JayL

Hi to all.

I'm a newbie woodworker who had been lurking around the forum for sometime now. I am ready to get myself a table saw and had currently zeroed in on the Ridgid TS2410LS. My concern is that wood shop space is a bit of a premium but I could still accommodate say a Ridgid TS3660.

Am a losing a lot of capabilities by choosing the portable saw or probably I should be looking at another saw. My budget is $500.

Thank you so much in advance for your comments and insights.

knotscott

Aside from portability, a full size cast iron saw like the 3660 has every advantage. The belt drive induction motor is quieter and runs smoother and will have more torque, the table surface is much larger...especially in front of the blade, it'll have considerably more mass which makes it more stable and safer. A full size saw will also accommodate many aftermarket accessories, including many parts from other brand saws...wings, fence, miter, motor, etc. A full size saw will also have better longevity and higher resale value. The 3660 in particular has been on sale for $400 as their clear the way for the new Ridgid R4511...$400 is a great price and they've been selling out fast, but if you call around your area TODAY, someone may still have one...they may even be willing to send one from another store. The Delta 36-980 with T2 fence is also worth considering.

The R4511 hybrid is well worth a look at $600. It has the motor inside the enclosure which takes up less space and has a shorter drive belt, has better dust collection, much more mass (450# vs 287#), steel fence, granite top, riving knife, and larger handwheels.

With all that said, the 2410 and similar saws like the Bosch and DeWalt are capable of doing good work. The end performance of any of them is largely determined by setup and blade selection...do both well and you'll get good service from your saw.

JayL

Thanks for the reply. I will see if I can still catch a 3660 on sale.

JayL

I think all the Home Depot stock of TS 3660 are gone. Any other place selling this saw?

Is the TS2410LS a good choice now since the TS 3660 is not available anymore or can anybody recommend another saw.

By the way I forgot to say that I am not in the United States so shipping is a concern too. A smaller package will be cheaper to send to me.

Thanks in advance again for your insights.

knotscott

Knowing your general location might be helpful.

The 2410 is a capable saw but still has the same disadvantages mentioned earlier. You could get the Delta 36-979 (980 w/fence) for $600 from Lowes.....10% moving coupon brings it to $540. Nice saw.



Used is always an option.

BobbyfromHouston

I like the Delta that was shown above. I have to of them. One older than the other. I think they are great. I wouldn't get anything but a cabinet saw, but that doesn't fit in the $500 budget you set. I think you would be very happy with the Delta. I have seen lots of problems with the Ridgid fence.

JayL

Thank you very much again for your replies.

The saw that I will be buying will be shipped from Chicago Illinois to Manila Philippines where I will use it.

There is not much price difference between the TS-3660 and the Delta 36-980 and if I am getting a better saw then I can stretch the budget.

My only concern is the size of the Delta saw's original packaging. Can anybody please give me an approximate size of the box dimensions.

BobbyfromHouston

The last one I bought came in two boxes. One for the fence and one for the saw. The fence box was about 12 inches x 3 inches x 40 inches roughly. The other box was about 16 inches x 24 inches x 30 inches roughly.

JayL

Can anybody please help me. I need to know the dimensions of the box the TS2410LS comes with.

Thanks in advance.

Danoam

I think that the box my ts2400ls came in was about 24x36x48, its been a while since I got mine. Same saw, just a different stand so the box should be about the same.

mike65072

I looked at contractor type saws before I bought a TS2400LS. I don't believe you lose any capabilities with this saw. The table itself is not much smaller than most contractor saws and the fence is tight and very accurate. It is easy to move around in the shop and the stand is remarkabily solid. I like the fact that I can move the saw outside for outdoor projects and/or put it in the back of my truck to help out friends on their projects. I've added a Freud blade and Incra miter jig and use a couple of roller stands for longer boards. Well worth the money, and the ridgid lifetime warranry is hard to beat. Good luck, Mike

soniferry

Hybrid Saws
In recent years, tool manufacturers have begun to recognize the gulf between the affordable contractor saw and the cabinet saw, and have responded by developing a new class of table saw. "Hybrid" table saws capture some of the most valuable features of the cabinet saw at a price that's still in range for the hobbyist.
Some hybrid saws have a cabinet type of base and others have a shorter base and legs, but in either case, the base is fully enclosed, with the motor mounted inside the base, instead of on the back of the saw. Hybrid saws are equipped with more substantial trunnions and arbor bearings, often a more advanced drive belt system, and better gearing than most contractor saws. In addition, the trunnions of many hybrid saws are mounted to the base of the saw, making precision alignment of the blade with the miter slot and the blade much easier.
Hybrid saws are essentially a scaled down version of the cabinet saw. They're lighter weight, and are equipped with motors in the 1-1/2 - 1-3/4 HP range (which means that they can be used with standard 110 volt service). Many believe that hybrid saws represent the wave of the future for home shops, and while they're not quite in the same class as their larger cousins, hybrid saws are sturdy and well constructed, and offer many advantages for the serious hobbyist.

__________________
Office Desks

timber715

Hello JayL, I too am from Manila Philippines and having a hard time getting myself a table saw. the only decent one available is the Makita 2703 and the upcoming MLT100. please should you decide to get a table saw PM me the cost of shipping it would entail. Much thanks...

JayL

Forex Cargo quoted $210 shipping charges for the Ridgid TS2410LS from Tinley Park Illinois to Manila Philippines.

I'm still studying my options for a local purchase but like you I haven't found a saw that I like.

How much is the Makita MLT100? Where could I see this?

Regards,

JayL

timber715

JayL,
the MLT100 is available with the local distributor already, BUT, they are not yet selling them cause they need to sell the last few 2703 models. until then, these saws can only be seen in European sites. As far as I know, we should have them available by June of this year (2009). Btw, pricing hasn't been announced yet, but they say it should be around USD600.00 give or take a few(Php 30,000.00 Philippine pesos). I know, they are priced high compared to the EU markets which are farther from the source (China) I guess it has everything to do with market control and not much competition. but buying them here gives you the warranty and aftersale option which would be difficult if you buy from elsewhere. Also as far as I know, they come equipped with a Japan made motor, everything else from China.
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/v...=28397&start=0

JayL

Timber715,

I know for a fact that the Ridgid TS2410LS is a good saw and I can get it for around 30,000 pesos landed. The same price as the MLT100.

I have a lot of Jap made Makita power tools in the shop but lately I have been hesitant to buy from them because of declining quality. None the less I would want to check the MLT100 too.

As much as possible I prefer to get Made in Taiwan. I believe the Ridgid is if I am not mistaken.

As for warranty, I have purchased most of my tools from the USA. Some of the power tools I even got as reconditioned. So far all is well ... knock on wood.

The local Makita dealers here in Manila give service only warranty which does not make it attractive for me to buy from them.

Overall I still get better deals in the US market specially when the tools are on Sale.

I would be interested to know which saw you intend to get.

BTW I'm also looking at this saw : Dewalt 745

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW745-1...8018059&sr=1-7

tks

timber715

JayL,
I got to agree with you, Makita's quality is declining and that if you had the option, it is better and even cheaper to buy from the US with the sales ongoing. If I had the option, I would probably get a Ridgid TS2410LS too, I wanted the Bosch 4100 also but the motors coming from Makita are far better than any powertool I see in our local market(Manila). You see, I have very limited choices to choose from, and lots of times I rely on reviews. unfortunately some reviews are biased, you just have to check them out one by one and find what you like. From what I read, the MLT100 seems a bit noisy, but I don't know how it compares to Rigid or Bosch.

if you got the space and the option, consider getting something like this. Induction motors are quiet and reliable and will cut through anything without burning them. plus the mechanism should be more superior than the jobsite saws. of course it belongs to a different class.

I am from Manila, Manila. where are you located? we have a local site that I am most regular in. come visit Tipidpc.com when you can http://www.tipidpc.com/viewtopic.php?tid=121859