# Table saw upgrade



## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

Hello all, 

I've come for some more expert advice. I'm looking at a Craigslist table saw buy to upgrade from my current $40.00 Delta table saw. 

I'm looking at buying the below Craftsman 315.228490 table saw at a price of $350.00. Any and all thoughts are welcome. Thanks in advance, you guys are the best! 













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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

$350 would be a little too much for me for the saw pictured. It looks like a well cared for saw. 
The fence and rails add value for sure but I prefer solid extensions over open extensions and I don't like pneumatic tires on a table saw.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*priced too high for me also*

For my money it's a $300.00 saw tops. Nice fence which is usually the bugaboo of the Craftsman saws. Probably a 1 HP motor? Open grid extensions are not my favorite either, having had them for years. I no longer have them on any of my saws. It's not a deal breaker, just an annoyance.


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

woodnthings said:


> For my money it's a $300.00 saw tops. Nice fence which is usually the bugaboo of the Craftsman saws. Probably a 1 HP motor? Open grid extensions are not my favorite either, having had them for years. I no longer have them on any of my saws. It's not a deal breaker, just an annoyance.




Thanks for the input! I don't have any experience with those extensions on the fence, what is it that you don't like about them? Thanks in advance sir


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*those ^&%&*%^$$.... grids.*

OK, maybe that's a bit excessive... The grids have holes, stuff fall down to the floor through the holes. The grids have sharp edges where a sliver or another wood edge can get stopped or hung up and not move forward. There are ways to fill them using thin plywood or other material like plastic. Or you can purchase the stamped steel ones from Ebay:

Get these for an easy $20.00 IF you are in MN....(;<(
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-T...356278?hash=item3ad7c8adb6:g:m00AAOSwo4pYfgfH

Or these for $40.00 plus shipping of $25.00:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-1...221202?hash=item1a241fead2:g:HU4AAOSwA3dYgTRt












Or you can make your own table saw surround:









Or you can add a router table extension:


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

woodnthings said:


> OK, maybe that's a bit excessive... The grids have holes, stuff fall down to the floor through the holes. The grids have sharp edges where a sliver or another wood edge can get stopped or hung up and not move forward. There are ways to fill them using thin plywood or other material like plastic. Or you can purchase the stamped steel ones from Ebay:
> 
> Get these for an easy $20.00 IF you are in MN....(;<(
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Craftsman-T...356278?hash=item3ad7c8adb6:g:m00AAOSwo4pYfgfH
> ...


Woodnthings 
Just another compliment. You are the best with the pictures.


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Having bought, sold and parted out a double handful of saws in the last couple years I would say it is priced on the high end. Similar saws locally are being advertised around the $200 mark with some being advertised for less money. The advertised prices on Craftsman Contractor Saws can range anywhere from free to a $1000. It is hard to determine what any of them actually sold for. I haven't payed more than $100 for any saw I bought. If I was going to buy that for $350 I would just put a little more together and get a new Delta 13 amp for $600 at Lowe's. If I wanted a saw today my offer for that saw would be $200.

It is a 2424 saw fence and that is a big plus.

It appears to be well taken care of. Another plus.

How long have you been looking? If you just started looking for a saw maybe wait a bit for a better deal. Saws priced on the high end, which I believe that saw is, will be frequently available.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I have that fence as an upgrade to my original fence on my craftsman. I like it very well, a lot better than some bigger name fences I have seen. In particular it has tracks built in for adding attachments and sacrificial wood fences. Cost was $150 many years ago.

I have never had a saw with those open wings, but my intuition tells me I would not like them. I often use my saw like a table/work bench.

George


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

My advice is to make an offer you're comfortable with. 
The seller can take it or leave it or meet you in the middle. 
It never hurts to make an offer. 
The saw is clean and has an upgraded fence and rail. 
The sack to catch sawdust may or may not add additional value. 
And, you gotta keep the tires aired up.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Good advice from previous posts. Also BEFORE you put down your $ - be certain to see the saw in action and get all manuals, accessories that were used with that saw, as some have been "taken" by NOT checking if the TS was workable and had no manual/parts list to repair it. IMO, the $ for that TS are somewhat high. Be safe.


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

subroc said:


> How long have you been looking? If you just started looking for a saw maybe wait a bit for a better deal. Saws priced on the high end, which I believe that saw is, will be frequently available.




Thanks for you're reply subroc. I've only been looking for a couple weeks and I've had my eye on this one for a few days. 


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## notskot (Feb 22, 2015)

*This Ridgid TS3660* is essentially the same design from the same factory as that Craftsman 315, but is a more updated version. IMO it's a better deal @ $300 too, if it's within driving distance. Otherwise, the Craftsman is a decent saw if you can get the price down (the wheels are overkill, but are kinda cool! ...looks fast!)


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

Thanks notskot for taking the post to post. I ended up going with the craftsmen at $350 (and the guy offered to deliver it to my house!), so that was cool because otherwise I would've had to rent a truck to pick it up. I'll post pictures later after I get it set up. 

It is too bad I didn't see that Ridgid, though it would've been long haul! 


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## notskot (Feb 22, 2015)

Congrats. That'll make for a very serviceable saw. Get it aligned, check the belt/pulleys, and get a decent blade for it. Decent blades start at ~ $30 (Irwin Marples or the Freud Diablo blades made in Italy are both good value lines).


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

Do some homework and make sure that you can still get parts for it. I have bought a set of blade wrenches things from www.ereplacementparts.com for my Ryobi TS. Sears might not have parts for it.
Make a ridiculously low price for it and go from there. A fellow that my father and uncle were in business with many decades ago always said, "What seems like a bargain today might not be a bargain tomorrow."


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

Did you pay the asking price or make an offer?


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

subroc said:


> Did you pay the asking price or make an offer?




Well, asking price was $400.00 but since he offered to deliver it at 350 I figured it was worth it to keep me from having to rent a truck. I'm sure I could've waited around and found something cheaper but I just couldn't help myself 


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## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

cstowers said:


> Well, asking price was $400.00 but since he offered to deliver it at 350 I figured it was worth it to keep me from having to rent a truck. I'm sure I could've waited around and found something cheaper but I just couldn't help myself
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Sounds good. Having it delivered is one less aggravation to be sure.

Good luck and enjoy your new saw.


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

Does anyone know of a good reference guide to tuning this table saw somewhere on the World Wide Web? 


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*All your questions answered here .....*

A great video on the set up and maintenance:






The next thing you want to do is make Zero Clearance throat plates!





One of the best safety accessories you can make is an out feed support table:


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## cstowers (Sep 12, 2016)

woodnthings said:


> A great video on the set up and maintenance:
> 
> Tune Up Your Table Saw - YouTube
> 
> ...




Thanks for the video links!! 


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