Hey everyone! I've been getting into woodworking as a hobby for about two years, mainly creating small boxes and trinkets. I also took on a larger project where I built a Murphy bed and some shelves at home, but that was more of a one-off. The issue I'm running into is my space situation; I don't have a garage, so every time I want to work, I have to drag my DeWalt jobsite saw out, which is super inconvenient. I'm considering whether it might be worth switching to a smaller table saw that I could lift with one hand. I've been checking out the SawStop compact table saw, but I've noticed it can't accommodate a dado stack, which I often use when making my boxes. It's also not significantly smaller! Alternatively, I could just sell the wheels and legs from my DeWalt on Craigslist. What do you all think? Also, I have a circular saw with a rip guide, and a Festool track saw for larger pieces, but no miter saws. Most people seem to use a table saw combined with a Harvey miter gauge for miters.
3 Answers
Honestly, with how much you’re dragging that saw around, maybe you should be looking for a new place with a garage instead of just a new saw! Haha.
As someone who also has a compact workspace, I can say that switching to a smaller saw might not give you the versatility you need. A table saw smaller than a jobsite saw can feel more like a toy for crafting rather than a real woodworking tool. I actually use a rolling workbench and a benchtop router table for my box dados. Plus, I have a folding stand for my job site saw, which works well in a tight space. Just a thought—it might be worth keeping what you have!
Have you considered getting a folding stand that has wheels? That's usually what the DeWalt job site saw comes with, and it makes moving it around way easier. You can even buy the stand separately for around $177 if you don't already have one.
I have that exact stand, and while it’s convenient, it does take up quite a bit of space even when it’s folded.
🙂 I’m working on that!