Hot take: I dropped $85 on a used table saw for our tool library and the fence was so warped it was dangerous, don't do what I did | Community Tool Library - The Community Guide
Hot take: I dropped $85 on a used table saw for our tool library and the fence was so warped it was dangerous, don't do what I did
We started a tool library out of the back room at the VFW hall in Beaver Falls last month, and I thought a used table saw would be a great first big item. Found one on Marketplace for $85, drove 40 minutes to get it, and the guy swore it "cut straight last time he used it." Got it back and the fence was bowed almost a quarter inch over 3 feet, plus the blade had a wobble you could see with your bare eyes. We ended up pulling it from the shelves, and now that $85 plus gas is just sitting in the corner until someone can figure out if it's even fixable. Does anyone have a checklist they run through before taking in a power tool donation or cheap buy?
Bought a used band saw once for our shop and the guy told me it ran great. Got it home and the tires were dry rotted and the guide bearings were shot. Spent $40 fixing it and it still wandered on every cut. Now I bring a scrap piece of wood and a square with me, and I always ask them to plug it in and run it before I hand over any cash. If they won't do that, I walk.