Customer Reviews

DELTA 36-715 Hybrid 10-Inch Left Tilt 1-3/4 Horsepower Intermediate Saw with T2 30-Inch Fence and 2 Cast Iron Extension Wings, 115/230-Volt 1 Phase

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My order for this saw went in on a Monday, the 3 fence boxes came via UPS on Thursday, and the saw itself was delivered, via ABF Freight on Friday! The saw couldn't have been packed more professionally by Delta, on a pallet with all the other items carefull packed around it, and covered in a plywood box. Nothing missing, nothing damaged.

I have assembled a few table saws in my life, so I guess I may have an advantage over some in knowing what to expect and how to deal with getting everything tweaked.

It is a rock-solid saw, very well machined, from the cast iron top and wings to the cabinet itself.

Remember that the cast iron wings are NOT machined to fit the specific saw that they arrive with, you may have to remove a little material from the edge that mates to the table....this alleviates the problem of the extension ending up too high when you tighten up the bolts. It doesn't take long to do this if you take your time with a sander or grinder with a sanding disk. You'll usually need to bevel the edge a little, so that tightening the bolts pulls the wing in and not up. A four foot level and some wrenches and you're ready to go. A helper is a nice extra, but I got mine together by myself!

I've had contractor saws, always wanted to upgrade to a cabinet saw for the extra stability and dust containment.

This may not be a Unisaw, but if you don't want to rely on 220v power and still have some portability, this is an awesome saw.

Keep an eye on the price and catch a free shipping offer, and I'll bet you'll be pretty happy when you start making sawdust.

This was my first experience ordering 'heavy metal' (ie large stationary workshop tools) from Amazon, and I wouldn't do it again. Here's the good (+) and the bad (-) along with some tips if you get stuck too:

+/- Price: yes, with an Amazon sale I paid $589 and got free shipping, while at local stores, the saw was $699. But think about how much your time is worth when you have to resolve difficult issues yourself.

+ Shipping: can't complain. The fence came via 3 UPS boxes. The main (350#) saw came ABF motor freight, and the driver had a liftgate truck, pallet jack, and cooperative attitude.

TIP 1: although Amazon site says you can't track this shipment, actually you can! Just go to www.abfs.com and put in the reference number Amazon provides. I was able to schedule my delivery optimally.

--- Packing: the saw comes in a crate, and while there was no obvious external damage, once unpacked many problems appeared. The sheet metal motor housing was literally smashed, bending the cabinet base some too; corner of cast iron table was dinged; push nut missing from blade guard; some paint rubbed off cabinet from vibration in transit. The worst problem was gross misalignment of the arbor - more on this later.

(Yes, I know I could in theory have "returned" the saw if dissatisfied or filed a damage claim. But did I care to re-crate machinery or spend hours on the phone in pursuit of my hobby?)

++ Replacement parts: I called the Delta 800 number, told them about the smashed motor housing and missing pushnut, and they shipped the replacements without hesitation.

--- Alignment: Huge frustration, but finally resolved. The arbor was grossly misaligned with the blade over 1/8" out of parallel with miter slot. Loosening the trunnion bolts and trying to move the trunnions didn't begin to correct it.

TIP 2: Tie bar alignment. Go to Delta website, Tech Support>FAQ's>Contractor Style Saw. It explains the need to check parallelism of two tie bars. During transportation, even with the styrofoam packing insert, the motor's weight can force the tie rods out of alignment. THIS is what caused most of the misalignment, rather than the trunnions. The instructions are little help on how to fix it, though. So get a 15/16" box end wrench with standard 15 deg angled shaft (a socket wrench won't fit) to loosen the lock nuts at the rear of the tie rods. You can get the right one through the motor door; for the left, I had to remove the rear rail and pull three plastic pins holding the sliding dust cover. Pull or push on the motor until the tie rods are parallel and a flat piece of melamine no longer rocks when resting on them. Retighten.

TIP 3: Trunnion alignment. After careful analysis, I found out why I couldn't align the saw by nudging the trunnions. The trunnion bolts have the usual lockwasher/flatwasher combo, and the trunnions have oversize holes to allow some adjustment - in theory. In reality, the factory had overtightened the bolts, forcing the flatwashers into the trunnion holes slightly and deforming the washers into a cone shape. Result? No matter how much you nudge, when you retighten the bolt, the trunnion goes back to its original location! To fix this, I bought a PALS system ($20 from www.in-lineindustries.com) for the rear trunnions, and new, thicker flatwashers for the front trunnion bolts. Note: even with PALS on the rear trunnions, I still had to fix the 'conehead' situation on the front trunnions to be able to align the saw.

I happened to buy a bandsaw at the same time as this table saw, but went with a Jet model. Even though the Jet wasn't their top of the line, the quality differences were obvious. It was packed as if somebody really cared, the design had been thoughtfully executed, and alignment was dead-on right from the factory. Hmmm...

Summary:

Overall, this is a great value product for the price I paid. It runs great once you get it setup properly. However, the setup was far more diffcult than I feel is reasonable (see below for details).

Pros:

-Solid construction with cast iron top

-Cabinet construction makes dust collection possible

-When setup properly there is little vibration

-The saw isn't overly noisy and is fairly accurate

-The stock miter guage is of good quality

-The fence system (T2) is solid, accurate and reliable

Cons:

-The arbor alignment was far out of tolerance when delivered. My saw was about 0.02" out of alignment while an acceptable amount is less than 0.007".

-Adjusting the arbor alignment is difficult due to the presence of the cabinet and the location of the arbor bolts. The manual offers little useful advice to help you correct alignment problems

-There is no mobile base made specifcally for this model

-the stock blade guard / splitter is of poor quality and few alternatives are avilable at this point

My Experience: The saw was delivered to my hosue in four seperate boxes. While a few (including the wooden crate containing the saw) were pretty banged up during shipment, the saw had no damage. It is a heavy machine! Getting it into my basement was certainly a challenge.

I ordered the saw along with a mobile base that Amazon had recommended. Immediately after opening the mobile base, I realized it wasn't the right one for this saw (it was listed under the accesory page for the 36-717 version of this same saw.) Fortunately, Amazon was willing to accept the return with no problems. I ended up getting a universal mobile base made by HTC that is working well with the saw.

Once in the basement, I went about setting up the saw. Assembling the top and attaching the belt went smoothly with no problems. The fence also went together easily and I had no problems. The real trouble came once the saw was assembled and I went to check alignment. The machine was delivered with the arbor far beyond acceptable tolerances for alignment. To make matters worse, the manual does little to help you deal with the difficult process of getting it into alignment (you can download the manual and see for yourself - Delta's advice if you discover the arbor out of alignment is almost comical.) Aligning the arbor was a miserable experience full of frustration. The arbor bolts are difficult to reach and even when they are loose, the arbor is extremely difficult to adjust and get into alignment since it is contained within a cabinet which makes reaching the bolts and moving the arbor difficult at best. I was disappointed that Delta shipped a product so far out of alignment with little support to fix the issue. This is especially disappointing since they went to so much obvious effort to create a solid innovative product that is likely to appeal to the home woodworker looking for a step up from the contractor saw.

Some advice for those considering purchase: wait until Delta figures out how to manage quality control for this product if possible. If you must buy and discover your saw to be out of alingment like mine, perhaps I can make the alignment process a litte easier with some "lessons learned". The front right arbor bolt is easy to reach, the front left arbor bolt can be reached if you raise the motor to 45 degrees and feel around back there with a socket wrench. The back two bolts are best reached through the opening in the back of the cabinet that the blade guard travels in, not through the cabinet. Once you have these bolts loose, the best way I found to actually move the arbor is to use a spreader pushing between the arbor and the cabinet. Using a dowel and mallet (the more typical method for other saws)didn't work at all for me even with the arbor bolts very loose. Good luck!

The other reviews were helpful in my decision to buy this saw so thought I'd also leave a response.

ABF Freight delivered the crated DELTA 36-715 in perfect shape only about a week after ordering. Took it off the truck and wheeled in into my garage - no problem. UPS delivered 2 of the 3 other items on time. Somehow lost the Fence Rails, but managed to locate and deliver the next week.

Set up was not hard, used two 2 x 4's clamped under, and extending past the main table to support & assist in attaching the cast iron wings. Using a Dial Indicator, checked the alignment of the blade Arbor to the table Slots and found them to be right on. Only had to adjust the fence itself slightly. By the way, the T2 Fence System is outstanding. Not sure the upgraded fences offered by Delta could be much better.

Using a Jet 708118 Moble Base, my saw is moved easly around the work space.

All in all, very satisfied with the product and Amazon. The money saved is worth the wait for delivery.

I am new to Amazon but from Feb 12th - Feb 25th this saw has been on sale $649 delivered to the door (if you don't have to pay sales tax) and I have read in other people's reviews that it has been available for even lower prices.
At the $649 price point this is a great tool.

Amazon shipped the saw in 4 boxes, UPS handled the three accessory boxes and Eagle Freight delivered the saw. Eagle delivered it to the ground and put it in my garage, some of the other online retailers specifically state that the customer has to unload the product from the truck so this is something to look for and know in advance when doing your research. Table saws are heavy, so be prepared if you order from some place else and have to handle it on your own.

After looking at a lot of table saws I decided that the bang for the buck was right on this saw. When this saw is compared to the $650 competition it really shines.
This is a hobbyist / homeowner / do it your selfer tool. It is not a commercial class tool.
The T2 fence is quite a bit better than the competition in this price range. Don't be afraid of the T2 fence, it works great, it is fully adjustable, it is strong, and it is repeatable, do I think it is as good as the Biesemeyer fence no, but it is a very good quality fence that matches this saw and it does not cost extra to get it.

I had no problem understanding the instructions and the assembly process went smoothly.
There have been reports that the belt was hard to put on, I just don't see how it was a problem, lift the motor slip on the belt and lower the motor. I did have to use a flashlight to make sure the belt was not shifted one notch in the grooves.
There are also a lot of reports that the blade is hard to align; fortunately for me I cannot comment on that because in my case the blade alignment was true. I checked it over and over using a digital caliper and it was .003" I even checked it again after making a few cuts and it is right on the money.
The left cast iron wing needed to be shimmed up and the right wing needed to be shimmed down, it was easy to do and this is a very common practice. I do not think this reflects negatively on the manufacturing process for this machine.
There was a Biesemeyer wooden extension table included in the accessories, it does not have the leg set with it, and I have not installed it at this time. I may install it later but what I really want is to add a router table with the height adjustment on the right hand side.
The quality of the cast iron and the machined surfaces is good. The cast iron is free of pits and voids and appears to have a tight grain. The bottom side of the cast iron is free of slag and sharp edges. I used kerosene per the instructions to remove the shipping oil and it wiped off easily.

So why is it almost a 5 star rating, well I had to knock off a star because the table insert is cracked. I don't know how this could have happened since it came installed on the saw and the way it is crated up, there is no way anything could have fallen on it in transit, just one of those things that slipped out the door when it shouldn't have I guess.

I have sent Delta an email asking for a replacement. I don't expect any problems getting one. If there is a problem getting a new part I will post that info here too.

I am very pleased with this purchase, the test cuts I have made look real good and they are square. The saw is quite and does not vibrate. I am looking forward to using this machine for a very long time.

<<< follow up on the table insert >>>
Delta replied to my email via email with a case number assigned and asked that I call the 800 number. I called and a very nice lady asked a couple of questions and told me she would sent a replacement to me. It arrived via UPS a few days later.
All is well and I am very happy with this purchase.

After using a Ryobi B-3000 for a number of years, I was looking for an upgrade that would be accurate and have more power. After reading the reviews of this saw, I felt that it was worth considering. I had looked at the Sears hybrid and was including it on my list of possibilities. When the price for the Delta went to $559 with a $50 coupon, it seemed to be a good buy.

As fellow reviewers have mentioned, the instructions leave a bit to be desired (particularly when installing the fence/rail). If your saw includes the wooden extension piece (right side), be sure to install it shortly after putting the steel wings (these puppies are heavy and you need an extra set of hands or some kind of support device if you are doing it yourself) in place (this needs to be done before you put the final front rail on the T2 fence in place). You also need to install the power switch during this sequence as well or you get to loosen bolts that hold the rail. Installing the belt was no big deal... getting the foam packing material from around the motor was more of a pain.

The fence needed fine tuning and adjustment as well but it is a fairly straightforward process. Make sure the fence is parallel to the miter guide slots... this will help check the actual trunion accuracy.

After firing up the saw and making a couple of cuts, I found that the trunion was definitely out of alignment! I was getting burn marks on the outfeed piece of material. This is not a fun adjustment but using a socket with extension pieces made it possible. A rubber mallet to administer a couple of pursuading taps helped! Once this adjustment was made, the saw accuracy was right on!

The saw is certainly a nice looking piece of equipment and runs very quietly and does not vibrate. I do recommend that you buy a wheeled base... otherwise you will need to have your wife move it for you!!

Two other accessories I would recommend: a zero clearance plate and an Incra miter gauge.

All in all, I am very pleased with this saw and look forward to having it for many years.

I haven't been able to start using the saw yet because it has taken quite some time to get things in alignment. The belt is no problem, not sure what problems others had.

The cast-iron leafs are freakin' heavy and difficult to align properly. This is a good thing, they're supposed to be solid and they are. Unfortunately they are also rusted and out of whack in desperate need of shims. It easily took me two hours to put the two leafs in *close* to perfectly aligned. Using lumber I'd align it perfectly but when I tighten the bold it would actually raise the outside edge way out of tolerance. After using slices of paper as shims I can still see a bit of light under the level between the two but I'm fed up with it and this will have to do.

Now I'm off to the local hardware store because several bolts for the fence did not arrive with the four boxes.

I imagine that once this is up and running I'll be very happy with it but for now I'm pretty angry.

UPDATE: I hadn't even finished unpacking everything when I wrote the above. When I went to install the power button it was crushed. I've spent a good amount of time on the phone with Amazon to get them to send me a new power button (after the first call they sent me an email that they were going to send an entirely new saw!) and the people on the phone were both courteous. I think they were a little confused at the request (please send me an on-off switch) but hopefully this will get resolved and I will be able to turn the unit on sometime in the near future.

UPDATE #2
So I've now had to place four calls to Amazon over the period of a week because of the crushed power switch, and two calls to ABF. They still cannot figure out that all I want is a new, non-crushed, power switch. They keep trying to send me an entirely new machine. That means that I still haven't been able to turn the machine on or do anything with it other than look at it (it is very pretty, but I didn't buy it for that.)
Hey Amazon, if anybody reads this, can you please just send me the power switch? Once again, the part numbers are:
A06336 (cover)
A06459 (switch)
A06332 (power box)

UPDATE #3
Three weeks later and I still can't use my saw 'cause Amazon hasn't sent me the parts. If profanity would get me my parts I'd use it. I just want to use my saw. I mean, I paid Amazon a lot of money, I thought I'd be able to use the tool.

I am very impressed with this saw so far. It was shipped quickly and the thing I thought was crazy was that shipping was free (Super Saver Shipping). (...)Set up was not as simple as the directions make it sound but it wasn't overly difficult. The directions were not idiot-proof and could be improved. Just read through them completely before starting so you don't have to take the fence rail off three times like I did. The hardest part was getting the belt on the motor. It's tough (not impossible) for one person but a simple job for two. Unlike some other reviews I read, my saw arrived well aligned.
As for the performance of the saw, it's a dream compared to what I'm used to. I'm sure professional woodworkers could find problems with it but I can't. The table surface is perfect, once you get it adjusted. The T2 fence works well, is very easily adjustable. I personally think the T2 fence is an excellent product for the price. The motor is very quiet, smooth and will be more than powerful enough for my uses. In addition, I have been very impressed with the dust collection.
Overall, I'm happy with the saw and I think it's a solid product and an exceptional value. Let's face it; we are all not professional cabinet makers. Unless you are, this saw is going to be more than enough for you (and a heck of a deal).

I believe this is going to be a good saw for my purposes, but am at this point in time fairly fed up with set up difficulties. The factory settings for the blade alignment were 3/64ths out of whack (which is more than enough to make a new premium blade perform like one with no edge at all) and the instructions for correcting it are lacking at best. The manual pretty much says that it is difficult and time consuming and have fun. I have several screws that are not mentioned in the manual and am missing some that are. I am also rather disappointed that as of yet, there are no zero clearance inserts available for this model from anyone.

What we probably have is a new product that was rushed to market and there are still a few bugs to be worked out. I just hate being to one to work them out. I just want to build some stuff. I expected more from Delta.

I ordered mine from a local dealer in Feb.2004, It finally came in Sep.2005! Definitly worth the wait. I'm impressed with the overall quality, the T2 fence system is soild and much better than I expected. Set-up was a peice if cake. Like one of the other reviews for the 36-717 said, the belt was on in a matter of minutes. I don't know what everyone else is doing wrong? The instructions for mounting the fence didn't match with the hardware given, but it wasn't a huge problem. There is minimal vibration at start-up and shut-down but I think it is mainly caused by the cheap factory blade. The saw is very heavy and looks impressive. I would highly recommend this saw to anyone looking to buy a step above a contractors saw. Try it, You will love it too.

UPDATE, Its been over a year now, no problems at all.
I replaced the factory delta blade with a forrest woodworkerII, cuts are super smooth now. Still some vibration at shut down, I think it may be caused by the belt. Well worth the money.