So I'm what you would call a weekend hobbyist. I'm

Itll cut wood.
How accurately is another question.

I would check craigslist for a decent used saw.
All contractor saws are small, you may be able to snag a much better saw for the same price.

>>1064927
Not unless it is someone elses money. Get a used old American made saw. They are heavy and often need some cleanup but the can be had super cheap sometimes and are bulletproof. Post your local Craig's LIst and I will have a look to see whats good within your budget.

First, a few questions:
Do you want one with a stand or can you build one yourself?
Do you have 220 volt power available?
What size blade are you looking for (8 inch, 9 inch, 10 inch)?

>>1064927

Those plastic and aluminum saws are terrible, no matter who makes them. At best, you'd have to go into the $300+ models for something suitable for job site use, and, being made mostly for portability, they sacrifice a lot of the advantage a table saw offers in the first place.

For proper woodworking, find a deal on an actual table saw with a cast iron top. You will be served much better by one, and, unlike the cheap crap, it will hold its value fairly well.

>>1064929
>I would check craigslist for a decent used saw.

yep, got one for $50

I've seen a few more going up to about $100, with full size saws $100-200

>>1064927
Lowe's is selling a porter cable table saw like that for $150, normally $190 I believe.

>>1064943
porter cable is the same tier as ryobi

>>1064946
And?
>>1064927
>I'm pretty new to woodworking

>>1064956
the ryobi is cheaper and the same tier of product

OP found the better deal

>>1064961
>>1064946
The Porter Cable has a much better fence.
If OP has to buy new, its a better saw to buy.

I am going to contradict most of the posts here:) get a nice portable saw. If you don't buy the cheapest, it will still be better than a comparably priced used saw, and you won't have to fuck around to make it work, and you won't break your back moving it. No used saw for $ 150 is going to be worth the paper its printed on. If you not using it 12mhours a day, 7 days a weekit will probably last just fine.,and lets face it, it breaks in a year, its still cheaper than buying a real table saw that will last 10 years.also, part of the reason power tool production moved to taiwan and china, is that for many years (particularly the 70s) american power tools were peices of junk. Barring powermatic, of course...

Anything under 3/400 is going to be absolute dog shit.

>>1065014
>part of the reason power tool production moved to taiwan and china, is that for many years (particularly the 70s) american power tools were peices of junk

Lol

>>1065014
You've got it backward mate. Importers started bringing over Taiwanese and Japanese tools in the late 60s. American tool companies cut costs to stay competitive. This lowered quality. Then American companies started sourcing their tools from overseas to cut out the middleman, so to speak.

>>1064927
To answer your question OP, if you're looking for a brand new saw, I'd say it is.

I bought one as a backup for my sawstop and bosch reaxx. Fence is pretty square out of the box, table is flat, and I've run 3x Katalox through without a problem. I would recomend using a digital angle gauge tho. I wouldnt recomend it for the "Pro" but it will get the job done.

File: 20160819_113202.jpg (3MB, 3264x2448px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 3264x2448px

>>1064927
>My question is, is this Ryobi 15-Amp saw from Home Depot worth $130?
That's not the $130 one.
The one in your pic has the expandable table side to help rip wider pieces of plywood.

I have one, and it's OK, but the miter slots are stamped, and you can't just drop a square cut piece of wood in them (pic related).
I've had to use my table router to make runners with a "T" cross-section to fit the slots

>>1065232
I have one like this too, kick myself for even getting it. I've thought about grinding those tabs off and making a sled with a hardwood runner more than once. They suck.

Does anyone have experience finding an old shopsmith

I have one like this.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW745-10-Inch-Job-Site-Capacity/dp/B000HXT2N6

It's very accurate and I'm very happy with it.

>>1065232

Good lord, what is the purpose of fucking up the miter slots as such?

>>1065243
Yes. Question?

>>1065256
>what is the purpose of fucking up the miter slots
Probably cheaper to manufacture.
The whole work surface is a stamped piece of sheet metal.
It's a very cheap tool, but then again, that's why I bought it.
Use it up, wear it out, go buy another. I just can't justify the cost of a good one for hobby use.

File: DeWalt-DW745-a[1].jpg (56KB, 600x450px) Image search: [Google]

56KB, 600x450px

>>1065252
>https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW745-10-Inch-Job-Site-Capacity/dp/B000HXT2N6

Decent hobbyist saw. I love the rack and pinion fence adjustment. I built a cart for it and use an outfeed roller. Wish the rip capacity was a little more.

File: 61675_1524865.jpg (62KB, 900x600px) Image search: [Google]

62KB, 900x600px

>>1065340
>rip capacity
snap a chalk line and take the fence off, we do it on the jobsite erryday

>>1064927
Still waiting on OP to post his local Craig's List.

File: IMG_5655.jpg (2MB, 4032x3024px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 4032x3024px

OP the pic you posted is the more expensive version with the colapsable legs and stamped miter slots. The one you pictured is crappy but the cheaper $130 version you're talking about is fine. I have one and it works ok but you have to be realistic about what you're purchasing. You're not gonna make fine furniture with a $130 table saw but it does ok for basic stuff. The marked numbers and angles are a little off so I use a square to level the blade angle, etc. I also measure both ends of the table top to set the rip fence because if you don't it can be off by a millimeter or two. Just don't trust the table saws numbers and markings, take your own measurements. But at that price it does fine for weekend warrior stuff

>>1065236
I have a Skil one that had nonstandard slots with tabs.
I took a dremel to them

File: IMG_9010.jpg (303KB, 1242x1242px) Image search: [Google]

303KB, 1242x1242px

>>1065577
Fixed the pic

File: IMG_9011.jpg (292KB, 1242x1627px) Image search: [Google]

292KB, 1242x1627px

>>1065579
In this pic you can see the miter slots are not stamped so you can purchase and use any aftermarket accessories

>>1065340
This saw goes on good sale everyone once in a while
Follow slickdeals for it

File: IMG_9012.jpg (483KB, 1242x1830px) Image search: [Google]

483KB, 1242x1830px

>>1065580
I rebuilt this bench with the saw. It did just fine for cutting new planks of wood

File: IMG_9014.jpg (86KB, 1242x341px) Image search: [Google]

86KB, 1242x341px

>>1065583
To be fully honest I would recommend replacing the stock blade for a better one. Here's a few planks of wood I cut. Look at the second from the bottom, it has a bunch of arched score marks on it from the blade's rotation. Nothing some sanding couldn't remove. Just wanna be honest about what you get for $130. A better blade might take away that problem but I was too lazy to buy one and I can live with it so eh

File: 267301-MLA20322963244_062015-O.jpg (24KB, 351x500px) Image search: [Google]

24KB, 351x500px

I was going to recomend the Skil, but apparently the US version has a stamped table and miterslots, so forget about it. Go get the DeWalt, it's a good little saw. I myself have the Skil 3610, and I'm very happy with it, the only drawback is the fence, but I'm looking into replacing it.

>>1064929
Man where I live fuckers sell everything for $10 less than new no matter how beat to fuck the stuff is

>>1064927
I snagged a Craftsman Contractors saw for 70$ off craigslist.
Cast iron top, belt drive, all metal body and stand, has a dolly with wheels.

It was just in some farmers garage sitting.

It blows my old Skil table saw away (I made a thread about it recently, the aluminum top is all bent from use)

There are deals to be had.

>>1066783
My craigslist is like this too. I just you just have to get lucky. Ive been watching everyday for 2 weeks now.

There are other similar craftsman saws on my craigslist right now in worse shape where people want $250 for

>>1065232
This, OP. The saw itself was fine for a cheapo, but that miterslot BS pissed me off. I was lucky enough to return mine within the 30 period and bought an okay-ish dewalt instead. DW745 if you're interested.

Probably could have gotten a nice older table saw for the price, but I'm doing WW on a small back porch so space and being able to haul it in and out of the house is a big factor for me.

A good blade is most important.