Ridgid 10-Inch 13 Amp Table Saw R4512
Ridgid 10-Inch 13 Amp Table Saw R4512Review
We recently took a close look at the Ridgid R4512 table saw. What impressed mostly us was this saw has many cabinet saw features, at fraction of the price. This saw gives users the ability to move the saw easily with an integral pedal lift and caster mechanism.
Our goal was to see if this saw could handle Pro tasks accurately, safely and without making too much dust.
First Impression:
The Ridgid R4512 table saw has an integral pedal lift with caster mechanism feature will appeal to many DIY-ers, woodworkers and people with small shops or garage workshops. We see the value in this mechanism because many people struggle with workshop space constraints. The pedal lift system allows you to move this 266 pound saw with ease and store it out of the way when not in use. If you try to do that with a cabinet saw, you’ll need to spend another $200 for a mobile.
Other features that appealed to use was the tool-less blade guard, tool-less riving knife, accurate fence and a really decent dust collection set up, that frankly works better than my Grizzly cabinet saw.
We were impressed to find that there is minimal plastic on this saw and most of the saw is metal and cast iron, pretty heavy duty. The saw fence slides easily enough and locks solidly in place. The blade height and angle adjustment wheels turned smoothly and also lock where desired.
Nice Features:
The t-slot miter gauge is solid and works well, it stows nicely on the right hand of the saw with a slot holder. A second holder in the same are, holds the rip fence or blade guard. The push stick is a sturdy PVC style with a magnet, allowing you to store the stick on side of saw, or to keep it from sliding off the table.
Motor Noise:
The saw turns and runs with a medium-pitch hum. We measured it at 73 decibels and I would say it is no louder than my Chevy 2500 idling. It’s a nice reprieve from my screeching loud Grizzly and other jobsite saws.
I noticed, when ripping birch plywood, that this saw is not as powerful as my 3 h.p, 3 belt driven cabinet saw motor, but then again the Ridgid is not a cabinet saw, and costs a fraction of the price.
Using the Ridgid R4512 Saw:
The saw Ridgid R4512 table saw is well balanced, with little to no vibration. We used an Ap on our Ipad called Vibrometer from Netigen Tools. The Ap measured my shop concrete floor at 1.00 and the table saw at 1.44. The ultimate test is to use a nickel on edge an see if the tool will run without knocking it over – it passed the nickel test.
The saw cuts well and is easy to operate. We found it not a powerful as our older cabinet saw but certainly powerful enough to do all of our tasks in the shop, and do them well.
Moving The Saw Around:
We mentioned it earlier and feel it deserves a dedicate paragraph of kudos. The pedal lift mechanism is fast and easy to deploy. Pushing the foot pedal down lifts up the saw and engages the four casters. Pull the foot pedal back up and the saw lowers floor. Having the ability to move the saw around without effort, is a huge asset.
Riving Knife:
In our opinion the biggest safety feature on the Ridgid R4512 is the riving knife which tilts with the blade to prevent having to remove when bevel cutting. A lever releases and or adjusts the riving knife to a high position for through cuts, a medium position that leaves it slightly lower than the blade or removed.
The throat plate is adjustable and clip and strong magnet keeps it secure and eliminates rattling.
Fence Adjustments:
The fence was pretty accurate out of the box. Adjusting and squaring the fence involves loosening four bolts, and then squaring up the fence to the blade.
Dust Collection:
A plastic funnel shaped dust collection chute is mounted directly under the saw and enclosed motor. Sawdust falls straight down into the funnel, which has a 4” port that fits a standard dust collector hose.
I hooked the saw up to my JET dust collector and then cut 160 feet of birch plywood with minimal sawdust escaping the saw cabinet.
Specifications:
- Dimensions
- Assembled Depth (in.) 46.26 in Product Depth (in.) 46.3 in
- Assembled Height (in.) 37.19 in Product Height (in.) 37.187
- Assembled Width (in.) 30.31 in Product Width (in.) 30.63 in
- Blade Diameter 10 in Table Length (in.) 27
- Maximum Cut Depth @ 90 Deg. 3-1/4 in Table Width (in.) 20
- Amperage (amps) 13 Maximum Speed (rpm) 3450
- Weight (lb.) 267.23 lb
- Rip Capacity – Left 15 in
- Rip Capacity – Right 30 in
- Cord Length (ft.) 6
- Dust Collection Method 4 in. Dust Port
- Maximum Cut Depth @ 45 Deg. 2-1/4 in
Improvements:
Two stamped steel extension wings bolt to the cast iron saw table. I had a tough time getting these wings to stay perfectly level and flat. The wings have rounded edges, which produce a seam, which may annoy some folk.
The saw has a 6-foot cord which we felt was way to short for most shops.
Overall Impression:
The Ridgid R4512 table saw is a solid saw with good safety features. Our crew felt it was a Pro saw with an entry level price. The saw performs well, and does what you need it to do, it performs well enough to use in a small pro shop and is certainly quality enough for woodworkers and DIYers with budget and space constraints.
Cost:
The Ridgid 10-Inch 13 Amp Table Saw R4512 sells online for $780 here: RIDGID-13-Amp-Professional-Table-R4512
