Ok, I know this question has been asked many, many times before. Here and elsewhere. And I've researched the options in some detail. But I still don't have a really conclusive answer. Which probably means "it depends" and that I'll have to work it out for myself but just for the heck of it I'll ask... I'm looking at buying a table saw. I've never owned one and have very limited experience with them but I have a lot of work to do on Petrel and I think it's time that I got some real tools. With that in mind, is an older table saw even worth considering? Factors in my decision:
1. I really like old things and am both familiar and comfortable with the compromises they require (my daily driver is a 1949 Studebaker Pickup truck. The heater doesn't work. It barely has suspension and I just got the wipers working a few weeks ago). So an old table saw with a heavy cast iron top is appealing, although I admit this is an aesthetic consideration not a practical one.
2. My budget is around $500, which would buy a new benchtop saw (probably a Dewalt since that's what I have for most of my other power tools) or would also go a long way towards restoring and upgrading an older saw.
3. Anything I get needs to be somewhat portable since I do not have a dedicated woodworking shop and the saw would be be used mostly on the boat. Meaning that I would need to be able to set it up and take it down with a reasonable level of effort. Even better if I can put it on top of the temporary workbench that I have set up on the aft deck.
The saws I'm considering right now are:
- An old Craftsman, something like this one: https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/tls/6031250664.html
- This Rockwell contractor's saw: https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/tls/6035416630.html
- A recent (or new) Dewalt bench top saw such as: https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/6034000482.html
Any recommendations? Anything to watch out for? I suspect the correct answer is "get the new saw - it will be better in every way" so I guess I'm asking whether I would be hugely disappointed in the older one if I did go that route?
Thanks!