I was thinking about buying a portable table saw and was wondering which one to get. The local retailers have the DW745 & Bosch 4000-09 with gravity stand on sale. They are priced @ $303 & $389 respectively. I’ve searched the forums and they both seem quite popular. The reviews seem to indicate that the Bosch is a better saw but I am concerned about its size & weight. As I will be storing this in a basement, I will have to lift it up a flight of stairs every time I use it. I intend to move the saw & stand separately. Does anyone do this & is it an issue? The DW745 on the other hand solves all of these problems & is still highly rated but some people have commented that it is somewhat limited. I only have space for one saw & would prefer to not buy another too soon in the future. Thanks
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Can't comment on the DeWalt since i don't have one. I do have the Bosch though. What a nice and powerful saw. The stand is great too. No effort at all required to fold and unfold. The saw itself is bolted to the stand so you won't wan't to remove it everytime you want to take it up a flight of stairs. The wheels are large enough so that you should be able to simply roll it up the stairs. I'll try it tonight and post back if it's easy...I've never actually took it out of my basement. You don't mention if you have a straigth stairwell or if it has angled stairs or a landing. Also check the width of your doors making sure you measure the clear dimension when the door is fully open.
My partner has the Dewalt, I use it every day. Nice saw, very solid.
Got to be the best fence out there on the portables anyway. I have the Bosch (stays at home mostly). This saw would be my first choice, it was in fact . Soft start, electronic speed control. Nice
fence, all around excellent saw. And yes I wheel it up and down my
basement stairs ( with a 90 degree turn). Two gripes tho... The miter track is strangely loose. Easy enough to hold the slide to
one side, but why should you have to?
The throat plate is a bit flimsy. That said it still gets my vote.
Bosch because of the better cutomer support and quality...
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Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I think the Bosch is the better saw..... but the Dewalt is no slouch either. And if I had to carry my table saw up a flight of stairs everytime I'd want to use it then I'd be looking long and hard at that little Dewalt. What will you mainly be using it for? If it's knocking down sheetgoods then I might reconsider and get the Bosch. But if you're just ripping 1x and 2x stock then the Dewalt will probably serve you well and be a whole lot easier to navigate stairs with.
I have both.
Dewalt lives in tha van.
Bosch stays home.
Dewalt does not have the rip capacity.
Slightly different animals.
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Both huh? You make me so proud some times. Sniff Sniff.....View Image
Yeah well don't get too excited............Paul B. offered me a laser thingy of which brand I'd never heard of.
Some tool whore................[email protected]
No rip capacity? I must be thinking of a different DW
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Less than the Bosch. We're talking about the smaller DW correct?[email protected]
Mine is the original larger one that rips to about 25"
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The larger one is a pretty straight on comparison to the Bosch imo[email protected]
I have both.
Dewalt lives in the van.
Bosch stays home.
Dewalt does not have the rip capacity.
Slightly different animals.Like Eric, I’ve got both also.What he said.The Bosch is a good saw, but it’s a ball buster to carry. I have the stand, but don’t use it b/c it would take up way to much precious room in the van.Went and bought the small DW (745?) and its working out great. Before, the Bosch did not come out unless it absolutely, positively had to b/c there was no other safe/satisfactorily way of doing a particular job without it. Needless to say I generally found an alternate way of doing the job, so basically the saw was seldom used, but still taking up valuable space.With the DW, being a PITA to get out and set up isn’t an issue. So I use it ALOT more. However it is a screamer compared to the Bosch. Also I spent a lot of time making accessories for the Bosch, like a router insert, and a bunch of zero clearance inserts for the blade etc.so it’s really hard to think about selling it, although someday I’ll have to. So, bottom line is the DW is the go to saw. Saved up the money for the Rousseau saw stand and have a unisaw in my shop so that leaves the Bosch as odd man out.Dan
Yeah, it's easy...on my carpeted stairs anyways. The wheels are 8" pneumatic and the aluminum frame is curved so that when it's folded up, the frame just slides up against the stair nosing (see attached). The maximum width is 29" so it should fit through a 30" door if it swings wide open. Again, check clear width of door opening and stairs. Raiulings might get in the way.
I measured my doorways and at the narrowest they are just shy of 30" . This means maneuvering the Bosch should not be a problem. Thanks Chucky for checking its stair climbing ability. This was my biggest concern with the Bosch. Basswood, Dieselpig & others do bring up the valid point of whether the saw will be used for sheet goods & how often. This is something the Bosch seems to have over the Dewalt. Truthfully, I don't see myself using it for that purpose too often. Overall, I should be just fine with the DW745. The Bosch just seems great value @ $389 and still fits easily within my budget. I guess just have to separate my needs from my wants. I know my wife would say save the $86 and spend on her.
Thanks for the great feedback
i use the bosch often, but really like the little dewalt. the max rip is 16" which is good for most things. last week i milled a ton of 10/4 beech with it and the saw didn't complain. the stock blade is week but most are. it's also quite a bit cheaper than the bosch.
my complaint with the bosch is that the fence has no microadjusment and also can rack, that being said they are both solid imo.
Every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
Buy them both ;~)[email protected]
I have the Bosch and ditto what Diesel said, but with one drawback - that part of the stand that kicks out at the bottom is a tripping hazard. As for the saw itself, I think the Bosch and the DeWalt are both fairly comparable. Thing is, I almost always push stock through the saw at one end, walk around the saw (step over the tripping hazard) to pull it through the other end. For this one reason I'd recommend steering away from the gravity rise stand.
That DeWalt comes in 2 flavors. I'm not sure which model it is that you mentioned, but one has 24 1/2" rip capacity while the lesser expensive one will only rip up to 16 1/2". If you ever rip plywood you'll want the larger ($$) of the two.
I realize the tripping hazard part of Bosch's gravity rise stand is needed so you can stand it up on edge for storage, but if they somehow came up with a new design that doesn't have that I'd put my current Bosch on eBay or Craig's List right away and upgrade to the new design.
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You might look at the Ridgid table saw stand. I have one of the old originals that I have been using for years and never noticed a trip hazard. Think they have a new design now and can't comment on that one, but, might be worth a look.
the rigid seriesof tools isn't doing well at all in the customer service department...
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!!!
had a lot of problems with their stands have they?
hoop jumping to get the tools warrentied...
dunno about the stand...
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!!!
I also have both saws and they are both nice to use. I use the DeWalt 90% of the time now and the Bosch stays at the shop. I rip large sheets down with an EZ guide and circ. saw so I never need the larger rip capacity of the Bosch.
The Dewalt is louder than the Bosch and the Bosch has soft start, but the Dewalt rack and pinion fence is nicer. Love the size and weight of the Dewalt.
Also, my Bosch has had issues. In 3 years of moderate use the main bearing siezed up and the electronics fritzed out. I bought the Dewalt when the Bosch was down for repairs. I would get the DeWalt.
"The Dewalt is louder than the Bosch "I wonder if that is partly a function of exact model and type of blade?I think of my bosch as the louder of the two.Also, I have had arbour and electronics issues with my DW.
Had the DW for a long time since they were first introduced, the Bosch only a year now, so I can do decent longevity review.
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i just went through the same choices !! i love bosch products but it seems like dewalt is cornering the market especially in the cordless tools!
with that being said i just recently had my old faithfull makita with a rosseau stand die it was a great setup and had the ability to rip 24" !
so now i start the searching act for the new saw i compare the dewalt 10 to the bosch 10" dewalt 10 seemed more compact then the bosch with that big stand ! giving the fact that i have a delta unisaw with a 52" saw if i had to buy a portable 10" for a job saw ( doing big trim jobs ) i would buy the bosch hands down !!! i think the bosch is better built then the dewalt . so after all the looking and comparing i bought the 10 compact dewalt & i love it !!! only real draw back is i can only rip 16" wide fence system works real nice and acurate just dont like the plastic parts on the fence !! it does appear like if you move the fence off the allen set screws you can get a 19" rip . well i know i am rambling however all my statements might trigger some other thoughts for you . I mostly do kitchen renovations so i feel my choice was the right one . I also bought a little fiberglass folding table 48" x 24" that i set the saw on seems great so far i know i will be pissed in the future when bosch comes out with a portable saw
bosch.
there's no need to reinvent the wrench
I thought you were a confirmed Sears man!;) Tee Hee
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noooooooooooooo,
I'm much more of a Ryobi man ;) Just got the Ryobi BTS15 today off Craigslist. a sweet saw for sure
there's no need to reinvent the wrench
I'm much more of a Ryobi man
that sounds more like an oxymoron....
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!!!
shut up you oxy--moron ;)
there's no need to reinvent the wrench
Atta boy! Don't take no #### from these curmudgeons.View Image
with humour and attitude like that, the kid will rise to the topif nobody kills him first!;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
ROAR!!!!
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!!!
If you own a lightweight 10" table saw, any brand, and would like to have a way to expand it's dimensions while adding a folding stand you might like this unit for $141 from Amazon: SKIL 80092 Folding Table Saw Stand.
Edit: Read the two excellent reviews/descriptions of this folding stand on Amazon.
Edited 5/3/2008 8:11 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
I have both and they each have advantages as a saw.
The most of the weight in the Bosch is in the stand. If you do not get that, it's a wash. For up and down stairs, depends whether you prefer to carry of bump the wheels on the steps and on how wide the stairwell and door is. I guess if I had a job with that concern, I would probably take the DW to work.
My impression is that the bosch has the stronger motor, but I really like the fence system on the DW when it is adjusted properly.
One other concern I have expressed previously is that I believed I could not use a dao on my DW. That turned out to be false after I had a discussion with Jeff Buck on it, I tried harder and found that I needed to remove another backing plate from the arbour to make it go. It will dado fine.
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
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Paul, they're referring to the new little DW745. Nice little saw, a lot of tool in a little package... but 'only' a 16" rip capacity. Not so good for sheetgoods, but great for everything else, by all accounts. I'm thinking hard about getting one as a second saw to supplement the beastly Ridgid and cart we drag around. (Which has been one of the most reliable and well-built tools I own) Sorry Imerc.... but it's a very very nice saw!
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http://www.toolking.com/dewalt_dw745.aspxView Image
We used that Rigid last fall on another job. The guys liked it better than my Bosch, but to me it seemed louder and kind of rattled a bit on startup, which made me question...It did seem to have more intuitive user-friendly controls than the Bosch though. Anybody catching it on sale would probably do well to buy one if they needed a semi-portable unit.
I use that term because it seems like that is how we use the Bosch - on a job where it will remain for a while, but the in and out jobs where wwe set up the saw for the day sees the DW on a stand
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It's definitely not a quiet saw Paul. (The Ridgid I mean). For me, it's not so much of an issue as my sites are always pretty loud with the compressor running. And we're usually set up outdoors..... or at least in a place that isn't quite 'indoors' yet. ;)
I'll give a tool I own a bad review if it deserves it. I've got no loyalty to any particular tool brand. Other than Festool, I can't think of a brand of tool that I don't own. So my rave reviews have nothing to do with the fact that I own this particular saw. That being said, the Ridgid jobsite tablesaw really has been one of my best purchases. I've got one of the original grey-ish ones. I bought it at a Home Depot about 6 or 7 years ago.... reconditioned with the cart for under $400.
As framers we rip a lot of 2x stock on it and it has always performed admirably. I've run the thing for an hour or so straight ripping 2x to the point where I could smell that awful electrical smell and it was smoking hot. It's literally taken anything I've thrown at it. A week or so later you could find me making a super tight 65 degree miter on a piece of 8005 crown with it with a jig and the bevel gauge. It wears both hats well.
The fence is one of the best parts IMO. It doesn't have that slick micro-adjust that the Dewalt has, but it is big, beefy, self aligns well, and stays put. The cart is heavy, but does a good job and is stable. On board cord, blade, and wrench storage. Big fat on/off switch in a good location. Other than the weight.... and maybe the noise..... not much to dislike about it. And it's never been in the shop..... knock on wood.
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You're able to find the 4000-09 cheap cause the 4100 is out.
Having said that, I have a 4000 and I think its great. Very good fence and very powerful.
The one complaint I do have is that it wont rip a 2x4 width wise. My old Ryobi did but that was about all I had to say good about that saw.
I own the Dewalt saw and am very pleased with it. The 16" rip capacity is a drawback but at least 80% of my cuts are less than 16" so I don't mind. For larger cuts I use a Skilsaw and guide with the panel supported by some 2x4's resting on sawhorses. Doing large dimension cuts of sheet goods on a table saw usually requires an outfeed support and/or a helper to keep the operation safe. Could you get the sheets rough cut using the store's panel saw?
If you have to lug the saw up and down the stairs everytime you use it, eventually both your back and the saw will suffer.
Get the Dewalt.
I have the larger DeWalt and my partner has the Bosch. I like his table and stand better, but they do take up a lot of space, and the fence will flex if you lean on it. The soft start is nice.I like my fence better, and it fits in the truck easier. I can't say about the little deWalt because I've not used it, but it has the same fence mechanism and that would go a long way in my book. One thing I hate, really hate about my deWalt is how the undercarriage gets gummed up really quickly, and it's quite a pain to clean all the adjustment screws and places where the sawdust wedges in and makes it hard to raise and lower the blade. Also, the carriage can twist out of parallel to the fence when setting the bevel unless you grab the saw by the middle of the motor carriage to move it to the bevel you want.I very rarely rip full-sized sheet goods with it anymore as the Festo has taken over those duties. But I do go out wider than 16" quite a bit for panel-type things. But I think if I was buying again, I would take a long hard look at the little deWalt. If I didn't have the Festo wouldn't get the little deWalt as my only saw. It would have to be the larger deWalt or the Bosch.Steve
And the answer is .... Dewalt. I spent a better part of my weekend looking at the two saws side by side. From raising the blades to moving the fences, there wasn't anything I didn't play with. I went so far as to pick up the saws and move them around the store to see how they felt. The clerk thought it was a bit strange but how else am I going to know. It was a tough call but I ultimately went with the Dewalt. What sold me in the end was it's weight & rack and pinion fence. And as others have mentioned, I'll just rip larger pieces with my circular saw & guide. Again, thanks for all the great input.
So.... with the money you saved ....what did you buy the wife?????