Contractor Table Saw

[jwgary]

I'm looking for a decent Contractor type table saw for about $400. Anyone have any suggestions? I don't really care about what kind of stand it comes on since I am planning om building a rolling workcenter with a router built in to also use the rip fence. Also in my search what features should I be looking for? Thanks.

 

[Turbo1Ton]

Sears has a couple that I would have considered had I not gotten a good deal on my DeWalt. I'm not sure who else makes contractor saws.



Jeff

 

[Grizzly]

The best table saw is a Delta Unisaw, that's what I have, but it cost much more then you want to spent. I would consider anything made by Delta. Not bad for the money is a Ridgid from Home Depot. Stay away from Sears, Ryobi and Harbor Freight.

 

[jwgary]

I have been looking at Grizzly saws, but don't know much about them. Does anyone have any experience with them? Delta usually seems to be fairly good and has been around a long time. I like my Delta compound miter saw although it hasn't gotten a whole lot of use.

 

[Grizzly]

I have been looking at Grizzly saws, but don't know much about them. Does anyone have any experience with them? Delta usually seems to be fairly good and has been around a long time. I like my Delta compound miter saw although it hasn't gotten a whole lot of use.

Grizzly's are not the best, but better then Sears Craftsman and no where as good as Delta. DeWalt makes a good tablesaw. I saw a small 10" Delta at Costco yesterday for $129. 00 with stand. But it is a very small starter saw. It's not anything I would buy.

 

[icarus33]

Ryobi BT3100

jwgary,



Before Ryobi is taken off your short list, take a look at www.bt3central.com in the articles section as well as the general forum. Lots of info on the BT3100 sold at Home Depot. Even though Ryobi may not be a top tier name, highly experienced users have given it high marks in it's precision and capabilities.



ic

 

[rrausch]

I never did like Ryobi because their motors were so noisy! I bought their 10" thickness planer when it first came out and the noise from that thing will wake the dead.



Delta is my saw of choice. I have a 10" Tilting Arbor, it is a heavy, heavy saw with full cast-iron table-extensions. But it's not a Contractor's Saw--the T. A. is much too heavy to be moving around. But Delta does make a C. S. , I've seen them on a bunch of job-sites--guys seem happy with them. I burned out a Ridgid a few months ago--don't know if it was the Tibetans who were using it (they might have tried to use 2 extension cords even though I told them to only use 1)--or if it was just a bad tool, but one day that Ridgid started smoking like crazy and then stopped dead. We all took off our hardhats and saluted it while one guy carried it out the door. It was a hard worker while it worked.

 

[jeff95]

It really depends on what you are doing with it. If you are making cabinets, you want something with a precise rip fence. I use a dewalt table top saw. It has the most accurate and easily adjustable rip fence of all the table top saws.

Rigid is now offering a lifetime warranty on there tools. Thier table top saw is a close second to the Dewalt. Bosch is also at the top.

All three of those are priced from $400 to $600. If you are going to use it alot, spend the extra money.

Jeff

 

[rrausch]

SO true Jeff, about the precise rip fence. My Delta has a Beisemeyer--I can get 1/64th accuracy with it. Most of the time I don't need that kind of accuracy, but it is also a heavy fence and stays in adjustment. I have found out the hard way to buy the best tools I can afford.



I went on ebay last night and did a Delta search. There are a lot of saws on ebay.

 

[jmy]

Bosch 4000 is good also. Regular $529 at Amazon with $89 shipping to my place. Bought during Amazon sale 2 weeks ago for $414 with free shipping. Came with a heavy duty cart (like Rigid saw at home depot). Great portable saw.

 

[hammersley]

Hard to beat the Delta Unisaw - BUT that

is not a contractor's saw - that's a cabinet makers saw... ... ... I mean there is no way it's portable... ... .

 

[hammersley]

The Unisaw is

is not a contractor's saw - that's a cabinet makers saw... ... ... I have one and there is no way it's portable - I also have a Ridgid from Home Depot - it is excellent... ... all the saw most will need. Now if dust is an issue - then you must get a cabinet saw as you can't minimize the dust with an open contractor's saw due to the way it is constructed at the back... ... now with an elaborate system you can do it - I had an aluminum cover made - but without a Fab shop - it would have been a frigging nightmare..... Also - Wire her 220!!!!! - switching your saw to 220/230/240 is better for your shop. Currently you are running the saw on one leg of 110 and at apparently 15 amps, depending on your saw. When you switch to 220 your saw will be running on two legs of 110 and at 1/2 the amps divided on two legs. Fewer amperes equals less cost.

 

[magothy1]

Real happy with my Rigid, the blade is where you need to spend a little money. A decent shop vac does well for dust, cut a little slower and it will collect just fine.

 

[Hohn]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned a JET saw.

My stepfather has a JET and it is VERY nice.

I define a contractor saw as something that you will setup at a jobsite, hence it must be somewhat portable, whether it comes with a folding stand or not.

Since I was looking for a decent saw like you are, I did a lot of research on this very topic. My conclusions?

-- The rip fence is the SINGLE most important part of a table saw. After all, precision is the whole reason you USE a table saw-- otherwise a circ would do just fine.
-- Power is nice, but no substitute for a good sharp blade. Forrest is the best I have found, though a cheaper Freud or such is plenty good.
-- In the price range of things I could afford, the Bosch 4000 was the top pick-- Followed by the Ridgid and the DeWalt. The Dewalt has a nice rack and pinion fence, but it's overpriced for what you get. The Ridgid is a good saw, but on the big side. The Bosch (to me, anyway) had the best fence and the best overall package.
-- If you can handle something a little less portable, then a Delta ts350 is a good saw and not too expensive. The JET saws are great, but a lot more money...

jmo

 

[daveshoe]

A durable contractor's saw

I have a portable saw that I take to jobsites for light duty work,but if you are going to be ripping 2x4's down with any regularity,the least you need is a saw with a seperate belt driven motor[pulley drive]. My Delta has been with me for 20 years ,and it replaced a direct drive unit that was failing fast. This saw is actually called a contractor's model and cost 750. 00. It is really very similar to the UNI,but the base is open, and the depth and tilt controls are not as massive. You can actually square up the blade to the cast iron table. I hope this model is still available,because the lightweight models that are out there now have their place,but durability is not their strong suit.

The depth and tilt controls are really what will disappoint you the most on the cheaply made saws. They get fouled with dust pretty easily,and then become hard to adjust. When that direct drive motor gives up, the saw is probably junk