I tend to like Delta better than Ryobi, but those are both pretty basic saws. If you're only looking for something cheap and light for general carpentry, they'll probably be fine, but you're not going to be making fine cabinets with them. I just read a review in one of my woodworking magazines on good quality, portable contractor saws and most of them ran about $400.

I have a portable 10" table saw in my job trailer. I use it to make trim pieces, size framing lumber when necessary, making shims/filler pieces, and sometimes cutting molding.

I have had two---the first was a Craftsman that cost $200. It was virtually useless foe most of those jobs. And it was a better saw than either of the two you mentioned.

The problems lie in a very underpowered motor---the horsepower advertised is an exageration of actual useable power----a really crappy femce/miter gauge, and just inferior construction.

I now have a Porter Cable 10" portable table saw I bought on sale at Lowes for $260. It came with a foldup stand. This thing is almost as good as the $600 contractors saw I have in my wood shop---the power is less than the shop saw, but much better than the first saw. The fence is quite good for an inexpensive saw and the table has a side extension slide.

There are other saws on the market like that one---Bosch, Rigid, and others---usually starting at around $400---my PC had that price as the manuf. suggested retail price.

There is even a Ryobi that can easily be made portable---the BT3100 that is much better than the two you mentioned---it can be found for $300 in many places and less at Cummins Tool as a factory recon. If you can't afford the $400 and up saws, go look at the BT3100. I had the predessor---a BT3000 as my first shop saw. Built several large oak plywood desks/dressers with it and a router/table.

I think of those ~$100 saws as being basically symbolic. They have all the parts you'd associate with a table saw, but none of them work the way you'd think a table saw should work. If you're looking for a disposable tool to get you through one or two small projects and don't mind a bit of a struggle, then get the cheapie. Otherwise, don't waste your money. If you haven't got $300, look in the classifieds for a better used one.

The basic rule concerning table saws is to buy the most saw that you can afford. The table saw can be the most important tool in your shop, and scrimping on the cost is not advisable.

I agree with those who say bite the bullet and buy a decent saw. I gar-on-tee you will regret it if you buy a cheap one.

Well, we went with the Delta. We are planning to use it as a throw away if we have to do that.
We will use it to rip 1 x 4s and that's about it. We may also have to rip down some 2 x 4s. Fingers crossed.
Thank you for all the input.

I disagree with some of the above.
I have one of those little $89 portable table saws.
Got it at Home Depot back in 1986. Ohio Forge brand.
I still have it and still use it.
I have done a lot of fine cabinetry work with it.
Requires some extra planning and maybe some extra steps.
It won't cut smooth edges like a cabinet saw will.
But you can run the stock thru a jointer to smooth the edge.
The fence is the biggest problem I have seen with mine.
I finally had to replace the handle with a wing nut and some all-thread.
Mostly the saw amounts to little more than a circular saw
mounted upside down under a table.
But it works good for what I do.

Don't look at the HP. Look at the Amps. Mine draws 13 amps.
The HP rating is developed HP. Different animal that actual HP.

I have an old Delta saw. Made in 1938. Tilting table.
Shop I used to work at gave it to me.
I use them both about the same amount.

I like my little portable saw.
Lasted almost 20 years now.
I expect another 20 years out of it too.

Pooh Bear

poohbear-
A saw that cost $89 twenty years ago is probably the same as a $300 saw today!

LOL - You're probably right about that.
Looks the same as the cheap saws I see today.
I have noticed the amps on the new saws are less.

My first semblance of a table saw was one of the B+D work tables that you could mount a circular saw underneath it. I did a considerable amount of work with that when I was a teenager.
A saw a neighbor had gotten one of those little ohio forge saws for Christmas that year and what all he was using it for and I had to have one.
Incidently the same company that made ohio forge also made craftsman. I have a number of ohio forge machines. Some of the boxes of ohio forge tools came with craftsman instruction manuals.

I'm not saying those little portable table saws will do everything.
I would love to have a powermatic cabinet saw.
But the little table saws are good in the meantime.

Pooh Bear

Pooh Bear, I find it hard to believe that someone unwilling/unable to afford a decent table saw would have a jointer on hand. Personally I would go for the Ryobi 3100.

That's true. I used to do a lot of edge gluing so I got a jointer.
Don't imagine too many people would have one unless they really needed it.
I wouldn't have got one except I got a good deal on it.

Pooh Bear

just keep a sharp blade on it, feed it slowly and it will likely do all you want it too, dont get a blade with a lot of teeth though,it takes more power to cut with more teeth, a thin kerf, fairly inexpensive blade should serve you well, the blades supplied with most of these saws is usually about the right number of teeth. Ive worn out a dozen or so small cheap table saws but each one served me well, I now own the Rigid for on site work but would likley recomend the Dewalt which I've never owned, In my shop, a 5hp 12 inch Grizzly with a Forrest blade rips 2-3 inch hardwood without complaint, table saws are like boats, you always wish you had one a litle bit bigger............

Another thing you can do with these little saws:
Unless you need the extra capacity,
switch to a smaller blade.
Takes less power to turn a smaller blade.
I used an 8 inch blade on my 10 inch radial arm saw for years.
95% of what I cut is 1 inch or thinner.
I could cut a 2x10 with no problems.
For 4x4s I could make one cut then flip it over and cut it again.
But I rarely cut 4x4s so I could do that.

Just cause it will take up to a 10 inch blade
doesn't mean you have to use a blade that size.

Pooh Bear