# Circular Saw or Table Saw?



## Altman (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I need advice on a matter relating to woodworking. As you might know I am planning stage of acquiring a table saw for my open plan shop. However I saw on You Tube people converting their circular saws to table saws by mounting the circular saw upside down to the table. Now for the questions: 1. Is this method safe, taking the necessary precautions as with a table saw; 2. Will I be able to do the same cutting with this idée as with a purpose build table saw. The circular saw is a Ryobi 1300W Circular Saw at a lower price than the Ryobi 1500W Table Saw. The saving will be R900-00 in South African terms. Or in the approximately $125-00 US. 

I do not want to save money and lose limbs or worst, but if possible this will help me to buy more tools that I need. 

This grasshopper will listen to the voices of the masters experiences.

Thanks Altman.


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Altman,

This is not something that I would consider for a variety of reasons, safety being one of them. You will not get the accuracy nor the depth of cut of a table saw using a method like this. Spend the extra.... I think you will be happier and safer in the long run.


----------



## sourdough (Jan 31, 2010)

Save yourself a lot of time and annoyance and just buy a real table saw. Sure, you CAN rig a circle saw in various ways but it is just not as stable, not as capable and not as versatile as a regular table saw.
Dependent upon what you do most of the time you may be able to get along without a table saw and just use a GOOD circular saw and a proper guide. Remember: a great deal of the time a table saw just sits there.....being used as a TABLE!
Other, wiser heads will no doubt expand on this.


----------



## LexB (Apr 12, 2010)

There's no way I would mount a circular saw like you describe. With a proper guide rail system, a circular saw can do most of the same cutting jobs as well as a table saw, with the added benefit that it's safer for cutting large panels too. See Eurekazone's EZ-Smart system that works with just about any circular saw (and with an accessory plate, routers too.)


----------



## Titus A Duxass (Jan 6, 2010)

I have no table saw, I use a circular saw with a guide rail for long cuts (rips as well) and a have a cross cut jig like this - Free Circular Saw Cross Cut Jig Plan - Vinyl Siding Cutting Jig


----------



## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

I use both. I use the table saw for most ripping and crosscutting and angle cuts, and cuts in smaller pieces of sheet material. I have a couple of straightedges I made for my Makita circular saw, and a B&D crosscutting guide made for the Workmate system, which I use for construction-type projects. When you are dealing with 6 to 10' (2 - 3m) lengths of timber, it is so much easier to move the saw through the timber than the timber through the saw.


----------



## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

I'm in a similar boat. I think you're way better off either getting a table saw, or keeping your circular saw pointed down, and making some good jigs for it. I'm still trying to perfect ripping narrow stock with it, I can do it, but the set up is a real fidgety pain.


----------



## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

I agree - use the tools in the manner for which they were designed. Anything else is an invitation for a trip to the emergency hospital . . . or the morgue. 

As others have mentioned, you can make guide jigs to use the circular saw safely and accurately for cutting sheet goods. Or you can buy a track saw. I use a Festool TS55 with their guide rails, for example, but mostly due to the other features of the Festool saw. 

Jigs for doing smaller cuts with the circular saw are possible, but the accuracy won't be as good as with a real table saw.


----------



## Altman (Nov 16, 2010)

*Thanks*

Hi everyone, I want to thank you for your contributions to the question I have posted and value your input and info most highly. I think the lesson learned is when tools especially power tools have been designed to work in a certain way well work in that way with them, rather than taking a short CUT to the emergency room or morgue. 
Once again thank you for your quick responses. 
Blessings to all.
Altman
PPPPP (Pre Planning Prevents Poor Performance)


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Altman,

The Triton Workcentre is designed to use a circ. saw in that manner.

Wether you can find one in SA cheaper than a Table saw is debatable.


----------



## TedThomas (Dec 1, 2010)

Never use any tool for a purpose it is not designed for ---- Asking for trouble.


----------



## westend (Mar 31, 2009)

A 7 1/4" circular saw will not hold up to use as a table saw. I have one in my hand a lot, have for the last 40 yrs., and it is not the tool that a table saw is. 

I'll share this since it has an international flavor: About ten years ago I had occasion to rent a houseboat in Amsterdam. The landlord lived at the same dock and his house was a woodworkers statement. This gentleman had furnished the entire inside of his houseboat with builtins, exceptional trim details, and all the furniture. His species of choice was European Walnut and his work was masterful. I was absolutely awestruck and inquired where he had learned his woodworking skills, turns out that he spent many years as a Ship's Carpenter. 
I assumed that this Master would have a full shop and all the modern tools at his disposal. The last day of our stay, I heard the sound of lumber being sawn and hurried to watch the Master at work. He was ripping a long length of timber through a 12" blade attached to a DIY arbor with a belt and a motor clamped to the dock. This experience taught me, right there, that you don't need the best tool in the world to turn out good work.

Best of luck to the OP on his saw aquisition!


----------



## Altman (Nov 16, 2010)

*Thanks James*



jw2170 said:


> Hi Altman,
> 
> The Triton Workcentre is designed to use a circ. saw in that manner.
> 
> Wether you can find one in SA cheaper than a Table saw is debatable.


Hi James, true I looked around on the web and found some second hand Tritons for sale. Well to use an old saying “ I think it will be cheaper to get one by just buying the whole company”. Yes it is an unfortunate situation in South Africa, if I look at the tools that is available in other countries some envy creeps into my hart , and if it is made available here well in most cases I think I will have to sell my kidneys on the black market for names like Festool, DeWalt and in some cases Bosch. At the moment the most affordable brand is Ryobi and then not at all the retailers. So I must take my time and shop around. In some cases in is cheaper for us to buy directly from another country and have it Fedex to us depending on size and weight. For instance I am interested in the GRR Ripper which I do not think is available in South Africa. So now I will have to e-mail them and hear what the cost will be if I buy directly from them. 
But in any case thanks for the input I appreciate it. 

Blessings.

Altman


----------



## Altman (Nov 16, 2010)

westend said:


> A 7 1/4" circular saw will not hold up to use as a table saw. I have one in my hand a lot, have for the last 40 yrs., and it is not the tool that a table saw is.
> 
> I'll share this since it has an international flavor: About ten years ago I had occasion to rent a houseboat in Amsterdam. The landlord lived at the same dock and his house was a woodworkers statement. This gentleman had furnished the entire inside of his houseboat with builtins, exceptional trim details, and all the furniture. His species of choice was European Walnut and his work was masterful. I was absolutely awestruck and inquired where he had learned his woodworking skills, turns out that he spent many years as a Ship's Carpenter.
> I assumed that this Master would have a full shop and all the modern tools at his disposal. The last day of our stay, I heard the sound of lumber being sawn and hurried to watch the Master at work. He was ripping a long length of timber through a 12" blade attached to a DIY arbor with a belt and a motor clamped to the dock. This experience taught me, right there, that you don't need the best tool in the world to turn out good work.
> ...



True Lance your story reminded me of another saying I heard “A poor workman will always blame his tools”

Blessings.

Altman


----------



## Pete_Judd (Oct 19, 2010)

There is a reason that I have a 750# table saw, a worm drive saw, and a direct drive saw, and a number of straight edged clamps do guide the portable saws. I break down sheet goods as they arrive in the back of my truck by sliding them onto a couple of cheap HF sawhorses. I am disabled, and can't deal with full 4x8 sheets. I cut everything outside, into the pieces with a 1/4-1/2 overhang, then recut them on the big saw. I try to draw as little blood in the shop as I can, and a circ saw upside down is just asking for kickback, and drawing blood.


----------



## Altman (Nov 16, 2010)

Pete_Judd said:


> There is a reason that I have a 750# table saw, a worm drive saw, and a direct drive saw, and a number of straight edged clamps do guide the portable saws. I break down sheet goods as they arrive in the back of my truck by sliding them onto a couple of cheap HF sawhorses. I am disabled, and can't deal with full 4x8 sheets. I cut everything outside, into the pieces with a 1/4-1/2 overhang, then recut them on the big saw. I try to draw as little blood in the shop as I can, and a circ saw upside down is just asking for kickback, and drawing blood.


Thanks Pete I hear you loud and clear.

Blessings.

Altman


----------

