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This seems to be the most common question asked on this site?
I'll stick my neck out here and consider myself an expert at table saw operation but not an expert on all the different brands and models. In a shop environment I've used mostly Powermatic, Grizzly, Delta and at job sites I've used too many different brands to list.
The table saw is the most used machine in my shop followed at a close second by the band saw. The most important aspect of successful table saw operation is the "SET UP". By "set up", I mean how it is arranged in your work area, out feed, side support etc. Most of us work in our shops by ourselves, myself included, so I have my TS "set up" to be operated easily by myself. A good fence that stays square to the blade and stays solidly where you set it is more important than the quality of the rest of the saw. I would prefer to use a cheap saw that has a good fence and a proper "set up" over a high-end saw with a poor "set up".
If you do not have the luxury of keeping a TS permanently set up and ready to use then your "set up" will have to be easy to put up and stowed away. Getting a 100lbs sheet of 3/4" MDF onto the TS run-off table is the much more difficult than actually cutting it up, but I've made it as easy as I cam by storing my sheet goods vertically and I am able to roll the sheet out to horizontal on edge and then simply pivot it over to the saw table then work my way over to the edge of the sheet and lay it down, phew!, this used to be much easier when I was younger. I have my side and out-feed surfaces set just slightly below the cast iron top of the TS and then these surfaces slope away from that height about 1/8" per foot. I keep the entire surface of the "set up" coated with "J" wax so I can slide the sheet up against the fence and feed it through the saw without help. Once I am through the cut, I have my "set up" sized so that both pieces are supported and will not fall on the floor until removed by me. This out-feed arrangement works well for dado use as well.
Note the miter gauge slot extensions. You can see that my "set up" uses a significant portion of my shop space but the out-fed also is used as a work bench and tools storage.
I use the TS for ripping and re-sawing as well as many other operations. There is no substitute for horse power. I frequently ask my TS to rip a full 3" through hardwood lumber and I would always recommend the most powerful saw you can afford, and preferably using a 220v power source. My saw has 3hp and is adequate for everything I do. I will use a power feeder to do a lot of repetitious ripping which is faster and safer than feeding by hand.
A good general rule-of-thumb when evaluating table saws is weight, and generally the heavier the better. When using the saw it is important that the saw and "set up" so that it does not move while in use. For a portable "set up" I would recommend devising a way to bolt it to the floor when in use. Sometimes you need to push pretty hard and pushing the saw over would not be a good thing. My "set up" includes two heavy table saws and about 16 drawers full of heavy tools all fastened together into one big heavy immovable mass which I cannot move no matter how hard I push.
I use the TS for many delicate precision operations as well and I have several specialized sleds that I have built for those purposes. Weight and mass is nice for these more delicate operations because of it's ability to absorb vibration.
If you don't have 3 phase power available, don't buy a three phase saw unless you have a converter although that's where you will find the best deals.
And obviously, use a good sharp blade. Using a thin kerf blade will increase the effective power of your saw.
Happy sawing, Bret
I'll stick my neck out here and consider myself an expert at table saw operation but not an expert on all the different brands and models. In a shop environment I've used mostly Powermatic, Grizzly, Delta and at job sites I've used too many different brands to list.
The table saw is the most used machine in my shop followed at a close second by the band saw. The most important aspect of successful table saw operation is the "SET UP". By "set up", I mean how it is arranged in your work area, out feed, side support etc. Most of us work in our shops by ourselves, myself included, so I have my TS "set up" to be operated easily by myself. A good fence that stays square to the blade and stays solidly where you set it is more important than the quality of the rest of the saw. I would prefer to use a cheap saw that has a good fence and a proper "set up" over a high-end saw with a poor "set up".
If you do not have the luxury of keeping a TS permanently set up and ready to use then your "set up" will have to be easy to put up and stowed away. Getting a 100lbs sheet of 3/4" MDF onto the TS run-off table is the much more difficult than actually cutting it up, but I've made it as easy as I cam by storing my sheet goods vertically and I am able to roll the sheet out to horizontal on edge and then simply pivot it over to the saw table then work my way over to the edge of the sheet and lay it down, phew!, this used to be much easier when I was younger. I have my side and out-feed surfaces set just slightly below the cast iron top of the TS and then these surfaces slope away from that height about 1/8" per foot. I keep the entire surface of the "set up" coated with "J" wax so I can slide the sheet up against the fence and feed it through the saw without help. Once I am through the cut, I have my "set up" sized so that both pieces are supported and will not fall on the floor until removed by me. This out-feed arrangement works well for dado use as well.


Note the miter gauge slot extensions. You can see that my "set up" uses a significant portion of my shop space but the out-fed also is used as a work bench and tools storage.
I use the TS for ripping and re-sawing as well as many other operations. There is no substitute for horse power. I frequently ask my TS to rip a full 3" through hardwood lumber and I would always recommend the most powerful saw you can afford, and preferably using a 220v power source. My saw has 3hp and is adequate for everything I do. I will use a power feeder to do a lot of repetitious ripping which is faster and safer than feeding by hand.
A good general rule-of-thumb when evaluating table saws is weight, and generally the heavier the better. When using the saw it is important that the saw and "set up" so that it does not move while in use. For a portable "set up" I would recommend devising a way to bolt it to the floor when in use. Sometimes you need to push pretty hard and pushing the saw over would not be a good thing. My "set up" includes two heavy table saws and about 16 drawers full of heavy tools all fastened together into one big heavy immovable mass which I cannot move no matter how hard I push.
I use the TS for many delicate precision operations as well and I have several specialized sleds that I have built for those purposes. Weight and mass is nice for these more delicate operations because of it's ability to absorb vibration.
If you don't have 3 phase power available, don't buy a three phase saw unless you have a converter although that's where you will find the best deals.
And obviously, use a good sharp blade. Using a thin kerf blade will increase the effective power of your saw.
Happy sawing, Bret