From what I've read on the forums, it has its issues, really just like any hybrid/consumer type cabinet saw.

For a little more money, I'd be looking for a used cabinet saw.

IMO this is one machine you don't want to regret buying. Regardless of what kind of projects you're doing, you want an accurate, well powered machine with an accurate, reliable fence. These three things in themselves are also related to safety. An under powered saw and misaligned fences are recipe for an accident.

 

From what I ve read on the forums, it has its issues, really just like any hybrid/consumer type cabinet saw.

For a little more money, I d be looking for a used cabinet saw.

IMO this is one machine you don t want to regret buying. Regardless of what kind of projects you re doing, you want an accurate, well powered machine with an accurate, reliable fence. These three things in themselves are also related to safety. An under powered saw and misaligned fences are recipe for an accident.

- Robert

Thanks for the input. I looked into what the dislikes might be and found a couple videos. All "issues" seemed relatively minor and easy to resolve.

I like the idea of going with a cabinet saw. But, I frankly don't know what to look for in a used one. And I'm limited with the dedicated footprint it can take up and in my current power supply options.

I also figure if the Ryobi I currently own has fit my needs, a consumer/hybrid saw would certainly satisfy my requirements; and be a definite upgrade over my current saw.

So, in the realm of consumer/hybrid saws, is the Ridgid a good buy at this price?

 

If you can deal with the downsides you found in your research, it's a logical path of upgrade. You will be able to make it work.

My own experience, I started with a Ryobi mobile saw. I hated everything about it. And I hated using it.

I did all the searching for a used cabinet saw. They were either overpriced or so far gone, not worth the time or money to fix. I wanted to do woodworking, not become a machine renovator.

I settled on a used Powermatic 63. It was leagues better than the Ryobi, but still needed arbor bearings, the Vega fence was garbage, the cast iron wings took a ton of filing to get the front edges to match up. Etc. Etc. Etc. In the end, I put more time (and money) into getting it to work than I did actually using it.

Couple years ago, I bought a Grizzly G1023RLW. Great machine and is a joy to use.

I don't regret my path of upgrade. I learned a lot. What I really learned is that people pushing you to go for "old iron" are romantics. They heard about that "one guy" that got a flawless old Unisaw for $300, therefore, everyone should just do that.

Unless you want to spend a bunch of time refurbishing a worn out machine, buy the Rigid, use it, it will be fine for your needs for a while. Maybe you never upgrade again. But if you feel the need to upgrade again, the Rigid will get you by until you save the money for a more serious machine.

 

I think you're better off trying to get a wrecked out barn find cabinet saw with a t square fence that someone used for a paint booth. Pay $250 for it, tear it down have whatever you need sand blasted and powder coated, sand the cast iron clean, buy replacements for damaged or missing parts (check on availability prior to purchase, can be hard on older saws), a mobile base (if that's an issue), etc. You might end up well over $400 but it won't be all at once and you'll have a much nicer saw that you can dial in!

Full disclosure, this may or may not be exactly what I just finished this past weekend after I sold my Rigid R4512. The Rigid was an upgrade over my Bosch 4100 gravity rise saw, but it was only a minor upgrade. I learned that it was only an upgrade in terms of table size and length. I couldn't really dial it in at all so I ditched it. Much happier now.

 

Appreciate all the input. I really like TheBossQ's observation about the "For about that same price you can get an old Unisaw off Craigslist" guys. Maybe I'm just in the wrong area, but no matter what the tool, there's never anything even remotely close to one of these unicorn finds coming up for sale.

In my current situation, I guess I have time to weigh my options. As the Ridgid sold (was only up for a day). Still like the idea of a cabinet saw. I mean, who doesn't? But the price, or potential restoration, wiring, and dedicated floor space doesn't make one the easy or obvious choice.

So, since I have some more time to think. If I stuck with the "hybrid" type saw, which is better. The Ridgid 4512 or something like a Delta 36-725 or 36-5000? Between the three, is any one really better than the others?

 

Just bought the 4520 as my Ryobi is 15 years old and I wanted something with real miter slots and could be adjusted to dial it in the way I wanted. Haven't used it much yet but took the time - not too much all told - to get everything just right. Can't yet say how long it will stay that way but it is solidly built so I think it will hold up well.

Like you my Ryobi did a decent job for what I was doing (hobbyist) so I didn't want to spend a pile of money (bought the 4520 new at Home Depot for $750). Checked Craigs List daily for a couple months and the one saw I would have bought was sold within hours of being posted.

One thing I liked about the Ryobi was being able to easily attach my shop vac to it as I don't have a dust collection system. The 4520 has a four inch port on the bottom so I cut a hole in a piece of plywood and bolted it into the back in place of the sheet metal piece the saw came with so I can use my shop vac on it.

Also looked at the Delta 35-725 but it wasn't as adjustable as the 4520 though it does have a nice fence for the price.

 

So, since I have some more time to think. If I stuck with the "hybrid" type saw, which is better. The Ridgid 4512 or something like a Delta 36-725 or 36-5000? Between the three, is any one really better than the others?

- Wood_Scraps

I doubt anyone has owned all three to be able to give you a first hand account. Just looking around, anecdotally, the Deltas have bigger issues. If I were to consider buying a Delta, I'd want to put the saw through its paces and I'd want to pay $200. I paid $300 for my previous Powermatic and that was a beast of a saw compared to the Delta.

I'd go with the Rigid, and $400 is a better deal for the seller than for you, unless it's genuinely like new. I would not pay $750+ tax for a new one.

I'd literally get a part time gig to make up the difference for this:

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-2-hp-120v-hybrid-table-saw-with-t-shaped-fence/g0771z

Honestly, I'd get a part time job to make up the difference between any of those saws used and that Grizzly, knowing what I know now.

Good luck, I know the struggle.

 

Dude we hear you, it's tough to find a good deal, restoring is a pain, new is expensive, shop space is limited. And still everyone is recommending you hold out for a good cabinet saw one way or another. We've all been there and slogged our way through contractor and hybrid saws. It's a journey, but we all get to the same place in the end. A good table saw is 100% worth it.

I too know the struggle. Good luck!

 

If getting something to get by until….I would look closely at the fence. It is easy enough to get a better miter gauge or build a sled but it gets expensive when you need to do a whole fence upgrade. Some used saws already have this but are in short supply. My first saw had a really crappy fence and I always hated it.

 

So, since I have some more time to think. If I stuck with the "hybrid" type saw, which is better. The Ridgid 4512 or something like a Delta 36-725 or 36-5000? Between the three, is any one really better than the others?

- Wood_Scraps

I doubt anyone has owned all three to be able to give you a first hand account. Just looking around, anecdotally, the Deltas have bigger issues. If I were to consider buying a Delta, I d want to put the saw through its paces and I d want to pay $200. I paid $300 for my previous Powermatic and that was a beast of a saw compared to the Delta.

I d go with the Rigid, and $400 is a better deal for the seller than for you, unless it s genuinely like new. I would not pay $750+ tax for a new one.

I d literally get a part time gig to make up the difference for this:

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-10-2-hp-120v-hybrid-table-saw-with-t-shaped-fence/g0771z

Honestly, I d get a part time job to make up the difference between any of those saws used and that Grizzly, knowing what I know now.

Good luck, I know the struggle.

- TheBossQ

Thanks for calling out the Grizzly saw. That price is pretty reasonable and definitely seems like it'd be worth it. While also being in line with my power supply and footprint restrictions. Have definitely added that to my list.

I'd assume it's still considered somewhat of a hybrid saw; like the Ridgid and Delta. Are there any others in that category that are more refined like the Grizzly?

 

Dude we hear you, it's tough to find a good deal, restoring is a pain, new is expensive, shop space is limited. And still everyone is recommending you hold out for a good cabinet saw one way or another. We've all been there and slogged our way through contractor and hybrid saws. It's a journey, but we all get to the same place in the end. A good table saw is 100% worth it.

I too know the struggle. Good luck!

- Scallywags

Completely understand and appreciate the direct honesty. I'm not averse to restoring something. I kind of already did this on a small scale with the current Ryobi. It's been a night and day difference having added a new table/top and my own DIY fence. Sure, the power is the same. But the capacity is significantly improved and accuracy perfect down to thousandths of an inch.

My apprehension with buying an old cabinet saw is I just don't know enough yet to be confident I'd purchase one sound enough to be worth restoring.

Making space could be done. Electrical upgrades as well (but would need to farm that out to a pro).

But i still need to keep in mind what's good enough for my purposes. The old axiom of, "it's the Indian, not the arrow" certainly applies to woodworking. There are guys who do incredible work with only a job site/contractor saw. And not everyone needs a full blown cabinet saw. It'd be nice. But, I can accomplish what I want to with less. At least for now, lol.

 

I'd assume it's still considered somewhat of a hybrid saw; like the Ridgid and Delta. Are there any others in that category that are more refined like the Grizzly?

- Wood_Scraps

Correct. A hybrid saw simply means the trunnions are attached to the underside of the table, rather than to the cabinet. And the motor is housed in the cabinet, instead of hanging out the back like contractor saws.

The definition gets muddier as time goes on. There are some saws out there that are labeled hybrid, but the trunnions are attached to the cabinet. I'm not sure what makes these a "hybrid". I think these are just light duty cabinet saws, and they're way overpriced for what they are.

The Grizzly happens to have a full cabinet, full cast iron table, a true 2hp motor where the others are on stands, have flimsy stamped metal wings and claim 2hp, but really aren't.

Other brands sell the exact same saw (most of these saws are made in the same factory), but are not priced as well as the Grizzly. General International, Baleigh and others offer the same or comparable saws, but for hundreds more.

You said you can wait for a better deal. Continue to peruse CL and other sites. Maybe you find that Unicorn. Grizzly has sales throughout the year, sign up for the email alerts. Based on what you've written, I think that Grizzly would be the last saw you'd ever buy. Read the reviews, it's not a perfect saw.

Don't let me dissuade you from the Rigid or Delta, but be diligent when buying used. People are not going to be truthful about what's wrong with it or why they're really selling it. Nothing worse than buying someone else's problems, even at a 50% discount.

 

Dude we hear you, it's tough to find a good deal, restoring is a pain, new is expensive, shop space is limited. And still everyone is recommending you hold out for a good cabinet saw one way or another. We've all been there and slogged our way through contractor and hybrid saws. It's a journey, but we all get to the same place in the end. A good table saw is 100% worth it.

I too know the struggle. Good luck!

- Scallywags

Completely understand and appreciate the direct honesty. I'm not averse to restoring something. I kind of already did this on a small scale with the current Ryobi. It's been a night and day difference having added a new table/top and my own DIY fence. Sure, the power is the same. But the capacity is significantly improved and accuracy perfect down to thousandths of an inch.

My apprehension with buying an old cabinet saw is I just don't know enough yet to be confident I'd purchase one sound enough to be worth restoring.

But i still need to keep in mind what's good enough for my purposes. The old axiom of, "it's the Indian, not the arrow" certainly applies to woodworking. There are guys who do incredible work with only a job site/contractor saw. And not everyone needs a full blown cabinet saw. It'd be nice. But, I can accomplish what I want to with less. At least for now, lol.

- Wood_Scraps

You make a lot of good points. I don't think I realized your Ryobi was upgraded like that. Honestly if it's accurate and you have a decent table top surface I don't see how it would be an upgrade to buy the Ridgid. What features on that TS would be better than what you have?

I think you know MORE than enough to confidently buy a saw worth restoring. You are clearly knowledgable about table saws. But what I would look for is a t square aka biesemeyer style fence, full cast iron top, and that it's fully adjustable so you can dial it in to be flat and square. And whatever power level you want of course. It's not rocket surgery.

I also completely agree with your assessment about not overbuying for what you need, however, based on what you said you use it for I think that's gonna be hard to do on a table saw. A really good TS is every bit worth the time, money, and footprint. I mean, you probably don't need a Felder Format 4 Kappa 590 5HP digital sliding panel saw, but a solid entry level cabinet saw like the Grizzly or Jet or even Powermatic are NOT overkill for you. And you can tell your wife I said that when you're convincing her to let you buy it!

 

I'd assume it's still considered somewhat of a hybrid saw; like the Ridgid and Delta. Are there any others in that category that are more refined like the Grizzly?

- Wood_Scraps

Correct. A hybrid saw simply means the trunnions are attached to the underside of the table, rather than to the cabinet. And the motor is housed in the cabinet, instead of hanging out the back like contractor saws.

The definition gets muddier as time goes on. There are some saws out there that are labeled hybrid, but the trunnions are attached to the cabinet. I m not sure what makes these a "hybrid". I think these are just light duty cabinet saws, and they re way overpriced for what they are.

The Grizzly happens to have a full cabinet, full cast iron table, a true 2hp motor where the others are on stands, have flimsy stamped metal wings and claim 2hp, but really aren t.

Other brands sell the exact same saw (most of these saws are made in the same factory), but are not priced as well as the Grizzly. General International, Baleigh and others offer the same or comparable saws, but for hundreds more.

You said you can wait for a better deal. Continue to peruse CL and other sites. Maybe you find that Unicorn. Grizzly has sales throughout the year, sign up for the email alerts. Based on what you ve written, I think that Grizzly would be the last saw you d ever buy. Read the reviews, it s not a perfect saw.

Don t let me dissuade you from the Rigid or Delta, but be diligent when buying used. People are not going to be truthful about what s wrong with it or why they re really selling it. Nothing worse than buying someone else s problems, even at a 50% discount.

- TheBossQ

Thanks for the overview on the nuances between "classes". Did some more research into the Grizzly. Seems like a capable saw. Although, found a handful of comments showing little love for the fence. Not sure how warranted the criticisms are.

The other thing that struck me was the price. Watched a couple reviews. One guy said the price was $650. Another, who bought his maybe a year later, payed something like $750. Now the thing is a grand (plus another $150 for freight). I know prices are kind of crazy these days, but what's caused the retail price on this saw to go up like 50% in retail over the past few years?

Still seems like a great saw. But kind of tough knowing it was only a $650 saw a couple years back. Still on my list. Pretty much that and the Delta 36-725T2 at the moment. I know the latter doesn't get a lot of love from cabinet saw owners. But, there are no shortage of folks who are very happy with theirs. Again, fortunately I don't have pressing need to decide right now.

Will also continue trying to educate myself on what to look for in a used cabinet saw.

 

Dude we hear you, it's tough to find a good deal, restoring is a pain, new is expensive, shop space is limited. And still everyone is recommending you hold out for a good cabinet saw one way or another. We've all been there and slogged our way through contractor and hybrid saws. It's a journey, but we all get to the same place in the end. A good table saw is 100% worth it.

I too know the struggle. Good luck!

- Scallywags

Completely understand and appreciate the direct honesty. I'm not averse to restoring something. I kind of already did this on a small scale with the current Ryobi. It's been a night and day difference having added a new table/top and my own DIY fence. Sure, the power is the same. But the capacity is significantly improved and accuracy perfect down to thousandths of an inch.

My apprehension with buying an old cabinet saw is I just don't know enough yet to be confident I'd purchase one sound enough to be worth restoring.

But i still need to keep in mind what's good enough for my purposes. The old axiom of, "it's the Indian, not the arrow" certainly applies to woodworking. There are guys who do incredible work with only a job site/contractor saw. And not everyone needs a full blown cabinet saw. It'd be nice. But, I can accomplish what I want to with less. At least for now, lol.

- Wood_Scraps

You make a lot of good points. I don t think I realized your Ryobi was upgraded like that. Honestly if it s accurate and you have a decent table top surface I don t see how it would be an upgrade to buy the Ridgid. What features on that TS would be better than what you have?

I think you know MORE than enough to confidently buy a saw worth restoring. You are clearly knowledgable about table saws. But what I would look for is a t square aka biesemeyer style fence, full cast iron top, and that it s fully adjustable so you can dial it in to be flat and square. And whatever power level you want of course. It s not rocket surgery.

I also completely agree with your assessment about not overbuying for what you need, however, based on what you said you use it for I think that s gonna be hard to do on a table saw. A really good TS is every bit worth the time, money, and footprint. I mean, you probably don t need a Felder Format 4 Kappa 590 5HP digital sliding panel saw, but a solid entry level cabinet saw like the Grizzly or Jet or even Powermatic are NOT overkill for you. And you can tell your wife I said that when you re convincing her to let you buy it!

- Scallywags

Yeah. I invested a little time and effort into making the Ryobi usable. When I got it, it was an accident waiting to happen and not even remotely set up to manage even basic cuts.

This is how I received it. Only thing not shown in the pic is the garbage factory throat plate. Which was the only accessory that accompanied it.

Spent about $30 (not including the MJ splitter), and turned it into this…

Have about 31" of rip capacity. Have even ripped some 1/2" sheets of plywood with good results. But, nothing can change the fact that it's not very powerful. And, the one downside to the new MDF top is that I lost about 3/4" in cut capacity. And while the fence I made is actually dead on square, it's not great for fine adjustments. I can still accurately set up my cut. It just takes more effort to dial in the measurement than it would with a commercial fence. Lastly, it's not easily portable around the garage. I designed it so that I can easily remove the MDF top when I want to move it. And it actually returns to square with no effort. But, would certainly be nice to just roll it out of the way. Although, I could build a stand like I did for my miter saw.

So, the things I'd be gaining would be power, depth of cut, expediency of adjusting the fence, and portability. I've also never measured run-out on it. But, would imagine that the saws I'm looking at would be an improvement there as well.

Again, appreciate your input. And also your confidence that I could restore a cabinet saw. I know that I did this for the Ryobi, but I'm not nearly as confident in picking and successfully restoring a big-boy saw.

 

I have the older version. It has served me well for years. The new version has a true riving knife, so much safer. Some have complained about the fence, but as far as I can tell, they have not changed and mine is excellent.

All the advice on used if fine IF and only IF it is new enough to have a true riving kinife, not just a splitter. Sure, the splitters in the plate ( like the MJ above or DIY) are better than nothing, but they are too far away from the blade and usually will be in the way of the guard. Old style contractor guards tend to be from behind the saw and to high off the table so thin stock can miss them. One of my close calls was a small thin bit that needed just a shave, got a little off, and kickback under the splitter. Fortunately I was using a push stick so it did not pull my hand in.

I would not touch a benchtop for anything.
Job-site class are not much better.
Contractor are big and heavy enough to do decent cabinet work
A Hybrid is just a contractor on a box.
A cabinet saw is a different beast. You want one. You will want one a day after yo buy anything smaller.

No matter what you buy, in a saw bigger and heavier is better. I will likely be ordering a Harvey C-300 today and selling my Ridgid. Not that I need to. The Ridgid has done everything I need, but I WANT the bigger, heavier, smoother saw. Would like a Saw Stop PCS, but not the roughly $3200 price. For half that, I can get the Harvey or Grizzly 3 HP cabinet saws. Good tools.

Slippery slope, every feature, every $200, from Grizzly up through Baileigh, Powermatic to SawStop industrial, to $50,000 16 inch sliding table production saws. One spec to look for is the distance from the blade full up to the front of the table. My Ridgid is 13 1/2 inches. Some are as short as 8. First time you go to crosscut that 8 foot long closet shelf you will see what I mean.

Smaller than a hybrid, you have virtually no dust collection so are best used outdoors and wearing a KN95 mask. Fine saw dust kills you. As in lung disease dead. If an indoor shop, only a cabinet with a good dust collector system is safe. Read the Bill Pentz WEB site on dust collection. Watch the Stumpy Nubs videos on dust. ( Also on table saws) Turns out, the saw is the cheap part. The very first power tool for a woodshop should be an expensive HEPA vac, Fein or Festool. Second should be an ambient air cleaner. ( I prefer DIY) Then, and only then buy stationary tools and the duct collector system should be part of the purchase.

Serious. I am a cheap son of a gun. My Fein vac is one of the best purchases I ever made. Just added a ClearView cyclone to it so I will use even more.

 

Wood Scraps, all good advice given above and then some, your work with the Ryobi shows you're unfortunately hooked on sawdust and deserve the upgrade. What I didn't see mentioned is that even stepping up to a contractor saw with a 27" deep top and a belt driven TEFC will be a great joy to you.

I'm a hobbyist that has had a therapeutic hobby turn into a bit of a side hustle that pays for some of my other escapes. The Ridgid TS while not perfect has evolved into it's current genesis through a version that had serious arbor problems. I'm still running a Ridgid TS3612 and watching for the right used option to upgrade, but similar to you, I have not yet hit a wall where I can't get a job done in my shop because of my TS. I bought my saw about 18 years ago as a floor model clearance at HD for $350 and the tool manager gave me the fence and rails from a new TS3650 because the floor model ones were wrecked.

For the hemming and hawing to make the decision, you're in jeopardy of the saw already being sold, (Rule #5), $400 or close to it I would say is a very good price, especially if it's a reasonable trip to go and get it. You may also very well get some jigs or sleds or other accessories that would benefit you as well.

You've been doing well with a saw that has taken beaucoup work to get to a point of decency, go get the Ridgid saw and use it well making sawdust until you hit the next wall, like me that could be 15 to 18 years who knows, AND I'll bet you can sell the ryobi set up to off-set the cost of the new to you saw.

Welcome to the forum and put up an update once you have that new saw in your shop!!!

 

Well I maybe different but I used dad's old beaver Rockwell contractor saw. It was the entry level in there line. The first saw I bought and actually used was a general 350 with a five horse motor. I knew and liked the salesman lol I drained my wallet. I for the first time in my life I enjoyed working with wood. It was amazing when I built something it all fit! Things turned out square. Power was never a limit. As hard and as fast as I could push 2 1/2 inch hard maple in a rip cut I could not even tell that the motor even felt it. Good blades are worth it as well. Don't be afraid of spending 100 dollars USD on each blade.

Now what I did later and just a bit ago. I purchased what you are talking about. I am in the process of building a new wood shop and I have help available for working inside my house I also only have 110 available in my garage so the hunt was one for a saw that made that possible. First off I was used to what I refere to as high end hobby saw performance. The powermatic 66,the general 350/650, and the Delta unisaw all fit into that category. Professional quality jobs can be made with any of those but not a the speed that can be done with the above mentioned feldor. So while looking for a 110 saw I wanted something that was at least accurate enough that things fit. That was basically what I was looking for. I ended up with a imported Canadian saw. But looks like the 1000 dollar grizzly recommend above. The talk about hybrid saws with the trunions bolted to the table I am not so fond of. The one I bought was the same as the general international 220. Which there again looks like the grizzly recommend. The trunions are mounted to the cabinet. And yes they are basically light duty cabinet saws . That in my opinion is much better than the improved contractor saws. You are starting with a better design to begin with. The one I purchased with the one and a half HP motor is ok. It seeds to have an adequate amount of power. That being said I put thin kerf blades on it. I would not want a full kerf blade. But is cuts accurate. And I can cut at a decent speed I just cannot push it. When my woodshop is done I will sell this one. For you personally I would get the recommended grizzly if the trunions are cabinet mounted. It should be basically the same saw I bought and I think it is adequate. That is high praise considering what I am used to. As an aside I used my general enough to make twenty ballels of saw dust a year or more. I will tell you that you will be hard pressed to save any money buying a used saw if it needs anything. A motor and a fence you might as well buy a new saw. After the buyers remorse is over you will be happy you went to the above recommend saw.

This is what I bought I think it is basically the same as your recommended grizzly. Also remember that on a 15 amp circuit at 110 volts the most power you can draw would be 1.5 HP. So two horse power takes 20 amps. I always laugh at routers advertising 3.5 go and the plug in to a 15 amp 110 plug. The only way they can make 3.5 HP is if the are hit my lighting! Remember that look at the amp draw before you believe the advertised go figure for some reason everyone likes to bs about there hp figure

Good luck and regards

 

I have the older version. It has served me well for years. The new version has a true riving knife, so much safer. Some have complained about the fence, but as far as I can tell, they have not changed and mine is excellent.

All the advice on used if fine IF and only IF it is new enough to have a true riving kinife, not just a splitter. Sure, the splitters in the plate ( like the MJ above or DIY) are better than nothing, but they are too far away from the blade and usually will be in the way of the guard. Old style contractor guards tend to be from behind the saw and to high off the table so thin stock can miss them. One of my close calls was a small thin bit that needed just a shave, got a little off, and kickback under the splitter. Fortunately I was using a push stick so it did not pull my hand in.

I would not touch a benchtop for anything.
Job-site class are not much better.
Contractor are big and heavy enough to do decent cabinet work
A Hybrid is just a contractor on a box.
A cabinet saw is a different beast. You want one. You will want one a day after yo buy anything smaller.

No matter what you buy, in a saw bigger and heavier is better. I will likely be ordering a Harvey C-300 today and selling my Ridgid. Not that I need to. The Ridgid has done everything I need, but I WANT the bigger, heavier, smoother saw. Would like a Saw Stop PCS, but not the roughly $3200 price. For half that, I can get the Harvey or Grizzly 3 HP cabinet saws. Good tools.

Slippery slope, every feature, every $200, from Grizzly up through Baileigh, Powermatic to SawStop industrial, to $50,000 16 inch sliding table production saws. One spec to look for is the distance from the blade full up to the front of the table. My Ridgid is 13 1/2 inches. Some are as short as 8. First time you go to crosscut that 8 foot long closet shelf you will see what I mean.

Smaller than a hybrid, you have virtually no dust collection so are best used outdoors and wearing a KN95 mask. Fine saw dust kills you. As in lung disease dead. If an indoor shop, only a cabinet with a good dust collector system is safe. Read the Bill Pentz WEB site on dust collection. Watch the Stumpy Nubs videos on dust. ( Also on table saws) Turns out, the saw is the cheap part. The very first power tool for a woodshop should be an expensive HEPA vac, Fein or Festool. Second should be an ambient air cleaner. ( I prefer DIY) Then, and only then buy stationary tools and the duct collector system should be part of the purchase.

Serious. I am a cheap son of a gun. My Fein vac is one of the best purchases I ever made. Just added a ClearView cyclone to it so I will use even more.

- tvrgeek

Appreciate the advice, and the firsthand insight on the Ridgid saw. I agree one advantage of upgrading my current setup would be that it'd have a true riving knife. The current MJ has actually to worked quite well for me. Although I acknowledge it's not the equivalent of a riving knife.

I did set up my zero clearance insert so that I can flip it, based on the depth of cut. A lot of my cuts are in wood that's in the 3/4" range. So, I have one MJ setup for that rough blade height. If I need to do cuts of greater depth, I can flip the insert to the side I set up the splitter at the blade's full height. Still not equal to a riving knife, but I find it's better than placing the MJ in a "one size fits all" configuration.

Interestingly enough, I stumbled across a thread on the Harvey saws yesterday. Look very similar to the Grizzly options, and have been added to my list for consideration.

Still, I do come back to the want vs. need question. As you indicate, the Ridgid has done everything you needed it to. I highly suspect the same would be true for me if I went Ridgid or Delta. Either would be more than adequate, require no power upgrades, and more kind to the wallet. And I do wonder how much more I'm really getting with a 110v Grizzly/Harvey/Etc in terms of practical benefit.

Also, good callout about the in-feed length. When deciding on how to upgrade my Ryobi table, someone on another forum suggested I maximize that distance. And I'm glad I did. At full blade height (which is rare for me), I've got just shy of 13". For most cuts it's closer to 14.5".

Also do need to focus on better dust collection at some point in the near future. Fortunately, I wear a 3M respirator with N95 filters when using the TS. I try to wear it every time. But there've been a couple occasions where I needed just a single cut, and only wore eye-pro.

I'm glad I starred this is thread. As I now know a lot more about the hybrid saw options. Really like the Grizzly/Harvey types. But, again, think going with the Delta for at least half the price may be the more logical move for a casual DIY-er. If this were my only hobby, maybe I'd be more inclined to splurge. But, I also shoot guns and play golf. Neither of which are cheap hobbies, lol.

 

Wood Scraps, all good advice given above and then some, your work with the Ryobi shows you re unfortunately hooked on sawdust and deserve the upgrade. What I didn t see mentioned is that even stepping up to a contractor saw with a 27" deep top and a belt driven TEFC will be a great joy to you.

I m a hobbyist that has had a therapeutic hobby turn into a bit of a side hustle that pays for some of my other escapes. The Ridgid TS while not perfect has evolved into it s current genesis through a version that had serious arbor problems. I m still running a Ridgid TS3612 and watching for the right used option to upgrade, but similar to you, I have not yet hit a wall where I can t get a job done in my shop because of my TS. I bought my saw about 18 years ago as a floor model clearance at HD for $350 and the tool manager gave me the fence and rails from a new TS3650 because the floor model ones were wrecked.

For the hemming and hawing to make the decision, you re in jeopardy of the saw already being sold, (Rule #5), $400 or close to it I would say is a very good price, especially if it s a reasonable trip to go and get it. You may also very well get some jigs or sleds or other accessories that would benefit you as well.

You ve been doing well with a saw that has taken beaucoup work to get to a point of decency, go get the Ridgid saw and use it well making sawdust until you hit the next wall, like me that could be 15 to 18 years who knows, AND I ll bet you can sell the ryobi set up to off-set the cost of the new to you saw.

Welcome to the forum and put up an update once you have that new saw in your shop!!!

- ChefHDAN

Definitely happy to have gotten into woodworking and general DIY projects. Although it's proving to be just as expensive as the guns and golf I'm already obsessed with, lol. From the sound of it, you're a little farther down the path than I in the woodworking journey. So, if your Ridgid saw can get the job done to the point you're making a few bucks off of side work, I think I'd be plenty satisfied with the same.

What I've found with woodworking, is that the perceptions on gear are similar to a lot of my other hobbies. With a segment of folks falling into two camps. One that says you need a $5k cabinet saw for your project to rip a single sheet of plywood. And the other who says you need nothing more than a beat up bench saw to build heirloom quality furniture for the rich and famous. Of course, I'm being a bit facetious, lol. But, reality is somewhere smack dab in the middle of those two perspectives.

A cabinet saw would be nice. But, I don't doubt that I would be satisfied with a middle of the road hybrid. Unfortunately, the Ridgid in question sold. So, no longer an option. Clearly learning that a good deal will not last. So, I need to do some more research on cabinet saws if I want a good used on to be a legitimate option.

You also make a good point about being able to sell the Ryobi. Frankly, I hadn't really considered that yet as a point to help offset the cost of my new saw. Probably because I know it's nothing special. But seeing some of the outrageous prices folks are asking for rusted out garbage, I probably could sell mine for a nice little chunk of change.

Again, appreciate the perspective from another DIY-er (albeit with more experience), who's doing well with a hybrid type big-box store saw. Will definitely keep you guys posted when I eventually land on a new saw.

 

Well I maybe different but I used dad s old beaver Rockwell contractor saw. It was the entry level in there line. The first saw I bought and actually used was a general 350 with a five horse motor. I knew and liked the salesman lol I drained my wallet. I for the first time in my life I enjoyed working with wood. It was amazing when I built something it all fit! Things turned out square. Power was never a limit. As hard and as fast as I could push 2 1/2 inch hard maple in a rip cut I could not even tell that the motor even felt it. Good blades are worth it as well. Don t be afraid of spending 100 dollars USD on each blade.

Now what I did later and just a bit ago. I purchased what you are talking about. I am in the process of building a new wood shop and I have help available for working inside my house I also only have 110 available in my garage so the hunt was one for a saw that made that possible. First off I was used to what I refere to as high end hobby saw performance. The powermatic 66,the general 350/650, and the Delta unisaw all fit into that category. Professional quality jobs can be made with any of those but not a the speed that can be done with the above mentioned feldor. So while looking for a 110 saw I wanted something that was at least accurate enough that things fit. That was basically what I was looking for. I ended up with a imported Canadian saw. But looks like the 1000 dollar grizzly recommend above. The talk about hybrid saws with the trunions bolted to the table I am not so fond of. The one I bought was the same as the general international 220. Which there again looks like the grizzly recommend. The trunions are mounted to the cabinet. And yes they are basically light duty cabinet saws . That in my opinion is much better than the improved contractor saws. You are starting with a better design to begin with. The one I purchased with the one and a half HP motor is ok. It seeds to have an adequate amount of power. That being said I put thin kerf blades on it. I would not want a full kerf blade. But is cuts accurate. And I can cut at a decent speed I just cannot push it. When my woodshop is done I will sell this one. For you personally I would get the recommended grizzly if the trunions are cabinet mounted. It should be basically the same saw I bought and I think it is adequate. That is high praise considering what I am used to. As an aside I used my general enough to make twenty ballels of saw dust a year or more. I will tell you that you will be hard pressed to save any money buying a used saw if it needs anything. A motor and a fence you might as well buy a new saw. After the buyers remorse is over you will be happy you went to the above recommend saw.

This is what I bought I think it is basically the same as your recommended grizzly. Also remember that on a 15 amp circuit at 110 volts the most power you can draw would be 1.5 HP. So two horse power takes 20 amps. I always laugh at routers advertising 3.5 go and the plug in to a 15 amp 110 plug. The only way they can make 3.5 HP is if the are hit my lighting! Remember that look at the amp draw before you believe the advertised go figure for some reason everyone likes to bs about there hp figure

Good luck and regards

- 75c

Good to hear from a satisfied user of a saw similar to the Grizzly I'm looking at. You hit on the crux of my apprehension with buying a used cabinet saw. Being, the cost of time and money to bring it to life. While it's satisfying to make something old, new again. A lot of times one would be better off just buying new.

Also good to know about the power ratings vs. what it's actually capable of. I checked my breaker box earlier, and all of my 110v breakers are 20A. So, that's good news. Although, I think I'd need to replace an outlet or two in the garage with a 20A receptacle as well. But that's a quick and easy job.

I'll definitely be more cognizant of the amperage ratings, rather than the HP. Which actually raises an interesting question about the Grizzly. It's a 2 hp saw, but the specs list it at 15A. So, should I assume that I'm only getting 1.5 hp if I connect it to a 15A receptacle? Given that it's listed at 15A, is it even actually capable of the alleged 2 hp (assuming it's on a 20A circuit)? On that same vein. If I went with a 15A Delta 36-725T2 (also 15A rated), would I realize any substantive increase in power?

Sorry if these are dumb questions. I've done some light electrical work (rewire an outlet or two, swap out and hardwire a dishwasher, etc.). But I'm still pretty green with electrical systems.

ETA: Forgot to mention that I really got a kick out of the lightning comment. Lol. Gonna have to remember that one.

 

The other thing that struck me was the price. Watched a couple reviews. One guy said the price was $650. Another, who bought his maybe a year later, payed something like $750. Now the thing is a grand (plus another $150 for freight). I know prices are kind of crazy these days, but what's caused the retail price on this saw to go up like 50% in retail over the past few years?

I had been following Grizzly's prices for years while shopping for myself. There was the G0715P. That was $795~. I believe this was phased out for the G0771Z. Mostly the same saw, I think they worked out kinks from the previous generation, but went away from the traditional T Square style fence and implemented the aluminum fence. For a long time, the 771 was $895~.

Grizzly has frequent sales, so I can see getting the 771 for $750. $650, I am skeptical. Or maybe it was used? I have also heard that if you go directly to their showrooms in Missouri or Washington, they sometimes have damaged equipment (scratch and dent, etc) for less. Either way, $650 seems an exaggeration unless he had a promo.

After I bought my table saw, Grizzly gave me a $150 promo (table saw delivery was a nightmare, UPS fault, but Grizzly offered for all the headaches) their bandsaws went on sale at the same time so I bought my bandsaw for a price most people can't get.

Grizzly has yearly price increases, sometimes are minimal, sometimes significant. Also remember, we're in a bit of a trade war with China. The recent price increases are a direct result of tariffs imposed on goods coming from China.

 

I'll definitely be more cognizant of the amperage ratings, rather than the HP. Which actually raises an interesting question about the Grizzly. It's a 2 hp saw, but the specs list it at 15A. So, should I assume that I'm only getting 1.5 hp if I connect it to a 15A receptacle? Given that it's listed at 15A, is it even actually capable of the alleged 2 hp (assuming it's on a 20A circuit)? On that same vein. If I went with a 15A Delta 36-725T2 (also 15A rated), would I realize any substantive increase in power?
- Wood_Scraps

Grizzly's motors are accurately rated.

15 amps x 110 volts = 1650 watts. 746 watts per hp. 1650/746 = 2.2hp.

You'll need the 20 amp circuit to run it. You will trip breakers on a 15 because of the inrush current needed to start the saw. I doubt you could even get the saw started on a 15.

I can't comment on the Delta. Manufacturers can label things any way they want, because there are no standards required for how they label them. I have a "6.5 HP" shop vac. It's probably 1/4 hp in reality.

 

The other thing that struck me was the price. Watched a couple reviews. One guy said the price was $650. Another, who bought his maybe a year later, payed something like $750. Now the thing is a grand (plus another $150 for freight). I know prices are kind of crazy these days, but what's caused the retail price on this saw to go up like 50% in retail over the past few years?

I had been following Grizzly s prices for years while shopping for myself. There was the G0715P. That was $795~. I believe this was phased out for the G0771Z. Mostly the same saw, I think they worked out kinks from the previous generation, but went away from the traditional T Square style fence and implemented the aluminum fence. For a long time, the 771 was $895~.

Grizzly has frequent sales, so I can see getting the 771 for $750. $650, I am skeptical. Or maybe it was used? I have also heard that if you go directly to their showrooms in Missouri or Washington, they sometimes have damaged equipment (scratch and dent, etc) for less. Either way, $650 seems an exaggeration unless he had a promo.

After I bought my table saw, Grizzly gave me a $150 promo (table saw delivery was a nightmare, UPS fault, but Grizzly offered for all the headaches) their bandsaws went on sale at the same time so I bought my bandsaw for a price most people can t get.

Grizzly has yearly price increases, sometimes are minimal, sometimes significant. Also remember, we re in a bit of a trade war with China. The recent price increases are a direct result of tariffs imposed on goods coming from China.

- TheBossQ

The guy may very well have had a promo or some type of discount. He said it was new (771 model). Went back to watch the video. As my recollection may have been off. It was. But only slightly. Said he paid $675.

I'll get on their mailing list and keep an eye out for discounts. If I haven't bought anything yet, and it gets into the $750 range with a sale, that'll be hard to pass up.

You make a good point about the trade war with China. Thinking about it that way, I won't complain so much. As I'm generally on board with our trade policies these past few years. Never really cared for letting a somewhat hostile foreign power run roughshod over us in trade.

 

I'll definitely be more cognizant of the amperage ratings, rather than the HP. Which actually raises an interesting question about the Grizzly. It's a 2 hp saw, but the specs list it at 15A. So, should I assume that I'm only getting 1.5 hp if I connect it to a 15A receptacle? Given that it's listed at 15A, is it even actually capable of the alleged 2 hp (assuming it's on a 20A circuit)? On that same vein. If I went with a 15A Delta 36-725T2 (also 15A rated), would I realize any substantive increase in power?
- Wood_Scraps

Grizzly s motors are accurately rated.

15 amps x 110 volts = 1650 watts. 746 watts per hp. 1650/746 = 2.2hp.

You ll need the 20 amp circuit to run it. You will trip breakers on a 15 because of the inrush current needed to start the saw. I doubt you could even get the saw started on a 15.

I can t comment on the Delta. Manufacturers can label things any way they want, because there are no standards required for how they label them. I have a "6.5 HP" shop vac. It s probably 1/4 hp in reality.

- TheBossQ

Thanks for the crash course on the amps to HP correlation. I'm not entirely sure what the Delta alleges in HP; as I think they only really show the amp rating in their specs. Although, I think I may have seen somewhere that it was rated at 1.75 HP.

I am happy to have found that all my circuits are 20A. Still, I'd need to swap out an outlet or two. Just good to know that I could run the Grizzly without any major electrical system changes. And if I go Delta, maybe I'll see some marginal increase in performance with higher demand cuts.