Ridgid vs Delta Table Saw

[tchads]

I'm looking to upgrade to a 10" table saw. I've looked at the Ridgid 3650 and the Delta 36-980. I can read all the great reviews and information on this forum for Ridgid but there is no similar place for Delta. Does anyone have any experience with a Delta TS? Any reason they chose Ridgid over others?
I'll be using the TS mostly in a small (13 by 13) basement workshop.

[oldslowchevy]

friday the smaller ridgid table (r 2400 i belive) goes on sale for $299, concidering your space you might want to concider this saw as well and everyone that has one really seems to love it and the fence is high qualty. and for the price you can't go wrong.

i know this is not what you asked for but just a sujestion that this might be better for you plus it folds up and can be placed out of the way when not in use.

welcome to the forum

[tchads]

Thanks for the reply. I have a Skil 3400 series that just can't do much more than trim rough wood. The 2400 looks like a larger version of what I have, but I'll still have to check it out this weekend. Fortunately Lowe's and HD are only a 1/2 mile apart on the highway.

[BadgerDave]

This thread (http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8984&highlight=Delta+36-980) might shed a little more light on the Delta vs the Ridgid.

[Woussko]

If you can stand the cost you might really like a hybrid style table saw on a good mobile base. They don't need as much room as a contractor style because the motor is under the table rather than hanging out in back.

[hewood]

I'd have to agree with Wousko....the hybrids have several design advantages and no disadvantages. If I were upgrading my TS, I'd skip the 60 year old contractor design all together and go with the advantages of a hybrid. Some actually start @ ~ $400 on sale. There are some very nice hybrids in the $600 range, so cost is pretty competitive with a contractor saw.

[Dick L]

My first TS was the Skil, 3400 or similar. I got tired of its problems, sold it on Craig's List, and bought the 2400 TS. Man, what an improvement. The 2400 TS is not comparable to the Skil. It is worthy of and ready for doing fine woodworking. Quieter, soft start, great fence, bigger table, holds its setup/alignment... the list of good things goes on.

If space is an issue it should be high on the list of candidates. Of course, if space isn't a big issue the 3650 is the way to go.

[Andy_M]

I came down to the same exact choice and I picked the Ridgid TS3650. I wrote a long post in the "reviews" forum called Rigid TS3650 Review... you might want to see if you like my reasoning & findings. Cant go wrong with Delta, either - it will make sawdust real well, too.

[tchads]

Thanks for all the input. I hadn't considered a hybrid on a mobile base, assuming a contractor's saw to be smaller. Went to HD and Lowes this weekend to measure actual sizes with the fences attached. The 3650 is about 62 in by 36 overall. The fence wasn't installed on the Delta so my guess is about the same. Of course I didn't think to see how far the motor overhang is. Any recommendations on hybrids?

[hewood]

Figure a foot to 15" for the motor overhang.

There are good hybrids from Jet, Craftsman, Grizzly, Steel City, Delta, General International, Woodtek, Sunhill, DeWalt, and Shop Fox. All are capable of good performance, and all offer some very nice fence options.

I've got the Craftsman 22124 with the Biese fence, and have been very pleased with it as a step up from an excellent GI contractor saw. It features cabinet mounted trunnions....the Steel City is nearly identical, and are associated companies.

I'm impressed with the design of the new Jet ProShop 708480 and 708482K. Prices seem good too.

Here's a birdseye view of the cab mounted trunnions, and a glimpse of a contractor motor hanging out the back.
2319

2320

[tchads]

Thanks hewood. The Jet Pro Shop saws are impressive, the inside motor mount saves a lot of space and all the reviews for Jet products have been good. One more choice to consider.

[Woussko]

The Jet contractor (motor out back) have received good reviews too. You might try contacting local dealers for woodworking machinery if you have any near you and go buy for a good look. Sometimes one may get in a true cabinet style table saw on trade for a newer model. If in nice condition you can sometimes really do well. It would be overkill, but it is a real investment too. There are lots of choices for sure. Whatever you do don't get one with a high speed power tool motor and gears. Be sure it has an induction motor and belt drive. What I have seen is that most hybrids are the top of a contractor saw with a few extras and the cabinet design from a cabinet saw. They are not up to what a true cabinet saw is, but the don't cost as much and aren't as heavy. In addition trying to run a 3 or 5 HP motor at home normally ends up with your needing an electrician to bring out a 30 Amp 240 Volt circuit to where it will be used. If you can go for a 1-1/2 HP motor most of the newer ones can be run on a private 20 Amp. 120 Volt circuit. As long as you take your time cutting a 1-1/2 HP motor should handle your needs. You might check with local high schools and technical schools. Sometimes the shop teachers know of special deals you might like.

[tchads]

I checked for the Jet contractor's and it's available at HD and Lowes. The ones they have come with the steel extensions instead of the cast iron. Anything will be more stable than what I have now. The Jet Pro Shop line may be more saw than I need or will be able to get into the basement. There is a store nearby that carries Jet products, I'll have to call and see what saws they carry. Once again, thanks for the info!

[Stevan Sweeney]

tchads
Force Machinery Rt. 22 west in Union. Must stop for anyone interested in tools.
Steve.

[RevEd]

I'm looking to upgrade to a 10" table saw. I've looked at the Ridgid 3650 and the Delta 36-980. I can read all the great reviews and information on this forum for Ridgid but there is no similar place for Delta. Does anyone have any experience with a Delta TS? Any reason they chose Ridgid over others?
I'll be using the TS mostly in a small (13 by 13) basement workshop.


TChads
The biggest difference between the Delta and the Ridgid is the one piece arbor carriage casting in the Ridgid. The Delta and many hybreds use multi-piece arbor carriages. They have two bars/tubes/pipes that support the arbor and run between the front and rear trunnions. There are many joints and many places for parts to move and rack out of alignment.

The Ridgid and a few other contractor/hybred use a one piece casting that goes between the two trunnions. There is no way this can become loose, shift or rack out of alignment.

Everyone talks about trunion placement whether it is on the cabinet or the table but in fact what really matters is having a solid casting running between them. Every major cabinet saw has this one piece casting. You know why? So they don't have blade heeling problems when they tilt the blade to cut bevels.

To me the choice is clear go with the saw that uses a one piece casting between the trunions and don't lose any sleep over where the trunnions are mounted.

[tchads]

Stevan-I'm going to check out Force Machinery, hopefully this weekend. It would be great to see different TS set up.

RevEd - I'm learning more from this forum than I thought possible. Thanks.

Because space is an issue, is there any reason I couldn't build a tabletop to cover the saw and use as a worktable? A piece of plywood or MDF secured to the TS top, I could have the saw and the table, just not at the same time.

[Stevan Sweeney]

tchads,
Force is across the street from the "ship" in the center median.
Steve.

[tchads]

Steve,

I'll need to measure the different saws. Are they assembled at Force?

[Stevan Sweeney]

tchads,
Yes, they have a showroom with plenty of tools to look at. It is an older supplier and likely supplies commercial and industrial customers mostly. I don't recall just what table saws they have on display, probably Delta and Jet and so forth. They have a friendly and knowledgeable sales staff. It rates as a favorite toy store for me, I just don't get up that way too often. They have a web site too.
Steve.

[tchads]

Thanks. I went to their website and it seems that a trip is in the works for this weekend. The Delta and the Ridgid were my first choices and I think the Jet Pro Shop hybrid could be a good choice for my limited space. Best advice was given to enurse on this forum - take your time and get some hands on info.

[tchads]

Went to Force Machinery on Sat. Was like a kid in Toys-R Us. No contractor's TS on display but spent an hour talking to one of the managers. Had a Jet TS on sale, steel wings, right tilt, 50 inch fence and ext table for $400. Too big for my space.

Why right tilt? Seems to me that all saws are left tilt. Should this be a major consideration?

[hewood]

There are still boat loads of right tilt saws. There are pros and cons of each, but it boils down to preference. I've owned both and prefer left tilt, but I wouldn't let the tilt direction be a show stopper on an otherwise super deal that had my heart beating faster.

[tchads]

If I had driven the SUV instead of the Camry, I'd be trying to find room for the TS right now. The manager said to buy the saw and cut the rails to length and toss the table, but it seemed like a crime to waste half the extension. For another $100 I can probably get a saw with cast iron extensions and a 30 inch rip that will fit in my shop.

Always thought there was some advantage to left tilt.

[Woussko]

Right Tilt and Left Tilt are much like being right or left handed. The main reason for going with a left tilt is if you have the rip fence to the right side of the blade and ever want to do bevel cuts. Try that with a right tilt model and it's :eek: time with binding and kickback problems. Some people use the fence mostly on the left of the blade and the miter guide on the right. I personally would go for a left tilt, but have seen both and it really depends on your needs and how you'll use the table saw.

[tchads]

It sounds like a right tilt would "trap" the wood between the fence and under the blade making binding and kickback a problem. Was looking at the Jet TS bOne more thing to consider. Always looking for the safest way out.

[tchads]

Found assembled samples of both the Delta and the 3650 TS over the holidays. Unfortunately, if I put either in my workshop there will be no room for anything else. It looks like the Ridgid 2400 is the way to go - good saw, small footprint. Of course it's no longer on sale :o. Hopefully it won't be too long 'til the next sale.

I'd like to thank all who answered my questions on this forum. I continue to learn more on this site than in any magazine - great advice from actual users who don't have advertizers to answer to.

[Rootsy]

1/6/08 - 1/12/08 the Craftsman 22124 Hybrid with 30" Biesemeyer is on sale for 899.99 if you are a Craftsman Club Member. If you purchase 2 additional items on pages 14 - 15 of the Craftsman Club flyer the saw price is 799.99...

[khallstrom]

I also have a small basement shop and just purchased the TS2400. This replaced a small Delta bench top that had been making due for years. In this small shop I have a 6" jointer, bench top planer, Radial arm saw, compound miter saw, work bench, storage and associated home mechanicals. It is very tight. Just a note on the power. The 2400 is marginal for thick hardwood. I am making a maple and cherry desk for my daughter using rough stock and you have to very careful when cutting 5/4 maple to prevent overloading the saw (this is with a new combination blade but I was able to carefully cut 8/4 maple). I did trip the circuit breaker frequently as the splitter is was not as wide as the blade and when the some pieces of wood closed the kerf behind the splitter it did bind. Saw blade is a new Rigid combo blade - may want to consider thin kerf blade - lower stress on the motor and may match the splitter better. Note that I am not sure the 2400 is that much smaller than the contractor saw - at least in width if you plan not to fold it up. The other downside of the 2400 is that the table is significantly smaller especially on the outfeed (I needed to purchase the Rigid adjustable outfeed table ($30) for ripping boards even as short as 2 feet.

So be sure you think about what you are going to cut and factor in the table size. As I will eventually move into the Garage I plan on getting at least a Hybrid if not a cabinet saw in the future so the 2400 is an iterim step.

Since you are in Northern Jersey note that there is a Woodcraft in Allenton PA - about 20 minutes from the border right off of 78 - they saws jointers etc. - Delta, Jet, Rikon, Steel City and others plus other wood working tools.

Good luck

[hewood]

... Just a note on the power. The 2400 is marginal for thick hardwood. ... Saw blade is a new Rigid combo blade - may want to consider thin kerf blade - lower stress on the motor and may match the splitter better. ...

Your saw should have an easier time in thick material using a good quality 24T thin kerf ripping blade.....something like an Infinity "Ripper Lite" (http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1195), Freud LU87RO10 (http://www.amazon.com/Freud-LU87R010-10-Inch-Ripping-PermaShield/dp/B0000225UH/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1199806487&sr=8-1), Amana AGE TK ripper (http://www.holbren.com/product.php?productid=3524&cat=0&page=1), DW7124PT (http://www.amazon.com/DeWalt-DW7124PT-10-Inch-Ripping-8-Inch/dp/B000HCVN5C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1199806727&sr=1-1), or even a 30T Forrest WWII TK.

[tchads]

That's been my problem. Buy a portable and have more room but less power. The last thing I want to do is replace this TS in 5 years because it's too small or I've outgrown it. To save space I've thought of taking the motor off and putting a top on the TS to use as a bench when not actively making sawdust. Right now if I have to rip something long I just line up the saw with the door or cut it down to size with a circular saw. I've been researching this for so long my wife is ready to buy a TS just to shut me up!:D

[joe f]

I've been shopping table saws myself recently. I'm no expert by any means but I'm willing to share some of the stuff I've found.

Consumer reports ranked the Ridgid TS2400LS best out of the 8 or so portable table saws that they reviewed. It got Excellent marks in Ease of use, Percision and speed, and got Good marks for accuracy & edge finish.

Other saws reviewed were the Dewalt, Bosch, Ryobi, Hitachi, Makita, Skil & Craftsmen.

Other top preformers on the list were the Bosch which scored Excellent in Rip percision & Ease of use, and good in accuracy, speed & edge finish.

The "Best Buy" was the Ryobi BTS20. Which recieved Excellent marks for ease of use, and good in Accuracy, Speed & edge finish, as well as Rip Percision. At $250. I'd say it's a pretty good deal but I did notice that there was no zero clearance attachment that would fit it.

[hewood]

That's been my problem. Buy a portable and have more room but less power. The last thing I want to do is replace this TS in 5 years because it's too small or I've outgrown it. To save space I've thought of taking the motor off and putting a top on the TS to use as a bench when not actively making sawdust. Right now if I have to rip something long I just line up the saw with the door or cut it down to size with a circular saw. I've been researching this for so long my wife is ready to buy a TS just to shut me up!:D

tchads - Are you familiar with the newer hybrid saw design? They're very much like a traditional full size cast iron contractor saw, but have the motor housed internally, which saves space....they also have the benefit of a shorter drive belt, better DC, and none of the hassles associated with the outboard motor.

You can still add a removable top so your saw can double as a bench.

[tchads]

I've checked out the hybrids and the Jet Pro Shop series does a real nice job of combining contractor and cabinet saw. Price is a little out of my range, unless I can find one on sale. The weight can be an issue with moving the saw into the basement. I think it was around 350 to 400 lbs. and comes assembled except for the legs. Contractors saw can be disassembled to some extent to move.
I could just tell my wife to park her car outside as I need her half of the garage for my workshop. Then I'd have to find a space for me and my tools!

[hewood]

I've checked out the hybrids and the Jet Pro Shop series does a real nice job of combining contractor and cabinet saw. Price is a little out of my range, unless I can find one on sale. The weight can be an issue with moving the saw into the basement. I think it was around 350 to 400 lbs. and comes assembled except for the legs. Contractors saw can be disassembled to some extent to move.
I could just tell my wife to park her car outside as I need her half of the garage for my workshop. Then I'd have to find a space for me and my tools!

The saws should come with the wings, legs, and fence as separate unassembled items, meaning that the largest portion of the base saw is ~ 20" w x 27" deep x ~ 18" tall. The wings will weigh ~80-100#, and the steel fence will weigh in the range of ~ 65-70#...the legs aren't likely to weigh much over 25# total, so the base saw cabinet should weigh considerably less than the total, and should be manageable on a dolly or with two healthy guys carrying it.

[tchads]

That's what I had kids for. Thanks for the info.

[Boogatoo]

On hybrid it is more complicated to set the blade parallel. On may saw you have to move the table-top while on the TS3650, the trunion have a pivoting trunion.

[Boogatoo]

Sorry, I became dyslexic, you shoud read

On most hybrid saw you have to move the table-top while on the TS3650, the trunion have a pivoting trunion.

[walkingman]

Hey Tchads, I just sold my Bosch 4000 to purchase the TS 3650. I only have a 12 ft x 24 ft shop space, so foot print is really important to me. I thought that the bosch was the end all TS for me because of its footprint and portability. What I didn't account for when I bought it was that the handles of the stand projected out beyond the ends of the actual table top, so, the actual overall volume of the actual saw when it was "deployed" wasn't that much less than a typical contractor's saw. Plus, the air filled tires on the stand tended to make the saw bounce a little which made it hard to control heavy panel products such as MDF. So, to take advantage of the space savings afforded by the foldability of the stand, I had to set up the saw, make a cut, fold it up, set up the saw, make a cut, fold it up, etc. I was pretty close to getting rid of the stand in favor of a shop built box on wheels for the saw when it dawned on me that I really needed the larger cast iron top for support, stability, and of course, a longer fence.

So, to make a long story short (too late...!). Portable saws are great if you don't need a lot of fence capacity (width of cut), or if you don't consistently cut a lot of larger plywood or mdf type sheets. I owned the Bosch and a Ryobi BT 2000 a couple of years ago and felt that they were both very decent products with their limitations.

cheers,
Steve

[walkingman]

Sorry, my last post was in reply to Joe F's question about portable saws, not TChad.

I also forgot to mention that Home Depot seems to be selling the TS 3650 at $466 instead of the usual $549 which totally sweetened the pot for me.

-Steve

[tchads]

Not a problem, any information is welcome. I have pretty much decided on a contractors or hybrid TS for all the reasons you stated. Just waiting for a sale.