Power Tools (Brand)

[Felix The Assassin]

No need for me to babble on about brands. My hand tools are Craftsman. My power tolls are numerous, and my accessories are even larger.

Therefore, on my limited budget, I have acquired a Craftsman miter and table saw, both with Craftsman branded tables, or platforms. The orbital sander is from Skil, the corded drill is a Makita, and router is a B&D with Ryobi bits.

This is where I ask of other with a limited budget. The quality I have found in these Ryobi accessories have lead me to research their power tool line up (corded). I have googled many a way about consumer complaints and Ryobi, very few and far between. I have learned they are a One World LLC with major corporate offices in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. All of the tools I have researched here are both US and Canada patented tools. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] This is not something that is handed out with lunch condiments.

My next three tools are.
1. Band saw
2. Table top belt/disc sander combo.
3. Planer.

Ryobi has all three, and my research into their 9" table top band saw and reviews have me extremely interested. I am at, and will remain at the hobbyist level.

The planer to me, might be a questionable tool, however, my old wingman had a DeWalt and as DeWalts go, needed to replace the blade set after just one project. True enough, it was a hardwood project, but after only 15 walnut boards? At just over $300 for a set of blades, one could purchase another complete Ryobi planer. Just my beer math!

I really like what I have read, but none of the folks I know use that brand.

Anybody here have any comments?

[Bungleau]

I have not used them, but they are a brand that has commanded respect. I would consider them for future tools.

Robert the Bard may have some more thoughts, woodworker that he is...

[robertthebard]

...just so happens...The only problem I've ever had with Ryobi tools in a professional sense is weight. The worm-drive saw is extremely heavy, for not putting out much more torque than the lighter Skil. Light is relative, also, considering the Skil weighs about 45 pounds. I have never heard of any other serious, non maintenance related problems with them.

To your friend's planer blades, those things are really picky, and if the feed rate is too high for the depth of the cut, they will burn up extremely fast. The same is true for any blades, although cheaper blades will go faster, no matter how you use them.

I don't know what the price difference is, but the band saw, if it's only for hobby use, could probably come from the Craftsman line, which may be cheaper. Not sure there, but either one should be fine for light, non commercial use. I'd go with the Ryobi for the sander set though. They are more solidly built. For the planer, Ryobi would be a good choice, just watch your cut depth/feed rate. Even if it's manual feed, if you push the work through too fast, you'll eat blades, not to overstate the obvious. That is the biggest killer of blades that I know of, and if they are well taken care of, a cheaper, not cheap, but cheaper set of blades can last a good long time. Happy Carpentry...

[Felix The Assassin]

As always, good usable content can be found here. Tanks!

RTB, the price between the Ryobi and the Craftsman is just over $50. Not that big. However, the Craftsman has a user rating of under 4 on a 5 scale. While the Ryobi checks in in the mid 4's of 5. Also, the two Craftsman saws I have are not the entry level, they are the intermediate level. While the miter is flawless saw wise, the swivel table has a tendency to clog with dust and needs more maintenance than what I would think a miter saw needs. While the table saw is flawless with table and fence etc.. the motor is more noise producing than I would like to hear from a table saw. These are the main reasons I'm beginning to look elsewhere.

Just yesterday I found a wood-working blog page where folks can comment on projects and tools. There was a poster who actually complained that on the Ryobi site complaints and bad remarks are deleted, and only the good was left to be viewed. Additionally, several folks had just the opposite to say about their self touting customer service. They had spent endless hours on the phone with voice and machine response, never getting a person as claimed by Ryobi until after several attempts, or finding it hidden on the web.

I take a lot of things with a grain of salt, and I really read what they type in reviews before I place judgment. I'm a firm believer that if a 5lb hammer is required, then one should arrive with a 5lb hammer, and not a 2.5lb hammer with an intent to accomplish the feat.

So, back to research.

[robertthebard]

My little miter saw is a Delta, and while it does get clogged with dust, that's to be expected, especially if it sees a lot of action. My radial arm saw doesn't get as much use, and doesn't get clogged up, but the mechanisms for it are on the "guarded" side of the cut table. Read my guide blocks a lot of the dust/chips that could get in the works to jam it up. Miter saws will always have that problem, regardless of brand, since the work is done right on top of the mechanisms, and there is no real way to prevent it, since the blade has to pass through the table to get through the work.

None of my review of Ryobi is based on any post purchase contact with the company. I have actually used some of their tools, and feel safe commenting on them. However, as I stated before, if I'm going to buy a wormdrive, it will be a Skil, same basic quality, and less weight. While I was doing this stuff professionally, that was a major consideration, since I don't really want to spend an 8-10 hour day hefting a 60 or so pound saw up to the cut table, even if I did take the time to put a hanger on the saw horses.

I've never heard a quiet table saw, either...In fact, the reason yours may be so loud is the actual torque it provides to the blade. Believe me when I say, you'd rather have the loud, high torque saw than a quieter, lower power version that won't readily cut through whatever you put on the table to cut. I've used both varieties in the field, and while it's more labor effective to buy the lower powered, lighter weight saw for use on the actual site, if you are doing all of your work in a smallish shop, you want the larger, more powerful saw. Especially if you don't have to move it around all the time. Durability also becomes an issue. We replaced the smaller saws about every 6 months. Granted, we would use those saws probably every day, and for several hours a day too. Cutting everything from construction grade cedar to concrete siding.

[Thoran]

Small saws (like compound miter) defintely tend to be loud, the motors are made small to keep weight down but to make power small motors need to work hard and tend to generate higher audible frequencies that we humans tend to find more annoying.

Now my 10" Cabinet saw (5hp 220v) on the other hand is relatively quiet (until you start cutting that is), it's got a big motor that generates sound in a much lower frequency range.

I think you're following the right path... research online and ask woodworking friends what they think, then go to the store and check out prospective models.

[Felix The Assassin]

Good stuff.

As a hobbyist, I might make a dozen cuts over the weekend on either or both saws, however with the miter I might spend one weekday evening cleaning and clearing the swivel. To me that is a bit in excess. Especially since it has the rear mount dust collection port, and blow back motor fan kicking everything to the rear.

The table saw sound, sounds logical as it's the one with a 15 amp motor and dust collection system.

The main person I have for advice uses a brand I have never heard of or seen before. It comes in a hammered green type of color, and is labeled "Grizzly" maybe? We never really talk about tool brands, just tools, uses, and what tool to use for what type of project, etc... I want to make a tapered back bench, and will go to his shop to use the jointer for this task. He claims he will teach me a few tricks of the jointer that many people have never heard of, one being, creating a perfect 1/4" declining taper, while the band saw will be left covered.!?