The first big workshop purchase for most people is a tablesaw. Priced and sized between the large cabinet saws and small benchtop saws, a contractor-style saw is the logical choice for many. I surveyed several brands on the market, checking for flatness, runout, and whether the factory settings of the trunnions and motors were parallel to the miter-gauge slots in the tops. I also ripped and crosscut 8/4 white oak and hard maple to test the machines under load. All of the saws I tested performed well.

This hybrid DeWalt is a cross between the older style contractor’s saw and the heavier-duty standard cabinet saw. The trunnions and arbor on this saw are heavier than those on the other saws. Its compact footprint would be nice for the small shop. Dust collection would be more effective with a larger outlet.

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Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM

While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test.

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Veritas Precision Square

This precision square is incredibly versatile, from checking squareness to dialing in machine setups.

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Ridgid R4331 Planer

Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.

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