Drd-pers – Craftsman TS3650 User Manual
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DRD-Pers
1.
22
2.
Positive reviews.
7.
Research:
1.
Press Release
2.
1.
I believe its features place it in the "high end" category which makes the TS3650 a very good value.
2.
The table height is 36.5 inches which is just a tad high.
3.
The saw took about 4 hours to assemble but because it was aligned so well "out of the box", did not require any
significant time to align, mainly just checking to see that it was.
4.
The TS3650 uses a cradle made of a single piece iron casting which seems to be very stout.
5.
The saw also incorporates an easy to remove and replace splitter / guard device. A single screw is all it takes to
install the system onto the saw.
6.
[nice integrated mobile base that comes standard]
7.
The blade raise / tilt functions are fairly high resolution at 10 turns per inch of raise and 29.5 turns for 45
degrees of tilt. There are adjustable stops for blade angle which can be accessed easily from the top of the
table. Both the raise and tilt functions are accurate and easy to operate.
8.
the motor size is typical of this class of saw and has plenty of power for most operations. The saw is a stable
platform when ripping sheets of plywood, I'm sure those heavy cast iron wings help a little with that. I found that
most of the time the saw would pass the "nickel test" through a complete power cycle. There is a small amount
of vibration on the machine though.
9.
The rip fence has a fairly small head section with two cursors and a thumb wheel for moving the fence position
in small increments. This thumb wheel is not a true micro-positioner and I did not find it to be very useful.
10.
The rip fence locks on both the infeed and outfeed side, this makes for a very rigid fence when locked down. I
have heard several uncomplimentary comments regarding the Ridgid rip fence but try as I may, I could never
find any significant fault with this system. A common upgrade to a low end contractor saw is a better rip fence
such as a Vega or Biesemeyer. When I evaluate fence systems in my reviews, I try to do so with actual
measurements so as to remove any unjustifiable bias in the evaluation. Basically, the Ridgid rip fence is as good
as any of the "upgrade" fences I have measured.
11.
The rip fence was as straight as my machinists straightedge. The rip fence would lock down repeatedly within
0.004" of parallel (measured over 22"), it would repeat to a position within 0.005" (this is operator dependant).
With a 10lb side load applied at the end of the rip fence it would deflect about 0.002" at that point. These are all
VERY respectable numbers and compare favorably to premium replacement fences.
3.
1.
Very positive review.
4.
1.
Although I am satisfied with the saw there is that arbor issue that most seem to have. There is clearly a low
spot on the arbor. This really doesn't bother me because I use my router for dados.
2.
Also, there is a little vibration (probably fix with better belt). oh one more thing, when I made my first cut with
the stock blade the cut came out jagged and there was much vibration. I thought that the saw had been
damaged and considered returning it to HD. I decided to try an old blade that I had and it cut straight. I can't
believe that the stock blade was warped.
3.
I will try to get Rigid to send me a new blade and arbor.
4.
Also the blade wrenches it came with are pathetic. I have had the blade off only twice so far and they are
already bent and slip off the arbor
5.
Ill have to find a couple of REAL wrenches that are flat enough and long enough to do the job.
6.
As you know, the 3650 comes with a flat automotive type belt. I don't think you'll find a better belt and if you did
you would have to change the pulleys too. Have you tried adjusting the belt tension to get rid of the vibration?
7.
I think the 3650 is alot more saw than the Hitachi, which has among the worst fences and flimsiest wings I've
seen recently on a saw in this price range. The vibration isn't likely to be from the serpentine belt. Check the
alignment of the pulleys first, and be sure the belt tension on the motor is sufficient. If it persists, you may have
to exchange it.
8.
Moreover, it is easy to soup it up and have it handle material just like a $1500 - $2000 table.
9.
I added the Shopfox extension table on the right side and moved the rails over with a new tape system to cut 51
inches on the right of the blade. I then added a 2.5 x 3 inch cherry platform on the left that receives a 27" x 48"
3/4" birch panel with glide tape that locks on the side of my workbench with a feather board system added to it.
I also added the new Jessem miter gauge with the dual-indexing angle pins. The Jessem has an extremely
accurate ruler and stop system that extends with the stop system out to 36" to left of the blade. Bottom Line: I
do not miss the fence on the left side at all with the Jessem.
10.
As far as vibration, my 3650 runs silky smooth and quiet- remarkably so. If my experience is typical, the saw
should make a little startup noise when you first turn it on and then settle into a nice, smooth hum that you can
barely hear over a shop vac.
11.
mine seems to have come from the factory with loose trunnion bolts.
12.
Another tip- spend $20 or so and get a dial indicator, it's invaluable for getting your alignment just right. I got
mine at littlemachineshop.com.
5.
1.
[very impressed with the mobile base]
2.
The controls on the Ridgid were smooth and easy to use, but one would expect smooth on a new tool. One of
the most important purposes of a table saw is ripping wood, and having a good rip fence is a must. We found
the rip fence on the ridgid OK, not fabulous, just OK. This is not a bad thing for a contractors saw. There is a
micro adjustment, which is also OK. Moving the fence back and forth was nice and smooth and when it was
locked in place it was solid! We found the fence was not too hard to adjust as it was slightly out of alignment
from the factory. The other thing we liked about the rip fence and the saw … a very decent extension, like 36
inches to the right of the blade and 12 to the left of the blade.
3.
The next thing we looked for was the alignment of the blade to the mitre slots. Most woodworkers don’t realize
that the under carriage of the blade is adjustable and should be adjusted so that the blades are perfectly aligned
with the mitre slots. This is where perfectly, non-binding ripped wood comes from. To our delight, there was
NO adjustments needed to the trunion assembly, it was off slightly, but was well within the tolerances of
working with wood.
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Printed 18:10 3/31/07