Power Saws Reviews

I purchased the trim saw last Sept, 03 from Amazon.com. I used it several times and was pleased with it's performance.

Tried to use it again today (May 2, 04) and it would not run. (May be a switch problem) This saw has been in production for a long time and the manufacturing problems should have been solved by now.

If I was to buy a trim saw again, I would buy a small battery operated saw (the 18 volt Dewalt is nice). I used my sons dewalt and was impressed that the distance from the blade to the edge of the base plate was a standard 1 inch on one side and 4 inches on the other so it was easy to clamp a staight edge to the line of cut. It had plenty of power and could cut thru thicker stock than the Porter-Cable saw.

So Im a tool junkie home user. Im not a contractor or cabinet maker.

This will NOT replace a decent 7.25" circular saw for cross cutting 2x4 etc.

What this WILL do is cut trim and plywood with ease and no tearouts. Its super light so running it all day wont beat up yer arm. Cuts far better than a jig saw for straight lines.

Although this saw runs and cuts ok for a cordless I would not purchase another. Two reasons, first, the safety button is mounted on the side of the handle making it very hard on your wrist. A very poor design, you have to lose your grip on the handle to get your thumb over there on the button to start the saw. Go with the makita instead. Although it's more expensive, the safety button is on top where it should be. Very comfortable to operate. Second, the ryobi battery chargers have a fuse inside that is continully going bad, a bummer when your on the jobsite.

This brand was recommended to me 3 years ago.

Great stuff. Nice to hold and a good tool.

I'd love to say how the product works but it has not arrived !!!
It has been on order since Nov 16,2004 and you still say you can get 1 day delivery or usually ships in 24 hours !!! Now I do not have a Christmas present for my husband and I thought I ordered it in PLENTY OF TIME !!!!
update: today is 12-30-04. It says my order shipped on 12-21 but UPS says they never got it. I am cancelling this order and returning the items I did get. I am so dissapointed.

Overall works fairly well but the hole in the center is too big for any fine detail work on small pieces. The lamp is inadequate and very difficult to replace. Cuts well, works well for most projects.

I purchased a display model of this tool from HD. It was missing the blower hose. I called Dremel and asked for one and received it in a week. This is a great company to work with. I have used the saw for many hobby projects. The dust port works great with an adapter to your shop vaccuum or dust collection system. The saw is very powerful and smooth. I have used it to cut very hard woods like Purpleheart. The light, blower, variable speed and dust port make this a very nice saw. I wished the saw had a better way of storing the blades. I have seen tube storage on the sides of other more expensive models and wished this had them. I like this tool better than the Delta model. Blade changes are very easy with the little pins on them. Having this model with the sander on the side would probably be very nice.

Ideal for my needs as a weekend carpenter. Small enough to easyly be put to the side of the garage but still able to rip 2 inch green treated lumber.

This is a great saw for the money. I started woodworking about 2 1/2 years ago. I didn't want to spend alot of money on a hobby I wasn't sure I would like. Since buying the saw I have filled our house with mission and shaker style furniure. The only problems I have with this saw are the fence (doesn't stay parallel to the blade when locking down), the arbor length (will only accept up to 1/2 inch stacked dado), the on/off switch (had to replace it with a better rocker switch in order to turn the saw off), and the size of the table top. All in all, it's a great little saw for someone who is just getting into woodworking and doesn't want to spend a lot of money.

This wouldn't find a home in the New Yankee Workshop, but it has provided me with great bang for the buck!! I've used it for laying a hardwood floor and now we're cutting lots of plexiglass (different blade) to make lab equipment - all without a complaint. In fact a colleague, who owns a much more expensive table saw, has been looking for a 2nd saw to have at his cottage. He's been watching us use the Delta and is planning to get one himself. I'm slightly sad to say the price is now a shade lower whan when I bought mine :)

I've had this machine for 3-years. Unless you just want to rip 2x4's for framing, run away from this purchase. The motor is good, but that's only positive bit of news about this saw.

The miter slots are a joke. The included gauge has about 3/16" of slop in them, and no other gauges on the market fit it either. The throat plate stinks too. Forget making a zero-clearance insert, because the table top is so poorly designed that you can only use a steel throat plate. Plan on building sleds for any cross-cutting you want to do.

Don't even get me started on the fence which I bent while bolting a sacrificial fence on it the very first day.

I JUST BOUGHT A DELTA 36-680 OR SO I THOUGHT.THE BOW SAID 36-679 ON THE BOX .THE SAW ISNT REALLY A 36-680 DELTA TOLD ME THERES NO ACTUAL 36-680 THATS JUST THE EXTRA PARTS.THE SAW SHOULD BE A 36-679 THEY SAID.OK WHY DOES IT HAVE A 36-670 LABEL ON IT.I CALLED DELTA AGAIN WHEN I SAW THE LABEL AND FOUND OUT THEY FORGOT TO REPLACE IT WITH A 36-679 LABEL.WHAT A PIECE OF OLD MIS LABELD JUNK. PLEASE GO TO MY REIVEW AT AMASONS DELTA 36-680 REVEIEW PAGE AND READ HOW THEY ARE SCAMMING PEOPLE AND PUTTING NEW LABELS ON OLD SAWS. TRUST ME IT'S WORTH READING BEFORE YOU MAKE A EXPENSIVE MISTAKE AND WASTE VALUABLE TIME.IT TELLS WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM DELTA. BEWARE OF OLD SAWS WITH NEW LABELS.THEIR 1 1/2 HP MOTOR IS WEEK AND SHUTS OFF WHILE CUTTING PANELING.YES I SQAURED EVERTHING UP FIRST. THIS IS AND ALL MY REVIEWS ARE HONEST.I AM JUST A GUY THAT GOT STIFFED BY DELTA. GOOD LUCK.

I bought this saw about 6 weeks ago to replace an ancient Craftsman. I wanted to use it a while before forming an opinion and my opinion is...spend the extra money and buy a real saw.
This saw is basically a toy. It has a plastic housing and that right there should tell you about the quality. The fence is questionable at best, it doesn't stay where you lock it and it and the miter gauge doesn't even come close to fitting the slot. For [what I paid]I wasn't expecting a whole lot but just a little accuracy would've been nice. What a disappointing purchase. I guess in order to get a decent saw you need to spend at least twice the amount of this saw...now I just gotta find someone to buy this one.

I bought this saw sat.12/10/05. saw was damaged right out of the box,got back to the store,they opened up a new box and that one was damaged,they gave me yet another saw, took that saw home,roller bearing guides were loose,doors rattle and it won't keep a blade or a belt on it for more than thirty seconds.Spent tuesday night with delta tech support, spent 45 minutes wednesday night with delta tech to no availe(lovely people but no solution.Today I called the store where I purchased the item and they are going to contact delta to see if I am entitled to a return, store credit or "up the creak" Saw weighs a ton would probably make a good mooring if you have a boat.

Worked right out of the box. Didn't have the problems others described. Followed instructions to the letter. Bit of a problem with resawing. The 3/4 hp motor bogs down easily, must take it really slow. Overall a fine tool for the bucks.

I just bought my bandsaw on Sunday. Everything seems to be working OK and I am fairly satisfied. True, the packaging was heavy, but the heavier the machine, the more steady it will be when you place any heavy items on it that you are working with.

My only problem is after I spent 3 hours assembling the thing, I realized it didnt come with a rip fence or miter guage, and the main thing I wanted to do was resaw.

I have to wait until the next day to go back to Lowes and they do not sell any assessories for delta tools. I go to the Delta website and type in my zip code on their dealer locator and four nearby Lowes stores come up on the screen.

After paying $400 for a saw, you would expect these two items to be included?

every time I use this saw the blade loosens and or loses the bolts have to spend lots of time hunting for them

Strong for what is essentially a light duty saw; reliable. I've cut down two sizable trees with it, and cut them into firewood, along with a lot of other use. The only shortcoming I have found is the lack of a chain brake. Be careful to wait for the chain to stop before you do anything like setting it down after you release the switch.

I've noted some small complaints in other reviews. To address them:

The bar/chain oiler is GRAVITY FED...it will "leak" oil just sitting around...it is supposed to.

The chain does lose tension with use. ALL chainsaws do, and you must keep an eye on it, the adjustment is easy. But careful tightening the bar nuts: they fit into a plastic housing that is easy to damage if you overtighten them.

As with all other electric power tools, use a large gauge extension cord. For convenience, I use a 100' cord 12 gauge. With this saw, that still gives 115 volts at the end of the run, and causes no problem with the motor.

A chainsaw is easily the the most dangerous power tool a homeowner will ever use! SERIOUS INJURY is a moment's carelessness away!!! FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS EVERY SECOND. And keep the cord well behind you as you work! And hold onto the manual! It should be reviewed regularly, is especially useful to replace the chain properly, and I haven't found it on the 'net anywhere.

I bought this saw last year and have cut down fairly good size trees and trimmed a lot on my 1 acre lot. After 3 hurricanes I had to get a 350 Husky because some of the trees are just too big, and there is much to do.

But this little saw is still going and I use it a lot. Here are some tips that may prolong your electric saw's life:

1. Never run it continually for long periods so it does not get it real hot. It needs to have rest breaks.
2. After sawing for 10 or 15 seconds let up for 30 seconds or so.
3. Rotate the bar frequently and keep the oiler about 3/4 filled with motor oil__(manual recommends SAE 30W).
4. When rotating the bar, take off the chain drive sprocket and grease the needle bearing. (Be careful removing the sprocket so the needle bearing does not fall out).
5. Oily sawdust builds up very fast. Take off the chain cover and clean it out after every use, and re-adjust the chain. It only takes a few minutes.
6. Check your motor frequently to make sure it is not getting too hot.
7. Don't let the chain get too dull. Have it sharpened or replace it.
8. Above all....be safe. Don't cut with the tip.

I have used TOPCOTE spray for several years on my table saw. This product does not seem to look or last like the old orange colored can or the real old pump spray bottle that I use to get. The current stuff now has a white flakey coating that flakes off and is sticky, the boards don't seem to slide like before. Now my new can is half full and won't spray any more! I checked the spray tip and it's not clogged but still nothing comes out when I push on the spray tip! It's like it lost its air! Don't waste your money it's not as good as it once was!

At the woodworkers guild meeting they recommended I use this new stuff called Table Top Lube from EMPIRE and they gave me a small sample. I tried it and it seems to work just like the old TopCote stuff!

Here on amazon Table-Top Lubricant sells for $14.99.
It cost more but I think it is work it.

Cannot buy this product if you live in California due to environmental laws.

Product says nothing about it and states:

Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.

Caifornia isn't part of the 48 lower states!

I've been using top cote on my machine tops, metal fences and guides for about five years now. I live in western Washington and moisture here can be a problem. Especially when your shop is in the basement of a 80 year old house,on the shores of a lake.
I have never had a problem with rust on my machine surfaces when I prepared them properly. The last step, I take, before applying the top cote, is to wipe the surface with alcohol. This removes any residual moisture and cleans the pores of the metal. Using a quality car wax will import silicon to your metal surface which in turn will transfer it to your wood workpiece. This can really cause problems with a lot of finish's. Silicon is very difficult to remove from wood and will block penetration of most oil based finish's.It can also affect "natural" wax's, such as carnuba and bee's wax.
The top cote layer does provide a nice slick surface and I have no difficulty telling when a new treatment is needed, especially when ripping hardwoods.
I also use Dri Cote (seperate review) on my blades and cutters.
I recommend this product to everyone, follow the directions on the can and you won't be disappointed.

The Dremel Scroll Saw that I received was defective, and previously owned. As received the saw would not run. I removed the access covers to evaluate the problem. During this operation I discovered tool marks made your provious customer when he tried to evaluate/repair the defect.

The defect was a misinstalled auxillary drive arm. This was an original assembly positioning error. This indicated that the misassembled saw was not tested by the original manufacturer.

I have corrected the misassembly and the saw appears to function correctly.

I think the following actions are required:
1. Develop a basic quality assurance program with your suppliers.
2. Change your operation pattern to assume that when a customer returns a produce, it returned for a reason and not because he is an idiot that likes to ship things back.

I had mine now for good month and I been working with it quite a bit. I find the vibration at higher speed to be so much so that it will be impossible to do any delicate work.

I bought mine at Home Depot and I am going to return it tommorow, this saw is a disappointment for a name brand saw.

I got one of these saws that had been refurbished from Ebay. I believe it was the best buy I could have made with the money I had. I had used the scroll saw DeWalt makes(roughly $400) before. Amazingly, this Dremel compares beautifully, with only slightly more vibration. Blade changes are quick and easy, with simple thumb screws. The saw comes with a vacuum port, light, and blower, none of which the higher priced DeWalt had.
The light and power switches are both very convenient and upfront.
Also, the 5 inch sanding disc is handy for small jobs.
One disadvantage is that while moving a piece on the sanding disc table, the table may leave a black mark on your work. The mark is easily sanded off, but it is still somewhat annoying.

Overall, the saw is an excellent one, especially considering the price. I give it 4.5 stars.

I agree with one of the prior posts in that one could buy a powerful dedicated tool for less rather than deal with the poorly designed Zip Mate attachment. I just broke my Zip Mate yesterday, probably due to the gear being misaligned.

I can't see paying $$ to replace the Zip Mate when I only paid $$ for the entire Roto Zip / Zip Mate kit on sale last January. I'll probably just use the Roto Zip for as long as it will last for drywall cutout jobs and such.

The Roto Zip was designed for drywall cutout work and I think that this is all that it does well.

This attachment is not worth the plastic it's made out of. I'm ready to throw mine away. There's no efficient way of removing the arbor to change out cutting wheels if the arbor is on too tight. The gear system is not adequate to take the elbow grease required to break the tight seal and you can't get vise grips on it, without damage, to hold it. Good luck!

As with other reviews, the Zip Mate works, and I've used it primarily as a cutoff (everything from steel pipe to ductwork to wire shelving). It is great as an all purpose tool, but does not feel as solid as a dedicated grinder/etc. There is some play in the gear that sounds clunky, but this play doesn't seem to affect performance.

My biggest gripe is that recently the flange nut (which holds the disk on) could not be removed from the disk - it appeared bound (and I don't believe that I ran it too fast!) My only solution was to use another rotating tool (Dremel) to cut the flange nut off and buy another one.

Still, if you want a single all purpose rotating disk attachment for the Rotozip, I recommend it.