Bosch REAXX

I notice you have a pretty small shop, so that saw may be a pretty good fit. The safety factor is nice and not destroying the blade is a good thing. The folding stand allows the saw to be stored vertically, out of the way. Not sure whether you can use a dado stack with it, which I'd check out, although much of the time you can do dado cuts well with a router. A friend had a small worksite table saw set into his workbench so the table top and the table of the saw were exactly the same height. This made it far more useful, and you wouldn't lose space to the stand. With the small shop, you're likely to use it outside most of the time, in which case the stand would be nice too.

I was going to suggest you consider spending somewhat less for a Laguna Fusion 10 inch table saw, which is a superb saw, but require syou dedicate space in your shop you really don't have. A full size table saw requires space in front and behind the saw, and you don't really want to move a shop style table saw if you don't have to.

I got home a week ago and the person I was counting on, my older son, was there, and he had unpacked it and assembled the stand. Unfortunately he had not checked that all parts were present, but he was very suspicious of the way the motor/blade assembly was dangling. We nonetheless attached it to the stand, and nothing we tried put the motor/blade assembly in position. Also the table insert was nowhere to be found, and further inspection showed bolts that attach the motor/blade assembly to the top, and are used to adjust alignment of the blade, were missing. On Monday I called CPO and they had me call Bosch tech support. Tech support was out of the officer until Wed. I called on Wed and the CS person could not understand what I meant by "dangling" and wanted me to call CPO. Finally we worked out that a service tech was going to try to schedule a visit but he works out of St. Louis, a 3+ hour drive. In addition it would take some time for him to schedule a trip to me. We finally settled on the missing parts would be sent and we would see if I, with help from my son and maybe his friend, a guy his age who has great mechanical (but not academic) sense, could get everything right. If we get the saw right we will move it to a permanent stand because the 38 inch (97 cm) high table height is about 8 inches (20 cm) higher than my optimal work height.

@DesertRatTom, When I received it I began to think how I could use it and quickly realized that cuts I had made with a router or circular saw would be so much easier and quicker with the table saw, but it is unlikely to affect how I use my compound sliding miter saw. I will be able to work much more quickly and the range of projects I cold realistically undertake is expanded. Stay tuned.

@TWheels Must have been a disappointment that it didn't go together right off the bat. I imagine it's a repack of a returned saw. CPO has a pretty good reputation with these things, so I imagine it will be taken care of. If not, this Forum will need an explanaton. That kind of thing is a reputation killer.

You may be surprised at how often you'll prefer using the table saw rather than the sliding miter. When you get up and running, get a blade or two, they will really affect your work. I particularly love the Freud Glue Line rip blade, although I use it for crosscuts too. Buttery smooth cuts every time.

I have also switched (almost all) narrow kerf blades for full kerf (1/8th thick) blades. They don't deflect as some of the narrow ones have when cutting mitered ends, as in picture frames.

If CPO won't fix the saw, don't be afraid to return it. I was never able to get my first small table saw to cut right, but waited too long to return it. The blade stop is really nice, but you aren't married to it. Safety on a table saw is far more about how you behave and move around the saw and handle your material. I still think-through every cut I make on my saw, anticipating every move, and planning. Saws are not what chops fingers off, careless woodworkers do.

DesertRatTom said:

@TWheels Must have been a disappointment that it didn't go together right off the bat. I imagine it's a repack of a returned saw. CPO has a pretty good reputation with these things, so I imagine it will be taken care of. If not, this Forum will need an explanaton. That kind of thing is a reputation killer.

You may be surprised at how often you'll prefer using the table saw rather than the sliding miter. When you get up and running, get a blade or two, they will really affect your work. I particularly love the Freud Glue Line rip blade, although I use it for crosscuts too. Buttery smooth cuts every time.

I have also switched (almost all) narrow kerf blades for full kerf (1/8th thick) blades. They don't deflect as some of the narrow ones have when cutting mitered ends, as in picture frames.

If CPO won't fix the saw, don't be afraid to return it. I was never able to get my first small table saw to cut right, but waited too long to return it. The blade stop is really nice, but you aren't married to it. Safety on a table saw is far more about how you behave and move around the saw and handle your material. I still think-through every cut I make on my saw, anticipating every move, and planning. Saws are not what chops fingers off, careless woodworkers do.

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Cherryville Chuck said:

That is a bit disappointing Tom but Ilm sure between CPO and Bosch they'll get it worked out. Like Desert Rat Tom I also like the glue line Freud blade. There are 2 of them, one is for only about 1" thick cuts and the other is for 3" cuts. It does take a bit of power to bury that full kerf blade 3" deep in a dense wood. In those cases for an underpowered saw I recommend the D24 Freud thin kerf rip blade. It also does a fine job and can be had for $38 I've seen. I also often just leave it on for cross cuts unless it is something that needs a finish cut.

I also agree that it is the user that makes a saw dangerous but considering that you are forced to operate it sitting down the safety feature is a smart back up plan.

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First thanks very much for the advice on blades, @Cherryville Chuck and @DesertRatTom. I currently own a Timberline blade for plastics. I am looking into the Freud blades. I had not previously
considered the glue line blade. I had considered the Freud 10 In. 50 Tooth Combination Saw Blade with 5/8 In. Arbor (LU84R011) blade and maybe a finish blade along the lines of Freud D1080X Diablo 10" 80-tooth ATB Finish Saw Blade w/ 5/8" Arbor & PermaShield Coating.

Update on my Bosch REAXX: After lengthy discussion and submission of photographs, CPO authorized a return of the one I have and have agreed to ship a new one. The one I have has been packed in the original shipping box (enormous thanks to my older son and his friend) and will be picked up by UPS who has a return ticket. The best news of all is that a new one should have been shipped by now. I have already enlisted my son and his friend to mount it on a permanent stand that will put the table top at about 30 inches (75 cm) high table, my best working height.

@Cherryville Chuck, what you said that I have made bold expresses my thoughts exactly and eloquently.