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I need a portable table saw for on the job site. This seems to be a really hared decision. Should I just get a cheap Delta and kick my self when the motor burns up or the rip fence is shoot. Or should I get the beast of a monster Rigid.
The Delta is small, fits in the trailer nicely and I won’t dread to pull it out. The Rigid will break my back, but I’m sure that I will love it when it’s all set up.
Porter Cable has a new saw, but I havn’t seen it in person, and I can’t find a local rep. And there is always the Makita. Decision, Decisions, decisions.
Pleas help.
Replies
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Makita, no doubt...not the fanciest or newest design, but a lot of years and history. Get a Rousseau table to go with it (the saw drops into the table), and you can make very accurate cuts on big panels with no problem.
*Get the DeWalt......no question about it. ...go to tool crib.....click around for the reconditioned tools....it's there somewhere.....I think they're selling them now for $400. Jeff
*I have to argue with Mr Buck's choice of DeWalt above. I vote for Bosch. Sure the rack & pinion fence on the DW is slick, but in all other aspects I say the Bosch beats the DW hands down. Quieter, more power, electric brake, great blade-height adjustment, better stand...anyway, that's my two cents. Got mine at Tool Crib on sale for about 450 with the stand. Truth be told, either saw is a fine choice, as is the Makita/Rouseau Table combo mentioned earlier. If you can, try them out...you'll get a feel for the one you like best.Later. LJ
*I saved the bank and got the skil for the outrageous some of $189. with outfeed support, stand, wide table, carbide blade and two year warranty. The dewalt,ridgid,portercable,bosch are very nice IF its only you and you can keep it from walking. Skil make a table just like the rouseau but its a lot lower in price. I keep thinking about upgrading to a fancier saw but the skil is 4 years old and still runs great! When it dies I tell myself.
*my little 8" makita is almost 20 years old- base is kinda cracked up from being thrown around the back of the truck, blade wobbles a bit on shutdown,other than that it is still a workhorse
*Makita, with no question. Mine is twenty years old or so and still going. get the Rousseau table for it and pick which kid gets it when you quit, to save the family infighting.
*Agreed - the Makita has served me well. The Rousseau would be a nice addition for sure - I made an extension table for mine and am extremely happy with the unit (plenty of power for a portable - no burn in 4/4 oak or maple.)
*Picked up a 9" Delta last week, FREE, couldn't pass up a free table saw!! Easy one man carry for table saw, but needs a concrete block to keep it in place, all sheet metal so don't buy one - will have to decide if to donate it to Luka or keep it - you want it Luka? A 50 YO 8" cast iron Craftsman(they still were spelled with the "ft" vs. "p" then) is what I carry around when I need to.
*I kinda agree with ya....they are equal in all other aspects......only big disagreement is the rack and pinion fence blows anything else away! And the quick disconnect/remount to put the fence on either side of the blade. GReat fence....and the fence makes the saw. Can't be beat.....yet! Those pieces that would "fit close enough" before are just a teeny tiny wrist twist away from absolute perfection now. Jeff
*i A 50 YO 8" cast iron Craftsman(they still were spelled with the "ft" vs. "p" then) is what I carry around when I need to. No you don't.You LUG the thing around, HOIST it up into position, HEAVE the saw around, and DRAG it when you are finished. (LOL)That sucker weighs about 80 pounds, and is NOT the ideal choice for a portable, need to move it constantly saw. Been there, done that, back still feels it 6 years later.I restored mine to like new condition, and put it up in storage. James DuHamel
*Thank's for the info. I think I will go with the Makita. I've heard nothing but rave reviews from others as well. You can't go wrong with referrals. I was hoping to hear about the Porter-Cable. Thanks again.
*James:Totally agree, that's why I said "need to". Age is a bitch ain't it? Had to load cement mixer in back of truck Saturday., used to be able to lift it easy 30 years age, hardly can get it into the truck now.
*Which Makita are you looking at? The 8" model is great, tough, and with a rouseau table is a good job saw. The 10" model I used recently seems like a good saw, but the fence is crap, at least the one I used was. Should be fine with the new extra-wide rouseau table.Mike
*I'm looking at the 10". The fence will make or brake a saw. It's all about the fence.
*I have a Rousseu Porta max with a cheap delta, changed the blade from 10" to 8 1/4 and it works great. Dont worry about the fence that comes with the saw. With the Rousseu system you can get the cheepest saw that has a good height and bevel adjustment, put an 8 1/4" thin kerf blade on it and it will treat you like a champ.
*Just bought the Ryobi BT3000.Have use one over the years.Its a precision tool for a "jobsite" saw. If you dont mind the $300+ pricetag
*Ryobi!!!!!!!!!!!!!Never again....Though my router is a stump grinding machine.near the stream,aj
*RYOBI!!!I couldnt get rid of mine fast enough
*Will, I 've been using a Dewalt about two years and love it except for one thing....The rear hinge or pivot point (when tilting the blade over to full 45*)has the tendency to fill up with dust and prevents the full motion. A spot weld broke from binding and they replaced it for free on my first one. I've only had to clean this hinging point out once in a year and a half, knowing now what the problem is...good luck
*In my past, I've used lots of different table saws and have been able to get quality work with all. Those with better features usually lack power and those with the power are skinny of the options.On the jobsite you will find fences out of square and motors with some rattle to them but essentially, the are all the same.This comes from a guy who usually takes months just to decide on air nailers, and belt sanders (ect). Personally, I own a little Craftsman --just because it was cheap-- and I don't look back on that decision.No company that I have seen makes a tablesaw that is really worth getting mindboggled over. However, I do think the Rigid looks nice but still not essential to my collection....I guess I'll just wait for that laser-saw to come outgabe
*I have to second Gabe's thoughts. I, too, have a Craftsman truck saw [Sears was just down the street when my Skil burned up!]which cost something like $175.00[?]a couple years ago.Sure, the fence always needs checking and a whack with the heel of my hand corrects it every time.It has a surprising amount of power for a cheap saw and takes daily abuse rather well.I attached an extention to the dinky little fence for more length and height and that works well, too.Did I mention that I don't dread getting it out of the truck due to the weight?
*Makita----As far as I'm concerned, it's by far the best.
*the big rigid is a beaut i dont regret looking for a month to find and driving 90 miles to buy i can load it by myself after modyfying cord to motor with quick disconnect and making the motor more readily removable mostly it is ni the shop tho
*Take a good look at the Bosch. I have used it for ripping 2x stock and for finishing both interior and exterior. No gears to go south on you. I need a saw that will work in the cold and this one does. Easy to adjust fence. It has available a decent folding stand and an add-on outfeed bracket. I've made mitered panels for tapered columns that went together well. See if anyone has one for you to try.
*.. could care less.. as long as it's light and it runs... gotta be 10" though.. ain't it funny how makita keeps comming up ?..if it's beyond trim then you can start thinking about bells and whistles.. but for remodeling and trim.. and some of those framing problems..you want light and reliable...can't even remember what we own... but i bet it's a makita...on it's last legs too... might only last another 5 years or so.. or maybe i'll get tired of looking at it..
*Me has a DeWalt 10 inch jobsite table saw,I really like it but then I'm the only one who uses it. I'm not sure how it would stand up to a crew of heavy duty guys cuttin stuff day in and day out. Seems to have ample power for the everyday construction stuff, A contractor bud of mine has a new Bosch and feels its much more robust that the Dewalt.
*You gotta love the fence on the dewalt, BUT be careful with the little tabs that hold up the throat plate, they'll break if a anything even brushes them. I love my saw, but this is a real problem that Dewalt should fix.
*I got a cheap delta. But for a piece of crap it works pretty good. It's got a reset button so you won't burn up the motor. But if you want a really good saw get a bosch. It's just beautiful. But whatever you do don't get a ridgid.
*Ok Kyle I'll bite. What's up with the Ridgid? That portable stand they have is pretty cool though.Scott R.
*James D.....You're a lucky boy. I'd give good money to find a small castiron saw again.Why don't the tool people wise up?By the way.......wanna sell it?Ed.
*i have both, the dewalt and the bosch, love the soft start, brake and overall feel of the bosch but wish i could but the fence from the dewalt on it, love the rack and pinion adj. aside from that the dewalt is loud and the table well, it looks more like a teflon coated pan than a machine table also i hate the way the mitre attachment fits in, you have to lift the saw from one side or it will fall out when you load it in the truck. ( cant remember if it is from the front or back ( guess thats why the thing keeps hitting the floor))
*We had a craftsman when I started the job I now have. It was junk then, & lasted just a few days. So I bought a Pro-Tek myself, because I was cheap & the boss was cheaper, & It is still going after 5 years with everyone else on the crew having access to it. It shakes & vibrates every time you flip the switch, but is like the energizer bunny and is still going strong, plastic & all! But it is easy to throw in the truck & go. We also have an 8" Makita which was the favorite until a few weeks ago with the purchase of a new 10" Makita. It really cuts & runs smooth.
*I recently bought a new Makita 10" table saw after my 8" Makita table saw motor froze after many years of reliable service. I liked the old Makita table saw, with it's compact size, nicely designed table top, and its light weight made it easy to use. The new saw is bigger, the top looks plain, it weighs more, and has a poor fence design. The locking handle on the fence frequently gets in the way of raising and lowering the blade when in the locked position. Also the fence does not always adjust automatically to be parallel to the blade when moved and locked. I find I must measure the distance to the fence from the front and rear of the blade to be certain it is parallel. There must be a better design solution. As far as noise, the new Makita table saw motor makes plenty of that. Quiet design is not impossible, Ryobi built it into the BT3000 table saw. I bought this saw because of it's compact size, and on the strength of Makita's reputation for quality in design and function. This new table saw missed the mark. I still think about having the old saw repaired. I think it was the better design.
*James...You need to buy a table saw stand that comes with a fence. Then you should be very happy with the 10". I used to cut with saw on the floor or sawhorses too. I also had the old 8". Great saw. I still think the 10" is quieter...and the soft start is neat.near the stream,ajThe ryobi has too many pieces for quick use and portable setup.
*James,I have the DeWalt too and I love it. You just can't beat the fence. I solved the miter attachment problem by wrapping my cord around the table with the first wrap starting at the front of the table. That way, when you pick the saw up, the cord catches the miter attachment and keeps it in its little hole. The trick is getting helpers to wrap it up that way.
*Recently picked up the Mak 2703 10" w/Rousseau stand and outfeed table. Excellent portable setup. It's the sh*t!
*I have a Dewalt and love it for one reason I think needs mentioned. The time spent at the saw because of the fence. I felt like I could pay for the saw in time spent cutting on it. I have mine set where I can cut different sizes with out turning it off. The scale is easy to read and it is right on every time. I would be very uncomfortable if hands used it though. I work alone.
*I had an el cheapo Delta in the Rousseau stand for years. Could go on the job & set up a complete cabinet shop in the driveway with it & the Rousseau miter saw stand & an oversized base for the router. Recently got the new Bosch. I have to say that the Bosch beats that Delta/Rousseau set up hands down. Just finished a kitchen with the Bosch ( see "New Kitchen" post in the gallery). One of the things I like about it is the dust port. Sure saves on clean up at the end of the day.Dan Patterson
*Bosch goodcheap saw badif no have dollars for bosch buy makitamy blue saw still saw after15 yearsears make socket wrenches not good plug toolsdelta make good boat anchormmm bosch goood!!T