The Best Table Saw Accessories for Your Workshop in 2022 - Bob Vila

2022-08-26 22:46:18 By : Ms. June Qian

By Tom Scalisi | Updated Apr 29, 2021 1:09 PM

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While the design might seem simple, table saws are incredibly customizable. Pros and hobbyists can choose from an array of accessories that will increase the tool’s accuracy, usability, and safety. Users can safely rip boards to width, cut perfect grooves for joinery or shelving, or even just roll the saw from the truck to the job site with the right accessories.

If you’re ready to start outfitting your table saw, this guide can help. In addition to a list of some of the best table saw accessories, descriptions of important features are included so you know what to look for when shopping. From new fences to safety switches, there’s a product on this list that can benefit almost any woodworker or builder. Keep reading to learn more.

Outfitting a table saw to increase its efficiency, capability, or safety actually can be quite fun. It’s the perfect opportunity to tailor a table saw to your specific needs. However, before you start shopping for the best table saw accessories, there are some points to consider.

Table saws work well out of the box, but there are plenty of accessories that can improve them. The following are a few types of accessories that can take a table saw to the next level.

Ultimately, table saw accessories are all about getting the job done better, whether in safety or functionality. Adding an accessory for dust collection will keep the mess down in the workshop while also removing a tripping hazard.

Serious woodworkers try to get the most out of their saws, and putting up with sloppy cuts, tear-out (wood fibers ripped from the edge of a cut), or fences that adjust on their own under vibration simply won’t do. By improving these items, woodworkers are able to make more accurate cuts that look better, require less finish work, and are repeatable.

It’s also true that many woodworkers take the fixed blade of a table saw for granted, and it can be very easy to make a painful mistake. In most cases, safety upgrades make feeding the workpiece over the blade safer, either by keeping the user’s hands farther away from the blade or by offering a way to shut down the saw quickly should something go awry.

Even the smoothest professional-grade table saws experience friction and create vibration, and it’s those two factors that wear parts down the quickest. For that reason, it’s important to choose high-quality accessories that are durable enough for frequent use.

For example, if a woodworker is ripping down an 8-foot-long board, any unintended lateral pressure creates a lot of leverage between the blade and the fence. Not only will it increase the friction on the blade and wear it down sooner, but it will also put pressure on the fence, which could cause adjustability or accuracy issues over time. Choosing a high-quality blade or fence will ensure those two accessories can hold up for longer than a low-end piece.

Be on the lookout for durable materials like steel, titanium, and aluminum, but sacrificial surfaces like fence guards, inserts, and push blocks can be plastic.

While construction work requires a certain degree of accuracy, woodworking is another level. Fine furniture, crafts, and other projects might require pinpoint accuracy when it comes to angles, depths of cuts, and precise, repeatable results.

Consider accuracy from another point: Wood can be expensive. Should a woodworker set the saw up for a perfect cut, and the saw does not maintain that degree of accuracy, by the time several boards pass across the blade, the boards might not all be the same size or have the same angles. As a tip, it’s best to check a saw for accuracy every four or five cuts. If the fence is replaced with a quality model, it will need to be checked far less often.

Improving accuracy with a better fence, a digital miter gauge, or featherboards that hold workpieces against the fence as they pass over the blade can make a significant difference in accuracy.

Unfortunately, not all of the best table saw accessories are compatible from one saw to another. For instance, a close-clearance insert might fit the shape of one brand’s table saw perfectly but be completely wrong for another brand. This is why it’s important to check each accessory’s compatibility. Fortunately, many accessories are brand-specific instead of model-specific, so it’s a bit easier to figure out.

On the other hand, some accessories are so universal that a woodworker can use them on several pieces of equipment in the workshop. Gear like push blocks, featherboards, and angle gauges can work on any saw, including other table saws, band saws, and even router tables.

With a bit of background about table saw accessories, choosing one for outfitting a saw becomes a bit less difficult To help streamline the process even more, the following list consists of some of the top products on the market. Be sure to keep all of the top shopping considerations in mind when comparing these products.

When it comes to taking a table saw on the road, one of the best accessories for the job is a trusty table saw stand. This model from DeWalt is up for the job. With its oversize wheels and telescoping handle, it can get the saw to the job site with ease while the legs open wide to create a stable work surface for rips and cuts. This stand also features a kickstand that allows it to stand upright on its own.

This table saw stand features lightweight aluminum construction, weighing just 33 pounds, while many other stands weigh more than 40 pounds. It also has quick-connect brackets that fit on almost any contractor-style table saw, allowing the user to snap a saw on and off.

When it comes to improving user safety with a table saw, a tool like POWERTEC’s Safety Push Block and Stick Set is worth checking out. This five-piece set keeps the user’s hand away from the spinning blade while still offering plenty of control over the workpiece.

This set comes with one long hold-down push block, two short hold-down push blocks, a safety stick, and a low-clearance straight push stick. Made from durable plastic, they’re strong enough to offer stability and grip but won’t damage a blade if they make accidental contact. The push blocks also feature padded foam for added grip.

Oshlun’s 8-inch 42-tooth Stack Dado Set offers users one accessory for cutting up to 20 different widths for grooves, rabbits, and tenons. This kit comes with 16 pieces, including four two-piece sets of shims in varying thicknesses, as well as four 1/8-inch, one 3/32-inch, and one 1/16-inch chipper blades, along with the standard saw blades. All 16 pieces nestle into the carrying case.

By mixing and matching shim sizes and blades, users have complete control over the width of their dados and rabbets between 1/4-inch and 29/32-inch. The blades have carbide-tipped teeth for increased durability and long-lasting sharpness. The two outer blades also create small score marks as they cut, increasing accuracy and reducing the risk of tear-out.

Having the right blade for the job makes a big difference, and this two-pack of blades from DeWalt delivers. This kit comes with two 10-inch saw blades suitable for both table and miter saws. One blade offers fine-finish quality with 60 small teeth while the other offers fast, aggressive construction-grade cuts with 32 teeth.

These blades are suitable for installation in any 10-inch table saw with a ⅝-inch arbor. The teeth feature durable tungsten carbide coating for durability and sharpness for longer periods of time over standard blades. They’re also suitable for cutting softwood, hardwood, plywood, and other materials. However, the 32-tooth saw blade won’t be suitable for hardwood or plywood and can cause quite a bit of tear-out.

Piles of sawdust are unsafe and sloppy, but they don’t have to be an issue with Shop Fox’s W1685 1.5-Horsepower Dust Collector. Hooked up to a table saw, this dust collector’s 1,280 CFM of suction will remove dust and chips before they can pile up, keeping a shop clean and safe.

This dust collector features a 5.4-cubic-foot bag, offering plenty of storage for a hobbyist shop or a contractor’s job site. It also features durable powder-coated paint to resist corrosion, scratches, and chips, giving this dust collector a longer prospective lifespan. It also comes on a cart with ball bearing, swiveling wheels for easy portability.

When it comes to cutting accurate bevels on expensive hardwood, turning to a trusty digital angle gauge like the 935DAG from Klein Tools might be the way. This angle gauge features a high-strength magnet for sticking to a saw blade during adjustment or snapping to the saw body for storage when not in use.

This digital angle gauge allows users to reference the saw’s table surface as zero, so that users can use it for angle readings on uneven work surfaces. The digital screen features large, bright readings that are easy to read, allowing users to see what’s on the screen in dimly lit or awkward positions while adjusting the blade.

Adding an oversize safety switch to a table saw doesn’t always require wiring and replacing parts. With Fulton’s 110V Single Phase On/Off Switch, users can install it in-line with their saw’s original switch, retaining any of the saw’s original safety keys or functions.

This saw switch features an oversize stop button that users can slap with a hand or bump with a knee anytime they need to shut the power down. And, since it simply installs in place with the existing plug and wire just like an extension cord, it has a universal fitment that will work for router tables, band saws, or any other electrical tool or appliance that runs on 15-amp, 110-volt electrical service.

The GRR-RIPPER 3D Pushblock is the new generation of table saw safety. This push block features height, width, and depth adjustments, allowing users to maintain control over boards of any thickness or shape.

The rubber grip on the bottom of the GRR-RIPPER holds firmly to both sides of the cut, increasing accuracy and reducing the risk of kickback. Also, the top-mounted handle provides control while keeping the user’s hand up and away from the blade. Users also can adjust the middle gripper to steer clear of the blade, allowing the GRR-RIPPER to last many years. But, should contact happen, the plastic won’t damage the blade.

There are a variety of table saw accessories to consider, so there might be some additional questions about how to choose the best ones. The following is a collection of some of the most frequently asked questions about table saw accessories, so check for an answer to your question below.

In most cases, a dado blade can be installed in a miter saw. However, if it’s not a sliding miter saw, it won’t do much good. The dado has to start on one edge of a board and finish on the other edge to be effective.

A digital angle gauge allows the user to reference the table saw’s work surface as zero. Once the user references the work surface and then places the gauge on the saw blade, the reading will be the angle between the work surface and the blade. This means it can work in unlevel workshops.

Table saw fences are straightforward to attach. Most old fences remove with a few bolts, while new fences attach with the same method. It’s important to line up the zero mark on the new fence with the blade to provide accurate adjustments.

In most cases, users leave the fence rails loose, clamp the fence on the rails at the zero mark, slide the fence to the blade, and then tighten the rails in place to line up their fence.

Kickback can be dangerous, but it’s avoidable. With a push stick or a block, users can push the workpiece clear of the blade while still keeping their hands safe.

Table saw accidents can happen in many ways, but three common ways are kickback, coming in contact with the blade, and loose clothing getting caught in the blade.

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