# Masterforce Jobsite Table Saw



## mheskamp (May 1, 2013)

Hello!
I'm new here and am looking for some help with a table saw decision. Does anyone own or have experience with the Masterforce jobsite table saw from Menards?

Initially I wrote off Masterforce as just being Menard's cheapo brand, but after looking at it, I'm not so sure in the case of this saw. I'm trying to get over my bias! There's not a whole lot of information to find on the web - I haven't been able to find a single review of it. For more info on the saw, see http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/power-tools/saws/masterforce-10-jobsite-table-saw-with-gravity-assist-stand/p-1724748-c-12931.htm. You can download the pdf of the manual there and see that it has a lot of good features - easy to remove blade/riving knife and blade guard system.

It seems to be targeted as competition for the Ridgid R4510 given the list price and gravity rise stand. In the store, it seems to be well built. It takes a 3/4" 8" dado stack, so the motor is probably pretty powerful (it doesn't state the HP in the manual).

I was thinking about buying the Bosch 4100-09, but I am only a weekend warrior so I don't need the top of the line saw and don't want to pay for the best if something like the Masterforce will work well for my needs. It seems to be the only one in the $300 price range (it's on sale for $349) that takes a 3/4" dado. I don't have a garage, so I'll be hauling this thing up from the basement to use it outdoors most likely, so portability is important. Another one I've looked at is the Porter Cable PCB220TS, but it only takes a 1/2" dado and the fence doesn't seem great (it does have good reviews though). Craftsman doesn't have a mid-level one with the stand and 3/4" dado either. I've also looked at the DW745 and GTS1031, but it seems like a better idea to get one with a stand, 24" rip capacity and dado if I'm already going to invest $300+ for one of those?

Does anyone have any experience with the Masterforce jobsite saw? I partly just want to buy one and write a review about it to get some information out there, but I don't want to throw away $350 

Anyways, I'll stop babbling on…thanks for your help!


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

I have the bosch 4100; I paid $399 for a refurbished saw with no stand. I'm satisfied with it. It's not an amazing saw by any means, but tuned properly, it cuts just fine.

The masterforce looks very similar to it, as well as the ridgid. EVen the manual is very similar. I would go for it.

Keep in mind, it's a jobsite saw, so there's limitations. The main thing being size. Tune it up and it will cut accurately and reliably.

One more thing; the inserts look the same as the bosch 4100 as well. Here's how I made my zero clearance inserts for it.


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## danofpaco (Feb 24, 2013)

Where do you live? I am selling mine - it's about 4-5 years old so it might be a slightly older model - doesn't have a riving knife but it does have a splitter and anti-kickback pawls in the blade guard assembly. It works fine if you make sure to set it up every so often - I've decided to upgrade to a cabinet saw with more HP now that I have a garage big enough for a real shop.


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## mheskamp (May 1, 2013)

Thanks for the postings guys. I like the homemade zero clearance inserts NiteWalker…

Dan, I live in Columbus OH - I imagine it probably wouldn't be worth the shipping costs. Thanks though!


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## danofpaco (Feb 24, 2013)

While like with many tools I think you should buy the best you can, some of the Masterforce tools are OK. Their combo router is actually pretty good and I was able to work with the table saw for many years.

The table saw is able to be tuned in many of the important areas, but there are a few things that you can't to much about. The fence doesn't always travel square - meaning you'd have to be extra careful to check the fence distance at the front and back of the blade after each setup. The top is plastic, which meant no magnetic featherboards and the like, and either came with - or developed over the years - a slight crown. The miter gauge also has a bit more slop than it should.

I've only recently started taking woodworking more seriously. For the price, and for the projects I used it for (trimming windows, some cutting boards etc…), it served its purpose just fine. For finer woodworking though, I think before long you might wish you had saved your money and got something a bit higher in quality. I think it ultimately depends on the type of projects you plan on using it for.


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## MountainMan63 (Sep 1, 2018)

I recently bought a Masterforce table saw from Menards & I am pleasantly surprised at just how accurate & well/clean it cuts! Figured the give-away blade that come with it would be a piece of crap, but nope the cuts are awesomely clean! The fence is true to the blade & the built in tape messure is bang on, too! I must be the luckiest guy in the world when it comes to buying a "jobsite table saw " I guess according to ALL the bad reviews I read prior to my purchase!


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## syenefarmer (Dec 19, 2009)

Parts, if you need any where can you get them? Years ago I bought a Menards house brand tool and when I needed a part for it there wasn't any outlet to buy it from. Menards was zero help and the people that I talked to at Menards HQ couldn't even tell me where the tool was manufactured or by whom. I decided then and there that I would never ever again buy a house brand tool from a big box store. Maybe you'll never need any parts for this saw but if you do will you be willing to junk it just because you can't get a simple part?

Maybe things have changed and parts may be available somewhere but I wouldn't know because like I said, I will not nor have I ever purchased a house brand tool from a big box store since that experience.


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## MountainMan63 (Sep 1, 2018)

Thank you! I was very curious about that very fact of parts replacement (God forbid, that I do need anything replaced!) and where I might be able to get them. That's like to put a plunge router on my MasterForce trim routher, I followed one of our LumberJocks members advice & tried/got a Makita plunge router base & that worked! So, if I do end up needing a part replacement I may have to go that route again.


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