# Should I buy a circular saw or a table saw? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911 "2016-12-30T18:29:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911/21 "2016-12-31T04:54:16Z")
If I had to do this a lot, I’d get a track saw, like this: [Plunge Cut Track Saw TS 55 FEQ-F-Plus-FS](https://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/track-saws/ts-55-req-imp-plunge-cut-track-saw-574683) ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911/22 "2016-12-31T05:18:02Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > You’re gonna look mighty silly–the next time a large piece of tree falls in your backyard–holding a plugged in table saw, upside-down, to cut it up. To be fair anyone trying to cut green wood with a circular saw is going to look rather silly too. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911/23 "2016-12-31T05:28:29Z")
Home Depot and Lowes typically have individual 2’x2’ pieces of plywood for sale. That would be a much more workable size for a table saw. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911/24 "2016-12-31T06:39:11Z")
I had a table saw and passed it along to a cousin. I do lots of different things, no one in great quantities, and found that a good circular saw works best for me. I have cheated and made a table-like mount I can attach to a Work-mate like device to use it as a table saw and a commercial jig (if that is the correct term) I can place it in to use as a chop saw, and YMMV ------ but that’s the route I’ve taken for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2016, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911/25 "2016-12-31T08:38:05Z")
I have both a circular and contractor’s table saw and have cut numerous pieces of 4X8 ply ranging in thickness of 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4". Handling and maneuvering 4X8 1/4" and 1/2" ply while using the table saw is a fairly easy one person operation. However, 3/4" can be cumbersome due to its weight/size and this can lead to the board shifting during the cut with resulting inaccuracies. With 3/4", I always use the circular saw first and cut it to a more manageable size before going to the table saw for the final cut. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-a-circular-saw-or-a-table-saw/775911.md?page=1)