Today I bought 2 saws. The first because I really needed it. Well
researched and exactly what I wanted. A Makita 10 inch sliding
Compound miter. The second saw was an impuls buy which I NEVER do, but
this time I just couldn't resist the price. Now I wonder if I'll be
bringing it back. It was a Skilsaw brand 10 inch bench top table saw.
Normally wouldn't look at such a thing, but last night I had to do
something and wished I had a table saw. Not willing to spend lots of $
for a good one (I'm generally not a woodworker, but I'm trimming out
my house right now, hence the miter saw). I was enamored by the price.
10 inch, 15 amp, cast alluminum table. Fence, miter, table extension
and slidinr rear extension and leg set and carbide blade. Price $99
minus a 10% coupon I had = $90.

Problem is, I don't buy many woodworking tools, but in general every
tool I buy (mostly hand tools) is absolutely high end. Will this thing
dissapoint. Not looking to make furniture here, but will probably use
it as a construction tool for home projects.

MM wrote:

Problem is, I don't buy many woodworking tools, but in general every
tool I buy (mostly hand tools) is absolutely high end. Will this thing
dissapoint. Not looking to make furniture here, but will probably use
it as a construction tool for home projects.

I have an impulse buy version of the self same saw. Similar circumstances.
I wasn't much of a woodworker at that point, and it was cheeeeeap, so I
said what the heck.

Do I recommend it? No, not really. There's a lot not to like.

Can you make use of it? It greatly depends on what you're trying to do.
Getting precision out of one of these things is no easy task, though it's
possible to some extent. If you're doing work where precision isn't that
important, it will probably serve you just fine.

The one good thing going for it is that it's very light and portable.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17474 Approximate word count: 524220
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Smokey wrote, wondering if this is really what he meant?

Hope it works well for you - it's not that bad a saw.

He could have done a lot worse!

Rich
--
You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK.
Atten: Micro$oft Outlook users, please take me
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Email, remove the DOT

In article , MM
wrote:

Will this thing
dissapoint. Not looking to make furniture here, but will probably use
it as a construction tool for home projects.

It's a decent benchtop saw. I have one and have not been disappointed
with it. It paid for itself on the first project, so it's been free ice
cream since then.

djb

--
"I don't always know what I'm talking about, but I know I'm right." -- Muhammad
Ali

Interesting question. Did not know that Skilsaw made table saws. Watching
your question.

Ed
"Dave Balderstone" wrote in message
...
In article , MM
wrote:

Will this thing
dissapoint. Not looking to make furniture here, but will probably use
it as a construction tool for home projects.

It's a decent benchtop saw. I have one and have not been disappointed
with it. It paid for itself on the first project, so it's been free ice
cream since then.

djb

--
"I don't always know what I'm talking about, but I know I'm right." --
Muhammad
Ali

In article , MM
wrote:

Will this thing
dissapoint. Not looking to make furniture here, but will probably use
it as a construction tool for home projects.

I bought a different model Skil tablesaw 4 years ago as my first
powertool purchase (before I knew anything about WW or powertools). I
have to concur with some of the above posts that accuracy is a
function much to be desired. I had no trouble building myself some
solid sawhorses, e.g., but trying to get anything near an accurate
mitre cut for picture frames is maddening. I also was unable to get a
true adjustment for blade-tilt angles, no matter how much I messed
with the adjustment screws, so the machinist's square gets far more
use than I would like when setting up a cut that requires more that
1/8" accuracy.

IOW, yes, it'll cut wood -- but I'm saving my pennies for the Grizzly
1023SL.

Brint Keyes wrote:

mitre cut for picture frames is maddening. I also was unable to get a
true adjustment for blade-tilt angles, no matter how much I messed
with the adjustment screws, so the machinist's square gets far more
use than I would like when setting up a cut that requires more that
1/8" accuracy.

Yeah, I should add that after I used it to cut some compound angle stuff
(that didn't need to be terribly precise) it took me most of an hour to get
the damn thing back to 90-degrees. I don't intend to ever tilt the blade
again. If I have to cut angle stuff, I'll do it on my circular saw.

IOW, yes, it'll cut wood -- but I'm saving my pennies for the Grizzly
1023SL.

Me too. Or something. Anything has to be better. It's one step above
useless, but with patience and generous amounts of necessity, it can be
made to do a passable job.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17507 Approximate word count: 525210
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Direct drives make way toooooo much racket.

I hope you have a belt drive somewhere in your list.

Overall, though, it was a fair saw for the money -- but
you really have to watch that fence.



"Rich" wrote in message
...
Smokey wrote, wondering if this is really what he meant?

Hope it works well for you - it's not that bad a saw.

He could have done a lot worse!

Rich
--
You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK.
Atten: Micro$oft Outlook users, please take me
off of your address books!
Email, remove the DOT

Drive type has nothing to do with it. I have a direct drive saw that is as
smooth and quiet as any saw I have ever seen. It has an induction motor
"Ken Luther" wrote in message
...
Direct drives make way toooooo much racket.

I hope you have a belt drive somewhere in your list.

Overall, though, it was a fair saw for the money -- but
you really have to watch that fence.

I've chimed in on this thread before, but today I went to the Despot for the
first time in ages, and saw what passes for a Skil 3400 table saw these
days. It's not quite the same animal as the one I have in my shop.

I won't bother to go into all the picky differences, but basically my
feeling was that if I have to have a Skil 3400 table saw, I wish I had one
of the new ones instead of the one I've got. It doesn't look like a
dramatic improvement, but it does seem to have addressed at least some of
the issues that have plagued my saw.

I looked at the BT-3100 today too, and I can see why so many have
recommended it. Given a choice between them, I'd leave the Skil at the
door for sure, but at this point it wouldn't really be worth my spending
the money for one, I don't think. With a crosscut/miter sled and a bunch
of jigs, the Skil is no longer a source of shame in my shop.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
Confirmed post number: 17580 Approximate word count: 527400
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/