Craftsman TS3650 User manual

DRD-Pers
1. TableSaw
1. Plan:
1. DONE BuytheRidgidTS3650.
2. DONE Buyapushshoe (see iftheyhaveoneat HomeDepot, elsecouldbuytheCraftsmanonethat Searshas).
1. Useapushshoe ratherthanapushstick:
1. "PushShoe"
http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/PushShoe.htm
1. [Thisisaverygoodidea -shoulduseit ratherthanapushstick.]
2. Safetyand theTableSaw-"PushSticks and Hold-DownDevices"
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/safe-4.htm
3. Pre-made:
1. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pid=00932190000&cat=Power+Tool+Acce
ssories&subcat=Tool+Safety&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1
2. http://www.vermontamerican.com/Products/productdetail.htm?G=190912&GRP=190912&I=70515
3. Makeorbuyafeatherboard.
1. Howtomakeafeatherboard: http://www.woodzone.com/tips/featherboard.htm
2. http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=1651
1. 12
3. http://www.amazon.com/Bench-Dog-10-005-Feather-Loc-Featherboard/dp/B000051WS9
1. 17
4. Magnetic: (moreexpensive, probablykeepit inmind and "upgrade"ifnecessary)
1. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7534
1. 50
5. Cansee what theyhaveat HomeDepot.
4. Buyaninexpensivepushblockortwo:
1. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000223VM/ref=pd_cp_hi_title/002-9117502-0836809?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_r=1EB0W0AGR1T8SBDZKV7R&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=277661601&pf_rd_i=B000051WS9
5. Buyazero-clearanceinsert (oneormore)forusewithdifferent blades.
1. Theycomesolid; youcustomizeit bypassing thespecificbladeup through it.
2. Dadoinsert fortheRidgid:
1. http://www.amazon.com/Leecraft-RG-1-RIDGID-TS3650-Clearance/dp/B0006FKJGY
1. 22
2. Positivereviews.
3. Makeyourown: http://www.hoistman.com/HoistMan/ZCItute.html
6. Probablybuynon-siliconewaxforuseonthetopofthetablesaw, tokeepit fromrusting.
7. Possiblybuyabettersawblade.
1. MaybeForrest WWII.
2. http://www.forrestsawblades.com/
3. DeWalt DW7657
1. http://www.amazon.com/DeWalt-DW7657-General-Purpose-Blade/dp/B000H0VSHW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-9117502-
0836809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1175312167&sr=8-1
2. http://www.amazon.com/DW7657-10-Inch-General-Purpose-Woodworking/dp/B00008K2TZ
3. http://www.epinions.com/content_220309917316?linkin_id=8003929
1. Afterowning it forjust ashort time, I'mconvincedthat thishasgot tobethebest valueonthemarket. I’ma
staunchsupporterofthevenerableForrest WWII bladeand amfavorablyimpressedwiththesimilarRidge
CarbideTS2000, but amalsoextremelyimpressedwiththeDW7657 sofar. It'sdifficult todistinguishcuts
madebetweenthetwoblades. Botharesogoodthat it'sdifficult toevenspot sawmarks. Oneofthe
woodworking magazinesdidacomparisontest betweentheDW7657 and theWWII and found the7657
deliversremarkeablysimilarperformancetotheForrest at closetohalfthecost. I agree and sodomanyothers
who'vetriedboth.
2. theDWisonlyavailableinthisconfigurationasafull kerf. BothForrest and DeWalt offerstabilizersfortheir
bladestosupposedlyreducevibration, but I'veyet tonoticeanimprovement fromthem. DeWalt offersother
thinkerfgeneralpurposebladesinothermodelnumbersbut don't havethesamespecsasthe7657.
3. Thesetopshelfgeneralpurpose40Tbladesalsodoanextremelygoodjobcrosscutting and forcutting most
sheet goods. Toget cleanercutsinthesematerials, you'dhavetomaintainthelevelofqualityand increasethe
toothcount to60 to80 teeth, whichmeanssignificantlyhigherinitialcost, and highercost forresharpening.
Thereare60 and 80 toothbladesforless money, but most offerinferiorqualitytotheDWand Forrest and will
not cut aswell inthelong run. Ifyou'relikeme, you'll find the7657 and theForrest will beinstalledonyoursaw
foraout 90% ofyourcuts.
4. Freud
1. LU86R010
1. http://www.epinions.com/content_227985493636?linkin_id=8003929 bywoody2
1. It'sconfiguredwithsmallersawsand versatilityinmind, and delivershandsomelyonthat claim. It'll rip
and crosscut well enough toleaveinplaceforabout 90% ofthecutsI make. It makescleanercutsthan
aripblade, yet canhandleripping choresthat acrosscut bladecan't. Onlyforheavy dutyripping ofvery
thickhardwoodswill I swaptheLU86 foradedicatedripblade. Incomparisontoit's60 toothcousin, the
LU88, the40 toothLU86 offersaslightlyless polishededge, but handlesthickermaterialsmoreeasily,
and ismoreversatileintherangeofcutsand materialsit'll handle. It cutscleanlyenough tousefor
nearlyall crosscutsinhardand soft woods. It doeswell inmost plywoodstoo, splintering onlyslightlyon
theunderside. Thethinkerfbodyand shapeoftheteethhelpthisbladeglidethrough tough woodseven
withaveragesizesaws, and hasaneffortless feelwhencutting.
2. Thiswill bemyrecommendationtofamilyand friendslooking foragoodall around bladethat will work
well inamodest sawwithout breaking thebank. It'll see useinmysawforeverydayuseand asaback
up tomyForrest WWII.
2. LU88R010
1. http://www.epinions.com/content_226312687236 bywoody2
1Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
1. TheLU88 issomewhat ofanexceptionforacrosscut blade. Theaggressivehookanglegivesit theability
toriprespectablywell onstock<1"thickwithminimalburning, minimaltearout, and at asurprisingly
fast feedrate. Moderatelythickpine, hardmaple, cherry, blackwalnut, and oakwereall handledwith
similarease....I'veevenripped6/4"elmwithit. It'sdifficult todetect blademarks and tearout onanycut
I'vemadewiththeLU88. Most oftheothergoodqualitygeneralpurpose, combination, orcrosscut blades
that I'vetrieddidnot cut betterthanmytrusty40TForrest WWII generalpurposeblade. Oftheblades
I'vetried(see list below*), onlythepremierFreud F810, DW7657, and RidgeCarbideTS2000 heldtheir
ownorbestedtheForrest.
2. It'scut qualityiseversoslightlycleanerthantheForrest's, but not quiteaspolishedastheF810's. It will
ripconsiderablybetterthantheF810 and ripswell comparedtotheForrest incut qualitybut bogsdown
soonerinthickstock. TheForrest and theLU88 bothfall short oftheaggressiveripping efficiencythat a
24Tdedicatedripping bladewill offer, although bothleaveacleanercut....there'salways atradeoff of
somesort.
3. TheLU88R010 isn't quiteasversatileasmyForrest and isn't likelytoreplaceit asmyprimaryblade, but
therearedefinitelyapplicationswhereit will begainfullyemployedand appreciatedforwhat it cando
5. thinkerf(3/32)
6. RidgeCarbide40T
7.
8. BuyaDadoSet
1. Whenassembling yourdadostack, useapapertoweldampenedwithpaint thinnertowipebothsidesoftheoutsidecutters
and insidechippers. Thisremovesanysawdust that maycausethedadotobeinaccurateinwidth.
1. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum//DCForumID5/6144.html
2. went withtheDeWalt set, and haveaRidgidTS3650 tablesaw. Yesterdaywasthefirst timethat I reallyusedtheset tocut
awidedado(3/4"by1/2"deep). Theset wasdeadon, and cut aslot within0.003-0.005 of3/4". Thecutswerestraight,
effortless, and easilyrepeatable. Thesawdidnot feelboggeddown. Thedadoswerecut bothwith, and across thegrain, of
mapleveneerplywood, and werecompletelychipfree. I wasamazed.
1. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum//DCForumID5/6144.html
9. Probablybuyabladeforcutting acrylic.
1. Towhat extent canI shapetheacrylicbysimplyscoring and bending it toproducethecuts?
2. http://www.sdplastics.com/acrylic.html
1. Usemetalcutting sawbladesand drillswhichareground foracrylicsheet.
2. Usehollowground high speedbladeswithnoset and at least 5teethperinch. Carbidetippedbladeswithatriplechip
toothwill givethesmoothest cuts. Set thebladeheight about 1/8"abovetheheight ofthematerial. Thiswill reduce
edgechipping.
3. Feedtheworkslowlyand smoothly. Lubricatethebladewithsoaporbeeswaxtominimizegumming fromthe
masking adhesive. Besurethesawisup tofull speedbeforebeginning thecut. Watercooling thebladeissuggested
forthicknessesover1/4", especiallyifedgecementing will beperformed.
3. http://www.generalsaw.com/resource/plastic_tips.html
1. thereareessentiallytwotypesofAcrylicsheet... Cast Acrylicand ExtrudedAcrylic.
2. Thecombinationofthispolymerand theslowcuring process producesanacrylicthat hasfewimperfectionsand is
extremelyhard. CASTAcrylicisthereforeoftenreferredtoas"HardPlastic".
3. Thecompositionofthisplasticismuchsofterand pliablethanCASTAcrylic, and isoftenreferredtoas"Soft Plastic"
or"LowMelt Acrylic". Hereinliestheuniversaldifficultyinmachining EXTRUDEDAcrylic, cutting it without melting it.
10. Possiblybuyahoseand connectorforDad'svacuum; thissetup canbepermanentlyattachedtothetablesawtoavoiddifficult
disconncection/reconnection.
11. Old
1. Plan:
1. BuytheDW746 (theplainversion)for950.
2. BuytheIncraTS-LS fencefor340.
3. BuytheMiter5000 sledfor246
4. Totaloftheaboveisabout 1550 (450 cheaperthantheDelta).
5. Perhapsbuythe"mobilebase".
6. Beforeproceding, see ifDadisinterested, and see ifthereareanyothercontractorsawsthat canmatchtheDW746.
2. Vendors:
1. Amazon
2. Lowe's
3. HomeDepot
4. Woodcraft
1. http://www.woodcraft.com/
2. TheyhaveastoreinRichmond:
1. TheShopsat WillowLawn
2. 4925 West BroadSt.
3. Richmond, VA 23230
4. Phone: [phone]
5. Fax: [phone]
6. [e-mail]
3. Contenders:
1. RidgidTS3650
1. http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/TS3650-Table-Saw
2. $549 at HomeDepot
3. Until 4/11/07, save$75 forpurchasesbetween400 and 599. Save$125 forpurchasesabove600.
4. 549-75 =474
5. Trytofind aHomeDepot 10% off coupon. Apparently, I coulduseaLowe'scouponifnecessary.
6. Accessories:
1. Dadoinsert:
1. http://www.amazon.com/Leecraft-RG-1-RIDGID-TS3650-Clearance/dp/B0006FKJGY
2Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
1. 22
2. Positivereviews.
7. Research:
1. Press Release: http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/25150
2. http://benchmark.20m.com/reviews/RidgidTS3650/RidgidTS3650Review.html
1. I believeitsfeaturesplaceit inthe"high end"categorywhichmakestheTS3650 averygoodvalue.
2. Thetableheight is36.5incheswhichisjust atadhigh.
3. Thesawtookabout 4hourstoassemblebut becauseit wasalignedsowell "out ofthebox", didnot requireany
significant timetoalign, mainlyjust checking tosee that it was.
4. TheTS3650 usesacradlemadeofasinglepieceironcasting whichseemstobeverystout.
5. Thesawalsoincorporatesaneasy toremoveand replacesplitter/ guarddevice. A singlescrewisall it takesto
install thesystemontothesaw.
6. [niceintegratedmobilebasethat comesstandard]
7. Thebladeraise/ tilt functionsarefairlyhigh resolutionat 10 turnsperinchofraiseand 29.5turnsfor45
degreesoftilt. Thereareadjustablestopsforbladeanglewhichcanbeaccessedeasilyfromthetopofthe
table. Boththeraiseand tilt functionsareaccurateand easy tooperate.
8. themotorsizeistypicalofthisclass ofsawand hasplentyofpowerformost operations. Thesawisastable
platformwhenripping sheetsofplywood, I'msurethoseheavy cast ironwingshelpalittlewiththat. I found that
most ofthetimethesawwouldpass the"nickeltest"through acompletepowercycle. Thereisasmall amount
ofvibrationonthemachinethough.
9. Theripfencehasafairlysmall headsectionwithtwocursorsand athumbwheelformoving thefenceposition
insmall increments. Thisthumbwheelisnot atruemicro-positionerand I didnot find it tobeveryuseful.
10. Theripfencelocks onboththeinfeedand outfeedside, thismakesforaveryrigidfencewhenlockeddown. I
haveheardseveraluncomplimentarycommentsregarding theRidgidripfencebut tryasI may, I couldnever
find anysignificant fault withthissystem. A commonupgradetoalowend contractorsawisabetterripfence
suchasaVegaorBiesemeyer. WhenI evaluatefencesystemsinmyreviews, I trytodosowithactual
measurementssoastoremoveanyunjustifiablebiasintheevaluation. Basically, theRidgidripfenceisasgood
asanyofthe"upgrade"fencesI havemeasured.
11. Theripfencewasasstraight asmymachinistsstraightedge. Theripfencewouldlockdownrepeatedlywithin
0.004"ofparallel(measuredover22"), it wouldrepeat toapositionwithin0.005"(thisisoperatordependant).
Witha10lbsideloadappliedat theend oftheripfenceit woulddeflect about 0.002"at that point. Theseareall
VERY respectablenumbersand comparefavorablytopremiumreplacement fences.
3. http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2188&position=0&type=article
1. Verypositivereview.
4. http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5843
1. Although I amsatisfiedwiththesawthereisthat arborissuethat most seemtohave. Thereisclearlyalow
spot onthearbor. Thisreallydoesn't bothermebecauseI usemyrouterfordados.
2. Also, thereisalittlevibration(probablyfixwithbetterbelt). ohonemorething, whenI mademyfirst cut with
thestockbladethecut cameout jaggedand therewasmuchvibration. I thought that thesawhadbeen
damagedand consideredreturning it toHD. I decidedtotryanoldbladethat I hadand it cut straight. I can't
believethat thestockbladewaswarped.
3. I will trytoget Rigidtosend meanewbladeand arbor.
4. Alsothebladewrenchesit camewitharepathetic. I havehadthebladeoff onlytwicesofarand theyare
alreadybent and slipoff thearbor
5. Ill havetofind acoupleofREALwrenchesthat areflat enough and long enough todothejob.
6. Asyouknow, the3650 comeswithaflat automotivetypebelt. I don't thinkyou'll find abetterbelt and ifyoudid
youwouldhavetochangethepulleys too. Haveyoutriedadjusting thebelt tensiontoget ridofthevibration?
7. I thinkthe3650 isalot moresawthantheHitachi, whichhasamong theworst fencesand flimsiest wingsI've
seenrecentlyonasawinthispricerange. Thevibrationisn't likelytobefromtheserpentinebelt. Checkthe
alignment ofthepulleys first, and besurethebelt tensiononthemotorissufficient. Ifit persists, youmayhave
toexchangeit.
8. Moreover, it iseasy tosoup it up and haveit handlematerialjust likea$1500 -$2000 table.
9. I addedtheShopfoxextensiontableontheright sideand movedtherailsoverwithanewtapesystemtocut 51
inchesontheright oftheblade. I thenaddeda2.5x3inchcherryplatformontheleft that receivesa27"x48"
3/4"birchpanelwithglidetapethat locks onthesideofmyworkbenchwithafeatherboardsystemaddedtoit.
I alsoaddedthenewJessemmitergaugewiththedual-indexing anglepins. TheJessemhasanextremely
accuraterulerand stopsystemthat extendswiththestopsystemout to36"toleft oftheblade. BottomLine: I
donot miss thefenceontheleft sideat all withtheJessem.
10. Asfarasvibration, my3650 runssilky smoothand quiet-remarkablyso. Ifmyexperienceistypical, thesaw
shouldmakealittlestartup noisewhenyoufirst turnit onand thensettleintoanice, smoothhumthat youcan
barelyhearoverashopvac.
11. mineseemstohavecomefromthefactorywithloosetrunnionbolts.
12. Anothertip-spend $20 orsoand get adialindicator, it'sinvaluableforgetting youralignment just right. I got
mineat littlemachineshop.com.
5. http://www.woodworkweb.com/woodwork/article182.html
1. [veryimpressedwiththemobilebase]
2. ThecontrolsontheRidgidweresmoothand easy touse, but onewouldexpect smoothonanewtool. Oneof
themost important purposesofatablesawisripping wood, and having agoodripfenceisamust. Wefound
theripfenceontheridgidOK, not fabulous, just OK. Thisisnot abadthing foracontractorssaw. Thereisa
microadjustment, whichisalsoOK. Moving thefencebackand forthwasniceand smoothand whenit was
lockedinplaceit wassolid! Wefound thefencewasnot too hardtoadjust asit wasslightlyout ofalignment
fromthefactory. Theotherthing welikedabout theripfenceand thesaw…averydecent extension, like36
inchestotheright ofthebladeand 12 totheleft oftheblade.
3. Thenext thing welookedforwasthealignment ofthebladetothemitreslots. Most woodworkersdon’t realize
that theundercarriageofthebladeisadjustableand shouldbeadjustedsothat thebladesareperfectlyaligned
withthemitreslots. Thisiswhereperfectly, non-binding rippedwoodcomesfrom. Toourdelight, therewas
NOadjustmentsneededtothetrunionassembly, it wasoff slightly, but waswell withinthetolerancesof
working withwood.
3Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
4. Thebladethat comeswiththeRidgidlookedOK, but weoptedtouseourtried-and-trueFreud “GluelineRip, 60
toothcrosscut and combinationbladesbecauseweknowwhat theyproduce. Afterinstalling theFreud Glueline
ripand turning onthesaw, wewereveryimpressedwiththesmooth, verylowvibrationand overall “tightness”
ofthesaw. Part ofthiswedeemedwastheextraattentionRidgidpaidtothepulleyand specialmulti-band belt
that connectsthemotortothesawblade. Anexcellent choiceforsmoothoperation.
5. Ifwehaveanyfault withthesaw…orreallywiththeaccessories, likemost sawsinthiscategorythemitre
gaugesareonlyOK. Ifyouwant orneedgoodcross cutting withyourtablesawasledoroneoftheaftermarket
mitregaugeswouldbeagoodchoice.
6. Unknown:
1. Somethehigh pointsofthissawareitsquiet (relativetoothers)lowvibrationcutting ability, well thought out
adjustment controls, easeofmoving it around theshopwithit'slift system(thisisthebest out there), dead-on
accuratefence(thiswasmymainconsideration, I hatepoorlydesignedfencesand felt thisonewasasgoodas
manyoftheexpensiveaftermarket ones), and ofcorsetheRidgidlifetimewarrenty
7. http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-7360.html
1. The3650 isacontractorsaw. Contractorsawstend toofferalot ofsawforthemoney, but tend tobemore
problematicwithdust collection, takeup morespaceb/coftheoutboardmotor, and cantend tobemore
difficult toalign that cabinet saw. InRidgid'scase, they'veofferedasolutiontothedifficult alignment. Contractor
sawsalsotypicallyhaveasplayedlegbasethat spansalargerfootprint thanacabinet saw. Thenthere'salso
weight differences...the3650 weighs~285#, whichisn't bad, but theothertwosawsweigh 425# and 360#
whichofferincrediblestabilitythat nocontractorsawcan. Mybiggest beefwiththe3650 isthealuminumfence
and plastichandle. Thefencefunctionswell, but I muchpreferthestrengthofasteelrailsand fenceinthelong
haul. Thebuilt inHerculift isagreat feature. There'sablade, but not oneI'dwant touseasaprimary. Themiter
gaugeisprettygeneric, and isagoodcandidatetoupgrade. Thebladeguardisprettyeasy toremoveand
install, asistheSear's...not sureabout theGriz.
8. Reviewsat theHomeDepot product page:
1. http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=
misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0827823167.1175100825@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccefad
dkidkeelecgelceffdfgidgki.0&MID=9876
2. [verypositivereviews]
9. http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1620052&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o
=&fpart=5&vc=1
1. I thinkthearborproblemwasjust withabadrun that got through and isnolongeraproblem.
10. http://www.woodworking.com/search.cfm -searchedforts3650
1. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum//DCForumID5/6109.html
11. http://www.lumberpost.com/ArticleID-120.htm
12. http://www.woodworkweb.com/woodwork/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1058
13. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=read_count&om=5730&forum=DCForumID9
14. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=read_count&om=5730&forum=DCForumID9
1. Youcanalsogotoamericanwoodworker.comand theyhavealinktoreviewsoflotsoftools, including thetable
sawsmentioned.
2. Craftsman22124
1. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pid=00922124000&cat=Bench+Power+Tools&subcat=
Table+Saws&vertical=TOOL&ihtoken=1
1. 1100
2. 880 through March31st.
3. Salescanreallyknockdowntheprice(20-30%). Onepersonbought it inJan2006 for$630.
2. Research:
1. Review: http://www.epinions.com/content_185868979844
2. http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=read_count&om=5146&forum=DCForumID5
1. ThisparticularCraftsmanismadebyOrion...agroup offormerDeltaemployees. I wasoftenoneofthose
knocking Craftsmanproductswhendeserved, but youreallyneedtoevaluateeachoneindependently...thisone
isnot onlyagemIMO, it'sheadoftheclass and set somenewstandards.
2. Thissawaddressessomeofthebiggest problemswithcontractorsawslikeDC, bladealignment, and floor
space.
3. Thosecabinet mountedtrunnionscanbealignedinminutes...youalign thetabletotheblade, not thetrunnions
tothetable. It alsoweighs425#...afull 125# morethanagoodcontractorsaw, whichmakesit incredibly
stable.
4. Workbenchratedthe22124 first overtheJet SS, DW746, and aversionoftheGI w/aluminumfence.
5. Oneexception: Thebladeguarddidnot makemehappy. WhenI complainedabout it, they(Orion)sent mea
newone, but it wasn't anybetter.
3. http://www.epinions.com/content_184778395268
1. Aspreviouslystated, theLeitzbladeisverygood. It cutsnearlyaswell asmybelovedForrest WWII....it won't
holdup toasmanysharpeningsbecausetheteetharesmaller, but forastockbladeit'sexcellent... most are
junk.
2. But a20% off sale, combinedwitha$100 CraftsmanClub memberdiscount, plusa10% internet coupon, and
free deliverybrought a$949 machineto$594 withdelivery(plusalittlesomething forthegovernor).
3. After8monthsofmoderatelyheavy use, I'mstill verypleasedwiththesaw...probablymoresothanwhenit was
new. I'veexperiencednoproblems, I'veadjustedtothecheaperhandwheelsand theheavierfence, and have
cometoreallyappreciatethelegkick"off"paddlethat allowsmyfull attentiontoremainontheworkpiece.
3. DeWalt DW746X
1. http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=253
2. Pricing:
1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000302Q7/ref=nosim/15053889-20
1. 1100 and free shipping
2. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=93023-70-DW746X&bc=c
1. 1321 and storepick-up
3. Accessories:
1. 52"PrecisionFenceRail System-DW7464
4Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
1. http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/attachment_detail.asp?productID=1801
2. Pricing
1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000302QD/ref=nosim/15053889-20
1. 206
4. CouldbuytheplainDW746 and buyafenceseparately:
1. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_hi/002-9117502-0836809?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=dw746
1. 949
2. Not that muchintermsofpricesavings.
5. Amazonhassomebundles:
1. DeWalt DW746-UTSP UltimateTableSawPackage(DW746, DW7464, DW7463, DW7466, DW7461, DW7460 &
DW7469)
1.
2. 1880
2. DeWalt DW746-PP 52"TableSawProPackage(DW746, DW7464, DW7460 & DW7466)
1. http://www.amazon.com/DeWalt-DW746-PP-Package-DW7464-DW7460/dp/B000BMKEYO/ref=sr_1_5/002-9
117502-0836809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174971576&sr=1-5
2. 1280
6. Research:
1. Amazoncustomerreviews:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0000302Q7/sr=1-3/qid=1174971576/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/002-9
117502-0836809?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi&qid=1174971576&sr=1-3
1. Thefence: Itsacompletepaintoalign. I can't count howmanytornup piecesofpaperI hadtouseasshims.
Thealuminumextrusionusedonthefaceisnoodlyenough that iftheclampsareovertightened, it will deflect
locallyaround eachbolt. During use, it candeflect slightlyunderpressure. Not enough tocausebinding, but it
will leaveburnmarks orarough finishonyourcut (just tonote, I useaForrest WoodworkerII blade)
2. TheMiterslots: Theyjust arent machinedwell. I hadalot oftroublegetting anaftermarket mitergaugetoslide
without binding. afterchecking it withablockofwoodand someshims, I noticedthat theslot widthvaries
greatly. somecarefulworkwithafilecorrectedtheissues, but I shouldn't havehadtodothat.
3. TheMitergage: Lookedlikejunk. Feelslikejunk. Got aWoodhavenaround thesametimeasagift, soI've
neverusedtheonethat camewiththesaw.
4. TheExtensionwings: Stampedsteeljunkslappedontocut costs. I knewtheywerejunkgoing in, and assoon
asI couldaffordto, I replacedthemwiththecast ironones. Much, muchbetter.
5. I don't recommend thesliding table
6. SoI finallypurchasedaprecisionguageset. Neitherthebladenorthefenceweresquaretothemitreguage
slot. I wasabletoadjust thebladealignment, (and re-adjust thesliding table), but I wasneverabletosolvethe
problemwiththefence.
7. WhenI movedthefenceand lockedit down, I found play, front torear, of+/-.01 inches, 8"-10"" fromtheblade.
(Minusmight beokay, but not plus). ThefurtherI got awayfromtheblade, out intothe48"precisionfence
extensiontable, theplayinthefenceappearstoget muchworse.
8. SoI recentlyaddedanIncuraTSIII-32 tablesawfencesystemtomyinventory, and nowI thinkI'mfinally
happywithmyDW746.
9. Against theTSIII, mymitreslot bowsinwardtowardthefence.002 inchesjust asI approachtheblade, then
headsbackout tozeroat theend ofthetable.
10. I threwawaythebladeguardand splitter, addedaZCI and 3rdpartysplitter(that I canremove/replacewithtwo
fingers).
11. I'dstill buytheDW746, but not thesliding tablenortheprecisionfencesystem. Instead, I'dfigurethecost ofa
3rdpartyfencesystemintothebudget, and planonbuilding myownright-hand extensionand out-feedtables
asafirst probject.
12. Thecast irontopisconcavebyabout 2or3thoufromcornertocorner, but I guess that'sreasonablethese
days.
13. Thebigselling point formewasthefact that themotorisbelowthetableand not sticking out theback.SinceI
workinaclutteredgarageI needall thespaceI canget and I lovethat I canparkthisworkhorseright up next
tothewall. I got thedealwiththemobilebaseincludedand it isexcellent.
14. Thesplitter/bladeguardwon't allowmetotilt thebladeto45 degrees.
15. Forthemost part though ifspaceisanissueasit isformeyoucan't gowrong withthissaw.
16. Deliveryetc. wasexcellent withEaglesuperbhereintheRichmond, VA area. Guys movedit right intotheshop
without being asked.
17. Put thebaseonthesawfirst asit comesout oftheboxupsidedown-mucheasier.
18. Thedust collectionsystem, although not bad, couldbebetter.
2. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/tablesaw2.html
1. DeWalt DW746 review
4. NODelta36-732 (see negativereviewsat Amazon.com)
5. Delta36-L31X-BC50 X5
1. http://www.deltamachinery.com/index.asp?e=136&p=4739
1. Five-yearwarranty.
2. withBiesemeyerFence
2. Thisisacabinet saw. Bigand heavy and pricey.
3. Pricing:
1. http://www.amazon.com/Delta-36-L31X-BC50-Horsepower-Biesemeyer-Extension/dp/B0000A25Y8/ref=sr_1_5/002-9
117502-0836809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174970313&sr=1-5
1. 2000
4. Research:
1. Amazoncustomerreviews:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0000A25Y8/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/002-9117502-0836809?ie=U
TF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=228013
5Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
1. I agree withacoupleofotherreviewsthat thesideextensiontableisbowedinthemiddle. Youcan't helpbut
havearidgenext tothecast steeltableontheRH side. Thiscausesthefencetostickat thispoint, soyouhave
tolift it slightly.
2. Aftersetup, (about 8hoursoftime), I pluggedherin.
3. WithaBiesemeyerfence(nowasubsidiaryofDelta), Deltaoutfeedtablethat foldsflat against thesaw,
removablesplitterand overheadbladeguard, thissetup isjust what I needed.
4. Theextensiontablehasadipinthemiddle, and wewill shoreit up at somepoint but it doesnot detract from
thefunctionalityofthesaw.
5. TheBiesmeyerfencefelt sloppywhenI first positionedit, but afterlocking it down, it isAMAZINGhow
repeatableand accurateit is.
6. WaxthetopofthetableASAP. I didnot dothiswithmylast sawand it rustedveryquickly. MyUnisawtop
looks likeamirroraftertwocoatsofwax. I waxedit assoonasI put thewingson, and thengaveit acouple
morecoatsafterI wasfinishedputting everything together.
6. Powermatic1660802K Model66
1. Thisappearstobethecreamofthecrop.
2. http://www.amazon.com/Powermatic-1660802K-Horsepower-Accu-Fence-Extension/dp/B0000225R0/ref=sr_1_1/002-91175
02-0836809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174974766&sr=1-1
1. 2400
3. Veryheavy.
4. Amazoncustomerreviews:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B0000225R0/sr=1-1/qid=1174974766/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/002-911750
2-0836809?ie=UTF8&n=228013&s=hi&qid=1174974766&sr=1-1
7. Craftsman22114
1. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=00922114000&vertical=Sears&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
1. 730
2. Salescanreallyknockdowntheprice(20-30%).
2. Oneuser'sreview: http://users.adelphia.net/~thundereagle/ts.html
8. ExaktorTools(makerofaccessories)
1. EXAKTOR®EX0A-2OverArmBladeCover/Dust Collector
1. http://www.exaktortools.com/bladecovers.htm
9. Incra(makerofaccessories):
1. http://www.incra.biz/index.html
2. TS-III TableSawFence(actually, wouldget thenewerLS version)
1. http://www.incra.biz/Products/tsiii.html
2. http://www.amazon.com/Incra-LS32-TS-TSIII-32-Inch-Positioner/dp/B0007UQ2CS/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-9117502-0836
809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174973209&sr=8-2
1. 341
3. http://www.amazon.com/Incra-LS32-TS-TSIII-32-Inch-Positioner/dp/B0007UQ2CS/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-9117502-0836
809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174973209&sr=8-2
1. Forthoseofyouwondering what thedifferenceisbetweentheSawToothTSIII TablesawfencefromIncraand
theLeadScreworLS-32 I will tryand explain.
2. talking withanIncrarep. Hetoldmethat bothofthefenceswereequallygood, but that theLS hadsome
advantageswithpositioning and movement. Hewent ontotell methat bothareextremelygreat and functionin
thesameway, howevertheLeadScrewhasmovedthemicroadjusterright next tothesawfencemaking it
mucheasiertodialinbecauseyoucansee what youaredoing. Healsotalkedabout thesawtoothmovement
versusthescrewbasedmovement. That hesaidwasapersonalpreference. Bothwill functionthesameinthe
end, but theLS iswhat isbeing promotedbyINCRA inall theirproduct lines, not theSTTSIII. Out sideofthat
theyareessentiallythesameproduct and youcouldnot gowrong witheither.
3. I haverecentlyorderedthemiter5000 sledaftermygoodexperienceand will bereviewing it shortly.
4. http://www.amazon.com/Incra-TSIII-32-32-Inch-Positioner-Sawtooth/dp/B0000639X0/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9117502-08
36809?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1174973209&sr=8-1
1. Withthat, I will add onething. Checkout theIncrahomepageand lookat theavailabledistributors. I didnot
purchasethisthrough Amazonasthereisanewerversion(TS LS), sizesand otherpackagesI wantedinstead
ofthisone. WiththehelpofwhoI bought it through, I hadafewissueswithwhat I wantedand theyworked
withmetoget mewhat I wanted(thiswasmeneeding specialstuff, nothing todowiththem)
3. IncraMITER5000 Sled
1. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002ZO7A2/ref=ord_cart_shr/002-9117502-0836809?%5Fencoding
=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance
1. 246
2. http://www.amazon.com/Incra-MITER5000-Sled/dp/B0002ZO7A2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/002-9117502-0836809?ie=UTF8
&s=hi&qid=1174973209&sr=8-3
1. 300
4. See theirotherproducts, suchastheirMiterExpress.
4. Research:
1. Tipsonsafety: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/safe-1.htm
1. theblade—it shouldbetheright one, clean, and sharp;
2. alignment —thisincludesblade-to-miterslot, miter-slot-to-fenceand more;
3. splitter—somearebetterthanothers; noneisjust plaindangerous;
4. zeroclearanceplate—therearetimeswhenthiscanbeimportant;
5. bladeguard—oftennot used, it doeshaveapurpose;
6. pushsticks and shoes—asecurewoodpushercankeepyourfingersout ofharm'sway. Somecanbedangerous;
7. hold-downdevices—forsomeripping operations, theycanbeagreat help;
8. tabletop—aclean, polishedtopcanlet you"feel"thewoodbeing cut. That isgood;
9. thewood—somewood(wet, warped, twisted, veryfigured)canreallybedangeroustocut;
10. dress —eyeprotection, hearing protectionand right dress isimportant;
11. somegeneralgoodideas—sort ofamiscellanybut still important, likenot reaching overthesawblade, orhaving bothfeet
securelyonthefloor, orunplugging thepowerwhenchanging blades...and more.
6Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
2. Tipsonalignment: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/safe-2.htm
3. NOWouldit bepossibletouseachainmetal(mail)(metalmesh)glovethat I sawVon'sdeli workersuse?
1. Noprotection, moreharmthangood:
1. http://acc.co.nz/wcm001/groups/external_ip/documents/internet/wcm000717.pdf
2. http://www.perfectfitglove.com/products/product_detail.asp?id=32&catID=1&pseriesid=7
1. NOTE: METALMESHGLOVES ARE NOTCUTORPUNCTURE PROOFAND ARE NOTRECOMMENDEDFOR
USE WITHMOVINGORSERRATEDBLADES
3. http://www2.seton.ca/
1. See itemsS5056 -S5059
2. "Not recommendedforusewithmotorizedcutting equipment"
4. Therearefourgeneralclassesoftablesaws: benchtoptablesaws, contractorsaws, cabinet sawsand hybridsaws.
1. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Transwiki:Table_saw
5. "PushShoe"
http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/PushShoe.htm
1. [Thisisaverygoodidea -shoulduseit ratherthanapushstick.]
6. Howtomakeafeatherboard: http://www.woodzone.com/tips/featherboard.htm
7. Someusefultablesawjigs:
http://plansnow.com/tablesawacc.html
8. http://www.woodworking.com/ww101et-table.cfm
1. iftimeprovesthefenceapain, useyourextramoneytowardsagoodafter-market fence. Biesemeyer, Unifence, Incraare
probablythethree most popular. A goodfencecanmakeevenamarginalsawagreat tool.
2. About ayearageI purchasedaDewalt DW746 withamobilebaseforaround $900. Havebeenverysatisfiedwithit sofar.
It isbetterthanacontractor'ssawinthat themotorisunderthetable, not hanging off theback. Thisallowsforstorage
closertothewall. It isalsonot asexpensiveasacabinet model.
3. IfI weretobuyabenchsaw, I wouldnot paymuchmorethan$200. (I neverhavefiguredout whyanybodywouldbuythe
Dewalt orBoschtabletopsfor$500.
4. Nowawordofwarning: I agree witheveryothercomment about saving yourmoneytobuyacontractorsaw, later, orifyou
canfind adealonausedone, goforit. Youhavetoremember,contractorsawsuseinductionmotors, drivebeltsand are
heavier-duty. It'snot that hardtorepairacontractorsaw, anewmotorcanbegottenfor$200 orless. Onabenchtop, they
usedirect driveuniversalmotors. Onceyoublowthemotor, and youwill, it will becheapertoreplacethewholemachine
thanthemotor. A goodqualitycontractorsawwill last alifetime. Youwill belucky ifyouget fiveyearsout ofthebenchtop
saw.
5. Mypersonalpathtoselecting asawwastodecideuponthefencesystemfirst. Thenbuythesawthat wouldaccept the
fencesystem. Anotherrequirement ofminewascast irontableextensions. (Moreweight and morestability.)That narrowed
thefielddownconsiderably.
6. BetweentheDeltaand theJet contractor'ssaws, thereislittledifferenceotherthanthepaint color.
7. Myadvicetoanybodyplanning atablesawpurchaseistoselect thefencesystemthat youreallylike. Thenpurchasethe
sawthat fitsthefencesystem. LouWilliams(afrequent Forumsparticipant)hashadaBiesemeyerfor15 yearsorso.
OtherslovetheirUnifenceorXactaFenceand I'mhappywithmyIncra. Thereareotherfencesystemsthat I'veno
experiencewithand youmaywant toinvestigatethosesystems.
8. Thefenceismoreimportant thansaw. Buyagood, middlegradecontractorssawand upgradethefencetoanIncraTS-III.
Youwon't regret it.
9. Ifyoucan't find someonewhohasaTS whocanhelpyouout and youstill desiretoreadmorethenhere'safewtitles. Two
different books withthesamename, but different authors: "TheTableSawBook."Oneauthor'snameisCristoforo. I can't
remembertheotherauthor'sname, but thebookispublishedbyTauntonPress. Anothergoodoneiscalled, "TableSaw
Basics."Thelast onehasplansforpushsticks, featherboards, outfeedtables, etc.
10. Whileat awoodworking show, I realizedthat asawpurchaseisreallytwopurchases; thetablesawand thefencesystem.
And inrealitythefencesystemisreallythefirst decision…withthetablesawsecond. Whilewandering about this
woodworking show, theimportanceforthelargest cast irontabletopbecameobvious. Also, I don't expect tobecutting
sheet materialexactlyand preciselyinhalfat 48"soa32"fencesystemisgoodfornow.
9. http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=1560&position=2&type=article&partID=1
1. Contractorsalsousetheseheavy, stabletoolsaslower-cost cabinet sawsinwoodshops. Although theycanbeasaccurate
ascabinet saws, they'resignificantlyless expensiveand somewhat mobile.
2. TheDeWalt sawismyfavorite. I likeitsdrivesystem, fence, and dust-collectionfeature.
1. DeWalt DW746X
10. Choosing A Tablesaw-ContractorOrCabinet?
http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/con_vs_table.shtml
1. Ifbuying acontractorsaw, I wouldconsiderDeltaand Jet offeringsbythat samename. Ifmyworkand budget calledfora
cabinet saw, I wouldconsidertheDeltaUnisaw, Jet Xacta, Powermatic66, and General350.
2. Lowercost: current [contractorsaw] modelssell forabout $800 (U.S.)withagoodfence. Cabinet sawscost almost twiceas
much.
3. [contractorsawsaremoreportable.]
4. It isdifficult, forexample, totunethealignment ofacontractorsawmiterslot asaccuratelyasacabinet sawmiterslot.
5. Cabinet sawspro: Protecteddrivebelts: themotorand beltsarefullyenclosedwithinthebase. Thereisnodangerof
workpiecesjamming inthebelt.
11. First Look: SawStopCB-31230 tablesaw
1. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/news/december-2006/first-look-sawstop-cb-31230-cabinet-saw-12-06/ove
rview/0612_first-look-sawstop.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=4&searchTerm=table%20saw
2. A full-featured, pro-calibercabinet sawwithauniqueblade-braking systemthat detectswhenthecutting bladecontacts
fleshand stopsit beforeit cancauseseriousinjury.
12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_saw or http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Transwiki:Table_saw
7Printed 18:10 3/31/07

DRD-Pers
1. Cabinet tablesawsareheavy (using largeamountsofcast ironand steel)tominimizevibrationand increaseaccuracy. A
cabinet sawischaracterizedbyhaving aclosed(cabinet)base. Cabinet sawsusuallyhaveelectricinductionmotorsinthe3
to5hp (2to4kW)range. Forhomeuse, thistypeofmotortypicallyrequiresthat aheavy circuit beinstalled(intheUS, this
requiresa220V outlet). Themotorisenclosedwithinthecabinet and drivesthebladewiththree parallelv-belts. Cabinet
sawsareheavierand offerthefollowing advantagesovercontractorsaws: heavierconstructionforlowervibrationand
increaseddurability; acabinet-mountedtrunnion(themechanismthat incorporatesthesawblademount and allowsfor
height and tilt adjustment); improveddust collectionduetothetotallyenclosedcabinet and commonincorporationofadust
collectionport. Ingeneral, cabinet-mountedtrunnionsareeasiertoadjust thantable-mountedtrunnions.
2. Keepthebladeguardinplacewheneverpossible. Ifyoudonot liketheguardthat camewiththesaw, it ispossibleto
purchaseaftermarket guardsofvariousconfigurations. Notethat oneofthemainfunctionsofatypicalbladeguardistoact
asasplitter, whichhelpsprevent thecut inthewoodfromclosing and pinching thebackofthebladeand kicking back.
Sometimesthebladeguardismoreofadangerthanasafetyfeature, most commonlyduring smallercuts(less than3
inches), and cutswithapushstick, and shouldberemoved.
13. Keeping atablesawfromrusting: http://www.woodworking.com/article_archive.cfm?section=1&article=193
14. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/knowhow/tools/article/0,16417,783876-2,00.html
1. Most sawscomestandardwithageneral-purpose10-inchcarbide-tippedblade, whichcancrosscut a4x4. Replacing it with
abetter, 40-toothcombinationblade(about $60)dramaticallyimprovesthequalityofcuts. Specialtybladeshandle
particleboardand othermaterials.
2. Most sawscomewitharearbar, whichhelpssupport theworkpieceasit exits, but youshouldstill rigup outfeedsupport —
astand, sawhorses, oratable—that's¼inchlowerthanthesawitself.
3. Positionyourselftoonesideoftheblade. Neverstand directlyinlinewiththebladeoryourisk getting injuredbykickback.
4. Start themachineand useyourright hand topress theworkpiecedownonthetableand against thefence. Braceyourleft
hand onthetableand useit asaguidewhileyoupropelthepiecesmoothlyforwardwithyourright hand.
5. Asthetail oftheboardapproachesthebladeguard, youmight needtouseapushsticktocompletethecut. Whenthecut
isdone, shut off thesawsoyoucanreachsafelyoverthebladetoremovethewood.
6. Oneeasy waytoimproveasaw'sperformanceand protect it fromcorrosionistocoat thetablesurface. Rub regularpaste
waxintothetable, ortryaproprietarymachine-tablelubricant suchasSlipit. Avoidanything containing silicone, whichwill
contaminatethewoodyou'recutting and interferewithmost finishes.
7. [Crosscutting] Movetheripfenceawayfromtheworkpiece. Neverusetheripfenceand themitergaugetogether.
15. http://home.att.net/~waterfront-woods/Articles/Tablesaw/tablesaw.htm
1. Goodarticleontablesawsafety, especiallydetailsabout kickbackand howtoavoidit.
2. Moreand morewoodworkersareonlybuying combinationbladesfortheirtablesaws, evenwhentheyhavethefunds
availabletobuyotherblades. Thesalesmenhavetoldthemthat thecombinationbladeisacatch-all, do-all, tool. Thisisnot
true. Combinationbladesweredevelopedfortheshopswhichcanonlyaffordasingleblade. Forbest results, ashopshould
havebladesdedicatedtoeachtask
3. Neverlet gooftheworkpiece! Nomatterhowrough it gets, orhowprobableakick-backwill be, donot let goofthewood.
Moreoftenthannot, byholding fast, youwill actuallyprevent thekickbackinthefirst place.
4. Using abladethat istoo coarseonveneersand laminateswill causeunduechipping. Using abladewhichistoo finefor
ripping solidlumbercanburnthewood, damagetheblade, put unduewearonthemotor, and evencausethewoodtoride
up overthetopofthebladeand causeakickback. WhileI understand that manywoodworkerscannot affordmorethanone
blade, I amnonetheless astrong proponent ofusing thecorrect bladewhenyoucanaffordtodoso.
5. [Goodadviceonvariousblades]
6. Starting withthepowerofthemachine, youdon't want totakeafeedratewhichexcessivelyloadsthemotor, but youalso
don't want afeedratewhichbuildsup too muchheat. I haveseentoo manywoodworkersriplumberat suchslowfeedrates
that theyburnthewoodand foultheblade. Ifyou'reburning yourwood, youareprobablymoving too slow, oryourbladeis
verydull.
16. DONE googlecabinet saw
17. DONE googlebest tablesaw
18. http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/1164985031812.xml
19. ToolReview-Mid-PricedTablesaws:
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/1164985031812.xml
1. [Thisreviewisavailablefordownloadfor4.95.]
20.
8Printed 18:10 3/31/07