# Ridgid R4511 or Craftsman 21833



## Çggghgyt (Jun 17, 2008)

Hey all. Need your thoughts, opinions, etc on a decision I am pondering. I am in the market for a new TS in the $400-$500 range. I have settled on the Ridgid R4511 or the Craftsman 21833. I can still get the Ridgid locally for $499 and with a 10% discount it would be around $450. The Craftsman is $550 but I have a Christmas gift certificate for $100 which would lower my cost to $450.

I like the Ridgid better but am concerned about the granite top chipping or breaking. Also I would like to be able to use some of the magnetic devices that having a cast iron top would allow. My current Bosch table top is cast aluminum. The fact that the granite top 4511 is being discontinued is a little concerning, but all saws are discontinued at one point or another.

The Craftsman looks OK, but the assembly looks like it would be much more difficult than the Ridgid and its reviews are mixed on the Sears website although the review on LJs is favorable. I also like the cast iron top.

Your thoughts? Something I haven't considered?

Thanks in advance.
Gary


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

The 21833 is brand new. There is a favorable 5-Star review on it right here on LJ's from "Glenn". I checked it out the other day…it looks decent…riving knife, mobile base, one piece blade shroud, cast iron top, standard miter slots with T-slots. Fence is fine for a double locking aluminum fence….not so different than the Ridgid 3650 design. It has steel wings, and table mounted trunnions, but looks to be a solid design from what I could tell. Prolly only has a 1 year warranty. You might be able to get 20% Bing Cashback in 60 days if you search Craftsman thru Bing.com, then order it through Sears.com and pay with PayPal. Not sure how the Cashback would work with your giftcards, but I'd assume you apply the giftcard then pay the balance with Paypal.

The R4511 has a longer track record for sure, plus adds cabinet mounted trunnions. In general, the granite and the saw seem to be well received, but it's easy to understand being concerned about the granite, plus the fact that it's being discontinued….however, Steel City/Orion makes the R4511 AFAIK, and they still have the 35920 and 35930 in their current lineup. The Ridgid 15% Friends & Family promotion should apply, and so should the Ridgid Lifetime Service Agreement. Based on what I've seen of the enclosure design, I've wondered if the granite top could easily be replaced by a cast iron top….those old Emerson contractor saws go cheap, and you can sell off most of the parts except for the cast iron top (just a thought). R

I'm mostly just rambling, because it's really going to boil down to an executive decision by you, and it sounds like you've already addressed most of the pros and cons. With just about any decent saw, the end performance is largely determined by setup and blade choice. Good luck!


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## MarkwithaK (Sep 12, 2009)

I cannot speak of the 21833 but I do own the R4511 and would buy it again in a heartbeat. I was also concerned about the granite top but so far have yet to have an issue. I don't plan on using it as an anvil. The motor is strong and quiet, after assembly, set up was a breeze. The factory blade is so-so but that's east to rectify. The Lifetime Warranty really helped seal the deal.


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## iamwelty (Nov 14, 2009)

Ditto Markwithak… dunno about the 21833, but the my last two TS were Craftsman and were junk. Best thing that ever happened to me was when my last one froze up with a screeeech and a cloud of smoke… and I bought a R4511. I love the weight of the saw… it's quite, it's sooooooo smooth. The Granite top has been a plus for me. No Rust, easy to maintain… yeah, magnets won't stick to it, but that's the only negative I see. The Hercu-lift system works great. The saw blade is junk, but I'm betting the Craftsman one is too. The price is simply amazing… I got mine for around $450 also. If you can land a R4511, I'd do it right away before it sneaks off … If you do… check out assembly hints from this website and the Ridgid Forum website… the instructions that come with the saw are terrible.


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## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

I have a Rigid TS3650 table saw with a cast iron top and I love it. BUT I would not personally get a saw with a Granite top I've heard to many horror stories about the….cracking, chipping, and etc. I know nothing about the Craftsman saw altho I've seen good reviews on it.


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## Timbo (Aug 21, 2008)

I'm a Ridgid R4511 owner also. Great saw, plenty of power, cuts perfect. *The granite top on mine did crack* you can see it here: http://lumberjocks.com/topics/11466. Ridgid sent me a new top right away, so great warranty too. The crack has not moved/changed at all since I noticed it and as of now i have not changed the top.


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## Çggghgyt (Jun 17, 2008)

Thanks guys. Great comments and advice. I think I have finally settled on the Ridgid. Timbo's description of Ridgid's customer service in replacing his cracked top settles most of my concerns about the granite. Now I have to go check my local HDs to see if they have one. They did a couple of weeks ago, but since it is Christmas season don't know if they have all been bought or not. Will keep you posted.


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## Cory (Jan 14, 2009)

I bought a 4511 about a month ago and I have nothing but good things to say about it. I also owned the Craftsman for about 6 hours. When i got all the pieces out of the box, I realized that the saw just wasn't a good fit for me. The fence on the 4511 is far superior, and it weighs a lot more which means it's more stable. I haven't had the first problem with my granite top, either.

When i bought mine, I brought in a Harbor Freight 20% off coupon and they matched it on the spot. I didn't have to wait for a check in the mail with the Friends and Family discount. I saved enough to go ahead and buy a planer, too!

Good luck with your purchase!


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## Konomigon (Jul 26, 2009)

I really like my 4511. I don't know how long the top will last though. I have been playing around with a tenoning jig recently and I can already see the leading edge of the miter slot starting to chip out. Even with the chips at the leading edge, I don't think this will result in any performance issues. Other than that, I can't complain about it. The only other table saw I've used is a bench top Ryobi.


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## 10Feettall (Oct 18, 2009)

Home Depot dropped the price on the 4511 floor model at my local store to $299. I have to replace the power cord which they cut off. You might want to check your local HD out.


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## cliffton (Dec 18, 2009)

wow 299$ thats an awesome price and you could still get 15-20% off that with a HF coupon. With Ridgid's lifetime warranty to the original owner I am not concerned about the top. One of the first things i did though is to remove the "T" off of the miter gauge so that i can just lift it up and not worry about chipping the top.

cliff


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## swayze (Dec 11, 2009)

$299!!! wow I wish we weren't getting hosed up here in Canada


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## Çggghgyt (Jun 17, 2008)

Thanks!! I bought the 4511 and used an HF coupon to get it from $499 to $399 but I'm going back and try to get a price adjustment down to $299.

Gary


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## vwmike99 (Mar 18, 2008)

Just bought mine about 5 hours ago. Believe it might have been the last one in Southern California!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I was thinking for others that are thinking about Rigid . I'm guessing that since they are discontinuing the 4511 that they my be coming out with a new metal top saw in the near future.


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