Woodworker's Journal 1994-18-3, страница 28

cause they're not really designed to support large, heavy work picces. However, the tables should not be too sloppy, or cutting accuracy will suffer, The tables themselves are relatively small, averaging about 11 '/2 by 11 '/2 in. None of the benchtop models reviewed have table extensions, which are available for many larger floor models.

The aluminum tables and trunnions

Toggle s witch on Dremel and Skil can be fitted with a padlock to prevent unauthorized use.

on the Black & Decker. Delta three-wheeler, and Reliant look virtually identical: my guess is that they're all sourced from the same Taiwanese manufacturer. Ditto the plastic wheels on (he Delta and Black & Decker saws. The practice of "parts sharing" is common among low-end machines sold by different tool companies.

Other Features

The wider selection of blade widths the saw will lake, the more versatile it will be. Most of the saws accept '/s in.. 'A in. and -Vs in. blades. The Dremel and Skil also accept U2 in. blades. Because blade lengths vary between the saws, you're usually stuck with the selection provided by the saw manufacturer.

Except for the Reliant, all of the saws have locking ON/OFF switches. Most arc the "remove to lock" variety, found on many other benchtop and stationary machines. The Dremel and Skil have a flip switch with a hole drilled in it for a small padlock. The rocker switch on the Reliant is fitted with a clear plastic boot to protect the switch from dirt and sawdust. I've always found the boots to be somewhat annoying, making the switch harder to actuate. Also, the boots eventually gel brittle and crack, defeating their purpose.

The Delta 28-180, Dremel, Ryobi,

23

Sears, and Skil have dust ports that accept standard size shop vacuum hoses. The ports are located near the bottom wheel lo remove sawdust falling inside the saw. While the dust ports don't do much to remove accumulated dust 011 the saw table, they do keep the inside of the saw relatively clean, extending the life of blades, bearings, wheel tires, and other internal components. Even the smallest shop vacuums on the market can handle the relatively small amounts of sawdust that get pulled inside the machine.

Accessories All of the saws come equipped with a '/4 in. general purpose wood-cutting blade and a miter gauge. Otherwise, you'll find slim pickins in optional accessories for benchtop band saws, as compared to a raft of same for larger floor models. The Delta 28-180, Dremel. and Skil can be fitted with an optional rip fence/guide bar assembly. These companies also offer metal stands and gooseneck work lamps for their tools. Delta also offers Cool Blocks for their saws. These are special nonmetallic guide blocks impregnated with a dry lubricant to reduce blade breakage caused by friction and heat. Sears offers an optional stand: Ryobi, a rip fence.

Editor's Choice

After considerable testing of the eight saws for this article, I can't say that any one of them stood heads above the rest. The Dremel and Skil were clearly sturdier and more powerful than the others, but their size and weight almost kicks them up into the stationary saw category. Overall, they're smooth-running saws, but 1 had to knock oft a few points because I wasn't satisfied with the blade tracking and tensioning mechanisms. They 're also the most expensive of the lot.

The spring-loaded tensioning mechanism and knob-operated blade guide ad-jusimeni on the Ryobi are wonderfully convenient, but these features are partially offset by the wrench-operated wheel-tilt assembly (a minor inconvenience).

The two-wheel Delta 28-180 was perhaps the best all-around saw in my tests: it had good power for it's size, ran with minimum vibration, and made exceptionally clean, smooth cuts. I especially liked the accurate, easily adjustable mechanisms. The 7'/2 in. throat depth may be a drawback for some wood-

Sources

Black & Decker

U.S. Power Tools Group 10 North Park Drive P.O. Box 798 Hunt Valley MD 21030-0748 tel. (301)527-7000

Delta International

246 Alpha Drive Pittsburgh. PA 15238 tel. (412)963-2425

Dremel

4915 21st St. Racine, W1 53406 tel. (414)554-1390

Reliant Trend lines

375 Beacham St. Chelsea. MA 02150 tel. 1-800-767-9999

Ryobi America Corp.

1424 Pearman Dairy Rd. Anderson. SC 29625 tel. 1-800-325-4615

Sears

Sears Tower Chicago, IL 60684 tel. (312) 875-8862

Skil

S&B Power Tool Corp. 4300 West Peterson Ave Chicago. IL 60646 tel. (312) 794-7495

workers, but I would personally choose this saw for its overall quality and com pact size. The three-wheel Delta 28-160, on the other hand, wasn't all that impressive. Power-wise, I found it comparable 10 the Black & Decker and Sears three-wheelers. If I had a choice between these three. I'd go with the Sears, with it's variable speed control and dust port. However, the best of the three-wheelers was the Reliant. It out-performed the rest and seemed the sturdiest of the lot. If I were on a tight budget (which I usually am), the Reliant would be my first choice. But don't take my word for it— choose the saw thai best fits your own needs and pocketbook. JSJ]

The Woodw orker's Journal