# Delta 36-725 13-Amp 10-in Table Saw



## talle (Nov 4, 2013)

New to LJ and have been watching posts for sometime. I am trying to get additional information on a new TS from Delta that seems to be available at lowes. You can see it here:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_510897-52010-36-725_0__?Ntt=delta+10+inch+table+saw&UserSearch=delta+10+inch+table+saw&stop_mobi=yes&productId=50081568&rpp=12

Has anyone used this table saw yet? I can't find much information besides what is posted on the lowes website. Any additional info would help me in making a purchase decision. Thanks.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

Nice find talle. I noticed they were clearing out the Porter Cable PC270TS at my local Lowes. Seems like this may be the replacement. I'd be curious to see if this saw will be a more legitimate competitor to the R4512, given that the fence might be an adaptation of the Delta T2 (image hints to split rails)


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## talle (Nov 4, 2013)

Paxorion - Your right, I see the split rail now that I look closer, didn't notice it before. Well I guess you get what you pay for. This still looks like it could be a decent saw though. With the brand delta it could definitely be a decent challenge in the lower-end contractor/hybrid saw market. Not sure how mobile it would be, I can only see the one caster on it. Can't wait to see it in the store tor check it out.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Can't help but wonder if it's a made specifically for Lowes. I'd like to get a glimpse under the hood…...the specs on Lowes website say it weighs less than 200#, which is pretty light for a full size cast iron saw.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

Talle- it has three wheels. 
The Delta badging is promising, but while Delta has made some nice machines over the years…..they've also made some crap too. The Shopmaster series comes to mind. I too am looking forward to seeing it in the store for a closer look. I'll likely be ready to move-on from my Craftsman 113 if/when the right deal presents itself. This type of saw might fit the bill IF its actually better than my 113. I currently use a Delta T2 fence, so I'd have no problems taking it off the craftsman, and slapping it on this new Delta saw- negating the split front rail.

Knott- I noticed the weight too. Is it possible that the "skin" of the saw is plastic? Conventional wisdom would prefer a metal, but I can't think of why a plastic skin would be necessarily be inferior (on a contractor saw). 
I can't think of many other ways they could save on weight. 
Of course, the specifications might just be mis-stated too. I've caught typos on Lowes specifications before.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

Lowes seems to have 2 new saws rolling out, this Delta, which I have a strong belief that it will have a LOT in common with the Porter Cable PC270TS. The second is a Kobalt benchtop table saw? (likely a follow-up/alternate to the Porter Cable PC220TS).


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I've seen TS weights listed that didn't include the weight of the fence too. It's belt driven, which is a positive. Looks to have steel wings. The blue knobs are kinda neat….the split front rail is not. If anyone sees one in a store, please take some pics, and tell us more about what you see!


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I wonder if the trunnions are cab or table mounted?


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## Mattador (Dec 21, 2013)

Hi guys. I'm new to the forum. I just got back from my local lowes and saw this saw. I got excited and came home to research it since I though I'd read on every saw in the price range. I wish I'd seen this post before hand or I'd have taken some pictures. Unfortunately I can't find much on it so guess it's pretty new.

I didn't look too cloes since I was in a rush, but def looked like table mounted trunnions, and no mention of trunnions on their site. But if it doesn't have the alignment issue of the riidgid, then I think I might be sold. I like that it's delta. If I decide to try it out I'll do a review.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

200lbs seems *very* light for an induction motor plus cast iron top. I think my Ridgid 3650 is about 275-300.

I wonder how thick the top is.

The arbor is a standard 5/8" one. I'm sure it can handle a normal ~7/8" width dado set.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

As far as cabinet mounted trunnions go, some of the modern designs have cheapened them to the point where it's nearly more of a marketing feature than a functional design advantage. The big cast iron yoke style cabinet mounted trunnion brackets are heavy and expensive to manufacture. Some of the newer hybrids that offer cab mounted trunnions are now using much smaller trunnion brackets that are very similar in size and duty rating to typical table mounted trunnions, except that they mount to the cabinet strut instead of the table…...it's still a step in the right direction and should still make them easier to reach and align, but don't confuse them with what's on an industrial cabinet saw or even some of the early hybrids like the Steel City/Orion Craftsman and Ridgid saws. It's still best to take a good look under the hood to see what's there, as opposed to reading the term "cabinet mounted trunnions" in the specs…they're not all created equally. As always, pics are worth a thousand words:

Cabinet mounted trunnions on a PCB270TS:









Cabinet mounted trunnions on a Cman 22116 and Ridgid R4511:

















Grizzly G0690:









G1023RL:


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## roofner (Feb 24, 2012)

Wheels might be a problem they look to be on the small size compared to most contractor saws.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Contractor saws do not usually have wheels unless you add a mobile base. Makita calls their machine a contractor saw but it's really a bench saw on wheels.


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## Riowood1000 (Jul 29, 2009)

It looks like a descent saw. I would love to see pics of the guts.


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

Hello,
I am new to this site and just joined because I am looking to start a few wood projects. I have an old old ryobi 10 table saw and it has seen better days, and needless to say I was in Lowes and saw the 36-725. I don't know anything about saws but I have been reading a lot of reviews and watching videos. For some reason I kinda narrowed down my choice to the delta 36-725 and the ridged 4512. The r4512 seems to get good reviews but I worry about the number of people swapping out their fence. When I was looking at the 36-725 in the store it seemed light and because two of the wheels are always in full contact with the ground it did not seem as sturdy or as immovable as some of the reviews and videos of the 4512. Again I don't know much about saws so I am not sure what my priorities are. I will be moving the saw around the shop and I share it with the cars. In my near future I have a project that I will be ripping about 30 -3/4 sheets of plywood. And would love to build some shop cabinets some day so accurate fence rips are important. I could be wrong but it kinda seems like the delta fence is better? Does anyone know for sure based on experience or knowledge also I have a 25% of harbor freight coupon that I could use on the R4512 so it would be about 412-430 with tax vs the delta at 600-636. Also being able to put a zero clearance and a dado blade set is a requirement.

Thanks


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

This Delta is too new and there are too many variables with the new ownership for anyone to make predictions. Historically Delta has produced excellent saws and beginning with the Unifence then Biesemeyer acquisition their fences have been 2nd to none. No personal experience with the T2 (which this fence should be based on) but by all reports it is an accurate and reliable fence. The Rigid is a pretty good saw for the money but with the alignment issues I would look hard at alternatives. No experience with the Rigid fence either but people do tend to upgrade.

The new Delta seems aimed more at contractor/light woodworking duty hence the lightweight and wheels. It will be interesting to read reviews once some of these get sold.


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

I just bought one of these. I upgraded from a Ridgid TS2424 and I will say this is a HUGE improvement.

#1 - Fence: Rock solid, very comparable to biesemeyer. (it IS a split rail, I have no idea why thats an issue for anyone. mine aligned very easily)

I love the positive stops on the miter gauge.

The fence and angle guides are easy to read and can be dialed in a lot more accurately than other contractor saws I have used.

The blue knobs lock settings in place (I have always thought this should be a standard feature.)

All the accessory storage eliminates the need for custom solutions.

Dust collection could be improved easily but the stock port is pretty good but not great.

The base is very sturdy (lots of rubber o floor surface area) and easy to level while the single caster on one side makes it extremely easy to move around when necessary. 
(I do think the pedal should have been on the left side for easier access.)

The weight reduction is probably a result of thin casting and sheet metal wings (I plan on replacing these with MDF/formica tops and router extension anyway). (Skirts are all sheet steel btw)

Here's a couple extra pics. Not great but more than currently on the web. Ill post more once I have a chance to use it more and do a full review later. The first picture is my old saw on my stand that I just build from reused lumber. I plan on putting a similar router table extension on this new saw.























































Oh yeah, I found this post looking for a phenolic zero clearance insert. So if anyone knows where I can get one let me know, Thanks.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Whenever I see WATTS… AMPS… I feel they are playing games forcing everyone to utilize Ohms Law!

Why do they have to resort to play games?

Why can't they just simply tell you HP… Horse Power… !!

That, IMHO, is the standard of power measurement of Table Saws, etc.

If they cannot say HP, I tune them OUT right then… NO MORE thought wasted!


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

Thanks for the advice and pictures everyone!


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

Tyler,
Do you have any problem with the throat plate screws not mounting flush with the throat plate, the display model at lowes did not look good, wanted to know if that was because they did not set it up properly or design flaw. Thanks


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

The same was true here. the throat plate screws should be screwed UNDER the plate for adjustment not through it to hold it down. the techs at Lowes probably just saw holes (for on/above table adjustment) and put the screws through them most likely because that's probably what it looks like you should do. The clips on the plate hold it down just fine.

















Here are more pics while I'm at it:








Thin casting I was talking about:


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

Here's a forum I started awhile back. I don't have an opinion because I haven't seen it set up in person. But others posted opinions based on the specs found in the links I provided from Lowes and Delta.

Congrats* talle *! Hope the saw serves you well

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/56219


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

We'll so far are you happy, I don't know to much about table saws and was thinking I should get this one ( delta 36-725) or the Ridged R 4512. On the side of the saw that has the two wheels are there any rubber pads? Dose the saw move at all with the wheels always in contact with the ground?

Thanks Tyler!


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Nice saw.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks Tyler. I have to say that after seeing the pics I'm pretty impressed considering the price. 13A, maybe the same 12.8A motor they've used for years which has proven to be extremely reliable. The throat plate looks identical to my Delta Contractor. The local Lowes doesn't have one yet but I'm hoping they get one soon so I can take a look.


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

We'll I took the plunge!! I just went down to Lowes and they price matched a harbor freight 25% off coupon!! The bad news is they don't have one in stock they said it would be on the next truck! So the delta 36-725 was $449.28. Tyler you might be able to get them to price match for you as we'll. I would look into it!!


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## jsvol (Jan 2, 2014)

So, Tyler and Ice… Do you think you made a good choice in choosing the Delta over the Ridgid? Looking to buy a TS myself.


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## Riowood1000 (Jul 29, 2009)

How is the dust collection and how dose the mobile base work?


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Anyone up to taking a pic of the belt and drive system? Trunnions too? Does the manual have an exploded pictorial of the guts?


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

Unfortunately I don't have my TS yet, they have not got any in yet… As soon as they do I will take pics of the entire setup process and "guts".


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I looked over the one at Lowes today and overall I am pretty impressed. The fence is solid and I didn't detect any flex just pushing on it, it glides smoothly and locks securely. The top was polished, the edges smooth and painted, the front edge is beveled. The blade traveled up/down/tilt smoothly with no appreciable play. It has storage for the fence and miter gauge when not in use that is much improved over my 90's Delta. The rail is split but interlocks and there was no give or flex in it. The blade guard is better than my 90's model, has a riving knife and anti-kickback pawls. The insert is stamped 1/8" stamped steel about 3/8" tall (from what I could tell), adequate to the task; unfortunately it was screwed down. I did get down on a knee look up inside from the bottom but the dust collection hood covered most of the innards. The base has feet and is rock solid, you could dance on it. Overall the fit and finish were excellent. I was going to take pics but couldn't find an angle that hadn't already been photographed.


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## NRThompson (Jan 5, 2014)

OK… I now have about 100 pictures of all aspects of the 36-725 on display at my local Lowes, including a few up into the cabinet from below and detailed shots of the fence, rails, miter slots, pauls, riving knife, and guard. Any requests?














































I did notice that the blade deflects very slightly toward the fence and back again while raising it up out of the table, and deflects about a 64th at full height (within the last quarter turn) not an issue for actually USING the saw, just something I noticed at the store… Have video if interested. Cheers NRT


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks for the pics!


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## BillHausheer (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the Pics… do you have any more detailed pics of the how the fence and rails work? I would love to see the video too if you can post it. or just post a link


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## NRThompson (Jan 5, 2014)

*Video of raising the blade against a square.* Does not seem to get out of square, just deflects to the right and back as it raises… Slight though, just FYI…


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Ice99: I'm not clear how you used your HF 25% off since I don't see any evidence that HF sells Delta saws. Can you explain how you convinced Lowes to match it?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Not sure about the deflection because your square moves as does the insert.


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## NRThompson (Jan 5, 2014)

Hey Rick, Yes, I noticed that as well, at the very top end of the vertical travel the insert does rise causing the level to move as well. My concern was the "wobbling" that the blade does on the length of it's travel (pretty clear between 2.5 and 3.4 inches). Here the square does not move, nor does the insert, only the square to blade gap distance changes.

As I said earlier, this is just something I noticed while quickly "checking out" a possible purchase. There is also every possibility that I was the cause of the wobble as I turned the height adjustment wheel… Don't know why it was doing it… ...just saw it do it…

BTW, I also am interested in the Harbor Freight coupon question. How does THAT work and what coupon? Are we talking about the standard "take 25% off anything in the store" coupon, or a specific tablesaw coupon? 25% off $600 would seal the deal for me on this saw even though it is a floor model and would likely (for my own peace of mind) need to be dis and re assembled once back at the compound…


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

NRThompson,
Using HF coupons and Lowes and HD is specific to your local store management. Most of them will not allow it. Both my HD and Lowes used to take them, but not longer do. In fact, I haven't found any in the past year that will take them in the Pittsburgh area. However, every couple of years the stores get amnesia and start taking them again. That seems to last a couple of months and then one day they deny you and say they've never taken them. Some people report success calling the corporate headquaters and having corporate make the local store match the coupon. I tried it without success. Corporate told me it is up to each store's management to decide who their local competitors are.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

I've tried to use them at all my local big box stores in the DC area. I've been 100% unsuccessful. I think too many people have been trying, which would explain the eyerolls I recieved when I tried.


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

On the lowes website it says that they will match % off coupons so I took the 25% off coupon to the check out told them their " lowes website" website said they matched and the checkout gal called a supervisor and they looked to see that the coupon was legit and rung me up! Before I went in I called and asked if they matched coupons and they said they did not! That was before I looked on their web site. I would say that you go in with your coupon and " tell them they match it" instead of ask. And when they give you problems show them their website" good luck!


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

Finding this thread is timely as I spotted this Delta in Lowe's earlier today. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed - especially at the price point - and if I can get them to honor my (just printed) HF 20% coupon, it's hard to imagine a better deal. Thanks for the valuable feedback!

EDIT: Ice99 (or anyone else in the know) - Where on Lowe's website is the % coupon matching mentioned? I'm sure I'm staring blindly at it but any help would be appreciated!


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Just checked Lowes website. They state that where a competitor offers a % discount they will match the net price of the competitor for an identical item. There is no mention of matching a blanket % discount on anything.


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

keninblaine: Thanks, that would make sense but it doesn't hurt to ask!


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## WoodyMark (Jan 23, 2013)

Here's what I found on their site, and it does sound like a they match the final price…not the percent…

If a competitor is offering a percent off discount, we'll match the final net price the competitor is offering.


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## basswood (Dec 18, 2013)

At that price point, the Delta actually looks like a decent saw.

Alternatively, this is the kind of saw that money buys:

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWE7491RS-10-Inch-Jobsite-Capacity/dp/B00F2CGXGG/ref=sr_1_50?ie=UTF8&qid=1389132049&sr=8-50&keywords=contractor+table+saw

I know there are plenty of naysayers, but as a contractor that saw could quickly pay for itself. I have a smaller portable saw and a big old Unisaw, but the saw posted occupies a legitimate niche between the two.

This saw is not for woodworkers, the market is contractors like me. As a professional carpenter, my opinion is that Delta probably has a good chance of success, with their target market, with this product.


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## NothingButRedOak (Jan 7, 2014)

Same here, I wentt to Lowes and was impressed with this Delta 36-725 table saw. I plan to buy myself one at this similar price range and not ready to buy $3k saw. 
With this price, would you purchase this Delta 36-725 or DeWalt DWE7491RS ? I see both have nice features which is good for start up woodworking projects. 
Does higher RPM has more advantage like DeWalt has 4800 RPM or Delta's 3450 is sufficient enough for hardwood/softwood projects?
DeWalt has 15amps and Delta has 13amps. Does that make any difference due to HP and cooling?

Let me know which I should get?


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*NRThompson,*

Looks like it is NOT Square to table to me…

Looks like the blade should be tilted a tad more to the Right to fill the Light gap at bottom.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I still haven't seen one setup at our Lowes, but from the pics it's not clear that this is a belt drive saw with an induction motor. Can someone who's run it, seen it, or read it confirm? TIA!


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Scott, I haven't seen one at our Lowe's, either, but Delta's website page does say "Quiet, effiecient belt drive". I still have lots of questions about the saw, as well, so have been following this thread. Can't wait to see what the guys that have purchased have to say after using for a bit.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks JayT….it's still possible to put a small cogged belt on a universal motor, and call it belt drive. The pic doesn't look like an induction motor, but it's hard to tell. I'm not even remotely in the market, but am just try to get the whole scoop on this saw!


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

Yeah, that is possible. Didn't really think about that angle. You are right, the pic above sure doesn't look like an induction motor, so I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I'm not in the market either, but the company I work for has to compete against Lowe's and it's also possible we may have a customer want to special order this saw from Delta, so I would like all the information at my disposal to help them make a good decision.


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

There was a little wobble (.01") in the blade at first, but in my experience it was no better or worse than other contractor saws I used Mathias' techniques to flatten the arbor flanges and got it down to about .002" so it is quite acceptable now. I had to do he same thing to my Ridgid. As far as the blade raising, mine actually moved in the other direction (away from the fence) when I got it, there is an adjustment set screw on the guide post that corrects this.

It is definitely an induction motor (Phase 1 3450 RPM etc), not sure why they don't use the horsepower rating but if I had to guess, it's probably that they are typically selling to people used to buying things with universal motors. (just a wild guess, god know what these marketing guys are thinking.) There IS a small enclosed belt directly under the arbor. the motor is mounted parallel to the arbor, I have it apart right now to work on the dust collection, so Ill take more pics this weekend and upload them.

I have decided that I am going to remove the dust collection and take advantage of the motor being inside the box and seal it up and put a 4" dust port in the bottom. After using it a bit, I find that the dust collection shroud inside is a bit in the way for blade changes and if small pieces fall down there, it is really difficult to get them out. Also, while the dust collection is pretty good for a Lowe's factory feature, and would be very adequate if I were using it more as a mobile saw, there is still a bit more free range dust than I would like, and being the most used tool in the shop, I need to upgrade it a bit.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Tyler - Thanks for clarifying on the induction motor…..that's a definite plus IMO.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

I am still curious to hear how closely related the guts of this saw are to the Porter Cable PC270TS that it is replacing at Lowes. Hopefully we'll get some good info soon.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"I am still curious to hear how closely related the guts of this saw are to the Porter Cable PC270TS that it is replacing at Lowes."*

From what I've been able to glean from pics, they don't look overly similar….table vs cabinet mounted trunnions, albeit fairly light duty cabinet mounted trunnions.

Delta pics shown above:









PCB270TS:
!


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

BTW, it is currently shown as out of stock on the Lowes website.


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

My local Lowes has two on the sales floor. Unfortunately, they're still in their boxes. I'm not in the market for a new saw, but I've been curious to see one of these in-person.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I'd be surprised if it had anything in common with the PC saw since they are now owned by different companies.


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

Here are some more pics of it all disassembled.
Belt Drive








Induction motor
















Cast aluminum trunions
















Also, the wheels can be reversed (I plan on doing this since I think it would be easier o access once I have a table built for the right side.) Here is a pic of how I am sealing it up to add a dust chute to the bottom of the box to maximize the suction at the point of cut.


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## Riowood1000 (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm disappointed with delta. I was hoping to see more like the prototypes they showed at AWFS 2011. http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/39612/awfs-tool-news-jet-powermatic-and-delta-retool-their-brands

Where the midi Sharper they promised?

Has delta fixed the 22-590?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Maybe they are testing rather than throwing out half baked crap like Black Decker.


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

Tyler, I think I see some sawdust in one of your pics - how's it perform?  Thanks for everyone's input - this saw remains tempting.


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

OK, got one! Was completely ready to spend a bit more money (Grizzly, Craftsman/Steel City Hybrids…) but after a few calls, one Lowe's in my area honored the Harbor Freight 20% coupon!  Even if I do upgrade down the road, it's a great value for my near-term needs. Just unpacked it and overall, I'm pretty impressed with the build quality. Hope to share more impressions soon.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

OK, I'm curious how one convinces Lowes to honor a HF 20% coupon. I think I'll have to try at my Lowes since they have a Delta in a box ready to go, but I want to try to negotiate the discount right the first time LOL. Any hints?


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

I'm convinced that HD/Lowes honoring the 20% HF coupons is a statistical minority, akin to winning on a lottery scratcher. Heck, the HD/Lowes near me flip flop on which coupons they'll honor other than each other's (e.g. Ace Hardware?). Now if someone came up with a mind-control device for HD/Lowes managers, then maybe the odds can be raised.


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

It seems there is no formula for honoring the coupon and in my case, it's probably pure luck. Two other stores gave me specific policy reasons for not honoring the competitor offer but the third - via the manager on call - agreed to it. Sure feels like the store managers are left to decide. For many buyers, the savings of $120 would not be a factor but for me, it was a push to take a chance.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Yeah my local Borgs won't honor any coupon except from each other. 
Several people have bought this new Delta, curious to hear some feedback.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm curious how Tyler is doing with trying out his new Delta.

I was at my Lowes store yesterday and asked about honoring the HF 20% discount coupon. The tool dept manager said they don't at his store because they don't see HF as a competitor (which in this case is across the street from them). He did say he'd take 10% off if I got a Lowes credit card.
I'm still torn between this saw and the Grizzly G0732 for $50 more. Grizzly is only 2 miles from my Lowes store in Bellingham.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

"*I'm still torn between this saw and the Grizzly G0732 for $50 more. Grizzly is only 2 miles from my Lowes store in Bellingham."*

Take a good look at both (or any saw if you can) before buying, and note that the G0732 isn't quite full size…it's only 25" deep, which means that add-ons like full size solid cast iron wings, and some fences are going to be harder to fit.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

*"Take a good look at both (or any saw if you can) before buying, and note that the G0732 isn't quite full size…it's only 25" deep, which means that add-ons like full size solid cast iron wings, and some fences are going to be harder to fit."*

Good point. Thanks for the reminder about that. I had thought of that but had temporarily forgotten again! i think the Delta has a better fence too, as well as being cheaper.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Don't confuse the new Delta stuff with the old Delta quality. Too much riding on a brand rather than built in quality. I have the same opinion about the old versus new Porter Cable products. Just my opinion.
Bill


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks Bill. I'm aware that the new products are not the same. But I'm not in the market for a super heavy-duty last-forever saw like the older Deltas. I'm a casual hobbyist in my late 60's and am looking for something that does decent work, with good safety features and good dust removal capability. So anything over $700 or $800, as nice as it may be, seems like overkill for my needs. Heck, I just built a large maple L-shaped built-in desk with overhead cabinets and lower file cabinet drawers using my Ridgid circular saw on a cutting jig for big cuts, and my son-in-laws lightweight flimsy aluminum and plastic Craftsman contractor's saw. What it lacks in precision and speed has to be compensated (by me) in patience and extra obsessive care. So almost anything would be an improvement.
So while I've been tempted by various Unisaws etc. on Craigslist, I think the safety and cleanliness of newer saws are higher priorities for me than longevity and production offered by the robust older units.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"...lightweight flimsy aluminum and plastic Craftsman contractor's saw…"*

Just so we're all talking the same language, your SIL's saw sounds like a benchtop or portable jobsite saw. Most of us consider a contractor saw to be a full size cast iron stationary saw. The term "contractor saw" is kind of confusing, because most contractors actually use a jobsite saw these days.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Yeah, my bad. It is a benchtop saw.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

First post here after a little lurking. I put the new delta together this weekend, but have not cut any wood yet. My pre-review:

The directions are not the greatest. The hardware list does not match the actual hardware supplied, so much so that I thought I was missing a lot of hardware. Mine was missing the 2 middle table wing screws. These 2 screws are different than the outside screws, however the manual says they are the same.

My cast table is not very flat, it dips toward the blade insert. I pulled some of the dip out with a piece of wood corner to corner, and a clamp pulling up (put the clamp through the blade opening). All alignments are pretty far off. Blade is off parallel to the miter slot by .021, seems excessive. There is visual blade wobble at start up, I measured .012 at the outside of blade plate (this could be a blade problem). The riving knife is not parallel with the blade. I had planned to tune the saw anyway, but it really bugs me when the manual says "it was adjusted at the factory and should be good".

I'm a little concerned about adjusting the trunnion. It is held on by 2 screws at each corner. These screws are countersunk into the aluminum trunnion. It looks like they will always self center themselves directly with the threads in the cast top, and not allow any adjustment. I have not tried yet, anyone have a suggestion? The manual does not have directions for adjusting the trunnion.

Jay


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Jay: Thanks for sharing this information. Seems like most things these days have poor instructions and missing items. I'm curious if your method of trying to flatten the top worked, as I would think that cast iron is pretty brittle and rather than being flattened permanently it might go back to its unforced position. And I thought it might crack if moved too much. Did yours maintain the flatness after your removed the clamp?


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

The instructions are not perfect but I've seen far, far worse. My hardware matched 1:1 with no extras or mismatches though it would help if the hardware list was numbered and referenced in the assembly steps.

After a quick check, my table seems pretty flat and I've only completed a cursory blade alignment, which doesn't look too awful. My fence rides very smoothly and the split rail is a non-factor. I was expecting a bump or need to lift but it never happened and I haven't even dialed it in.

As in all these things, a deeper dive may or may not reveal other issues so I'll share when I can. And Jay: I never trust the "adjusted at the factory" claims!  Weekend plan: cut some wood!


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I agree about the manual Billy, have seen worse, but should be a lot better. I ordered a couple decent blades and want to mount them before I go after the trunnion.

I also don't see the split rails as being a problem. They align almost perfect and you can not "feel" the joint when moving or locking the fence.

Also, the saw is very sturdy. The lift mechanism works well and the saw rolls nicely.

Billy, did you adjust your trunnion? If so, how did it work out?

Ken, cast will give a bit before cracking. Mine was just a little better after pulling it up, not much.

Jay


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

Jay, no trunnion adjustment yet but I did take a closer look at parallel, using a jig, and it will need to move a bit. Add that to the list. I also checked my table again and am more convinced mine is quite flat. Yes!


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Glad to hear that about your table. Hopefully I can try the trunnion adjustment this weekend. I will report back.

Jay


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## lawrencef (Jan 23, 2014)

I just went down to Lowes and they price matched a harbor freight 25% off coupon!! The bad news is they don't have one in stock they said it would be on the next truck! So the delta 36-725 was $449.28.

Someone posted this earlier i think it was ICE99? How do I go about doing this?


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

What happened to the op (talie) on this one?

Hope I'm not too late! Don't do it!

I saw this saw at lowes a few days ago, and if I was a delta rep I would be very embarrassed .

I can safely say that if you have no expectations and don't really need a table saw that you might like it!

JB


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

JB can you be more specific?


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes, I would like more specifics too. I can only assume Delta decided that there was a market for saws in the $600 range that would suit people who don't need or can't justify a much more expensive saw. Most saws in this $500-$600 price range are obviously not going to be as robust or precise as higher priced professional-grade saws, but if they do a decent job and offer suitable up-to-date safety features, they may be suitable for many hobbyists. If there are significant shortcomings, I'd be curious to hear what other better alternatives there are in this price range.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

hey guys, im new to the forum, and relatively new to woodworking. i just bought this delta saw from lowes, and i paid retail $599 plus tax ( came out to about $650) but i think it was worth it. got it home and unloaded it out of the truck and set it all up by my self ( thank god for over head block and tackle on a rail!) anyways i just finished putting it all together, but havent tested it yet. cant anyone give me advice on how to go about setting up the blade and everything so that its square, and how to get the bevel to line up on the marks, to where it is actualy angled? also im going to have to shim my fence a little bit, out of the box its not perfectly square with the blade, the end on the other side of the table from me, cocks over to the right a little bit when i tighten the cam.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Kirbi, both of those adjustments are spelled out in the manual. For the blade, I think most people use use a square to set the blade at 90, and a known 45 degree triangle to set the 45 (combo square, framing square, etc.) Then adjust the hard stop on top of the table (2 set screws in front of the blade). After that you can asjust the curser on the bevel scale to martch. There are also 2 set screws to adjust the fence. Again, it's in the manual. Clear as mud?

Jay


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

Kirbi, Yep - adjusting the fence parallel and perpendicular is on page 29 but I haven't tested it to see how reliably it locks it in place. For what it's worth, I've always measured from front and back blade teeth to the "half locked" fence before cutting anything requiring a precise dimension. I then simply nudge the fence if needed and lock it down. Have fun - I hope to do the same this weekend!


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

well i zero'ed in the fence and the blade stops. it was surprisingly easy. just use an allen wrench. and now the fence is nice and square, and it locks in very reliably, and the split rail is a non issue. only took me three try's to get it perfectly inline and on plane. after i set the bevel stops for 90 and 45 degrees ( actually only had to set the 90 degree stop) the indicator is reading spot on. i could nott be happier. I've been bragging about this saw to all my friends and now my boss at work wants one. i still have'nt cut anything on it yet, but will report back after doing some work on the saw. but so far, I'm in love.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"....i could not be happier. I've been bragging about this saw to all my friends and now my boss at work wants one. i still have'nt cut anything on it yet,...." 
*

Gotta admire the enthusiasm, but you'll have some explaining to do if it cuts horribly…especially if they go out and buy one on your say-so. Make it earn the bragging rights….put some miles on it first.


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## texbilly (Oct 10, 2011)

Excellent Kirbi! Glad to hear the adjustment features actually serve a purpose!


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## Ice99 (Dec 30, 2013)

Just got my saw set set up! I might need to do a little ajusting, I get a little bump where the rails connect and I need to ajust the trunnions a little she is about 1/8 off the measuring tape, I have never assembled a "large" saw before so I am sure that I just need to get it adjusted right. Assembly was ok, I really wish they would label the bolts better and give you more pictures. I did turn it on a cut a scrap piece of wood…SUPER QUITE!!! I thought it might have some problem because it was was so quite, you don't need ear muffs at all. I was a little worried about assembling it by myself but if you can lift 50 #'s you should be fine to tip it over, I put an old blanket down on the floor first so that it would not get scratched up on the concrete floor. Again I don't know much about these types of saws but I don't why they could just not have included a one piece rail… I mean the only reason I can see is that it would not fit in the box, but it would make thing so easy! I am sure no one would mind a separate box.. Getting the blade square was very easy mine did not have any problem getting 90, I need to understand the positive stop process a little though it seems that no matter how tight I set the srew I can still keep turning the wheel and get it past 90 without to much effort… again I think the saw is good I just need to learn and understand everything better. Cutting my one piece of scrap was very nice I can't wait to get it set up perfect and to start making saw dust!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

the only reason I can see is that it would not fit in the box

That's actually a pretty substantial reason from a manufacturing, distribution, and retail viewpoint.


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

You adjust the trunnions if the blade is not parallel to the miter slot. If the tape is off, there is probably a way to move the plastic see though piece to adjust by 1/8th. Since this is your first time, you may not want to mess with the trunnions if they aren't off. As for the split rail, you could try putting vise grips or clamps across the gap as you tighten the bolts. That might keep both sides more inline with each other.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

i still havent used my saw yet im too nervous lol! i did go to lowes and bought a nice 16 gallon 5.75 hp shop-vac for it to collect the sawdust. it was on sale for $50, apparently it was left over from black friday. great little vaccuum. 
yeah setting mine up was easy because i have a slideing overhead block and tackle chain fall on an I beam. so once i put the legs on i just lifted it up out of the box and then set it back down on a rubber mat, and then flipped it over useing the 2×4 to protect the dust collector, worked great.
oh yeah the pictures on the box and the pictures ive seen online and even the demo they had setup at lowes are all wrong
the instructions clearly state that the foot pedal /caster goes on the left side of the saw, so its easy to get to. so thats where i put mine


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm eager to hear from owners of this new saw how well the dust collection works, as that is an important issue for me.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

ill plug it in tomorrow morning along with my new shop-vac and run some test cuts over clean floor to let you know, i might even take a video i'm eager to know too. but i do know it runs extremly quite, and with almost no vibration LEAPS AND BOUNDS above my landlords older model rigid table saw.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

ok well i made a video about how the saw performs on its dust collection. check it out here…


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the video Kirbi. I'm curious if the residual sawdust is typical of other table saws with dust collectors, and if a high volume dust collector does a better job or not.

Any reason why you had to remove the blade guard for your test cuts? Made me nervous. Also, perhaps there would be less sawdust on you if the blade guard was in place?

The blade seemed to stop fairly quickly when you turned off the saw.

Nice looking saw. I'm very tempted.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

i guess i could use the safeties more, but i was taught to use saws without them my whole life growing up, along with all kinds of other tools, and fire arms, and my dad always taught me the best safty is the one between your ears.

atleast if i get hurt, it wont hurt anyone else.


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## kinger (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi Everyone, I've been reading this thread for sometime to get feedback on the Delta 36-725 TS and finally pulled the trigger and purchased one at my local Lowes yesterday. Thanks to everyone who's contributed to the reviews, provided pictures, and their insights.

To all those who are still interested in purchasing this (or another saw from Lowes) I was able to get the Lowes manager to match the HF 20% coupon. You just have to ask around and ask the right person. Usually the cashier will have to get approval from the front supervisor to process the discount.

And it pays to check how they match the HF coupon….In my case the cashier manually calculated the discount and then rang up the TS as 479$. This allowed me to take my receipt to customer service the next day and they applied a lowes 10% off coupon ( I just moved to the area & got the 10% coupon from USPS change of address). So basically I was able to get the 36-725 for ~$430 plus tax.

Now the adventure to set my new TS up begins!


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Great score! I'm curious what part of the country you're in (west coast?). My store won't honor the HF discount coupon, but will try another one 30 miles further away.

Congrats on the new saw.


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## kinger (Jan 27, 2014)

I just moved from Minnesota to North Carolina….so east coast. I had checked with the customer service desk at one store in Minneapolis and they were quick to tell me they didn't match HF coupons. They didn't consider HF a competitor.

At the store in NC, I asked the cashier (instead of customer service) and she checked with the head cashier which approved the discount.

Good luck…getting a deal is almost as good as getting a new tool.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Kinger: That is helpful info. Maybe I should have asked the cashier rather than the manager of the tool dept. I think I'll try again with a cashier, and first mention the 30% discount HD is offering on a large number of tools, including some that are normally over $1000, and then if necessary counter with the HF 20% discount.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

ok so after probably close to running 200 feet of wood through the saw, the dust collection is working really good. there is no noticeable dust in the air, and very little saw dust that doesnt make it into the vacuum. im pretty happy with it.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Earlier in this thread, Tyler showed photos of his new saw disassembled and mentioned that he modified the dust collection. Perhaps he could elaborate on what he did and if it works better than just the ported blade shroud.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

New to the forum and my first post. Just bought the Delta 36-725 Contractor Saw from Lowe's and have completed the assembly. Wanted to share my thoughts at this point; I have not yet run a serious volume of wood through the saw. Short history of my experience: I've been a home (out of my garage actually) woodworker for about 25 years. My old saw was a Delta 34-444 Contractor Saw. Maybe not a professional cabinet makers saw; but, it turned out a lot of furniture pieces for myself and others over the years. After retiring from Federal Service, I also spent a few years in home construction (Both rough and finish carpentry); also worked for a home remodeler for a short time and did some kitchen/bathroom remodeling on my own. Then, I retired.

Generally I'm happy/impressed with the saw; It's a great improvement over the old Delta 34-444. Here are my thoughts/findings on assembly and I'll be as objective as possible:

1. The manual is just flat wrong in places and I'll cover this more in the following

2. As someone else mentioned previously on this forum or another forum, the center holes in the table for mounting the extensions are a different size than the outside holes - even though the manual says they are the same. I haven't yet put screws in the center holes because I haven't yet determined the size.

3. Four screws/bolts for mounting the split rear rails to the cast iron table were missing. The manual says these are 3/8 - 24 x ¾. This is absolutely wrong. They are 5/16 - 18 x ¾. Lowe's was great about this. The manager told me to get what I needed from hardware at no cost.

4. After using the included gauge for installing the front and rear split rails, I placed a 4 ft straight edge along the top of the rails (they were not completely straight) and with only a light snug on the bolts/screws, used a hammer and taped the rails into a straight alignment. The tolerances on the provided gauge are rather loose.

5. After mounting the Fence Guide to the front rail, I squared the fence to the right side of the table/blade, then found that the fence was not square on the left side of the table. I loosened the screws holding the left side of the split Fence Guide and moved it around until the fence was square with the miter slot. Now I can slide the fence across the table and it is square on both sides of the blade.

6. I like the fence (much improved over the model 34-444); but, the front locking method for the rear rail could be improved. It is an angled bracket (something similar to spring steel maybe) that pulls in against the rear rail when the fence is locked down. My bracket didn't engage the rear rail when the fence was locked. I beat on the angled bracket with a hammer and bent/closed the bracket enough to where it locks now.

7. Did a quick and dirty check on alignment of the blade to miter slots by placing a square against the miter gage and laying it against the blade. It was good. After I run more wood, I'll see if more refinement is needed.

8. The only disappointing thing about the saw is the throat plate. It is 3/16 steel and it will flex. The back left corner cannot be brought up level with the table without raising the left side of the throat plate above the table. The silver color plate mounted to the surface in the left rear corner of the plate sits lower than the rest of the plate surface. Can't believe that Delta produced such a nice table saw with such a crappy throat plate.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I'd rate this "contractor" style saw about a 4 to 4.5. Could give it 5 except for the throat plate. The other things/faults mentioned above are things that can be dealt with. That's my finding to this point. Hope it might be of help. I'm happy to have found this forum and find the information very useful.


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## mikeevens45 (Jan 31, 2014)

take the 500 and look for a used older delta unisaw or contractor saw…bought my model 10 34-400 for 150 bucks…a little cleaning, trunion alignment and some fence adjusting… in about 2 hours had a straight cut, brick wall fence and beautiful stability….still want a unisaw though….so if you buy one ill be jealous

mike


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

1. The manual is just flat wrong in places and I'll cover this more in the following.

Yup.

2. As someone else mentioned previously on this forum or another forum, the center holes in the table for mounting the extensions are a different size than the outside holes - even though the manual says they are the same. I haven't yet put screws in the center holes because I haven't yet determined the size.

Same here. #10, 32 pitch.

3. Four screws/bolts for mounting the split rear rails to the cast iron table were missing. The manual says these are 3/8 - 24 x ¾. This is absolutely wrong. They are 5/16 - 18 x ¾. Lowe's was great about this. The manager told me to get what I needed from hardware at no cost.

Mine were in there.

4. After using the included gauge for installing the front and rear split rails, I placed a 4 ft straight edge along the top of the rails (they were not completely straight) and with only a light snug on the bolts/screws, used a hammer and taped the rails into a straight alignment. The tolerances on the provided gauge are rather loose.

5. After mounting the Fence Guide to the front rail, I squared the fence to the right side of the table/blade, then found that the fence was not square on the left side of the table. I loosened the screws holding the left side of the split Fence Guide and moved it around until the fence was square with the miter slot. Now I can slide the fence across the table and it is square on both sides of the blade.

6. I like the fence (much improved over the model 34-444); but, the front locking method for the rear rail could be improved. It is an angled bracket (something similar to spring steel maybe) that pulls in against the rear rail when the fence is locked down. My bracket didn't engage the rear rail when the fence was locked. I beat on the angled bracket with a hammer and bent/closed the bracket enough to where it locks now.

Have you tried adjusting the rear bracket? It is adjustable.

7. Did a quick and dirty check on alignment of the blade to miter slots by placing a square against the miter gage and laying it against the blade. It was good. After I run more wood, I'll see if more refinement is needed.

Mine needed work, not fun.

8. The only disappointing thing about the saw is the throat plate. It is 3/16 steel and it will flex. The back left corner cannot be brought up level with the table without raising the left side of the throat plate above the table. The silver color plate mounted to the surface in the left rear corner of the plate sits lower than the rest of the plate surface. Can't believe that Delta produced such a nice table saw with such a crappy throat plate.

I've already had a couple hang ups from the back of the plate. Maybe I'll try some tape on the silver part for a fix.

Jay


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Thanks Jay for the bolt size.

Didn't realize the rear bracket was adjustable. Guess when I beat it with the hammer, I probably just shifted the bracket rather than bending it.

I ran some wood through mine today and I'm satisfied for now. In aligning the blade with the miter slots is the process about the same (moving the trunions) as with other saws? There is no procedure listed in the manual - at least that I can find.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I thought this was a front lock fence. Is it possible that the "rear bracket" mentioned is intended to just be a hook to prevent lifting, and not part of the lock down process?

Can someone offer a pic?


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Maybe I could use some help; I'm not familiar with this fence.

On the rear (rail) end of the fence, there is a hook/bracket (it is a little over 1" in width) that draws in against the rear rail when the fence locking lever is engaged (or locks the fence). It does keep the fence from lifting up; but if the hook doesn't engage the rear rail (like mine before adjustment), you can wiggle the end of the fence rather easily. I would say that you could inadvertently push the fence out of alignment when firmly holding a board against the fence while running it through the saw. If the hook engages the rear rail, it holds the end firmly in place. I will take a closer look at the fence again to make sure that something else isn't happening - like something loose at the front end.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Here's a pic from fellow LJ "MoshupTrail's" Delta T2 fence….









Here's a similar device used with the Vega fence. The hook on the Vega fence is intended only to prevent lifting, not to lock the tail of the fence in place. 









Since the vast majority of lateral pressure should occur before the blade, I wouldn't give much thought to being able to wiggle the tail end….that's not what occurs during the cut. The amount of deviation before the blade should be minimal, and is much more critical to accuracy.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Sorry, the only camera that I have is very low end,

Delta 36-725, "T-Square" fence: First is unlocked/open; second is locked:


















When the fence locking handle is engaged, the 45 degree angled part of the bracket is drawn into the edge of the rear rail. It does hold the fence much more securely that way. But then, it is a contractor saw, not a $3000 saw.


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

That hook at the back is not for locking it down. It is to keep the rear of the fence from lifting when you push down on handle on the front. Your looks like you've bent it much too close to the rear rail. It doesn't pull forward to lock it, it just happens to me moving forward as the whole fence is pulled into the front bar when it is locked.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Actually, I determined that I didn't really bend the bracket when I whacked it with a hammer. I just pushed it all the way in - it is adjustable. The original shape is as pictured. I'm going to leave it adjusted as is. It does better stabilize the fence at that end and it does not affect fence alignment during locking. You are correct, it does move forward as the fence is pulled into the fence guide at the front when it is locked - sometimes I just don't write with clarity.


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## newnc (Feb 6, 2014)

where can i find zero clearance insert throat plate for this saw? looks close to ridgid r4512


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

How thick is the insert? I just make them from 1/2" MDF then use set screws to level.


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## nicknametakenalready (Feb 11, 2014)

I am trying to purchase this saw from my local Lowe's (77532) but they say that I have to bring in an ad showing the sales price and will not match a percentage. What ad are y'all printing off? HF only has a 20% off printable coupon that Lowe's will not accept. Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## Tennessean (Feb 3, 2014)

I think it really depends on the store manager. When I went to check out the Delta table saw I asked a manager if they would honor a Harbor Freight coupon, he said yes. (I think he was only thinking a 10% off coupon) So I ran home and got a 25% coupon and ran back to Lowes. 
When I went to check out, the cashier had to call a mid level manager to approve the coupon. She said all she could do was 10% off, so I told her that was a deal breaker and I wouldn't buy it. I told her what the manager had told me earlier. She offered to call another manager and after some back and forth conversation and checking to see if 25% the sales price would be less than their cost, it was finally approved. However, they really did not want to honor the 25% off coupon. I was lucky.


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## nicknametakenalready (Feb 11, 2014)

All the places that I go to want a printed ad that shows the same exact model at a sales price, not a percentage off. I think I'm going to wait and see if a used one pops up somewhere. I have a Craftsman saw already that is mediocre, but does get the job done. If I could get that one for around $450-500 range I might jump on it. I couldn't get any of the employees to help me with the price because HF in my area only posts percentage-off coupons and not a sales-price coupon.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

When I bought my 36-725, I told the customer service rep that I realized I could get 5% off by signing up for the Lowe's credit card; but, I'd like to get 10%. She agreed. And, I didn't even have to sign up for the credit card.

BTW, I have now used the saw on a project and I'm very happy with it. A lot of improvement over my old Delta contractor saw that I used for at least 20 years. Hope delta will put out some accessories for the 36-725.


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## Tennessean (Feb 3, 2014)

I hope so to. I haven't even got mine put together yet. I just had a Old Hickory barn delivered and am getting that set up with electricity, so I'm really anxious to get going with it. I'm going to set mine up with 220 volt power and I did notice on the box that the motor is rated 13 amps 110 volt and 6.5 amps 220 volt. I don't quite understand that.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

When you double the voltage, you halve the current to get the same amount of power (watts/horsepower). But with the higher voltage setup the power comes easier due to less current being drawn.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

i dont get why everyone only wants this saw if they can get a harbor freight discount. the saw is worth $599. i paid retail and am more than happy with it. i just built some furniture useing my saw and it is a pleasure to work with. if you cant get the discount. dont overlook this saw, or assume its only worth $450 - $500.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

made this last night useing my new table saw

aromatic cedar with some spray laquer


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Tennessean,

When you get ready to assemble yours, look at the updated manual online at deltamachinery.com. Some of the errors that are in the early manuals have been corrected. My manual didn't even include the section that shows how to do the conversion to 220v - it says call Delta for the instructions.

kirbi69

The Harbor Freight saw now lists for $799. You are fortunate that you bought when you did.


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## nicknametakenalready (Feb 11, 2014)

It's not that I don't think that the saw isn't worth the full MSRP, I am on a budget while trying to start up another small business and this (at the sales price) would be a great addition. I'll just wait. It's not like there's nothing else to buy or work on!


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

So I have been traveling for work, but I finally got home and got this saw back together and running.
Although the stock dust collection worked well (more so with a shop vac than 4" DC), however, there were two problems for me. 1) I have plans on building a new out feed cabinet that I would rather not route DC hose through on the back side, and 2) small pieces that fall down into the stock DC shroud are difficult to get out and could potentially cause a safety hazard. So I took advantage of the motor being housed inside the box, removed the stock dc shroud, sealed up the box and ported a 4" connection out the bottom.
I closed up the bottom using a piece of 1/2" baltic birch ply and used a 14" square 4" port Woodstock TS DC adapter from Amazon.








There were pretty substantial gaps at the top of the box under the top so I used foam rubber pipe insulation to seal with 1/2" pvc inside to support.








I used some "Gorilla" brand Duct tape from both sides to close up the previous dc channel and the vent holes. 








Then I used some "Kobalt" brand tool box liner and duct tape to close up the miter channel as much as possible. 








I also took the opportunity of having it apart to switch the wheel pedal to the left side for easier access and more stability from the large rubber feet being on the side I normally cut large pieces on.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Thanks for the info. It all looks good.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*@dbmguy*, you mentioned liking this saw better than your 20 year old Delta contractor and I'm curious if you can provide specifics about what you like better, as I have a 15 y.o. Delta contractor. Which model did you have? Thanks.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

Tyler: Did you consider leaving the blade shroud and taking the shroud hose to a wye at the 4" port you put in the base? That is how the better Grizzly saws handle dust, so you're pulling it from the blade as well as from the bottom of the cabinet.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Hi Rick M.,

My old saw was a Delta 34-444. It was a sturdy saw and over the period of about 25 years, a lot of woodworking and projects came out of that saw. But, I do like the 36-725 better. I'll list some of the things as to why I like it better:

First the fence. The 36-725's T-square style fence is far superior. The 34-444 fence really could not be squared and stay squared. Even though the rail guides on the 34-444 were solid, the square aspect changed with locking the fence at different position along the rail. Locking between the rail mounting bolts was different than locking at the mounting bolts for example.

The 36-725 miter gauge is better. There are physical stops/locks at the major degree points. And, you can adjust the stops if it gauge comes from the factory misaligned. I had to adjust mine.

The cast iron table is smooth on the 36-725. My 34-444 had swirl/grinding marks that you could feel with your fingers - cleaning it was not easy. The 34-444 may have had a harder iron top though - just seems like that to me, though I can't prove that. The sheet metal extensions on the 36-725 don't really turn me on; but, I like them better because they are at least flat - not ribbed like the 34-444.

There was a lot of vibration with the rear mounted (hanging on the belt) motor. The 36-725 is very smooth running (and starting). Now , the motor on the 34-444 was very good - maybe better than the 36-725, I don't know. I haven't ripped a lot of wood yet on the 36-725; but, I did rip a 2×4 the other day and the saw had no trouble. I cut a 3/8" thick piece of Acrylic yesterday for mounting my new router in an extension/router table that I'm adding to the 36-725. Got very nice edges - no chipping.

My 36-725 came from the factory with much better blade to miter guide alignment - I don't need additional alignment. Then, I'm not sure that you can move the trunnions on the 36-725 anyway. There's no procedure in the manual.

Dust collection on the old 34-444 was not an easy matter with the motor hanging out the back. I attached a 4" adapter under the saw; but, I had to fashion a piece of card board for the open back - but that did not work too well when you had to beveled the blade (and motor). The dust collection on the 36-725 is not perfect. You do get some spill out under the saw - plus the normal amount off the blade on top of the table. But, the shop vac (that I'm currently using) collects more than you first realize. Try leaving it disconnected sometime and see what ends up on the floor.

I like the mobility/wheels included with the 36-725. Had to spend $70 on a mobile base for the 34-444.

In general (overall appearance-wise), the 36-725 just looks a lot "smoother/nicer/refined than the 34-444 - probably because it is. That's all I can think of at this time and this reply is getting too long anyway; so, I'll stop here. As I've told others before, in considering this saw for purchase, you've got to remember that this is a contractor model saw and not a $3000 saw. For it's price/class, I like it.

Hope this helps. Thanks for asking.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Thanks for the info, that was exactly what I was looking for. I'm pretty happy with my 36-477 but it was an upgraded model to begin with, but if it ever went T.U. I might consider one of these.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

The more I hear about this saw, the more I think it might fit my (somewhat limited) needs sufficiently. But the one thing that really bothers me is the blade inserts. I've read that the one that comes with the saw isn't terrific, and that Delta doesn't offer zero clearance inserts. To me, this could be a deal breaker, as I consider the fence and the insert to be critical to doing accurate work. They seem to have looked after the fence part, but not the insert. What do the new owners here think about the insert issue?


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

"Tyler: Did you consider leaving the blade shroud and taking the shroud hose to a wye at the 4" port you put in the base? That is how the better Grizzly saws handle dust, so you're pulling it from the blade as well as from the bottom of the cabinet."

I had several experiences with small pieces falling down in the shroud and shooting back out or getting lodged up against the blade which I don't really like a lot and the shroud is one of the few features I think they fell short on this saw. the sheet metal "air directing baffle" thing makes it a little difficult to make blade changes especially with dado blades.

"I've read that the one that comes with the saw isn't terrific, and that Delta doesn't offer zero clearance inserts." 
Although they are not offered yet, the parts list here:
http://www.deltamachinery.com/downloads/manuals/tablesaws/36-725/ManualDPEC002777.pdf
lists a zero clearance and dado insert with part numbers 36-501 and 36-502 respectively. Delta does sell melamine/phenolic zero clearance for their other saws so hopefully we will see this on their site soon. (Fingers crossed) Or at least an after market alternative. (And, yes I know you can make your own, but since they have the blade travel so close to the table surface to increase the cut height (awesome), the lip for the insert is really shallow and would require some special woking that I would rather not do to what would end up being a softer insert than a made-for-this-saw phenolic)


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Do these use the standard 1/2" or 7/16" or whatever it is, inserts? I just make mine from 1/2" MDF w/ 4 set screws.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I finished my zero clearance insert last weekend. I used 1/2" mdf and routed out the bare minimum for a flush fit. Much better. I too have had a bunch of small cut offs fall in. They are a pain to retrieve, and one bound up the blade when I turned the saw on. I envisioned them launching back out as the fell in. The zci only took about an hour to make. 1/2" mdf, flush trim bit, carpet tape and a little sand paper for final fit.

If you use 1/2" material, there are 2 obstacles. (1) The zci will not sit flat because the blade does not lower deep enough. I solved this by making a mini dado that allows it sit all the way down. Then I clamped a piece of scrap across and raised the blade. (2) You will lose a bit of blade height because the bearing assembly will hit your plate. I haven't yet, but will remove a little material in this area to allow the full blade height.

The zci I made is light years ahead of the stock unit. It seems at least as stiff. Do yourself a favor and make one asap. I'll try to post some pictures later.


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## newnc (Feb 6, 2014)

I can't imagine sanding it down to 1/8" because that's the thickness of the throat plate.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I just jack up my truck, wrapped some 40 grit around and a tire…. Seriously, I used a router to remove the material that conflicts with the 5 leveling screw ears, and around the very edge. 95% of the insert is 1/2", it's only 1/8" where it needs to be. A picture is worth a thousand words. I will post a picture this evening if you promise not to make fun of my awesome freehand routing.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I gave up on the flush bit routing and just cut to width on the tablesaw, round the ends with a bandsaw or jigsaw, then sand to the line with a disc sander.

Alternatives to routing a channel: 
1) clamp the insert above your existing insert and raise the blade
2) Rip a channel half the thickness from the back. 
3) Rip all the way through a little more than halfway the length of the insert. Most people will then glue a strip of wood the width of their blade into the back end of the slot as a homemade splitter.

This assumes your arbor doesn't hit the insert, not a problem on my Delta but it is with some saws.

Also a good idea to label your inserts unless all your blades are exactly the same width.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Here are a few pics. Made a couple goofs but it works.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Ah, the tabs themselves are close to the top. That's less convenient for diy inserts.


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## changeoffocus (Dec 21, 2013)

What is the purpose for split rails in conjunction with the saw fence?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

They fit in the box, easier on the manufacturer and retailer.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Rick,
Yes less convenient, but I just took a freehand stab, only took a minute

Split rails?? Rick is correct. Ridgid did the same with R4512. The split rails are a non-issue on this saw. If someone had to have one piece rails, I'm sure it could be done pretty cheap. They are common size steel. That is also a plus if you want to extend your rip capacity. I'm guessing here, but I bet you could buy longer one piece rails for under a hundred.

Jay


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## newnc (Feb 6, 2014)

how about a little tutor on how to make one like yours JayBarnes? would be greatly appreciated.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Box stores have a deal with the manufactures and this makes me leery about getting something like this for a larger piece of equipment. Much better deals can be found with some research online and if possible go to a Woodworking Show or local dealer to see the mainline stuff. I would love to get a Powermatic but hey like I have 3K to spend on it at the moment ya know? Gotta get the winning lottery ticket. (laughing)


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

JayBarnes - Nice insert, thanks for posting, Maybe I'll take a stab at it after all


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Newnc,
I'll see if I can put something together this weekend.

Jay


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Dp


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Here goes. 
Trace your insert. 









I cut it close so the flush trim bit only needs to do a little work. This is where you could also use Rick's method. I don't have a band saw or disc sander, and my jig saw isn't worth a plug nickel (you'll get a whiff of this later). 









All this business here is carpet taped together. A router table would simplify this step. 









Trim it. 









You need to cut a recess (would this be a rabbet?) like this. You don't have to cut this deep. I put a smaller bearing on my flush trim for this insert. I free handed the first one. 









Then you have to pull your new insert off the old one. Re-stick the new insert face up to the old one so all your holes will be in the right place. Flip it over and drill your holes. Trace a half moon shape through the finger hole. 









Put a hole for your finger. 7/8" worked good for me. 









Draw little igloos around each leveling screw hole. You can take a walk on the wild side and free hand route your ears out without drawing little igloos, but thats just crazy talk. 









So all the crazy free bird hippie routing should be done. Now you need to cut a dado (about 3/16"??) from the back towards the front. You don't need to go all the way to the front. This is only done to make a relief so the insert will sit flat. Line your fence up exactly along the edge of the existing insert. 









After you cut the dado the insert should snuggle right in there. Clamp a piece of scrap across and raise the blade. When it gets close to full height, watch for the left side of the insert lifting. Thats the top of the bearing housing hitting the insert. Feel free (like a bird now) to remove some of the bottom of your insert to gain your full blade height back. Although you only lose about an 1/8". 









Do this. 









And cut out something like this to make room for the riving knife. Go Tigers!!









Level it. Wipe on poly, then find a guy named Johnson and rub your new insert all over him. Over. 









Jay


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## Tennessean (Feb 3, 2014)

dbmguy, Thanks for the heads up. I'll do that.

JayBarnes, Thanks for the pictorial.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

I've seen some posts about the foot pedal for raising the saw is to be on the left side. Page 10 fig 1 shows that the pedal is to be on the right side as viewed from the front. The image on the Delta site also shows the pedal on the right side. But obviously you can put it on what ever side you want.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

the pictures show righy side. but instructions say left. and thats where i put mine. makes more sense


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I figured the destructions where for a right pedal. So my fat head went opposite of the destructions, and ended up with the pedal on the right. Actually works well on the right. It takes very little pressure on the pedal to raise the saw.

Jay


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

kirbi69, I don't know what instructions you have, but the instructions I have show putting the pedal on the right side. It shows it going on the right in two places in the instructions. Page 9 component list, page 10, fig.1. When I say right side, I mean your right when standing in front of the saw and looking at it. Personally I have no problem reaching the pedal with it being under the long side of the rip fence rails. Plus I find it easy to grab the support brace between the rails to push it around. But as I said before the pedal can be placed on either side based on your personal preference.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

JayBarnes, do you think the thin edge on your MDF throat insert is going to hold up well. I'm thinking of making a couple of inserts and was pondering as to what material to use. I may try to use a piece of composite decking planed down to about 1/2". I'm not sure if the composite material will route well for a clean fit.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I went too thin on that last one I made. Look at the first one I made, I left a little more meat at the very edge. You really only have to rabbet in about 1/16" or even less. You should be able to leave almost 3/16" thickness of that little lip. That being said, I try to be careful when I'm removing or installing. 1/2" hdf, Baltic birch, would probably work just as well if not better. I just happened to have the midfield on hand.

Jay


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## Tedstor (Mar 12, 2011)

Nice post Jay. 
I'll be sure to let "Johnson" know what you have in mind for him. LOL.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

I got around to making an zero clearance insert. I used a piece of composite decking board planed down to 3/8" thick. The fiddly part was routing out for the leveling screws and where the motor housing and blade lock button hit the underside of the insert when the blade is fully raised. I made a 1/8" lip, could have made it slightly thicker.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Jay & Me,

Nice plates; thanks for sharing. You've convinced me so now I'm going to do it.

How did you like the outcome using the composite material?


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## newnc (Feb 6, 2014)

pedal on the left you might caught your foot on it while moving around  but really it just a matter of reference.
And thank JayBarnes for the tutor.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Just finished my router table extension (Still have to paint the edges). Using my shop vac right now until I can get another/new dust collector. Even though the router has a vacuum hookup (Coming out under of table), I'm going have to do something to catch the chips coming off the bit at the top.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

dbmguy, I was pleased how well the composite material planed and routed. I was worried since it's mainly plastic that it would get hot and melt while being routed and planed and end up with crappy edges. You can see from the pictures it has nice clean crisp edges. It does seem to have a little flex to it though. I'm going to try making one using hardwood such as maple.

"Jay & Me,
Nice plates; thanks for sharing. You've convinced me so now I'm going to do it.
How did you like the outcome using the composite material?"


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

I cheated and put my Craftsman router table top on the end of the saw. I think I'm going to make just a regular extension for the other end. Sorry for the out of focus pictures. The camera I have is crap.


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

ive cut alot of wood with mine and havent tripped or kicked the pedal on the left side yet :0


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## jd53 (Feb 2, 2014)

Have been keeping an eye on this saw and this discussion. Can anybody tell me how the blade alignment has been on this saw? Read the online manual and can't seem to find anything in it about alignment.


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## kinger (Jan 27, 2014)

dbmguy, I've been thinking about adding a router table to the end of my TS similar to what you did. Can you explain a bit more how you secured the table to the extension arms?

I'm guessing you used the spreader bar as a support/attachment point…

jd53, I haven't had any major blade alignment issues. Out of the box, the blade was square to the table with maybe a 1/64" deflection or less at full blade height. But I do have to go past the 0 degrees mark by about 1/4 inch to get a 90.0 degrees alignment.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Made it from an old counter top that I had laying around. With the Formica added, the piece is a little more than 3/4" thick. This helps at the spreader bar that you mentioned - I talk about this later.

First, the finished view - got the painting done.










Mounted a Craftsman 2 hp with a fixed base. Used a 3/8" piece of Acrylic for the base plate on the router. Used the Craftsman base for a pattern; but, cut a 2 1/8" hole in the center for the bits - wish I'd have made it a bit larger. Made the Acrylic 7 1/4" x 7 1/4" square. Laid the finished base on the table and penciled around it, cut out center with jig saw leaving about 1/8" to the pencil mark, put the Acrylic back and clamped some 1" x 4" boards around it to frame it, removed the Acrylic, used a top bearing trim bit and finished the opening. I did not dado the inset for the router w/plate to sit down in. I turned the table up side down on the saw table, laid the Acrylic into the hole, glued and brad nailed in some 3/8" x 3/8" strips upon which the router w/ Acrylic plate will eventually rest. Fine tuned the inset later by scraping the top of the strips to get the router to sit flush with the table top.










Because I did not use a plunge base, I could not laminate two pieces of counter top to make a 1 1/2" thick top. I used 1" (1/8" thick) aluminum angle brackets to stiffen (Lowe's). The table is abt. 27 1/16" between front and rear fence rails and 14 1/2" between the saw extension and end of the rear fence rail. One bracket screwed to under edge of the router table that mates with the saw extension wing. Drilled 3 holes in the extension wing (and aluminum bracket). Because of the thickness of the counter top, the gap between the router table top and the spreader bar (you mentioned) turned out to be 1/8"; so, I but a bracket (the 1/8" aluminum) in the gap. That end of the router table is perfectly level with the cast iron saw table (sometimes you just luck out). It is also screwed to the under side of the table with flat head screws. I drilled two holes in the bracket and through the spreader bar to hold it in place. The two 36" aluminum brackets had enough left over that I could use to add as cross stiffeners. I did laminate a piece of the counter top at the very end/edge of the table for looks and to stiffen it.










Little room for hooking up to the dust port on the router. Had to use a 1 1/4" chrome sink drain to fit inside the port. had to file the pipe down slightly to get it to do into the dust port.










Hope this will give you a start.


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## newnc (Feb 6, 2014)

jd53, what about the two screws on top of the table outside the plate insert?


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

newnc, the 2 screws on the top are for adjusting the angle stops at 45 and 90 degrees. There are no instructions for aligning the blade to the miter slot if that's the alignment being asked about.


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## Jasonjenkins (Jan 4, 2014)

I know I have yet to post a project but I am working on several with what time I have… BUT I just talked the wife into letting me pick one of these 36-725 tonight! Also got the HF 25% to work so add me to that lotto list! I am on this site more than once a day and thanks to all who have reached out and to all that have responded so far. I was nearly sold on the Ridged but could not risk the fence issues that some have had, and Home Depot flat refused the coupon… I have not even opened the box yet but plan to put a router table in one wing, so don't be surprised if I contact some that have done this. (Dbmguy)

Forgive me if I have missed it- post is long - has anyone REPLACED the stamped metal portions with a single piece? Is that possible/recommendable?


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

I replaced the steel wing with my router table, still a work in progress. So far,so good.


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## Tss1065 (Mar 6, 2014)

Just assembled this saw today. My blade is about a 16th of an inch out of square from the miter slots. Any suggestion on how to align this saw blade. There is no information in the manual for making this adjustment.


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## thetinman (Mar 10, 2014)

Hi Tss1065 - regarding adjusting your blade to the arbor slot, Delta rep says it was not designed to be adjusted. However, I helped a friend adjust his. His was only about 0.004" out (not over 0.006" like yours) and we were able to get it to just under 0.002". We cracked the trunnion bolts (just crack them-don't loosten them) then tapped them with a piece of wood and hammer. It is really tight in there but that is what the side of a hammer is for. It wasn't that difficult until we retightened the bolts only to find that tightening the bolts moved the blade again. After trial and error we got it.

Frankly, I don't know of another way. Remember, Delta says it was not designed for this. We found there was enough play to do it. I offer our amateur experience for what it is worth. Good luck.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

I'm wondering if you could elongate or ream out the holes on the trunnion bracket to allow for more adjustment if necessary. If push comes to shove and the trunnions can't be adjusted enough to get the blade parallel with the miter slots, I suppose you could just settle for adjusting the fence parallel to the blade, and hope it isn't out enough to effect crosscuts. I do wonder why they'd design it so that it can't be adjusted….are they that confident about their manufacturing tolerances?


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## TropicalWW (Feb 20, 2011)

I spoke to Delta today regarding aligning the blade. It's so crazy easy with this saw, I couldn't believe it until I tried it myself. Took less than 5 min start to finish.

- Take the back cover off the body of the saw (4 screws)
- Look for the silver bar that runs vertically.
- Find the two screws at the top of the gray thing the silver bar slides into just under the table top.
- Loosen both screws a bit.
- Tap the motor the direction you want it to move. It's tight, but you can still get a dead blow in there to tap if your hand can't do it alone. 
- Check your ailgment again.
- Tap again if you need to.
- Tighten the two screws on the silver bar clamp thing.
- Double check the alignment again. Loosen, tap, and tighten again if needed.
- Put the back cover on.
- Make sawdust.

It's a great system!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

edit; nm


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## thetinman (Mar 10, 2014)

Hi TropicalWW, I wish we had known that 5-weeks ago when we adjusted my friends saw. The Delta rep at that time said the saw was not designed to be adjusted.

I went out and looked at my saw and I see exactly what you mean. Thanks for the update. Hopefully Delta will update the owner's manual soon so we can all do it the easy way instead of the old fashioned way.

I hope it is OK with you, I posted a link to your writing in a comment at the bottom of my review of this saw because the alignment question was asked and I could only answer how we did it smacking the trunnion around. Review at http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/3822#comment-1795694


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## Tss1065 (Mar 6, 2014)

Thanks for the help. I will be aligning it tomorrow. This was my first post. Thanks again I will let you know how well it goes.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

FYI, it appears that Lowe's has lowered the price of the 36-725 to $569. "New lower price"


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## carver1942 (Sep 25, 2013)

I bought a Delta 36-725 last week at Lowe's for $599. Sunday I seen that the price had been lowered to $569. I went to Lowe's today and they gave me the $30 difference. I assembled it enough last week to check the blade alignment. It is rock solid with no shift moving up and down. The blade is parallel to the miter slot within .002" right out of the box. I'm a happy guy with that. I will be using it to build kitchen cabinets. When I put it thru it's paces I'll do a review on it. So far, my first impression on it's quality is positive. 
Regards
Ed


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## Tss1065 (Mar 6, 2014)

What bracket do I need to loosen? The bracket with the Allen wrench or the torx bolts? Thanks Again


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

Here is a link to the parts manual on the Delta web site. I think the screws are those labeled # 54 (#64 being the silver vertical bar).

http://www.deltamachinery.com/downloads/manuals/table_saws/36-725/Manual_DPEC002777.pdf


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## carver1942 (Sep 25, 2013)

Tss1065 how are you measuring the blade to miter alignment? Are you using a dial indicator? 1/16 inch seems like an awful lot. I have heard some Delta 36-725 owners saying their blade was off .010" but never as much as 1/16". You may not be able to get that much adjustment. If mine was off 1/16 at the time of assembly I would be thinking about returning it. The Deltas have been coming through pretty darn accurate. If you got it at Lowe's they have a liberal return policy.


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## squaretree (Feb 5, 2014)

My first tablesaw was a delta contractor style. Served me pretty well for 14 years until I upgraded to a unisaw. I hope they are still making quality tools. In my experience, "Lowes exclusives" have been inferior in quality.


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## keninblaine (Jan 5, 2014)

JayBarnes: Nice job on your built-in router table. Curious why you have a separate fence when I thought you'd be able to utilize the fence that came with the saw. Looks like your router fence rides in T-slot tracks? Where did you get that fence?


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

Ken,

The the aluminum extrude I used for the fence was something that was given to me. You can buy the stuff in all different sizes, I just don't know where. The rails that the fence rides on looks very similar to fence, only a bit smaller and lighter duty.

I suppose I could have used the table saw fence, but wanted a split type fence without much fuss.

Jay


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## ClintfromLubbock (Mar 28, 2014)

I was convinced that the Rigid was the saw for me until I read this thread. Thanks to all that contributed. Midland and Odessa have 6 of these Deltas so I'll be picking mine up this weekend.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

I'm still likin' mine.


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## RibsBrisket4me (Jul 17, 2011)

It's a shame about the Ridgid trunion/saw blade issues.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

The Delta web site is a little weird. If you look for the 36-725 under table saws, you won't find it. But, on the HOME tab, it is listed as a featured item. You can click on it there to view the saw.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

It used to be listed under table saws. When looking I just noticed that Delta has revived the Homecraft brand, maybe it will be rebranded and put there.


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## RibsBrisket4me (Jul 17, 2011)

There was a time that I wished for a whole shop of Delta tools. In the 1990s and early 2000' they had a very nice tool line up w/ ts, bs, jointer, planer, dc, and now their new unisaw and drill press look really nice.


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## bbandu (Mar 4, 2014)

I purchased the Delta 36-725 about three weeks ago and it was pretty much set right out of the box. I have ran a few boards through it the first week but have been out of town the last two weeks. I still have along way to go, need to make some ZCI's, router table extension and figure out how I am going to do the dust collection.

Overall I really like the saw.


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## Tennessean (Feb 3, 2014)

Well it's taken me a while (been busy) but I finally got my Delta 36-725 table saw put together and I have to say that I am most impressed. I am not an advanced woodworker by any means, in fact I would be what most would consider an amatuer, but this saw is just so smooth and accurate that I am just beside my self. I had the saw together in about two hours. The biggest challenge was the rails and fence installation. Not difficult, but I wanted to get it right the first time. I have ran, maybe 25 five feet of wood thru it and am anxious to do more. I am well pleased with this saw thus far.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

Pax, what is a split rail? Are you referring to a two piece front rail the fence rides on? I just saw this table saw yesterday at Lowe's. I was seriously considering the R4512 at HD. Now I don't know. There are so many bad reviews on the R4512. The Delta apparently just hit the market and reviews are scarce.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

If you have this saw and want to use a thin kerf blade, according to the customer service rep. there is a riving knife available from Delta part # 78-965.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

thelt - I just saw this forum thread pop back up on the forum list, and I'm not sure if the question about split rail was for me. I'll go on a limb and think it is (not many other "pax's" on LJ, and I vaguely recall asking about the split rail).

For full disclosure, I don't OWN this saw, I only played with it in the store (I have a Dewalt DWE7491RS due to my space constraints, but regularly frequent other shops and use an older Delta Unisaw, or Sawstops). The split rail is the two piece front rail that the fence rides on. Others who have used the saw seem to note that if properly setup, it behaves nicely.

In regards to riving knives, all (new) saws sold in the US must have some form of riving knife thanks to the UL 987 regulations (https://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop/article/tablesaws-under-siege.aspx), and I can confidently say that the Delta's guard can be set into a riving knife position. I haven't read the specs to see if the included guard/"riving knife" is spec'd for a thin (I suspect it's thin) or full kerf. The important thing to know, is that the knife needs to be (slightly) lower in thickness to the kerf of the blade used but thicker than the saw plate. Most thin (3/32) kerf blades will be fine with the riving knife, but blades, regardless of how good I've seen the full kerf version perform (i.e. Freud Premier Fusion TK), I wouldn't try (personal overkill safety preference, so take it well seasoned with salt) to use with my saw and riving knife, because the blade kerf is too close in thickness to the riving knife.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

Well, I Pulled the trigger yesterday and bought the Delta 36-725, with my military discount, out the door $548.00 (including sales tax). That was lower than the advertised price of $569.00 (sales tax NOT included). Took about 3 hours to put together and check all the alignments. Every thing was as it should be right out of the box. The split rail is not a problem and lined up perfectly without an bump moving the fence across it. The split is lined up pretty close to the saw blade and shouldn't be a problem. The fence tape measure is right on when measuring with a tape to the blade. The fence alignment went smoothly and was fairly straight forward and easy. I haven't done the 90° & 45° positive bevel stops yet, but that's not critical as I normally check this with a square or triangle anyway. The only non-positive I found is the throat plate is not held down by anything except part that slides between the table and the throat plate. It has 5 leveling screws. I plan on making some ZC inserts anyway. One of the things I did change was to put the third wheel lift on the left side instead of the right. It does make it easier to get to. It was late and I was hungry when I finished so I haven't tried a cut on it yet. I plan to make some measured cuts today. So far it does look to be a good saw, at least for what I need and beats the hell out of my old Craftsman 315 model. I'm sure I've left something out, so I'll try to make a list for the next post.


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## ccerav (Apr 1, 2014)

I am a little confused and am hoping that you guys can clear something up for me. According to the print on the riving knife that came with my 36-725, it is 2.2mm thick, and states a minimum kerf of .10" (2.6mm). The 78-965 thin kerf riving knife is also 2.2mm thick, however it states the minimum kerf as 2.4mm. Since both riving knives are 2.2mm, wouldn't that dictate the minimum kerf to be the same for both? Is there some other factor that drives the minimum kerf for a particular riving knife?

Also, I measured the actual kerf on the Irwin Marples blade that I am using to be .101". Since 2.6mm is .102", is it safe to be using this blade with the stock riving knife?

Thanks,
Chris.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"Is there some other factor that drives the minimum kerf for a particular riving knife?"*

I suspect that it's mostly corporate paranoia…there's always a chance of incompetence too! ;-) As long as the blade is at least as wide as the riving knife, you should be fine. Wider is ok to a point, but a blade that's thinner than the riving knife will cause a problem with binding. 2.2mm = 0.0866142". Most 10" thin kerf blades are in the range of 3/32" (0.09375"), and will work just fine…..add a smidge of runout to every blade and every saw and you've still got some wiggle room, so even a blade with a kerf of 0.090" should be fine, which is about as thin as most traditional 10" TK blades get. Be sure the blade, fence, and riving knife are all well aligned. Avoid the ultra TKs and smaller diameter blades with smaller kerf, and you'll be good to go.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

My understanding is that manufacturers will state 2 thing for riving knife compatibility, minimum kerf thickness and maximum plate thickness. My understanding is in line with what knotscott has already said, you want your blade to be as thick if not slightly thicker than the kerf. I'm not advocating for this (align your machine!!!), but II would imagine a slightly thicker kerf and runout will give you a little forgiveness if the alignment isn't perfect (enough).

Instructions can also be very poor. For example, my Dewalt table saw's (the new one) riving knife has flawed instructions requiring minimum kerf thickness of 0.094" (2.4mm) and a maximum plate thickness of 0.067" (1.75mm). Kerf thickness is in line with most thin kerf blades but I have yet to find one with a plate thickness that is in those specs (I mostly find ~0.07" for thin kerf), including the blade that came with the saw! Needless to say, feedback has been given to Dewalt.


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## ccerav (Apr 1, 2014)

Knotscott and paxorion, Thanks for the info. It makes perfect sense. I originally aligned the blade and fence with the miter slots using a ruler. My dial gauge was broken. I just got a replacement the other day and reconfirmed all is in alignment. I have a little less than a .002 runout, and the blade is aligned at about .0015. riving knife is in line with the blade and square to the table. So given your info, I'm feeling pretty comfortable with the setup. This is my first good table saw, so its my first time working through all of these fine alignments.

I am absolutely thrilled with the way this saw performs. It is such a night and day difference from my old TS. Just being able to set the fence accurately without having to measure and tweak every time has been amazing.

Chris.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

Sold my Craftsman 113 yesterday for $150.00. Subtract that from the $548 I paid for the Delta, voila, New Delta table saw for $428. Now on to the new Delta.


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## Craftsman70 (Jul 31, 2012)

Thelt - that is the same plan I have. I'm going to sell my 113 and upgrade to this Delta. I just haven't pulled the trigger yet.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

I have to say this looks to be good saw for the money I would buy one if I didn't have a saw. Alistair


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

The Delta 36-725 is a good table saw for saws under $1000. I am very happy with mine and I have used it rather extensively now.

For those who are thinking about buying this saw and maybe not sure, please do not base your decision on the demo model set up in your local Lowe's. I have been to several Lowe's in my general area and I have never seen such sloppy assembly: extension tables so far out of alignment that the fence won't side across the edges, fences very much out of square because they have not been set up and because the rails aren't set up correctly, bolts/screws missing, etc. You'd think that if they were really interested in sales, they would set up the demos better.

Even though my blade to miter slot alignment was pretty good from the factory, I did refine the alignment recently using the procedures provided by "TropicalWW" in a reply posted not far above; it was a piece of cake.


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## Keyser_Soze (Feb 5, 2014)

Sold my Dewalt DW745 for 300 (not sure how) and picked this up for 540 after tax (10% coupon). Putting it together atm but appears to be one hell of an upgrade. Anyone think scrapping the stock wings and making some MDF/laminate replacements would be worthwhile? Also have a Bosch RA1181 router-table I'd like to retrofit…


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## carver1942 (Sep 25, 2013)

thelf, The #78-965 riving knife is for the Delta Unisaw not the 36-725 contractor saw. 
http://www.toolorbit.com/Delta/Delta-78-965.html?gclid=CIHcl6SZ-r0CFYtDMgodQE4AfQ
The riving knife for the 36-725 saw has 2 sets of location holes, the 78-965 only has 1 set of holes.
Ed


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

*"Anyone think scrapping the stock wings and making some MDF/laminate replacements would be worthwhile? "*

Definitely worthwhile to make wings or obtain some cast iron ones IMO, but I'd hang on to the originals in case you ever decide to sell it.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

Thanks for the info carver1942. I can see the difference now. There may be a way to use it though, by drill a second set of holes. That is if the other set line up perfectly to the 36-725's holes. Just a thought.


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## Mitchellwca (Jun 1, 2014)

I want to thank all of you guys for the posts. I just bought mine and all of your comments helped me make my decision. I do have one problem that is probably operator technique but I would like all of your opinions/input.

When I move my fence and then tighten it down, it seems to swing or pivot about the outfeed end of the fence and the final position when tightened down is not on the mark where I set it. I then loosen the fence, move it slightly with my left hand close to the outfeed end of the fence to line up the marker to the dimension I want, then tighten it down again. Of course, it moves again when tighten and I try again. Making small adjustments in the fence seems to be problematic. I love how solid the fence is when tightened down but I just have problems making minor adjustments.

Is there an fence adjustment I missed? Do I need to improve my technique? How do you guys make micro adjustments to the fence?

Thanks.


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## Keyser_Soze (Feb 5, 2014)

The fence will move just a tad when locking down if it's not laying perpendicular to the table edge - try tapping the back to where you think it's square, then zero up your front measurement, then lock down. I actually have a small issue with the front measuring tape not being entirely accurate (maybe 1/32 off) so I often cut 1/32 heavy and zero it in. One of these days I'll have the time to calibrate it, I'm sure with all I've been adding to the table I've knocked something askew.


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## Mitchellwca (Jun 1, 2014)

Thanks for the tip on aligning the fence. I'll be trying it out later today.

I called Delta support this morning about the 36-501 and 36-502 inserts. They claim that they will be available in August.


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## JayBarnes (Jan 21, 2014)

My fence scale is also off quite a bit. I remember another owner saying it was probably stretched when applied. This makes perfect sense because mine gets worse the farther out the fence is.

Before anybody asks, I did zero the indicator first.

Jay


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

im glad my tape scale is accurate on my saw, i use it all the time, it makes things go WAY faster knowing it is accurate.


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## kinger (Jan 27, 2014)

@Mitchellwca, I had a similar problem with my 36-725. I believe this comes from the fact that the fence is not parallel to the blade in its rest i.e. unlocked position. And only when you lock the fence down does it become parallel. Mine was pretty bad and the rear end of the fence would move ~1". This what I did to fix the problem….

1. Remove fence and place it upside down on top of the table
2. Find the two, I'll call them wings, on the front of the fence. They have small white rectangular plastic gliders that slide along the inner channel of the rails.
3. One side will be bent out a small amount further than the other. What you will need to do is bend the other side out to compensate for the difference. You want these two wings to be the same distance away from the fence rail. When you bend out the other make sure you do it in small increments since it would be fairly hard to bend them inwards.

As far as micro adjustments (assuming parallel fence and correct measurement tape) I tend to lift up on the fence handle and then lock it back into place quickly a couple of times. Doing this while not intentionally moving side to side will usually result in a very small amount of movement in either direction.

Good luck!


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## inventingdreams (Oct 10, 2010)

I agree Kirbi69, having an accurate tape scale can add up to a lot of time savings in projects. If you are having this problem out of the box and are like myself and probably most woodworkers that would rather find a solution yourself rather than dealing with low level Lowe's employees, I would suggest picking up a good aftermarket one online (Kreg makes a good one) and tearing off the stock one and replacing it yourself. It is a pretty simple and straight forward excersize.


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## Mitchellwca (Jun 1, 2014)

Kinger - I was having the same problem, the fence could/would move better than 1/2" left or right when I tightened down the fence.

That was great advice to bend out the wings. I got out my favorite pry bar (screwdriver) and went over to the table saw. I turned my fence over to bend out the wings and lo and behold! there were two T25 set screws that pushed the wings out. Apparently there has been a lot of complaints about this. I adjusted my wings out till I just had about 1/16 play in the fence between unclamped and clamped conditions. Adjusting the fence became infinitely easier.


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## stormn (Oct 3, 2013)

For those of you that don' know it yet Delta now has procedures for adjusting the blade to miter slot and changing the belt. They will email the illustrated info to you upon request. I called gave them my email and they mailed it to me. The blade to miter slot adjustment works well but have not had to change the belt and hope I don't because it looks tight in there


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

*Mitchellwca replied:*I turned my fence over to bend out the wings and lo and behold! there were two T25 set screws that pushed the wings out.

Did you not read your instruction manual? Those set screws are identified for being used to align the fence. See - Page 29, ALIGNING FENCE PARALLEL TO MITER SLOT


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

@stormn - Thanks for the heads-up. I think mine is o.k. for now, but I went ahead and asked for the illustrated instructions just in case I get annoyed with it it. lol. I'm loving my saw and have a few items already. I'm currently making a workbench. Can't wait to get that done.


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

Hello guys…
Could someone by kind enough to give me the dimensions of the shipping box?
I am located in Montréal and might go pick one in Burlington on Monday.
Long story short, was planning to buy a 4100…. Not anymore…
Many thanks. Hope to start contributing to the forum soon.


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## dbmguy (Jan 31, 2014)

I no longer have the box, but have looked around the internet and cannot find the dimensions. You will probably have to give Lowe's a call. I've had my 36-725 for several months now and really like the saw. If you are more of a woodworker than a contractor, I think you will be happy with the decision to buy the 36-725 rather than the 4100. Don't forget to check out the new/latest procedure for aligning the (36-725) blade to miter slot. You do not have to move the trunnions as on many saws. Happy woodworking.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

43" X 30" X 23"


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

Inserts - Leecraft
Hello guys, I have a talk with Janet who handles sales of Leecraft inserts.
Good news - inserts for the 36-725 are next in line…
The more people email her to indicate their interest the sooner they might be available!
I have agreed to test them once they are ready.
Janet's email address is: [email protected]

P.S. I hope my post is not against the rules.


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## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

I want to let you guys know about my positive experience with Delta customer service. I over tighted the locking knob on the height adjustment wheel and broke it. I first tried ordering it online but, none of the 36-725 parts are listed. With a call to CS they had trouble too because the parts were in stock but, not listed in their sales data base. The agent called me back and had the knob sent out free of charge. I had been hearing bad things about the new Delta beacuse of being bought and sold a couple times recently. This was not the case at all for me. I couldn't be happier with the saw and CS. Think there might be more Delta product for me in the future.

Has anyone thought about upgrading their 725 with cast iron wings or one piece rails from the new 5000 series? I am thinking down the line rewiring to 220v and these two changes might be an option for me.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

ShawnSpenser, just curious. Why are you considering changing the saw to 240V?


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## stormn (Oct 3, 2013)

Ok I don't know what the new 5000 series is! But I did convert to 240 V because I had to put it in for my 18" band saw that runs 240 only. It will still use the same power IxE=P. P being what you get charged for. So half the I and twice the E = the same power consumption. So why bother? Well if for no other reason less current going thru your motor windings should allow it to last longer and probable run cooler. Some claim that it makes it more powerful but I am not sure how that would happen if the power consumption is the same. Now my question is does anyone know of a time frame for zero clearance or dado insert for this saw. I made one but the wood on the rim is just to thin.


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## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

> ShawnSpenser, just curious. Why are you considering changing the saw to 240V?
> 
> - WhyMe


I thought it made the motor more powerful and run cooler.



> Ok I don t know what the new 5000 series is! But I did convert to 240 V because I had to put it in for my 18" band saw that runs 240 only. It will still use the same power IxE=P. P being what you get charged for. So half the I and twice the E = the same power consumption. So why bother? Well if for no other reason less current going thru your motor windings should allow it to last longer and probable run cooler. Some claim that it makes it more powerful but I am not sure how that would happen if the power consumption is the same. Now my question is does anyone know of a time frame for zero clearance or dado insert for this saw. I made one but the wood on the rim is just to thin.
> 
> - stormn


The 5000 is the new upgrade from the 725. Cast wings, one peice rails, better motor. Thinking I could order the parts since the base of the two saws are the same.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

I started a thread about the new Delta 5000 series Contractor/Hybrid Saws coming up. There are 2 lines in the 5000 series, the base 5000 which still has stamped steel wings, and the 5100 which has cast iron wings.

Read more about it at that thread: 
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/61852


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

> ShawnSpenser, just curious. Why are you considering changing the saw to 240V?
> 
> - WhyMe
> 
> ...


May help the motor to start up easier and run a little cooler but no additional power. Watts are watts. Whether you run the saw at 120V or 240V it's going to have the same HP and use the same number of watts. One advantage is being able to reduce the wire size of the circuit because 240V will draw less amperage. If you already have a 240V circuit then it's probably worth changing it to 240V. If you have to add a 240V circuit then it's not worth the change over, unless your existing 120V circuits are maxed out and you need to put the saw on a new circuit. In other words, I wouldn't change it to 240V just for the sake of changing it.

Read this….. http://www.thewoodnerd.com/articles/motorRewire.html


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## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

Thanks for the info WhyMe. I do have a 240v outlet and will be changing. I guess there is a lot of disinformation and placebo effect going on out there.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Since you've got 240v available, no harm done and very low cost involved with switching. You might notice a difference, but being that it's a 13 amp motor, the 120v circuit would generally be less taxed than with a 15 amp motor, so the difference may be more subtle.

I sure noticed a difference on startup and recovery speed when I switched my GI contractor saw and Craftsman hybrid to 240v, which gives the illusion that there's more power because it bounces back from heavy loads much faster. Every circuit is unique, so the amount of difference seen varies with the particular circuit, and the motor involved.


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## TigerT (Jul 29, 2014)

After 40 years with an old-style Craftsman radial, I bought the Delta 36-725 from Lowes. The price is back up to $599, but using the Lowes credit card gets a 5% discount.

The saw assembly took me about 4 hours, with a friend needed to help set it upright, as it is mostly assembled upside-down. Materials are mostly heavy metal. the cast iron top is supplemented with two steel wings. Impressively, all parts were properly fitted, with all holes lined up perfectly. Threaded pieces were heavy enough to allow me to use an impact tool for most assembly without stripping anything. Amazingly, there were no leftover screws and bolts, and no shortages.

The assembly instructions were written for an earlier version, as there are minor errors. For example, the manual calls for two bolts for each wing, but there were three holes, and enough bolts for three per wing. The instructions for attaching the anti-kickback teeth and the blade guard were useless, though once you figure it out, they are easy to remove and reattach.

The trunions are heavy cast aluminum attached to the table, not the frame. The pedal to raise and lower the third wheel for moving works well. It is more convenient mounted on the left side rather than the right side as the instruction manual requires. It make no difference to the saw function, so go whichever way is convenient for you.

Comparing part numbers, the 36-725 shares most parts with the much more expensive 36-5000 series. The biggest difference is another $400 to $500 (+ shipping) will buy you a 15 amp motor with blade brake, and a single front rail for the fence. Some models offer more extension table wings, and extension legs. Perhaps the duplication of part numbers will make for better availability of accessory throat plates, etc. in the near future.

Alignment of blade to miter slots was as close to right on as I could measure. The riving knife was aligned correctly, though I hope that a knife for thin saw blades will be offered soon. The fence needed some adjustment, though it is easy to do. Once aligned, it is quite accurate when tightened for use. The bevel stops also needed about one degree of corrective adjustment, very quick and easy.

So far I am very happy, and feel that alignment will rarely need to be redone.


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## stormn (Oct 3, 2013)

I just altered my stock insert to zero clearance! I used a product from FastCap called zero clearance tape. It took two strips of this plastic tape then a sharp box cutter to trim it flush. It works great just hold it down with the fence or a board clamped over the insert and raise the blade. I attached a filler strip from the back side into the old slot space mainly to cover the adhesive. Good luck hope it works for you. PS there is still enough clearance to adjust the height level with the table top. Put your first strip so that it covers the slot and parallel to the side then butt the other strip to it and trim the second strip and the ends to both strips. The package come in a set of five strips. Below is the web Address of the Tape. I have attached two .jpg files of the completed insert front and back I think!

http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/vie...dproduct=51659


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

stormn: thanks for the info about Zero Clereance Tape.
Brilliant! Especially with miter saws.
Thanks


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

stormn: thanks for the info about Zero Clereance Tape.
Brilliant! Especially with miter saws.
Thanks

sorry for the duplicate entry


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

Hi guys

Almost ready to pull the trigger on the Delta 36-725, but…

I finally cleared up the space at home to set-up a small hobby shop.
After much research, the Delta is my choice…
Problem is… I can get enough Home Depot gift cards to get a Steel City 35990C with full cast iron wings…. Or a 36-5000.
I like the blade brake, and the smaller weight (small space in my basement). I saw the Delta at Lowes and I like how easy it is to move it around. I heard the SC on your tube… I seemed much louder than the Delta….
The fence is probably better on the SC, which is important for me.

Is there anything important I should know to help me decide?

Thanks all


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

There is someone on this site selling a Delta Contractors saw for about half that here on the forum. I think he wanted $300 or $400 for it. I think it would be worth investigating for the upgrade.


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## defsquad (Jul 20, 2014)

stormn: thanks for the hint on this product.

i ended up attaching it to the bottom side, however, now i wish i'd of gone for the table-top side of the stock insert. got two packages of it just in case i wanted to fiddle around with that stuff.



> I just altered my stock insert to zero clearance! I used a product from FastCap called zero clearance tape. It took two strips of this plastic tape then a sharp box cutter to trim it flush. It works great just hold it down with the fence or a board clamped over the insert and raise the blade. I attached a filler strip from the back side into the old slot space mainly to cover the adhesive. Good luck hope it works for you. PS there is still enough clearance to adjust the height level with the table top. Put your first strip so that it covers the slot and parallel to the side then butt the other strip to it and trim the second strip and the ends to both strips. The package come in a set of five strips. Below is the web Address of the Tape. I have attached two .jpg files of the completed insert front and back I think!
> 
> http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/vie...dproduct=51659
> 
> ...


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## collinp2 (Oct 14, 2014)

I just purchased the 36-725 last night and am having trouble finding blades that will work. I already have a few Irwin Marples that are not the correct Kerf width to be used safely.

I contacted Delta a few minutes ago and the tech explained that the riving knife that comes with the saw IS the "thin" kerf riving knife and that is as good as it's gonna get without compromising the structural integrity of the riving knife. He said very specifically that the 78-965 WILL NOT FIT this saw do to the hole alignment. They have no plans of introducing a thinner knife.

I asked him what blades he recommended and he was shocked as well to find that nearly no one offers blades that will work, without spending over $100 per blade. He recommended a Forrest, which I simply wont' purchase due to the price. Nothing I could find at the Lowes are compatible either… not a single blade on their rack.

He said specifically that the Freud Diablo and Irwin Marples blades SHOULD NOT be used with this saw and there will never be a compatible riving knife available. He said if i wished, I could sand down the supplied riving knife but he doesn't recommend that either.

I was so upset at this news that I forgot to even ask about a zero clearance insert.

The saw is still in the box in my trunk… i will have to take it back if I really can't find any reasonable blades. I certainly can't afford to spend half of what I just paid for the saw, just to get a good ripping and crosscut blade set. Maybe this is no big deal and my other blades will be fine, but I'd hate for something bad to happen and then I've gone against manufactures recommendation.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Knife is supposed to be 2.2mm, the Diablos and Marples are 2.5mm + whatever small amount of runout. I'm not seeing the problem.


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

I've been using the DEWALT Construction 10-in Circular Saw Blade Set and have no problem what-so-ever.


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## Sixfiend (Sep 1, 2014)

Looks like Delta released the zero clearance / dado inserts for the 36-725 saw. Anyone try them out yet?

36-501 Zero Clearance Insert: http://m.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Delta-Zero-Clearance-Insert-for-36-725/50273917

36-502 Dado Insert: http://m.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Delta-Dado-Insert-for-36-725/50273911


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

My order has arrived… Need to go pick-it up….
I live in Montréal - will go to Plattsburgh later this week.
Will keep you posted….


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## collinp2 (Oct 14, 2014)

I have the ZCI in my posession but have not yet cut it… not sure how I feel about it. When I placed my order there was not yet a picture on the Lowe's listing.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

I assume you are suppose to raise the blade to cut through the front part of that plastic insert for it to be ZC on the front end only?


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## collinp2 (Oct 14, 2014)

> I assume you are suppose to raise the blade to cut through the front part of that plastic insert for it to be ZC on the front end only?


That is my assumption. It won't help for small pieces falling through, which is part of the reason i like to have one… but it may be effective at reducing tearout.


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## ShawnSpencer (Mar 7, 2014)

That's pretty pricey. It does look like you could make MDF inserts to replace the plastic and make it a full ZCI. I'm leaning towards making one. Why can't they give us a standard ZCI like every other saw?


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

You could also build a sleigh…


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

That is an unbelievably expensive ZCI…


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

Yeah it is expensive and it's also the longest insert I've seen so far. Most of the blank templates I've seen online are too short for this saw. I ended up just making my own. I have one to act as the template and also have 3 made with 2 others waiting in case I need to make more. 2 ZCI and 1 Dado.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

Ok so I finally buckled and changed out my contractor porter cable 10" table saw for something with a little more, lets say beef. I couldn't be happier with this saw, took me all of an hour to put together, about 10 minutes to dial in. about 5 minutes to hook into my central vac system, and I was up and running. This this in beautiful, all iron gears underneath, as opposed to the porter cable that was plastic that lasted all of about a year before I could no longer move the blade up and down. The T track is dead on and smooth as it could possibly be. Using the the flip down wheel makes this thing feel weightless when I have to move it around if need be. Great investment, great saw, very happy customer. Good job delta, you made a professional grade table saw for those of us that cant fork out a couple grand for one of those "look at what saw I have". Very impressed, and look forward to many years of happy use with this thing. My advice if your contemplating, buy it, you won't be disappointed.


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## bandit (Mar 2, 2012)

Just purchased two weeks ago. Last week assembled and added an Incra TS Fence system, Incra Miter Express, 1000HD miter and the Incra I-Box. Waiting for my Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides. Shouldn't need another table saw for a long while.


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## Big_T (Sep 7, 2014)

> Just purchased two weeks ago. Last week assembled and added an Incra TS Fence system, Incra Miter Express, 1000HD miter and the Incra I-Box. Waiting for my Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides. Shouldn t need another table saw for a long while.
> 
> - bandit


That's a nice shopping list of goodies, definitely going to pencil in some off your list when I get my TS.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

Hey Ice99, just wanted to give you my input on the Delta saw you've been thing about getting. Ive had mine now for about 3 months and works great. Once the wheels are pulled up on the one side this thing doesn't move, it cuts clean and fast, had to do a little tweaking on the fence but very simple to do with the screws attached to fence and a square. Also I noticed you said that a dado was necessary. I just out mine on last night and ripped 1 1/8" dado down 12 ft 1×6s and although made a huge mess, even though I have hooked to a jet central vac system, it worked like a dream. This is a great saw, powerful and compact. Will be adding some hinged table extentions, also the bars come out enough to install a router table at the end and will have to make a custom fence system for it but I see this saw has a lot of potential and hasn't let me down yet. Will keep you updated.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

Could anyone post the link to find the zero clearance inserts for this saw, also if anyone has any experience with adding a routing table at the end if this saw please oosr your thoughts and ideas.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

http://www.lowes.com/pd_645951-34340-36-502_0__?productId=50273911&Ntt=delta+insert&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Ddelta%2Binsert&facetInfo=
http://www.lowes.com/pd_645955-34340-36-501_0__?productId=50273917&Ntt=delta+insert&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Ddelta%2Binsert&facetInfo=

Here are the ones from Lowes. I don't have any experience with a routing table on a table saw though. Hopefully this will help a little.  They seem a little expensive but you can usually find a 10% coupon or even a $10 off coupon from time to time.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

Thanks Rayne, I have an LAR account with Lowed that automatically gives me 5 percent off, you should look into it. And where do you find these 10 dollar off coupons, I know they sometimes honor the 20 percent off harbor freight coupons which I have loads of.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

The $10 coupon is something Lowe's just offers from time to time. It's hard to say when they'll do it, but I know for a period of about 3 - 4 months this year, it was offered every other week so it may happen soon once the holiday season is over. I do know about the HF coupon as they took my 25% coupon to purchase this exact table saw. I couldn't be happier.  Oh, and if you check out places like Raise.com, you can buy Gift Cards for a discounted rate to save even more. The savings just keep piling up.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

So I just checked out the Raise site, holy crap I need to keep this secret from the wife. Thanks for the heads up, I can damn near get stuff from Lowes for up to 30 percent off now. Heck of a lot of savings for an up and coming woodworking business. Thanks again Rayne


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## Big_T (Sep 7, 2014)

OK I am ready to get this saw, is Lowes the only place that sells it and when would it most likely go on sale? I already asked one of the managers about the HF coupon and they won't honor it? Thanks


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

OK so I've had the saw now for about 6 months, great saw. Is mobile as it sits on casters with a step down caster to raise it up for movement. Yes it is cast iron but only about 16 inches of it, the rest is steel wings. There are no plastic parts on it except the hose connection. It will not take 7/8 dado but will do 5/8. All side panels Aand tubes are metal. With a little adjustment it cuts straight as an arrow for me. Not too impressed with the 13 amp motor as it can bog down on vertical cuts, best to cut an inch into stock at a time until desired cut is made. I do like the extended rails which gives for a 30 inch cut and the rails will accept a router insert making for a double duty saw. Split rail gives no issues and once locked down the fence doesn't move. Miter guage works well and is heavy duty. I did get Lowes to give me the 20 percent discount from harbor freight which helped with the cost. I've had the porter cable construction site saw with its high mobility but honestly doesn't compare to the delta. I burned the motor up and once I got the delta in the shop I felt like I had a real saw in there. Put a nice blade on it, dial it in, add a router table to the extensions and you've got one hell of a saw. Any questions just ask me. Also make sure you silicone lube the guts, makes for a much smoother motion when making adjustments. Enjoy


> New to LJ and have been watching posts for sometime. I am trying to get additional information on a new TS from Delta that seems to be available at lowes. You can see it here:
> 
> http://www.lowes.com/pd_510897-52010-36-725_0__?Ntt=delta+10+inch+table+saw&UserSearch=delta+10+inch+table+saw&stop_mobi=yes&productId=50081568&rpp=12
> 
> ...


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

OK so I've had the saw now for about 6 months, great saw. Is mobile as it sits on casters with a step down caster to raise it up for movement. Yes it is cast iron but only about 16 inches of it, the rest is steel wings. There are no plastic parts on it except the hose connection. It will not take 7/8 dado but will do 5/8. All side panels Aand tubes are metal. With a little adjustment it cuts straight as an arrow for me. Not too impressed with the 13 amp motor as it can bog down on vertical cuts, best to cut an inch into stock at a time until desired cut is made. I do like the extended rails which gives for a 30 inch cut and the rails will accept a router insert making for a double duty saw. Split rail gives no issues and once locked down the fence doesn't move. Miter guage works well and is heavy duty. I did get Lowes to give me the 20 percent discount from harbor freight which helped with the cost. I've had the porter cable construction site saw with its high mobility but honestly doesn't compare to the delta. I burned the motor up and once I got the delta in the shop I felt like I had a real saw in there. Put a nice blade on it, dial it in, add a router table to the extensions and you've got one hell of a saw. Any questions just ask me. Also make sure you silicone lube the guts, makes for a much smoother motion when making adjustments. Enjoy


> New to LJ and have been watching posts for sometime. I am trying to get additional information on a new TS from Delta that seems to be available at lowes. You can see it here:
> 
> http://www.lowes.com/pd_510897-52010-36-725_0__?Ntt=delta+10+inch+table+saw&UserSearch=delta+10+inch+table+saw&stop_mobi=yes&productId=50081568&rpp=12
> 
> ...


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

Big_T, Lowe's is exclusive to the saw. Can't buy it anywhere else.


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

> It will not take 7/8 dado but will do 5/8.
> - NolanWoodworx


I have the 36-725 and have done 3/4" dados. The saw is listed as taking up to 13/16" dado with a max 8* blade.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

> It will not take 7/8 dado but will do 5/8.
> - NolanWoodworx
> 
> I have the 36-725 and have done 3/4" dados. The saw is listed as taking up to 13/16" dado with a max 8* blade.
> ...


Many saws require that you remove the arbor washer to fit the full dado stack. It's safe to do as long as the nut is fully seated, meaning the threads go all the way through.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

I agree, it'll do up to 13/16" dado's. You just can't use the arbor when locking it down and is what the manual says to do for those kinds of cuts. This is a great saw and couldn't imagine going back to my rickety Ryobi, although I think it's time to clean the blade though.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

Correction, it will do a 3/4 dado without the arbor, but it seems that when I try and go any larger the blades are scratching the inside of the housing, not wanting to mess up my pretty saw I stopped there. I went and double checked after I sent that post because I wasn't exactly sure, but my dado set has 1/8 and 1/16 cutter blades, just dont think I added em up right. I tell ya one thing though, even hooked up to my jet vac system it makes one hell of a mess. Lol


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## Big_T (Sep 7, 2014)

> I did get Lowes to give me the 20 percent discount from harbor freight which helped with the cost.
> - NolanWoodworx


Did you have to try several times to get a manager to accept the HF coupon or was it your store's policy? I was thinking to try on different days to get someone else to approve it, since that would be a $120 towards a decent blade and dado. The next closest Lowes is 40 miles round-trip and not too excited about that option.


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## Rayne (Mar 9, 2014)

When I got mine, I was denied at my local Lowes, but called another one nearby and they accepted it. If you can find a 25% coupon, they'll accept that too, which is what I did. I guess I'm lucky to be near 4 Lowe's to shop around.


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## NolanWoodworx (Nov 7, 2014)

They see me everyday, sometimes twice a day at the Lowes less than a mile from my house. I had already bought it actually and went back in with the receipt and the coupon a week later, they know by name and I just went to a register where I knew the woman working it and has manager override capability. I think she had mentioned that they don't usually take them but because it was a "tool", that it negates the policy and she took it. I hate that its not working for you because that what I did, was turn right around d and bought a good blade.


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

> I did get Lowes to give me the 20 percent discount from harbor freight which helped with the cost.
> - NolanWoodworx
> 
> Did you have to try several times to get a manager to accept the HF coupon or was it your store s policy? I was thinking to try on different days to get someone else to approve it, since that would be a $120 towards a decent blade and dado. The next closest Lowes is 40 miles round-trip and not too excited about that option.
> ...


You could always try a few calls first….that way the trip would be worth it. In lieu of 20%, a 10% coupon is pretty easy to come by and a lot easier to get approved….that's better than a stick in the eye, and frees up some cash for blades.


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## paxorion (Oct 19, 2012)

The policy is executed on a store manager by store manager basis. As I understand it, big box stores have a policy that allow employees and managers to offer a customer a % discount up to a certain threshold (may be 20%) to make an immediate sale.


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

Guys,
Have a look at this - 20% off all the time….

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/65086


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Two Lowe's near me will not honor a general 20% off Harbor Freight coupon and the answer was they don't see Harbor Freight as a direct competitor. Lowe's will accept a HF coupon if for an identical product they sell.


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

look at my post above… good luck


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## drmfreek (Jul 28, 2010)

I picked up this saw at my local Lowe's the day after Christmas, and initially I was very pleased with it. However, the motor seemed to take a long time to spool up, the alignment of the blade to the miter slots was around 0.015" (and measured differently depending on what slot I measured from), and there was a slight hump in the table right above the arbor. After talking with Delta, I brought the table saw back to Lowe's and traded for another one. I'm still in the midst of setting it up all over again, but things are looking cheerier. The motor starts right up, and the alignment is only out by 0.003" (same from each slot). My only complaint is that there seems to be the same little rise on the table in the same spot. But I don't think its worth starting all over again. My father manages a machine shop and I work at a pretty large service shop myself. I'm hoping between the two of us we can address any issue there might be with flatness.

I can report that putting the saw together a second time is faster. I recommend putting on the front and back rails first, then the extension wings afterward. I feel like there was less fiddling using this method.!








!


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## Amoc (Jan 8, 2013)

Just purchased this yesterday, could not be happier. 5 year warranty, true flat top, and when I fired it up the first time , oh my the differene the motor sound is compared to my old craftsman contractor aluminum top that would not know a flat spot unless a sledge hammer made one.

My only issue has been the dust port. Don't have a shop vacuum setup, and did not like the dust flying out the. Port or when I did try and use a small shop vacuum the dust went straight up the blade. So removed the dust deflector and let it drop el natural. Now have to make a saw dust bin collector underneath.

But what a difference!


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## Amoc (Jan 8, 2013)

Just called the SC Custumer Service and talked to one of their Reps about the deflector, he would not give me a straight answer as to if removing the deflector will void the warranty, but said it was good for the motor to leave it on.

So here is my question to those that have been using this saw, has anyone been using it without the deflector? Has anyone had problems with the with saw dust around the gears. I can put the deflector back on, butI would rather not, and just let the dust drop to a catch box with a cheap shop vac pulling down the dust, if that makes sense.

Any helpful comments welcomed on this!


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

Unless you used an under powered shop vac I don't see why you are having an issue with the dust port. I've use mine hooked up to a shop-vac and also a larger dust collection vac and have had no issues with the saw dust not being extracted. Without using a shop-vac the saw-dust does not exit the dust port very well. If you are not going to use a vac then I can see the benefit of removing the dust collection shield for the saw dust to fall away. The motor is sealed so I'm not sure how removing the dust shield would have any impact on the motor. This is just my opinion and have not used the saw without the saw dust collection shield and port.


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## Amoc (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks WhyMe for the reply. I did hook up my shopvac, but either the it just doesnt suck or another problem could be that my hose was just not wide enough may have been a contributing factor.

I may after thinking about see about hooking a collector box with a port for my vacuum to take it the rest of the way out. Still doodling until I find what works for me. But again, love the saw!


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## Amoc (Jan 8, 2013)

Problem Solved, after pondering, scratching watch, and winding my butt, I determined that a white foriegn object was the ills to my woe. I opened the exhaust shroud (removed the blue dust port) and found a white piece of styrofoam that must have come off when I was removing the saw from the box.

Reinstalled the dust shroud, hooked up my HomeDepot 5.5 Shop VAC, adapted from 4 to 2.5 inches, and proceeded to make wood cuts with no blow back or unneeded saw dust.

This is to me the best table saw for the money to me I believe I could have purchased.

Now to make new table saw jigs and find a home for that Craftsman Saw!


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## kuku (Nov 1, 2015)

Need help with the saw -

I had to disassemble the height adjust mechanism and did not bother documenting how to reassemble all the washers and springs back on thinking it's shows up on delta's PDF schematic … well, it doesn't 

Can someone please take a good picture of the rod that comes out of the engine unit to the adjuster knob that shows all the washers, springs and spacers?

Thanks


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> I had to disassemble the height adjust mechanism and did not bother documenting how to reassemble all the washers and springs back on thinking it s shows up on delta s PDF schematic … well, it doesn t


Sure looks like it does to me… what diagram are you looking at?
Try: http://www.deltamachinery.com/downloads/manuals/table_saws/36-725/Manual_DPEC002777.pdf

Relevant bit:










Unless the diagram is inaccurate/missing parts, it seems pretty straight forward…

Cheers,
Brad


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## kuku (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks, Yes I have just that, But I need to know how these get connected (cricled)


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

On the gear end it's the gear then a thick flat washer then a thin spring washer then a second thick flat washer then the bracket. In the picture of the circled area the gap between the 2 washers at the gear end is where the spring washer is. Not sure if you need more info than that.

To expand on the info… the bracket tab on the left, on the right side of the tab is a sleeve with a set screw then a washer not much larger than the diameter of the sleeve against the bracket. On the left side of the bracket is a thick washer the same size as the washers at the gear end, then what I assume is a long sleeve to the handle.


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## Amoc (Jan 8, 2013)

After almost a year of owning this saw I am still very happy! The only thing I am considering is building a saw dust collection box underneath that has a vacuum port to pull dust. My reasoning for this is that with a good vacuum pulling attached, I still get saw dust all over, I think I would be better off just collectingt he dust. I have seen a couple of Delta's moddified this way, has anyone else tried it?


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## WhyMe (Feb 15, 2014)

> After almost a year of owning this saw I am still very happy! The only thing I am considering is building a saw dust collection box underneath that has a vacuum port to pull dust. My reasoning for this is that with a good vacuum pulling attached, I still get saw dust all over, I think I would be better off just collectingt he dust. I have seen a couple of Delta s moddified this way, has anyone else tried it?
> 
> - Amoc


 Have you seen this thread?
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/128674


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## kirbi69 (Jan 24, 2014)

Made a new 2 year review video of this saw check it out on youtube…


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*This is a Spam attack at it's greatest... Reported...*


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## DianeH (Nov 11, 2016)

I have had my saw for approximately 2 years now. I am thinking about removing the dust chute and installing a Rockler Contractor Table Saw Dust Bag. I don't like having to remove my shop vac all the time when I need to clean up. Has anyone done this and how? I had the dust bag on my last saw and liked it a lot. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or ideas.


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## johnny5dm (Jul 21, 2017)

Hey all, sorry to revive the old thread, but this has been very helpful. I'd originally purchased an R4512, but the blade alignment issue on mine - even with the "II" stamped on the trunnion - is horrible. Long story short, the design just isn't good - hanging a heavy motor off of a single pivot point like that, then subjecting it to more force from the blade raise/lower screw. I could get within .003" in some locations, and then get a .025" deflection in others. Ridiculous.

Anyway, I wanted to check - for the 36-725, which so far seems like what I'm going to get, how's the alignment? Specifically, raise/lower, tilt all the way to 45, then raise/lower… staying straight the whole time?

Thanks a ton for all the comments!


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