Dewalt Delta, or Ridgid?
any particular favorites out there?
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I have the TracMaster for my DeWalt 12" (non-slide) miter. Works well. Very sturdy, easy to set up. The saw detachees when it's folded, so weight is not a problem. It only comes with one stock support standard (second available for more $) and the max dist from the blade to the support is about 4 ft. Also has a built in length stop that goes to about 8 ft (have not measured it). Overall it's good.
Do it right, or do it twice.
ELCID,
Thanks, I've looked at that one at toolcrib. Only thing keeping it off my short list is the fact I have not seen it in person. I've used the defunction with my saw, a PC 10" slider, it works ok but has been a bit flimsy with bigger boards and parts of it just feel a bit "cheap".
I'm really leaning towards the delta or the ridgid, I've used the delta with someone elses saw, but the ridgid seems to be a little better design from what I've seen of it at HD.
Oh the choices... Maybe I just get the bosch worm drive and keep strugling with long boards.....Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
I've had the Dewalt for a year now And I'm real happy with it . I picked it becuase it folds small and I don't always use it every day. I have the makita 10" slider and it fits quite nice. I tossed the flipstops and replaced them with a block of wood so I can screw on extension boards if I want. I have used the deltaand it's ok if you have to move your saw around alot but it would take up too much room in my van and the extension rollers are a bit finicky I thought . The Dewalt is also more forgiving if you are setting up on uneven ground. And as a final bonus you can cut off the De part of the name sticker and call your stand Walt .... happy shoppin........Rik
Yeah, cheap. I use a 2/0 hollow core door with blocks screwed and glued on to position the saw. Made two risers that go on either side of the saw to support the work. Drill a hole back of the blocks for the cord. Set this on two folding horses. The space in back allows you to set other stock/tools for access. Flip it over, and you have a smooth surface for other work. Gotta carry the pieces and the saw, but it's cheap....
If I have to stick with your short list - I'd go with the Ridgid. Haven't actually used one, but I have used the Delta and thought it was a real slick package, and the Ridgid looks to be an improved Delta. One of the downsides with the Delta was that it would not stand vertically with the saw on it - I believe the Ridgid is supposed to.
If I can go off the list to make a suggestion - I'd say get the Portable Sawhelper Ultrafence by American Design & Engineering. Breaks down so as not to take up too much room in the van. Sets up quick. Has nice long work support tables. Most of all it has the flipstops on the fence that make cutting faster and more accurate than using a tape. I've had mine for a few years now and would certainly reccommend them.
Good luck,
Shoe
Just in case you are not familiar with the Sawhelper here is a link http://www.sawhelper.com . I think they also have an ad in every issue of Finehomebuilding that shows the saw set up.
I am with Shoeman. I have had the Saw Helper since 1986. A little more money, but IMO worth it. I have not used any of the others so can't make any comparisons.
One note about the SawHelper. I have the DeWalt slider on mine now and had to bolt it to the stand to keep from falling backwards off of the stand. No big deal. I drilled the plywood base the saw is mounted on and the top of the stand, and dopped in a carriage bolt with wing nuts. The slider is so back heavey that it comes with rear stabilizer to use when sitting on any flat surface. Never had had the proble with the old Delta or Ryobi that were also used on it.
Dave
Dave
I have the same setup, a sawhelper with a DW 12" slider. I made a larger table out of melamine and put the stabilizer on the rear of the saw and it seems to work good. I made the table larger in both the front and back by about 4". The front extra was to have a place to put my tape and pencils. The rear was so I could balance the saw better. Hopes this helps.
Neil 4
I have the Delta I think....I forget...lol....cause I seem to never use it. I seem to just unfold my metal saw horses and plop a 2' wide x 8' long piece of 3/4" ply on it. I also by accident while cutting some 3" pvc found that the left over pieces of pvc work awesome as rolling tables on each side of my 12" DW sliding billion and a half pound chopper. I just use a couple of spring clamps on each side of the ply to keep em' from rolling off.
I think with the folding metal horses and ply and pvc it runs me about fifty-sixty bucks.
When ya get to my age after doing this for almost 30 years you kinda lay low on tools over five hundred bucks especially with no sons to leave em' to....(dont say it Neil..lol).Edit:Kinda reminds me of that George Carlin bit about "stuff"....where after you acumulate so much stuff you do a garage sale cause you have no where to put it all...and then what ya do? Right.....get MORE stuff....lol....So with all my tools I have no where to keep em all so what do I have to do...get more stuff (a three car garage..w/9' ceilings and a second floor above it to keep all my stuff).
Think Gepetto had this problem?
Be primitive.
andy
In his first interview since the stroke, Ram Dass, 66, spoke with great difficulty about how his brush with death has changed his ideas about aging, and how the recent loss of two old friends, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg, has convinced him that now, more than ever, is the time to ``Be Here Now.''
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Edited 7/19/2003 10:04:39 AM ET by Andy Clifford(Andybuildz)
Hey you got extra tools with no one to leave them to, I'll take 'em off your hands :)
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
Thanks to everyone,
In no particular order here...
I've had a few home made extension tables and stands, everything from a couple horses with ply wood and ripped down 2x for support to one I made out of ply that was ~8' and had a drop in it for the saw to sit. I want something a little more portable and made for the task, no real reason the others weren't cutting it so to speak
I'll look into the saw helper, I've seen them before, used one or something very similar in a cab shop and it was a nice set up. If I remember correctly they are ~ $450-500? thats another tool I can buy so maybe, but probably not.
Thanks again.Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
I don't know what you're gearing it for, but since you're pretty much a framing guy, keeping things simple isn't such a bad thing. See if anyone down there carries the Iowa stands. It's basically a dumbed down version of the DW for about $100 less, and it works just fine. I've got a sliding 12 on it and it doesn't tip. I'm not big on the stop. Its about as useful as the decals on the truck, but if you're not trimming windows, its worth a look and would save you a buck. "The child is grown / The dream is gone / And I have become / Comfortably numb " lyrics by Roger Waters
It will be used for all around stuff, from framing to trim, probably a 50/50 split between the 2
I saw something similar to what you were talking about at HD for around 100, I wanted something a little more substantial if you know what I mean
are you thinking of captain strap as the framing guy? Only framing I/we do is additions and moving walls around in remodels and basements
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
Edited 7/19/2003 6:49:17 PM ET by CAG
delta stand works good especially large wheels for rough terrain &setts up in a minute
wife has no trouble loading it into trailer with ridgit chop bolted on
CAG,
I bought just the saw clamps from Iowa manfuct. ( Stablemate) for about $30. Mounted those to my saw. I then made some extension wings similiar to what Gary Katz describes/ shows in his book "Finish Carpentry", made the extension wings ( 6' each side) out of plywood and attach them to the sides of my saw with a hinge (one leaf in the extension, one leaf attached to the saw). To separate the extensions from the saw, just pull the hinge pin. The extension wings have their own fold down leg supports. I just clamp the saw onto a saw horse.
Take a look at Gary's book and see if thats something that would work for you. My setup is protable and easy to setup and take down. There are still some improvements/ modifications Id like to do, but it works. It was hard to convince myself to drill holes for the hinge leaf into the side of my saw.
M2akita
I would take a serious look at the Sawhelper. On my list of tools it is probably the biggest timesaver, least finicky, most accurate, most portable, easiest to set up, overall best tool I ever bought.
The flipstop is substantial and very convienient.
The built in tape measures, (you install), when calibrated correctly and combined with the flipstop are wonderfull.
One tape ( you supply) gets mounted in a groove in the surface of the table. You can actually leave your tape in your belt and get a direct read off the table.
The other tape ( they supply) is for the flipstop and mounts in the vertical section of the table. Again no tape measure needed.
The company will custom cut the table lengths for you so you can customize your saw for your work and storage needs. You can also purchase extra tables $$$ and have setups like long right and left for framing, and shorter for bringing the setup inside.
The avertising is correct, setup is less than 60 seconds, and it has to be the best out there for uneven terrain.
It also comes with some hardware to make outriggers (wood that you supply) that mount to the table to give you a wider surface. Great for 10" to 12" wide material. You can work with those widths without them but if your cutting wide material alot you might want to consider installing them.
I know it's expensive but it is a pleasure to use. I know you won't be dissapointed.
Depending on the saw there is a little work needed to mount the brackets. I had to drill the base of my DeWalt 12" slider. No big deal but it took a couple of hours to get it all together.
Rich
Rich,
thanks for your input, I'm seriously looking at, still no decesion.
Thanks again NeilNever be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
I bought one at Home Depot for $99. Don't remember the brand name off-hand.
Steel and a bit heavy, but workable. Very stable. Folds up compactly.
Very nice with 2 supports that extend in & out. The support ends adjust up & down too. And one end has a stop you can easily flip up or down.
I like it.
One draw back is that you have to attach the brackets onto your saw which makes it awkward with those 4 triangluar things sticking out from the bottom of the saw. I'm thinking of attaching those brackets to a piece of plywood and using some bolts and wing nuts to attach to my saw (or maybe just clamps) so I can easily use the saw on a table top for quick cuts without having to set up the stand. With those brackets on the saw it's unsteady on a table top. As I think about it I have 3 saws I'd like to use on it. Would be nice to make it so I can change as needed. Have 10", 12" and a chop saw. Using the chop saw for cutting metal is why the steel stand would seem better. Can take the heat better than aluminum?
Edited 7/20/2003 9:30:46 AM ET by Gary
Edited 7/20/2003 9:32:49 AM ET by Gary
well thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I bought the Delta, with a little regret.
I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on the sawhelper. Had myself almost convinced then I decided I wanted a new worm drive and a saw stand more then just a saw stand.
Went to HD today, 3 actually, and at the last one just as I was getting ready to put the rigid on the cart in the corner of my eye I noticed 2 deltas near the clearance rack, so I checked it out, $99.99, so..... money won the day and I ended up spending 200 bucks in the store anyway.
Thanks again.
P.S. Don't know if the rigid sliding miter saw is worth a damn, but out here they are throwing in a free rigid stand with the purchase of the saw...
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.