Buying a Table Saw...

tapagan

Thinking about buying a table saw but not sure what to get. $500 price range. Craftsman line looks way to cheap. Want a job site saw that packs some serious power. So far Ridgid, dewalt, Bosch, and porter cable look the best. Any advise?

elkfitness

I bought the ridgid 4510 as my first table saw. It is the foldable model. Looked at reviews for few months then pulled the trigger this summer. Was able to use a harbor freight 20% coupon so I saved $100 on price. Used the savings to buy a nice combo blade for it. I've got nothing to compare it to, but it rocks. It is great quality and has the lifetime service agreement. just make sure you register it.

tapagan

What size dado stack can you fit on the Ridgid?

elkfitness

Per the manual, you need a 6 inch one.

oh'mike

For a job site saw you will be pleased with one of DeWalts saws---I have the baby one with the steel cage---Very accurate and dependable---They make a big brother with a larger table and wider rip==

Why a jobsite saw? Full size saws are safer and have wider rip capacity.

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tapagan

I originally wanted a full size but the portability of a jobsite saw caught my eye. The jobsite saws also had a slightly higher RPM then a traditional table saw at the $500 price range. I also notice I'll only lose about 5" or rip width. Should I get a standard table saw instead? and if so which one?

woodworkbykirk

the bosch 4100 and dewalt are the two contractor saws that lead the market. the ridgids burn out rather quickly.. id avoid anything porter cable now that their owned by black and decker

oh'mike

The larger the table ,the safer and easier it is to operate ---

Good support for the wood as it leaves the blade is the key---when the board is long it will start to tip up as you are pushing if you have a small table----

I can tolerate the danger on a job---I take the time to build an outfeed table if it's a job with lots of long rips---or pay my helper to stand and hold up the board---

However--in my shop I have a cabinet saw with an extra wing on the left and a 54 inch wide wing to the right---and a 4 foot wide out feed table---

With this large saw I can easily cut full sheets of plywood all by myself---and rip 12 foot long boards without having to press down on the board to keep it on the table---

Better quality work---far safer---get the biggest you can get if portability is not a concern---

My saw is a Grizzly 10 " cabinet saw.---

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tapagan

Good to know I had no idea porter cable was owned by black and decker. I didn't buy a Craftsman miter saw because I found out Ryobi makes their power tools.

Greenranger

Ryyyyyyyyobi. It's the bees knees! I have a green one at work. Works wonders. My brother Corey uses it in the warehouse but our boss Rich keeps taking it and tossing it on the third level of the shelves and its just uncool man. I'm glad he was fired.

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Mircrowave.

itguy08

So is DeWalt. DeWalt is the "Professional" line of Black and Decker.

The Ridgid R4512 has gotten good reviews for a while now.

I've got the Ryobi RTS20 and while nowhere near a professional machine it is quite good and I've got a lot of projects behind it.

tapagan

I didn't know that about dewalt power tools either. I trust the quality of their products. I'd love to spend the price of the Ryobi but I worry about it lasting and can it handle plywood & hardwoods.

woodworkbykirk

my first saw was a craftsman that was actually made by ryobi.. it had plenty of power however the fence was impossible to get parrallel to the blade and keep it that way for more than 2 cuts.

the ridgid has had issues with the arbor bolt on their cabinet saw and the contractor saw is notorious for the switch burning out very early in its life

the dewalt table saw is probably the only tool they make that i like.. i hate just about everything else they make but i wont get into that. i personally own the bosch 4000 which is the earlier version of the current 4100. the only issues ive had with my bosch is non tool related.. just having guys on the crew running pressure treated lumber thorugh it when i had a fine rip blade on it for doing stain grade trim work, the saw is now 6 years old with no repairs on it yet but i do need a new stand

tapagan

Honestly for my price range I think the Bosch sounds like the best choice, and also has great reviews.

The blade thing is awful but people don't realize the price of a good blade until the have to buy one.

The stationary shop table saws in the $500 range don't seem to be good enough quality.

funfool

I have a cheap ryobi saw, Been using it for 3 years and seems fine for what I do.
Laminate floors, filler strips for kitchens, oak stair treads, mostly small items, I have ripped a butt load of 2x4 on it.
Just saying, for a cheap $200 throwaway saw, fence is acceptable, has the power I need, is portable and easy to carry in my van.
Only issue so far is the safety switch on it, after a year of use, need to push a bit of pressure to the right when starting it up. Has been that way for 2 years and if you know the trick to start it, is no problem at all.

Not bragging about ryobi tools, only other ryobi tool I own is a biscuit joiner, 6 years old and used 3 or 4 times a year, I would prefer the dewalt for a portable table saw.
I have used the ryobi for 3 years and pleased with it,

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