I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

I have reviewed the archives and am still left with questions as to
which one to get.

Years ago I almost got the DeWalt DW744 (bright yellow with bubble gum
dispenser option) but other issues demanded that I direct my attention
to other things in life other than woodworking.

I note that Bosch, Rigid and Makita now have offerings similar to the
DeWalt.

I do understand that a contractor saw is a better value but I already
have an Unisaw sitting in the shop.

The saw that I am now looking to buy is to be used as a PORTABLE saw. I
am past the years where I would place my Unisaw in the trunk of a car
to go to a jobsite.

I also have a $100 Craftsman portable saw that does fill a need on
occasion (like loaning tools to the neighbors) so I am not looking to
buy at that level of the table saw market.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TMT

On 8 Jan 2005 11:36:45 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

the ryobi bt3xxx has a following. it's not a saw for everybody, but
the people who like 'em like 'em a lot.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

I have reviewed the archives and am still left with questions as to
which one to get.

Years ago I almost got the DeWalt DW744 (bright yellow with bubble gum
dispenser option) but other issues demanded that I direct my attention
to other things in life other than woodworking.

I note that Bosch, Rigid and Makita now have offerings similar to the
DeWalt.

I do understand that a contractor saw is a better value but I already
have an Unisaw sitting in the shop.

The saw that I am now looking to buy is to be used as a PORTABLE saw. I
am past the years where I would place my Unisaw in the trunk of a car
to go to a jobsite.

I also have a $100 Craftsman portable saw that does fill a need on
occasion (like loaning tools to the neighbors) so I am not looking to
buy at that level of the table saw market.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TMT

That Dewalt 744 is a great machine (for it's size) but I can't recommend
it for portability. I found that just dragging it around the shop
knocked the fence out of line every time and it took a lot of fiddling
to get it back in line. I finally got smart and built a cabinet on
wheels for it and tossed the stand. Now I'm happy with it. Of course,
I bought it for size in an extremely small workshop. Portability was
not a concern. Some of the others are set up for actual portability.
One of the magazines had an article about them. Seems like some folded
up with good sized wheels so you could roll it around like a hand truck.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

I have reviewed the archives and am still left with questions as to
which one to get.

Years ago I almost got the DeWalt DW744 (bright yellow with bubble
gum
dispenser option) but other issues demanded that I direct my
attention
to other things in life other than woodworking.

I note that Bosch, Rigid and Makita now have offerings similar to the
DeWalt.

I do understand that a contractor saw is a better value but I already
have an Unisaw sitting in the shop.

The saw that I am now looking to buy is to be used as a PORTABLE saw.
I
am past the years where I would place my Unisaw in the trunk of a car
to go to a jobsite.

I also have a $100 Craftsman portable saw that does fill a need on
occasion (like loaning tools to the neighbors) so I am not looking to
buy at that level of the table saw market.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TMT

I tested a bunch of these for a contractor's magazine some time ago:
the Ridgid was best; the Craftsman was a close second.

The April 2004 issue of Workbench Magazine (www.workbenchmagazine.com)
conducted a reveiw of 5 jobsite saws. The Ridgid TS2400LS was chosen as
Editor's Choice and the Craftsman 137.218300 was Top Value. The Ryobi
entry
in this class was the BTS20 (the BT3XXX) series is not realy a "portable"
saw.

I have the Craftsman and so far find it to be quite good. I would
(probably) bought the Ridgid but when I needed a saw the Craftsman was on
sale for $200CAN less than the Ridgid.

The other saws reveiwed were the DeWalt DW744S and the Bosch 4000-07.

These saws are far from cabinet saws let alone contractors saws but by the
same token they are much better than bench top saws.

"Charlie Self" wrote in message
oups.com...

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

I have reviewed the archives and am still left with questions as to
which one to get.

Years ago I almost got the DeWalt DW744 (bright yellow with bubble
gum
dispenser option) but other issues demanded that I direct my
attention
to other things in life other than woodworking.

I note that Bosch, Rigid and Makita now have offerings similar to the
DeWalt.

I do understand that a contractor saw is a better value but I already
have an Unisaw sitting in the shop.

The saw that I am now looking to buy is to be used as a PORTABLE saw.
I
am past the years where I would place my Unisaw in the trunk of a car
to go to a jobsite.

I also have a $100 Craftsman portable saw that does fill a need on
occasion (like loaning tools to the neighbors) so I am not looking to
buy at that level of the table saw market.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

TMT

I tested a bunch of these for a contractor's magazine some time ago:
the Ridgid was best; the Craftsman was a close second.

I do really like the way Ridgid solved the stand/transport problem.

How well does the saw actually work?

How about that dark topic that magazines never review...parts
availability and their cost?

Has anyone had to get parts?

How long did it take, what did they cost and can you get parts for
discontinued saws?

Otherwise great saw may also be an expensive throwaway saw.

As for the DW744 being "kinda portable", do you think the magazine's
opinion would have changed if the DW744 (or Bosch) would have been
mounted on a different stand like the Ridgid stand/cart?

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:


As for the DW744 being "kinda portable", do you think the magazine's
opinion would have changed if the DW744 (or Bosch) would have been
mounted on a different stand like the Ridgid stand/cart?

TMT

I own one (Dewalt). Moving the saw on the stand it came with caused the
fence to move out of whack every time. When I mounted it on a cabinet
and used the cabinet to move it (that is grab it by the cabinet top
instead of the saw), it stayed put. So if it is mounted to a base and
the base gets all the pressure, it might be able to be more portable.
It wouldn't make it easier to for me to get it out of my basement but
that's due the physical set up of the basement and my back.

Big thing is to put any stress on the base the saw is mounted to and
keep it off the saw and its cabinet. If that can be done so the fence
setting doesn't change, then the Dewalt would be a good saw for a job
site. Once I solved the problem of moving the saw around in my shop I
have not had to reset the fence and it maintains very good accuracy.
Raising the blade is still a PITA but that's a different issue.

Sat, Jan 8, 2005, 11:36am (EST-3)
(Too_Many_Tools) proclaims:
I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw. snip

I don't see any mention of what you plan on cutting, or how often.
That could make a difference. Hell, circular saw, sawguide, and saw
horses, could do it.



JOAT
EVERY THING THAT HAPPENS STAYS HAPPENED.
- Death

For my use, this PORTABLE table saw will be used on a job site so we
are talking about structural lumber and sheet goods for the majority of
its work.

I could also see an occasional use in the shop as a second operation
machine set up to do a specific job. Remember that in the shop, I have
an Unisaw to handle the tighter tolerance stuff and all my jigs would
be set up for the Unisaw.

TMT

Well, depending upon our exact needs for a jobsite saw, the Ryobi mentioned
in the article might just fit the bill.
"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
oups.com...
For my use, this PORTABLE table saw will be used on a job site so we
are talking about structural lumber and sheet goods for the majority of
its work.

I could also see an occasional use in the shop as a second operation
machine set up to do a specific job. Remember that in the shop, I have
an Unisaw to handle the tighter tolerance stuff and all my jigs would
be set up for the Unisaw.

TMT

I've had words with my BT3000 a few times since 5/92 but it has served
me well. A construction foreman posted several years ago he was
buying three BT3000s per year for each of his work crews because they
were insisting on nothing else.

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 13:27:36 -0700, s wrote:

On 8 Jan 2005 11:36:45 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

I am in the market for a PORTABLE table saw.

the ryobi bt3xxx has a following. it's not a saw for everybody, but
the people who like 'em like 'em a lot.