This week’s shop comes from AlIen in OH who says,
“I just want to share some pictures of my tiny little “Fortress of Wooditude.”Ã? I had never actually measured my space to see exactly what I had, so I got out the tape measure and… 190 square feet. Not a lot, but enough for my needs. It would of course be nice to have enough room for a real workbench, to not have to move the planer every time I want to use it and to have a dedicated finishing area but really, I can’t complain. At least I can lock the doors and keep my wife and her scrapbooking stuff out. ;-)”
“Before moving here I had never heard of a “tandem” two-car garage but they are apparently common in older houses in my part of Cincinnati. Since parking end-to-end was a logistical nightmare where someone was always having to back their car out to let the other person exit we used the back half for storage of lawn equipment, snowblower, etc. I put a shed in the back yard and went to work setting up shop. Space is really tight, but I got everything in. Everything, with the exception of the jointer, is on wheels.”
Allen,
Is that a Ridgid TS-3650 table saw? If so how do you like it’s performance? Pros Cons I’ve been thinking about buying one. By the way nice shop. Please feel free to e-mail your response. Thank you
Hi Allen,
If that’s the Ridgid table saw then we have almost the same power tools. Either we like the same things or have the same budget.
JL, I’ve had the Ridgid table saw for about 3 years and have no complains. For the price It’s a very good investment.
Had every intention of replying by email, but couldn’t see an email address for a reply. I’m sure I’m missing it somewhere but my elderly, addled old (but not as old as Tom or LQQK) brain couldn’t find it. :-/
Anyhow, it is indeed a TS-3650 and I love the saw. It’s served me very well these past few years and, so far, the only thing I’ve had to do, other than basic stuff like keeping the top clean and waxed, was replace the belt. When I went looking for a saw I knew I couldn’t get anything bigger than a contractor saw in my garage so it came down to the Ridgid and the Hitachi. The Hitachi was out as soon as I saw one “in person” and saw how flimsy it was.
Brief pro/con:
Cons:
The stock miter gauge, like most stock miter gauges, is too small for stable work. I still use it though, on my router table.
The blade guard assembly is easy to install and remove if you need to for non-through cuts, but a bit buggery to get lined up properly with the blade. I installed an inexpensive Microjig splitter in my zero-clearance plate and just leave the whole thing off.
Support/Service – really not that bad, but if you need a replacement part, you don’t have much of a choice that I’ve found but to call Ridgid. At one point I lost a screw and a little retainer-thingie that went with the rail assembly. Cost of the part was about $3, cost of shipping was $8. Also, while the lifetime warranty/service agreement is nice, keep in mind that to use it for repairs you have to bring the tool into the repair center. Not the part that needs work, the whole tool. This isn’t exatly an “easy to transport” item.
The Pros:
Biggest table surface I could find in a contractor saw with extension wings, likewise the rip capacity.
Very stable, almost no vibration to speak of.
The table top and extension wings are cast iron and were dead flat. Also took very little to get it tuned up once assembled.
Love, and I mean love the fence. It’s solid and accurate and does not shift. Most contractor saw fences that I’ve seen tend to be on the flimsy side. Not this one, plus the t-track on top of the fence is nice as well.
The “Herc-U-Lift” mobile base that comes with it. I love that stinkin’ thing and I wish Rigid still sold those bases as an individual item because I’d have one on my jointer in a heartbeat.
So yeah, overall I’m well pleased with the Rigid and, barring the space becoming available for a full cabinet saw, don’t see myself needing or wanting to replace it any time soon.
Nice shop, fellow buckeye. My favorite is the pic of Norm.
Thanks for the information Allen and Jorge my mistake with the e-mail addres though. I’m happy to say that I just spoke with the CFO and it looks like I may be getting an early Christmas present. Something to tide me over until I can afford the SAWSTOP. Thanks again.
Was that Norm or Marc , it was hard to tell ?
Is that who that picture is of, the one above the routah table?
My first shop was in a 10×10 yard barn (what sheds were called in Central Kentucky.) I then moved to a single-car garage, and then another single car garage… and now I’m in an extremely old and very porous barn giving me workspace that’s about the size of a 1-1\2 car garage. It can be done! Great shop, Allen.
And I ain’t mentioning my age…
It’s Nahm. My wife printed it off of the New Yankee website and framed it in an old rustic barnwood-looking frame then hung it in my shop as a gag. I liked it, so I kept it.
Nice shop, but what is that big yellow tool in the last photo that takes up so much space in your shop?
We call those “woodworking-inhibiting devices”. They are a terrible nuisance and should be eradicated as soon as possible!
Good one, Marc. Why do they even call them garages anymore, anyway?
hi nice shop i like the storge shelves with the pegboard sides and doors thats cool and nice band saw
I beg to differ Marc… I use mine as a press for large lamination glue ups.
It’s a great little shop, with some nice touches. I particularly like the easily reached first aid kit and the fire extinguisher. A good rule of thumb for fire extinguisher placement is to put it right next t the exit of the room. Mine is by the garage door….
Nice Shop,
Your next step is to open the wall and the car sits outside.
Nice shop.
I must mention that I to was trying to decide between the Hitachi TS and the Ridgid. I came to a very different conclusion. I liked the trunions on the Hitachi, there pretty beefy and solid.
It seemed to me that everything below the table surface on the Hitachi was better, and everything above was better on the Ridgid.
I’ve been pretty happy with the Hitachi, it is what it is, a $500. TS. I think its solid and very accurate for the $$
Craig
Jumping around on the webb page landed on the Fotress of wooditude. Small shops require really neat people? Saw another 12x 32 shop and it was more like mine. cluttered. Hey let’s not knock Norm especially when he is down. Lost Delta and Portercable sponsers. Really like the interactive feel of Marc’s site. wil be stealing many good ideas and of course giving cedit.:)