Hi all, I'm just getting my feet wet (or should I say, hands splintered) in woodworking and I'm wondering what is the best multipurpose saw to get. I would like to start small and build some bird feeders and bird houses, and maybe a couple magazine racks. I'd also like to replace a lot of the door and window trim in my house. I've been refinishing the trim and doors and some of the trim is in bad shape. I'm hoping to enroll in a beginner woodworking class at the local adult education program in January, but until that, I'm all self-taught. Thanks for your suggestions.

Mary-NH

Mary are you refering to a hand held saw, miter saw, or table saw? Each one will aloow you to do different things.
JohnP

Well, I guess I'm trying to decide between a table saw and a miter saw. I know eventually I'll need (want) both kinds, but I just was trying to make the best choice for the next purchase.

My husband has a nice jig saw, a Sawzall, and an old circular saw. I'm leaning towards a table saw because it's hard to cut a straight line with what I have now! But can you cut mitered corners with a table saw?

Keep leaning ( but don't fall;-))and go for it. TS is my first cohice.
You can make several jigs for the powerhand saw and use it in place of a power miter box for most projects.

Joe M.

It's my opinion that a table saw is the best first choice to make, but it need to be set-up right and kept in very good maintenance or it's worth nothing. With the right jigs you can make just about any cut you can think of.
If you find that you have need to cut alot of miters the a saw like this is a nery good place to start. I use mine alot for cutting one or two items.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/...927&cat=1,42884


JohnP
PS. if you haventaready done so I suggest that you order some woodworking catalogs,then read the discripion of every item on every page. The information you gather before you buy could save you lots of $$$

Edited: 11/15/2007 at 11:04 AM by JohnP

Thanks for the advice - - I'll read, read, read!
Mary-NH

I'm going to depart from the general opinion and suggest a band saw. I am also a new woodworker (had my own shop for a couple of years), and I find the bandsaw the most flexible tool I own. You can rip, crosscut, cut joinery, saw curves, etc. With the right jig you can do an awful lot. Granted, the band saw has limited width capacity but you said you wanted to start with small projects anyway. The bandsaw is also safer in some uses than a table saw. The blades are also less expensive than a table saw's. I did not get a bandsaw until I had been woodworking seriously for a year and it was like "Where have you been all my life?" I love it.

Mary

You have received a lot of good advice. I'd like to add one more suggestion.

In most areas there are Woodworking clubs. They have members willing to demonstrate tools or go so far as to help someone get started.

I'd been fiddling with little things for years when something was needed. Now the local club had expanded my knowledge and abilities tremendously.

Good Luck whatever you decide.
Remember Safety First.

Pete

Mary:In the past 40 years I have accumulated a table saw, a radial arm saw, a Sears 12" bandsaw, and a 21" Canpro bandsaw. Most of what I have made is the sort of small thing you mentioned, as well as wooden toy and carving rough-cuts for elementary students years ago. I have used the band saw and the radial arm saw for most cutting. I agree with Susan's delight in using the band saw and in enjoying its versatility, relative safety, and control over a cut. I would like to emphasize the importance of having a GOOD BLADE in the band saw. Take off the one that comes with the saw and buy a Swedish silicone steel one such as the ones you can get from Timber Wolf or Highland Hardware. Also, keep everything on your bandsaw adjusted as close to perfect as you can!

If you buy a cheap bandsaw, replace the aluminum pulleys with balanced, cast iron ones, and the drive belt with a link belt. Doing all this, rebuilding the band saw stand with a heavy wood top and shelf, and moving the motor up behind the band saw, has turned my vibrating, inaccurate Sears saw into a quiet, accurate, pleasure to use. My 21" band saw is a good quality saw and required nothing but adjustments and a silicone steel blade. With both saws, I get perfectly straight resaws using only the standard fence, a 3/8 blade, and light pressure feed.

Anytime I want to make accurate cuts, such as in moldings, I use a 50-year-old, cast iron Millers Falls miter box with a 35" backsaw. (Right! It's hand powered.) I bought it in the 1960's, it's dead-on accurate no matter the angle of cut, and I've never had to adjust a thing on it. I bought a DeWalt 12" sliding, compound miter saw a couple of years ago, used it a few times, and I'm giving it to my niece's husband this Christmas because I'd rather use my miter box and my band saws. A good, modern i.e. lighter, miter box and saw can be bought more cheaply than a miter saw at such places as Lee Valley Tools.

If you make a lot of small things, two tools that can save a lot of work are an oscillating sander and a combination 9" disc and 1"x24" belt sander. These two and the two saws above have had the most use of all the tools in my shop.

Bill W.