Ridgid R4511 10 in. Granite Top Table Saw

Nice review, is the saw blade right or left tilt? A universal complaint in reviews is the mobile bases…..looks like you found the good one.

-- Don, Pittsburgh

The only trouble I’ve had with my Ridgid Saw (the old kind) is that the miter gauge slot was not ground correctly and I had to sand out a burr/hump to get a miter gauge through without it getting stuck. Other than that its been plenty for my needs. I’m not going to lie to you though and pretend I’m not envious of your lifetime of rust free table saw top. It looks like Ridgid has upgraded their saw in almost every way possible.

Nice.

PS got any mag jigs you want to sell now? :)

-- Wipe the blood stains from your blade before coming in.

Don – Thanks. this is a left tilt saw.

Spaids – the miter slot on mine are ok, but I’ve heard of others that were too tight as you mentioned – a little sanding should do the trick. I’m not completely sold on the granite top concept, but I do have high humidity in the summer where I’m at so that would be a blessing mostly. other than that – I never had a cast iron top (previous TS ws aluminum top – non magnetic either) so I don’t have any mag jogs to give… but I’ll keep you in mind ;)

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Good review PurpLev. I figured once you got your fence adjusted you would do a write up. I really like the portability coupled with the 3/4 cabinet design, so I can roll it right up to the wall. Dust control much better with the cab. Like you the power of the saw is fine for my needs, and for me as a hobby person to woodworking, at this point anyway I doubt I would need more.

Good Review lots of details and things of interest.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Great review with lots of details. I’m guessing that you made notes as you went through the process.

I’ve thought I’ve heard others saw that the riving knife was thicker than the blade that came with the saw. Did you experience that

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Thanks Cato. this is indeed a fantastic machine.

Karson – thanks, the factory supplied splitter is 0.090” and is thinner than the factory supplied blade. I made my riving knife out of 1/8” aluminum sheet which is rather thick – but I’m using a Forest WWII blade which seems to be as thick/thicker than my knife so I have no problems (I actually also used the factory supplied blade with the 1/8” knife with no problems – surprising, but it worked for me) – If I had to make another riving knife – I’d use 0.090” thick material though.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Great review Purplev, adding the WWII makes a pretty sweet saw. I added the Forest Dampener/Stiffener along with the WWII and can now make perfectly smooth rip cuts. Now to make fence faces, would you use the phenolic again?

-- Tim: Remember, if it doesn't say Binford, someone else made it.

Dang that looks sweet. I wish I hadn’t bought my 3660 now.

-- Router è ancora il mio nome.

Tim, the phenolic is a phenomenal material (pun intended) – it’s glass smooth, heavy, and ridgid. but is horrible to work with – creates very fine dust similar to MDF dust – only this one stinks. as long as you can work outdoors with it, have good dust control setup for it, and dont mind getting a little dirty – I would do it again knowing what I know today, but this is very tough on tool edges (resins, and the material itself being abrasive) so make sure you use clean sharp tools, and take light light passes. I still have the router table project ahead of me in which I’ll be utilizing my 1 3/8” thick phenolic board (28”x32”) – not really looking forward to the dust and working with the material – but am VERY looking forward to having that table top. one last note – this material is so smooth, that it’s hard to clamp a straight edge guide to it (to cut it with a circular saw/router)... so take your time and work slowly and carefully, you can also put some blue tape on the board, and put the straight guide on top of that for some friction.

For the face frames though – I think UHMW would be a better choice – lighter material, easier to cut and work with. I just happened to have the phenolic, so I made use of it.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Timbo, did you use the Forrest STIF05 Dampener/Stiffener? I had thought about getting one, but wanted to hear how well it worked with this TS first. I think this is the right one for this TS, but since you already have I wanted to make sure before ordering.

Purp, when you start cutting the phenolic for the router table, you should cut a few fence faces. There might be a red head interested in buying one from you…. :)

Thanks for the great review of this saw. I was going to go to HD to get their TS3660, but discovered they do not carry them anymore, but was excited to see this saw there. After a little searching on the web, I was uncertain about purchasing it. Your detailed review has me thinking this is an excellent saw for my needs, even better than the TS3660 at not much more cost. Thanks again!

-- Earl in Maine

dlux,
I purchased the Dampener/Stiffener from Forrest while at a woodworking show and do not know the model number, unfortunately I’m out of town at the moment but I’ll check and let you know know when I get back to the shop.

-- Tim: Remember, if it doesn't say Binford, someone else made it.

dlux, Tim- are you guys using the Thin Keft WWII? I’m using the full kerf 1/8” – which is also why I’m using the 1/8” riving knife… I have been using this blade also with my previous Bosch 4100, and is has always performed well (power wise).

P.S. Make sure you use appropriate riving knife thickness if you use a thin kerf blade (or at least have the front of it sharpened down)!!!

BigET- you’re welcome. the 3660 is an excellent saw hands down and would be another great choice (Based on other LJs reviews and experience that I’ve read here). I just personally wanted the features that the hybrid has (enclosed base/motor, riving knife, cabinet mounted trunnions). and since it’s through HD you can always get a 10% discount when purchasing it (PM me if you’re not sure how). Or if you are not in a rush and can wait for HD to have a major sale you might even be able to get a bigger discount.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Purplev,
Congrats on the new saw…..I had the old T2424 table saw and LOVED it…never gave me a seconds problem. Only reason I went to a cabinet saw is because I actually needed the 3hp. As far as the factory belt that came with it. If it is still made by the same people that made mine…and made to the same quality mine was….I would NEVER change it. I also had the same belt on my old 2424….it never wore out, lasted for years, and if it sat for weeks or even months in between being used…it never vibrated a bit. After almost ten years of use, when I sold it, it would still pass the nickle test with the factory belt it came with. The old man who bought it was simply amazed at how smooth and quite it was.

Again, congrats on the new saw, I am sure it will give you YEARS of trouble free service if it is even HALF the saw my old ridgid was.

-- Don S.E. OK

Excellent review, I have owned this saw since March and have been able to work it pretty hard so I figure that I might be able to lend some more information. One of the best things about this saw is how easy it is to extend the rails to get more rip capacity.
[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y187/romoranger/IMG_1320.jpg[/IMG]
Slide the front one over, pick up some angle iron and you are good to go. I think I have something like 43” to the right of the blade. I could make it longer but I would have to replace the front rail as well (not too difficult). At first I thought the fence was kind of cheesy (I was coming from using Jet and Powermatic cabinet saws) but it works surprisingly well. I just added a piece of melamine to the side of it and I was good to go. I was fortunate enough to not have any adjusting to do to my saw, darn thing came pretty much perfect from the factory.

The one vice I have with this saw is its motor. I have mine wired for 220, and have a 10gauge extension cord plugged into a 30amp 220 outlet, all of which far exceeds the demands of this saw. The motor bogs down far more than I would like it to on very hard and thick or knotted woods. The motor bogs down more than my friends delta hybrid, and he runs his on 110! I also have had some issues with the belt slipping an excessive amount, especially when the wood twists behind the blade and tightens up on it. As I said before, I am used to using 3hp saws, so I could be that I just haven’t changed my cutting patterns yet. The blade on my saw is also new, I am using a Freud glue line rip blade, and when I cut thick stock I use an Oldham 24 tooth ripping blade. For melamine and the like I use either my glue blade or melamine blade, but sheet goods never causes the problems, only hardwoods.

I can’t really comment on the miter gauge as I don’t use one, I know of too many people that have lost digits using them.

PurpleLev, if you don’t mind I think I am going to steal your riving knife idea, I think it might help out a lot with the motor bogging and belt spinning from the wood twisting.

Dust collection on the saw is good, but if you purchase this saw thinking your shop vac will work it definitely will not, I tried using mine while my DC was broken and the cabinet just ended up getting full. I will try to think of anything else that has come up with this saw, but so far I have been happy with it.

Thanks romoranger – that’s some great info.

contradictory to some people’s belief though – using 220 as opposed to 110 does NOT give the motor more power -nor does it use any less electricity (nor any more) – it simply distributes the electricity more evenly across the wires. the only noticeable difference would be in the motors’ Startup, which would be easier on the motor (since it’s getting the energy over 2 poles as opposed to 1).

if the wood twists behind the blade – a riving knife would take care of that, as this is what it’s supposed to do. hope you get yours setup soon as it is a huge safety device (and a major reason why I chose THIS particular saw over others).

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Purplev, dlux, I’m using the full kerf but I still had slight saw marks on the wood when ripping the stiffener has eliminated that. I looked at the stiffener but it does not have a number on it.

-- Tim: Remember, if it doesn't say Binford, someone else made it.

WOOOO HOOOO
My wife and kids just got me this saw for Father’s Day/Birthday.
I am a lucky guy, blessed really.
Anyway, your review was very helpful. I had to replace the left extension wing; the rear “threaded insert” wasn’t threaded. Perils of mass production I guess. It came from HD so I was able to go to another store and they pulled one out of the crate to replace it no question. I haven’t been able to use it much yet, but will soon hopefully.
This replaces a 1970s Craftsman saw that was my dad’s, good old saw but it’s seen better days.
I too will try making a riving knife like your’s, great Idea.

Thanks for the great review.

-- Measure three times, cut twice.

Granite huh ? sweet ! I have one of these with a boring cast iron top . For the dollar the saw has been well serving . Out of the box the unit ripped with .003” deviation over a 20 ” span .The blade was different with 2 low spots that went to .010 ”,( I put a dial indicator on all my blades ) and Forester are the best thus far .

-- POPSHOP ,

Great review Purplev. I have been looking at this exact tool and have been waiting for a thorough review to come through. I think you addressed all the major points of setup and operation.

Thank you for taking the time to post this review.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I dido BigET’s response. I’ve had my eye on that model also! Lay Away here I come. Excellent review, have you sent that review to Ridgid/Home Depot yet?

-- Badgerman, Tennessee

:o) badgerman, and Charles- I’m glad this review was helpful. I know there aren’t many reviews on this saw around, and was really anxious to put one out there. So far the more I use it, the more I like it. I can see where a 3hp saw would be more fitting, as when I cut 3” (max blade height) material it does tend to slow down a bit (the feedrate – not the saw spin speed), but like I said – for most applications, this is not an issue.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Great review PurpLev, lot of good information.

I just got this saw last Sunday,nothing new to add but in just a few words, excellent performance for the value, you can’t ask for more than this, I do like the hum of the motor itself, very quiet, stable, the granite top is great too, ( I do need to do some little tune-up, ie, wax the top, do I little work on the mitter slot) I’ve been thinking on replacing the stock mitter gauge with an Incra which I think will be a great upgrade, plus making the zero clearance / dado inserts and face fences . Without a doubt this is a huge upgrade for me, I use to have a little skil 3400 benchtop, this is my first “Real” table saw and I think it would be for a long time. Well spend money here, got it for $540 after 10% off at HD.
Just my $ 0.02

-- Norwalk, CA 90650

PurpLev, is the front rail and fence identical to the Steel City 39520 that you reviewed previously? I ask because I found a great deal on a Steel City Industrial II Fence, but it looks like that fence system uses a larger guide tube. I’m guessing it uses a 3” x 2” tube instead of approximately 2” x 2” tube on the R4511. I remember someone saying that the 39520 can be upgraded to the Industrial II Fence system, thereby making it the equivalent of the 39530. If the front rail/holder is the same on both the 39520 and the R4511, I’m wondering if I can just order the front tube from Steel City and be set? My understanding is the rear rail doesn’t actually offer any support in the Industrial Fence system. I’ve e-mailed Steel City about this but haven’t received a response back.

floats: indeed the difference between SC 39520 and 39530 is the fence alone, where the 39520 has the same fence the ridgid has, and the 39530 has SC’s own industrial II fence which is a really nice fence. the SC industrial has a 1 piece front tube which is beefier than the ridgid one as you mentioned, and should also have a 1 piece rear angle iron rail.

If you found a great deal on one – I would go for it. worst case the ridgid and SC might have the mounting holes drilled differently in which case, you could drill your new fence using the existing one as a template.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Great review. I am debating between Rigid 4511 and Bosch 4100-9dg. I do not need portability but safety is prime criteria. How do they match up?

cks. I replaced my Bosch 4100 with the Ridgid. they are 2 different animals. the Bosch is aimed at construction, and mobility (on site) but lacks the precision, and robustness of the Ridgid which is aimed at woodworking. if you are looking to do fine -woodworking, I have to recommend against the Bosch, as you’ll find it’s limitations early on. safety wise, both saws have a riving knife – which is something that was important to me as well when I was shopping for a new saw. the Bosch does have a much nicer guard system (same as they put on the new Unisaws), but I believe you could get a custom guard for the Ridgid that would be similar.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

I just got a recall notice on my R4511. Seems the arbor needs to be replaced. The letter says they will come out and replace the arbor shaft free of charge. Has anyone else received this?

-- Measure three times, cut twice.

Hmmmmmm. I haven’t been contacted on the recall yet. However, mine was built in the 21st week of 2009 (according to the date code). I’m not sure if they had already addressed it or not.

I’m still loving the saw though!!

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

RIDGID R4510 RECALL – LACERATION HAZARD – GO HERE

OFFICIAL RECALL NOTICE
http://www.ridgid.com/Download/R4511_PR.pdf

RIDGID FORUM:http
http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27600

Thanks for the info Kimnick. The recall is clear about the date range of the saw that are affected. It sounds like they are trying to do good by the owners by coming to them to make the repairs. Hauling a 500 lb machine around would be a little ridiculous!

The thought of dado blades coming off the arbor and flying toward me is quite sobering. OK, it’s downright scary!!!!!! Hopefully things will get taken care of with no further injuries.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

For me it was all about the “price point.” Yes, the saw has a few flaws, but not much comes close at that price.

PRICE ALERT—HOME D HAS THEIR 25% OFF SALE GOING—$150 OFF A PURCHASE OF $600 OR MORE.

As PurpLev noted, the assembly instructions are a bit vague. But there are several reviews of the R4511 here, with a lot of tips worth reading. Just remember that this beast is particularly top-heavy. One version of the instructions shows part of the assembly occurring with the saw laid on it’s back, on timbers. I don’t think this is a very good idea, given the weight, and the load that lifting the saw up or down might put on the top and the leg assembly.

-- Now, where did I put those bandaids?

Hey guys,

I am a SUPER newbie, but I love cutting wood and making things. I have NO tools … well real tools. I am borrowing a friends TS and chop saw for a couple of projects. It has re-ignited a desire to start slowly building a “work” shop. I have been keeping an eye out for what TS to get and I REALLY like this one. Especially if I can get a deal on it with a promotion or sale or something. only problem is my local HD doesn’t carry this TS! :-(

Any ideas?

Welcome Czapala!

They should be able to order it for you. Just go to the service desk. I’m sure they would love to ring something up with that high of a price point. They need the business!

welcome aboard, like dlux said – one store can have get one from a neighboring store -when I bought mine , only 1 store in the state had any in stock, and the store closer to me offered to bring one over if I wanted to buy if from them. the current sale is really something that should be taken advantage of – you just won’t find anything else in current market at that quality and performance and at this price.

make sure you buy a $1 pack of 18gauge brad nails to put the total sale at $600.xx to get the instant $150 back (otherwise the saw totals at $599 and you only get $75 back)

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Cool thanx for the suggestions. That is good to know!

Although I need to pay for my new grill before I spend more money. :-) I like to research stuff WAY before I buy it.

Although my friend might be wanting his stuff back soon .. hmmmm

Hey Sharon,

Does your blade go well below the table insert? The blade on the one I saw at HD didn’t really go much below the table top (it barely clears) which means making ZCI is going to be a royal pain in the parse.

Thanks,
Charlton

Yes Charlton, the blade goes well below the table insert, well below the zero clearance blanks I used for ZCI. I’ve heard of another case of this saw where the blade didn’t go below the table top (left at 1/4” above table). sounds like something is not right with your saw, or with the blade height mechanism. you should contact Ridgid and service that saw, or arrange a replacement with HD.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

PurpLev, well below = what in inches please. how thick are your zc blanks? thanks. trying to find the norm.

Thanks, Sharon. I haven’t bought the saw yet but I’m tempted. I suppose I could make ZCI even if the blade doesn’t go well below the plate but it makes it a bit trickier.

The saw at HD that didn’t go all the way down had a date code of 928 (September 28) so it’s pretty new stock. Would you have any idea what your date code might have been?

I just bought the 4511 yesterday and set it up in the afternoon so I have just a couple of extra things to say but refer to PurpLev for a great review that pretty much covers it all. I saw the reviews and comments yesterday and went to Home Depot. That was it. Thank you all for your insight and comments.

So just some set up comments.

1. The rip fence was a serious disappointment. I had used a friends 3650 for a few years and loved the fence. I had hoped the 4511 would have this fence but it obviously does not. I’ll live with it until I can afford a better fence.

2. Yes, the manual kind of sucks in directions but you can usually figure it out, and yes, install the dust collector before you put the herc-u-lift in place.

3. So far I have found at least two places in the manual that refer to non existent sections of the “Adjustments” section of the manual. I guess I’ll have to figure it out by inspecting the saw.

4. The bevel and vertical adjustment wheels are a little difficult to turn, inconsistent. The vertical adjustment wheel has a good amount of slop in it when you reverse direction. I will check that out. The blade does rest about 3/8 inch below the surface of the table top when completely lowered.

5. It was probably me but the arbor was a little finicky when putting the enclosed blade on. Be sure to get it seated all the way to the base of the arbor. I probably ruined the blade by not being careful about this.

6. One of the angle irons for the back rail was bent slightly at the inside tip but was easy to fix by bending it straight. All in all a poor back support for the rip fence.

7. Remove the motor cover completely and never put it back on until you are completely done assembling the table saw. It gets in the way a lot and the screws are a pain in the butt.

Finally, it sure sounds sweet when I turned it on yesterday. That is, just a nice hum. I’m anxious to get back out the today and try to fix the little things that I mentioned above, like the inconsistent wheel operation and slop in the vertical wheel. If I can fix that I will be very happy.

If I had to do it again I would try to find a reconditioned 3660 but I do know I will be happy with this and I’m never moving this from my garage. Heavy! Now, back to making some wood from my cherry pile.

-- Oshkosh, Wisconsin

well – first thing first – congratulations on your new saw!

I do agree that the fence on the 3650/3660 is easier to use, and is more versatile – it is very similar to the fence I had on my Bosch 4100 – aluminum extrusion with T tracks built in – I really liked it. however, I don’t find the fence that came with the 4511 that disappointing – after you set it up properly and get all the kinks out.

as for the wheels being difficult to turn: check to make sure the wheel locks are loosened. either that, of there is some misalignment in the trunnions (based on your ‘slop’ comment) – I have absolutely no slop, and the wheels turn like butter! (unless I lock them from moving)

like I said – congrats on the purchase, it’s a really great saw, definitely a great saw for the money. sounds like you might need to go through some finicky stuff to get it ‘right’... but it’s well worth the investment and work. go play with it, and get it setup properly. HD and Ridgid support as good and reliable.

enjoy.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Thanks for the information. I did have the locks backed out well so that wasn’t an issue. The vertical adjustment wheel does turn like “butter” now but the slop looks like it will always be there. I think it just needed a coupled of repeats to “loosen” up a little. Just to quantify the slop for you, it has about a quarter to half a turn slop in the vertical adjustment. When you reverse directions it takes that amount of wheel turn to start affecting the wheel height. You say you have NO slop?? hmmm…. If you can, could you describe what you would look at the fix that? Looks to me like a “wheel”? in a track (inside the saw cabinet) but the wheel is smaller than the track width resulting in “slop” when changing direction… ? Thanks!

What is more troublesome is the bevel wheel that “pops” out of the gearing when it reaches the vertical position and I turn a little too hard to be sure it is seated at 90 degrees. The 90 degree stop and wheel combination don’t seem to work all that well. There is not a solid stop but instead it always feels like you can turn the wheel just a little more, and then it ends up being the gears sliding up and popping to the next gears track. I took a look at it and there doesn’t seem to be much I can to about tightening up the gear meshing of the bevel adjustment so it can’t slide up out of the gearing valleys and pop into the next one. It concerns me a little but I will just have to be careful. I don’t do many bevel cuts so I will probably be fine with this. If you have any ideas please let me know. I have set up the rest pretty well and things seem to be very flat and square where they should be. I will definitely enjoy this saw. Thanks again.

-- Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Some insight on the same problem others are having. Search the ridgid forums. Try for another R4511, with a more recent date code maybe. Wish you luck. Never settle on a tool, regret will haunt you. Unfortunate.

R4511 Table Saw Bevel Stop Problem
http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27450

R4511 90 and 45 degree stop adjustment….
http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25255

Diamondback – I’ll second, third, and double kimnick suggestion- talk to Ridgid or HomeDepot and get it replaced. (I’d start with Ridgid as they maybe be able to send you a service guy to your house, or if not – try contacting homedepot to come pick up the saw and bring you another unit at the same time – they did it for others).

it doesn’t seem like you got a proper unit – and “hoping you don’t do many bevel cuts” just doesn’t cut it (literally), and won’t fix the problem that evidently exists in your saw. In the long run you WILL regret it. although Ridgid’s warranty is lifetime – I’d take care of it while you also can use Home Depot’s support if needed. like I said – the wheels should be butter smooth, and should not cause the gears to fall out when reaching the end of the adjustments.

I do agree with you that those screw stops are worthless – like you, I can ALWAYS turn it just a ‘tad bit more’ which will throw it off square. I always always always check for square when I change bevels.

-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.

Again, thanks for the comments and helpful links. I removed the granite top and took a look at the guts. I enjoy doing that anyway. First off I found that the bolt holding the pivot bracket for the height adjustment was loose so I tightened that. That did have some slop it it. Then I see that the back left bracket was not fully engaged into the groove that the trunnion rides in so I loosened the back left bracket bolt and push the bracket into the pivot arm to fully engage it. Seems like it all works better now.

So, I’m back to center and flat and up and running. I changed blades while I was at it and tried a new Diablo I bought. Wow, fantastic. Smooth as if I ran it through my jointer. I am impressed.

Thanks for all the advice and help. Gave me some ideas that led me to get it tweaked out ok.

And yes, I never trust the angle marks, dead stops, etc. but remeasure and confirm 90, 45, height, etc. etc. I have learned that the hard way…:)

-- Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Just as an FYI the Freud Diablo blade mentioned above that I liked was the 10 inch 40 tooth “General Purpose” blade for $30.00.

-- Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Thanks for the review! PurpLev, I want to PM you re: how to obtain HD 10% discount, but I can’t because I am new to this site/forum. If you read this, please message me with the information. Otherwise, I’ll just wait until I achieve the 5 post mark.

If you want a zero clearance insert, just buy one off of Woodcraft. The ZCI they sell for the Steel City saw fits perfectly. It has 4 set screws to adjust the height, and a screw to adjust the width and another to adjust the front to back dimension. For $30, its tough to beat.