Looking for advice on a new Table Saw

Hey b guy
I think that you should always buy a Saw stop for saftey. But if your budget will not allow $2000 plus
My choice for a lower cost saw would be a ridgid now the model I looked at for a student of mine might have been discontuned and the one they have now is a new ridgid with a slate top and riving knife. I’m not a convert to slate table tops but if the fence moved and locks like the older model then I would say give it a look I think they are in the $600 range. I know lots of hobbiest like sears pretty low on my list. I would also look in grizzly products I’ve have good luck with there tools and they have resonable prices. The detail I really think is first and formost is a good fence. Its hard to try that on line. then next is power and you have to really forcuse on whether it’s 110 or 220 if you only have 110 . I would try to see any saw your going to get in person and for a lot of people that’s sears, jet,or delta all at some sort of local store. of course there is the used market also, I know Don has one of the Ridgids I recomend for sale but I don’t know how close you are to him.

Don http://lumberjocks.com/Ottis

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture ,maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Take a look at this one, it look good to me
Occie
http://houston.craigslist.org/tls/1126884106.html

-- Occie down in Costa Rica. come down and see us some time. I'll keep the light on for you Occiegilliam@yahoo.com

Yah, yah, yah, gotta have a sawstop or you’ll cut your fingers off! $2000 is the low side: plan on $2500 for a sawstop contactor’s saw. [/sarcasm]

Right now, with Ridgid switching to the granite tops, HD is offering the old cast iron Ridgid (TS3660) saws at ~$400. Great bang for the buck in a new saw! Lower than that, you are looking at used.

-- "Find out what you cannot do and then go do it!"

If you are in the Albany, NY area, there is a guy with a brand new Delta 10” table saw for sale. I ahven’t seen it but he claims its still in the box and he’s asking $250.

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

woodchuck was right, Saw Stop Saw Stop Saw Stop Saw Stop Saw Stop

I can see where it gets tiring.

How about this?

UniSaw UniSaw UniSaw UniSaw UniSaw UniSaw UniSaw ;)

Now for something a little more constructive. What price range are you looking at?

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

lowes is clearanceing out there Delta table saws I got a Delta 979 with the T2 fence for 468, and I love it. I had a craftsman that sounds a lot like the one you described and have a small shop too, and needed mobility. The delta comes with mobile base and was easy to assemble.

In the area of price of course I want to only spend about $500 but what’s the old saying you get what you paid for. This is why I have the craftsman. I would really like to keep the price under a grand. I’m looking at the older Rigid (if I can find one), Grizzly for sure, maybe a Jet and I have even seen some decent reviews for the Hitachi. I need 110v and really need the option to make the saw mobile with a base or something and I really want to be able to have universal parts in the regard of miter guage and zero clearance plate that my craftsman really doesn’t offer.

what about this?

-- Francisco Luna, San Francisco Bay Area.

I have the Ridgid TS3660 EEngineer recommended. Trust me, if you can get one of these in the $400 range, you will never regret it. I love mine.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I like my ridgid but with the new saws having riving knives I think I would go that way and forget the close out savings. I find myself running without a splitter more often than I should and if I had a riving knife I would use it. I believe there are new laws that are forcing riving knives on new saw designs. Weather thats true or not you can see that new contractor saws are coming with riving knives now and I wish I could have one.

PS the herculift system makes moving a ridgid a breeze.

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

I’ll jump on the bandwagon too. I have the rigid 3660 also. It’s been trouble free and very accurate in the 5 years of daily use/abuse I have given it. Riving knife or not, it’s a great saw. If you know how to use a table saw, the new safety features are only mildly helpful anyways.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

“I too have a less expensive craftsman. My nephew uses Delta. I’m saving for the saw stop. How about this plan from wood magazine “http://www.woodstore.net/mosaroce.html” for ease of moving?

-- Elaine, Conover, NC

Rigid TS3650 here and I have used it for about 3-4 years non-stop, it has been an excellent saw.

-- Still clinging to my guns and religion.

Elaine, I have that issue and looked real hard into building it. I just need a better saw before I do something like that. I should have spent the extra 2 to 3 hundred dollars to get a better saw the first time.

A traditional contractor saw with the motor hanging out the back will consume more floor space than almost any other standard full size saw. A cabinet saw or hybrid require less space with the same table surface. A portable jobsite saw requires even less space, but you give up all the advantages of size, mass/stability, reliability, and noise levels that a full size saw offers.

I’d add the Steel City 35920, Ridgid R4511, or Craftsman 22114 to your list of possibilities in the $650 and under….all hybrid formats, all with cabinet mounted trunnions, all have standard miter slots. The SC and Ridgid come with a riving knife, mobile bases, and granite tops….the 22114 will require a separate mobile base, uses a traditional splitter, has as cast iron top, and accepts Delta throat inserts.

I have a brand new, unopened, Rigid R4511 if your interested. I bought two and, of course, only need one. I have $550 in it after tax. You can have it for that if you want. I don’t know where you live, but I am just outside Orlando, FL.

-- Andy

I have the Jet Proshop and love it…. with the steel wings it comes in at just under a grand ….. Its a hybred and works out pretty well in my one car garage workshop

-- Hrolfr

Baldy ;-) (So am I…)

If you have 500.00 to start, I vote save your money, be patient, SCOUR craigslist, and pick up a used unisaw. I just got one for 550.00. You’ll add about xtra for gas to get it, and an electrian for the phase converter(unless you find one retrofitted), but when you have 3 horses+ honkn’ through your wood, you’ll be a happy camper compared to a contracters saw.

Use crazedlist

GOOD LUCK!

-- Beer, Beer, Thank God for Beer. It's my way of keeping my mind fresh and clear...

I have a Bosch 4100 and very happy with it. I like the safety features and it folds up. Here is a good review http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/b4100rvu.html

-- Rich

I had the Bosch 4100, and although its safety features are hard to beat (the easiest to use I’ve seen in any saw under $2000) it is lacking in precision and heft. I find that the aluminum top is far from being flat enough for fine woodworking – great for construction, or rough cuts though. table top although largest in the mobile saws is still somewhat small, and because of it’s being aluminum, and the saw being light, is not quite supportive when you work with larger pieces.

I did replace it with the granite top Ridgid saw – and could not be happier. the saw is stout, precise, easy to tune and align, easy to work with, and powerful enough for my needs. it also works on 110v out of the box, and can be converted to 220v should the need/opportunity arises. it’s also on the lower cost of all the saws in this range.

I could have gone with a used Unisaw – but not having 220v at the moment, and the lack of a riving knife, shied me away from it – I don’t have any problem with that.

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

BlankMan is right. Several years ago I bought a Unisaw and was the best thing I ever did!

If I were you, I would spend a couple hundred more, and get the Grizzly G0661. It is a left tilt contractor, with a riving knife. The reason I chose this one, instead of the cheaper contractor saws they offer if two fold:
1. It has cast iron wings, which won’t bend when you have a wider, heavier panel you are trying to cut to final size. My Delta contractor had steel wings, and once I took them off, and put cast iron wings on it, it became a much more valuable/useful tool.
2. The rip fence is similar to a Delta T2, or a Biesmeier, which makes making tablesaw jigs easier to design and use, and it is a much more accurate/adjustable fence.
Just my 2 cents! It’s also on sale!!

http://www.grizzly.com/products/10-2-HP-Contractor-Style-Table-Saw-with-riving-knife/G0661

-- Matt, Houston Texas

It’s worth mentioning that the Grizzly G0661 that Matt mentioned has a belt drive induction motor housed inside the enclosure….more like a hybrid saw that a traditional contractor saw.

Rigid TS 3660 if you want:

a) a new TS
b) not to spend over $400 US (Mine is $499 Cdn at HD)
c) one of the best mobile bases
d) dead on factory settings (90 degrees, 45, accurate fence, etc.)
e) life time warranty
f) nothing to do with granite top so you can use magic magnet accessories
g) the traditional splitter / paws instead of riving knife
h) want to wait until sawstop’s price has come down a lot

Bonus: its grooved belt is a lot more efficient the V belt – saving you $ and the need to buy a link belt

Did I sound like a Rigid tools salesman?

I wish I had my few months old Rigid 5 years earlier!

-- The time I enjoy wasting is not time wasted

hey bald guy,

i dont have too much of my own to offer, but i’ll be interested to see what you decide and most importantly, WHY. I’m in the same situation – cheap, difficult, annoying, and frustrating craftsman TS. mine’s the 21805 and… it appears we have the same one! I’m now also interested to know more details about how you dealt with its foibles (horrible horrible fence, those awful miter slots, unstable blade tilt lock, impossible throat plate assembly, etc!) since I’ll be having mine for a while yet. but i have similar constraints as you too in terms of space and $.

not that my opinion is worth much, since I dont speak from personal experience, but: I have been finding the Ridgid models appealing in terms of newer equipment. as far as used goes, those unisaws appear to be worth serious consideration as well. I’d definitely be looking for:

the best fence
cast iron top
belt driven

but I think you’ll find those as soon as you step into the contractor/hybrid $400+ range… which is where you are.

anyway, best of luck on your hunt!

AaronK – Please see my post above … it may’ve addressed your query …. Rigid TS has been rated the best value TS by Fine Woodworking and others. Remember, to enjoy the free life time warranty, you must file the paper work within 60s days(?). I think most hybrid TS are priced at $600 or more. Craftsman TS should be avoided if you are concerned about fence quality and accuracy.

-- The time I enjoy wasting is not time wasted

Hey Mike in NJ, that was kinda a rant on my part, I slipped up a bit, but I agree with what you said.

My first table saw was a Ryobi BT3000, after buying all the accessories I had a $1000 into it and it didn’t preform as I expected it to. I was new to woodworking and got caught up in the hype. So after a year I then decided to get a real table saw. I was looking at Jet and General in the $800 range.

But then I stopped and I thought, what if I buy one of those and I find out it too is not what I expected, then I’m out $1800 and be buying a third table saw. So I bit the bullet and even though I couldn’t really afford it, scraped and bought a UniSaw.

That was awhile ago, but I agree, best thing I ever did, and I don’t ever see replacing it.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

This post is actually aimed right at Matt G, above, and anyone else with a G0661 like Matt. Unfortunately, I can’t msg directly because I just signed up.

I’m homing in on a saw right now and wanted to get some feedback from someone with this saw regarding the fence system that it uses. How good is it? Is it rigid or does it flex? Last thing I want is to have to pop for an upgraded fence right away.

Thanks!

—- Eric, PA

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

I have the grizzly g0691 – same as the 61…but longer rails. The fence is very nice. It is rigid and has adjustable gliding wheels on the front and an adjustable slider on the rear. the lock down works well and the accuracy isn’t bad for an out of the box fence. They use a HDPE plastic on the fence face that is excellent…the stock slides easily into the blade without catching. I’ve had no problems with the fence for accuracy or durability….and the saw is very well made for the price. I was all set to get the powermatic until I looked at this one….at almost 1/2 the price of the powermatic, Grizzly shares alot of its best attributes…but not its high price tag.

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

I’m partial to Delta, I got to see the new Unisaw up close and just love it. SawStop is another great saw. If you’re on a budget, the Grizzly cabinet saws are good too.

-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken

reggiek :

The G0691 is like the G0690, not like the G0661. the 0661 is a contractor style “hybrid” with 2hp motor. The G0690 is the little brother to yours. I’d actually consider the 0690 if it weren’t for the silly sale they have going on right now where the 0691 is on sale and the 0690 isn’t. Makes my brain gears mash thinking i have to spend more to get the lesser saw. I agree the fence on the 0690/0691 is really nice. I have no qualms about that.

I appreciate the response, but I think you mixed up the models. I’d have them confused too if I hadn’t been living in their catalog for the past week.

Since I’m just getting going, and I expect to do smaller work, not giant resaws of 2” thick hardwoods. I expect a 2hp will do me just fine and the 0661 will leave me some leftover monies for dust collection, air filters and all that stuff to keep me from sneezing myself silly. My only concern on the saw is the fence.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

I’d love a Delta or a SawStop cab. Or even a griz cab. But I’m limited on space and money (mostly space). My local Woodcraft has a Delta Industrial that they pointed me at, 3hp, right tilt, for $1000. But it’s right tilt (I prefer left) and doesn’t have capacity for a riving knife, just a very clunky splitter.

I figure since I’m new to this hobby, I can start slow, and resell the 0661 in a couple of years if I get more room (please, honey, can I invade the garage?!). The other issue with big 600lb cabs is getting them into my little basement. I live on a hill in the woods near a stream. I can see a cab saw either sinking into the yard and never moving again, or gathering up speed as I try to roll it around the house and shooting off into the creek. Neither is a very cheery prospect.

On one hand, anything will be a step up from the tabletop Craftsman P.O.S. I have now. But on the other, I want to make sure I’m getting a good item for my money, both in terms of features/$ and suitability to my needs.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

You are right Unkle…my mistake…I get lost in their “numbering” sometimes…..call it a “senior moment”

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

I have the Ridgid 3660 and it is worth every penny!!!! if you need it to be portable I would go with the
ridgid 2400 listed @ 499.00 @home depot …If you can find the 3660 that would be your best bet fence is decent on both saws….good luck….

-- christoper Blanchard, Michigan

@kkickback:

Your input is appreciated! I don’t need portable as much as I just need (1) rollers so I can push it aside if need be and (2) a small enough footprint that it doesn’t take up the whole basement.

85×41 is crazy big (overall size of G0691). A 66” width is much more managable both for deployment and for finding space to push it to when I need the floor for something else.

I’m hoping to go a bit beefier than the 3660, and I’m really fixated on the riving knife for safety.

Maybe the answer to my problems is just to knock out a basement/foundation wall and expand the space. That should fly well…..

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Yeah Im with you on knocking out the basement wall I should do that to mine as well Just curious how im going to explain that to the wife…!

-- christoper Blanchard, Michigan

I picked up a reconditioned Rigid TS3650 from Ridgid at a show for $375 last winter. Comes with the mobile base that works very well nice cast iron top, large rip capacity. I have had no problems and handles everything I have put at it.

I looked at saws on craigslist and anything worth the money was always sold by the time I called and the rest I found where rusty junk.

Alex

-- Alex

Oh, I can’t tell you how many table-saw-shaped piles of rust I’ve seen on Craigslist. Saw some guy selling a Powermatic P66 tho. That one looked nice.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Keep looking on Craigslist. I just purchased on older Jet (about 8 yrs old) from someone today.

Oh, I’ve got an automatic search set up. Along with automatic auction searches too. I’m on the lookout.

Not that long ago I missed an auction (nearby too!) of a whole woodworking shop. 3 bay garage full of wood, and some seriously major machinery. $6000 jointer went for $500. Crazy.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

By now your probably have your new saw BUT, I had the same situation and now, after two years, I swear by my Bosch Table saw with the trick rolling/folding stand. I found mine on Craigs List in good condition for $225.

Good Luck,
J. Ross

No. I don’t have the new saw yet. Sale ends Sept 19. I have til then to decide what I’m doing.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

I’am new here to lumberjocks and just reading some of the replys, I know I can get some straight up answers.

I’am looking at getting a cabinet saw. I have looked at them all (well most of them). Right now the GO691 looks pretty good. I agree, alot what I’ve read is SAW STOP, SAW STOP. I know it’s probably a great saw, but to me it would make a person complacent. To me you need to be on your toes working with wood working tools or anything. Sorry, got off the subject. I would appreciate any feedback.

I would love the G0691. As a matter of fact, I was all ready to order one up, but I think it’s just gonna be TOO big for my space (23×12) at 85 inches long with that extension. And I don’t think I really NEED it.

The G0690 is more managable in size, but with the current sale going on, it’s cheaper to order the bigger saw. My brain won’t allow me to spend more money for less. I even asked Grizzly CS if they could work something out. They said no, but I figured I could ask.

Saw stop is nice. It would also eat up my budget leaving me nothing left for…we ANYTHING. I don’t think it would make me complacent though.

I’m going to rely on my healthy respect for machinery, good safety practices and my innate sense of going overboard on safey FIRST. (I’m they guy with lots of helmets and pads for everything I do).

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

I have to throw in my vote for the Ridgid TS3660. I have a small shop too and the mobile base is perfect! Of course the dead on accuracy right out of the box was nice. Now it’s under $500? That’s a steal! Sure we’d all love a Saw Stop, right after we win the lottery we’ll all have one. In the meantime the Ridgid is a gem!

-- EGO postulo , EGO venalicium , EGO incidere. I measured, I marked, I cut. Latin instructions for firewood.

I think those Ridgids are around $500, yeah. I’m willing to throw in the extra cash for the extra HP, bigger table, better fence. I wish HD actually had some set up tho. Their tool area just has pictures and boxes. Ridiculous.

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

Where are the 3660’s? well according to two HD’s here in Pa. they are no more. The company bought back all the unsold 3660 and the 3650’s have long since been gone. I did see that I could order one on line for more money that the 4511! 250.00 for shipping, no thanks.
Does anyone know if there are any HD that still carry the 3660’s?

And I was also told new corporate decision to NOT display large tools anymore! cause they don’t have the room. My powermatic 64 POS finally gave up the ghost, or should I say I just got tired of rebuilding it and never could use the tilt,

-- Round tuit's don't do it, just get a round toit, avaiable where buckets of steam are sold.

I’m pretty fed up with the no displaying large tools thing. Do they think tool people don’t want to look these things over first? Taking a 400lb saw home and then returning it is a pain in the arse. I’d rather examine it myself FIRST.

Anyway, local HDs only have the fold up saw (dunno the model). One has a R4511, but I’ve seen places marking that as discontinued. It only lived for 6 months, that’s a bad sign. HD website no longer had the 4511 and this site marks it as done for:

http://www.toolsdirect.com/ridgid-r4511-10-granite-top-table-saw/p823853

-- Eric ---- Wise Words T.B.D.

unklegwar – The R4511 was made in conjuction with Steel City. You might want to take a look at a Steel City 35920 or a 35930 with upgraded fence. Pretty much the same guts as the R4511 with a full enclosure.