Time for a new table saw...

[tomk]

They just don't make things like they used to. My 13 year old Ridgid job site tablesaw just died. It has been running erratically for the last few months and finally let the smoke out this weekend. As much as I'd love to have a contractor or cabinet saw the budget and space just don't allow for that.

I've got the selection narrowed down to two contenders.

1. DeWalt DWE7491RS
2. SawStop Jobsite Pro

Why I like the DeWalt
- Loads of capacity (over 32" / 812 mm).
- Quick lock blade guard is very handy for swapping guard and riving knife
- Open body makes it easy to clean
- Very sturdy stand
- Totally enclosed blade cavity (fabric shroud attached to underside of table) which vastly improves dust collection
- Rack and pinion fence is fantastic
- Wrenches are in a pocket instead of bolted to the side like most other job site saws
- Good quality and value

Why I like the SawStop
- Blade brake (obviously)
- Bevel adjustment w/micro adjust is quite a bit better than the DeWalt
- One crank up/down
- Large table
- Interesting fence design

I've used the DeWalt before but never spent any time with the SawStop. I haven't been the biggest fan of SawStop the company ever since the whole Bosch REAXX thing but I figured now that Festool owns them and their patents are about to expire they may refocus their efforts on innovation instead of litigation.

The heart of the TKS 80 appears to be a transplant from the Jobsite Pro. I don't think I'd ever own a TKS 80 if they ever released it in the states - just too odd compared to what I am used to.

Based on what I know now if the two saws were the same price and the SawStop didn't have the blade brake I'd buy the DeWalt all day long. Same price with the brake then I'd buy the SawStop.

Now with the SawStop being about 3x the cost of the DeWalt I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong I love my fingers so that's got to count toward something. You never plan on having an accident which is why it's called an accident. I just don't think the rest of the SawStop is 2x or 3x better than the DeWalt. It reminds me of my Ridgid R4510 which I actually hated using. The whole expand-a-table thing is such a drag.

Does anyone have some experience with either of these saws and if so, do you recommend one over the other? Should I just limp along with my track saw until one of the other companies releases their Sawstop killer? Is it penny wise and pound foolish to even think about something other than a Sawstop?

 

[Jason.L.Hagen]

I had the exact same Dewalt you are looking at. I just got rid of it. I hated the fence as it wasn’t straight. Also, I tried many times to calibrate the blade so it was straight and parallel to the miter gauge track but not never could get it correct. The tolerances on this machine might be ok if your ripping plywood for sheeting a roof. But if your doing anything else, you wouldn’t recommend it.

I’m looking at the Sawstop now because the fence is so much better. And with playing with it a little, I’m very impressed by it.

Like they say, you get what you pay for. You spend more on Festool because it’s better. The same here.

 

[ChuckM]

Have you registered your Ridgid? If so, should the saw come with a lifetime warranty?

 

[tomk]

I had the exact same Dewalt you are looking at. I just got rid of it. I hated the fence as it wasn’t straight. Also, I tried many times to calibrate the blade so it was straight and parallel to the miter gauge track but not never could get it correct. The tolerances on this machine might be ok if your ripping plywood for sheeting a roof. But if your doing anything else, you wouldn’t recommend it.

I’m looking at the Sawstop now because the fence is so much better. And with playing with it a little, I’m very impressed by it.

Like they say, you get what you pay for. You spend more on Festool because it’s better. The same here.

That is interesting. I've always had good luck calibrating with a dial gauge. When you say the fence wasn't straight do you mean the extruded aluminum was warped? How many thou was it out? I should probably read the saw stop manual I just figured the calibration procedure for job site and contractor saws were the same.

Also, the majority of the DeWalt is metal which is much nicer than my old plastic Ridgid... when you checked out the SawStop is there a metal body under all that plastic?

 

[tomk]

Have you registered your Ridgid? If so, should the saw come with a lifetime warranty?

Yeah I found that out the hard way when I called them the first time the switch failed. I didn't realize I had to register within a certain timeframe.

Even so I'm not sure what they would have done being that the motor is no longer available.

 

[serge0n]

The DeWalt saw is nice, but it's really not meant for furniture building. The table is not very flat and the fence may not be straight or square to the table. Calibration options are very limited. The biggest downside to me is that the table is aluminum, not cast iron. All the magnetic jigs go out the window.
I have the cordless version of this same saw and I love it, but I mostly use it for framing and outdoor projects.

The Sawstop jobsite table saw is not perfect either, the blade adjustment mechanism is designed around speed, not precision. Good luck dialing in that cut for a groove.

If a jobsite Sawstop is within reach in terms of budget, why not get something like a Laguna F1? Footprint is comparable to a large jobsite saw unless you plan to roll it away after every use.

 

[me_two]

Hi everyone. If you can ,get the Laguna F2 it is a great saw.
I looked at the F1 and settled for the F2.

 

[afish]

If you have the space and dont need to be portable try to hold out for a cabinet saw.  You can usually find a good deal on one in the used market.  I paid 400 for my 3hp unisaw plus a few hours cleaning the top up and another $20 for cleaning supplies. It even came with a mobile base.   

 

[Birdhunter]

I agree about holding out for a real cabinet saw. I have the big SawStop and the quality still amazes me after owning it all these years. It’s never been anything but dead accurate with no adjustments necessary since I first set it up.

When I bought the SawStop, I also looked at the Powermatic. It was a nice saw, but the SawStop just looked like a better made product. The safety feature was just icing on the cake.

It’s odd, but the safety feature has made me even more careful. I don’t want to cause it to trip.

 

[weekendwarrior]

They just don't make things like they used to. My 13 year old Ridgid job site tablesaw just died. It has been running erratically for the last few months and finally let the smoke out this weekend. As much as I'd love to have a contractor or cabinet saw the budget and space just don't allow for that.

Ridgid has lifetime warranty.  Get that R4510 fixed for free at Home Depot!  I've had batteries and whole tool sets replaced for free with the Ridgid warranty.

 

[Bob D.]

RIDGID has a lifetime service agreement IF you register for
the LSA within 90 days of purchase. If not then it's 3 years.

If you have older RIDGID tools made by Emerson here in the
USA then you have a Lifetime Warranty which differs from the
current LSA program. Those older tools were grey in color not
orange.

 

[kevinculle]

There is a third choice if you want a stout cabinet saw, you aren't limited to buying a saw with blade protection (SawStop), and you don't mind a little restorative maintenance.  Classic cabinet saws like the Unisaw are out there in substantial quantities at reasonable price points and with a bit of work like bearing changes, lubrication, and cosmetics if you want a sharp looker you can own a superb machine.  These saws were built from the 1930s with relatively few significant changes and there is a wealth of information out there.  If you shop diligently you can find one and restore it with a bottom line under $1,000.    All the help you need is available at:

Old Wood Working Machines

 

[rvieceli]

I’m partial to USA made Powermatic cabinet saws. Built like tanks. I’m running a 1969 Powermatic 66 10 inch saw. These saws are easy to disassemble and reassemble. There are only two readily available bearings in the arbor.

Ron

 

[ChuckM]

Have you registered your Ridgid? If so, should the saw come with a lifetime warranty?

Yeah I found that out the hard way when I called them the first time the switch failed. I didn't realize I had to register within a certain timeframe.

Even so I'm not sure what they would have done being that the motor is no longer available.

That's too bad missing out on the registration thing. I know of a case in which a discontinued model of Ridgid machine couldn't be fixed. The owner talked to Home Depot about it intending to negotiate for a discount to get a replacement (in a new model). Since it was registered, HD replaced it with no charge.

If you really are going for the long haul in woodworking/furniture making, get a SawStop PCS or ICS with the industrial mobile base. A PCS has a footprint similar to a contractor saw. As of today, no one seems to know for sure when the SawStop patents will expire. I know some people are still holding on not buying a domino joiner until the patents run out and clones come to the market.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I've used the DeWalt before but never spent any time with the SawStop. I haven't been the biggest fan of SawStop the company ever since the whole Bosch REAXX thing but I figured now that Festool owns them and their patents are about to expire they may refocus their efforts on innovation instead of litigation.

Just to clarify, Festool does not own SawStop. Festool's parent company, however, owns both companies and a few more, like Tanos.

 

[Bob D.]

[member=76100]tomk[/member] didn't mention if he used the saw only in a specific location such as a shop or if he took it on the road to various jobsites. Since his current saw is an easily transportable jobsite saw and the two saws he asked about are both intended to be jobsite saws it would seem that a cabinet saw is not what he is after as a replacement.

I think if he got 13 years out of a jobsite saw that's pretty good. One thing to remember about the RIDGID LSA is it's the lifetime of the TOOL, not the owner. I'm am guessing but I would bet that after 13 years RIDGID would declare that saw as dead and you'd have a hard time getting anything out of them. 

I don't have any first hand experience with a LSA claim like this might be IF he had registered for the LSA 13 years ago. But a jobsite saw with a universal motor is going to be pretty hard to find parts for. They seem to make major changes to these things every other year. I think you'd be lucky if you can get parts 3 years after they (or most manufacturers) stop selling a tool, let alone 13 years later.

 

[Eorlingur]

As of today, no one seems to know for sure when the SawStop patents will expire. I know some people are still holding on not buying a domino joiner until the patents run out and clones come to the market.

Most US patents are valid for 20 years from when they are filed, if all fees are payed in time. The patents seems to have been filed in 2017, so they will last a while.

 

[nclemmons]

I have both of these saws. 

Have the Dewalt at my farm and have used it quite a bit.  My son and son-in-law both have this saw as well.  Fence and width-of-cut capacity are the strengths.  Price point is also a plus.  However, it's loud and dust collection is marginal.  The manual includes a calibration procedure for dialing in the saw and I have done that on all three that I have used with very good results in terms of accuracy.

Have the SawStop at my home and have used it quite a bit over the past year.  It's easier to fold and move than the Dewalt.  Quieter by a bit.  Definitely better dust collection. I had an Inca 259 in my home shop for years and wanted an upgrade.  Debated several of the SawStops largely for safety considerations.  Went with the job site for size and portability to easily move it in a garage shop. 

I've been very happy with the precision.  I build furniture, toys and a few cabinets and the SawStop along with my track saw has worked very well for me.  No issues with accuracy.  It will bog down on hardwood that is 2" thick, but most of my work is 1" or smaller other than legs for tables.

I have the SawStop and the rest of my shop on a central dust collection and include the over-blade guard for additional collection.  The Dewalt is similar with a 55 gallon vacuum at my farm.  But the dust collection and noise on it is significantly worse than the SawStop.

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.
One thing to remember about the RIDGID LSA is it's the lifetime of the TOOL, not the owner. I'm am guessing but I would bet that after 13 years RIDGID would declare that saw as dead and you'd have a hard time getting anything out of them. 

Indeed the LSA covers the life of the tool, but the life is not specified in any documentation. I know for a fact that HD replaces the batteries for free even after 10 years of use as long as they still exist:

"Your power tool is covered if it breaks due to normal wear and tear, as long as it's been properly maintained and used correctly. Ridgid will replace your damaged tool or parts including brushes, chucks, motors, switches, gears and even cordless batteries."

In the case I know, HD even replaced a discontinued machine as it couldn't be fixed (or it was beyond economical repair?):https://www.ridgid.com/ca/en/full-lifetime-warranty.

Many non-Ridgid machines and tools in my shops are 15 years old and older. I think I can keep using them as a hobbyist till I quit woodworking.

 

[Joebuck]

The Sawstop jobsite table saw is not perfect either, the blade adjustment mechanism is designed around speed, not precision. Good luck dialing in that cut for a groove.

Tom. I owned the Dewalt 7491 for years and really liked it. The fence worked great. Never had a problem with calibration or dialing the saw in to cut square and true. I upgraded to the SawStop Jobsite pro after suffering a thankfully minor injury on my Dewalt. I’ve used table saws of all varieties for 30 years.

I’m very happy with the performance of my SawStop, and consider it superior to my Dewalt in almost every respect. It’s got plenty of power, and the fence is simple and accurate with a little care and technique when you are attaching it to the table.

The height and bevel adjustment take some getting used to for someone who’s used a crank style adjustment all their life. As Serge pointed out, the saw is geared towards speed of use, and maybe less so towards accuracy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve great results, it just takes a few more seconds of fiddling. This is especially true of blade height adjustment. I do a lot of work where precision is paramount with respect to blade height, but once I take the time to dial in the right height, I do not find that the saw blade drops or settles over time. If I’m honest, I really like the single crank up and down when doing general table saw operations, it’s so fast.

The aluminum table is flat and the saws stand is quick to setup and take down with a single foot lock, much quicker than the Dewalt stand, but similar to the Rigid saws stand. I happen to be in a situation where I need the saw to fold up and store out of the way, hence, why I own a Jobsite saw in the first place.

Others have posted totally valid comments regarding cabinet saws a better overall choice, and I can’t disagree. But for me, I need mobility. I had initially considered the SawStop contractor saw with the metal top and the (now discontinued) wheel barrow style mobile base, but ultimately felt like the footprint would be too big when stored.

If it comes down to dollars and cents for your purchasing decision, I’d still go with the SawStop over the Dewalt. It’s a better built machine with the added safety feature as an important bonus.