Table saw Ryobi or Delta?

[meanroy]

Hi,
I've been looking for a new (to me) table saw for a month now.
I've read an awful lot of reviews and forums but am still undecided.

I had sworn never to buy a Ryobi table saw again after dealing with my BTS15 and the difficulty in aligning and adjusting it. It worked well for ordinary remodeling work but when I started doing cabinets and small work (Jewelery boxes) it just doesn't cut it.

I'd decided to buy an older Delta 10" but I couldn't pick it up until Sat. and the owner sold it to someone who showed up with the money.

Now I have found two candidates to replace the one I missed.
A RYOBI BT 3100-1 at $320, and a Delta/Rockwell 10" contractor table saw at $280
The thing is I've read a lot of good things about the BT 3100 but never used one.
My concerns are
1. Adjusting/aligning it, and how well the adjustments stay put.
2. The fence.
3. The motor mounting

The Delta is made of cast iron and the Ryobi aluminum.

Can you help me out with my decision?

Roy.

[bfrikken]

Sure, it is my opinion but both are overpriced for used.

The BT is probably 150-200 bucks used, and the delta is probably a littlemore. I'd get the delta despite really liking my ryobi. just my 1 and 1/2 cents (not worth 2)

[cdub101]

They both can cut accurately once aligned and can run for years if cared for. $320 for a BT seems high and $280 for the Delta seems fair. The Delta will be easier to find accessories for but the motor hangs out the back. If the motor isn't an issue the Delta sounds like a better deal.

[Uncle Cracker]

CL here had a brand new BT3100 just yesterday for $200. If you are patient, a much better deal than 300 bucks will come along. I think the Delta you're looking at is high also.

As for which to get, a BT is all many guys will ever need, but not so for many other guys. The BT has features that were years ahead of their time, or at least not available on other saws for 4X the price. But it is a precision saw, not a beast. Which is best for you will be determined by what you're planning to do with it.

[dbhost]

If you've read the forums, and the reviews, you know the BT3100 is a well regarded saw. It holds it's settings very well if not tossed about too much in the bed of a pickup truck...

Comparing a Ryobi BTS-15 to a BT3100 is like comparing a Chevrolet Aveo to a Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1. Not exactly a fair comparison to either. They both serve the same basic function, but they are far from the same in quality, performance, and features...

$320.00 is not only high for a BT3100, but I would suspect the seller might be as well... In good condition with a LOT of accessories a BT3100 should sell for anywhere between $150.00 and $250.00 depending on the accessories.

I am not exactly the guy to talk to about current Delta equipment as I have had bad quality control experiences with Delta products over the years. (My B&D Compound Miter saw is so far holding up better than the Delta it replaced...)... But a LOT of guys out there are running the older Delta / Rockwell stuff and are very happy with it. Again, depending on features like the fence, miter gauge etc... $280.00 still sounds high.

If space is an issue, the BT would be a better saw to buy as the contractor saws have the motor dangling off the back... But again, that seller is asking WAY too much for it...

What I can tell you is I am happy as a grade school kid at Chuck E Cheese with my BT3100...

[pacwind3]

I am ready to sell my BT. If you were local to Washington or Oregon we could work out a deal.

[JoeyGee]

What I can tell you is I am happy as a grade school kid at Chuck E Cheese with my BT3100...

Having just seen my 1st grader (and my pre-schooler and my 2 year old) at Chuck E. Cheese last week, I can honestly say I am that happy with mine, too. Of course, I got my BT3100 NIB box for $150 with rebate so I can actually afford Chuck E. Cheese.

[master53yoda]

the bt3x00 does a lot better with dust control then the contractor saws do. I would have to go to a cabinet saw before I would go away from the bt3x00. Ive used a lot of contractor saws and none of them compensate for the sliding miter table that the BT3x00 saw has. Unless I could get a biesemeyer fence or equivalent and a 3 HP induction motor I wouldn't go away from the BT3x00 saw. Just my 2 cents worth

[Knottscott]

Two different animals really. The Delta is larger, heavier, quieter, and will likely hold up better over time to heavier use. If has a good fence, it could be worth $280 if in good condition, but it really depends on some other things. What's the model #? Does it have steel or cast iron wings? Is there a mobile base included? Any extra blades or inserts? It'll accept all the standard size accessories, and can often be upgraded with cast iron wings, better miter gauge, and better fence if need be.

[meanroy]

great responses!

Thanks for all the great replies.

I went for the Delta, it's a model #34-440 with a new set of pulleys.
The guy I'm getting it from pretty much re-conditioned it and installed the new pulleys to solve a vibration problem.
It now passes the "nickel test".
It's wired for 120V now and I'll probably leave it that way.

It has the cast iron wings and he says the fence is solid.
It looks very clean in the pic.


Hopefully this will solve some of the problems I've been having.

Roy.

[eezlock]

tablesaw Ryobi or Delta ?

If that is the saw you are buying (picture) it looks like one of the older Rockwell 10 series saws. The wings appear to be stamped steel instead of
cast iron, and the fence is the jet lock type fence. A good fence in it's own
right but could be easily changed to Biese or a Delta T-2 that would improve the overall operation of the saw. I have two saws, one has the Delta T-2, the other has the jet lock style...personal preference...the Delta T-2, no doubt about it!

[SARGE..g-47]

You didn't get a "great" deal but... you are far from gettting burned as it is a "good" deal. You can't buy a good fence for under $300 anymore and the fence on that saw is sufficient. Now.. you've had it two days and no pictures posted of a finished product.. what cha waiting on?

Just kidding there... good deal and you should be satisifed for quite a while.

[meanroy]

You didn't get a "great" deal but... you are far from gettting burned as it is a "good" deal. You can't buy a good fence for under $300 anymore and the fence on that saw is sufficient. Now.. you've had it two days and no pictures posted of a finished product.. what cha waiting on?

Just kidding there... good deal and you should be satisifed for quite a while.

Ha Ha, it's Sat morning and I won't pick it up until after noon.

Looking closely, I'm afraid eezlock is right, they are stamped steel instead of cast.
Oh well, I suppose that's ok although I'd have preferred cast iron.

I have to help my neighbor finish stripping, painting, and installing a new front door this weekend. It's one of those honey-dew things, his mother-in-law is coming to visit next week.

After that though, I'll be practicing doing finger (box) joints for little trays and boxes. Should be fun making a jig and cranking out a couple.

Roy.

[meanroy]

Well, it's a little early for me to have done anything with it since I just got it home, and what fun it was getting it into the back yard!

It wasn't the greatest deal, but it was ok. Particularly as the guy threw in a Sony 100 CD player. (which as it happens I can make good use of.)

There is no miter gauge but Amazon has a free shipping deal going, as noted in another thread here, so I just ordered an Incra V27.

Fence seems ok though there appears to be a hole where *something* should be, maybe a lock of some sort, I'll have to look in to it.

When he powered it up for me the motor stalled the first time he threw the switch but worked ok the next time. When I got it home I checked the wiring and found a wire nut had come loose. After I tightened it up there were no more problems.
I'll have to get a "real" switch soon, it's wired up with what looks like an old aircraft toggle switch, which I don't much like.

All in all, I'm glad to have gotten the process over with.

I think I'm going to make a finger (box) joint fixture first and start playing.

I'll have probably to modify my tenon fixture because the fence is pretty narrow compared to the Ryobi but maybe it will work if I put the right thickness face plate on it..

I also have a DigiPas DWL80PRO Digital Protractor Inclinometer on the way (from Singapore no less) I'll have to update you on, when it gets here. The specs really look good and the reviews were excellent, though I haven't held one in my hand yet. Selectable accuracy ranges 0.05º, 0.1º, 0.5º Resolution.

Roy.