# Saws & first bookshelf — full plan and research

_Compiled July 2026. Decisions, prices, and reasoning from the tool-buying research._
_Companion visual build guide (drawings): https://claude.ai/code/artifact/6e287198-bf36-484e-a53c-b0e0722e3663_

---

## TL;DR — the decisions

1. **Buy first: Metabo KGS 216 M mitre saw — 2,495 kr at Obs Bygg (Olrud).** Only pro-brand saw at the budget price; slides (305 mm crosscut), has the LED shadow-line.
2. **First project: a frame bookshelf built on the mitre saw ALONE** — no circular saw needed if you buy pre-dimensioned wood and use a diagonal brace instead of a back panel.
3. **Circular saw / track saw: later**, when you hit a project that needs ripping or breaking down sheets. Not now.
4. **Table saw: not yet** — most dangerous tool, you don't need its exclusive tricks, and at ~2,500 you'd buy entry-tier. It's the "reward once the hobby has clearly stuck," ideally at ~5k for a good one.
5. **Skip: flip-over combos, radial arm saws, and the 85 mm Ryobi mini plunge saw** (reasons below).
6. **Already own:** Ryobi ONE+ drill + sander → the mitre saw is the only new power tool needed.

---

## 1. The mitre saw decision

### Why the mitre saw first (not a table saw)
- Your near-term work is **shelves and cut-to-length** — mitre-saw territory.
- The table saw's killer feature is **ripping**, which a **circular saw + rail covers** when you're ready.
- **Safety** — the table saw is the highest-injury tool; you're working alongside an 11-year-old.
- You haven't finished a project yet — learn on the gentler, more forgiving tool.

### The pick: Metabo KGS 216 M
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Blade | 216 mm |
| Crosscut width (90°) | **305 mm** (covers flooring planks & shelf depth) |
| Cut height | ~65 mm |
| Power | 1,500 W |
| Slide | Yes |
| Shadow-line | **Yes — PCL LED** (same idea as DeWalt's XPS) |
| Price | **2,495 kr @ Obs Bygg** · 2,302 kr Proshop online |

**Metabo = a real German pro brand (est. 1924).** This model is their entry saw priced where hobby brands live — that's the value anomaly. Everything cheaper in Hamar is a house/no-name brand.

### Why NOT the KGS 254 M (3,495 kr)
Both are sliders, so **crosscut width is identical — 305 mm.** The bigger 254 mm blade only adds cutting *height* (~90 vs ~65 mm) — thick beams / stock on end — which you never cut. Plus pricier blades, heavier. **Not worth +1,000 kr.** Put that money toward a good blade + Kreg jig + wood.

### Correction on an earlier claim
The rumor that Obs Bygg marks the Metabo up to 4,490 was **stale** — the live price is **2,495**, fair. And Jula does **not** stock the Metabo (its cheap Meec saws are fixed-chop, no slide). Obs Bygg is the local Metabo source.

---

## 2. Full Hamar mitre-saw survey (corded, sliding)

Verified late July 2026 across all seven big chains.

| Price | Saw | Blade | Store (Hamar) | Brand tier | Shadow-line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,295 | Skil 1310 / Kellen | 216 | Obs Bygg | budget | – |
| 1,299 | Q-Powertools 1700 W | 254 | Montér | **no-name (risk)** | – |
| 1,499 | Biltema MS 210C | 210 | Biltema | house budget | – |
| 1,799 | Cocraft HM 210 | 210 | Clas Ohlson | house budget | – |
| 2,199 | Biltema MS 255D | 255 | Biltema | house budget | – |
| **2,495** | **★ Metabo KGS 216 M** | 216 | **Obs Bygg** | **pro brand** | **✓ LED** |
| 2,495 | Skil 1321 AA | 254 | Obs Bygg | budget/mid | ✓ LED |
| 2,899 | Ryobi EMS254L (corded) | 254 | Obs Bygg | prosumer | – |
| 3,127 | Hikoki C8FSHG | 216 | Maxbo | pro brand | – |
| 3,295 | DeWalt DWS773 | 216 | Obs Bygg | pro | ✓ XPS |
| 3,495 | Metabo KGS 254 M | 254 | Obs Bygg | pro brand | ✓ LED |
| 3,790 | Makita LS0815FLN | 216 | Byggmakker | pro | – |
| 3,990 | DeWalt DWS777 | 216 | Byggmakker | pro | ✓ XPS |
| 4,695 | Bosch GCM 8 SJL | 216 | Maxbo | pro | – |

**Escape hatches:**
- **Cheaper:** Biltema MS 255D (2,199) — cheapest real slider, bigger blade, house-brand compromises (square the fence yourself).
- **Buy-once / heavier:** DeWalt DWS777 (3,990 Byggmakker, cheaper than the 4,341 online) or Makita LS0815FLN (3,790) — true keep-forever tools, but +1,300–1,500 for capacity you'll rarely tax.

Excluded: Jula/Jem&Fix cheap Meec & Falke saws are **fixed chop saws, no slide**. Cordless Ryobi doesn't share batteries meaningfully for a bench tool (see §3).

---

## 3. Saw types — what each does (and doesn't)

| Saw | Rips? | Crosscuts? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Mitre saw** | ❌ | ✅✅ | Fast angle/length cuts. Wood clamped, blade chops. Can't rip. |
| **Table saw** | ✅✅ | ✅ (sled) | The furniture hub. Rips, dados, joinery. Most versatile — and most dangerous. |
| **Circular saw + rail** | ✅ | ✅ | Portable; covers the table saw's ripping/sheet jobs. Your future "second saw." |
| **Track saw (dykksag)** | ✅ | ✅ | Premium circular-on-rail. Cleanest sheet breakdown, safest rip tool. |
| **Flip-over combo** | 🟡 | 🟡 | Mitre+table in one. Only good one (DeWalt DW743N) is ~7–10k and STILL a limited table saw. Skip for a home shop. |
| **Radial arm saw** | 🟡 | 🟡 | **Obsolete.** Replaced by mitre + table saw. Hard to align, dangerous. Skip. |

**Key asymmetry:** a table saw can *do* most of what a mitre saw does (with a sled); a mitre saw can *never* rip. So a table saw replaces a mitre saw, not vice versa — which is why furniture YouTube is table-saw-centric.

**Why your kit still works without a table saw:** mitre saw (crosscuts) + circular-saw-on-rail (rips/sheets) together cover everything a table saw does *except* dados/fine joinery — which you don't need for screwed-and-plugged shelves, and can add later with a router.

---

## 4. The rip problem — your "second saw" ladder

The mitre saw can't rip or break down sheets. When you need that:

| Option | ~Price | Best for | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circular saw + clamped straightedge | ~1,000 | cheapest entry, occasional rips | fiddlier, less clean |
| **Track saw** | ~1,500–5,000 | **clean sheet breakdown, safe rips** | slower for repeat rips, no dados |
| Table saw (good one) | ~5,000–8,000 | fast repeat rips, dados, joinery | dangerous, big footprint |

For a home shop with a kid, **mitre + track saw is arguably a better/safer pair than mitre + table saw.** The real Ryobi rip tool (shares your batteries) is the **RCS18X1 (184 mm, 65 mm) + rail** — NOT the 85 mm mini plunge saw (26 mm depth, too shallow for furniture; only good for thin/laminate/tile cuts).

Budget table saws seen (Obs Bygg): Skil 1340 AA 2000W (2,495, 9 rev), Black+Decker BES720-QS 1800W (2,885, 88 rev). Both legit entry jobsite saws — not junk — but entry-tier (flexy fence, small table, limited rip, least-safe). A "proper" table saw (Bosch GTS 635 / GTS 10 XC) is 5,000–8,000.

---

## 5. The bookshelf — design & build

Full drawings in the visual guide (link at top). Two variants:

### Variant A — solid-sided box
Sides + top + bottom + one fixed shelf screwed into a rigid box; thin back panel stops racking; adjustable shelves on 5 mm pins.
- Joints: **glue + 2 screws (5×60) + 8 mm plug**, sanded flush.
- Back panel needs a rip → **have the store cut it**, or replace with a diagonal brace.

### Variant B — frame (RECOMMENDED — lighter, cheaper, one-saw)
Posts + rungs (ladders) + shelves + **diagonal brace instead of a back panel**. Half the wood, all crosscuts.

**The one-saw path (mitre saw only):** every cut is a crosscut to length **if** you:
1. Buy shelf panels at your **depth width** (e.g. 250 mm) — cut only to length.
2. Keep depth **≤ 250 mm** (inside the saw's ~300 mm crosscut).
3. Use a **diagonal brace, not a back panel** (a brace is just an angled crosscut → no ripping, no sheet cut).

### Extra-wide version — shared middle post
Two 700 mm bays sharing ONE middle post-pair (a middle ladder), not two separate boxes. Saves a whole post-station + doubled material. Keep each bay ≤ 700 mm so shelves don't sag.

### Not-flimsy joints (the anti-Ikea recipe)
Ivar wobbles because: thin posts, shelves rest loose, no glue, not wall-anchored. Fix all four:
1. **Glue every joint** (glue on long grain beats the screw).
2. **Two screws with spacing, never one** — stops the shelf pivoting. _This is the single biggest anti-wobble trick._
3. Make **top + bottom + 1–2 mid shelves permanently fixed** (they tie the posts together = structural).
4. **Diagonal brace** at the back.
5. **Anchor to the wall.**
Joint options, weak→strong: loose peg ✗ → cleat + glue + screw-down ✓ → pocket screw (Kreg) ✓✓ → angle bracket ✓. Fatter front posts (48×70) also help a lot.

### Wall anchoring — MANDATORY
A 2 m loaded shelf tips and can kill a child. One vinkelbeslag from the top into a stud, or a safety strap. Non-negotiable with kids.

### Build order (frame)
1. Cut all parts, label, sand to 180.
2. Build the 3 ladders flat (posts + rungs), check square.
3. Stand them up, lay shelves across, screw down.
4. Cut & fit the diagonal brace LAST — it locks square.
5. Oil/lacquer. Stand up, anchor to wall, load.

---

## 6. Materials & where to buy (Hamar)

### Posts — 48×48 planed pine, UNTREATED (ubehandlet)
- **"Rekke justert ubehandlet gran/furu 48×48 klasse 1"** ≈ **27,90 kr/m** (klasse 1 = straighter, worth it).
- Or **Bergene Holm 48×48×4800 @ 129 kr/stk** (26,90/m) — one length = two 2 m posts + offcut for rungs. **3 lengths = all 6 posts (~387 kr).**
- ❌ Skip the green "cu impregnert" (outdoor, wet, chemicals) and the "trekantlekt" (tiling moulding).
- **Sight down each length and pick the straightest** — cheap lekt bows/twists.

### Shelves — hobbyplate furu 18 mm (glued pine panel)
Buy the panel **width = your shelf depth** so you only crosscut to length. 18 mm is fine at ≤700 mm bays.
Exact prices (Gausdal / gaus.no, free July freight): 18×200×2500 **329** · 18×250×2500 **409** · 18×300×1200 **249** · 18×300×2500 **509** · 18×400×2500 **649** · 18×600×2500 **979**.
Byggmakker 18×300×1200 = **259**. **Cheapest local: Byggmax or Maxbo.**

### Back panel / brace
- Solid back: 6 mm huntonitt or kryssfiner, ~2000×700 → **Byggmakker cuts it** (only chain with a cutting service).
- Or skip it → **diagonal brace** from a thin lekt (21×70) / 18 mm strimmel, ~120 kr. (Preferred for the one-saw path.)

### Store cheat-sheet (from the local guide)
- **Byggmax** — cheapest furu panels + trelast per meter. Real timber yard among discounters.
- **Maxbo** — broadest furu selection; cheapest plain kryssfiner. Short Sat hours (til 15).
- **Byggmakker** — best trevirke, **only cutting service**.
- **Obs Bygg Olrud** — the Metabo source; long hours (7–21, Sat 8–19).
- **Montér** — nearest, longest open, no cutting.
- **Biltema / Jula** — jernvare/verktøy, sell **no wood**.

### Cost estimate
- Wide frame (2 bays, 6 levels, 12 shelves): **~2,000–2,400 kr** (shelves dominate). Two separate solid boxes = ~4,000+; the shared middle post is where you save.
- Lever to cut cost: go **200 mm depth** or fewer shelves.

---

## 7. Tools

**Have:** Ryobi ONE+ drill, Ryobi sander.
**Buy now:** Metabo KGS 216 M mitre saw (2,495).
**Must-have hand tools:** forsenker (countersink) + PZ2/TX bits · vinkelhake (square) · målebånd + blyant · **tvinger ×2–4** · sandpapir 120/180.
**Consumables:** trelim D3 · treskruer 5×70 (post→rung), 4×40 (shelf), 4×30 (brace) · 8 mm treplugger (Variant A) or Kreg jig (upgrade) · hardvoksolje / matt klarlakk · vinkelbeslag for wall.
**Best-value upgrade with the money saved vs a pricier saw:** a good **60-tooth fine blade** (improves a cheap saw more than a cheap blade improves an expensive one) + the **Kreg pocket-hole jig** (~400 kr) for hidden, rigid joints.

---

## 8. Shopping ticket (frame bookshelf, one-saw build)

**Obs Bygg (Olrud):**
- [ ] Metabo KGS 216 M mitre saw — 2,495
- [ ] 60-tooth fine-cut 216 mm blade
- [ ] 48×48 untreated pine — 3× Bergene Holm 4800 (or ~14 m by the meter)
- [ ] hobbyplate furu 18×250 (or 18×300) — enough for 12 shelves (~4 panels of 2500)
- [ ] thin lekt 21×70 for 2 diagonal braces
- [ ] treskruer 5×70 + 4×40 + 4×30, D3 lim, hardvoksolje, vinkelbeslag
**Optional (upgrade):**
- [ ] Kreg pocket-hole jig
- [ ] later: Ryobi RCS18X1 circular saw + guide rail (shares your batteries) OR a track saw — the day you need to rip / break down sheets.

---

## 9. Review deep-dive (added 28 Jul 2026) — Metabo vs Skil is closer than §1 implied

_Triggered by 731 Woodworks' "NEVER Use a Miter Saw Like This" video, whose recommended budget saw is the **Skil MS6305-00** = EU **Skil 1320/1321 AA**._

### The Skil is NOT a Jem & Fix saw
Jem & Fix Norway carries no Skil at all — only house-brand Falke fixed chop saws (1,399–1,499). The Skil 1321 AA is at **Obs Bygg, 2,495** (same shelf & price as the Metabo). Also at Bauhaus.

### Skil 1320/1321 AA review pedigree
- **gjoerdetselv.com Norwegian 6-saw test: winner, 9.2/10** (beat Scheppach, Ryobi EMS254L, Einhell, B+D, Biltema). Praised dual bevel, best-in-class dust collection, quick clamp "a pleasure to use".
- 731 Woodworks + Pro Tool Reviews + TechGearLab endorse the US twin (MS6305-00).
- 1321 AA = 1320 AA + LED shadow line.
- Per krone it buys more saw than the Metabo: **90 mm cut height (vs 65), dual bevel, 2000W, 254 mm blade** — same 305 mm crosscut.
- Downsides: budget fit/finish, thin European track record, no service-network/resale story.

### Metabo KGS 216 M review consensus (deep-dive, sources in chat 2026-07-28)
- Dinside 2018 Norwegian group test "Best i Test"; German aggregate 1.7 "gut" (testberichte.de); **4.6/5 @ ~1,500 Amazon.de ratings**, 4.7/5 Prisjakt. No lemon pattern.
- Known warts, all mitigable: **dust bag catches ~¼ of dust** (fine with shop-vac attached); **no soft start** (abrupt jerk — note with kid); two-piece fence a bit flexy; some plastic knobs; **rails need ~40 cm clearance behind the saw** (station placement!); stock 40T blade so-so; no bevel detents.
- Current Norwegian version has the LED shadow line (old versions' much-complained laser is gone).
- Forum consensus: great value; the real quality jump is Bosch GCM 8 SJL at ~2× price.

### Jig-ability / workholding (the station question)
- **Metabo ships the most complete workholding kit in the class**: vertical quick-clamp (rear hole = wide pieces, front hole = narrow; manual mandates clamping every cut — good habit for an 11-year-old), 2 slide-in table extensions **with a built-in stock stop**, length guide. DeWalt/Skil ship clamp only; Makita's clamp mounts either side; Bosch has the best integrated extensions.
- **Station mounting**: bolt-down base, footprint 345×730 mm, manual recommends 800 mm bench height; extensions are fully removable so station wings butt flush against the cast table. Tip: mount saw on a plywood sub-base, shim that flush.
- **"Sleds"** don't apply to mitre saws; equivalents all work on the KGS 216 M: replaceable table insert (cheap spare = zero-clearance), sliding left fence extrusion (move for bevels; screw/tape a sacrificial wood fence to it, or better: make the *station* fence the sacrificial layer).
- **Precision repeat cuts**: the layer that matters is saw-agnostic — continuous station fence + T-track + flip stop (Kreg KMS8000 Precision Trak, or cheap generic T-track + shop-made stop block). Metabo gives up nothing here.
- Metabo stands if wanted later: KSU 251 (629005000, roller supports + folding series-cut stop).
- Unverified detail: whether the clamp hole exists mirrored on the right side — check in store.

### Blade to buy at Obs Bygg
- **Skil 1321 AA (254×30, ships 48T): DeWalt DT1182 254×30 60T ATB — 449 kr, in stock 64 stores.** Clean upgrade — but **not a day-one buy**: stock 48T is already semi-fine (16.6→13.3 mm tooth pitch is incremental), ends get sanded, and a zero-clearance fence kills tear-out better than 12 extra teeth. Buy the DT1182 when the stock blade dulls/fuzzes; old blade becomes the rough/spare blade for reclaimed wood.
- **Metabo (216×30, ships 40T): nothing worth buying at Obs Bygg.** Their 169 kr Metabo blade is the *same Z40 as the stock blade* (spare only); DT1953 is 40T construction; DT4370 60T is 899 kr and TCG (laminate grind). Start on the stock 40T, order Metabo "multi cut" Z60 (628066000, ~680 kr) or equivalent 60T online later.

### Field audit (28 Jul) — anything else missed?
Re-checked beyond the Hamar-chains scope after the Skil upset:
- **Scheppach HM254SPX** — 9.1/10 "best buy" in the same gjoerdetselv test, ~2,127 kr online (prisjakt), but spotty stock, no Hamar store, and it *lost* to the Skil in that test. Online dark horse only.
- **DeWalt DWS774** (DWS773 + XPS shadow line) — 3,490 kr at Byggmakker; wasn't in the original table, but at +1,000 over the Skil/Metabo it changes nothing (and at that money the DWS777 at 3,990 looms).
- Einhell TC-SM 2534 (7.8) and Black+Decker BES710 (7.4) scored poorly in the test — correctly excluded.
- Ryobi EMS254L (2,899, 8.4/10) is strictly dominated by the Skil: costs more, scored lower, same size.
- Online prices don't undercut Obs Bygg meaningfully (Skil from 2,495 on prisjakt; Metabo 2,302 at Proshop).
Conclusion: the ≤3,000 kr field is fully mapped; it's Skil vs Metabo, with Scheppach as an online-only third.

### Updated verdict
Both 2,495 kr saws are review-validated. **Skil** = more capacity, dual bevel, test-winner dust collection, easy 449 kr blade upgrade in-store. **Metabo** = brand depth/service/resale, lighter (13.4 kg), best-in-class included workholding (clamp + extensions + stock stop). For a stationary home station with a kid, the choice is now genuinely either — decide on: dual bevel & cut height (Skil) vs included workholding & pedigree (Metabo).

### Dust collection as a tiebreaker
The Skil's test-winning dust collection vs the Metabo's ~¼-catching bag is a live input to this
decision — see **`DUST.md`**, which also argues for buying the hose adapter and cyclone in the
**same trip** as the saw. Neither saw is disqualified once capture-at-source is in place.

## Open questions / next
- Confirm final shelf **depth** (200 vs 250 mm) — drives cost and mitre crosscut margin.
- Confirm **width** (single ~700 mm bay vs wide 2-bay ~1450 mm).
- Decide Variant A (solid box) vs B (frame). B recommended for one-saw + cost.