At one time, the only table saws on
site were 10-inch contractor models.
These work well, but they're too large
and heavy to haul between small jobs,
especially if you work alone. In the
early 1980s, Makita introduced an
81/4-inch table saw for the contractor
market, and other companies soon
followed suit. These lightweight
machines solve the portability
problem, but they have some serious
shortcomings.
For the last few months I have been
using two different stands designed to
improve the performance of portable
table saws. They do this by lifting the
saw to a comfortable working height
and increasing its rip capacity.
Problems with Portables
Most portable table saws come without
legs. While many carpenters put
them on sawhorses, the