Table saws are excellent pieces of electric equipment for any woodworker that wants a versatile saw that can make accurate and precise cuts all day long.
Truly, a table saw can handle most of what you throw at it; from massive hunks of lumber to thin slices of wood, this saw can cut wood as efficiently as you need it to.
If you have been working with wood for a long time, then it is likely that you own a table saw or have access to the use of one. It is a very popular electric saw and it is rare to find a pro-woodworker that does not have one in their arsenal of woodworking tools!
All that said, it is entirely possible that either:
you can’t afford a table saw.
you are new to woodworking and don’t want to make the investment yet.
your own table saw is broken or cannot be used.
you want to try out a table saw first before purchasing.
In that case, renting a table saw is a totally viable option.
Although the money you spend to rent a table saw might be better spent on purchasing your own, there are many reasons why renting might be advantageous as opposed to buying one outright.
In this article, you will find all the information you need about renting a table saw, such as where to rent one, what to consider before renting, the average cost of renting, and more.
However, there is a major caveat to this answer; whether you can rent a table saw or not does depend on where you are located.
Not every area has a big box store such as The Home Depot or Lowes, although most cities and towns (no matter how small) will likely have one of these stores in less than an hour-drive range.
That said, there are certainly exceptions – renting a table saw is certainly not as common as renting a car or an apartment, for example. Woodworking (although it might be difficult to believe) is a relatively small, niche industry – there is not a hardware or woodworking store on the corner of every street the same way there is a Starbucks.
So, although the answer is yes – you can rent a table saw – it may not be as easy in some cities/areas/countries as it is elsewhere.
Assuming you have a home improvement big-box store in your area, then renting a table saw is an easy process – simply go into the store to see if it’s available and, if so, reserve it for a set date and time.
Alternatively, calling ahead may be a good idea so that you don’t waste your time by going into the store only to find that the table saw is booked up for use.
Assuming a table saw is available to rent, it’s as simple as this:
Sign a rental agreement.
Pay the fee.
Take the table saw home and use it as desired.
Return the table saw – in the same condition as when it was first rented – before the set deadline you agreed to.
That’s all there is to it – it’s just like renting a movie or so.
Now, let’s take a look at where you can rent a table saw in the first place.
Where To Rent A Table Saw
There are two ‘types’ of rentals when it comes to table saws; you can either rent one to take home to your workshop (in this case, you are renting a portable table saw) or you are renting in order to use their stationery table saw for a certain amount of time.
Different shops will offer different options for you – in some cases, you may only need to use their in-store table saw while at other times you may need to bring home the saw with you.
Whatever the case, here are some of the most common places from which you might be able to rent a table saw from:
Big-Box Stores
Stores like The Home Depot and Lowes typically offer the service of using their saws, which usually includes a table saw.
This can mean either renting a table saw to take home or using one of their saws in the store.
The Home Depot, for example, usually offers both portable table saws that you can take home for days on end or you can simply cut your lumber with theirs.
The options available to you depend entirely on what big-box stores are in your area.
If you are interested in renting a table saw from these stores, make sure to call ahead and check whether or not it is ‘booked up’ or if they even have a saw for you to rent in the first place.
Cabinet Shop
Your local cabinet shop – shops that product furniture such as cabinets, cupboards, bookcases, and more – almost definitely uses saws for business operations, and will often rent out table saws in order to produce extra revenue.
If you have a cabinet shop close to you, call to inquire as to whether they offer a table saw rental service or not.
Local Lumber-Shop
Your local lumber store will likely have a table saw at their disposal – whether or not they rent it out or not depends entirely on them.
Even if your local lumber shop does not explicitly offer table saw rental as a service, it is certainly worth calling to ask if they would consider renting it out or if you can use their table saw in-house for a small fee.
Private Businesses
There are many types of businesses that use electric machinery on a day-to-day business – this goes beyond the typical handyman or contracting provider.
If you believe that a local business might have a table saw, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask if you can borrow it or use it in exchange for a rental fee.
It never hurts to ask.
Now, before we look at the average costs of renting a table saw, let’s quickly go over some things you should consider before you rent a table saw.
Things To Consider When Renting A Table Saw
Before you sign a rental agreement, make sure you know the answer to the following questions:
What Is Your Budget?
This is most important – you should know your budget.
If you don’t know your budget, you are at risk of paying way more than necessary just to use a table saw.
Remember, many woodworking jobs that you think may require a table saw can be done with other varieties of tools, electric or otherwise – by knowing your budget and how much you’re willing to pay, you can make a conscious decision as to whether the rental agreement you are considering renting is worth it or not.
What Kind Of Table Saw Do You Need?
Do you need a portable table saw to take home and use in your shop, or can you get away with bringing your lumber to a store?
By knowing exactly what you need, you can save yourself time and money – for example, if all you need is to cut a few pieces of wood, why pay the cost of renting a table saw for a day when you might only need to pay to use Home Depot’s table saw for 15 minutes?
Also, different table saws have different capabilities.
So, make sure you are getting the equipment you need to handle your specific woodworking job.
What Are The Terms Of The Rental Agreement?
Before you sign a rental agreement of any kind, you should know what is included in the agreement.
For example:
what happens in the case of any minor damages?
what happens in the case of any major damages?
are you insured in case of any injuries?
is there limitations on what you can use the table saw for?
is there any fine print?
Knowing the answers to these questions and more will make sure you know what you are getting yourself into when you agree to a rental contract.
Is It Worth It To Rent?
Remember, you can get a solid table saw for only $200-300 USD.
As you’ll see in the next section of this article, renting a table saw can be relatively expensive – considering how much it is to rent and how relatively inexpensive it is to buy a table saw, you may decide that buying a table saw is a smarter decision.
Let’s look at how much it costs – on average – to rent a table saw.
Average Cost of Table Saw Rentals
Now, obviously the costs associated with renting a table saw will vary greatly from store to store, country to country, city to city, etc.
As we’ve gone over the various places where you can rent a table saw from, you know there are multiple different options for renting so the price it costs to rent will obviously change drastically.
The rental price will also depend on whether you are bringing the table saw home for a day or are simply using the saw in the store.
The only way you can get accurate pricing is to contact the different options in your area for renting a table saw.
Whatever the case, in general terms, if you are renting from a local business or lumber shop to use a table saw for an hour or less, it will likely cost about $10-20.
If you are renting a saw from a big box store like The Home Depot or Lowes, it can cost upwards of $40 or more.
These costs will increase depending on the quality of the table saw, the model, the condition, how long you are renting it for, etc.
This is why it is important to consider whether renting is an economically-conscious decision or not.
Here are some alternatives to renting a table saw.
Alternatives To Renting A Table Saw
Besides buying a table saw outright instead of renting one, there are a few other alternatives to renting that you might have not considered.
These include:
Borrowing From A Friend
If you have friends, neighbors, or acquintances that are into woodworking then borrowing from them might be an option.
Simply call up your contacts who you know (or suspect) have a table saw and ask if you can pick up their table saw for a day or so.
Maybe you can offer them a service (or something else) in return for borrowing their table saw.
Or, you can also ask if you can simply use their saw at their place – that is, if you have only a quick woodcutting job to do.
Also, it is entirely possible that if you have a relationship with a store that you might be able to borrow a table saw from them for a day – this is only if you have a personal relationship with the owners or employees.
Paying A Shop To Cut Your Wood
It is possible that you have only a small woodcutting job to do that requires a table saw… in this case, it might be worth it too – instead of paying for a full day of a table saw rental – get them to do the job for you.
Big-box stores like The Home Depot and your local hardware or cabinet shops might offer this service for a much lower price than it costs to rent a table saw for a day.
It’s worth considering this is you don’t need the saw for an entire day.
Buy A Used Table Saw
Buying a used table sawis a cheaper alternative to purchasing a brand new one, and it is a totally viable option.
It can also be a smarter decision than renting a table saw.
Let’s say, for example, you have a big woodworking job that needs to be done and you will need to rent a table saw for three days… this can cost you anywhere from $100-150 or more.
In that case, you might as well purchase a used table saw anyways – it will cost about the same amount of money but you will own the saw and be able to use it repeatedly in the future or eventually sell it.
Consider this if you don’t feel ready or don’t have the funds to purchase a brand new table saw.
Hi, I am Paul Smith. I am the man behind this blog. I am a passionate woodworker. I would like to share with you guys the experience of learning woodworking.
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