# Yet another Delta 36-725 review



## grantd (May 5, 2014)

Definitely a good saw for the money, I've had mine now about 5 years and it has held up well, didn't have the paint issue with mine yet. I'll have to try again on the homemade ZCI. I tried once a while back and didn't have much luck but maybe I would next time around.


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> Definitely a good saw for the money, I ve had mine now about 5 years and it has held up well, didn t have the paint issue with mine yet. I ll have to try again on the homemade ZCI. I tried once a while back and didn t have much luck but maybe I would next time around.
> 
> - grantd


I would definitely give it a shot. Here's what I did, step by step, if it helps:
1. trace throat plate on material (in my case, laminate flooring scraps) with a sharpie, which will give you room to play with.
2. Cut material to size, outside of sharpie lines.
3. Round the corners with a jigsaw or bandsaw.
4. Stick throat plate face down to the material with double sided tape, bending the clips up so they are out of the way.
5. Using a router table with a flush trim bit (roller bearing on the end), place your material so the throat plate is on top aligned with the roller bearing. Trim away all excess.
6. I marked the holes for leveling screws and drilled them out on a drill press, but in retrospect I don't think you need those holes. Mark the location anyway, because you'll need them for reference in freehand routing (step 11).
7. Remove the throat plate from material.
8. measure the height of the lip in your tabletop. I cut some smaller scraps of the same material I used for the ZCI and marked the depth with a marking knife.
9. Put a rabbeting bit in your router with probably the largest bearing on it. In my case this created a 1/8" rabbet, which is wider than the actual lip but it doesn't really matter. For depth, err on the side of having the lip too thick, because you can go back and adjust later. Again, here I started with scraps to test the correct depth and didn't rabbet the actual insert until I had the depth dialed in.
10. Rabbet the insert all the way around.
11. insert a bit into your router for freehand work. I used a 3/4" inch fluted bit and it worked great.
12. Using the reference marks for the leveling holes, freehand rout the insert to match the iron on the table where the leveling screws are located. Doesn't need to be exact, or pretty.
13. Replace your regular table saw blade with a circular saw blade, ideally of the same kerf. Lower the blade all the way down. Also, remove your riving knife.
14. Place your insert in the throat. If it's not level, either adjust your leveling screws or rout a little deeper in your freehand notches.
15. Place a 2×4 over the insert and clamp to the table.
16. Start the saw and raise the blade. You can't see it, but it's considerably smaller than your regular blade, so raise it all the way.
17. Unclamp, remove insert and swap your regular blade back in, and lower it all the way down again.
18. place your insert back in the throat. If the kerf of your small blade was wide enough, it should drop right in.
Place your fence over the insert, leaving 1/4" between it and the cut line. Lock it down.
19. Start your saw and raise your blade all the way.
20. Using your original throat plate, note where the end of the cutout is for the riving knife and mark your new insert accordingly.
21. With a jig saw (you could use a router here, too, I guess), cut out the space for the riving knife. I had to cut a little wider, but my jigsaw line wasn't perfectly straight. No matter.
22. Remount your riving knife and insert your new insert and raise the blade to make sure the riving knife clears your new cut line. Adust/trim as necessary.

Now that I write all that out it seems like a lot of steps, but it's really not too difficult.

Best of luck!


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## WoodChuckCreations1 (Aug 5, 2019)

Great review! I have considered this saw but have been reluctant because I was concerned with the dust collection and the noise. I want my next saw to be my last saw, but I'm not sure if I'll ever save enough to buy a SawStop. Thanks!


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> Great review! I have considered this saw but have been reluctant because I was concerned with the dust collection and the noise. I want my next saw to be my last saw, but I m not sure if I ll ever save enough to buy a SawStop. Thanks!
> 
> - WoodChuckCreations1


My frame of reference was my last saw, which was direct-drive and as noisy as an F-18 on the flight deck. This saw is quieter than my shop vac. I wouldn't say dust collection is great, but it also is not horrible. I do have to vacuum the tabletop and surrounding areas periodically.


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## WoodChuckCreations1 (Aug 5, 2019)

My frame of reference is a DeWalt jobsite saw that is deafening and spreads sawdust worse than a toddler with confetti. Because of this, I usually take it outside for cuts. This obviously limits me based on weather. 


> Great review! I have considered this saw but have been reluctant because I was concerned with the dust collection and the noise. I want my next saw to be my last saw, but I m not sure if I ll ever save enough to buy a SawStop. Thanks!
> 
> - WoodChuckCreations1
> 
> ...


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## Jacksdad (Mar 28, 2017)

I can't believe that much paint came off


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> I can t believe that much paint came off
> 
> - Jacksdad


I was surprised any came off. For everything that was wrong with my old Jet Shopline, the paint lasted over the 20 years I owned it. But…on a list of things that could be wrong on a table saw, I guess I'd rather have this than any other problem.


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## Rick Dennington (Aug 27, 2009)

My son bought this saw a while back, but he lives in Tennessee, but I've not seen it in action. He says he really likes the saw, and other than giving it a fine tune-up, seems satisfied with it. It's his first saw, and that's all I can tell ya about it. He's done a lot of remodeling around his house, and works out of his garage…..!!


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> My son bought this saw a while back, but he lives in Tennessee, but I ve not seen it in action. He says he really likes the saw, and other than giving it a fine tune-up, seems satisfied with it. It s his first saw, and that s all I can tell ya about it. He s done a lot of remodeling around his house, and works out of his garage…..!!
> 
> - Rick Dennington


For me, it has made woodworking fun. I bought my Jet from Woodworkers Warehouse over 20 years ago and it was so unpleasant to use that my interest in woodworking stalled. I still did projects that needed doing (kitchen cabinets, etc.) but it wasn't fun because of the constant struggle with the saw. This saw made woodworking fun again and I can't really ask for more than that.


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## grantd (May 5, 2014)

Thanks for the detailed instructions, lots of good ideas in there. Just starting a big project and things are everywhere but if I get some time to tinker I may give this another try. Especially when it's time to cut more plywood as that has a habit of tearing out like crazy


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## Ramma (Oct 15, 2018)

I too own this saw and it has been a good running saw for me. I do think that I will need to do a good tune up and realignment to it though. The stamped metal wings have seemed to dip down on the outermost portions.Also the caster brake pedal is loose and malfunctioning, but this could all be due to me not assembling 100 percent correctly.


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## Jason34 (Oct 17, 2008)

I purchased this saw last summer and have been pleased with it. My point of comparison was a Ryobi so it was a huge upgrade for me.

The only issue I have had with this saw is when I have used my dado stack at 3/4" I've had to slide the metal guard around the blade area over to get all of the blades on. No big deal now, but gave me fits trying to get the blades and chippers on without hitting the guard.


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> I too own this saw and it has been a good running saw for me. I do think that I will need to do a good tune up and realignment to it though. The stamped metal wings have seemed to dip down on the outermost portions.Also the caster brake pedal is loose and malfunctioning, but this could all be due to me not assembling 100 percent correctly.
> 
> - Ramma


The pedal seems a little loose to me, too, but I think that might just be the design. It works as intended on mine. One thing I have noticed, though, is the levelers tend to vibrate down so that I have to periodically raise them again or they catch on the floor when moving the saw.


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## seadogmike (Aug 19, 2019)

> I too own this saw and it has been a good running saw for me. I do think that I will need to do a good tune up and realignment to it though. The stamped metal wings have seemed to dip down on the outermost portions.Also the caster brake pedal is loose and malfunctioning, but this could all be due to me not assembling 100 percent correctly.
> 
> - Ramma
> 
> ...


Just purchased this saw 2 weeks ago and loving it. Bought it based on this review. Very happy with it so far. It's much quieter than my old Craftsman. Cuts true and accurate, not much adjusting was required except for the fence. Regarding the levelers, once the levelers are set, there is an allen head set screw on the top of the levelers. Tightening this prevents the levelers from moving once set.
now for a ZCI and router extension. But first have to finish the Bathroom Cabinet Build, been weeks on the project due to working out of town so much, but Hopefully the cabinet will be finished this weekend.

SDM


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> Just purchased this saw 2 weeks ago and loving it. Bought it based on this review. Very happy with it so far. It s much quieter than my old Craftsman. Cuts true and accurate, not much adjusting was required except for the fence. Regarding the levelers, once the levelers are set, there is an allen head set screw on the top of the levelers. Tightening this prevents the levelers from moving once set.
> SDM
> 
> - seadogmike


Ha! I never noticed that. Thank you for the tip, Mike.

Sea dog of the US Navy variety? I'm a former tin can sailor, 1984-88.


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## Newton (Jun 29, 2008)

You should try making table saw inserts from Corian…you'll never use anything else. Works with standard woodworking tools. Shops that do a lot of countertops are happy to get rid of solid surface off falls.


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## seadogmike (Aug 19, 2019)

> Just purchased this saw 2 weeks ago and loving it. Bought it based on this review. Very happy with it so far. It s much quieter than my old Craftsman. Cuts true and accurate, not much adjusting was required except for the fence. Regarding the levelers, once the levelers are set, there is an allen head set screw on the top of the levelers. Tightening this prevents the levelers from moving once set.
> SDM
> 
> - seadogmike
> ...


Unfortunately-No military service. Name comes from being around boats all my life. ABYC certified Marine Electrician.
Thank you for your service!!!!!!


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## 3285jeff (Sep 12, 2013)

I will have to say that I liked this saw very much,,,everytime I go to lowes I have to go look it over,,and being truthfull I was going to get it and it comes with a 5 yr warranty,,but the only place you can get it serviced is at a delta service center which is 150 miles away from me,,and I asked about how much the moror cost if I had to replace it and was told 700 dollars,,,,,i called grizzly and asked how much their motors run for a 2 horse power,,and was told about 250.00,,so I just decided against it,,but I still like the saw and everyone might not need the customer support,,but I like to know its not a hassle if you need them,,,


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## cmacnaughton (May 17, 2019)

> I will have to say that I liked this saw very much,,,everytime I go to lowes I have to go look it over,,and being truthfull I was going to get it and it comes with a 5 yr warranty,,but the only place you can get it serviced is at a delta service center which is 150 miles away from me,,and I asked about how much the moror cost if I had to replace it and was told 700 dollars,,,,,i called grizzly and asked how much their motors run for a 2 horse power,,and was told about 250.00,,so I just decided against it,,but I still like the saw and everyone might not need the customer support,,but I like to know its not a hassle if you need them,,,
> 
> - 3285jeff


All valid points. For me it was a budgetary decision. I would've gone with the Grizzly 771 if I had an extra $500 to spend (including shipping and a mobile base).


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## AGP707 (Sep 14, 2019)

I recently replaced my old craftsman with the 36-725. I went to buy the Ridged R4512 but it went up to $649 literally the day before. It made me look around again and I'm glad because I love this saw and for the price point it's hard to beat.

-Alan


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