Ridgid 10" cast iron top table saw - Woodworking Talk

Pianist93 · 10-08-2009, 08:55 PM

I was wondering what the guys of Woodworking talk thought of the Ridgid 10" cast iron top table saw?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

Everything I've seen about it gives it the best reviews possible.
Thanks for any input.
-Gabe

firehawkmph · 10-08-2009, 09:58 PM

Gabe,
If you do a search on the site here for the ridgid saw, you should bring up some threads on it. I seem to remember a lot of discussion on it when the granite top was do out. I don't remember anyone griping about it.
Mike Hawkins

woodnthings · 10-08-2009, 09:59 PM

That he uses TS3660 for his site name! I suggest that you look him up if he doesn't post an answer on this one.

bill
BTW his name is Gus.

knotscott · 10-09-2009, 10:12 AM

Gabe - The Ridgid 3660 is well proven and has a long lineage, with it's origins being traced back to the earlier Craftsman contractor saws. Emerson Electric made that saw for Sears for many years as the 113.298### series....AFAIK, King Seeley made it before that, but I'm not sure of the time frame and am not familiar with their inner workings. Sears and Emerson parted ways in 1997, at which time TTI/Ryobi took over the manufacturing of the Craftsman saw...series prefix was 315.######. At about the same time Home Depot and Emerson hooked up to introduce the Ridgid line of woodworking tools, which was owned and manufactured by Emerson. In 2004 Emerson turned the manufacture of the Ridgid saws over to TTI/Ryobi. Many of the parts between these saws are similar and interchangeable. In 2009 Ridgid introduced their new R4511 hybrid saw that's made by Steel City's Orion subsidiary. I'm not sure if what's left of the TS3650/3660 is just old stock, or if it's still being made.

The 3660 is a good saw within it's class, but it's a class of saw that's nearing obsolescence in this day and age. The issue with this entire class of saw is the location of the outboard motor hanging off the back. It was originally design ~ 60 years ago for easy motor removal so contractors could move it from site to site. The outboard motor creates several obstacles though...dust collection suffers, the motor takes up extra space, has a longer belt, can inadvertantly hit things when it's tilted which can throw off the alignment, and there's always a bit more risk of getting tangled in the belt. These days the vast majority of contractors no longer use a "contractor saw". They use a combination of portable jobsite saws for a TS, sliding compound miter saws, circular saws, or circular saw cutting systems like the Festool. Thus, the contractor saw has evolved into the hybrid saw with the motor housed inside the enclosure, which basically solves all the above mentioned issues, and poses nearly no disadvantages unless you need to remove the motor frequently. Every major brand now offers a hybrid saw, and only a handful still have a traditional contractor saw with an outboard motor, though there are a couple of brands that still call their hybrid saws "contractor saws". Hitachi, Jet, and Grizzly each have an example of a home duty (120v) full size stationary saw with an inboard belt drive induction motor on a splayed leg base that they still call "contractor" style. Either type have the same size table, same capabilities, etc., and either is capable of good work. The end performance is largely determined by setup, alignment, and blade selection, but the hybrid has what most see as several inherent design advantages. Even more importantly, most of the latest generation of hybrids/contractor saws with internal belt drive induction motors are offering riving knives instead of a fixed splitter. Unless you can get some significant savings from a traditional contractor saw (like a clearance price or used), the newer designs are where I'd be spending my research time and money.

In the end, buy what YOU like. Reviews from owners are often based on emotion conjured from owning their first good saw, and even reviews from pros are based on their opinions, likes, and dislikes, which may or may not correlate with yours.

Good luck!

HTH,
Scott

sweensdv · 10-09-2009, 10:46 AM

While I pretty much agree with everything Scott just said, and I'll probably get nitpicked to death for saying this, but a good quality contractor saw, like the TS3660, can do anything that a hybrid saw can. I wouldn't rule out a contractor saw just because it happens to be falling out of current fashion.

woodnthings · 10-09-2009, 11:14 AM

If you can spend more consider the hybrid as Scott mentioned. Dust collection is very important and will affect your health and unless you are going to work in your driveway 90% of the time I would want the best way to collect the dust possible. The motor hanging out the back does not allow for any easy method, although some folks have made extensive boxes and extension tables combined with dust collection. So, a hybrid will combine the best of all worlds and if you choose right, the fence will be really good. The table saw is designed to "rip" and cross cut small pieces, so it comes with a "rip fence", the arms, if not the heart of the saw. A fence that does not square itself with each change of position will come to frustrate you, I know I have both types, a Unifence which doesn't and a Biesemeyer which does. Look for the self squaring type of fence:
Here is a link to some reviews:
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2009/01...-jet-and-more/
BYT I own a Craftsman 22124 and like it very much and has a great Biesemeyer fence!!

bill

Pianist93 · 10-09-2009, 02:19 PM

Bottom line I think is that I'm only 15 and don't have a ton of money that I [u]want[u] to spent on a really nice table saw yet. The price was looking good and it had good reviews. Thanks for all the info though!
-Gabe

knotscott · 10-09-2009, 02:45 PM

Keep your eyes peeled Gabe. The TS3650/3660 was being closed out last spring in the $400 range. You might still stumble on one in a store, might even find someone reselling a new one, or selling a used one at a decent price.

You're about 30 years ahead of my TS buying experiences!