Bought a small DeWalt Contractor table saw last night. No room in a single car garage for anything such as that, and on a budget. On the other hand, proved its worth in both saving time today and being much easier than clamping the lumber and blocking it up for cutting by the worm drive. It will store for now under my work table and I'll just have a little less leg space under it.
Years ago I had a Delta Contractor II saw for my off time at the theater and used a Delta Beismier industrial saw by day in a number of places I worked. The industrial model, especially when with off market fence and table setup was great, the Contractor II was mine and also great given it only had a caster base but not as good a fence, or as much power.
So today I was using this little lightweight table saw. This after opening the box and finding out it's blad elevation knob was broken. Given it was a broken box and the tool department manager at Lowes had also noted such a thing, he let me trade my broken knob for that of the show room model's knob as opposed to having to do a full return and wait for another one to get in stock. It would seem some sales people are cool no matter where they work as opposed to dogmatically following policy of one must return the saw when damaged and if out of stock in it return it in exchange for no saw to use today.
Had the option of a few saws last night ranging from like $100.00 to in my case a bit over $300.00 for the DeWalt that most of my shop is already outfitted with and was smaller than the rest (needs to fit under the work table when not in use.) Only looking for a 6" blade 1x lumber cutting table saw for cutting molding and stuff, but in not finding one went with the little bitty but still 10" saw of a trusted brand and of a size I already had lots of spare blades to including some really good ones for doing all sorts of things just collecting dust these days. Hmm, $75.00 blade bought ten years ago, now back in use...
Anyway, while small and concerned that it would as a small light weight saw need anchoring, I was surprised in finding it did not need mounting - as I used it, it did not walk about the room or table top in needing to be clamped to a surface. This given the direct drive in part no doubt as opposed to belt drive I am more used to.
While cutting I didn't note any bogging down of the motor but did note its fence was while "factory aligned" not aligned accurately. This much less in having a blade elevation knob that broke in shipping, such a knob doesn't leave me with such a concept of quality materials. In initially doing the blade kick back/shield, than removing it later for other needs, and later in changing to a better blade, I cannot say I am impressed with the "throat gate" blade surround plate which requires a screw driver to remove. Didn't really get tight enough or in other than gravity plate normal mean anything different than one which does not lock.
What I really did not like was the note in the manual about it not being designed for use with a dado blade - the heck, it's a 10" saw, and from a company that seems to have thought out most stuff and I will not do a dado blade in spec.
Also the fence leaves something to be desired in not getting up to 24" wide rip cut. One would think other than +16" cuts would be useful. Also that the fence is way too short in length, than there is the Miter Gauge which is too short for accurate use with a 1x4 in cross cutting and thoroughly plastic in not being much as with most of the saw to be over home owner grade.
Overall, not impressed with this table saw. Fence is poor adjustment for it not very useful or accurate, miter gauge is useless, blade height doesn't lock down to a designated height, isn't much use for plywood over 16" in width for measuring, this given the fence is not much use. While light weight and not bouncing about in use, most of its components are still plastic and fragile.
Overall, not very impressed or would other than for a small garage would I recommend it.
Years ago I had a Delta Contractor II saw for my off time at the theater and used a Delta Beismier industrial saw by day in a number of places I worked. The industrial model, especially when with off market fence and table setup was great, the Contractor II was mine and also great given it only had a caster base but not as good a fence, or as much power.
So today I was using this little lightweight table saw. This after opening the box and finding out it's blad elevation knob was broken. Given it was a broken box and the tool department manager at Lowes had also noted such a thing, he let me trade my broken knob for that of the show room model's knob as opposed to having to do a full return and wait for another one to get in stock. It would seem some sales people are cool no matter where they work as opposed to dogmatically following policy of one must return the saw when damaged and if out of stock in it return it in exchange for no saw to use today.
Had the option of a few saws last night ranging from like $100.00 to in my case a bit over $300.00 for the DeWalt that most of my shop is already outfitted with and was smaller than the rest (needs to fit under the work table when not in use.) Only looking for a 6" blade 1x lumber cutting table saw for cutting molding and stuff, but in not finding one went with the little bitty but still 10" saw of a trusted brand and of a size I already had lots of spare blades to including some really good ones for doing all sorts of things just collecting dust these days. Hmm, $75.00 blade bought ten years ago, now back in use...
Anyway, while small and concerned that it would as a small light weight saw need anchoring, I was surprised in finding it did not need mounting - as I used it, it did not walk about the room or table top in needing to be clamped to a surface. This given the direct drive in part no doubt as opposed to belt drive I am more used to.
While cutting I didn't note any bogging down of the motor but did note its fence was while "factory aligned" not aligned accurately. This much less in having a blade elevation knob that broke in shipping, such a knob doesn't leave me with such a concept of quality materials. In initially doing the blade kick back/shield, than removing it later for other needs, and later in changing to a better blade, I cannot say I am impressed with the "throat gate" blade surround plate which requires a screw driver to remove. Didn't really get tight enough or in other than gravity plate normal mean anything different than one which does not lock.
What I really did not like was the note in the manual about it not being designed for use with a dado blade - the heck, it's a 10" saw, and from a company that seems to have thought out most stuff and I will not do a dado blade in spec.
Also the fence leaves something to be desired in not getting up to 24" wide rip cut. One would think other than +16" cuts would be useful. Also that the fence is way too short in length, than there is the Miter Gauge which is too short for accurate use with a 1x4 in cross cutting and thoroughly plastic in not being much as with most of the saw to be over home owner grade.
Overall, not impressed with this table saw. Fence is poor adjustment for it not very useful or accurate, miter gauge is useless, blade height doesn't lock down to a designated height, isn't much use for plywood over 16" in width for measuring, this given the fence is not much use. While light weight and not bouncing about in use, most of its components are still plastic and fragile.
Overall, not very impressed or would other than for a small garage would I recommend it.
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