(

But between the two don;t you think that the most handy to have cordless would be the circ saw and not the table saw? I kind of want everything cordless and (still long ways awaaaay) set up a workshop, i know it sounds counter intuitive but most of the people i work with are 90% cordless nowadays and it's awesome, battery efficience top top notch, these 60v tools last a whole day of work, yes its expensive but no running around a jobsite finding a hot outlet and running the cord is very convenient.

 

[Lynden]

Saws need lots of power. I doubt a battery operated saw would be able to make lots of cuts unless there's plenty of spare, charged batteries handy.

I totally agree. If you are right-handed, I'd recommend a corded circular saw with the blade on the left. Bosch and Milwaukee both make one.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-1...Saw-with-24-Tooth-Carbide-Blade-CS5/100670057

https://www.toolbarn.com/milwaukee-...51iwR_pcrid_193208009972_pkw_PLA_pmt_b_pdv_c_

When you buy a table saw, definitely buy a corded one.

 

[shawhite]

$400 for the flex volt circular saw? Where are you located? What type of handyman duties will this saw see? Like cutting 2 x or ripping sheet goods or occasional cut on fencing or the such. I can get a half day out of my 20v circular saw cutting 2 x. I feel like table saws should be a plug in tool.

 

[bob15]

I would look at a corded circular saw first (I would pass on the cordless version). I would look at a used saw and save a few buck. Might also look at used table saws......

 

[Zinfandel]

This is a good one if you are just starting out.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15-Amp-10-in-Compact-Job-Site-Table-Saw-DW745/100497987

Not too expensive and it has a very nice gear driven fence, both front and back, which you will come to appreciate. Most saws of this type have crappy fences. A good fence is one of the most important aspects of any table saw.

The second most important part is a good blade. Make sure your saw can spin a 10" blade and check to see the threaded snout is long enough to accept a dado blade. Expect to pay upwards of $80 for a good blade. Do some homework on what blade does what.

Rather than guess at what's what. See if you can find a Woodworkers Club in your area. Join it, and you will be surrounded by people that have real world experience and will be more than willing to answer any and all of your questions. Most would be happy to invite you to thier shop to see what they have set up, and then you can decide what best suits your needs.

For me a table saw wins hands down. It's just a matter of how much money you want to spend. The DeWalt starts at $300 and you can get a nicely set up SawStop with the sliding table for about $3,000.

Keep us updated

Thank you for your thoughtful reply, i will do that as i am learning day by day, i was just planning to go tomorrow morning and buy one. I've been wanting to get the table saw but what would be more useful overall for general construction seems like it's going to be the circular saw, i may be able to afford the other one in a month or so, just wanted to know which one to go with first, i was considering the flexvolt version of that table saw you suggested https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...shless-8-1-4-in-Table-Saw-DCS7485T1/207135503 which i know for many people is hard to believe it lasts as much as the corded one and rips just like the corded one, i've seen it doing its job, same with the circ saw i was considering https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...r-Saw-9-0-Amp-Hour-Battery-DCS577X1/303624517

So you're for the table saw first too? Aw man, i really wish i could make up my mind, was trying to find what one can do the other couldn't aside from picking it up and cutting a mounted fence picket or post, although now that i think about it, i have a sawzall (cordless, same flexvolt line) for that LOL


Thank you!

 

[Zinfandel]

$400 for the flex volt circular saw? Where are you located?

The left bladed 60v with 9AH battery, with tax and stuff, yeah.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...r-Saw-9-0-Amp-Hour-Battery-DCS577X1/303624517

 

[R_einan]

You can do a lot with a circular saw, table saws are handy but a good circular saw can do most of the same work, it just takes ingenuity and time. I built this a couple years ago using just a circular saw to process the material. A good straight edge and some clamps can make all the difference. After that a mitersaw with a 10” blade, sliding if you can afford it would be the next choice.

I don’t own any cordless saws, my corded ones do fine for my needs. Nor have I used one.

If you are going to but a table saw, I just don’t see cordless having the kind of power to really get the job done. Especially if you are making large cuts in hardwood. Now a days I couldn’t live without my cabinet saw.

 

[Zinfandel]

You can do a lot with a circular saw, table saws are handy but a good circular saw can do most of the same work, it just takes ingenuity and time. I built this a couple years ago using just a circular saw to process the material. A good straight edge and some clamps can make all the difference. After that a mitersaw with a 10” blade, sliding if you can afford it would be the next choice.

I don’t own any cordless saws, my corded ones do fine for my needs. Nor have I used one.

If you are going to but a table saw, I just don’t see cordless having the kind of power to really get the job done. Especially if you are making large cuts in hardwood. Now a days I couldn’t live without my cabinet saw.

Thank you!

 

[buildyourown]

If you are planning on using them everyday or NEED to use them away from power, you can justify cordless. Otherwise, buy good corded tools.
Corded tools will last 20-30yrs. Cordless will die in a few yrs when the batteries wear and the platforms change. I got my Mag Skillsaw sidewinder for $99 and its been great. I've got an old US made wormdrive too but the mag is so like its my go to for most jobs. Recommended.

 

[Zinfandel]

If you are planning on using them everyday or NEED to use them away from power, you can justify cordless. Otherwise, buy good corded tools.
Corded tools will last 20-30yrs. Cordless will die in a few yrs when the batteries wear and the platforms change. I got my Mag Skillsaw sidewinder for $99 and its been great. I've got an old US made wormdrive too but the mag is so like its my go to for most jobs. Recommended.

Thank you!

 

[Fcvapor05]

Corded tools will last 20-30yrs. Cordless will die in a few yrs when the batteries wear and the platforms change. I got my Mag Skillsaw sidewinder for $99 and its been great. I've got an old US made wormdrive too but the mag is so like its my go to for most jobs. Recommended.

Milwaukee (and other brands..) still sell and service batteries and parts for tools made more than 20 years ago. Cordless tools aren't going anywhere.

To the OP:

Get the circ saw.

There are very few things a circular can't do that a table saw can- and unless you're building furniture you won't need to do any of them.

A circular saw is cheaper, lighter, and easier to store. This question shouldn't really even be a question in my mind.

The posters saying circular saws are short on power or whatever sound like they don't own cordless saws of the latest generation. I'm in the Milwaukee ecosystem- and my cordless circ saw has as much power as any corded saw short of a high-end worm drive saw, and it weighs about half as much. Worm drive saws are the gold standard- but you don't want to be carrying one up and down a ladder all day if you can help it. Cordless is the way to go.

My saw also makes literally hundreds of cuts on a single battery. I can use it continuously, and it is not possible to kill the battery faster than the battery can charge- meaning that if you have at least two batteries, you are never out.

As I said, I'm a Milwaukee guy- but DeWalt's current saw is also excellent. If you've already got DeWalt batteries and chargers, there's no reason not to buy the Dewalt circular saw.

 

[RAS61]

I use my power miter saw much more than a table or circular saw, that's what I'd buy first, circular saw 2nd, and then a table saw - and none of it should be cordless in my opinion.

 

[Jim c]

I would get a worm drive circular saw. They have the power to cut anything and you will never find yourself In a situation when you are trying to cut through stacks of wet treated lumber at a full blade depth cut. Also they tend to have easily adjustable depth and angle so that you can really make the cuts that you need. They also tend to have a framing hook built in , which you will find handy to hang your saw when you are out on your jobs. I have found that with a very high quality blade and a Swanson speed square and the right techniques coupled with patience you can really accomplish a lot with just a circular saw. Of course, if you are making some kitchen cabinets then you just have the wrong tool and you need a table saw.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

A thought on portable table saws. their prime engineering concern is lightness which is otherwise antithetical to construction needs. in many ways a used '70's is better than a $400 Bosch, Dewalt, etc. Unless you have to load it in and out of a truck, and deploy it at jobsites. A heavy solid chunk with a big motor does the job better for far longer.

Definitely get the skillsaw first though.

 

[topp64]

Like others have pointed out, get a table saw if you're doing trim work, otherwise get a circular saw.

Saws need lots of power. I doubt a battery operated saw would be able to make lots of cuts unless there's plenty of spare, charged batteries handy.

I think that was true before lithium ion batteries but not so much now. I use a circular saw 5 days a week, so over the years I've tried several battery powered saws from different manufacturers. The pre lithium ion saws never got used much because of the short battery life. Cut a couple of 2 x 12's or rip something and that would drain a fully charged battery. Lithium ion batteries made a huge difference in battery powered tools. I can saw all day on 1 or 2 batteries now. I don't even carry a corded saw in my truck anymore.

Cordless tools are definitely equal with corded tools when it comes to power and durability these days. I used worm drive saws for over 25 years before going to a 7-1/4" cordless circular saw 3 years ago. It has as much power and torque as the worm drives and beats the hell out of dragging a cord around. I did read recently that someone was comming out with a cordless worm drive saw. Maybe Makita?

 

[shawhite]

The left bladed 60v with 9AH battery, with tax and stuff, yeah.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...r-Saw-9-0-Amp-Hour-Battery-DCS577X1/303624517

Wow didn’t realize they came out with a worm drive cordless. If you were looking to save some money you could look at the other cordless model they have available.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...eyword=Flex+volt+circular+saw&searchtype=text

 

[MushCreek]

My Milwaukee M18 cordless saw does everything I need it to. I built my entire house using mostly cordless tools. I have a corded saw, and never use it anymore. A circular saw will do most things for you. I use my table saw for precision work, like building my kitchen cabinets. I use a miter saw for construction and it is accurate enough for doing trim work such as cutting molding. It really depends on the kind of work you do or want to do.

 

[crewchief888]

for a "one size fits all" saw i'd go with a corded circular saw, just pick your favorite color..

thats all i used for many many years...

i got turned off cordless saws years ago, no power, and short battery life, i know technology has changed over the last 18 years, but i still cant "convince" myself to buy another cordless saw.

i do have a 10" table saw, and 10" compound sliding miter saw now that i have enough room for them, and they are portable enough i can move them outside if i need to. they both typically stay in the basement where i do most of my wood cutting.

"back in the day" i was much poorer, and really didnt have the space for a lot of woodworking type tools, i "got by" with just a jigsaw and an assortment of blades to cut everything from sheet goods to landscape timbers....

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I'm not a great wood worker, but grew up in self sufficient life where we didn't pay anyone to do much of anything for us. Once I got out in the world and bought my first house, I got a standard corded circular saw first for all the general construction like basement shelves and a garden shed construction. Then I added a compound miter saw for more complex / repetitive framing cuts. Table saw was last, and only after another 15 years, when I finally had time to focus on finer cabinetry type projects. Battery tools where added somewhere in the middle, but not enough power for more than simple / short projects. I would not plan of framing anything requiring more than couple hours work with a battery saw.

 

[seber]

These two tools are used for totally different purposes. You should first decide what kind of projects you are likely to be doing. Cutting a 2 x 4 to length is easier with a handsaw than a table saw. Ripping a 2 x 4 lengthwise is incredibly hard with a skillsaw. By the way, as much as I love my cordless tools, Both of these are corded.

 

[Gotcha640]

The only thing I would add is depth of cut - circular saw blade is 7 1/4, table saw is 10. I cut up a lot of logs and use jigs on the table saw that need the full depth, but I realize that's not standard use.

 

[woody 73]

Being a wood worker for me at least I found the corded models got the job done and the cordless models (from long ago) that the batteries never got the job done.

Having said this maybe things have changed and the new batteries are up to par and they can last a longer time just not sure op?

Table saw, now that is a critter that you need to keep your eyes open for on cl, it might take you a long time but a nice one will show up and when it does buy it.

So the short answer is buy a small circular saw (your choice corded or cordless now) and keep your eyes open for a good used table saw in the next few years.

 

[see pictures]

The left bladed 60v with 9AH battery, with tax and stuff, yeah.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-...r-Saw-9-0-Amp-Hour-Battery-DCS577X1/303624517

I've used this saw at work. Its heavy but will cut just as fast as a corded skil wormdrive. Oh, and the safety latch is kind of a pain. Battery runtime is very good just switch at lunchtime. As far as circ saw vs. table saw its like picking your favorite child. But, for doing handyman work circular saw first then get the table saw

 

[JazzBlueRT]

I am a newbie in the whole tool/construction thing, while i have worked for others briefly in construction i am by no means an expert, but i am mechanically inclined which is, well enough to figure out stuff.

I recently finished replacing a 20 ft section of my yard fence. Used a circular saw to do all the cutting needed, the saw wasn't mine, and now that it's gone i kind of feel i need one.

Money is not an issue this time, i am starting to conduct a little bit of a professional handyman practice which led me to look at two saws, because it's going to be a main first saw, i need it to be cordless.

I am already invested on DeWalt's platform so.



Dewalt Flexvolt Circular Saw.

Dewalt Flexvolt Table Saw.



The Circular saw is hands down the most portable, but i don't find the flexvolt table saw terrible to move and well, easier to operate, so money not being a restriction, is there ANYTHING one can do that the other can't and viceversa?



Am i crazy for considering a table saw as my first main saw, even saw if i decide to take it to a fence construction project?



Thank you!

You are not crazy, but spending $499 for your "starter" saw for doing "handyman work" is probably a poor financial decision.

 

[KMdef9]

I agree with others, for being a starter, get a corded circular saw and save some money for future tools.

When I first started doing stuff around the house, circular saw was able to do nearly everything I needed it too. Sawzall was my other primary wood tool at the time.

A few years later I got a miter saw, and a year after that a jobsite table saw. Now my circular saw never gets touched.



If I had to do it all over again and $400 was my budget, I'd get a corded circular saw and a good miter saw.

 

[Rickster]

I use my power miter saw most of the time. I have a corded circular saw that gets used sparingly. Hate having to deal with cord. Latest purchase was a Ryobi One battery saw. Haven't used it yet so I comment on it's power but I do like the mobility of cordless. Just wished it came with a lazer.

 

[seber]

I use my power miter saw most of the time. I have a corded circular saw that gets used sparingly. Hate having to deal with cord. Latest purchase was a Ryobi One battery saw. Haven't used it yet so I comment on it's power but I do like the mobility of cordless. Just wished it came with a lazer.

Add on lasers are available cheap.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

Absolutely need a good circular saw, no question. A good table saw can do many, many things, but a little jobsite saw that is somewhat limited and probably not much better than a circular saw with a good straight edge, except for very narrow pieces.