Table Saw

The table saw is another critical piece of equipment in the machining area. In fact, some regard it as the single most important piece of equipment for any woodworking shop. It is the central piece of machinery used for ripping stock, cutting miters and making crosscuts, dados and joinery cuts.

The table saw's fence is critical. It moves from side to side and can be locked in position anywhere on the table that is parallel to the blade. The fence braces the wood stock as it passes over the table-saw blade, enabling perfectly straight cuts to be made. The fence is equipped with a ruler for precise measurements, and it can be located on either side of the blade.

The blade is covered with a plastic guard to reduce the chance of injury. The blade itself can be raised or lowered, and it can be tilted in either direction to make angled cuts. Slots in the table accommodate a miter gauge that slips easily into place for making mitered cuts.

As with the jointer, adequate clearance is required around the table saw to allow working with larger pieces of wood. A roller stand at the end of a table saw makes it easier to feed longer pieces of wood across the saw when working alone.