Table Saw Cut Depths for All Popular Saws (Complete Guide)

A table saw can easily be one of the most expensive tools you’ll ever buy for your DIY woodwork endeavors. And if you’re in the woodwork business, it’s a must-have because it brings unmatched convenience and generally makes work easier and more efficient. But since the different types of wood, you’ll come across daily will rarely have the same dimensions, keeping the cut depth in mind is crucial when shopping for a table saw.

Generally, the maximum cut depth of table saws varies by manufacturer and product design. For most table saws, 4″(101.6mm) is just about the maximum depth for a 90-degree cut. For a 45-degree angle of cut, the maximum depth is 2-¾” (69.85mm).

Read on for details on the key determinants of cut depth in table saws and a review of all popular saws’ cut depths at different angles.

A good saw is usually the centerpiece of a workshop. We have a great discussion on this topic in the video below on YouTube. You can watch our past workshops on YouTube here(Link to Cucamonga Woodworking)

A Primer on Table Saw Cut Depth

Before we take a look at the cut depths of the various table saws, there are a few things you need to understand.

First off is the relationship between the cutting depth of a table saw and the blade size. Generally, the cutting depth of any given table saw largely depends on the size of its blade. The larger the blade diameter, the deeper it can cut and vice versa.

That’s why when shopping for a table saw; you’ll notice that each is labeled according to the diameter of the blade it can accommodate. Most of the saws can handle a 10-inch (254mm) blade, but a handful can accommodate a 12-inch (304.8mm) blade. 3.5” (88.9mm) is the maximum 10-inch (254mm) table saw cut depth, while a 12-inch (304.8mm) option can cut up to 4 inches (101.6mm).

Of course, the blades in each of these options (and any other table saw, for that matter) are adjustable to accommodate cuts on the other end of the depth spectrum. With most table saws, you can cut as shallow as a fraction of an inch.

The other thing you need to understand before we get to the main discussion is that the angle of cut dictates how deep you can go. Using the same saw, cutting at a 45-degree angle will mean a shallower possible cut compared to cutting at a 90-degree angle.

Also worth mentioning is that the rising mechanism of the blade affects the cutting depth of a saw. However, chances are you won’t notice this with your saw because most manufacturers design their saws. The effect of the rising mechanism on the cutting depth is negligible, if any. If your saw isn’t cutting as deep as it should, it has more to do with accumulated dust and other particles than the blade’s rising mechanism.

Having reviewed how the blade size and its rising mechanism affect the cut depth of a table saw, let’s move on to the main subject of today’s discussion: the cut depths of the most popular table saws.

Bosch Table Saw Cut Depth

As you might already know, there’s Bosch Blue and Bosch Green. Bosch Blue provides heavy-duty tools for professionals, while Bosch Green tools are typically light-duty to suit DIYers.

For the DIYer, Bosch Tools only has the 4100XC-10 to offer. This table saw provides a maximum cut depth of 2-¼” (57.15mm) at a 45-degree cut angle and a greater depth of 3-⅛” (79.4mm) at a 90-degree angle. (Check out this saw on Amazon Here)

For professional applications, there’s the GTS 10 J Professional table saw. This one has a maximum cutting depth of 3-⅛″ (79.4mm) at a 90-degree cut angle and of up to 2-½″ (63.5mm) for a 45-degree angle.

Dewalt Table Saw Cut Depth

Dewalt has several products in its table saw category, and their blades are either 10″ (254mm) or 8-¼” (209.55 mm) in diameter.

10″ (254mm) Dewalt table saws can cut up to 3-⅛” (79.4mm) deep at 90 degrees and a maximum of 2-¼” (57.15mm) deep at 45 degrees. Meanwhile, those with a blade diameter of 8-¼” (209.55mm) can cut up to 2-9/16″ (65.1mm) deep at 90 degrees and about 1-¾” (44.45mm) deep at 45 degrees.

Ridgid Table Saw Cut Depth

Ridgid has several products in its table saw category, and all of them use a 10″ (254mm) blade. But while the blades are equal, there are slight variations in the possible cut depths across products.

The heavy-duty R4513 has a maximum depth of cut of 3-½” (88.9mm) at 90 degrees and a 2-½” (63.5mm) possible depth of cut at a 45 degrees angle. The compact R45171, on the other hand, has a maximum depth of 3.375″ (85.725mm) for a 90-degree cut and 2.5″ (63.5mm) for a 45-degree one. It has a similar cutting capacity as the 15 Amp R4518 for both cutting angles.

Meanwhile, the R4514 Pro comes with maximum cut depths of 2-¼”(57.15mm) and 3-½” (88.9mm) for 45-degree and 90-degree cutting angles, respectively. Last but not least is the 13 Amp R4520, which can cut up to 2-¼” (57.15mm) deep at a 45-degree angle and 3-¼” (82.55mm)deep at a 90-degree angle of cut.

Ryobi Table Saw Cut Depth

There are three products in the Ryobi Tools’ table saw category, namely the 10in. RTS12, the 10in. Expanded Capacity RTS23 and the Compact RTS08.

Both the RTS12 and the RTS23 have 10″ (254mm) blades. They can cut a maximum of 2-½” (63.5mm) deep at a 45-degree angle and 3” (76.2mm) at a 90-degree cut angle. The compact RTS08 has a smaller blade size of 8-¼” (209.55mm) and comes with maximum cut depths of 1-⅝” (41.275mm)and 2-⅕” (55.88mm) for 45-degree and 90-degree cut angles, respectively.

Does a Larger Blade Always Mean More Cut Depth?

So far, we’ve only looked at common table saws with a blade diameter of 10 inches (254mm) and lower, and none of them can cut deeper than 4 inches (101.6mm). But since we did mention table saws with 12-inch (304.8mm) blades and their ability to cut up to 4 inches (101.6mm) deep earlier, you might be wondering if that’s the limit in terms of the blade size and depth of cut.

Well, when it comes to the blade size, 12 inches (304.8mm) isn’t the upper limit. There are few table saws on the market with 14-inch blades. The Grizzly G0772 – 14″ (355.6mm) 10 HP 3-Phase Sliding Table Saw is a perfect example of that. Since the manufacturer also offers a 12-inch (304.8mm) table saw known as the Grizzly G0605X1 – 12″(304.8mm) 5 HP 220V Extreme Table Saw, let’s compare the two options to find out if a larger blade always means more cut depth.

At a 90-degree angle, the 14″ (355.6mm) Grizzly G0772 can cut up to 4″ (101.6mm) deep. When you change the angle of cut to 45 degrees, the depth of cut drops to 2-¾” (69.85mm). With the 12″ (304.8mm) Grizzly G0605X1, the maximum depth of cut at a 90-degree angle is 4″ (101.6mm), too, and the maximum depth of cut at 45 degrees is 2-¾” (69.85mm).

While one of these table saws has a 2″ (50mm) larger blade, they both have similar maximum depths of cut and would equally suit anyone looking for a table saw 100mm (3.9”) cut depth, sure, the saw with the larger blade might perform better in some other ways, but as far as the cut depth is concerned, a larger blade doesn’t always mean better.

Final Thoughts

That rounds up today’s post. As we’ve seen, the cut depth of table saws varies slightly across manufacturers, even for products with similar blade sizes. And in some cases, there might be variations in the possible cut depths of table saws from the same manufacturer, even when the blade sizes are equal.

If things get complicated when shopping, consider other factors such as the rip capacity, voltage, arbor speed, arbor diameter, and convenience features such as dust ports. If portability is a concern, you might also want to consider weight and compactness.