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Norm
08-01-2003, 04:34 PM
Here's the other press release that Bob sent me to post.

RIDGID TS3650
10" Cast Iron Table Saw
 Dual voltage Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) induction motor
 36" rip capacity with self-aligning fence and micro-adjust
 Herc-U-Lift™ mobility system

The RIDGID® 10" Cast Iron Table Saw (Model TS3650) sets a new standard in table saw features and performance for the professional and serious woodworker. The all-new design features vibration dampening cast iron construction, a Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) motor for longer life and the patented Herc-U-Lift™ caster system for easy, one-step mobility. The first in a line of new stationary and benchtop tools from RIDGID, the TS3650’s features will enhance users’ productivity and efficiency, and reward them with an outstanding quality of cut every time.

“This is the ultimate table saw because it combines features that professionals need with innovative design, all backed by RIDGID’s reputation for quality,” said Jeff Drake, spokesperson for RIDGID. “In fact, the TS3650 was developed in response to feedback from professionals who were asked about features they wanted and needed in their table saws.”

The saw’s 120/240-volt, 13/6.5 Amp, TEFC induction motor is similar to those used in heavier industrial applications. Its design allows the motor to run cooler while protecting it from debris, contributing to better performance and longer motor life. Machined steel pulleys and a poly-V-belt drive deliver more torque with less vibration than standard V-belt systems. The unique drive system combined with the tool’s cast iron construction enables the TS36560 to run very smoothly.

A notable feature of the TS3650 is its Herc-U-Lift™ caster system that allows it to be positioned easily anywhere in the shop, particularly in space-starved shops that cannot dedicate premium floor space on a permanent basis. To move the saw, the user simply steps on the actuator platform to engage all four 360° rotating casters. The user then rolls the saw to its desired position, and once again pushes the foot pedal to disengage the casters allowing the saw to rest securely on its adjustable leveling feet.

Another striking feature of the saw is its fully redesigned cabinet. The oversized base puts the controls closer to the user, making them more visible and accessible, enabling more efficient operation. The new elevation lock locks the carriage securely once the depth of cut is selected to prevent any “drift” from the desired setting.

The saw has a 36-inch right and 12-inch left rip capacity for easily cutting beyond the center of 4' sheet materials. Contractors and woodworkers alike will also appreciate the saw’s front and rear locking, self-aligning rip fence with micro-adjust mechanism for unparalleled accuracy and ease of use. The saw’s T-slot miter gauge provides more support during crosscutting of wider stock. There is also an Ind-I-Cut™ alignment disc, which allows the user to easily and accurately align the blade with the cut line to ensure that each cross cut is perfect. The TS3650 also features a patented, lever actuated micro-heel adjustment to quickly and accurately eliminate any out of heel condition resulting in jointer quality cuts every time.

The TS3650’s cast iron table and extensions provide a solid, stable work surface and help absorb vibration during operation. The new extension design features clamping slots, which allow for fixtures and feather boards to be easily clamped to the table top, maximizing versatility.

RIDGID® power tools are designed to serve the needs of professional contractors and woodworkers, who demand maximum power and superior durability. Packed with high-performance features, RIDGID power tools enhance productivity, enabling professionals to accomplish work more quickly, accurately and with less effort. Robust materials and rigorous engineering maximize the tools' power, heighten user comfort, and promote longer tool life. RIDGID® is a registered trademark of Ridgid, Inc., part of Emerson Professional Tools, a business of St. Louis-based Emerson (NYSE: EMR).
RIDGID professional power tools are available at The Home Depot in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as in industrial supply centers across the U.S. For more information on RIDGID tools, go to www.ridgid.com (http://www.ridgid.com) or for customer service call 1-800-4-RIDGID (1-800-474-3443).


RIDGID TS3650 10" Cast Iron Table Saw
Features
 Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled (TEFC) motor
 Machined steel pulleys with Poly-V belt drive
 36" rip capacity
 Herc-U-Lift™ mobility system
Capacity 36" max rip to right of blade
12" max rip to left of blade
Max width of dado 13/16"
Motor Horsepower: 1.5 rated, Max developed 3 HP
Voltage: 120/240
Amps: 13/6.5
RPM: 3450 Dimensions Main table: 20" x 27"
Extensions: (2) 12" x 27"
Weight Tool: 287 lbs
Accessories
 Dado throat plate
 Zero Clearance Insert
 Miter Gauge Hold Down
 Flip-Top™ work support
Blade 40-tooth carbide-tipped blade
Depth of cut 3-3/8" depth of cut at 90°,
2-1/4" depth of cut at 45°

Dave Arbuckle
08-01-2003, 04:44 PM
(TEFC) induction motor
The new elevation lock

There's two commonly asked for improvements that jump off the page.

Dave

RixWorx
08-01-2003, 05:42 PM
And....

The saw’s T-slot miter gauge

Bergybits
08-03-2003, 08:01 PM
YES!!!! Finally!!!!! ABOUT TIME!!!! I have purposely held off buying a table saw with the hopes that Rigid would do something about the open motor and the absence of a blade height lock. I have come "that close...." to buying a Delta unit. The only thing is.....how long is this going to take to roll out; let alone becoming available in Canada? I'm willing to wait but not as long as it has taken to get the MS1290 in Canada(still not here!). Any idea if they are going to phase out the 3612? And of course...everyone is going to be wondering about the amount of damage to the old pocket book?

Chris

KellyC
08-03-2003, 11:02 PM
It probably shouldn't read "Ultimate" table saw unless it has a full cabinet and a 3 hp motor. Guess we'll see it when the pics roll out.

The enclosed motor and blade height lock is a plus. So where's the pics??

I sure would be surprised if we saw it before XMAS was gone by....

J J
08-04-2003, 12:32 AM
Hmmmmm? To which Christmas do you refer? ;)

John

daveferg
08-04-2003, 03:01 AM
Entirely too many "ifs" to say yea or nay----price being a big one! If they are trying to come out with a hybrid----well, have always thought the price was way out there, for something which is still a contractors saw (as to power). Duel voltage---3612 has that----

Hey, it may be great, though for the sake of those buying a saw, hope they don't drop the 3612----it is a good saw.

Guess it must be taste or a hang up----there are millions of contractors saws---by definition having the motor sticking out the back----I never really gave it much thought. Blade height lock---had my Emerson saw for 14 years and never a problem.

Marker
08-04-2003, 07:49 AM
I may have misread the post, but the motor will probably still stick out the back (contractors saw). The Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled Motor (TEFC) means that the motor casing is "sealed" so that no dust can get inside of it.

Rafael
08-04-2003, 10:48 AM
What is the advantage of a blade height lock?

Cutbuff
08-04-2003, 11:34 AM
Removes any possibility of the arbor lowering by itself, due to the screw thread backing off when the saws running. Could happen in certain conditions with excessive vibration, although I've never experienced it myself.

David

daveferg
08-04-2003, 12:37 PM
Mark---looked at release again and think you're right. But, nothing would surprise me ;)

Don't think you could understand the lack of need for a blade height lock until you've rebuilt the saw with a new arbor housing----actually fun work. Design has a lot of natural resistance, let alone a heck of a gear ratio.

Now, if you want to talk poor design, setting the 90 and 45 degree stops used to be a real PITA until they modified the design.

Marker
08-04-2003, 02:35 PM
Dave, I admit, I have never had problems with the blade height. Quite some time ago during a thread debating the issue I took a look at the mechanism and I agree with what you are saying about it being unlikely to drift. However, for those times that Murphy's Law is right, it adds some reassurance.

ralphthetoolman
08-04-2003, 05:21 PM
Originally posted by rafael:
What is the advantage of a blade height lock? Rafael, to put it simply, i used to own an old Delta. When i put a dado in the side of a cabinet, the depth at the beginning of the cut was 3/8ths of an inch.......at the other end the blade dropped so far that the dado was now only 1/8th inch deep. grrrrr ;-( had to hang a couple of heavy C clamps on the elevation knob.

hope that helps ya

Rafael
08-04-2003, 06:55 PM
Thanks Ralph, I will have to watch my dadoes now. I never noticed that problem but all my dadoes have been shallow and short. Thanks again.

bdueker
08-06-2003, 09:54 AM
Both of these new saws will be available in the Fall; they will be priced very similar to what the current ones are. Thanks!

Curly Qsawn
08-06-2003, 11:05 AM
Any guesses about where the extra 45 pounds of weight might come from (3612 to 3650). Redesigned cabinet, thicker cast iron top???

[ 08-06-2003, 11:17 AM: Message edited by: Curly Qsawn ]

bdueker
08-06-2003, 12:22 PM
The extra weight comes mainly from the two extensions. They are now solid cast iron except that there is a small cut-away section close to the blade on each extension. This cut-away section gives a place to clamp on feather boards or other fixtures. Thanks!

Dave Arbuckle
08-06-2003, 12:23 PM
Cool, there's another frequently asked for feature.

Dave

Andy B.
08-06-2003, 02:25 PM
Will the throat plate be the same size as current ridgid tablesaws?

bdueker
08-06-2003, 02:42 PM
I'm not sure if this answers your question or not but the blade insert on the new saw is "about" the same size as on the current saw. However, they are not interchangeable.

Troubleshooter
08-06-2003, 04:43 PM
The saw sounds pretty good, but the ExactICut- Indicator isn't new. My 15 year old Sears had that. It's basically a plastic disk (that inserts into a hole in the table) that you can use a pencil and mark both sides of the saw's blade on it. You then are suppose to know exactly where the cut will be.

If Sears and Emerson had a falling out, I wonder how they are using it? Or maybe, the patent, if it had one has expired.

Curt
08-06-2003, 08:54 PM
Sounds really great - but is still missing the feature I want most: a blade brake.

bdueker
08-07-2003, 11:04 AM
Curt: Could you please tell me why you would want a blade brake. Most people think that a belt drive saw stops quickly enough. However, there's lots of opinions. I would be very interested in your answer. Thanks!

Deblieux
08-07-2003, 06:00 PM
Bob, I have to agree with Curt. A blade brake is a valuable safety and convenience item.
Some procedures require that the blade be stopped before the stock is removed such as a blind cut (Blind dado), cutting louvers, or a stopped cut, such as stopping at an inside corner. I have seen kickbacks or damage to stock if bumped into a yet spinning blade. And when it becomes necessary to turn off the saw before the cut is complete, such as stock binding, it is a safety issue. (Occasionally I cut a piece of wood that will not support itself on the table behind the blade, and the piece must be held until the blade stops. An outfield table, if available, is one solution to that one.)
I just checked the stop time on my TS2424-1 which took over 13 seconds. So I’m not sure I know whom the “most” in “Most people think that a belt drive saw stops quickly enough” are. To prove it to yourself, go cut a couple feather boards.

Curt
08-07-2003, 10:32 PM
Originally posted by bdueker:
Curt: Could you please tell me why you would want a blade brake. Most people think that a belt drive saw stops quickly enough. However, there's lots of opinions. I would be very interested in your answer. Thanks! It's a safety and convenience thing. Safety because my outfeed table is a Rigid flip top and I often cut large panels that require me to hang on to them while the blade spins down. The Freud blade I'm using makes no noise while it is spinning and it's easy to forget that it is. Ruined a cut-off that way - just happy that it wasn't my arm. So this beautifully balanced setup spins better than a TLD20 with a Tiburon frame and I stand there dripping sweat on the table and on the piece wishing it had a brake.

Obviously, I'm not using the supplied blade guard. Why? you ask. I find that the blade guard hangs up more often than not and leaves me hanging on to the stock with one hand and using the other to free the guard. I don't like off balance operations when my fingers are within an inch of the blade. I consider that having to fuss with the blade guard with a running saw is more dangerous than not having the guard.

The exact same problem set occurred with my Delta RAS and so the lower blade guard assembly is history (it has an effective brake). My Makita (also has a brake) miter saw had it's blade guard bent when a long 4 x 4 fell off the support and caught the guard. It, too, is history.

Don't know what one costs, but I'd pay $50 retail extra to get one. If you can rig one as an optional accessory, I'd really love you guys.

Sorry about the longwinded response and thanks for listening.

rmacmec
08-07-2003, 11:10 PM
Bob, thanks for asking for input on this one. I think we all appreciate it because it is nice to see Ridgid listening (great job on the specs for the TS3650 by the way).

I agree that a brake would be a huge plus for me. If there was a way to rig it as an accessory, it may be a good way to market it without increasing the base price of the table saw. I would buy one for my 3612 (hint, hint smile.gif ) Come to think of it, I may just rig one off the belt drive with a soleniod some day (power keeps the soleniod disengaged, turn off the power the soleniod engages on the belt).

Rafael
08-07-2003, 11:56 PM
I would consider a buying a blade brake as an option for my 3612. I was cutting slats the other week, over 100 cuts, it takes over 10 seconds for the blade to stop. Waiting for it to stop over 100 times is a big waste of time and irritating. 1000 seconds is about 17 minutes.

KellyC
08-08-2003, 02:10 AM
Sure would make fence distance changes a whole lot quicker. Even my 1969 RAS has one (although it is a manually operated one.

bdueker
08-11-2003, 12:32 PM
Thanks everyone for the comments on blade brakes. I can't promise anything except that it sure opened up a lot of eyes here. Thanks!

daveferg
08-11-2003, 02:41 PM
All the advances sound interesting. Am sorry to see the castings changing---as to insert plate----I have an older model and loved that I could get many new/improved parts to fit my old saw!

While I can see advantages to a blade brake, most I've seen have been on direct drive motors----

But, if you're looking for improvements or aftermarket accessories----how about at least having an accessory riving knife or drop-in splitter. There are many aftermarket overhead blade guards that can be used on the Ridgid, but no one yet has a splitter (which is needed with the overhead guard) for the Ridgid----it certainly is a popular aftermarket improvement.

ba-doyn
08-12-2003, 11:28 AM
I think a retrofitted elevation lock would be nice just for peace of mind, if anything, for the 3612.

Michael

Andy B.
08-12-2003, 11:31 AM
Also the tS 2424 could use a blade break!

Originally posted by rmacmec:
Bob, thanks for asking for input on this one. I think we all appreciate it because it is nice to see Ridgid listening (great job on the specs for the TS3650 by the way).

I agree that a brake would be a huge plus for me. If there was a way to rig it as an accessory, it may be a good way to market it without increasing the base price of the table saw. I would buy one for my 3612 (hint, hint smile.gif ) Come to think of it, I may just rig one off the belt drive with a soleniod some day (power keeps the soleniod disengaged, turn off the power the soleniod engages on the belt).

Mike3206
08-12-2003, 01:32 PM
Not sure why I would even need a blade brake. I use a push stick to move stock out from next to the blade so I don't have to wait for anything. As for blind cuts, The wood will stop the blade fast enough.

Also, isn't the current 3612 motor a TEFC one? I thought it was.

I'm still looking for the best accessory...A 52"right front rail. The fence is great, but without a longer rail, I'm going to be buying a Biesemeyer.

Dave Arbuckle
08-13-2003, 12:55 PM
Mike wrote: I use a push stick to move stock out from next to the blade so I don't have to wait for anything.

Be super-careful, Mike. If that piece hits the blade teeth, it could hit your teeth next. :(

Question for those who want brakes. Would you be willing to pay extra for your sawblades? Saws with brakes generally need to use indexing pins to keep the blade from coming loose during braking. Instead of just one hole, there are also (usually) a couple other holes for the pins.
As for blind cuts, The wood will stop the blade fast enough.

Also, isn't the current 3612 motor a TEFC one?

TS3612 motor is ODP.

Dave

rmacmec
08-13-2003, 01:24 PM
Dave, is this always the case for table saws (need saw blades with indexing pins)? My miter saw with a blade brake doesn't have one. I was basically unaware of this and am hoping you could share more info. I see why you would need one depending on just how quickly a blade brake stopped and depending on the mass of the blade (or dado stack).

Mike3206
08-14-2003, 08:33 AM
Dave, I still feel that using a push stick is safer than just letting the wood sit there while the saw stops. (where any vibration could cause the wood to catch anyway) The only time this actually concerns me is in a cross cut, which in most cases, I have a stop block attached to the fence so I don't pinch the wood and have a kickback. In crosscuts, I just take my aluminum stick and knock teh block to the right away from the blade.

A blade brake may be nice, but there is no substitute for practicing safe sawing.

Dave Arbuckle
08-14-2003, 01:01 PM
I don't really know if they always are needed. The (table) saws I'm familiar with that have brakes, have indexing pins, but I haven't done a survey or anything.

With regard to dado blades, more bad news. Saws that use indexing pins generally cannot use dado stacks (again, the saws I'm familiar with).

Mike, I do similarly. While being super careful. ;)

Dave

hammerman
08-16-2003, 11:12 PM
I was at my local BOB yesterday, and I was watching a guy looking at ridgid table saws for his garage, and just kinda moseyed up to him and asked what was he going to use it for. he Just poured a floor in his 20 yr old pole barn(new workshop). wasn't going to move it out of the building. I showed him the 3612 on sale for 499.00. Then started spouting off about all of the things you guys have so graciously educated me on. He lives within 10 minutes of the Ridgid service center, and i told him how quickly my tools were serviced there (3 days max). He wrote a check and went home to get his truck.

The saw was a floor model so thats probably so cheap.(price the only thing cheap about the saw though)

By the way I own a dewalt contractor saw with all the accessories, but Ridgid has my utmost respect and I recommend it to everyone I talk tools with.

happy woodworking guys