[sage]

Hello all,
I recently murdered my portable table saw, i have no regrets about my actions. However I am now in desperate need of a replacement. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on models they have used and liked. My top two for the moment are the bosch 4000 and the rigid 10" that they are selling at Home Depot. I need the saw to be very portable and very sturdy as my tools are abused regularly. I am open to suggestions and would love some input. We use it for everything from cabinet construction, to custom finish work, to trimming fingers off of employees and everything in between. Thanks.

 

[Mike Finley]

I am also in the search for a great portable table saw, but not in a hurry. The one I have liked so far the best is the Dewalt and the Ridgid. The fence is the most important feature on a table saw to me and the Dewalt seems to have the best one I have seen. Having built in capability to cut wide stock and support it is also a big consideration. The Ridgid seems to have the best built in portable stand which is also a big consideration.

What I need is a saw that could expand its table to the size of a shop table saw with an extremely accurate fence, weigh about 250 lbs when working with it, but only weigh 20 lbs when you need to move it. We use to have these awesome weight bags you would fill with water for photographic light stands. They were awesome since they weighed nothing transporting them, but were really heavy once you filled them. I guess I need a water weighted saw.

 

[sage]

Thanks for the input Mike, Since this morning i managed to go out and take a look at the Dewalt with the rack and pinion extension. It does look like the best design I have seen yet, however my Employees seem to be leaning towards the rigid with the stand. Ease in moving equipment and speed of set up and break down are also big factors for myself and the crew.

We have not yet had the need to set up the jobsite saw like a shop saw yet but i can definitely see the advantages in being able to do that in some cases.

I think that i am leaning towards the rigid unless anyone has any experience that would direct me otherwise.

By the way i never heard of a water weighted saw but good luck in your search, or did you mean that you were going to make one, and if so, how?
If you don't mind sharing, maybe i can steal an idea from you.

Thanks again

 

[Teetorbilt]

Ridgid is getting the best bang for the buck award in most of my woodworking mags.

 

[sage]

Thanks Teetor,

I finally coughed up the dough and bought a rigid table saw with the portable stand for the crew, so far so good. I just hope it lasts longer that the last peice of crap we killed. Looks and feels like it will.

:Thumbs:

 

[PPro]

I personally dont like Rigid. Some people do though...

Dewalt is the best portable table saw in a reasonable price range. I use one daily, and love it.

 

[Mike Finley]

Hey, give us a review of the rigid after you break it in!

 

[timntools]

I'm not sure about the portable table saw, but I know my DeWalt compount miter is one heckuva saw thats seen a lot of abuse. (I've even used it as a metal chopsaw...I know, don't hate me too much) but as far as the table saw, if you're going to see a lot of abuse and need a really good fence, I don't think I would give craftsman a second look. I hate saying that as well, cause I used to sell craftsman, and love thier tools, I just know that the lil portasaws aren't up there with the higher quality contractors tools.

 

[Grumpy]

I got the Ryobi folding table saw. It has built in legs and wheels. It's great because when I work I usually work alone, what I can't do alone I sub out to someone else. This table saw is very very easy to maneuver around and pack/unpack.

 

[IHI]

We've got 2 Dewalt portable table saws in our arsenal and they are fantastic!! The plastic bodies have held upto SEVERE abuse getting throw into and pulled out of the trucks, having jobsite material thrown in truck bed on top of them, etc...they are a bullet proof saw in my opinion. The fence is THE best feature of the saw. Easy to read, easy to adjust and highly accurate once you fine tune guage to blade you'll be using. I love the fact I can rip 26" wide material with it and fence has built in fold down lever to support the material when you have the fence hung waay out past saw table deck.

Bad points:
They seem to draw alot of amps, so when your working on those houses with weak circuits it can cause you grief when you turn it on it'll blow a breaker, or ripping hard 2x4's down to thinner widths it'll make the motor work hard when blade is all the way up and buried in a 2x.

The fence I love soo much has a downfall. The same flip down leg that supports material when ripping extreme widths is also prone to breaking if it get s caught on something when it's thrown into the back of the truck or if it's already caught and sombody tries jerking it out.

I used to buy the cheap $200-$300 Craftsman table saws since they were smaller/light and easy to load unload, but after burning up 2-3 a year I said it was time for a change and that's right when Dewalt introduced this bad mo-fo!! The newer saw stands are lighter gauge metal than what the first saws came with but the newer of the 2 hass been beat to death and still going strong. Truthfully I actually like the newer stand better with it's fold together design, no more pinching fingers. The first generation table saw stands werea 3 peice design that folded up like the old TV dinner trays and if you did'nt watch your fingers, the ole F'in hymers would be a flyin as you tried to shake off the pain!!

I have not seen personally a table saw that is as compact for loading/unloading/storing that I would even consider for multiple job sites in a weeks time. So until something comes along I think is better I will stick with Dewalts. 1 is 7yrs old and still strong as ever, the other is 5 yrs old and you;d never know it was;nt new. They've both been exposed many times to the elements and the poly body and composite material table top DO NOT rust or have any problems!!

 

[pbrad911]

Ive been using a Makita 8 1/4 for years without any problems The stock fence sucks so I use a rouso folding table with its fence and also the outfeed table, The only drawback is you can't use anybody else's miter gauge Makita's
rabbit slide is smaller

 

[sage]

So far so good,

The Rigid 10'' has gotten very good reviews from my crew so far. Couple of things that bother me are the high amp draw (popped a breaker once or twice) and the tape gauge for the fence. The fence seems to be very accurate, but I never ever trust them for precision. The gauge is set up like a tape measure that rolls with the extension if you pull it out. This troubles me in that I don't think that it will be long before something catches it and rips it off.

Other than that, i personally have used it for ripping 4x8 3/4 oak ply and ripping 2x red oak planks and have had nothing but good results.

The stand is sturdy for the most part and i got no movement from it when ripping the ply. Minimal movement when ripping the oak plank.

I am reluctant to sing it's praises because we all know that it truly needs time in the field before the truth comes out.