which table saw to get??

[kronvold]

Hello.

I need some advice regarding table saws.

I am about to start building Syren's Cutter Cheerful. I have purchased the wood package, and need to cut planks etc. So I need a table saw! 

Chuck Passaro recommended a saw from Byrnes. However I am not sure if they deliver to Europe? I live in Denmark.

I contacted Byrnes a couple of weeks ago but have not heard from them yet.

So my questions is... If I cannot get a Byrnes saw, what is the best alternative? I can see Proxxon makes one called FET. Is it any good? and if so which saw blade works best? Chuck recommend a .030 slitting blade. Is something like that available for the Proxxon FET?

Or are there other better alternatives?

Thank you in advance..

[bruce d]

Search 'Byrnes' on this site and you will find a lot of hits and an overwhelming mass of positive feedback.

I used to have a Proxxon FET, now I have a Byrnes. The Byrnes is the best saw for modelmaking in the world. However, I have to say that the FET is a good saw and was more than adequate for every job I threw at it. Also, it has a tilting blade feature. If you are able to get a Byrnes saw and want the best, go for it. The FET is cheaper and a lot of very good models have been made using it. I may get another FET one day if the price is right just to get the tilting blade feature.

You can PM Jim Byrnes from this forum. His username will come up in some of the hits when you search 'Byrnes'.

 

I am sure some of the more experienced members will add their endorsement of the Byrnes, but the FET should not be ignored.

Hope this helps,

Bruce

[cotrecerf]

Hi Kronvold,

I purchased the Byrnes Table saw plus accessories  directly from Jim in the USA mid last year.  They packed all items expertly for save shipment with lots of

well fitting foam parts in a big carton box and shipped by FEDEX Int'l.  It took approx. 4 weeks until the shipment was finally released from German Customs and delivered to me. I would recommend to order all spares and relevant accessories with this first lot due to economising on shipment and import costs.

 Technically seen it is a wonderful machine in high end manufacture. I love it.

Just inquire on their homepage and they will send you an offer including FEDEX delivery cost to your place.

Best Greetings to Denmark

 

[Gregory]

1 hour ago, kronvold said:

I can see Proxxon makes one called FET. Is it any good?

I am very pleased with the Proxxon FET.  I have made a lot of strips as thin as  .5 mm  from a variety of wood.

I particularly like the very precise fence adjustments.  The tilting feature is also great to have.

If you decide to get it, you may want to explore getting some finer blades than those Proxxon provides.  

 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by Gregory

[bruce d]

19 minutes ago, Gregory said:

... finer blades than those Proxxon provides. 

Absolutely. I used a couple of slitting saws with a home-made spacer to fit the spindle.

[Roger Pellett]

The Byrnes saw, is a professional quality machine.  If you decide to buy one, I suggest that you discuss spindle sizes with him.  Mine came fitted to use a blade with a 1/2in arbor hole.  Living in Europe, you will want to be able to buy replacement blades locally that will have metric sized arbor holes.  If he does not automatically fit his saws sent to Europe to accept metric sized blades you should ask him to make you an adaptor.  This is easy and inexpensive for him to do.

[mtaylor]

You asked about blades....  Here's a link.   While it's for the Byrnes, it will also work for the FET and Micromark saw (the last two are basically the same saw.   

 

[kronvold]

Thank you so much for all the help! Now I just need to think about what to do!!!😃

[Gregory]

5 minutes ago, Michel L. said:

Did you used the old or the new version of it ? I think the fence and the plastic quality are questionned.

I bought mine from Amazon a few months ago.

I'm not sure about the version.  I'll see if I can find a date stamp on it.

The plastic parts are all quite robust and don't appear in danger of failing any time soon. 

I find the fence to be very accurate and capable of very fine ( micrometer-like ) adjustments.

I believe the arbor is 10mm, but you can use this 1/2" arbor adapter from MicroMark  and use the excellent blades available from Malco Saw.

 

No doubt the Byrnes saw is the Rolex of small saws, but I find the Proxxon to be very capable.

 

[kronvold]

On 3/16/2021 at 11:58 AM, cotrecerf said:

Hi Kronvold,

I purchased the Byrnes Table saw plus accessories  directly from Jim in the USA mid last year.  They packed all items expertly for save shipment with lots of

well fitting foam parts in a big carton box and shipped by FEDEX Int'l.  It took approx. 4 weeks until the shipment was finally released from German Customs and delivered to me. I would recommend to order all spares and relevant accessories with this first lot due to economising on shipment and import costs.

 Technically seen it is a wonderful machine in high end manufacture. I love it.

Just inquire on their homepage and they will send you an offer including FEDEX delivery cost to your place.

Best Greetings to Denmark

 

Hello. I have now decided that I will purchase the Byrnes saw. You mention spares and accessories.. Which ones would you recommend? 

Thanks

[thibaultron]

I would say the extended rip fence, the micrometer stop, zero clearance inserts, and miter gauge extension, as the minimum. Some blades of different tooth counts, are a definite.

[Charles Green]

Jim's latest accessory is the sliding table-top.  It's an excellent accessory for precise repetitive cuts, especially angular ones.

The tall rip-fence is very useful.

 

A USA company, MSC Industrial Supply, offers a bewildering number of circular saw blades suitable for the Byrnes saw.  Look under Slitting Blades and Jeweler Saw Blades.  MSC has a UK branch which may make ordering blades somewhat easier for you.  

[No Idea]

47 minutes ago, thibaultron said:

I would say the extended rip fence, the micrometer stop, zero clearance inserts, and miter gauge extension, as the minimum. Some blades of different tooth counts, are a definite.

 

This is great advice - you will need 4 - 5 zero clearance inserts dependant on the different width blades you use and its great to have a spare.  I use all of the different blades for different jobs.

 

I imported mine to the UK and the customs charge and postage basically added a third or more again to my purchase.  So my advice to you is get as much as you can into your parcel and only pay for postage once.  You'll be buying its own seat on the plane 🤣

 

Get a spare drive belt and spare bolts just in case you loose any.  If your budget will stretch to it get the sled too.  Its a great bit of kit and so well made.  Buy as many spare blades as you can as you will save money in the long run.

 

I know that they are expensive and I saved for two years to get mine - Quite simply its the best tool I have ever owned.  I've since sent mine back to Jim to get the bigger table.  Great back up too - just go for it and buy as much as you can in the first instance. 

[Roger Pellett]

Zero clearance inserts are not hard to make as needed.  Use either thin model makers plywood or aluminum.  You can use the one that comes with the saw as a pattern.  The slot is cut be installing the blank insert and slowly raising the blade.

[No Idea]

4 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

Zero clearance inserts are not hard to make as needed.  Use either thin model makers plywood or aluminum.  You can use the one that comes with the saw as a pattern.  The slot is cut be installing the blank insert and slowly raising the blade.

Spot on Roger but considering the postage of a Byrnes saw outside of the USA is about $275 I don't think a few inserts will dent anyone's budget 🤣. We then pay 20% VAT on the cost of the item and the postage too when it arrives and before delivery.  The UK Post Office put a $20 handling charge on just for good measure.  I hope we get a Transatlantic trade agreement as soon as possible 👍

[cotrecerf]

Hi Kronvold,

I support the accessories list by Tim Boultron.

The comment from Charles Green requires an IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Jim offers now a wider table for the TS: from 12 inch to 18 inch.

I for myself would opt for the wider table, but conversion of an "old" version TS require shipment to Jim's shop USA and a retutn shipment. Involved cost is too high. So I would recommend to order the a TS with the wider table from the start. I find one more valuable accessory is the SLIDING TABLE.

 

Greetings

 

[cotrecerf]

Sorry and shame on me Ron for mixing the letters of your name:

 

CORRECT is Ron Thibault

[glbarlow]

As most everyone says there is no saw but the Byrnes saw. He has zero clearance inserts very cheap, no reason to make one. He has a 220v version and many Europeans have one. He and his wife are a two person business. He can’t quickly respond to everyone, he spends most of his days making great saws. 
 

The extended fence is a must, for me the micrometer I have and never use. I also haven’t needed the zero clearance insert I bought and have ripped and cut everything for my Cheerful without one. I had it in and took it off. Jim’s blade selections are the best there are for his saw. He carefully researched them. You don’t need a bunch of blades, the 30 kerf slitting blade is all I’ve used for Cheerful. Maybe a spare one of those. Plus the big one that comes with it. 
 

You don’t need an adapter if you use his blades, which you should. I can’t imagine the need for a wider table. I’ve had my saw for 12 years and that need never came up. 
 

The best accessory other than the extended fence and the extended mitre gauge rail is the sliding table. When I’m not ripping planks I use it a lot, it’s easy to put on and take off. I never knew I needed it until I got it. Cutting the hatch covers for Cheerful was a piece of cake with it. 
 

It may cost more but it’s worth every cent. Mine has run faithfully for a long time. The slitting blade so far is the only “part” I’ve replaced. 

[jhearl]

10 hours ago, glbarlow said:

I can’t imagine the need for a wider table. I’ve had my saw for 12 years and that need never came up. 
 

The advantage of the wider table is that you can use the Byrne's sliding table without having to remove the rip fence. You just slide the fence over to the right. I go back and forth between cross-cutting and ripping frequently so the wider table was worth it for me. It would drive me nuts to have to keep removing and re-installing the fence.  I also bought the micrometer but after trying it a couple times, it has been sitting in the drawer ever since. I work at larger scales (typically 1:16), so that degree of accuracy is unnecessary for me.

 

Cheers -

John

[glbarlow]

I see the point.  I also go back and forth, it doesn’t take me but a minute to loosen two Allen screws and lift it off. At any rate it’s good there is an option. I know I’ve never cut anything that would need that extra width. 

[cotrecerf]

I fully support John's description of the advantages of working with a wider table.