Power Saws Reviews

The bullnose guide is very good tool for cuting tiles

I have used this saw extensively for about 2 months now and can find little to fault it. The saw cuts accurately, is easy to adjust, and works well with the water soluable cutting oil I use. The machine is well made with quality heavy duty materials through out.I trimmed a piece of 3" channel with it that measured only 1/1000 of an inch different from top to bottom (and the trim piece was only .28" thick). Nice work for a saw in this price range! The cutting oil pump works well and is easy to adjust the flow.
The only things I would like to see added to the saw would be a splash guard for the cutting oil on the off-side, locks for the wheels so that it doesn't roll around so easily, and a way to lock the blade up from the on-board side while I make adjustments for my cut. - All of which can I built and added after the first few days of use. Tapering the drain pan a bit would also be nice so that cutting oil isn't left in pools on it. All of the things are minor though, and if you are looking for a saw to cut small to medium size steel in a shop, I recommend it totaly.

- The instruction book (which is good) says it takes 1 gallon of cutting oil. One gallon will barely be enough to get the pump to work. Figure 2-3 gallons.

- Buy a couple Starrett or Lenox blades as the saw comes with only one and it didn't last but a few dozen cuts with me.

- Tweek the adjustments on the blade after a few cuts. The saw comes well set up but it can be tuned a bit better.

- Make sure you have a way to unload the saw if you have to pick it up from the shipping company. This thing is heavy and it comes crated completly set up (other than the putting on the wheels).

I use it every day for trim work! Great features like the hold down clamp. I took the time to set it up and it cuts prefect 45's I also like the Board stop and the side arms. Nice saw for the price. Also bought the 3PC Trim blade set from these guys!

I got a couple of these after watching "American Nija II" and damn near took my friend Blocks hand clean off. Blood everywhere, I'm tellin ya, his dog started licking it and I know folk say a dogs mouth is clean, but I was heaving all over the place, so if ya want to do some damage, the carbides are the way to go.

I bought this dado blade as the result of reading a review in a woodworking magazine. I needed it to make about 300 dado cuts in plywood for a project that needed to be done quickly. The blade made very clean cuts. In fact, another woodworker saw the results and though I might have used a router since the cuts were so clean. The bottoms of the cuts are flat and were fairly smooth.

The blade storage case is nice to have. It comes with plastic spacers to separate the chippers and blades from one another when the blade is stored in the case. These spacers are a little cumbersome to use and the blades had moved around in the case when I first opened the box.

The chippers are not labeled so I had to use calipers to figure out which chipper was which. Once figured out the thickness of chipper and labeled the chippers with a permanent marker, the blades were easy to set up for the correct thickness using charts that came with the blade. I was using 1 / 2" plywood and set the width of the cut to 15/32" and the width of the cut was perfect. The blade included metal shims for fine-tuning the width of the cut, but I did not need them.

The blade also includes a DVD that shows how to use it. I was able to use the blade without the DVD, but the videos were well done and contained useful reminders on how to use the blade safely.

One thing you'll need to use this blade is a new table saw insert. I made a new one out of hardwood using a planer and bandsaw. I then clamped a dado sled on top of it and raised the blade into the insert, creating a zero clearance hole for the dado blade. If you don't want to go to this trouble, you can always buy an insert.

This is an expensive dado set, but the results are excellent. Since I plan to use it to make nice casework (and wood is expensive), it is worth the money.

I bought the SD608 dado set a couple months ago for use with a Delta 36-717 hybrid saw. As someone else mentioned here, it's very difficult to determine before you buy whether it'll fit your saw, so I contacted Freud. I received the following from a company rep:

"Check to see what the specifications are for dados on your machine. Many manufacturers limit the diameter of the dado to 6" while others allow 8" but may limit the width of cut. If your machine is rated for a 6" or 8" stacked dado, then there is the consideration of the arbor nut size, inside flange diameter, and arbor length. Unfortunately there are too many saws for us to keep a list of what these specifications are for every machine and be able to keep it up to date with changes made by the manufacturers, but with some quick measurements you can determine if your saw is capable of running the Dial-A-Width.

1. Arbor Nut Size - The arbor nut wrench size can not be larger than 1 3/16" (30 mm). The set includes a 7/8" wrench. If your arbor nut uses a wrench other than 7/8" (22 mm), you will need to use a wrench other than the one that comes in the Dial-A-Width.
2. Inside Arbor Flange Diameter - If the inside arbor flange is under 2-1/2" diameter you are OK. If it is over that, the Dial-A-Width will not work on your machine.
3. Arbor Length - Measure the length of the arbor on your machine and subtract the thickness of the arbor nut from that measurement. If what you have left is at least 1 3/32" then you can cut up to a 3/4" dado with your saw. If you have 1 3/16" or more then you can stack all the components on the arbor at one time. Still keep in mind that you must comply with maximums that the manufacturer of saw has for dadoes.

We have also heard of a few saws on the market that have an interference problem with the inside blade. To check this disconnect power to the saw, and with a blade on the saw look down inside the saw beside the blade. If there is anything like belts or structural members closer than 1/2" from the sides of the blade then this could be a problem. If there is any question after this visual inspection the take an old saw blade (can be a 10" or a 7 1/4" as long as they have the same arbor as the saw) and on the side opposite the arbor nut hot glue 6 US Pennies in a stack about 1 1/2" from the center of the arbor. Put the blade on the saw (still with the saw disconnected) and rotate the blade using the arbor wrench. If the pennies do not contact anything then you should not have an interference problem."

On the Delta 36-717 hybrid saw, the arbor is just long enough to use the full set of dado blades. I worry about getting the arbor nut on incorrectly and stripping the arbor, so I'm really careful about it. It's a pain to arrange the blades so that the teeth of one blade don't interfere with others, but that's not unique to this dado set.

However, I was most concerned about whether a hybrid saw could push an 8-inch dado; some recommend at least a 3-HP saw with this diameter. But it worked great with the 36-717, a 1-3/4-HP model. To be safe, I still make deep cuts in a couple passes, but I've never had a problem.

The dialing mechanism requires some trial and error to figure out. I was dialing it in, dialing it out, and having trouble figuring out which way I was supposed to be dialing, because I could only see a difference after I'd made a cut. Then I figured out that by watching the threads on the inside of the dialing mechanism, I could get a better idea of whether I was increasing or decreasing the width of cut.

The quality of cut is excellent--flat bottoms, smooth cutting, and minimal tear-out. I'm quite happy with the purchase, especially at the price I got it for: $175 on Amazon in March 2006.

I'm very pleased with the way this dado set is working out. I was concerned with using an 8" stack with a 1-1/2 hp delta contractors saw, but so far it's working out great--even with all the blades installed. I don't have any experience with other dado stacks, but to my eye the cuts from the SD508 are superb. Clean, flat bottoms and sides. No chip out at all. The only thing that is a hassle (not unique to Freud) is that it IS a dado stack. Putting the both cutters and the chippers together for a cut can be a chore. Now I know why Bill Hylton says avoids using a dado stack in favor of using a router to make dados in some of his books. :-)

Other reviewers said that they had a hard time judging which chipper is which. There are 4 in the set. Two 1/8", one 3/32" and one 1/16". I found that looking at them carefully from the side made it easy enough for me to determine the widths without resorting to using a dial caliper or other measuring device.

The box the blades come in is nice, sturdy and protects the blades well. Just make certain the tabs to hold it closed are secure. Otherwise there's the potential for all your blades to fall out if you aren't careful.

There's a dvd with an intro on how to use the dado, as well as a chart that tells you which cutter and chipper combos will produce a certain size dado/groove, that comes with the set. The dvd is specific to the dial-a-width product and really doesn't cover much other than the 'basic of basics' on how to use the dado. It also has a plan on it for a dado sled.

One other thing. Using any saw blade can be dangerous; using a full dado stack the first time can be VERY intimidating and dangerous if you aren't careful. Make sure all your safety gadgets are in place so you can deal with the intimidating part so you don't 'accidently' experiance the dangerous part of while using it. That said, after making a full depth, clean bottomed dado in one pass, all I can think to say is "sweet"! Feeling intimidated by all those spinning blades quickly fades to healthy respect.

I bought the 10 inch table saw 18 months ago and have used it very little on jobs around the house -- I ripped 6 2X4 and the motor burnt out -- I feel that the motor is not of very good quality!!!!

This has to be the best worksite saw I have ever used. It has sufficient power for just about any stock. The table extensions are very useful and the fence aligns itself square to the blade when locked. I purchased this saw after a long time pro recommended it to me and I haven't had a regret.

This is the smoothest most accurate portable table saw I have ever used.

Its powerful, well built and very well thought out.
The fence is of excellent design with a positive square lock every time.
Blade changes are almost too easy and controls are simple and durable.
The only improvement I would make would be to add a blade height adjustment lock which it lacks, otherwise a flawless design by Bosch.

The fold up stand is sturdy and well designed,it snap locks up and folds down very effortlessly, folds almost flat and takes up less space then the gravity stand with the wheels.

I really liked my bosch jigsaw quiet smooth strong but!!!!! between putting new triger switches in it and my bosses bosch drills a fellow could go to the poor house when i first bought the jigsaw trigger went bad in first month boss has jig saws and drills all have had trigger switch problems bosch charges a hefty price for repair no more bosch tools in our shop back to dewalt always dependable

Most of the other reviews share this complaint: the blade change function is difficult and cumbersome. The black handle on top the saw flops around and won't stay in place. I advise others to look elsewhere for a quality saw.

This is an absolutely fantastic saw. I purchased it to replace a not-so-old Skil that repeatedly chewed up trim I'm installing. The Bosch saw, by stark contrast, cuts smoothly and solidly. No shaking or vibration, even with the thickest and most intricate cutting. I feel in control of the Bosch; there's no question that the Skil model controlled me. Now I need to replace all the trim I installed using the Skil - there's that much of a difference.

Like other reviewers I was a little surprised at how (1) easy it is to change the blade and (2) how tight the blade locking process is. You can't miss the click...so keep cranking 'til you get there.

I love all the features of this saw except the fence...when it goes out of square, forget it! The fence is the weak part of this saw...you have to first remove a screw and bolt holding the swinging fence extension to access the two bolts holding the fence to the left. There are also two bolts holding the fence to the right. If this saw goes out of square from the factory you might as well forget about it...I'm not impressed. I'm selling mine and buying a Hitachi or Bosch.

Just got this saw and have only made a few cuts, but I love it already. The cuts are incredibly clean, even when using the blade that came with the saw. The action is very smooth. The big table is definitely a plus, The miter adjusts easily and smoothly. The bevel adjustment could be a little better, but it is not bad. A couple people said the saw does not do both right and left bevels, but that is not true. It was a little off right out of the box, but it was easy to get aligned. All in all, I think I made the right decision.

This is the best saw I have ever owned! I don't have alot of fancy talk, But I have this saw!
I am a finish carpenter from the jersey Shore. The builders and homeowners are very demanding about quality. There is no hurrying up here. The real carpenters take the time to make the extra cut to make the mitre perfect.
With this saw, the extra cut doesn't take that long. The first cut is so perfect. If it takes a second cut, it is usually because you put the header slightly off level.

Thi saw is quiet, smooth, accurate and in addition to that realy good looking.

I am glad to have spent a most of a weeks pay to own this saw

THe Bosch 3915 is a great addition to my power tool collection. I was impressed with it's ability to cut 2x8's and 10's as well as fine trim. The rails have little play and can give you very accurate angle cuts in both miter and bevel positions cut after cut.The only thing that could be improved is the dust bag chute. IT clogs very easily when cutting undried (framing) lumber.

I have used this saw to put up intricate crown molding and to build a large outdoor playset. Cuts are very accurate and precise!!! And since it is a slide it can cut much larger pieces of wood than a non-sliding miter saw. Highly recommend!!!!

THIS SAW IS THE BEST IM A CARPENTER AND I LOVE IT BEST THING SINCE SLICE BREAD. DEWALT MAKITA AND HITACHI CAN JUMP ON DEEZ, THEY HAVE NOTHING ON BOSCH

Like many other reviewers I had to have non-warrentied repair to the saw for the blade change mechanism. Repair was so expensive for the PLASTIC gears that I just sold it for parts. I DO love Bosch products and am moving up to Newer Model that had better blade chaning mechanism.

I can cut right through all the superlatives and say that my 1587 has done nothing since I bought it but cut 4/4 and 8/4 hardwoods.
I am talking about exotic hardwoods! One and two inches thick for those not familiar with lumber-yard terminology. Hardwoods like purpleheart, stone-like Azul Macaul Cauba, sticky Brazilian Cherry and even the ultimate test in my opinion, Brazilian Walnut.
That is as iron of a wood as I have had experience with and I once managed a company that imported exotic lumber from around the world.
This saw cut them all for the last several years without a problem.
Not only that, I was using it to cut at least ten lineal feet a day, several times a week much of the time during the Spring, Summer and Fall.
I purchased my saw used and it performed exceptionally for me for three years. I just recently sold it a contractor for more than 60% of it's regular retail price in my area.
That is the kind of performance I like! Tools that perform AND hold or retain re-sale value.
I've owned the PC and bought and used the Hitachi and past models of the Dewalt. The Bosch significantly out performed the others in several ways in addition to the re-sale value mentioned above. Those were..
- ease of blade change.
- durability and build quality.
- smoothness and speed of cut.
- general fatigue on your arm.
These weren't subtle performance differences! These were significant
ones.
The more I handle tools the more I appreciate the ones that don't jiggle your tendons and numb your hands. I like the ones that can handle the tumble off the workbench because let's face it, that happens to all of us.
I am not a Bosch flag waver!
But I have to say, they make the best darn jigsaw I have ever used!
There is only one thing I didn't like on this saw. That is that it requires a tool to adjust the bevel plate. I would much rather see a self contained mechanism such as on the PC.
I give it four stars because I leave a little room for perfection. But this in my opinion is the best jigsaw you can get.
Good luck!

Well I received this jig with a free 6 inch orbital sander ,sander works great, but anyway about the jigsaw honestly I think it's definately ranks top, just my thought , although the only thing as someone mentioned is the blade change but once you get use to it no problem! The speed control in the trigger to speed control it self , I gotta say I love it!