Two junk electric miter box saws

I haven't had any problems with my (3 yrs. old and used often) Ridgid as
far as accuracy, but i keep it tuned up. The problem i do have with it is
sometimes when i grab the handle to lower the blade to make the cut, the
mechanism that works the guard binds up, preventing the saw from lowering
into the wood. The guard is just clunky by design. If you check out the
blade guard on a 12" DW MS you'll notice it is attached to metal and the
metal attaches to the saw. The Ridgid is just flimsy plastic. When i
bought the saw, i went in to the borg with full intention of buying the DW.
I just got caught up in the fact that the Ridgid came with a stand for the
same money and went with it. I don't necessarily regret it, but its long
overdue to be replaced with a slider, the Bosch 4410. --dave




"Paul Kierstead" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Dave Jackson wrote:
>> Funny, the saws you mentioned I have owned. The delta 10" was bought for
>> punch out and the 12" Ridgid for trimming homes. I thought i'd like the
>> Ridgid, but it has proved to be a POS, especially the clunky blade guard.
>> I
>
> <snip>
>
>> "CAtruckman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> He agreed and said he finally got rid of his POS Ridgid that had
>>>caused so much trouble for several years. I had forgotten about the
>>>angle
>>>adjustment problem and agreed he made a wise decision.
> <snip>
>
> Hmm, I have a 12" Ridgid. Now I can't say it has been used heavily; maybe
> a 1000 cuts with it (maybe). But you stick stuff under it and it cuts it
> off pretty well. Blade guard moves out of the way very well, it holds an
> angle OK. Bit too much flex here and there, blade rings like crazy. I put
> a zero clearance insert in it, which makes alignment of cuts much easier
> as well as cleaner. All in all, not bad value for the money, IMO. I will
> admit to not having done crown with it. I will also admit to not having
> used any other.
>
> So, is it that I don't know any better, haven't stressed the saw enough,
> or something? What angle adjustment problem? What guard problem? I am
> genuinely curious, since I have considered upgrading it a few times, just
> for more cross cut ability. I will admit, I never use it for picture
> framing (not accurate enough or clean enough), so I have run into so
> limitations...
>
> PK

"Dave Jackson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Funny, the saws you mentioned I have owned. The delta 10" was bought for
> punch out and the 12" Ridgid for trimming homes. I thought i'd like the
> Ridgid, but it has proved to be a POS, especially the clunky blade guard.
> I had a garage sale this summer and put a price tag on the thing of $25
> with a NEW BLADE i paid $50 for and no takers. (3 yr old saw). Also have
> a Makita 12" slider, It's another POS that couldn't cut square to save my
> life and the damn fences will not adjust enough to fix the problem. The
> 10 Delta just gave up the ghost one day. The DW 12 CMS is a workhore and
> probably the best all around 12" CMS on the market today. The Bosch 4410
> (10" slider) will be replacing all my junker saws soon. I might even set
> the old ones out by the curb with a "free" sign just to get 'em outta
> here! --dave

I bought the DW 12" a few years ago. I was trying to cut some brazilian
cherry at a 45, and every damn time I would get some minute blade flex when
it first hit the wood, so I would end up with a slight step. This is with a
laminate trimming freud teflon coated blade. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
The guys at wood craft seemed to think it was because the blade was 12
instead of ten.

"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>
>> I bought the DW 12" a few years ago. I was trying to cut some brazilian
>> cherry at a 45, and every damn time I would get some minute blade flex
>> when it first hit the wood, so I would end up with a slight step. This is
>> with a laminate trimming freud teflon coated blade. Any idea what I'm
>> doing wrong? The guys at wood craft seemed to think it was because the
>> blade was 12 instead of ten.
>
> I am guessing thin kerf blade.

Nope, not thin kerf. Maybe too many teeth?

Funny, the saws you mentioned I have owned. The delta 10" was bought for
punch out and the 12" Ridgid for trimming homes. I thought i'd like the
Ridgid, but it has proved to be a POS, especially the clunky blade guard. I
had a garage sale this summer and put a price tag on the thing of $25 with
a NEW BLADE i paid $50 for and no takers. (3 yr old saw). Also have a
Makita 12" slider, It's another POS that couldn't cut square to save my life
and the damn fences will not adjust enough to fix the problem. The 10 Delta
just gave up the ghost one day. The DW 12 CMS is a workhore and probably
the best all around 12" CMS on the market today. The Bosch 4410 (10"
slider) will be replacing all my junker saws soon. I might even set the old
ones out by the curb with a "free" sign just to get 'em outta here! --dave



"CAtruckman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Delta 10" compound miter box died this afternoon. It hadn't even
> dulled
> it's first blade. I think the armature is broken in half. It had been
> making
> strange noises since SWMBO helped me straighten a big pile of cedar
> shingles.
> Cross cutting shingles is heavy work, right. Since my good miter box
> (Milwaukee
> sliding head) was a few blocks away and in the attic of the new house I
> went
> across the street to borrow the neighbors. His was a brand new DeWalt
> compound
> but not sliding and quite nice. When I returned it I mentioned that it was
> nearly new. He agreed and said he finally got rid of his POS Ridgid that
> had
> caused so much trouble for several years. I had forgotten about the angle
> adjustment problem and agreed he made a wise decision. These are two
> makes of
> tools I really can't warm up to. Bought an older Powermatic 12" planer and
> 6"
> jointer a month or so back and I am in love with them. You can't beat good
> heavy old American cast iron when it comes to getting big piles of chips
> fast.
> Leigh

"mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:DqYBd.59602$uM5.18415@bgtnsc05-
>> I am guessing thin kerf blade.
>
> Nope, not thin kerf. Maybe too many teeth?

No not too any teeth, you can effectively make a blade cut like one with
many more teeth by simply cutting more slowly. If your blade is leaving a
full 1/8" wide cut in the wood then I would suspect the bearings having too
much slop.

Dave Jackson wrote:
> Funny, the saws you mentioned I have owned. The delta 10" was bought for
> punch out and the 12" Ridgid for trimming homes. I thought i'd like the
> Ridgid, but it has proved to be a POS, especially the clunky blade guard. I

<snip>

> "CAtruckman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> He agreed and said he finally got rid of his POS Ridgid that
>>had
>>caused so much trouble for several years. I had forgotten about the angle
>>adjustment problem and agreed he made a wise decision.
<snip>

Hmm, I have a 12" Ridgid. Now I can't say it has been used heavily;
maybe a 1000 cuts with it (maybe). But you stick stuff under it and it
cuts it off pretty well. Blade guard moves out of the way very well, it
holds an angle OK. Bit too much flex here and there, blade rings like
crazy. I put a zero clearance insert in it, which makes alignment of
cuts much easier as well as cleaner. All in all, not bad value for the
money, IMO. I will admit to not having done crown with it. I will also
admit to not having used any other.

So, is it that I don't know any better, haven't stressed the saw enough,
or something? What angle adjustment problem? What guard problem? I am
genuinely curious, since I have considered upgrading it a few times,
just for more cross cut ability. I will admit, I never use it for
picture framing (not accurate enough or clean enough), so I have run
into so limitations...

PK

12" blades to tend to flex more than 10" ones, especially the thin kerf
ones. It is also possible the blade is slightly warped. --dave


"mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Dave Jackson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Funny, the saws you mentioned I have owned. The delta 10" was bought for
>> punch out and the 12" Ridgid for trimming homes. I thought i'd like the
>> Ridgid, but it has proved to be a POS, especially the clunky blade guard.
>> I had a garage sale this summer and put a price tag on the thing of $25
>> with a NEW BLADE i paid $50 for and no takers. (3 yr old saw). Also
>> have a Makita 12" slider, It's another POS that couldn't cut square to
>> save my life and the damn fences will not adjust enough to fix the
>> problem. The 10 Delta just gave up the ghost one day. The DW 12 CMS is
>> a workhore and probably the best all around 12" CMS on the market today.
>> The Bosch 4410 (10" slider) will be replacing all my junker saws soon. I
>> might even set the old ones out by the curb with a "free" sign just to
>> get 'em outta here! --dave
>
> I bought the DW 12" a few years ago. I was trying to cut some brazilian
> cherry at a 45, and every damn time I would get some minute blade flex
> when it first hit the wood, so I would end up with a slight step. This is
> with a laminate trimming freud teflon coated blade. Any idea what I'm
> doing wrong? The guys at wood craft seemed to think it was because the
> blade was 12 instead of ten.
>

"mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I bought the DW 12" a few years ago. I was trying to cut some brazilian
> cherry at a 45, and every damn time I would get some minute blade flex
> when it first hit the wood, so I would end up with a slight step. This is
> with a laminate trimming freud teflon coated blade. Any idea what I'm
> doing wrong? The guys at wood craft seemed to think it was because the
> blade was 12 instead of ten.

I am guessing thin kerf blade.