This is the most versatile of all machines in a wood shop and should actually be the first power equipment for a woodworker to buy. If you have one, you will see it becoming the centerpiece of your workshop. A top-end table saw makes it easy to complete nearly every wood project easy as it can be used to rip, square, shape, miter, groove, and join pieces together.

The table saw has a heavy and smooth top work surface and two handles, one for raising and lowering the blade and the other for adjusting the angle of the blade. The strong motor has enough horsepower to make deep cuts even in hard wood and starts smoothly with less vibration.

Just like all power equipments, the table saw also comes with a blade guard for protection against the exposed blade. Newer models have a paddle switch to turn the saw on and off. This is very useful as the saw can be switched off simply by pressing the knee against it while the worker's hands are busy steadying the piece being worked.

The rip fence should be exactly parallel to the blade and have fine tuning controls for making adjustments. It should also have a miter gauge for making angles crosscuts. Look for a T-groove in the table that will keep the miter gauge from coming out when in use.

The versatility of the table saw lies in the fact that there are number of tools and jigs available for it. These include shaper, panel cutting and tapering jigs, cutting sets, stacked dado and sliding tables.