Ripping a board that I milled from a cedar I recently cut down. Made the initial cuts with a chainsaw and used the Craftsman to straighten it out. There are honestly better tools for this but it's a one time project I'm working with what I've got.

We already covered the safety aspects of table saws in this post.

Table saws come in a few common configurations, specifically benchtop/jobsite, contractor, and cabinet saws. The Craftsman 113 came in contractor and cabinet (until 1966?) configurations with contractor saws being the most common. It's a very heavy contractor saw. If I had to guess, somewhere between 200-300 lbs. I'm a fairly good sized guy and I can move it by myself with a dolly; but just barely. You'll need at least one other person to help you load it in a truck or up/down stairs.

Good quality table saws also have a milled cast iron top, which is a perfectly flat surface unlike stamped steel. An induction motor with belt or direct drive is preferable to a brushed motor for lower noise, lower maintenance, more power, and better reliability. The Craftsman 113 meets these criteria. Belt drive saws are preferable due to their power, reliability, and ease of maintenance. The 113 also has a cable drive variety which has a reputation for being problematic and should be avoided.

The older models made by King-Seeley came with an 8 in. or 10 in. blade. 10 in. blades are the standard for table saws and a 10 in. saw is preferable for obvious reasons, although you can still find 8 in. bench top saws.

Don't pay any attention to the "HP" rating stamped on the side of saw (or most power tools for that matter). My Craftsman 113 advertises "3HP" which is theoretically impossible, even at the highest efficiency, on a 20 amp/120 volt circuit. It's probably more like 1.5 HP.

Look for a saw that has minimal rust and no pitting. The rip fence that activates the clamp by twisting the handle is OK. The fence with a lever action clamp is garbage and probably wouldn't stay straight if you bolted it to the table. Don't let that discourage you from buying a saw though as the 113 can accommodate fence upgrades.

Be sure to test the blade height and bevel mechanisms. It's not uncommon for the bevel gear to be stripped (by previous owners who don't properly lubricate their saw)

A new comparable contractor saw easily costs over $2,000. You can expect to pay around $200 for a Craftsman 113 in reasonably good condition. Even if it needs a few upgrades or some elbow grease, you'll have gotten a fantastic tool for the price.

There are a few things to consider when buying a table saw, especially if you're unfamiliar with table saws or have never owned one before. Safety, quality, and accuracy are important factors. If portability is important to you, keep in mind that it can come at the expense of the other three.

Safety

Table saws are powerful and versatile tools and are a good starting point tool for wood working or even a lot of general DIY projects. Like all power tools, it's important to have the appropriate amount of respect for saws. Table saws cut things. It's their only job. They do it well and indiscriminately. They will cut through fingers just as effortlessly as a board which is why it's always important respect the tool, stay alert, and follow some basic safety guidelines at all times.

Some of the more modern tools (e.g. SawStop) have an automatic mechanism built in which immediately stops the saw if one of your appendages contacts the blade. If you can swing the hefty price tag, it's well worth it to make sure you don't lose any fingers. If you can't, that's understandable. Even if you have a saw with advanced safety features, it's still important to never let your guard down.

The first, most important rule of table saw safety that you should always unplug the saw before doing any kind of maintenance.

Safety Hazards

With table saws, there are a few common safety risks to be aware of.

• Risk of Severed Appendages: Fingers are obviously the ones in the most danger, although they're not the only ones. Never place your fingers within 10 in. of the blade while the saw is powered on or plugged in. If close contact with the blade is necessary, use push sticks to guide the board through the blade. There are all kinds of push sticks available. You can even make your own if you can't find one that quite does the job.

• Kickback: Wood fibers rarely travel in a straight line and there is often a lot of internal twisting and tension within a board. Kickback usually happens when the far end of a board, the end exiting the blade while cutting, grabs or pinches the blade. If it grabs hard enough, the momentum from the saw blade can violently throw or slingshot the board back toward the operator (you). You can be seriously injured or at the minimum have a nice big hole punched in the wall. ...Don't ask me how I know. There are a couple things you can do to avoid kickback. First, Never stand directly behind the material being cut. This mostly applies to boards and not so much to sheets of plywood which usually have less internal stressors. Stand off to the side while guiding material through the blade. Second, use a rip fence or miter gauge whenever possible. These will not only make the cut more accurate, they will also help prevent you from inadvertently twisting the material and binding up the blade. Third, if possible, install a splitter or riving knife. These go behind the blade and fit in the groove as it's cut, holding the board pieces apart and preventing them from grabbing the saw blade. Fourth, Take it slow and steady. Do not force the material through the blade if it starts binding or if the saw is bogging down.

• Risks of Other Moving Parts*: Other moving parts on your saw can carry risks as well such as getting appendages, hair, or clothing caught in the drive belt. Do not remove the belt guard if one is present and avoid close proximity to belts, motors, and moving parts and components. Keep long hair put up and do not wear loose clothing while operating a table saw or other power equipment.

• PPE: The possibility of flying debris and saw dust also brings the risk of eye injuries. Never operate a table saw or other power tool without property eye protection. Use ear plugs or other hearing protection while operating power tools (unless you want tinnitus for the rest of your life like me).

I acquired my Craftsman 113 probably 10 years ago. It mostly sat in the garage for the next 5 years, until I finally had time to restore it. I disassembled the entire saw, cleaned the rust off the top and major components, replaced the arbor shaft -- which was damaged [presumably] due to the previous owner trying to use it while the arbor pulley was loose, and replaced the arbor bearings.

After reassembly, I installed a Delta T3 fence system, and built a moveable wood base which can accommodate a dust collector hose.