Thank guys
Hammer, that was pretty much the answer I was expecting. Are there any saws you would recommend in my budget?
I'm in the business, I use an older Rockwell cabinet saw I bought new in the 70's. I'm not really up on newer model saws. A table saw is the heart of a woodworking shop and a decent one will make a world of difference compared to what you have. At a $500 budget, you are limited. If you could muster $800 or more, there are some saws with similar characteristics to cabinet saws.
I've looked at some saws out of curiosity on Amazon and they send me notices of sales. I don't know anything about this saw but Grizzly has a hybrid that sells around $800. I think that's the least expensive that is similar to a cabinet saw. You probably don't want to try to rip 2" maple all day on it but it should be fine for lighter work loads.
I'd look for a cast iron top, no pressed steel or open aluminum grid wings. 3/4" x 3/8" miter slots, 1/2" thick throat plates, good blade lift and tilt controls, decent guard, riving knife can be a plus, dust collection outlet, good fence, 30" rails, nice switch, adjustability for proper alignments, substantial base.
I don't think you will find many of these features on a portable saw. Most won't be much of an improvement over what you have. When I see positive reviews on any tools. I have to ask, what other similar tools does the reviewer have experience with, what do they do with that tool, what is the reviewers level of competence and depth of experience.
We all have cheap tools we bought with limited funds. Most are collecting dust in some far off corner. You don't have to buy "the best" but you don't want to waste money on something that won't keep up with your growth or give marginal performance. A good table saw will payoff over the long run and actually be inexpensive considering it's length of service. I wouldn't let that $500 burn a hole in your pocket, just yet.
