What tablesaw is a good one in my price range... Table Saw

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Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
UPDATE

OK iamwiz82 I went and looked and looked and there was only 1 left int eh raleigh/Cary NC area. It was a display and was marked $239. They took another $50 off so $189 plus tax = $202.
I am going to take it apart and put it back together as I read that most cut problems come from not setting it up right. I also like that I don;t have to buy a router table now since the BT3100 has one built in.

So the Ryobi BT3100 is my new table saw. :)


I am looking at getting a table saw. My budget is $200, I can go a little higher but not much. I don;t care about weight or name. My main concern is one that works well, holds its cuts and angles, and will be around.

I have been looking at these...

SEARS
1. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product....L&subcat=Table+Saws&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Down a little from last week and looks good, but no reviews.

2. http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product....L&subcat=Table+Saws&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Different look then the above one so not sure if one is better then other at same price.



Home Depot
1. http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/jsearch/product.jsp?pn=100049291

2. http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/jsearch/product.jsp?pn=100014420


Lowes
1. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p...ductId=238438-54650-FS210LS&lpage=none

2. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p...roductId=159362-46578-C10FR&lpage=none


If anyone has any better ideas and some where else to look I am open. :)


OK I found a SHOPSMITH 2000 TABLE SAW. I don;t know much about it as shopsmith only talks about there new product.
Here is a pic...
http://b.im.craigslist.org/gB/cF/Jd6doC6APHhl3iGest5jGUr2eMym.jpg

ShopSmith 2000 Table Saw with
- radial arm saw feature
- 1" arbor
- 5/8" arbor
- heavy-duty fence
- router plate
- many other attachments.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
If you can still find it at HD, the Ryobi BT3100 is VERY well regarded and Lola picked one up for me for $150. Sure it's not commercial grade, but for the weekend warrior on a budget, it's perfect.

http://bt3central.com/
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
If you can still find it at HD, the Ryobi BT3100 is VERY well regarded and Lola picked one up for me for $150. Sure it's not commercial grade, but for the weekend warrior on a budget, it's perfect.

http://bt3central.com/
Click to expand...



:confused: $150? I think it goes for $300 last nigth when I was looking.
 
A

arcas

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2001
2,155
2
0
The Ryobi BT3100 is a nice tablesaw. Uses a sliding miter table and comes with a pretty good carbide blade so it gives accurate cuts. It's belt-driven which is almost unheard of for portable table saws. You have to file down the anti-kickback fingers or they'll scratch the wood you're cutting but that's my only complaint. It's been discontinued but you still might be able to find one at a local Home Depot for $200-$250. Nice saw. They OEM the same model for Sears but they include some accessories with it, etc which pushes the price to around $400 IIRC.

 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: arcas
The Ryobi BT3100 is a nice tablesaw. Uses a sliding miter table and comes with a pretty good carbide blade so it gives accurate cuts. It's belt-driven which is almost unheard of for portable table saws. You have to file down the anti-kickback fingers or they'll scratch the wood you're cutting but that's my only complaint. It's been discontinued but you still might be able to find one at a local Home Depot for $200-$250. Nice saw. They OEM the same model for Sears but they include some accessories with it, etc which pushes the price to around $400 IIRC.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the fingers are SHARP. It's been a great saw, though.
 
A

arcas

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2001
2,155
2
0
If you're looking for a saw under $400-$500, it really is the saw to get. It has pretty good dust collection, too. I forgot to mention that. It's not perfect but it works pretty good. The motor, belt and trunion are all contained in a little "box" under the main housing with a dust port. Hook a shopvac or dust collector to this port and you're in pretty good shape. Compare this to a typical contractor saw where everything is exposed from below so sawdust literally spews everywhere (that's why some Craftsman models have dust bags that fit over the entire bottom of saw).

It's a shame that Ryobi discontinued the BT3100 but I guess either Home Depot or Ryobi decided its sales were eating into sales of the more expensive Rigid brand saws (which, I think are also OEMed by Ryobi?).

 
Sphexi

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
7,280
0
0
Out of all those, go with the Ryobi from HD. It's an excellent saw, they last quite a while and are pretty rugged.
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Well seems the BT3100 Ryobi is well rated. it seems to be going for $240 at home depot, if you can even find one as they are no longer being made.

Will head up to HD to see if they got any.
 
A

ABErickson

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
570
0
76
It's been a little while, but within the last year Fine Homebuilding or Fine Woodworking (the magazines) had a comparison of a bunch of table saws. It may be worth a trip to the library to see what you can find.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
22,467
6,557
136
Shopsmith used to be pretty good. Don't know how they are now days.

I use a Makita table saw on the job, it's an outstanding tool. You can also pick up an after market table that it drops into, allows you to rip 26" wide and has an outstanding fence. I've built cabinets with mine, it's that good.

btw, I'm a building contractor.
 
skyking

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,857
6,021
146
If you know about good machinery and how to evaluate used equipment, I'd get a used machine in that price range. you will get 3x the saw for the money, if you don't screw yourself by purchasing a lemon.
 
D

d3n

Golden Member
Mar 13, 2004
1,597
0
0
Originally posted by: Greenman
Shopsmith used to be pretty good. Don't know how they are now days.

I use a Makita table saw on the job, it's an outstanding tool. You can also pick up an after market table that it drops into, allows you to rip 26" wide and has an outstanding fence. I've built cabinets with mine, it's that good.

btw, I'm a building contractor.
Click to expand...


Its hard to beat a Makita saw. The most important thing to so is to make sure the base is perfectly level and has had a good machine finish and that the angles can be zero'd in and can hold. If the base is warped the saw is pretty much no good.
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Originally posted by: skyking
If you know about good machinery and how to evaluate used equipment, I'd get a used machine in that price range. you will get 3x the saw for the money, if you don't screw yourself by purchasing a lemon.
Click to expand...

Most sell for about retail or more then they are worth. The Shopsmith 2000 is the only one that seems like it might be ok. I have seen some with rusty tops and they are asking $150 when it would go for $150 for something like it now. People want way to much.
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
UPDATE

OK iamwiz82 I went and looked and looked and there was only 1 left int eh raleigh/Cary NC area. It was a display and was marked $239. They took another $50 off so $189 plus tax = $202.
I am going to take it apart and put it back together as I read that most cut problems come from not setting it up right. I also like that I don;t have to buy a router table now since the BT3100 has one built in.

So the Ryobi BT3100 is my new table saw. :)
 
A

arcas

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2001
2,155
2
0
Congrats on getting a nice price. There are a couple HOWTOs in the bt3central.com forums for properly aligning the blade, the sliding table and the rip fence. Out of the box, the alignment is pretty good though not perfect but since yours was a display model, you'll want to do this. When you're finished, your saw will be precise enough that you won't need a joiner.
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Originally posted by: arcas
Congrats on getting a nice price. There are a couple HOWTOs in the bt3central.com forums for properly aligning the blade, the sliding table and the rip fence. Out of the box, the alignment is pretty good though not perfect but since yours was a display model, you'll want to do this. When you're finished, your saw will be precise enough that you won't need a joiner.
Click to expand...



Yea I have heard that for juts about all basic saws. But at least this one seems to have enough owners and insight that i should be able to get it very good for the price :)

Thanks
 
waggy

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
not bad.

i went to a local wood store. they had some really nice ones. one was a JET table saw $1500! the guy tried to get me to buy it. heh i was tempted but my wife said no :(
 
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