Opinions on ridgid saws

[weerez935]

I have a few items from ridgid like their shop vac and have had great luck with them.
I'm looking for:
Miter saw
Corded jigsaw
Corded circular saw
Corded router

I was just curious on what you guys thought of the quality. I was told they had a life time warranty as well.


I'm going cheap for sure on the miter saw so it would be between craftsman, ridgid, harbor freight and similar priced saws.

I'm willing to spend more on a router because I'll be using it more frequently but so far I've looked at Bosch, porter cable and ridgid. I'm honestly not sure if I should get a simple router or the plunger kind. I need it for edges and dados cuts.

As for the jigsaw and circular saws I'm really looking for the best value. I have excess amounts of 2x4 and 2x6s and plan to build a workbench.

 

[BikerDad]

Router: Go with the Bosch 1617 EVS combo or the DeWalt 618Pk. A fixed base router is better for doing edge work and the like, while a plunge is what you want for mortising, cutting holes, etc. You can do edge work with a plunge router, but the higher center of gravity is a bother. For the extra $50 or so, the combo kit is well worth it.

Circular Saw & Jigsaw: Don't know how the Rigids are, haven't heard anything bad about them though. If you can, get with the tool guy and take a crack at changing the blades on the saws you're interested in. Also, check out how much trouble it is to change depth of cut (circular) and baseplate angle (jigsaw). Last, if you can swing the extra few bucks, get a circular saw that has soft start and electronic blade brake. Also, last last: know that there are circular saws designed for use by lefties. Check out both righty and lefty models, regardless of your own handedness. The ergos and sight line of the "wrong" saw may actually work out better for you. (I'm right handed, but use an older P-C lefty sidewinder, I prefer the better sight lines.)

Miter Saw: The Rigid is a workmanlike tool. Good, not in contention as "best in class", but also not junk.

 

[wild cowboy]

I recently bought the Ridgid R3205 15 amp circular saw for $99 and it KICKS ***!

Used it all day long building a 100' deck walkway with a lot of complex triangular cuts and I can't think of how it could really be any better!


Pro Tip: when you are using a circular saw, your blade depth should be set barely deeper than the wood you are cutting, I am talking like a 1/4" or less, when you see the blade of even a pro plunging an inch or two deeper than the work, he doesn't understand the physics of how a circular saw works optimally (even though it is mentioned in the book)

 

[Thumper68]

I have a older 4 or 5 years miter saw and it has worked very well, still accurate after thousands of cuts. My only complaint is the laser guide which has never worked properly, but mine was the display model 25% off :grin:

As far as the other tools I don't have a clue but have handeled them instore a few times and they seem to be well built for what they are.

 

[bareass172]

I have a Ridgid router and really like it. It replaced an old Cman that I bought back in college that got the job done, but was a little undersized. The router really cuts well, does all the stuff it should right. Plenty of power - I've used it for rough hogging out of material before with big bits set deep and really getting after it, no problems. I bought mine during a special they run once in a while where they include the plunge base for free. So if you're not sure about it, check if they have the special then you don't have to decide. I'd buy mine again in a heartbeat. It also comes with the 1/2" collet and 1/4" adapter so you don't have to worry about which size bits you have or need. It also has LED lights (nice since my Cman incandescent bulb burned out) and a speed control so you can make adjustments as necessary.

I can't comment on the circular saw, I only have the small cordless Ridgid that came in my cordless set. My corded is an old Cman saw that I hardly ever pull out anymore unless I'm doing big projects.

Corded jigsaw - same as above, mine is an old Cman "scroller" type that works well. I must admit drooling a little over the newer Ridgid models because they are so much smaller than my old one. For whatever little bit it's worth, I'd try it if it was priced competitively with other good options out there. I like the warranty on my stuff and nothing has let me down yet.

I guess my big question is why, of all the tools, you'd cheap out on the miter? That is the one tool that can be the most frustrating if it's cheap. It's the hardest to setup, dial in and make consistent cuts if it's cheap. A good one setup properly can cut job time in half if you have a lot of different cuts to make. I have a Makita 12" compound I got at a cabinet makers going out of business sale. It was newish and in excellent working condition - I love it. I don't think I'd buy new at the prices they run, but I'd definitely scour CL for them. Not sure by you, but here there are usually a lot of good options available by someone who bought one for a project or 2 and is now selling.

Hope that helps!

 

[67King]

Pretty ********* DIY-er. I have a lot of Ridgid stuff. Compound miter saw has been used extensively, and kicks ****. Chop saw has been thoroughly abused between a few exhaust systems for the race cars, and stone cutting for hardscaping. Cordless power tools had served me pretty well, but the old Ni-Cd batteries didn't last, and the bigger problem is that the drill had a lot of runout.

A pro may see things differently, but they have served me very well. I will add, since you mention best value.......I've had horrible experiences with Ryobi.

 

[Two Door]

As a pretty serious do it yourself home remodeler over the decades, my go-to circular saw has been a Milwaukee corded 7 1/4". A while back I had a need for a lighter saw to use above my head for extended periods of time. I found the Rigid Fuego, a lightweight framing saw using a six and a half inch blade. I love it, and ended up giving away my Milwaukee. The Fuego is well designed, well built, and at least for my purposes, works every bit as well.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Fuego-12-Amp-6-1-2-in-Framing-Circular-Saw-R32032/100490044

 

[weerez935]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

To answer a few questions
@BikerDad- thanks for the input I did not realize the Bosch router was so close in price.

@WildCowboy: good to hear. It seems like the thoughts on ridgid reflect the reviews.

@Thumper: good to hear.

@bareass172: I wanted to go cheaper on the miter saw because I'm only going to use it for building a workbench and in all honesty could probably get by with a circular saw or chop saw but at 400$ it's more expensive than buying a decent workbench.

@Rocket: I guess I've never considered a cordless jigsaw. I've always been told to buy corded saws but my options would either be 14v dewalt or Milwaukee m12.

 

[Thumper68]

I can second the cordless jig saw, I have 2 a ridigd and a bosch both work very well and IMO better than their corded counterparts since you don't have the cord to deal with while cutting.

If you are a home owner DIY guy you will love having a better miter saw for many projects around the house.

 

[wild cowboy]

Funny thing about tools, once you have them you find more uses for them. If you're really only going to build a workbench, borrow one or get one on CL / pawn shop. I have the m12 jigsaw and love it. You will just have to make sure to get blades with T shanks. I got some Swiss made Bosch at Lowe's.

Agreed, the blades you choose make all the difference in most any type of saw, blades are NOT a good place to economize!

 

[boiler7904]

I don't have any personal experience with Ridgid power tools but there are some people that seem to like them.

If you don't have a lot of planned uses for the miter saw, I would rent or borrow one. If buying, look at your local big boxes as they are trying to move this year's holiday specials. Home Depot by me has the Dewalt DWS782 sliding dual bevel 12" saw for $399 plus tax. Ridgid sliders are just as much money. Worst case the Dewalt should have decent resale value if you decide to unload it down the road.

For the circular saw, Milwaukee, Bosch, and Makita all have options close in price to a 7 1/4" Ridgid. I've had a Milwaukee for several years with no complaints.

For a jigsaw, Bosch. Barrel grip or d-handle grip is personal preference. I have a d-handle but it wears on the wrists if you're doing a lot of intricate cuts for hours at a time.

For a router, Bosch 1617 or similar Porter-Cable. They are good, solid tools with good aftermarket support.

For all of the tools, I would look closely at buying factory reconditioned if budget is a big concern. Companies like CPO sell factory reconditioned tools that may have been returned to a retail store, etc. at a decent discount. Factory reconditioned tools may have cosmetic issues but have been verified to be fully functional and usually carry a manufacturer's warranty. Taking a Bosch 1617EVSPK router, new on CPO's site is $219 while reconditioned is $174.

 

[bareass172]

@bareass172: I wanted to go cheaper on the miter saw because I'm only going to use it for building a workbench and in all honesty could probably get by with a circular saw or chop saw but at 400$ it's more expensive than buying a decent workbench.

If this is true, then just use the circular saw. Get yourself a speed square and learn to use it not only for marking, but also for guiding your cuts.

I agree that if you own a good miter saw you'll use it for a lot of other projects, but I would not drop big coin on one to build a workbench. Build with a circular and watch CL waiting for the right deal to come along. You won't be sorry if you wait and get a good one for the right price.

I will also echo what Rocket said about my Makita compound miter (I should have been more clear). It cuts really well and has a lot of nice features, but I would consider it a slightly better than average saw (not great) only because it does still take a little time to get cuts dialed in. A real pro saw will have the proper stops all set and dialed in, mine I still need to double check the compound part with a speed square if I need real accuracy. But for what I paid for it, I have zero complaints.

 

[188slo50]

I have a 10" miter saw that's a ridged and love it. Went out a bought the 12" sliding ridged miter saw which I love even more and it has lifetime replacment parts. I just bought a 7" circular saw a while back and I have yet to find any thing bad with it. If it wasn't for the fact that homedepot is so far from me compared to the 3 lowes near by I'd have nothing but ridged tools.