# What can you expect from a 120$ table saw?



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Great story . Have you tried a thin kerf blade yet ? The WWII is probably too heavy to ever get up to speed ! LOL


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

I have tried a Freud Diablo 60 tooth and 80 tooth as well that I have for my mitre saw. None are any better or worse. I am going a lot slower with that many teeth, but the saw really bogs down about 2/3's of the way through. If there are knots, forget it


----------



## chodgson (Jan 19, 2011)

Thanks for sharing. I saw this saw on sale for $99 in home depot the other day and sort of said to myself, boy that could have saved my a lot of money compared to the $599 I spent on the R4511 2 years ago.. how much worse could it really be? Now I know the answer.

I bet it would bog down less with a quality 7 1/4 saw blade…. very thin kerf and the wood has less mechanical advantage on the blade with a shorter radius…should still be able to rip 1-1.5 inches thick material. And you'll have more effective table space because less is taken up by the blade! Not surprised that you didn't get any help from the miter saw blades if you're ripping.

Also I can't help but be amused by the fact that you put a $100 saw blade on a $100 saw… I love my WWII as well, but lol.


----------



## Jeff28078 (Aug 27, 2009)

I've been looking around for a very small table saw I could use to cut small parts out of thin wood. Maybe this is the answer? Thanks for the review and description.


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

I've also used the 7.25" blades on several saws with excellent results : )


----------



## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I've had one of these for about five years and like it just fine. I got it for a job where I needed a basic job site saw and wouldn't have had a problem selling it when the job was finished. I still haul it to job sites and use it for very simple ripping/crosscutting chores. The fence seems to work well, but the miter gauge is a POS (I'm not sure where mine is - lol) I built a sled for crosscutting and it works great.

My biggest complant is the amout of sawdust that gets sprayed into my face when I'm ripping.

Mine has plenty of power and wants to jump when I start it.


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

That was my first saw. Cheap as it was, and with all its shortcomings, it really is what got me hooked on woodworking. For a small investment, and with a lot of patience, you really can do a lot with this little saw.


----------



## mrpedaling (Jun 14, 2011)

..and like most people in IT the process of turd polishing has given you the power of snarky-funny-haha.

"Forget about the penny test, this thing can (and has) vibrate a 30' Stanley PowerLock right on to the floor"

woodwork is good therapy. Just pretend it's a coworker going through the saw instead of a 2×4.


----------



## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

This was my first TS. I built my workbench using this saw and reno'd a basement. I can't say that it was accurate or powerful but it was the gateway into woodworking for me.


----------



## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Thanks for posting. Pretty funny, all in all. The good news is, when you upgrade you will appreciate all the advantages of a "full size" saw. Benchtop saws are just a challenge…


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Woodwork is the best therapy. I love this saw even for all it's shortcomings. I plan to upgrade in the next few weeks to a full size saw. I'm sure my frustration level will remain the same for a while as I do all the things I can't do now, like dado's cutting cheeks and shoulders for tenons, making jigs, etc.

Another huge shortcoming of this saw is that stupid defective mitre slot. There are NO accessories that fit it at all, and there is no room to clamp anything like a feather board.

Now to decide between the Steel City, Griz/Rikon, or spend an extra 250 for the JET


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

My first saw was a little Ryobi and I got a lot of good milage from it before upgrading to my Grizzly. Put a 24 tooth Diablo blade ($27) and you will be amazed at the difference. I put tape on my miter gauge to shim it and it worked! Enjoy.


----------



## doninvegas (Jun 10, 2010)

My first saw was a Tradesman I got from Lowe's for $99. It was a good saw. The fence was accurate and it had the power to cut what I was using at the time (Red Oak also from Lowe's). It was a direct drive saw so it finally burned up after about 5 years of weekend work. Now I have a Delta contractors saw. It is a big improvement but I didn't know it at the time.


----------



## cranbrook2 (May 28, 2006)

I had this saw along with 3 other tablesaws and after using this saw a few times i gave it to my son . It,s a great beginner saw for small projects


----------



## davidroberts (Nov 8, 2008)

Dusty is right, that TS is made for a small diameter thin kerf blade. In todays market you can buy a pretty good quality Diablo thin kerf rip or combo blade for under $50. I just saw where gfadvm posted $27, so there you go. You will see, feel, hear the difference immediately. It takes at least 2 HP, real not developed, to swing a WWII efficiently. If your fence is reasonable, I didn't say dead on beismeyer, just good nuff, then you will be able to dimension your material and can tweak with a hand plane or router.

Also, thanks for an honest review and rating. I kinda get tired of reviews that are given five stars to cheap, poorly make, more trouble than it's worth equipment, or worse, they have never actually used the machine, but just had to let us know what they brought home today. Not to say the Ryobi is any of the above, we all know it is what it is, and can be more if used in the right hands with the right blade.


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'm headed over to the depot on my lunch break today to grab a 40 tooth thin kerf blade. The reason I got the WWII in the first place was because I used it on my uncles saw (PM2000). I sent a piece of hard maple through with almost no effort. I attributed about 70% of that to the saw and 30% to the blade. I may have been a little off in my math 

I did try a 7.25" blade last night, it was noticeably better. Still not quite the power I was looking for, but all the power I would expect to get from a 100$ saw.

David, I agree as well. A review should only be made after one has spent considerable time with the tool. This ryobi actually isn't a piece of crap. If they would just fix the damned mitre gauge issue, this would have received another star.


----------



## dpop24 (May 14, 2011)

I also bought this saw in a pinch to get through multiple home improvement projects. This little guy helped me install LOTS of hardwood flooring and decking. Believe it or not, it actually ripped several hundred feet of IPE decking and red oak hardwood flooring. The best attributes IMO, were the portability (I ditched the stand and just set it on the ground = I could carry it around with one hand) and that it cut wood. It wasn't particularly accurate, but the cuts I made with it didn't need to be particularly accurate anyway. It got re-homed to a buddy of mine when I got my Ridgid R4511.

I can't say that I miss it, but it did serve a purposeful life while I had it.


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I burned out my BT10 last year and found a BT3100 at another site for $50.

I sure miss the little saw. I built cabinets for multiple RV's and even built a few decks with it. What finally killed it was when I used it to saw small osage orange logs into lumber so I could make custom cabinets for our RV.
Like everyone else, I thought the miter gauge was junk and ended up slapping a piece of medical adhesive tape on either side to keep it square.

I didn't know about fancy blades at the time so I bought what was on sale…. Irwin, Makita, Craftsman, DeWalt and even an Oldham….. I got rid of that and the Craftsman blades quick.

Never a problem with power, but always a problem with leading wood into the blade, just not enough throat to allow a straight cut for the first 6 inches.


----------



## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Swap that WW2 out for a Feud Diablo thin kerf blade and you will be much happier with that saw…

Since it's direct drive, there isn't much you can do to stop vibration, sorry, just the nature of the beasts…

Not too familiar with your specific model, but I have seen some with the T slots where then have had a machinist mill the slot so that a standard miter bar fits. My neighbor had that done to a Craftsman TS with the T slot… Might be worth trying, or just use a miter saw instead…


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks for all the tips guys. I picked up a diablo 40 tooth thin kerf blade. The WWII I have is also the TC (thin kerf) model, not sure if I mentioned that. This blade feels so much lighter even in the package, so maybe it will be better.

I appreciate the suggestions and they are good for anyone who has this saw. I really have no intentions of using it full time for that much longer. The limiting factors being:
1 - Arbor will not accommodate a dado stack of any size (per the manual)
2 - I cannot use any mitre track mounted accessories 
3 - it's just too small.

I really want to start making a lot of mortise and tenons joints on a table saw (well, tenons) as well as tongue and groove, half lap, etc. Even if if I wanted to take off 1/8th of an inch at a time , the throat is too short, the mitre gauge sucks, and I can't properly attach featherboards etc.

Within the next 3 weeks I'll have a nice (for my needs) Grizzly, JET, Steel City, or Rikon saw.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Lumberjoe, You will like the 24 tooth Diablo better than the 40 and it WILL make clean cuts with a ZCI in your saw. (and it's cheaper) Just trying to help.


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Looks like you guys were right. That diablo blade made a world of difference. The WWII is going back in the case until I get my new saw. As a personal challenge, I am picking up 60 board feet of red oak and 2 4' x 8' red oak veneered plywood tomorrow and will make myself a nice desk using this tablesaw. I primarily work from home, so this desk will get a lot of use. The design I drew is pretty complex, so it will be a real test of skill.

Now to practice edge joining with a router and a flush cut bit


----------



## sixstring (Apr 4, 2012)

Long time reader, first time poster here. That Ryobi was my first table saw too and it helped me install 1200sq' of laminate flooring without a hitch. Then I tried ripping some 3/4 ply and I realized I wanted more. Still, it served me well and I still use it as my portable job saw (not like I do much of that but hey, it's portable and it works.)

The fence is ok as it stayed true for a long enough time, maybe 4 years? Had to realign it to the blade and tighten it all down but it works. Probably wouldnt want to rip anything longer than 36" though.

I've considered replacing the top/table; I've got some spare granite I thought about cutting into a top. Has anyone seen any modifications to these little Ryobis? or simiilar?

LIke many others, it opened the door to woodworking and I love it. Just picked up a PM66 from the place I'm taking wood/metal shop at. Picked it up for a song so I couldnt resist. Now I just need a bigger garage/shop. Oh well.


----------



## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

YIKES !! Please don't try to cut a 4×8 foot sheet of plywood on this saw !


----------



## davidroberts (Nov 8, 2008)

Lumberjoe, I still joint sometimes with a router. I use a straight bit with a bearing on the tip of the bit, not a pattern bit where the bearing is closer to the shaft. You will tilt the router. It just happens. With a pattern bit you will gouge the edge. With a bearing at the tip, the edge is protected.


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

David, I picked up a flush cut bit and a piece of MDF not too long ago. I use the factory edge of the MDF as a guide. It works well for edge jointing, I still need a way to flatten boards. I currently do it by hand with a plane, but my results are mixed.


----------



## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

This chapter in my wood working book has come to an end. I finally pulled the trigger on the R5412 after months of online research. Rather than selfishly keep this in my basement, I had a change of heart. I cleaned it up really well, tossed on the used once 24 tooth blade, gathered the manual and all the accessories together. I then gave it a really good check to ensure everything was still as square as could be and threw another coat of wax on the top. Once all that was done, I donated it to Habitat for humanity. They will get some really good use out of this at job sites.


----------



## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

good call on the upgrade. I used this saw once on a project, and it scared the $%&@ out of me - never used it again after that.


----------

