[roofner]

How many of you have the Dewalt 745 Table saw? I'm think of buy this saw and putting it on a roll around cart with locking casters. I can pack extra storage into the cart. Same foot print better dust collection. The Makita has a problem bevel only goes to 30 degrees. Probably could be fixed by cleaning the saw dust out. It would be more mobile than now.

 

[sreilly]

Hey Gary, the biggest issue I have with this style is how it will be used. As described it isn't going to be overall stable for sheet goods or long wood without plenty of external support. I see them more as a contractor saw for on the job type work instead of a shop tool. But this is my opinion. I just don't think they are as safe. It may well fit your needs where someone else may feel otherwise. I'd just spend some time thinking about what and how you would use it before laying out the cash. Kind of wish I had done that when I bought my Shop-Smith. It certainly has its uses but for me I ended up buying individual machines as well. The table saw was good for smaller cuts but I would never try doing anything large like sheet goods on it. But if space is limited you can find work arounds like using a track saw/circular saw and straight edge to cut the wood down to a manageable size. Just give it some thought......

 

[JOAT]

The table saw was good for smaller cuts but I would never try doing anything large like sheet goods on it.

Well, it "is" possible (with two people - one acting as a table extension to hold the cut ends up, never pulling), but I would go with a different option if I had the choice. Kinda like walking on a pit of hot coals, I would go with a different option if I had the choice.

 

[sreilly]

If the weight of the wood is anywhere close to the weight of the table saw then things get very unstable regardless of how many people assist. It's far safer to cut those pieces off the table with a circular or track saw and straight edge.

 

[Herb Stoops]

If you have a Makita you know the limitations of contractor saws. The Dewalt looks like a good saw. I bought the Bosch 4100 for a second saw in my shop and I am very pleased with it in that capacity. it has its limits, but it saved me a lot of time and hassel when I needed to rip an extra piece during a set up on the larger saw that I would have had to take down and reset up again.
I did like you suggest doing and put it on a roll around cabinet,now all the accessories for that saw stay with it.
Go for it.
Herb

 

[DesertRatTom]

A friend had a contractor saw built into a cart that extended the table. The saw was leveled, the exact height set with shims so the saw table and the surrounding table were level. He'd cut a couple of miter slot extensions into the table top. The stand had lots of storage for accessories and was very heavy and stable. A circ saw with a decent blade and a straight edge for pre cutting to smaller sizes is the cheap solution to handling large sheet goods. Even with help, I just don't want to wrestling 4x8 or 5x5 sheets anymore.

The real issue to me is power. I went for a Laguna 1.75 hp saw and stalling and even burning all but stopped compared to my old 1hp Delta. I can also upgrade it to 220v to add hp if I want, but I haven't needed that much power yet. The Table saw is the center of the shop and it can do so many things for you. Check out the Bosch 4100. They seem to be at reduced prices just now, and there is no question it is top of the line for that category of saw, including having a decent fence and taking a dado set.

 

[JOAT]

If the weight of the wood is anywhere close to the weight of the table saw then things get very unstable regardless of how many people assist. It's far safer to cut those pieces off the table with a circular or track saw and straight edge.

Yep, possible, but definitely last choice. Those Shopsmiths are good tools tho. A bit of a pain changing uses, but can't beat them for using in a limited space. Sold mine for a few $ more than I paid for it, when I figured out (finally) how to put in stand alone tools. Wish I had kept it, could have stuck it in a corner, would have taken up little space, and would have been very useful any number of times.

 

[ScottyDBQ]

It would obviously have limitations due to its size, but its compact size may be a significant factor in getting it in the first place. If you attached the saw to the cabinet and add a bag of cement or sand on the bottom shelf – cheap ballast – that would improve its stability. I could not determine how long the arbor is to see whether it would allow the use of a dado blade, and it looks like if you needed a zero clearance insert for a dado blade or a standard bade for that matter, you could do that. Whatever power issues that has could be helped by a thin kerf blade. I don't know that you would be cutting wide, deep dadoes; if so, you'd want to check out how wide a dado said it would take. Although I don't have one of these saws, I know a fellow who has a larger version of a DeWalt worksite saw and he likes the rack and pinion fence accuracy.

 

[Stick486]

have you considered a Bosch 4100...
as near as I can tell you can't use a dado blade in the DW but you can in the Bosch...

 

[anndel]

I have one and it's fine for a jobsite saw. I don't do sheet goods like plywood on it because it's too small but not impossible. For 4 x 8 plywood I use a straight edge and circular saw or even a track saw. Other than that it's a great portable table saw.

 

[Nickp]

The top two are the Bosch 4100 and the Dewalt 745...it will come down to your preferences, what you will do with it and its capabilities. Some people love the hell out of the rack/pinion fence...I could take it or leave it.

Important item is how much of a dado you can cut with it, if you need it to do that. Word has it that the 745 will not take a dado stack.

I bought the 4100 and am extremely happy with it...I have used a 745 (a friend) and I like the 4100 better...just my opinion...

 

[roofner]

I already have a track saw that how I work. I plan on leveling and and having miter slots in the extensions. Need more space.

 

[Stick486]

@roofner..

every project I have ever posted was done using my 4100...

 

[Barry747]

I have the 745 and set up as Tim explained. I built a rolling stand that put the saw exactly even with the end of my work bench. I cut 2 miter slots in the end of my bench as extensions to accommodate my crosscut sled. The table provides storage for blades, various zero clearance inserts, two miter gauges and saw dust. I can cut 8/4 hard maple or purpleheart with no problem and it's easy to set up and change blades. The fence is accurate and easy to adjust if necessary. With that said, there are two "cons'. The arbor is too short for a dado stack. I have a 1/4" dado blade and have been able to make do but, at times, a dado stack would make life a lot easier. The second is the dust collection. I'm using a shop vac so that may be some of the problem but it does drop a lot of dust under the saw.

I don't cut any large sheets of plywood with the table saw. I use a circular saw to break it down.

If I had to do it again, I'd take a serious look at the Bosch 4100. I have their router, jig saw and ROS and really like all of them.

 

[billyjim]

I have the Bosch 4100 also. It came with the gravity rise stand which was nice but had a substantial footprint. I decided I could better utilize the limited space I have by building a cabinet to house the saw. The cabinet has essentially the same footprint as the stand did but I created a significant amount of storage space which the stand did not offer. I use an outfeed roller when cutting longer pieces. Sheet goods are broken down with my track saw. It has been a good arrangement for me.

 

[Stick486]

will this help???
nicely done cabinet you have there...

.

 

[Nickp]

I have the Bosch 4100 also. It came with the gravity rise stand which was nice but had a substantial footprint. I decided I could better utilize the limited space I have by building a cabinet to house the saw. The cabinet has essentially the same footprint as the stand did but I created a significant amount of storage space which the stand did not offer. I use an outfeed roller when cutting longer pieces. Sheet goods are broken down with my track saw. It has been a good arrangement for me. View attachment 386929

That is one slick cabinet for that baby...! Nice job...

 

[billyjim]

Thanks Stick. I was doing a search on how to correct it but the only thing I could find was taking pictures in the landscape mode. How did you change it?

 

[billyjim]

That is one slick cabinet for that baby...! Nice job...

Thanks Nick. The beauty of it, to me, is that it is the same footprint as the stand but I gained so much storage space.

 

[Stick486]

Thanks Stick. I was doing a search on how to correct it but the only thing I could find was taking pictures in the landscape mode. How did you change it?

right clicked on it...
clicked on ''save image as''...
sent to my documents...
opened it in Irfanview..
rotated it 180°...
saved it again...
posted it...