Lifespan of a miter saw?

[Toller]

My ryobi cms is making grinding noises when it stops. I called customer service. They said the motor reverses for a short time when it stops and that is very rough on the brushes and gearbox. Either could be going bad. He said that the normal life would vary between 6 months for a production shop to 6 years for a casual homeowner; so my 2 years for a dilettante woodworker was probably about right.

Does this make sense? Would a better brand hold up better? I think I have just found another argument for a RAS.

BTW, anyone know how to check the brushes on a Ryobi CMS? Looks like I will either have to take it all apart or just use it until the grinding stops permanently.

[Leon]

I quit using my Delta regularly about 5 years ago. I do not miss the friggin noise, especially when the brake kicks in.

[CW]

[Edwin Pawlowski]

That is rather pathetic, but I guess you get what you pay for.

IMO, you found an argument not to buy Ryobi tools.

[WillR]

I bought my Delta CMS around 1990 -- I think -- can't remember any more.

--=20 Will R. Jewel Boxes and Wood Art

power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20 who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

[John]

Ryobi (a.k.a Home Depot) tools are, to be kind, not exactly long-lived. Without getting into whether what their customer service department said was true, the lifespan of their tools is measured in months, not years. They will not stand up to anything but casual use in my personal experience.

If you're going to buy a RAS then pick up an older used Delta, Craftsman or DeWalt. With a little work on your part they'll last a second lifetime and then some. I own one (a Craftsman) and have restored DeWalts for neighbors, and if they were not abused by their former owners they run as good as the day they were made.

J.

Toller wrote:

[George]

OSHA loves brakes, and you don't have another choice than to rip the brushes on a universal motor. Another brand may have better bearings to take the strain, but the brushes are going to go anyway.

[Rumpty]

Obviously you really want/need a DeWalt RAS, but in before your DeWalt arrives, try replacing the brushes.

Rumpty

[Frank Boettcher]

Not familiar with Ryobi, but think all these universal motored CM saws about the same. You should have two screw plugs, probably plastic and the same color as your motor housing toward the back end of the motor. Take then out and you should have access to the brushes. normally they would just slide out (have a spring attached to them to keep them in contact with the commutator. However, with the electric brakes that they put on these things, they tend to get welded in the motor housing slots and you may have to pick them out. then you have to clean up the slot so that a new brush will get past the old carbon weld marks in the slot. If you are lucky, the commutator is not scorched and you can get by changing the brushes.

Many times the brushes are not fully worn out they just get stuck by the carbon welding mentioned above. when that happens they can't contact the commutator and your machine gets noisy and finally will only work intermittantly, then not at all.

I don't like electric brakes.

Frank

[evodawg]

That's funny,6 months! I knew there was a reason I don't own a Ryobi anything. I can't believe a company would admit to such garbage. The funny thing is this company will probably be around for 100 years because of weekend warrior support. It's come down to disposalable tools now. Know wonder we use 75% of the worlds resources, it's companies like this that support the waste.

Rich

[Greg G]

Hey, we agree on something! A band clutch pleases me more - but costs a little more to implement.

Greg G.

[Frank Boettcher]

I'm not surprised.

Actually, for all these little machines with relatively light blades, I would prefer no brake, but we are long past the day when that is possible.

Frank

[max]

I had a Dewalt 12 sliding and used it heavily for 7 or 8 years including some time in a pro shop. I sold it and bought the Hitachi sliding 10 inch and it is being used exclusively in a pro shop for the last 7 years. No problems. Ryobi no longer makes good tolls.max

[Greg G]

I understand - but a good 12" blade can still freewheel for a bit. Since they all seem to have brakes these days, at least if a band brake fails, you can generally still use the saw. Much preferable to an abused motor. Of course, those so inclined could always disable the electronic brake... ;-)

Just wondering, are blade brakes required on CMS's to achieve UL/CSA approval?

Greg G.

[Frank Boettcher]

Honestly don't know. My location did not make any CMS's although they were actually invented (straight miter box) at the location prior to my being part of the Company. Long gone by the time I got there, all outsourced to the far east.

might have been originally initiated by OSHA.

Frank

[Toller]

Ryobi said they are required by OSHA.

[B Crawford]