Craftsman Table saw 137.248840 - Woodworking Talk

**Daren** · 09-25-2007, 10:35 AM

I will add a link to the saw, explain why I bought it and why you should not

.

I needed a second table saw. I have one big old Craftsman cast iron/steel saw I bought used. I do not even know how old it is. I converted the belt drive to link belt. It is a great saw, plenty of power, BIG table, good fence, good locking miter gauge with a screw clamp...But it was most of the time more saw than I needed (if that is possible) I guess I should say it took up more room than I could afford in my small shop. I moved the old saw into the lumber shed (with a forktruck) and started looking for a decent little saw that could be moved around easier or at least take up less room when not in use.

I did not find it when I bought this

(removed dead link 1/15/09...guess they don't sell it under than # anymore

)
I liked the retractable sides on the table and extending outfeed on the back, and still do, they are sturdy. They gave me bigger saw capacity with smaller saw storage. Unfortunately after using the saw for less than a year that is about all I like.

I see now on the link there are customer reviews, not present when I bought the saw, 72 and most bad like I am going to do here. I thought the little sawdust catcher bag would be handy, and it was until it broke

. Within a month the lightweight plastic funnel that held the bag/diverted dust to it was toast. Small cut offs that the blade threw down cracked it, then eventually shattered it making it useless. The bag hangs on the wall now...and the dust goes on the floor (another $.50 worth of Chinese plastic to make a thicker/more durable funnel would have been a good idea)

The base was wobbly, and not just a little. I took oak 1Xs and tied all the legs together, that fixed it.

The fence is a joke, it is currently out of square and the cam lock way it works there is no way of fixing it permanently. I can jury rig something, but it will be constant fiddling.

It has an overload switch than now is going on the blink. I can only cut 4' or so of 8/4" hardwood before it kicks out. I have to wait 30 seconds, reset it and go some more, VERY frustrating (and potentially dangerous). I am probably going to wire through it and just smoke the motor. This saw is not going to be in my shop much longer one way or the other.

I guess I don't know what I thought I would get for $170, but to be honest I did expect more. If you are looking for a saw like this, don't waste your money on this model.

**TexasTimbers** · 09-25-2007, 04:51 PM

Can you send it back without paying a third the cost in shipping? Sorry you got shafted but thanks for the review you might have saved someone the same fate.

Maybe it will make a decent boat anchor.

Corndog · 09-25-2007, 05:02 PM

I sometimes think Sears assumes that woodworkers that buy Craftsman products only work in pine and MDF and watch home improvement shows.
Same thing can be said for Ryobi. Not a work-day tool by any stretch of the imagination.

Do what I did....give that POS to someone you dislike a whole lot!!!

**Daren** · 09-25-2007, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corndog

I sometimes think Sears assumes that woodworkers that buy Craftsman products only work in pine and MDF and watch home improvement shows.

Interesting observation, I reckon it would have lasted a little longer if I was a MDF guy. When I said 8/4 hardwood, I meant hard wood like osage, rock maple, locust...but still. My blades are sharp, the thing is junk. The old saw I was talking about eats that stuff all day long. I am shopping again. I still want something along the same lines for smaller work. I rip big stuff down in the sawmill shed with the real table saw (I don't buy narrow boards at the lumber yard

, I make my own 20+" wide stock and rip it to suit) Drag the lumber off my cut sheet into the woodshop and need a more "small shop friendly" table saw for finish work.

**TexasTimbers** · 09-26-2007, 08:17 AM

Daren since you don't need a heavy duty table saw why not shop around for a used contractor saw. There are tons of Craftsman and Delta contractor saws for sale all the time. Garage sales, craigslist, estate sales etc.

woodboxs · 09-26-2007, 05:43 PM

Daren i am sorry to here about the saw but to be onest i am not a fan of craftsman or as i refer to the new stuff they sell now crapmans tools. the newer stuff they make now is cheap junk an i would not consider any of it. To be onest i have a old craftsman saw that is 40 years old an i get a lot of good service out of it the older stuff is better made than the new stuff. The saw i have i like the only thing i do not like is the fence it is alumana and i have to fiddle with it to make sure it is square other wise it works fine. You might want to try a web site oldwoodworkingmachines.com they have a lot of old saws and a lot of 30, 40 and even 50 year old saws. so take a look you might find somthing.

Buffalo Bilious · 10-01-2007, 08:51 AM

Funny, I bought one of these a day before you posted this. (or maybe, not so funny...

) Just noticed your post this AM.

On the plus side: The table extensions, and the aluminum table, as opposed to the plastic tables that similarly priced saws have.

Otherwise,

You're right about the leg wobble. The fix for me was to loosen all the bolts on the base and push down on the table while wiggling it side to side, then re-tighten.

The blade-guard and splitter assembly is a PITA. Seems to want to hang-up on the board and stop the cut, no matter how much I try to adjust it.

The fence assembly has that look and feel that says it may eventually go out of whack, but so far cuts have been straight and true.

Other than that, I haven't really put it through any heavy use yet... and I probably won't, either... The "real world" is only going to allow me to rip a couple boards a week max, if I'm lucky.

Got mine on sale for $160. Also bought a decent Freud blade to replace the one that comes with the saw.

To be honest, I wanted to spend more for better, but I've been on a spending binge lately, and for $160, I bought it with the notion that if it only performs for a year, I'd be getting my money's worth out of it.

Just my dos centavos.

**Daren** · 10-01-2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buffalo Bilious

The blade-guard and splitter assembly is a PITA. Seems to want to hang-up on the board and stop the cut, no matter how much I try to adjust it.

Yea, I had forgot about that part...probably cause I threw it away the first week

. I never could keep it from giving me fits, I think I took it off and stomped it then threw it away.

Bruce B · 10-06-2007, 09:03 AM

Daren.
I have this saw and have used it for three years also had to replace the starter switch three times don't know why they even put a dust bag on this thing because the dust comes out from all four sides on to the floor. However at the time the price was right and my wife gave it to me as a gift but I will agree this is not a good saw.

Bruce.

**Daren** · 10-06-2007, 10:13 AM

Bruce
Years ago I had one of those cheap Ryobi saws, same thing the switch kept going out. I did not need the safety key part. I just took a regular light switch and used it, worked fine . I still blew motor though, I am too hard on saws to be buying these kind unless I figure on buying a new one about once a year. That doesn't make much sense though.

I did the same thing on a lathe I had. The switch was still good, just in the wrong spot. I put a box and a light switch by my waist on the bench where I did not have to reach across the piece to turn it on and off.

Bruce B · 10-06-2007, 10:29 AM

Well I am looking for a used contractor saw now but I will use this one until I get one. I don't do the jobs that most of you guys here do, it is a hobby for me and thanks for the light switch idea.

Woodsman42 · 12-03-2007, 04:46 PM

I got this model Craftsman saw this year for Father's Day. My fault - I chose it. I have not had any of the problems described (although the fence is less steady than I'd like), but I do have two big issues.

First and foremost, the miter channel is not standard size, and isn't even a t-channel. It's an open channel with two tabs near either end. I'm fairly new at woodworking on this level. I didn't know there were different sizes and types of miter channels. I do now. I found out when an accessory I bought would not fit. Then I found that, apparently, no one sells any extras that DO fit, not even Sears! I can't buy any jigs for this saw. I have to make them all (not a terrible thing, but I'd like the option!), which means I have to make my own channel guides, which is a pain, with those tabs on the channel. I have seriously considered taking it to a machine shop to have those tabs removed, and maybe even widen the channels. I may yet have the tabs cut off, but I'm afraid widening the channels would ruin them.

The second issue is, I can't find a zero-clearance insert for this model anywhere, and making one, which should be really simple, has proven to be seriously difficult and annoying. The design makes it impossible to just drop a piece of wood in place. If you have this saw, you know what I mean.

This was my first time choosing a major power tool. I chose poorly, mostly because I didn't know what details to look for. I knew what basic capabilities I wanted, and money was a factor, but had I known what to watch out for, I would never have picked this one, or any Craftsman saw. No more Craftsman power tools in my shop!

knotscott · 12-06-2007, 02:30 AM

I think those of you that have this saw realize its short comings. Craftsman does put there name on alot of junk, but in this case, it's a more an issue of saw type and design than brand. There's not a new $160 table saw on the market that'll do significantly more....Tradesman, Ryobi, Skil, B&D, Delta, etc. You've typically got to get to the $300-$400 mark to a get a decent new saw.

Craftsman has a huge line of tools that serve alot of different markets and price points. Some it of it's fairly poor, but some is also very good. I think maybe Craftsman would be better off with a couple of different brand names to differentiate between their quality levels like DeWalt/B&D and Bosch/Skil.

I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice to write-off all Craftsman tools because of the poor performance of a $160 TS. Check out the Orion made 22124...it's gotten rave reviews and is made by the same company that makes the Steel City hybrids. Also check out the Rikon made line of bandsaws that are getting glowing comments from owners. Sale prices can make these tools very competitive for the price.

DocJr8156 · 12-11-2007, 01:56 PM

Agree with Scott. I have the 14-inch bandsaw above and it's a pleasure to use. The Professional line of mitersaw from Craftsman were not bad either.

I owned this saw, gave up and sold it for $100. I now enjoying the company of a Delta contractor saw with a Biesemeyer fence. The difference is night and day.

Woodsman42 · 12-11-2007, 07:32 PM

Thanks for the responses. I may have been hasty in declaring Craftsman tools as junk. Chalk it up to frustration.

I will likely be replacing this saw early next year, if I can't get it to perform to my satisfaction. I doubt if I'll buy another Craftsman table saw, but I have been looking into various band saws, including Craftsman. For a decent table saw, I'm leaning toward Delta.

As has been stated, any table saw you get for $150-$200 is going to be just that -- a cheap saw. Low price usually means low quality. I ignored one of my guidelines: you get what you pay for. The real problem here was insufficient research into the products. Now I know.

Thanks again!

knotscott · 12-11-2007, 08:00 PM

Woodsman - If I had a nickel for every lesson I learned the hard way, I'd buy us each a really nice big cabinet saw!

The good news is that now you know better!

That saw is probably the number one selling "first table saw" on the market! My first saw was only marginally better...a Delta 36-600. I was lucky that I got it fairly cheap, and was able to sell it for only a $50-$60 loss. "Buy low, sell high" applies to tools!

Bruce B · 12-11-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodsman42

I got this model Craftsman saw this year for Father's Day. My fault - I chose it. I have not had any of the problems described (although the fence is less steady than I'd like), but I do have two big issues.

First and foremost, the miter channel is not standard size, and isn't even a t-channel. It's an open channel with two tabs near either end. I'm fairly new at woodworking on this level. I didn't know there were different sizes and types of miter channels. I do now. I found out when an accessory I bought would not fit. Then I found that, apparently, no one sells any extras that DO fit, not even Sears! I can't buy any jigs for this saw. I have to make them all (not a terrible thing, but I'd like the option!), which means I have to make my own channel guides, which is a pain, with those tabs on the channel. I have seriously considered taking it to a machine shop to have those tabs removed, and maybe even widen the channels. I may yet have the tabs cut off, but I'm afraid widening the channels would ruin them.

The second issue is, I can't find a zero-clearance insert for this model anywhere, and making one, which should be really simple, has proven to be seriously difficult and annoying. The design makes it impossible to just drop a piece of wood in place. If you have this saw, you know what I mean.

This was my first time choosing a major power tool. I chose poorly, mostly because I didn't know what details to look for. I knew what basic capabilities I wanted, and money was a factor, but had I known what to watch out for, I would never have picked this one, or any Craftsman saw. No more Craftsman power tools in my shop!

I just cut those tabs out on the ends and made my own sliders out of maple for my saw sled. As for zero-clearance insert I us 1/4 " hard board and ran the saw blade as high as it would go to cut through the hard board, and when I need it I just tape it to the table top with two sided tape and move the fence over the my cut line.

bigredc · 12-12-2007, 06:29 AM

This post was started a long time ago, so I imagine you got a saw by now. If not Jet is having a sale on this saw. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17903

Bruce B · 12-13-2007, 10:08 PM

I did not keep the guard on the saw not sure if you can put the splitter on without the guard to that craftman saw.

Bruce.

raskgle · 12-13-2007, 10:10 PM

over the last 21 years I have spent money on something saying i did not need the bigger one. it only means buying two.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daren

I will add a link to the saw, explain why I bought it and why you should not

.

I needed a second table saw. I have one big old Craftsman cast iron/steel saw I bought used. I do not even know how old it is. I converted the belt drive to link belt. It is a great saw, plenty of power, BIG table, good fence, good locking miter gauge with a screw clamp...But it was most of the time more saw than I needed (if that is possible) I guess I should say it took up more room than I could afford in my small shop. I moved the old saw into the lumber shed (with a forktruck) and started looking for a decent little saw that could be moved around easier or at least take up less room when not in use.

I did not find it when I bought this

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...word=table+saw
I liked the retractable sides on the table and extending outfeed on the back, and still do, they are sturdy. They gave me bigger saw capacity with smaller saw storage. Unfortunately after using the saw for less than a year that is about all I like.

I see now on the link there are customer reviews, not present when I bought the saw, 72 and most bad like I am going to do here. I thought the little sawdust catcher bag would be handy, and it was until it broke

. Within a month the lightweight plastic funnel that held the bag/diverted dust to it was toast. Small cut offs that the blade threw down cracked it, then eventually shattered it making it useless. The bag hangs on the wall now...and the dust goes on the floor (another $.50 worth of Chinese plastic to make a thicker/more durable funnel would have been a good idea)

The base was wobbly, and not just a little. I took oak 1Xs and tied all the legs together, that fixed it.

The fence is a joke, it is currently out of square and the cam lock way it works there is no way of fixing it permanently. I can jury rig something, but it will be constant fiddling.

It has an overload switch than now is going on the blink. I can only cut 4' or so of 8/4" hardwood before it kicks out. I have to wait 30 seconds, reset it and go some more, VERY frustrating (and potentially dangerous). I am probably going to wire through it and just smoke the motor. This saw is not going to be in my shop much longer one way or the other.

I guess I don't know what I thought I would get for $170, but to be honest I did expect more. If you are looking for a saw like this, don't waste your money on this model.