# Table Saw in the UK??



## TheOakDude (Oct 11, 2011)

I am seriously needing to upgrade my table saw. Want a cabinet saw. The US seems to be light years ahead of UK with the choices and variety of standards.
I would seriously love one of those steel city granite top thingys. and at $999 seems to be pretty reasonable for what you are getting. I would be happy with the new Rigid but nothing like either of them in the UK. Can anyone please steer me towards a good cabinet saw in the UK????
Please help


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

I think 'sip' and 'charnwood' are 2 brands available in the UK.
SIP Table Saws. Workshop Table Saws. SIP Online Shop
W619 8'' Cast Iron Table Saw » Buy Online » Charnwood


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

gav said:


> I think 'sip' and 'charnwood' are 2 brands available in the UK.
> SIP Table Saws. Workshop Table Saws. SIP Online Shop
> W619 8'' Cast Iron Table Saw » Buy Online » Charnwood


I just noticed something with these two online saw catalogs. Neither brand lists the motor size used in their products. In the US every saw manufacturer lists the size of the motors in their catalogs. I would want to know this before I bought any table saw and I would want to try a saw out before I bought it. 

Can you get General tools from Canada in the UK? Their table saws are considered to be very good saws in the US. 

I hope this helps in your pending decision. 

Charley


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

What do you mean by motor size ?
Bother offer up voltage, wattage and or Horsepower ratings.
What other size ratings do you need ?


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Oops, I missed the wattage rating. It's there if I had just looked harder for it.

OK, let me start over. 

I have owned and used table saws with 8" - 12" blade sizes with motor sizes ranging from 1 - 5 hp, and for most cabinet and furniture making work I prefer the 10" blade size or larger with a 3 hp or larger motor. Go less than that and you will likely wish that you had bought the bigger saw when doing some of your work. If the blade is less than 10" there will be some pieces that can't be cut all the way through at 45 degrees in one pass. Less than 3 hp and there will be problems cutting some of the hardwoods, especially at a 45 degree angle. You can make do with less saw in a home shop, but it shouldn't be considered if this saw is going into a serious hobby or professional shop. 

The blade and motor size are only part of the system. You also need to make sure that the rip fence is built solid, is easy to move and lock, and is accurate. This will be true no matter what size saw you buy. A T-square type fence that rides and locks in place on a front rail has proven to be best for me. I have a Delta Unifence on my home saw and the one at work uses a Biesmeyer fence. Both are the T-square type fences. They both are very accurate, but I prefer my Unifence. It just feels better to me. I guess it's much like which car you like best. So choose a saw with a fence that is easy to use and is accurate. Probably the only way to decide is to try the saw with the fence that you think you like before you buy it. 

You said that you liked the granite top saws. There are goods and bads about them. On a granite top saw the top won't rust and it's very flat, but they can break if something falls on them or they receive rough handling in shipment or moves. You also can't use any magnetically held featherboards or fixtures on them. Mounting a stock feeder or other special tool or fixture to the top will be extremely difficult.

A cast iron top will rust if not kept waxed and cared for. It will remain flat if it was properly machined when new. It can also break if something falls on it or it is rough handled in shipment, but it will resist more of this than the granite top saw. You can use magnetically held featherboards on it. You can easily drill and thread holes in it to mount special tools and jigs such as a stock feeder. You will need to seriously consider these goods and bads for each before you buy.



The Charnwood has an 1100 watt motor at 220 volts, which equals 1.5 hp. It uses an 8" blade. I think this saw is a bit too small for a serious hobbyist and way too small for a professional shop.

The SIP 01332 has a 2240 watt motor at 220 volts, which equals 3 hp. It uses a 10" blade. This appears to be a very good saw with the right size blade and motor for a small professional shop or a serious home woodworking shop. It seems to be very close in size to a Delta Unisaw.

I prefer a 10" or larger blade on a table saw if it will be used for serious furniture or cabinet making. My home shop has a 3 hp 10" Delta Unisaw, and where I work has a Delta 12" 5 hp Delta RT40 saw. Both are great saws that can do everything that I have ever asked of them. My Unisaw is quite likely the last table saw that I will ever buy. It should outlast me.

I hope that I have helped you some this time. Sorry. I'll go back into my little corner now.

Charley


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## TheOakDude (Oct 11, 2011)

Charley,
thanks indeed for your insight. I am tempted by the larger 12" rather than 10" but they are expensive compared to the 10". I may end up going for 10" Sip
thanks again
Paul


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## TheOakDude (Oct 11, 2011)

Have found the saw I want, though I will have to save up a little first and sell a lot of butcher blocks and picture frames. But I think I will be a happy bunny when its installed.
Buy Axminster Industrial Series TSCE-12R 305mm Table Saw from Axminster, fast delivery for the UK


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Wow! It looks like you have found a UK version of a 3 hp Delta Unisaw. You should be very happy with it. I read the comments and was impressed that Axminster sends a truck from the factory to deliver it. That should guarantee that it arrives in good condition. I doubt we'll ever see factory deliveries here unless the machine sells for $1 million or more. The fence design looks very similar to my Delta Unifence with the long T slot style fence extrusion. I can't tell for certain from the photos if the fence extrusion can be used laying down as well as upright, but it looks like it can. This feature on the Delta Unifence has proven to be very handy, as it provides a low fence or a high fence depending on the need. I normally use the high fence position, but every once in a while the low fence option comes in very handy. I would love to have a sliding table like the Axminster. I can see that feature providing a lot of accuracy and safety. Sliding tables are available here, but I haven't found one that will fit my saw that I like yet, mostly because I don't have a lot of room for it. 

One of the best investments that I made for my saw was a digital fence readout. I have the Wixey WR 700 Wixey.com - Saw Fence Digital Readout It has really improved my saw's accuracy and the quality of my work for a very small investment. I can quickly and easily repeat fence settings to within a few thousandths of an inch. I'm not sure if they are available in the UK but there may be a similar product for sale there. I also use the Wixey digital angle gauge for setting the blade angle correctly. Wixey.com - Digital Angle Gauges Again, there may be an equivalent available in the UK.

Let us know when your saw arrives and how well it cuts. We like pictures too.

Charley


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## SimonB247 (Jan 20, 2014)

*Delta Table Saw 254mm with stand and spare blade*

Hi I am selling my Delta on Ebay it was used by a late friend to rip/cut wood for bespoke board meeting tables. Simon


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