- Build basic coffee table
- Build some basic desks
- Build basic shelving
epending on the precise method of construction these require a track saw only (see notes below about track saws),
assuming that you want to work with sheet materials in the first instance
Jigsaw only, as the cuts will generally be hidden beneath skirting or scotia moulding
Mitre saw, but only if you insist on having cornice mouldings, otherwise you can do without one. Jigsaw is very handy for cut-outs, scribes to walls and the like. Plunge/rail saw nice to have for worktop cut-outs (e.g. hob and sink) as well as end cuts on worktops, etc but hardly essential. A 1/2in plunge router (1500w and over) with a mason's mitre jig is absolutely essential if doing mason's mitre joints and can be handy for cleaning-up end cuts (if b=needs be this can be hired for the weekend)
- Replace some floorboards
Generally a basic circular saw will do this, together with a square for the crosscuts (recommend an American-style speed square). A decent sharp hand plane is probably a must to adjust the edges of your cuts
My conclusion so far is that, if I only buy one tool, it will need to be a table saw to enable wider cuts and angled cuts.....
TBH domestic-size table saws are only any use or mitres on short (i.e sub-750mm) pieces - try putting a mitre on the end of a 3 metre length of cornice moulding and you'll be in serious difficulty because you can't support the materials in the cut (so, dangerous). Similarly, and unlike a chop saw, they are pretty useless for crosscutting anything over about a metre in length again because of the material support issue. This makes them useless for cutting floor boards to length and downright dangerous for breaking-down full size sheets (8 x 4ft) of MDF/MFC/plywood. In fact, for breaking down 8 x 4 sheets do you have a workspace big enough to allow you to run a full sheet over a saw? (minimum of about 19 to 20 feet long x 12 feet wide and clear of all obstructions). Table saws have their uses, but the original name for these devices indicates their true forte - they were called
rip saws and excel at ripping down narrower materials unless you go for a much bigger saw and/or make some serious modifications (such as permanent 1.5 metre or wider side extensions and at least a 1.5 metre run off table). For someone of limited experience and knowledge, such as yourself, working with sheet materials a plunge saw, rails, a pair of trestles and a cheap working bench (such as an old door or some 3 x 2 CLS lengths topped with 18mm chipboard) will be far safer, cleaner and much more productive than a table saw. If you don't mind me saying, I think that your conclusion is a slightly flawed as you seem to have missed some of the fundamental issues about the scale of the materials you intend to work with. I feel that your lack of experience in handling these materials has allowed you to make some overly optimistic guesses at how you can actually work
BTW a basic track can be put together for use with even a budget portable rip saw to break-down sheet materials using only 6mm MDF or plywood and 2 x 1in PAR softwood. It won't be a plunge saw, but it will be cheap and reasonably accurate
As a working joiner (still, only just), doing mainly interior fit-out work (therefore analagous to what you want to do), when I go to site I always take a portable rip saw, a jigsaw and a power planer (although I can and do happily work with a hand jack plane instead - do you have a reasonable hand plane?) together with trestles, cramps, etc. For many jobs, such as the ones you describe, I'll also take along a mitre saw (SCMS), but whilst it speeds things up it isn't an absolute must. The plunge/rail saw comes with me when I know I'll be doing many multiples of sheet materials cuts, such as boxing-in, building carcasses, etc - but there are other (albeit slower) ways of breaking down sheet stock (such as a batten and two clamps, home-made straight edge) which work just as well, so long as you aren't pushed for time. My rip/table saw (a deWalt DW745) doesn't come with me that often (in fact it was about the last major addition to my working kit), but what does come with me all the time nowadays is a decent class-M vacuum cleaner (or at home I used to use my old Dyson DC02 vacuum which I fitted with a pre-filter cyclone and home-made drop box) . Because wood dust
will harm your lungs
Given your requirements I think I'd probably want to get something like a Parkside (Lidl) tracksaw first (£80 or so?), plus a couple of Makita/Festool tracks and joiners (c. £120), together with a vacuum cleaner (allow £30 for a s/hand one plus £30 for the cyclone and a home-made drop box). A couple of home-made timber trestles, some 3 x 2 CLS supports and a piece of 18mm chipboard to act as a cutting table will cost maybe £40. That makes £300, give or take. After that I'd go for a decent block plane (£60) and sharpening kit (£40) before thinking about a mitre saw with a table saw possibly some considerable way in the future
