| Model | Table Size | No-Load RPM | Max Cut Depth (45º / 90º) | Bevel Cuts | Rip Capacity (Right / Left) | Weight (saw / stand) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Makita 2705X1 Table Saw Check Price on Amazon.com | 29-5/8" x 22-1/2" | 4 800 | 2-1/2" / 3-9/16" Guides: saw alignment, maintenance, safety | -2º to 47º | 25" / (Unknown) | 119.5 lbs. combined |
A good table saw is an essential tool for any contractor or carpenter, whether you’re a garage or basement carpenter or a pro. Makita is well known for making some excellent power tools, and their table saws are seldom rivaled in terms of quality of workmanship and ease of use. Let’s take a look at the Makita 2705X1 jobsite contractor saw, and see if it lives up to the Makita name.
Pros:
- Able to rip full sheets of plywood with ease
- Able to cut 4X material in one pass
- Very sturdy stand
Cons:
- Rip fence is easily bumped out of alignment
- Plastic body cracks easily
- Saw bolts to stand and combined weight requires 2 people to load
What’s in the Box
Included with the 2705X1 is everything you need to get started. The saw comes mostly assembled, with just a few accessories to install. When you unbox the saw, you should find the following components:
- The Makita 2705 contractor saw (amazon link)
- Riving blade
- Blade guard assembly
- Miter guage
- Push stick
- Rolling stand
- User’s manual
- Warranty card
How Hard is the Makita 2705X1 To Assemble?
The 2705X1 is pretty easy to assemble. It comes mostly assembled right out of the box, so you just have to mount the saw to the stand and attach the tilt wheel, height adjustment wheel, and the rip fence. Once assembled, which should take less than half an hour, it takes about an hour to check the alignment and accuracy of the table saw. This goes quite easily when you use a table saw alignment tool, preferably a digital gauge.
What Are the Best Features of the Makita 2705X1?
Perhaps the finest feature of the 2705X1 is the right extension table. With this extension fully extended, you can easily rip a 
full sheet of plywood, something almost unheard of in portable table saws like this one. The extension is sturdy enough to support the plywood, too, which is nice when you are short-handed.
Another nice feature is the depth of the blade, making it easy to cut through 4X material in a single pass. Most table saws can only cut 3-1/8” at 90 degrees, but the Makita 2705X1 has the capability of cutting material 3-9/16” thick with ease.
To go along with that depth of cutting, you need power, and the 2705X1 has the power you need. The 15-amp motor is capable of cutting hardwood like a hot knife through butter, and I’ve yet to find any wood that this saw cannot handle. The riving knife and spreader work well together with the motor to keep the wood from binding.
How Durable is the Makita 2705X1?
Durability is probably this saw’s greatest shortcoming. It is not at all durable, because the plastic housing for the body of the saw is very cheap plastic that cracks all too easily. I don’t expect perfection from a portable saw, but I do expect durability, since these things tend to get jostled and bumped around during transport. Within a month of use, my 2705X1 was showing wear and tear as if I’d been using it for several years.
That’s really unfortunate, because the saw itself is very good. The motor is strong and durable, and will cut through even the hardest woods without difficulty, even with a not-so-new saw blade.
Is the Makita 2705X1 Easy to Use?
The saw itself is very easy to use. The large start/stop button is easy to access, but it is out of the way enough that you 
won’t accidentally start the saw when you don’t mean to. The powerful motor cuts through wood with ease, and the telescoping extension makes it a breeze to cut large sheets of plywood.
Unfortunately, the rip fence is all too easy to bump out of alignment, which has helped me to donate a fair chunk of change back to my local lumber yard after skewing my cuts. Makita might have the power, but I wish they also had the accuracy of other brands of table saws.
One other drawback to this table saw is its size. It is very difficult to maneuver this table saw through standard doorframes, and I’ve had times when I couldn’t get the saw through the door at all. This is the tradeoff, I guess, of being able to cut full sheets of plywood, but it seems some design thought could have been put into how well the saw would fit through doors to job sites.
Finally, even though this is a portable saw, it is very heavy. The saw bolts onto the rolling stand, and together the two weigh in at almost 120 pounds. Unless you want a hernia, you should make sure you have a spare hand to help you load and unload the saw when you are transporting it, and maybe even an assistant to set it up at the job site.
What’s the Warranty Like for the Makita 2705X1?
Makita offers a 30 day money-back guarantee on the 2705X1, which is a good thing if you realize you won’t be happy with the plastic housing. Other than that, this saw only comes with a 1 year limited warranty, which hardly seems competitive with the warranty offered by other table saw manufacturers of the class.
All of that said, Makita has some of the best customer service representatives I’ve dealt with.
Summary
The Makita 2705X1 is very powerful, and has the best ripping capacity in its class. However, it is burdened by a less-than-durable design and problems with accuracy that make it ill-suited for all but the most casual of hobby carpenters. Take a look at Amazon.com’s price on the Makita 2705X1 Table Saw if you’re interested.
