The Proxxon FET Is the Default Choice for Miniature Work — But “Default” Doesn’t Mean “Perfect”

If you’re building ship models, cutting luthier stock, making miniature furniture, or doing any kind of precision small-scale work, the Proxxon FET table saw comes up in almost every forum conversation as the starting point. Not because it’s flawless — it isn’t — but because the alternatives are either significantly more expensive (the Byrnes Model Machines saw), harder to source (the Microlux Mini Tilt Arbor), or built for rougher work than your application needs.

That’s an important distinction. The FET is the default not because it’s the best small table saw you can buy, but because it’s the best one most people can actually get at a reasonable price. Whether it’s right for your specific situation is a different question — and one worth answering before you spend around $420–450 on a saw with known quirks.

— Finlay Connolly

---

What the Proxxon FET Actually Is

The FET (model 37070 in the US market) is a benchtop table saw designed specifically for small-scale precision work. The table measures 300 x 300mm — roughly 12 x 12 inches — expandable via an additional sliding table attachment sold separately. The blade is an 80mm (approximately 3-inch) diameter tungsten-tipped saw blade with 36 teeth. Cutting depth is 1 to 22mm at 90 degrees, tilting to 45 degrees via the adjustable table rather than the blade — a design choice that affects how bevel cuts behave.

Motor: DC special motor with Optibelt toothed belt drive, running at 7,000 RPM. The belt drive is one of the FET’s genuine advantages — it keeps motor vibration isolated from the blade shaft, runs quieter than direct-drive alternatives, and produces less resonance in the cut. The saw runs on standard 110-120V AC (US version) or 230V (European version). It weighs around 6.5kg — light enough to move and store easily, heavy enough to stay stable during normal use.

The micro-adjustable longitudinal fence — the feature Proxxon’s marketing emphasizes most — uses a coarse adjustment for positioning and a fine-adjust screw for corrections under 0.1mm. In theory this is excellent. In practice, there’s a widespread documented problem with it. More on that shortly.

---

Who This Saw Is Actually For

This matters because most general woodworking reviews of the Proxxon FET compare it to full-size jobsite saws — which is the wrong comparison entirely. The FET’s 22mm maximum cut depth (roughly 7/8 inch) and 80mm blade make it physically incapable of ripping a 2×4 or breaking down plywood. That’s not a flaw. It’s not designed to do those things.

The FET’s actual user base — based on forum communities that use these saws seriously — breaks down roughly like this:

Ship model builders — cutting thin strips of wood (1–4mm thick, sometimes narrower) to precise widths for planking hulls and deck work. The Ships of Scale forum has extensive documentation of the FET being used this way.

Luthiers and instrument builders — cutting fret slots in fingerboard stock, sawing thin bracing material, trimming binding. The Ukulele Underground forum has a thread specifically about the FET’s blade options for fret slotting.

Miniaturists and dollhouse makers — cutting balsa, thin hardwood, and thin plywood to scale dimensions. The precision requirement here is significant — being 0.5mm off on a 1:12 scale project is visible.

RC modelers and drone builders — cutting foam, thin carbon fiber sheet, balsa, and lightweight structural material.

Pen turners and small object makers — segmenting work requiring precise repeated cuts.

What these users share: they need precision at small scale, low noise (many work indoors), and the ability to cut thin, delicate material without the setup overhead and safety challenges of running tiny workpieces through a full-size table saw. The FET addresses all of those needs when it works properly.

---

The Fence Problem — What’s Actually Happening

This is the most documented issue across every community that uses the FET seriously, and it’s worth understanding clearly before purchase.

The rip fence’s micro-adjustment system relies on a ruler assembly that slides within two yellow plastic brackets. On the Ships of Scale forum, multiple owners independently reported that these brackets have loose tolerances — the holes in the brackets are slightly too large, allowing the ruler assembly to move when it shouldn’t. The result: the fence doesn’t stay square to the blade, the micrometer adjustment doesn’t work reliably, and cuts drift.

One Ships of Scale member documented his fix: enlarging the bracket holes with a round file to a specific diameter, then using that modification alongside a tightened set screw to get the fence locking consistently square. His thread (still active as of early 2024) has been referenced by dozens of owners dealing with the same problem.

A separate issue flagged by a ProductReview.com.au owner: newer versions of the FET ship with a cost-cut rip fence made from extruded aluminum angle rather than the original cast aluminum bar. The angle can only be positioned on one side of the blade (not both like the cast bar), and the screw holding the angle can shift calibration. His fix involved a longer screw, a larger washer, and a small amount of adhesive to hold position after squaring.

The honest summary: the fence problem is common enough that it has its own dedicated forum threads across multiple communities. It’s fixable — owners who’ve gone through the adjustment process report getting the fence to perform well afterward. But you should expect to spend time tuning this saw when you receive it rather than trusting it out of the box for precision work.

The older FKS model (which the FET replaced) was made in Japan. The FET is manufactured in Taiwan. Multiple experienced owners note the FKS felt slightly more refined. That manufacturing shift is documented and worth knowing.

---

What’s Genuinely Good About the FET

Fair is fair — after reading the complaints, it’s important to say what actually works well and why the saw has a loyal following despite its documented issues.

The belt drive motor is legitimately good. At 7,000 RPM with an Optibelt toothed drive, the FET cuts thin material smoothly and quietly — noticeably quieter than cheap hobby saws with direct-drive motors, and much quieter than any full-size table saw. For apartment or house workshop use where noise matters, this is a meaningful practical advantage.

The blade ecosystem is broader than it first appears. The standard blade that ships with the FET is a 36-tooth tungsten carbide 80mm blade. But the FET can accept blades from 50 to 85mm in diameter, all with a 10mm center hole. This opens up a wide range of options: thin-kerf slitting blades for fret slotting, fine-tooth blades for plastics and non-ferrous metals, and specialty blades from suppliers beyond Proxxon’s own catalog. Ukulele Underground members specifically identified a 0.5mm Proxxon blade that works well for fret slot cutting.

The lifting table top for cleaning — mentioned by ProductReview.com.au owners as a genuine practical advantage over older models. Sawdust accumulates in any enclosed saw mechanism, and being able to lift the table and clean underneath without disassembly matters for longevity.

45-degree bevel cuts via table tilt — the blade stays fixed, the table tilts. This is mechanically different from full-size saws where the blade tilts, and it’s actually advantageous for miniature work: bevel cuts are easier to plan and set up when the reference surface stays consistent.

The sliding table attachment (sold separately, ~$60–80) significantly extends the saw’s crosscut accuracy for small workpieces. Ship model builders and miniaturists who’ve added it consistently report it as worthwhile if you’re doing a lot of repeated short crosscuts.

---

Real Specs vs. What the Marketing Emphasizes

Feature	Actual Specification
Motor	DC, belt-driven via Optibelt
Speed	7,000 RPM
Blade diameter	80mm (3.15″) stock, 50–85mm compatible
Center hole	10mm
Cutting depth at 90°	1–22mm (up to 7/8″)
Table size	300 x 300mm (11.8 x 11.8″)
Bevel	Table tilts to 45° (blade stays fixed)
Miter	Infinitely adjustable to 45°
Weight	~6.5kg (14.3 lbs)
Voltage (US)	110–120V AC
Price (2026)	~$420–450
Made in	Taiwan (current production)

The “micro-adjustable longitudinal stop” that Proxxon features prominently in their marketing is the specific component most likely to require user adjustment on arrival. Keep that in mind when reading specs.

---

The Byrnes Comparison — What You’re Actually Giving Up

The Byrnes Model Machines saw comes up in every serious discussion of the FET as the comparison point. Here’s what the Ships of Scale and WoodenBoat communities have concluded over years of use:

The Byrnes is made from solid aluminum and steel — no plastic body panels. It holds tolerances to 0.001 inches from the factory without user adjustment. Multiple ship model builders describe it as being in a completely different build quality tier from the Proxxon. A WoodenBoat Forum member called Byrnes machines “head and shoulders above anything else on the market” in terms of bang for the buck when quality is the measure.

The Byrnes disadvantage: price and availability. The saw runs $450–600 depending on configuration, and Jim Byrnes makes them in small quantities to order — wait times have historically stretched to months. One forum member placed an order and waited so long he eventually bought a Proxxon FET as a stopgap while waiting. The Byrnes also doesn’t offer blade tilt, which some users consider a limitation (others consider it an accuracy advantage since blade-to-table geometry stays fixed).

The practical conclusion the community has reached: if you can afford the Byrnes and are willing to wait, it’s the better saw — no qualification. If you need a saw now at a reasonable price, the Proxxon FET with some out-of-box fence tuning does the job most small-scale work requires. One Ships of Scale member who bought the FET as a Byrnes substitute wrote: “I am more than satisfied with it. Being able to cut tiny pieces in complete safety and being in control is a great feeling.”

---

The Riving Knife Issue

One specific complaint from Ukulele Underground’s forum thread on the FET: the riving knife (the small tab behind the blade that prevents wood from pinching during rip cuts) is described as flimsy. More importantly, it’s the wrong thickness — it should be 5–10% thicker than the saw kerf to function correctly. A riving knife thinner than the kerf doesn’t prevent pinch, which is the one safety function it exists for.

This matters more in ship modeling and instrument work than it might first appear — thin stock in narrow rip cuts is exactly where pinching and blade bind most often occur. If you’re doing significant rip cutting on the FET, inspect the riving knife’s thickness relative to your blade’s kerf early and address it if needed.

---

Should You Buy It?

If your work fits the FET’s actual user base — miniature construction, model making, luthier work, thin-material precision cutting — and you’re comfortable tuning the fence on arrival, the FET does what it’s built for after that initial setup. Owners who go through the fence adjustment process and learn the saw’s quirks are consistently satisfied with its cut quality and precision.

If you want a saw that works perfectly straight out of the box at the precision the marketing promises: plan for some tuning, or save for a Byrnes.

If you’re looking at the FET as a general woodworking tool because it looks tidy and precision-focused: it’s the wrong saw. The 22mm depth limit and 80mm blade make it categorically unable to handle standard woodworking stock. A small benchtop saw like the DeWalt DWE7485 or the Ridgid R4518 exists for that use case and costs less.

The Proxxon FET is a specialist instrument that performs well in its specialty. It’s not the ideal product its marketing describes right out of the box, and it’s not a general woodworking tool. Know which of those statements applies to your situation before buying.

(For full-size table saw options at various price points, our best table saw reviews and best mini table saws for crafts and woodworking cover the broader market.)