We often think that a table saw’s effectiveness is always proportional to its price. But this is not always the case. A saw bought at a fair price can serve any purpose, provided you use it properly.
Most people, except professionals, tend to shop for table saws at the more affordable end of the scale, meaning they opt for saws with limited features and power. The following tips can help you get any job done smoothly, regardless of the saw’s features and price.
1. Get Help
The high-end saws come with big tables to support your workpiece while cutting, but other saws are portable, so they do not have a platform to support your workpiece.
With someone to help handle the material as you cut it, the material’s weight gets distributed evenly, preventing different situations like your saw falling and a wood kickback.
2. Work with Extendable Roller Stands
Working with someone to help balance the weight of the material is a better option, but it may not always be possible. An alternative is using one or two telescope roller stands to extend the table saw’s reach. Ensure you set the rollers at the same height as the table and perpendicular to your saw blade.
If you do not place the extendable roller properly, it can pull your work in another direction, leaving sideways pressure on the saw table. A binding or fatal kickback may also occur. Ball rollers can serve as your extendable rollers to make your work easier, and they can move in different directions.
3. Build a Temporary Table
You can build a functional outfeed table with melamine-coated particleboard sheets and sawhorses to hold lightweight materials. The out-feed table is a perfect working piece for cutting thin sheets like wainscot and paneling. Make sure you do not cover your saw’s safety features, such as the emergency shutoff, while working.
4. Make Several Passes
Putting pressure on your motor by cutting dense, heavy, thick, or large materials can damage your saw. A saw with basic features may come with a low-power electric motor. Even if the saw’s blade extends three inches past the table, the motor’s power may not be sufficient to cut three inches of solid timber.
Short cuts give a quicker result than long rip cuts that heat your blade and restrict its movement. You can make several passes and raise the blade a little during each pass, but ensure every pass cuts at a depth the saw can handle.
If the blade is completely in your workpiece, the saw will exert more pressure to remove waste material, so cut through fewer inches than the saw’s capacity in each pass. This ensures your safety and increases the saw’s lifespan.
5. Secure the Saw While Working
Most portable table saws have holes to fasten them to your work surface. Ensure you use the hole if your table saw has one. This prevents your saw from vibrating or moving as you cut through any material. Securing the saw on your work table also prevents accidents and makes your work accurate and easier.
You don’t need to break the bank to get a well-functioning table saw. If you get a decent saw at a fair price, employing the right technique can help you complete your work without hassles.