I'm looking at both of these saws. I like the Rigid a lot and has settled on it until I saw the Hitachi at Loews. I like the idea of a 3 HP motor. But I like the cast iron wings and lift system on the Rigid. I have also read a lot of good reviews on the Rigid. Has anybody got some real experience with these that could help me out?
Thanks, Jim
First off while the Hitachi is advertised as 3hp it is not 3 hp, so do not get all excited about that. Ever wonder why Ridgid and Craftsman would 6 hp motors on their vac cleaners and only 2 hp on their saws? Basically the Hitachi will draw the same amperage of a real 3 hp motor just before it stalls. That is not useful. IIRC the Ridgid power tools now have a true lifetime warranty that includes scheduled maintainence and coverage of rechargeable batteries and charges for as long as you own them. I would prefer the cast iron wings for more weight.
I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean about the 3 hp thing. Could you explain in more detail? For example, Grizzly has a 3hp saw that is more expensive. What would the difference between it and the Hitachi be? Why is one a "real" 3 hp and the other not?
Thank you, Jim
Try a google search. Manufacturers lie about horsepower ratings, and some lie more than others. Also, some classes tools seem more prone to "creative" power ratings.
Chris
I have the Ridgid TS3650 and purchased it about two weeks ago. I did a lot of research, but I knew all I could afford was a sub-$500 saw. I bought it by opening an HD account and using a 10% coupon which pretty much made the price and payment terms unbeatable since the alternatives are shipping a Griz or driving to another town.(I also only have a HD local. No lowes.)
Bearing in mind this is my first "real" table saw, I think it's a great value for the money. I went ahead and put a WWII thin kerf on it, but the ridgid blade is very good IMHO.
The built-in lift is very easy to use, but it takes some setup. You can set the feet so high that the lift can't get the saw off the ground, or you can set them so low the lift is always engaged and the saw rolls. The manual isn't clear where to set this, so it took some trial and error.
I was very careful assembling my saw, and it it took almost NO adjustment. By just glancing at the CL10FL manual online, It looks like ridgid MIGHT be a little easier to assemble, though the hitachi manual goes into detail in more things that the ridgid is lacking (like
220v conversion). Also from looking at the hitachi manual, it appears that only the 3650 has a rudimentary dust collection port. This doesn't collect all the dust of course, but you don't have to build a skirt.I suspect both saws are good, but perhaps the 3650 is a better value with the lift and wings. There are some postings in the group talking about the 3650 arbor not taking dado blades right (and ridgid offering a replacement). I haven't verified this.
The one thing I don't get with the 3650 is the "cab forward" marketing BS. It doesn't seem any closer to me.
If you have specific questions I could probably answer them as well.
Manufacturers lie. If you asked them about it they would say they are conforming to industry practices, but they are lying.
The best way to judge power is by amperage. Sadly, they lie about that also, but then it is a real lie so the more reputable manufacturers don't usually do it. In general, a HP is about 10 amps. If you check, a Grizzly
3hp probably draws 30a (well, 15a/240v), but the Rigid 3hp is probably 15a (at 120v). The Grizzly is roughly twice as powerful.Typically universal motors (the small noisy ones) use the inflated numbers and induction motors use real numbers, but that is not always true.
And like I said, some manufacturers lie about everything. I have a PennState 1.5hp 16a motor that actually draws 8a; so they are lying about the amperage, but reputable manufactures don't.
And finally not all motors have the same efficiency. My TS motor is a 2hp
16a by a reputable motor manufacturer; it is significantly more expensive than their 2hp 20a motor. But unless you happen to know the details for sure, you shouldn't think that the 15a motor on an expensive router is more powerful than the 15a motor on a cheap router; it probably is, but you can't count on it.Does that explain everything? Then tell me why Jet's 1hp 11a motor looks identical to their 1.5hp 11a motor. I haven't figured that one out yet.
If the motor name plate is correct as to the volts and amps and efficiency then you can get the HP.
HP= Volts X Amps X effec divided by 746 There are 746 watts per HP Volts X amps = watts Now what the mfg tells you is at some time in the cycle the motor may reach 2138 watts for a very brief fraction of a second. So it must be a
3HP. It is kind of like when you go fishin you use an artificial lure to catch a fish. that is because you have a hidden hook on it. Well MFGs have said if they can do it to fish we can do it to them .Kind of like saying OPEN WIDE .
The amperage rating you see on a motor is certified by UL. No, they aren't lying.
The motor is physically the same size as the "11a" motor on my Jet DC (which draws nearly 11a), and much smaller and lighter than the "16a" motors on my TS and new DC. The large "16a" motors draw 16a when loaded; the small "16a" motor draws 8a when loaded. So how many amps do you think the small "16a" motor is? I asked PennState to explain this mystery, but they haven't replied.
that's true for DC, not true for AC. AC has a power factor thrown into the equation.
Bob
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