Best saw I bought TS 3650

[Reef12]

Hi all.

Just had to say what a deal this saw has been.

I am glad I bought the Saw the more I use it the better I like it.

I am totaly impressed with this saw.

Even the ridgid blade performs better then some other blades that I have

used in the past and included in the deal.

Ran thru 3/4" birch ply like hot knife thru butter and 1/2" MDF not a whine.

Gosh don't even want to put the frued blade on as this thing cuts great not one tear out on the plywood can not believe this saw.

1-1/2 red oak not a whimper.

After using a 1980 model craftsman which is long gone

Which mostly burnt it's way thru wood:eek:

What a saw.

Great tool great site.
Okay rant over;)

[BadgerDave]

Depending on what Freud blade you have, if you install it on the 3650, you'll be even more impressed with how well the saw cuts. About the only thing I use the stock Ridgid blade for is ripping and crosscutting consruction grade lumber.

[hewood]

Definitely put your Freud blade on and keep the stock as a spare for high risk woods...whatever you were spinning before must have been in tough shape.

[Lorax]

Don't the legs wobble?
Isn't the arbor bad?
Doesn't the stock blade suck?
Doesn't the dust collection suck?
Isn't the orange color ugly?
Does the Herculift really work?
Doesn't the fence lock out of square?
Didn't the cheap plastic fence lever break?
Isn't the splitter assy a PITA to remove and reinstall?
Didn't you have 3 nuts and bolts left over?
Anything I forgot?
etc. etc. etc. :p

[TOD]

Don't the legs wobble?
Isn't the arbor bad?
Doesn't the stock blade suck?
Doesn't the dust collection suck?
Isn't the orange color ugly?
Does the Herculift really work?
Doesn't the fence lock out of square?
Didn't the cheap plastic fence lever break?
Isn't the splitter assy a PITA to remove and reinstall?
Didn't you have 3 nuts and bolts left over?
Anything I forgot?
etc. etc. etc. :pYes you did, power switch don't work and how do I adjust the belt?

[Lorax]

The switch is covered in my sig line, thanks to you.:D
Belt should be replaced with a link-belt anyways.:eek:

[Bob D.]

Replacing the TS-3650 belt means buying new pulleys. The 3650 uses machined pulleys that match the multi-rib belt, its a different animal from a v-belt altogether. My opinion is there would not be enough of a reduction in vibration (if any) to make it worth the expense for me.

Lorax, have you (or anyone for that matter) swapped out the stock belt and pulleys for a link belt with v-pulleys? Was it worth it?

[Reef12]

Don't the legs wobble? NO
Isn't the arbor bad? No
Doesn't the stock blade suck? NO
Doesn't the dust collection suck? Maybe;)
Isn't the orange color ugly? NO
Does the Herculift really work? Yes
Doesn't the fence lock out of square? No
Didn't the cheap plastic fence lever break? No
Isn't the splitter assy a PITA to remove and reinstall? NO
Didn't you have 3 nuts and bolts left over? Was I supposed to have some left over:rolleyes:
Anything I forgot? Yep back fence does not sit down good unless you fiddle with it
etc. etc. etc. :p
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Reef12]

Depending on what Freud blade you have, if you install it on the 3650, you'll be even more impressed with how well the saw cuts. About the only thing I use the stock Ridgid blade for is ripping and crosscutting consruction grade lumber.

Well have a low end one wife was standing next to me as she bought the saw so could not get the higher dollar price one with her looking at me holding a $100.00 blade:rolleyes:

Well it is the Freud Diablo 60 tooth Z

Any good?

[Lorax]

Replacing the TS-3650 belt means buying new pulleys. The 3650 uses machined pulleys that match the multi-rib belt, its a different animal from a v-belt altogether. My opinion is there would not be enough of a reduction in vibration (if any) to make it worth the expense for me.

Lorax, have you (or anyone for that matter) swapped out the stock belt and pulleys for a link belt with v-pulleys? Was it worth it?

It was a tongue-in-cheek continuation of posts # 4 & 5. It is so rare to find a new 3650 owner that doesn't find something to nit-pick, I just thought I would check that Reef hadn't missed something. Oh yeah. The instructions suck!:p

[Bob D.]

Yeah, I guess that was lost on me.

Sorry :(

[ianw2]

OK. Dumb question: Why is the Rigid TS3650 so maligned?

I finally got my TS-Aligner Jr. And checked out my 3650 last weekend. Originally, I set up the saw using just an adjustable square and a straight edge and level. The TS-A Jr. showed me that the table slots were parallel with each other to within 0.001", the fence was parallel with the slots to within 0.003" and sits perpendicular to the blade AND the table. The arbor run out was also about 0.003". The high spot on the blade was the high spot on the blade, not a crapy arbor. My arbor was not one of the ones with the bum shoulder, either.

I didn’t have any problems aligning the wings. The surface has stayed nice and "rustless" with a good cleaning and a coat of paste wax before I start my Saturday or Sunday sawdust fest.

Oh, yeah, after I adjusted it per the instructions, the Hercu-Lift works like a champ.

Now, if I could elevate my skill level to match that of the table, I’d start posting some pics.

The only beef I have is the power switch. I wish there was a knee paddle or bar instead of the little tiny red-rocker. Has anyone replaced the switch with a magnetic one or one with a knee paddle? Would you kindly share details, pleas?

[KenM]

"The only beef I have is the power switch. I wish there was a knee paddle or bar instead of the little tiny red-rocker. Has anyone replaced the switch with a magnetic one or one with a knee paddle? Would you kindly share details, pleas?"
Ian,
I replaced the stock switch with a magnetic contactor type from Surpluscenter.com.
http://surpluscenter.com/images/p11-2962C.jpg
We have frequent power blips here and after a few instances of being in the middle of a rip cut and suddenly being in the dark and having the saw come back to life, I had to do something.
It doesn't make the switch any easier to reach, but I like it a lot better. I mounted it to the plate that the stock switch was on and bent the plate a bit to get the pushbuttons more forward. After a bit of use it's second nature to find the Off button easily. I am thinking of glueing a wooden knob to the Off button to make it even easier to find when needed quickly.
HTH,
ken

[blackiem1]

i have installed a new switch on my 3650 from th reitech company

this is the second time i have used this switch (i had installed this switch on my delta cabinet saw with good success. you can view
switch on their website on reitech (under products) its a little pricey
i paid approx $150.00 but it is well worth it. i purchased it locally
you can touch the switch with your knee or hand on any part
of the switch and will shut off the power, its worth a look i haveused this switch for many years with good results

[Bob D.]

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.213(b)(3) (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owalink.query_links?src_doc_type=STANDARDS&src_unique_file=1910_0213&src_anchor_name=1910.213(b)(3))

On applications where injury to the operator might result if motors were to restart after power failures, provision shall be made to prevent machines from automatically restarting upon restoration of power.

2005 - 01/31/2005 - Requirements for protecting against the automatic restart of low-voltage light-duty woodworking and metalworking equipment following an unscheduled electrical outage. (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25050)

[Bob D. Note: This is public information from OSHA's website, I have not altered the content in any way, BUT, thanks to some idiots who have visited our forums recently, it looks as though Josh has been forced to implement software which filters out any word or portion thereof which might be inappropriate. That means that in the following letter the word A_ssociation (note the underscore to circumvent the filter)] has the first three characters replaced with asterisks. My thanks goes out to all the b_uttheads who have ruined this forum in this way. You have won because Josh has had to take some of our freedom away to prevent you from using foul language. I know this will make you happy.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: ]

This letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation only of the requirements discussed and may not be applicable to any situation not delineated within the original correspondence.

January 31, 2005

Gary M. Genga
CY Concepts
400 Stone Road
Rochester, NY 14616

Dear Mr. Genga:

Thank you for your May 10, 2004 letter to former ***istant Secretary of Labor, John Henshaw. Your letter was referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) Directorate of Enforcement Programs. We replied to your inquiry on August 19, 2004, however certain information has come to our attention that requires us to modify our initial response. This correspondence reflects the most current information that pertains to your inquiry, and supersedes our previous reply. You had specific questions regarding the requirements for the protection against the unexpected restart of woodworking and metalworking equipment following an unscheduled electrical outage. Your paraphrased inquiries and our responses follow.

Question: Is low voltage, light-duty equipment (115-volt, single-phase), such as band saws, sanders, and drill presses commonly found in wood and metal shops, required to protect against automatic restarting upon restoration of electrical power following an unscheduled interruption?

Answer: As you may know, the OSHA standard for woodworking equipment is found at 29 CFR 1910.213. This standard, including the provision at 1910.213(b)(3) requiring the prevention of automatic restarting of dangerous woodworking equipment following the restoration of power after an unscheduled interruption, applies to woodworking machinery regardless of its electrical power supply voltage. Tools used in metalworking (with the exception of mechanical power presses) do not have the same explicit requirement in the OSHA standards for protection against automatic restart, but, as with all electric equipment used in the workplace, are generally required to be listed and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). These NRTLs may have requirements addressing the issue of the prevention of automatic restarting in their listing and labeling criteria and testing protocols. If there are such requirements, OSHA has a provision, found at 29 CFR 1910.303(b)(2), that "listed or labeled equipment shall be used or installed in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling."

Additionally, certain equipment-specific ANSI standards have requirements that restoration of power following an interruption not create hazardous conditions. Two such examples of this are ANSI B11.8-2001 American National Standard — Safety Requirements for Manual Milling, Drilling, and Boring Machines with or without Automatic Control and ANSI B11.10-2003 American National Standard for Machine Tools — Safety Requirements for Metal Sawing Machines with or without Automatic Control. The National Fire Protection ***ociation (NFPA) Standard 79, Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery (2002) also contains requirements for the prevention of the unintentional restarting of equipment following an interruption of power.1 (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25050#footnote1) National consensus standards often provide evidence of industry recognition of occupational hazards and of feasible means for abating the hazards.

Thank you for your interest in occupational safety and health. We hope you find this information helpful. Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information. To keep apprised of such developments, you can consult OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov (http://www.osha.gov/index.html). If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Office of General Industry Enforcement at (202) 693-1850.

Sincerely,

Richard E. Fairfax, Director
Directorate of Enforcement Programs

1 It should be noted, however, that this standard, NFPA 79, does not apply to fixed or portable tools that have been judged under the requirements of a NRTL. [ back to text ] (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25050#text1)

-------------------
Bob D: Of course OSHA does not apply to the home workshop, but the gremlins do not discriminate and will get you wherever you are :(
For anyone using woodworking equipment as part of their job, AND they have one or more employees, then Federal OSHA (or your State OSH plan) does apply.

[KenM]

i have installed a new switch on my 3650 from th reitech company

this is the second time i have used this switch (i had installed this switch on my delta cabinet saw with good success. you can view
switch on their website on reitech (under products) its a little pricey
i paid approx $150.00 but it is well worth it. i purchased it locally
you can touch the switch with your knee or hand on any part
of the switch and will shut off the power, its worth a look i haveused this switch for many years with good results
Mine was less tha $30.
ken

[blackiem1]

i guess you get what you pay for

[KenM]

i guess you get what you pay for

blackiem1,
I wasn't slamming what you paid. I saw that I forgot to post the price in the earlier post.

[Reef12]

Mine was less tha $30.
ken

Sounds like in my league also.

Not slamming but $150.00 is a tad to high for my taste:eek:

And budget.

[Bob D.]

Grizzly has a number of choices for 120 and 220 equipment. There are of course other sources, but this will give you an idea of the selection available and a guide on pricing.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=Magnetic+Switch&submit.x=10&submit.y=7

[KenM]

Bob, yep. I was ready to order from Grizzly when someone pointed me to surpluscenter. Surplus has the same contactors as Grizzly, in plastic boxes. They also have the metal boxes which are a little cheaper, which is what I choose. The contact ratings are the same. Still can't go wrong with Grizzly tho.
Ken

[Bob D.]

Interesting, I just looked on their site and they list 63 different magnetic switches, but NONE are 120V and NONE of them are single phase.

How long ago did you buy your switch and what is the Surpluscenter Item Number?

http://www.surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?numrec=63&sort=1&keyword=ERRA&catname=electric&UID=2006031109061527

Maybe they are located somewhere else on the site but I could not find them.

[NeedaSAW]

Ok, you guys have convinced me to purchase the 3650...I have other Ridgid hand power tools and love them, but was unconvinced that they could produce a quality table saw...glad I found this forum...

Now to the meat. I have heard discussion of this home depot coupon floating around...WHERE IS IT!!? I have searched high and low...could anyone point me the way!

Thanks in advance.

[Bob D.]

It's in the pocket of the HD employees. You need to ask for one of their friends and family 10% coupons I think is how they refer to them from what I have read here. I have not used one myself.

[NeedaSAW]

huh...? Never heard of such a thing. I guess I should ask to talk to manager.... I did notice some coupons on the bay but they had a lot of warnings regarding "it aint my fault if these get confiscated...etc"

I am getting ready to start a cabinet project and will also be buying a joiner so maybe that will help.

[MrZ]

Ok, you guys have convinced me to purchase the 3650...I have other Ridgid hand power tools and love them, but was unconvinced that they could produce a quality table saw...glad I found this forum...

Now to the meat. I have heard discussion of this home depot coupon floating around...WHERE IS IT!!? I have searched high and low...could anyone point me the way!

Thanks in advance.

I bought 20% off coupons from E-bay. I paid $7.50 for 5 of them. Saved over $100 on my 3650. I'm going back today to pick up a portable planer. Make sure you buy them from someone that states they are the originals. Some folks are selling photocopies.

Good luck.

[KenM]

Interesting, I just looked on their site and they list 63 different magnetic switches, but NONE are 120V and NONE of them are single phase.

How long ago did you buy your switch and what is the Surpluscenter Item Number?

http://www.surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?numrec=63&sort=1&keyword=ERRA&catname=electric&UID=2006031109061527

Maybe they are located somewhere else on the site but I could not find them.
Hey Bob,
My fault, I neglected to say I'm running the 3650 at 220. The 3 phase doesn't matter. The coil is 220 single phase.
For the single phase saw motor just use 2 of the 3 available contacts on the contactor.
ken