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What I am missing a bit is an application part with a few little projects that teach you how to use your saw effectively. I don't mind the comments on "European Saws" so much. This book certainly covers a lot of what there is to know about table saws. the author after all explains what features make them better in his view. I feel that despite the age of my saw I as the operator bring in more errors. The latest generation of American brand saws might well stand up to that.
The Table Saw Book provides plenty of information. This book is more like a dull lecture. The organization is fine, and I am not disappointed. Compared with other shop literature, however, Kelly Mehler fails to make the reading compelling -- or even very interesting.
I really get the idea that he feels that if you can't afford a $3000 saw using $200 blades and a thousand dollars worth of dust removal equipment you're just throwing your money away. As others have pointed out he's very dismissive of anything other than top of the line equipment and he's nearly obsessed with "European" saws. I found this book very disappointing. I feel certain that many people buying this book are like me and have already purchased a mid-level "American" saw. This teaches me nothing about how to make the best use of what I have.I was also put off by his dismissal of working with plywood and would have liked some more examples helpful to those of us who aren't master carpenters working with unlimited funds.I guess I should have saved my money (and taken out a second mortgage) for a better saw instead of getting this book. It really doesn't help me to tell me over and over that I've wasted my money on a piece of garbage and then sing the praises of expensive equipment I can't afford.
While the box covers the basics of a table saw, I was expecting a broader section on the design of jigs for use with a table saw. The jigs provided, however, are the basic ones commonly used.
I felt Mehler spent WAY too much time touting European saws. I liked the chapter on cutting various joints. After reading all of the positive reviews, I was a bit disappointed after securing my copy of Mehler's Table Saw Book. Lastly, the book includes very good color photos and black-and-white diagrams.Pros: Cheap, good newbie information, alignment and maintenance tipsCons: Too much pre-buying info, infatuation with Euro sawsRecommendation: If new to table saws, this book is great. I was hoping for something similar to Hylton's Woodworking with the Router.The first two chapters (Introduction to and Buying a Table Saw) can be completely skipped by anybody who already owns or is familiar with a table saw. Mehler also consists of some good tips on maintaining your table saw. I also wasn't particularly impressed with the Crosscutting chapter.On the bright side, the book does contain some valuable information.
Maybe my expectations were a little high, but I was left wanting more. These pages would've been much more useful on topics more relevant to most of us. However, for experienced woodworkers, I'd look elsewhere. The chapter on Safety is excellent.
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