If you want a regular table saw, you’re probably best off just buying one—it’s hard to beat the economies of scale that benefit the major manufacturers. If you want a teeny one, though, you might like to build it yourself. [Maciej Nowak] has done just that.
The concept is simple enough; a small motor and a small blade make a small table saw. [Maciej] sourced a remarkably powerful 800-watt brushless motor for the build. From there, the project involved fabricating a suitable blade mount, belt drive, and frame for the tool. Some time was well-spent on the lathe producing the requisite components out of steel and aluminum, as well as a stout housing out of plywood. The motor was then fitted with a speed controller, with the slight inconvenience that it’s a hobby unit designed to run off DC batteries rather than a wall supply. Ultimately, though, this makes the saw nicely portable. All that was left to do was to fit the metal top plate, guides, and a suitably small 3″ saw blade to complete the build.
We’ve seen mini machine tools like these before, too. They can actually be pretty useful if you find yourself regularly working on tiny little projects. Video after the break.
If you zoom in on the title photo, what happens between left thumb and index?
No annoying music, no sponsor announcements… this is already better than most of the “content” out there…
(this is a response to a now-removed comment, so it may seem a bit out of context)
And what? he has 915K subs (+1 with me now). So you can grow without being silly, narcissistic and diverting an Apple product ?
Of course you can and if you can’t, that’s not an excuse to reach to the bottom.
I have a full size saw, but I would like a small one like this. With easier blade changes and a red slap switch.
Red with blood, 0 safety on the most dangerous type of saw that also makes sloppy work.
I’d be more interested in an inverted moving a saw on a rail with the work clamped down. No need to push whilst pushing sideways to the guide too and avoiding that exposed saw. Table saws belong to the overhead power belts and deadly injuries era.
What you are talking about is a radial arm saw (actually invented by Raymond DeWalt, yep, that DeWalt), and have been largely abandoned as an idea as they turned out to be far too dangerous and were replaced by the miter saw.
Maybe you want a miter saw? They are very common and not overly expensive.
Or perhaps a tracksaw is the best thing to that description, being a rail with a moving saw clamped to a work piece (if you want to use the clamp – usually have enough friction you don’t need to clamp for the simple cuts). They really are a good faux tablesaw really, which is why I’ve not got round to refurbishing my tablesaw in over a year now, tracksaw is good enough for the jobs I’ve had to do so far… However it can’t entirely replace one, as its going to be slower and harder to create those handy jigs on your table saw sled for repeatable cuts. But it can do almost everything a tablesaw can just slower, but in theory safer as your hands are always on the tool body safely on the opposite side of the blade.
That said Tablesaws really are not as echodelta claims a tool of a bygone era – cheap, efficient and very very versatile, while also being pretty darn safe if you actually know how to use one safely. Plus these days the sawstop type concepts exist, and while a little expensive when they trigger really do appear to make even the stupidest things you can do safe enough the moron won’t take serious injury. If you are that scared by a tablesaw just ban all tools that actually function and go back to pottery for everything…
Yes, the radial arm saw has some interesting and very dynamic damage modes… Not worth the shop floor space, despite the few unique things it can do.
Try Arbor for the chicago electirc 4″, or the mighty mite at harbor freight, or Amazon. 30-50 US$
“800” watt motor in a small sealed enclosure. No overtemperature cutout. Clearly for low duty cycle work. But maybe that little belt (GT2?) is the safety fuse — maybe it will fail before you can load the motor to overheating, or get the enclosure to ignition temperature. Clever.
The gimmick is solely built for the video and make clickmoney
commercial options exist- MicroMark and Byrnes used to make hobbyist specific mini table saws. but boy they are for “serious hobby” (AKA $$$$). Best I ever did was one of those adjustable blade guides for stripping my own project lumber from sheets. Was surprisingly good.
But I wish I had the cool mini table saw
Harbor Freight has a mini table saw too.
I’m not sure what all the “battery speed comtroller” talk is about, DC “speed controllers” are available from $5-40 many places. Also DC power is DC power, the speed controller doesn’t care if it is battery or converter supplied
Great build, but as that is still a serious blade with plenty of torque behind it and some heavier feedstock (the aluminum) shown, there should really really really be a riving knife.
In my many years experience with a table saw, the riving knife, one-way pawls and blade cover have all caused more injuries and damaged stock than a naked saw. It’s dangerous, sure, but a drill press is a far more injurious machine.
I agree. I have a lot more respect for my table saw because it doesn’t have any safety features. I go through a meticulous process every time I use it to make sure I don’t get hurt.
Most important thing, use an inverted pistol grip style push stick.
Exactly.
Safety third, as the saying goes. (the original Rowe version, not that co-opted Osman upstart one)
Hmm. My comment was deleted. Never mind. Such a device as shown here is $50 at AliExpress.
Oh, was it because I obliquely hinted at tariffs?
Also sold locally at Harbor Freight in USA, not sure why people keep making these from scratch.
OK, I won’t tempt fate by posting a link, but I have one of those Aliexpress cheapies and it works fine. I had one use for it that justified the ~A$70, but it’s been handy a few times since then. Came with a DC supply (with a US plug but it’s an IEC socket on the brick)
Very good device, using that for years: https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/27006.php
At the moment I have another Proxxon table saw on lend. Fet / 27070 which is a bit bigger model, and I don’t like it much. The inside looks quite well built, it does have a quite smallish motor, but these things are not made for high power stuff, so that’s OK.
But I don’t like the accessories for this saw. They are very flimsy and not accurate. Also the guides built into the saw are made of wobbly plastic that bends too easily. Lookking at the price, it’s not on par with it’s quality. I would have expected better quality acessories and built in guides for that price.
https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/27070.php
Overall, if you’re interested in a small table saw, I recommend you buy a regular circular saw, and then make a small table and make a bracket to mount the circular saw on the bottom. Add an extension cord with a built in switch and you can turn the saw on and off from a convenient position.
On top of that, there are quite a lot of very simple hacks to extend the possibilities for hand circular saws. From long tracks, to various wooden squares for easy 90 degree cuts and more elaborate angle instuments or tracks. You can also plunge cut in the center of big sheet of plywood.
A hand circular saw is probably one of the most universal electrical saws out in the wild.
It’s biggest limitation is that it can’t get into corners. To get into corners a jigsaw is better suited, but I don’t like their vibrations and noise (Circular saw makes more noise, but somehow I find it less irritating). It’s also nearly impossible to saw straight with a jigsaw, and for corners, using a handsaw at the end where a circular saw can’t reach is plenty good enough for most DIY.
My buddy made one of these to cut rocks… he sells display-quality specimens at flea markets and such. Agates are popular.
Bandsaw?
Build your own! All you need is your own lathe. 🙄
If the saw is strong enough to move the piece, it is strong enough to drag your wayward appendage past the blade faster than you can regret it. A riving knife helps stop the material from closing up behind the blade, which makes it harder for it to lift and drag the piece. If you’re working with pieces this small, just acquire a benchtop jig saw. The vertical cuts will be cleaner anyhow, due to smaller workface and no horizontal actions.