In woodworking tasks, it is indispensable to cut large amounts of wood, especially hard or artificial wood, and a table saw helps to cut the material to the needed size.
The table saw is the main cutting tool during the woodworking process. It aims to increase accuracy, save time, and reduce the effort required to make a straight cut.
It's essential for woodworking beginners to understand what a table saw is, how to use a table saw, and how to choose a compatible table saw blade. This post is a comprehensive guide for all of you to know about the table saw.
What is the Table Saw Used For?
Table saws are often used for crosscutting and ripping wood grain, especially ripping. They generally help make a straight cut parallel to the blade. Common table saws consist of a table, a motor, a rip fence, and a saw blade.
- Table: Supporting body of the table saw.
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Motor: It is the core component of the table saw's power, providing
relatively stable power that allows the blade’s no-load speed to be 3000-5000 RPM. - Rip Fence: Straight guiding fixtures parallel to the saw blade.
- Blade: A table saw with a suitable outer diameter, bore diameter, thickness, and tooth shape can achieve outstanding results.
Types of Table Saws
Tackling different woodworking tasks requires different woodworking tools, so as the table saw. Using a suitable table saw can improve your working efficiency and protect your material to make a better cut. Now, in this part, we will introduce you to the main types of them.
Benchtop Table Saw
The benchtop table saw is lightweight and can be placed on a table, which is more suitable for home woodworking. It has a universal motor, which is less durable and quieter than an induction motor. Parts of these saws are generally designed with steel, aluminum, and plastic, which are easy to damage and will produce more vibration. A compact and light design means it won't be very stable during operation.
Compact Table Saw
The compact table saw, larger than the benchtop table saw, usually has a stand to keep it stable. It is usually considered a step up from the benchtop table saw. They are both designed with direct drive universal motors and lightweight construction. Some of the compact table saws are similar to the full-size table saw, but their cutting capacity is much smaller.
Jobsite Table Saw
The jobsite table saw, with a more powerful motor, is slightly larger than the benchtop table saw. It is almost identical to the compact table saw. Designed for woodworkers, contractors, and tradesmen on the job site, it is ideal for withstanding the abuse of construction sites. Compared to benchtop table saws, Jobsite table saws are more durable and accurate. Generally, this kind of table saw features bevel angles and adjustable blade height.
Contractor Table Saw
The contractor table saw, featuring a belt drive and an induction-type motor (usually 1 to 2 hp), is an open-stand saw and is considered the alternative to the cabinet saw. For the sake of portability, it is attached to a stand or a base, often having wheels. Compared to portable table saws, this saw is larger and more heavy-duty, but also more durable, accurate, and longer-lasting. Thus, it is generally used in large projects to tackle a wide range of cutting work.
Cabinet Table Saw
A cabinet table saw, designed for heavy-duty woodworking, is usually used in factory shops, woodworking schools, and other professional work sites. Enclosed in a base or cabinet (hence the name) containing the motor and other parts, the cabinet table saw is heavier and larger, which makes it more stable and reduces vibration. This kind of table saw often has an induction-type motor (3 to 5 hp) with more accuracy, thus, it can handle finished projects.
Hybrid Table Saw
Simply put, a Hybrid table saw is a mix between a contractor and a cabinet table saw. It looks like a cabinet table saw but has the inside and motor of a contractor table saw. It has a belt-drive induction-type motor with 1.5 or 2 hp. The enclosed cabinet design makes it easy to collect dust. Otherwise, it has two types of trunnions: cabinet-mounted and table-mounted. Generally speaking, the former is easier to adjust than the latter.
Benchtop, compact, and Jobsite table saws belong to portable table saws, while contractor, cabinet, and hybrid table saws belong to stationary table saws.
How to Use a Table Saw?
As we mentioned before, table saws are commonly used for crosscutting and ripping, so mastering these two uses of the table saw is very important. Next, follow the steps to operate the table saw and start your woodworking.
- Wear protection.
- Choose a suitable table saw blade.
- Adjust the blade to a suitable height.
- Measure and adjust the width of the fence to the size you need to rip.
- Hold the wood firmly against the fence to prevent kickback.
- Lower the blade guard and turn on the table saw.
- Push the board through the blade slowly and steadily, keeping the board flush with the fence.
- Use the push stick to push the rest of the board.
- Turn off the saw.
No matter whether you use the table saw for ripping or crosscutting, it is just the way you cut with the grain of the wood or cut horizontally; the steps for using a table saw are the same. In addition, be careful when you use the table saw and don't touch the blade while the machine is running.
Factors to Consider When Selecting a Suitable Table Saw Blade
Tiny differences in diameter, bore diameter, thickness, and tooth shape affect the cutting result. Thus, a compatible saw blade is prominent in improving woodworking efficiency. You can choose the blade according to the following two aspects.
According to the Material
- Timber saw blades are used for cutting natural wood, man-made boards, plywood, wood-plastic materials, and so on. According to the material hardness and adhesive type, wood saw blades are divided into ordinary wood saw blades, hard plywood saw blades, MDF saw blades, multi-layer board saw blades, and so on.
- Metal saw blades are used for cutting metal pipes, steel, aluminum, etc. According to the material hardness and different cutting methods, metal saw blades are divided into ordinary metal saw blades, high-speed steel saw blades, carbide saw blades, and so on.
- Plastic saw blades are used for cutting plastic pipes, plastic boards, plastic rods, and so on. According to the different hardness of the material and the type of adhesive, plastic saw blade is divided into ordinary plastic saw blades, PVC saw blades, ABS saw blades, and so on.
According to the Cutting Requirements
- Coarse saw blades are used for fast sawing of rough materials, such as logs, scrap furniture, etc.
- Fine saw blades, such as woodworking and handicrafts, are used for fine cutting.
- Miter saw blades are used for beveled cuts, such as door frames, cabinets, etc.
- Circular saw blades are used for cutting round holes, such as aluminum alloy doors and windows, wooden doors, etc.
What We like
On October 31, 2025, FindBuyTool published a new compact table saw, which features a dual-gear rail-precision rack-and-pinion system that delivers smooth, instant adjustments—no recalibration is needed. It can rip 4*8 lumber in one pass, and the maximum speed is up to 4200 RPM, which can suit various materials and meet the requirements of most woodworking projects and materials.
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Read more:
Table Saw vs Circular Saw vs Miter Saw: Select the Right One
Best Compact Table Saws for Fine Detail Work 2025
FAQ about Table Saw
#1 What's the best table saw to buy?
Numerous table saws are on the market now, and they have different features. If you need a compact table saw, we recommend FindBuyTool FS255 10" Compact Table Saw; if you need a jobsite table saw, we recommend DWE7485 8-1/4 in. Compact Portable Jobsite Table Saw.
#2 What are the three types of table saws?
Actually, like we mentioned above, table saws have six types, including benchtop, compact, jobsite, contractor, cabinet, and Hybrid.
