Just bought a PC Table Saw. Now what do I need?

[JohnMcD348]

I was walking through Lowe's today and and was going to look at the Bosch 4100 table saw. In the middle of the isle they were selling their Porter Cable PCB270TS floor model for $450. They knocked off another 10% and I showed them my VA ID and got another 10% off that. So I walked out with a new Table Saw for a little more than half price.

This is the first "REAL" decent quality tool like this I've ever owned. I've usually made do with the lower quality stuff. So now that I've got this, I've been searching the net for odds and ends that I know I'd need like Zero Clearance inserts.

What else should I be looking at to buy? Anything that's a major improvement that doesn't cost more than the tool itself.

Thanks

 

[Jim C.]

Feather board, push stick, safety glasses for starters.

 

[CTyankee]

An outfeed table can come in handy. I prefer the flip top kind over the roller type.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Flip-Top-Portable-Work-Support-AC9934/100618242#.UlCluxCHd-w

 

[jakemac]

Spare blades, so you don't have to wait for sharpening.
A good quality dado set.
A dust collection set up is nice, but not essential. (a want, not a need)

 

[shannonw]

DIY crosscut sled first thing

Nice saw and deal

 

[Craptain]

Depends on what you want to do with it. But definitely a couple of good blades for different cuts. A good cross cut blade and a rip blade as a minimum. I have a really good blade for plywood, as that is what I use quite a lot. Then wait until you actually start to use it to see what you need. If you are into cabinet work you might start to look for a biesemeyer fence, but the budget will be blown quickly on that

 

[flippin]

I would spend some time researching "how to set up a table saw". There are a few good youtube videos and a bunch of well written instructions on how to do this. Most saws are horribly out of true (even expensive ones) and a couple of hours of setup will yield incredible results. I can't emphasize this enough. Arbors, motor mounts and fences all have the ability to be adjusted. This coupled with replacing the standard belt with a "link" belt will make your saw so much more precise. A properly setup table saw should enable you to shave off less than the thickness of the blade, stop half way, then finish the cut from the opposite side without the slightest difference.

Setup can make an inexpensive saw cut better than a sliding table Mini Max!!

 

[retfr8flyr]

I agree on setting the saw up correctly. The stock blade is not very good, so a blade upgrade would be a good first start. This blade http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008WQ2X/?tag=atomicindus08-20 is a great all purpose blade. If you think you need a rip blade after using this blade you can always get one.

I would also recommend checking out the Grr-Ripper push block system. http://www.microjig.com/ I have been very happy with mine.

If you don't want to try and build a Miter sled, for cross cutting, I would recommend anything from Incra Tools. http://www.incra.com/product_miter_main.htm


Earl

 

[woody 73]

flippin wish I had a sliding Mini Max

I don't know anything about your PC table saw, I had to even do a search just to see the product, it looks like a nice saw.

As some other members have pointed out pick up a few nice quality saw blades, along with a push stick and other safety gear.

 

[flippin]

flippin wish I had a sliding Mini Max

Yes they are nice saws the new one has a 10.5' sliding table and 9hp to make sure you keep your fingers in the right position. The last one was only 5hp but spun the 10" blade just fine. But as I stated earlier which I am sure that you can appreciate (your handle suggests that you know your way around a wood shop) even a Mini Max will cut like a skil saw if it's out of true.

 

[cheechi]

This saw model is also sold under different brands; specifically some of the under-table parts that correspond with alignment. Make sure you can get yours to zero/true. The other Steel City/Cman/Ridgid ones are more common than this one, and I think there is a thread on this site about adjusting the Ridgid version of it.

This is not 100% the same table saw as those others. But many parts are common so it should help you as a general guide. There's some simple alignment you can do as a test to see if it needs some love from the manufacturer or not. I don't know exactly off the top of my head but I want to say its getting the blade true/parallel to fence on the whole length.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Thanks All.

I've already been looking at the Incra Miter Gauges and going back and forth between the 120 and 1000 model. Also, I'm going to be 2, maybe 4 of the Leecraft HT1 inserts so I can make up a few different ones for 90*, 45*, 22 1/2*, etc. As for Safety gear, I already wear Prescrition safety glasses so that's taken care of. It came with a pusher already but I'd like to get a couple more of varying styles as I've seen others use on shows like WoodSmith and other wood working shows I watch on occasion.

What recommendations would you make for Blades to get? I've looked at some at the local Lowes/HD and really don't know which ones are better than the others and which one's are just names. Are Dado blades typically smaller than the standard 10" blade on these saws? Looking around in the local stores, all I see are 6 and 8 inch stacked blades.

Thanks

 

[Craptain]

I like the Diablo blades, and mine have lasted well and also sharpen well. Whatever you get you need carbide tipped. As I mentioned earlier you will have to decide what exactly you are going to do before you choose the blade(s). Dado's do only come in smaller sizes, at least for this type of saw. You will want an 8". Stacked blades are the ones to go for. I have not used a "Wobble" blade for quite a while. In any case I cant speak to the benefits or rather lack of, as mine are both stacked. Again with the Dado, how much you spend depends on your projected use, but expect to pay for quality. They run from $60 or so to several hundred. Mine were in the $100 range.

 

[BobBarker]

Something to cut?

 

[Steinmetz]

I was walking through Lowe's today and and was going to look at the Bosch 4100 table saw. In the middle of the isle they were selling their Porter Cable PCB270TS floor model for $450. They knocked off another 10% and I showed them my VA ID and got another 10% off that. So I walked out with a new Table Saw for a little more than half price.

This is the first "REAL" decent quality tool like this I've ever owned. I've usually made do with the lower quality stuff. So now that I've got this, I've been searching the net for odds and ends that I know I'd need like Zero Clearance inserts.

What else should I be looking at to buy? Anything that's a major improvement that doesn't cost more than the tool itself.

Thanks

A decent combination square set, with a protractor head. I also use an old planer gage to set the blade height and the rip fence width.

 

[shoot summ]

What you buy depends on what you plan to do with the saw.

#1 is get a GOOD blade. I have at least a dozen blades I've bought over the years thinking I had to have a blade for this, a blade for that, etc. I have 1 blade now that spends 99% of the time on the saw, and I wish I had never spent a dime on the other blades. Get a Forrest blade, you will not be disappointed.

Get all of your safety gear in order first, glasses, GOOD push sticks, etc. I'm not a fan of feather boards but that is just me.

Beyond that again it is back to what you will use it for. It isn't a miter saw, so I don't spend big $$'s on the miter gauge, I hate cross cutting on a table saw myself. I do have a crosscut sled, and if you do a lot of panel work they are nice, mine collects a lot of dust as I rarely use it. Same with the dado head, I do use it every once in awhile.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Thanks. I looked at Diablo. I'll probably get them.

I've got a couple of Combination squares a 6" and 16" Swanson Metal ones. Along with a couple of other small and large metal squares.

Just thinking off the top of my head on projects I will be using it for are:

Finally building my workbench that I've been planning in my head the last 5 or so years.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37836&highlight=bench
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90610&highlight=bench
I knew I needed Dado blades to make many of the cutouts I planned for it since I'll be using 4x4 legs and setting the frame into them for added support among other things.

My wife has an old trunk that belonged to her Grandmother and the top panel is split. I've been hesitant to try and repair it since I didn't have any way to cut a truly straight line through the wood to make a proper repair.

I'd also like to build a few cabinets, shelves, cubby's and other organizer units for my garage.

I see a lot of Plywood and hardwood boards in my future.

 

[DekeT]

Doesn't anybody read books anymore? There is so much more information to glean from a good reference item.

 

[signcrafter]

As mentioned a couple of good blades for cross cut and ripping will make the biggest difference. The rest of the stuff you can make yourself. A crosscut sled, push sticks, zero clearance insert, etc. depending on what you intend to do.

One nice thing to have is a height gauge and a digital angle gauge like the wixie.

 

[lilscorpion]

Id agree with previous recommendations. No matter how careful you are, table saws can do some damage quickly. First accessories should be the safety stuff and learn how to use them. A cross-cut sled, push sticks, feather boards...all good stuff.

This is an excellent pusher (the gripper). It's adjustable so you can do crazy thin stuff or use it to push down on the material when doing things like dado's without having to use your bare hand. The beauty of this thing is that it ensures the stability of your hand while pushing the material through unlike the other style pushers.

Here's a pic of how it works with cutting thin strips. The push guides can be moved around. This one uses the smallest one.

You'll want a good miter gauge even if you build a cross-sled. Easy to setup for quick miter or straight cuts. Maybe grab a saw blade set so you have a low tooth and high tooth count blade for the various associated activities.

Unit you figure out the out/in-feed table, you may want a material support (roller stand). I bought one of these and use it all the time when handling the larger sheets and they're on the cheaper side.

There are some great woodworking forums that offer some good advice as to how to best use a table saw for a variety of ops. In many cases they'll share what accessories they like for doing what. It's worth looking around and checking out some of those recommendations. I've based my accessory purchases based on recommendations by others and, with the exception of a few, all ended up being good recommendations. The only thing I've never done is build a cross-sled. I opted to get an Incra sled that was ready to go out of the box because I didn't have time to build one when I needed it and Incra's design, given their use of aluminum in their design, was going to be smaller and more storable than if I built one completely out of wood.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Doesn't anybody read books anymore? There is so much more information to glean from a good reference item.

I'm always open to a good book. Have any recommendations? Nearly every time I go to Books-A-Million, I'm over in the magazine rack looking at Woodcraft, Shopsmith, and all the other magazines and looking for those Information articles to help me educate myself a little more. There's a few books around but they all seem to be more above my skill level right now with a lot of high end craft projects that require a lot more skill and specialized tools than I have or even know what are to some degrees.

 

[JohnMcD348]

I have an electrical Question on this unit.

Since it's a dual power motor 120/240, I think 15amps@120 and 7.5@240, would I be better off in the long term using this with 120 or 240 volt? Since it'll be in my garage, I'll be close to the breaker box anyway. Would I be better off having my Dad(Master Electrician) install a 220 outlet for me?

I'd been mulling over the idea of getting a couple of 220 outlets in there anyway for that Just In Case and for when the time comes that I finally manage to get a Mig Welder, I know I'll want a 220v unit.

 

[retfr8flyr]

If you can do 220 then by all means go that route. The saw will work much better on 220.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Another question on the Dado sets.

Would I be better off just getting a 3/16 set or go with a 29/32 set? I am assuming that the 29/32 set would just have more Dado's in it to stack so I could go smaller with that set but have the option to take a bigger bite if I needed to.

Am I right or wrong on that assumption?

 

[DekeT]

I'm always open to a good book. Have any recommendations? Nearly every time I go to Books-A-Million, I'm over in the magazine rack looking at Woodcraft, Shopsmith, and all the other magazines and looking for those Information articles to help me educate myself a little more. There's a few books around but they all seem to be more above my skill level right now with a lot of high end craft projects that require a lot more skill and specialized tools than I have or even know what are to some degrees.

Unfortunately most books stores(the ones still open) are emphasizing less useful subjects. I go to Amazon for the best stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=table%20saw&sprefix=table+saw%2Cstripbooks%2C218&rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Ck%3Atable%20saw

 

[Craptain]

The larger set could have more pieces or it could have bigger variety. e.g. 3/8" thickness could be achieved by 3 X 1/8" or 1/8 and 1/4". These are just an example not actual thicknesses BTW. I have thinner sets and just cut twice if I need bigger slots. Not ideal, but I could afford it this way. And honestly for my actual need I am OK with the extra work. It does require precise set-up and measurement though.

 

[Nowater]

The conversion to 220 is cheap and easy and not needed for a 15 amp tool (put it on a 20 amp circuit). As it is now, you can plug it in almost anywhere in your shop and only use one breaker space in the panel to protect the saw's circuit. Save the 220 volt outlets for items that must have them.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Would there be any benefit to running it on 220 instead of the 120? Would the motor run smoother? Would it run Hotter? Cooler? Would it help the motor run longer by not having to work as hard or would it wear it out faster having to run the higher voltage through it?

I really doubt I'd ever burn out the motor either way.

 

[jim2664258]

You should get a 6" dado stack and not an 8" since your saw is a smaller one. I have a Bosch 4000 and I went with the 6" stack. You cannot go wrong with Freud blades and a Freud dado stack. Remember to check craigslist, both of these do pop up from time to time.

A Gripper is an essential if you ask me. They are not cheap, but .. it's your hands, man. They allow you to cut very thin strips very safely.

 

[cheechi]

The conversion to 220 is cheap and easy and not needed for a 15 amp tool (put it on a 20 amp circuit). As it is now, you can plug it in almost anywhere in your shop and only use one breaker space in the panel to protect the saw's circuit. Save the 220 volt outlets for items that must have them.

None of this is incorrect, but I disagree in terms of the functional reality of it. If you have this saw you most likely have a stationary home for it, I would wire it on 220 so that it's not sharing a circuit with anything else. Instead of having to care what else is plugged into your 20A. Especially considering most shop vacs are also 15A and he probably doesn't have a dust extractor yet. You devote that much real estate to the saw you may as well use it for every job it can do.

That saw will have no issue with an 8" dado. Some saws the motor mounts, alignment parts, etc are strained too much by an 8" so they also make 6". My Ridgid portable wants 6" per the manual, the stationary version has no problem with 8". I'm sure I could use the 8" on mine, but I'm fine without it.

 

[JohnMcD348]

I have my first delima with my saw.

I was showing it to my Dad today and noticed slight surface rust showing up on the cast iron top. Rubbed off OK with some 0000 steel wool I keep around but, what can I do to help prevent this? It's been sitting in the garage now for 2 days.

I live in Central Florida, it get Humid here......

 

[jakemac]

Hit it with your favorite rust converter, neutralize, clean, then rub in a few coats of paste wax and buff.

In the short term, you could try smearing some grease on it until you have time to dress the table properly.

 

[Zeke]

Plus 1 on the paste wax. You'll get more benefit than rust protection. I know a few people including me that leave a TS outside. Frequent waxing and lubrication and there are no problems. AFA your comment about "Zero Clearance inserts" check out these folks.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Thanks. I Googled Preventing Rust on my Table Saw and found a lot of links that basically boiled it down to 3 different things. Yellow Can Johnson's Paste Wax, Boeshield, and TopCote.

I wondered about car waxing it originally but wondered if it could or would cause any problems with finishing the wood after it'd been slid over the surface. I'm guessing not.

I placed my order to Incra yesterday. I'm getting the V120 Miter, Incra Gauge and the Wixey Digital Angle gauge/Level.

 

[shannonw]

I'm in florida. I don't have a nice cast iron top, but i put CRC on the nuts,etc of all my stuff (or try too!) they'll be a surface rust mess in short order. Nuts on tools, bikes, parts, you name it...never ending battle garage wise. Good news is once i've used crc it never rusts. The wax in that stuff is so thick, never tried boeshield...one thing on the crc it will be notably visable but at least won't rust...then again could be my can is 10 years old.

 

[PugetDude]

The first thing I'd buy is the Bosch Gravity Rise Stand to mount it on...

 

[jakemac]

I'm in florida. I don't have a nice cast iron top, but i put CRC on the nuts,etc of all my stuff (or try too!) they'll be a surface rust mess in short order. Nuts on tools, bikes, parts, you name it...never ending battle garage wise. Good news is once i've used crc it never rusts. The wax in that stuff is so thick, never tried boeshield...one thing on the crc it will be notably visable but at least won't rust...then again could be my can is 10 years old.

CRC used to be the "go to" stuff for lube and rust protection, but the gov't got involved in the mid-2000's and they were required to change the formula. IDK if the new stuff is as good, but the gov'ts track record on "improvements" hasn't impressed me. I haven't used the new stuff. I finally ended up with PB Blaster, not as good as the old CRC, but better than other choices IMHO.

Either way, I wouldn't use it for the table on a saw. It could stain the wood and cause it to reject stain or paint in splotches. For work surfaces, I've been using paste wax. Butcher's Wax used to be the good stuff, but it's hard for me to find, so now I use Johnson's. It requires less effort to work it as well.

 

[Craptain]

Another voice from Florida recommending paste wax. I have only needed to redo it a couple of times a year with moderate use. I use it on all my wood machines. Apply it just the way you would polish your car, buffing it out to finish it. It will protect, lubricate and will cause no problems to the wood you are cutting. DO NOT use anything with silicone in it. Finishes and polishes will not adhere.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Thanks all for the comments. I'm on a search now for Johnson's Paste wax locally.

 

[jakemac]

Thanks all for the comments. I'm on a search now for Johnson's Paste wax locally.

Hardware stores (Ace / True Value) or Supermarkets would be your best bet.