everybody raves about the bosch,so if i had 500 that would be the one for me. i own the ryobi that hd sells for 200.00 i gotta say it’s a great saw for the money.maybe more portsble than you need though. larry
hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
Replies
I dont care for the rigid, there are alot of korean copy of old delta machine, you cant tell them apart. even parts will swap. Sear sell alot of the copies, so does harbor freight. I have a couple. I was looking at rigid and , well I dont know where they are made but they are copies of what I have. parts will swap. I be careful
I'd go with this one
http://bosch.cpotools.com/reconditioned_tools/saws/table_saws/4000-09-rt.html
"Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the human spirit."
Abbie Hoffman
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Every body has good things to say about the Bosch.
I want to be able to rip full sheets of 3/4 MDF alone.
I did turn over by smaller saw and I absolutely do not want that happening again. That is one reason I want one of the bigger tables.If I buy the Bosch and the extra supports, will that give me the cabability to handle full sheets?I also want to be able to be dead accurate with my rips using the fence.Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.I did an archives search but am still not sure.
Edited 5/5/2007 7:39 pm ET by handymanvan
If I buy the Bosch and the extra supports, will that give me the cabability to handle full sheets?<<<I believe the fence sets out at 24" so the answer would be yes but you need some good supports around it. They also sell an extension for the left side of the saw as you can see in my last post.
They're coming out shortly with a newer edition with some saftey knick knacks for the blade and a digital read out for the fence. $$$$$$
"Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the human spirit." Abbie Hoffman
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
If you get the bosch with outfeed (side and rear) supports and the gravity rise stand, put the saw on the ground in its folded position, pull out the supports and it's super stable. I rip heavy sheets like this often and it's pretty easy. Put something--I have two low sawhorses--beyond the outfeed supports and you can slide a whole sheet right out off the saw table quite easily.
If you can locate a 'bosch tool event' at a local hardware store, where the reps show the wares and sell the items at discounted prices, you can buy the saw, stand and supports for less than 500$ They have these events at my local home ctr/lumberyard a few times a year and it's well worth the trip! I got my saw with supports and stand for 450$ Check website for events I would imagine.
As for the accuracy of the saw, there are many fine tuning capabilities and since setting mine up, it's been perfect. The table inserts are adj for height, the blade/fence are adj for parallel, the fence for tension, etc. And once really nice feature is soft start. No tripping breakers on startup.
I had the DW with rack and pinion B4 and I think the fence on that saw is better than the Bosch (although you can trick the bosch fence wider than 24" by removing the outward stop) but the motor on the DW did not seem as smooth and powerful as the bosch.
Good luck.
handy.. for sheet work we use our EZ-Guide now instead of table saws
the bosch is nice... but i bought the PC ... less money.. but real reason was less weightMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
For what it's worth... I have the Ridgid TS3650 contractor's table saw and have NO complaints. It's well built, has a good fence, true miter slots, and a flat table. John White, the shop manager at FineWoodworking gave it an excellent review and I agree with all his points. He believes it's as good as any hybrid saw and darn close to a cabinet saw.Okay, I do have two small wishes for the saw. The splitter is less than perfect but I have it off the saw more often than not. A 2hp+ would be nice but for the money, I don't think you can beat this saw. Normally, I'm not a supporter of Home Depot but for $550, I don't think you can get a better saw.Mark
Cincinnati
I got the saw, I have not put it together but I got it. I think it will do what I want and I am making a cutting guide to rip eight foot sheets in half. I do think I understand now why many people were saying Festool or some guide system for ripping. Thanks for putting in a good work for the saw--I was having trouble believing I was getting a great saw for that amount of money.
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.Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
I love this saw.
The Bosch 4000 rocks. Mine was dead on out of the box.
I also borrowed the idea for the router table insert for the rails, that I saw here.
I do wish I had the gravity rise stand, but I lucked into such a good deal I bought it, even though it was the red stand. I think I got it for like 380.00 on Amazon Brand new.
Webby
Edited 5/5/2007 7:40 pm ET by webby
What does the Bosch weigh?
sorry to reply so late. Iwould say 75 pounds? I am not sure. I searched the archives here at BT for the router table insert.
I would get a long straight edge clamp to rip full sheets of mdf. I think even the bosch might be a little tippy especially with the weight of mdf.
Webby
16 oz to the pound which translates to 104 pounds for a complete unit...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Could you post a pic of the router table insert you made, or could you explain it to me? I would be interested in making one up for my saw. Thanks for your time.
I've used the Ridgid, and it's ok. I have no experience with the Hitachi, and have never seen one, which makes me a little leery. I've used the Bosch, and that would probably be my choice when I can afford/justify it.
I have three table saws, Ridgid Contractor TS3612 and two small cheap ones. You should consider one of the circ saw guides systems if your main use is ripping sheet goods. Throw the sheet on the sawhorses and go to it. Much easier one man operation.
Personally I have the EZ guide ( nobody jump, I did not start preaching against the f-tool), many have and love the Festool product.
These take up less space, can be very capable of many different operations, and are considered by many safer.
I'll cast another vote for circ saw guide for ripping large panels. Quick and easy to set up and very accurate. I find it very convenient for ripping panels.
View Image GO SABRES!!!
The Bosch is definitely the darling around here on BT. I've got the Rigid myself... have had it for five years now since they first came out. It's been a great saw. I've had to fix nothing on it and have committed more than a few sins by it with framing lumber. It's a heavy son of a gun on the cart if you've got to throw it into the back of a truck by yourself though. Still, I'd buy another for whatever that's worth. To this day I've yet to have to make an adjustment to the fence or the blade to keep things parallel and it rides around in my trailer every single day.
This is not going to go over well here, but my tool repair joint says that the Bosch table saw is the tool that gets the most face time in his repair department. Now I don't know if that's just the law of averages seeing as they've sold so many, or if there's actually an awful lot of them out there with problems. Even still, an awful lot of guys love them so I'd probably still take a long look at them if I were in the market for a jobsite table saw.
I would be curious to know what he's fixing on the bosch saws. Is something wearing out prematurely, or is it just normal wear and tear. I own the 4000, have had no trouble to date, and love the saw.
Nice score with the Jeep. I saw your ad on Craigslist. You'll enjoy that Jeep over the summer. I'd like to have one myself and just keep the top off all the time.
Yeah, I really don't know what he's fixing on them, but I'll ask. I have to order nails tomorrow, so hopefully I'll remember to ask him.
Thanks on the Jeep. It'll be nice to not have to unload the bed of the truck, disconnect the trailer, and lock up all the boxes on my truck every time I need to run a simple errand somewhere. And I've always loved Jeeps.... so what the heck, right?View Image
The electrical system on my Bosch fried. Bosch took care of it under warranty, but I was forced to use my Craftsman backup.The Bosch plastic base is weak and prone to crack and chip.The blade height adjustment screw clogs with pitch on a regular basis.Overall, it is a good saw, but not perfect...the Bosch hitting the market this year will fix some of the issues of the current product.
http://images.lowes.com/product/717709/717709009127.jpg
<a href='http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0553263617.1178326232@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgladdklfjlidicgelceffdfgidgll.0&MID=9876' http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0553263617.1178326232@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgladdklfjlidicgelceffdfgidgll.0&MID=9876target='_blank'>http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0553263617.1178326232@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccgladdklfjlidicgelceffdfgidgll.0&MID=9876</a>These are the two I am looking at, I have a trailer with a ramp, so moving should go ok. The cutting guide of the Festool is interesting--at around two hundred bucks I would be interested--at the price to get what I want, I am passing right now and going for the full size table saw.Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
I'm sorry man, I thought you were talking about the portable jobsite saws and not those 'contractor' style saws. I don't have any experience with either of those two saws you're looking at, so I'm afraid I can't help if your set on that style of saw. Good luck though.View Image
I think he shifted gears, was talking about jobsite then switched to contractor.
Another vote for the Bosch 4000TS. Definitely get the gravity rise stand. The saw is awesome, and with the gravity rise stand you can wheel it anywhere. It is on the heavy side. So, I made up a set of ramps and wheel it right in the back of the truck. I have not ripped a full sheet of ply with it yet, but I don't think it would be a problem. Best of luck.
There is a new Bosch coming out that has some REALLY cool features with the safety sheild and a built in rivening knife.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
I have a Rigid. When i bought, there were two variations, one had steel extension wings, mine has stamped steel. Except for both handwheels stripping the socket where they attach to the shaft, it has been a very good saw. I have had it for about 5 years.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I have had the Ryobi 3000 with table extensions and other options for eleven years now. It has been a great saw and has survived two moves. With a good blade, the precision is quite acceptable.
In 2004, I decided to go into framing and remodeling/additions on my own and bought the DeWalt portable for its reputation, especially for the fence. It can also do dados. It has been a great saw for the purpose. In my shop, I always used the Ryobi.
A year ago, I had the chance to get another Ryobi for a very good price at HD. I figured I could use it for spare parts if the original ever failed.
I ended up putting the old Ryobi in the garage to break down larger pieces and set up the new one in the basement to build cabinets. The DeWalt is still used to move around.
Two months ago, I took advantage of the tool discount promotion at HD and picked up the TS3650. It assembled and tuned it up in one day. It runs quietly, and has become my saw of choice. It is easy to move around in my basement and cuts are perfect. It is now my cabinet-building saw and the Ryobis are set up to do sheet goods in either orientation. Once initial cuts are done, the Ridgid does the rest. I have not found a single thing to complain about with this saw.
I admit that the Bosch looks like a great saw, but what am I going to do with five table saws?
I considered the Hitachi, but preferred the one-piece fence on the Ridgid. Otherwise, it looked like a pretty good saw too. I did not investigate too much further into the Hitachi.
If I had a choice, Hitachi. Every tool I have bought from them has been quality, with good longevity and little maintenance. Mostly I have used their air tools, no saws but would expect the same quality.
Look at this:
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/video/ibs-bosch-tablesaw.aspx?nterms=66146
Our Habitat chapter has several of the Rigid table saws and they have several years of history of being "rode hard and put away wet." They have held up well under this treatment.
As I recall, that is the only high end contractor saw that will allow you to remove and replace the guard without a cutting torch. Worth a look.
One thing that did in one saw - a gomer hooked it to the 240 outlet. That takes work, but a true moron can do it. Smoked the motor. $300.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
I think the original poster is referring to contractor saws, as none of the jobsite saws will rip any more than 25".I have one of the first Bosch 4000 saws made - must have had it for 5-7 years now.I heard that early on, they had some problems with the some of the aluminum flanges breaking on some early models on the undercarraige of the saw - but that was redesigned early on - even mine has the more reinforced flanges apparently, so I'd bet that only affected the first 100 or so maybe.The only problem I've had with mine is that I store it vertical on the Ridgid fold-up tablesaw stand (same stand as the Ridgid Jobsite saw) in my trailer and a few months back - the base of the Bosch saw broke at all four corners. That sucked!, and it wasn't even that cold out, and as far as I know - I hadn't had any crazy bumps or jumps with the trailer that would have caused it.A new base cost me $65 - not too bad considering... easy to put on, and they've re-designed the cord strain relief so that instead of the cord coming out of the saw horizontilly - prone to messing up the cord - it now comes straight up out of the saw base so that it wraps around the cord wraps with no strain to the cord.Bummer is that I just realized one of the tabs that holds the blade insert in the table broke off - I had noticed my standard metal insert had a dent in it - apparently someone (maybe me?) must have dropped something on the saw - it dented the insert and broke off a tab. Gonna have to figure out a retro-fit tab or support somehow - I don't think I want to buy a new tablee top for this saw.I've ripped a full sheet of 3/4" plywood by myself - but it required an external outfeed and a few sandbags on the base of the Ridgid stand to do it. I don't think I'd try it with MDF unless I had a full outfeed table built behind the saw.I have the left and rear outfeed supports and they are worth the money for the extra support and stock storage area they give you.JT
You are right, I want a medium-large three hundred pound saw, I have a smaller table saw but I want to rip heavy material for cabinet work--mostly closet and storage remodel. If the Ridged is a good saw I want it, I already think the price is right.The other thing I wanted is a slide miter saw, I already have a twelve inch compound miter saw but I want to cross cut twelve inch wide, ripped down material--dead accurate. Oh, I made a shoot board, still not accurate enough, probably because I did not get my material ripped good to begin with..
Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
Tools of the Trade had a good print review of "hybrid" saws. Some of it is online:
http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/articles/showarticle.asp?articleID=2443&position=2&type=article&partID=1
Get the Bosch.
I have the Rigid and it's not bad. I had a big problem with their warranty dept though. Somehow the extension table started sagging, and the further I extended it the lower it went. Two attempts to fix it, three weeks, and $75 later, I have a TS extension that sags not quite as bad as before, but still way more than it did on it's birthday.
I ask Rigid about recovering my $75 but they say it wasn't a warranty issue. So I'm out $75 not to mention my TS for three weeks. The Rigid rep I was working with did not seem to give a damn about anything. He basically came out and told me I couldn't be helped. No suggestions, no attempt to help or get personally involved whatsoever.
What's funny about this? If it had broken 10 days earlier, I would've been able to walk into HD with the offender and reciept, and traded it for a brand new one. And that pile of Rigid tools I have will never get to share space with their next generation of offspring.
Go ahead and buy a table saw if you want one, but for ripping full sheets of plywood or MDF, I think you will do better and safer work with a guide system.
EZ Smart and Festool are great, albeit expensive solutions.
Cheap way I do it with a circ saw cost me about $40.
Take two kiln-dried 2x4x8; notch them in the center so they form an "X" with 40" spread at the feet. Lay them on a pair of sawhorses to support your plywood.
Take 1/2" baltic birch plywood and scribe a straight line about 2" in from one side. Glue a piece of 3/16" x 1" hardwood molding on that line as a guide for the sole of your circ saw. Put a 40-tooth blade on your saw, set depth just enough to cut through, place the wide part of the sole plate against the guide strip and saw the length of the plywood.
You now have an 8-foot long, zero-clearance saw guide. Set the edge directly on your cut marks on the "good side", use a pair of pony clamps to hold it in place and rip away with perfect, no tear-out cuts. You lose only 1/2" of cut depth, so it works well on doors too.
I like this, how wide is the 1/2 plywood? What are pony clamps?I just ordered a Hitachi 10 inch sliding compound miter saw off of Amazon, so with this cutting board and that saw, I might can do everthing I want to. I just have/had saw fever.Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
"I like this, how wide is the 1/2 plywood? What are pony clamps?"
Your cutting guide ends up being about 9" to 10" wide; 2" outside glued-down guide strip, 1" of guide strip itself, plus whatever the distance between edge of saw's sole plate and blade.
By Pony clamps I meant spring clamps. I didn't know that Pony was a brand name of a whole line of clamps.
View Image
BruceT
Edited 5/9/2007 11:00 am ET by BruceT999
Curious creature that I am....why in the world did your original post get deleted?
J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements
I was messing( I think I highlighted something) and while messing with it--I deleted it, tried to put it back on and could not. It was about which table saw, a Hitachi or Ridged to get. I get to see both of them several times a week at Lowes and HD--I go between three or so of each every week. Some posters were saying to get a Bosch--I went and looked at it real hard and it is no where near the size I want. Some others say get a Festool or some such thing. They are right for ripping sheet goods. Great idea on that one.I still want a decent sized saw and decided to get the Ridged. I will make a cutting guide as well but I gots to get that saw. I do have a smallish table saw that is ok for small stuff--not ripping full sheets accurately.Tuesday, I ordered a 10 inch Hitachi Slider and it should be in soon, I will go pick up the three hundred pound saw Friday or Saturday, when I feel like picking it up. I am going to get it, but really should not as I do not have a good place to keep it. I have several closet and storage jobs starting in about 9 days and wanted to use it on them--plus I just want it. Gonna get it anyway and let it live in my garage--I have a sixteen foot enclosed trailer with ramp to carry it around in though. I should be in good shape.If you have an opinion on the purchase--might as well throw it out, I have really enjoyed all of the imput--every posters opinion was valid and right and they made me think of pros and cons but you know how it is when you got a hankerin.
.
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Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
I've got the porter cable. bought it because I can make zero clearence inserts with a router and bearing guide. Nice to have replaceable cheap to make zero clearance inserts. As a saw,, it is big and heavy to haul around, but you can, and it'll do as a shop saw till I get a bigger shop! Not perfect, but love those inserts!
I have had the Makita 2708 for 20 years now and I still run the hell out of it. I have the Rousseau setup to go with it. They don't make the saw anymore which I don't understand because it was one of their big selling items and it is the highest sought ofter portable saw on E-bay. I'm bidding on one this weekend in fact....just to have for another 20 years.
Also have the DW which is a very good saw. I didn't think I would like the rack & pinion fence, but it has really won me over. I keep that in the garage for home & shop work.
My next real table saw will be a 3 hp cabinet saw like a Powermatic.
My next real table saw will be a 3 hp cabinet saw like a Powermatic.<<<For not much more you can upgrade it to 5HP like I did when I bought mine.
Its the best saw I ever owned and I've had it now about 5 years.
"Revolution is not something fixed in ideology, nor is it something fashioned to a particular decade. It is a perpetual process embedded in the human spirit." Abbie Hoffman
http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Check out this video on the Fine Homebuilding website if you have not seen it yet:
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/videos/index.aspx?id=69064&c=2