Contractor saw comparisons

[Lee Schierer]

My son surprised me this afternoon saying he wants to get a table saw to make some remodeling jobs around his house a little more efficient. He isn't looking for a cabinet saw but wants something the along the lines of a small 10" contractor saw. Specifically he is looking at the Bosch Model # 4100-09, the Dewalt Model # DWE7499GD or the Rigid Model # R4512. He wants to stay in the $500 range if he can.

I would appreciate any feedback on the pros and cons of these saws. The Ridgid looks like it has the better fence set up, but I've never hand my hands on any of them.

Ar all of these saws direct drive saws or do they have belt drives?

[Roger Marty]

The Ridgid R4512 is a belt drive induction motor with a cast iron top. It weighs 270 pounds. Decent saw except for the fence (which can't reliably lock down straight).

The others are portable jobsite saws with loud universal motors (direct drive). Not nearly as sturdy as the Ridgid, but the Ridgid is not exactly small.

I used to own the Ridgid. The fence became frustrating for me...i couldn't get it aligned and got burn marks. I contemplated upgrading the fence but got a SawStop instead.

If your son wants small/portable, the Bosch is well regarded. If I had to choose again, I'd still personally go with the flawed Ridgid over the portable jobsite saws. But it really comes down to need for portability.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

The Bosch was my second best choice. I went to Makita 2704. I really appreciate it and my model is made in the US (yes - it can make difference compared against Chinese made ones)... came perfectly adjusted and it maintained its setup even after several months... it was replaced by model 2705 in the US, but essentially it is the same one. Strongly recommended.

[Al Launier]

I have the Ridgid 3650 (bought used in like-new condition) which I believe was the predecessor to the 4512 and have to say I'm very pleased with it; it's the best equipment purchase I've made for my shop. The fence is very good, in fact I think it's perhaps the best feature of the 35650. The miter slots are parallel to the blade, to each other, and to the fence. I use it as a hobbyist & for general woodworking. I found it to be very accurate for my applications. The HP is adequate for everything I've used it for, including ripping 3" poplar. It does not come with a riving knife, but I haven't missed that as I use and prefer a Micro Jig splitter. The only drawback I've noticed so far is cranking the blade to 45° as this requires pivoting the motor, plus it may be due in part to an accumulation of binding sawdust somewhere which I haven't cleaned out..... yet.

For remodeling work I believe the Ridgid 4512 would be an excellent choice, The hp was increased on the 4512. https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-13-Amp-10-in-Professional-Cast-Iron-Table-Saw-R4512/202500206. Perhaps you could wrangle a sale price.

[Dick Mahany]

After 25 years with a Unisaw, I recently found myself in this same situation after downsizing and being without a saw for two years. I wound up with the Dewalt DWE 7491 RS (mainly because of the great fence) and have been thoroughly pleased. Don't be fooled by comments about how jobsite saws aren't suitable for fine woodworking. This model spins a full kerf Forrest WWII blade just fine and it takes an 8" dado stack. The saw can be fine-tuned and has alignment adjustments to adjust the blade parallel to the miter slots and also is easy to adjust the fence parallel as well. The 32-1/2" rip capability to the right of the blade is excellent and the rack and pinion fence is solid and stays square throughout its range of travel. The riving knife is excellent and quick to remove and the blade guard with above table dust collection is something I actually use.

It lacks a soft start motor and is loud, but it's a saw. This is the same saw as the 7499GD with out the guard detection electronics. It was recently on sale for $500 so I pulled the trigger. I recently ripped a piece of 4/4 maple and got a glue ready edge with a good blade. I just finished a quick knock-down outfeed table, a crosscut sled and an auxiliary tall fence for it and am impressed with the capabilities of this capable and versatile saw. The saw folds compactly and stores in a relatively small foot print, yet is solid when set up on its self contained quick setup stand. Another great feature is the magnetic switch that prevents the saw from starting on its own when power is restored from a power interruption of any type.

374499

[Jason Lester]

As some have mentioned, the Bosch and Dewalt modles are considered a portable jobsite saw, not a contractor saw. I have the Bosch and it's a great saw and easy to move around. The fence is decent, not great. The biggest hindrance on any of the jobsite saws is the table size, specifically the distance between the blade and the front of the table. If he's not going to be moving it around much, I would stay with the Ridgid or something similar. If I'm working at home, I have a Sawstop PCS. If I'm working out somewhere, it's easy to throw the Bosch in the truck. The contractor saws are a good compromise between the two.

[Greg R Bradley]

Difference between a Jobsite Saw and a Contractor Saw.

The DWE7491 is is a great jobsite saw with a base that is way more stable than the others. Because it sits on widely spaced solid legs it will be the hardest of all to get off balance. Also, it has decent dust collection and the best fence of any jobsite saw, by FAR.

That Rigid is famous for blade alignment problems as the blade does NOT stay vertical at different heights. The blade does not move in a straight line. The previous Rigid did not have this problem.

[Roger Marty]

The Ridgid R4512 blade alignment problems are either overblown or fixed (with a tweaked trunnion design). The bigger problem is the fence (that can be upgraded)

[Lee Schierer]

Thanks everyone for your input. After reviewing the three models, he decided that he wanted the Rigid Model 4512. After wrestling the 200+ pound box out of the car across a snow covered yard and down the basement steps we started the assembly. The instructions have a couple of glitches that caused us to have to redo a few steps, but the saw went together pretty well. Right out of the box, the blade was aligned to the miter slot within .004" difference between the front and back of the blade. We adjusted that pretty easily. The fence alignment was within .010 front to rear and that adjusted easily as well. The fence seemed to have about a .003-.004" bow to it. The blade was about 1/2 degree from being perpendicular to the table at the zero angle and about the same amount off at 45 degrees. The riving knife was off center on the blade about .005". The Guard and anti kickback pawls took a try or to do put on and take off smoothly, but they worked well. For a $500 saw it is pretty nice. The blade that came with it is okay, but is only a 40 tooth thin kerf combo blade. We ripped a six foot long piece of red oak and the saw didn't strain at all and the cut quality was reasonable.

For an entry level saw it is a good buy for the price. The cast iron top was well finished and the fence seems to lock down pretty square each time it is repositioned.

[Roger Marty]

Great news Lee. Indeed the R4512 served me well before I decided to upgrade. The R4512 is also nicely upgradable-- not only the fence but also cast iron wings (the SawStop cast iron wings fit with some drilling).