Thread: Ryobi ETS-1526 Table saw frustrations.

That's a shame. It sounds like it is more trouble than it's worth.
Unfortunately, I have a few Ryobi power tools as they were all I could get at the time I bought them. I'm slowly replacing them with better quality but there isn't really anything about Ryobi that I am happy with. You get what you pay for. You may be better off looking for a second hand Triton set up. Shouldn't cost too much but will give much better results than the Ryobi.

Mate, I had exactly the same issues starting out. I thought it was me, then I bought a calibration dial and realised that the blade, t-slots, and rip fence all didn't line up. With no saw mount adjustments, this meant that it was totally buggered and was never going to cut straight. I managed to return my one to Bunnings (3 months after purchase with a fair bit of use) after speaking to the local manager there and picked up a De Walt 10" mitre saw. Between that and a circular saw with a clamped plank as a guide I can get by until I save up enough for a proper table saw.

Sorry to hear someone else had the same issues!

Actually, it doesnt matter how much you pay for a saw you usually have to invest some time getting the blade, fence and mitre slots all lined up. The main difference is that on a better quality saw they will stay that way, but on a cheap one they may not. Are you sure there was no way to realign blade with mitre slots - sometimes thats done by loosening and twisting the entire tabletop, perhaps loosening the bolts that fix table top to chasis, rather then loosening the blade/trunion assembly.

Also, most people who buy tablesaws throw the throat plate away and make their own zero clearance inserts - so the throat plates are generally not that great regardless of saw quality.

Also, it sounds odd that they would make a fence that cant be adjusted. Are you sure there arent some small screws or grub screws or something somewhere on the fence that force it to align left or right?

I once had a cheap saw with cheap fence and the way you aligned the fence was to unscew the two screws which held the box section fence to the locking head and tap it left orr ight, then carefully tighten again. Maybe that applies here.
Arron

Hi Bloke

All Tritons are not the same either. Had a 2000, from day one, I had problems setting up the blade true. would get it right one side, then use a square to set the other side, only to find the first side I did would be out. Would pack the everything away and get it out months later when I wanted to do some wood work. End the end, another forum member on the Triton site suggested the arms may be wrong, sure enough, incorrect numbering. Triton, when they were still Ozzie owned sent out new ones. A dip in the table of 3mm did not help either. I gave the table away with all attachments for free. Just got angry and sick of the dam useless thing. There are many many happy owners of Tritons out there, mine was a bent one bought new from Bunnies and turned me into a un-satisified customer. I bought a Jet Pro recently and am very happy thus far.

Save your dosh mate, buy something descent.

DD

Not too many years ago I started off with a POS Ryobi saw too and had similar troubles. I ended up making all sorts of clamps and dohickeys to try and keep the fence straight but to no avail. A carefully built crosscut sled (not measured, but aligned with the slots and blade "freehand") did help with a lot of things. I also replaced the plastic throat plate with a shop made timber one with much better, but not great, results.

From day two I couldn't stand the thing and replaced it pretty quickly. It ended up being a welding table for a while and I've gutted it for the motor to use on some other thing I'm yet to make.

Save your dosh mate, buy something descent.

That's the best advice but the hardest to follow. Too many times I've tried to save a quid with something cheap and ended up spending more in total fixing and replacing things than I would have if I got something good in the first place...which I've usually ended up having to get anyway. It's really hard when you want to just get to work and the delay of saving for something good is absolute torture.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Unfortunately, I have a few Ryobi power tools as they were all I could get at the time I bought them. I'm slowly replacing them with better quality but there isn't really anything about Ryobi that I am happy with. .

I have several Ryobi power tools, bought over 40 years ago when they were Towa/Ryobi, which have given excellent, trouble-free service. The 8" saw is showing signs of needing new bearings recently, probably due to cutting concrete and stone with a friction blade, and the waterproof half sheet orbital sander is still going strong, giving excellent results with wet & dry paper. I have briefly looked at the current crop of Ryobi tools and must agree with NCArcher, particularly the 10" table saw. About the only brand of this type of saw worth considering is the Bosch, but for the same price you can buy a proper table saw that doesn't require the use of earplugs.

You get what you pay for. But this is a double edged sword. If you by a cheap saw you expect a cheap saw. But you expect a saw. There is no excuse for manufacturers selling saws that will not saw. If they cannot make a working tool at a price then they should not sell them.