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Need any advice on a TS purchase. I am looking at a Ridgid R4512 with lifetime warranty, all the accessories like fence , miter gauge etc and dust collection already ready....vs a used USA made Delta contractor saw. The Delta is cheaper by $100 or more. I may be able to use a HF coupon depending on who's working bringing that price down quite a bit on the Ridgid . The Delta has zero DC obviously . I can't make my mind up.
Thoughts? I'd appreciate any.
"Life is too short for bad tools.".-- Pedder 7/22/11
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With tools, like cars, you pay a premium to drive it off the lot. You are always better off, if on a budget, to buy used in my opinion.
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I would pick the one with the better fence and that is not Delta. Be aware that Delta is hanging on by a thread and you will not be able to get parts easily if needed. Inspect carefully if go with the Delta. The fence and stamped metal wings do nothing for me.
"There is no such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people"
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Don't count on any repair parts on the Delta. And if they do happen to have any you'll pay through the nose for them.
Seems there's a guy that got all the Delta repair parts and he's selling them, dunno if that's still true or what his stock on hand is.
Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick
Mark
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Get a sawstop.
(Somebody had to say it)
Seriously in this instance I would go with the Ridgid. Maybe if the cost difference were more I'd consider the Delta but for $100 I'd want the piece of mind that comes from a new saw. It's just too hard to find Delta parts these days.
-Marc
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I had a 34-444 for my first TS. Bought it used for $300 in 2001. It was a decent, serviceable saw for a decade, then I upgraded to a cabinet saw.
It cut wood. And when I took cuts in multiple passes, I could rip 3" stock with it.
It had the original fence. While the microadjust feature was nice, it got to the point where the fence was always needing some fussing around to get a good result. I didn't dare use the width scale on the front of the fence to measure. I always manually measured with a carpenter's rule to make sure of the cut width.
As you already noted, decent DC is just not possible. LOML made one of those cloth catch bags for me, and that caught about 90% of the mess, but changing it out was inconvenient at best.
All in all, I think I would have opted for the Ridgid if I had the choice between those two.
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11-17-2016, 07:09 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-17-2016, 07:11 AM by fredhargis.)
I had the 34-444 for many years, and I'll disagree with several things above. The stamped wings are certainly unattractive, but they are functional, and can be made to be as flat with the table. The saw is very well built, almost certainly better than the rigid. If the used one has the cheap fence (called jet lock?) that would be a problem, mine had the Unifence and I think it's as good as any out there. The original motor is a derated 2 HP, and has more power than most contractor saws, but check the motor tags...the derated one will be labeled with higher HP at 240V. DC can be done, but it isn't easy. I had a flange on the bottom of the cabinet to accept the DC hose. Then you have to close in the back and i tried a few methods. I tried just having some pieces of hardboard that were cut to fit around the belts and bracket, mine were held on by 2 screws (one for each side) but magnets would have been better. This worked sort of OK, but then I saw a suggestion in Wood magazine and adopted it. That was to build a box around the motor that completely enclosed the whole back of the saw. This box was hanging on the outfeed table. That solved my problems and the DC worked just fine, but it did mean I had to leave the outfeed table on the saw making it a whole lot less portable. Before someone howls about the motor needing air, I would point out that many saws with cabinet styles also have their motors completely enclosed...most of them may be TEFC, but many of them are ODP like the 34-444. Personally I haven't seen the Rigid you're considering, but I'd sure give that Delta some consideration, it's a very good saw. It does sound as thought that Delta may be priced high, you might be able to get it cheaper (and read the sentence about the fence again). Best of luck with your decision.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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I'm with Fred. I would go with the Delta. It's old school construction vs lots of plastic bits and funky aluminum extrusions. Most of what could go wrong with the saw through normal use (bearings, belts) should be easily available. It's a traditional contractor saw vs. the ridgid which is a hybrid. Both hang the trunions off the saw top, one hangs the motor out the back, the other underneath. If the delta has the jetlock fence, then I would look to find an upgrade down the road, maybe a biesmeyer (or clone), unifence or some other aftermarket fence. The jetlock is a workable fence, in its day it was miles ahead of comparable fences.
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11-17-2016, 09:12 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-17-2016, 11:09 AM by SawDat.)
I too have the Delta you list. And agree 100% with what Fred says above.
Very powerful I have cut 3 inch maple with no issues. Holds settings and alignment. Some other saws I've worked with need constant adjustment.
If the fence is a Unifence... buy it immediately. IMO that is the best fence ever made. If a Biesmeier, or a clone, that is excellent also.
Dust collection is not a huge issue. I have a chute purchased many years ago that takes a 4" hose. I made a backplate to better close in the open rear of the saw. Attaches with magnets so I can remove when needed. Not 100%, but darn good.
EDIT: To add info about fences.
I didn't look at the Ridgid saw before. Now I see that it has aluminum rails and fence. I've seen those in the stores. Try this: Drag the fence out to the right a long way, like you would to rip some plywood. Then see if you can deflect the back of the fence. Many similar systems I've seen will move a good amount under moderate pressure. A better fence system (Unifence or Beismeier) will not move at all. I believe a good fence is 50% of a table saw's value. Locking parallel without fussing, and locking easily and holding it also play a big part in the value proposition.
“Poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of cheap price is forgotten”
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Neither. Go for the craftsman 21833 when it's on sale. It's much better than other of those saws. You might be able to find one of the older versions used like the 22114 and 22104. They are very good saws. Made by what was Orion/steel city. Much beefier built.
Also if you buy it online from sears go through ebates.com and get 3.5% or so rebate. I do all my online shopping through them and get a check in the mail every so often. You get part of the click through referral fee.
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