Does anyone make a circular saw that mounts upside down in a table?

[P-chan]

(To make a table saw?) I've never seen this.  Why not? 

[spoot]

Cuz it's dangerous as hell?  I've seen people do it.....but I'd certainly not recommend it.

[EightBySix]

I've seen stuff like this, normally part of a kit, you can do it with routers too

[drventure]

I've seen something similar with a jigsaw, but not a circular saw. I'd make a sawboard and a decent bench or worksurface instead. A lot safer.

[Vigo]

This has been done for decades, actually. It is old school, popular mechanics style DIY. I think it mostly ran out of favor because the safety features of a table saw improved, and for being one of the most dangerous power tools, people usually opt for safety.

Some people actually prefer the diy table saws. mostly because you can make a large one for exact needs on a small budget. On the other hand, I think the biggest loss, other than safety features, is that a circular saw usually has a smaller blade than a standard table saw blade. It is also hard to match a real table saw's precision.

Here is some instuctions on a DIY table saw.

http://www.instructables.com/id/My-Table-Saw-from-a-Circular-Saw-Redone/

[michelevit]

i dont know why you would do that.
There are a plethora of second hand lightly used table saws on craigslist that would outperform a homemade upside down circular saw.  I'm all for DIY, but this project takes time, money and great potential for danger.
A commercially made table saw is the way to go.

Homeade router table - YES
Homeade table saw - NO

[jennifer]

    That just sounds dangerous....Go get a tablesaw, before you lose a finger.

[kahlid74]

This really boils down to what you're looking to do.  My "assumption" would be that if you're asking about this you either want to make a low cost table saw or a complex modular system similar to a router table and router..  If you've got the skills and are methodical, there's no reason you can't make it as safe as a cheap table saw from HD or even better.  Plenty of great wood workers make custom table saws all the time.  They don't use circular saws but instead motors and additional direct drive systems.  A modular system would be fun but quite complex if you wanted to keep a lot of the standard safety features of both a table saw and circular saw.

So if you want an complicated project go for it.  If you're just looking for a cheap table saw however, go get an actual one.  You'll be happier in the end.

[michelevit]

My concern that if s/he had the skills to to accomplish a feat of a DIY table saw, they wouldn't be asking on an arcade forum. Their    asking about it precludes their ability to build it safely.

When my 6 year old asks if she can string a tight rope from the patio to the garage over the fish pond, the answer is yes, but I'm probably going to discourage it because a tight rope from the patio to the garage over the fish pond is a bad idea for a 6 year old.

You can drive a car with your feet, but that doesn't make it a good idea. -Chris Rock.

 

This really boils down to what you're looking to do.  My "assumption" would be that if you're asking about this you either want to make a low cost table saw or a complex modular system similar to a router table and router..  If you've got the skills and are methodical, there's no reason you can't make it as safe as a cheap table saw from HD or even better.  Plenty of great wood workers make custom table saws all the time.  They don't use circular saws but instead motors and additional direct drive systems.  A modular system would be fun but quite complex if you wanted to keep a lot of the standard safety features of both a table saw and circular saw.

So if you want an complicated project go for it.  If you're just looking for a cheap table saw however, go get an actual one.  You'll be happier in the end.

[Rick]

I actually won this table saw "kit" at a raffle, and it works beautifully. Here's a picture of the bottom, to show you what's possible.



And for all the naysayers above me, it's a pretty simple thing to create, as long as you build it robustly. I, myself, have a plan for my own table saw and router bench that will also incorporate dust collection, for when we have a proper workshop. So, it can be done, if you have the knowledge and experience to want to do it properly.

[jennifer]

     That thing looks a bit flimsy to me, But aparrently it can be done... Im still not seeing the benifits over a tradidional tablesaw however, So the whole point is so you can put it in the closet when not in use?

[Vigo]

You get a huge table area to work with.

[Rick]

That thing looks a bit flimsy to me, But aparrently it can be done... Im still not seeing the benifits over a tradidional tablesaw however, So the whole point is so you can put it in the closet when not in use?

Can do! I actually live in a two-storey with no basement (/sadpanda) at the moment, and have recently removed the fire-trap that was my rear shed/work area. When that happened, I sold off my 'actual' table saw, and kept this one.

It's certainly not 'flimsy' per se, but there are challenges with using it when you want to work with significantly larger stock. That's when I usually go to Home Depot with my cut list, and get them to put everything together on their panel saw. (Especially considering my little Suzuki Swift doesn't really like 49" x 97" panels of MDF on her roof.)

It's a marriage of convenience, power and precision. Call it a 'sawboard XL', if you will.

[jennifer]

    A strait edge (I use 2" square tube steel) and 2 C clamps work miracles, simple, safe, and very accurate. That Skil on your sawboard is a nice one and would be more versitile used as it was designed for... Now, I can feel your pain, Life without a workshop is difficult at best, but cordless tools have come a long way in the last few years, today you can saw the side off a Buick (or a sheet of MDF) right out by the dumpster.

[Rick]

A strait edge (I use 2" square tube steel) and 2 C clamps work miracles, simple, safe, and very accurate. That Skil on your sawboard is a nice one and would be more versitile used as it was designed for... Now, I can feel your pain, Life without a workshop is difficult at best, but cordless tools have come a long way in the last few years, today you can saw the side off a Buick (or a sheet of MDF) right out by the dumpster.

You'll probably hate my new plan, then. I'm using Sketchup to design and build my own table saw - yes, using the Skil. Don't worry, though. I'm integrating some aluminum channels and making it work for my rip fence.

[michelevit]

I just checked Craigslist and there are a plethura of nice used table saws for sale.
Why make a finger hungry homemade one?

[jennifer]

I just checked Craigslist and there are a plethura of nice used table saws for sale.
Why make a finger hungry homemade one?

I know right?... My table saw is a cheap one (Menards, around 100.00), And I love it, Ive been waiting for the bushings to start to give out so I can go get a nicer one, but Cut, cut, Cut that thing does... And now Im on the fourth new blade.

[EvilNuff]

Check my other posts (slash vents) in this forum on table saws.  I would not use a designed table saw without a riving knife so you literally could not pay me to use a mounted circle saw!  If you need small/portable/etc just get a contractor saw there are Bosch and Rigid models that have riving knives that work great and you can get them brand new for under $500.

[drventure]

I guess if you're gonna do this, at least build up a tablesaw sled. That'll make the thing a ton safer to use.