Customer Reviews

DELTA 36-545 10-Inch Bench Saw with Stand

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A great tool for the price, although I wouldn't reccomend it for commercial work - It doesn't seem to be as powerful as most higher priced saws, but perfect for home use. Assembly instructions were pretty easy to follow, but mine didn't include any for the stand, which took a while to figure out. Would totally reccomend it for the weekend handyman. Rating was based on price vs performance.

I bought this saw from Amazon.com. It arrived in less time than I expected. It assembled easily enough and is, for the price, an adequate saw.

You might think it would accept Delta's super line of 10" saw accessories. If you did, you'd be wrong. For example, it has a T-slot miter gage slot. Since lots of the higher-end Delta saws have T-slots ...that didn't seem to be the Word of Death for expandability. I called Delta's tech support: The magic term is T-slot (what the 540 line has) as opposed to 3/8" by 3/4" (such as on the 36-600 saws). Yes, lots of the higher-end Delta saws have T-slots, but they are 3/8" by 3/4" T-slots. Okay, I guess. I asked the tech support person what accessories this saw would accept. None. Not Biesemeyer fences? No. Table extensions? No. Though: Amazon.com offers the Delta 36-541 Extension Wing which touts it "Fits Bench Saw models 36-540 and 36-550" and Amazon.com's "Accessories for Delta 36-545 10" Bench Saw" specifically lists this extension (and saw blades, the only accessories this saw accepts.)

So, it is a lot of saw for the price. It cuts wood which is what I needed. If that is as far as you are going, this is an adequate saw and maybe a fine saw for the money.

Great saw for the money. Great for beginners. I've had it for about a year and have done lots of projects, I even built a workbench around it for extra plywood cutting capacity. My biggest gripe is the miter guage slot is smaller than every other tablesaw on the planet, so no upgrading or accessories, like a tenoning jig. And the arbor will not accept more than a 1/2" wide dado set. My woodworking hobbying has clearly expanded beyond the abilities of the saw and I have now bought the 36-600 so I can do more stuff. But, the bench saw served me well for a year and is now going on to another beginning woodworker.

Overall, it's a great saw for the price, if you have a little extra dough you should definitely buy the 36-600 instead.

I have owned this model saw for over ten years and it is still going strong. It has taken me through two home renovations and three commercial renovations.

IMHO, the key to having this particular saw perform very well are two things.

First, get rid of the 10" blade. It is too large for this size of saw. Replace it with a high quality 8" carbide blade. You will immediately see a major performance difference.

Second, take the time to set up the fence properly so that it is parallel with the blade. Do this once and use some lock-tight on the two upper securing bolts of the fence, and it will always be parallel if you don't throw the fence around like it is indestructible.

Having made the two changes above and I can get very accurate (at least .05") repeat cuts every time.

Overall, it's a pretty durable unit if you take care of it like any respectable tool should be.

I bought this saw and a Delta bench grinder from Amazon.com. They are decent tools for the money, but I found that they are not compatible with...well, anything. Can't be expanded, and don't work with any Delta accessories.

The tablesaw does the job, but I can see where corners were cut. For example, the blade opening is crudely machined and does not accept Delta inserts. The miter gauge has a *lot* of slop, and products that correct the fit (such as Fasttrak) cannot be used because the guide blade (aluminum) is thinner than standard--1/4" instead of 3/8".

Delta doesn't mention these low-end models on their website, and as far as I can tell, they are exclusive to Amazon.com. Usually such products are given a generic or house label--but then Amazon.com wouldn't sell nearly as many, compared with trading on the Delta name.

I purchased this saw around five years ago and it has been used and abused extensively. While not the most accurate and powerful saw out there, I will say it has been useful in a wide variety of projects. What I'm most impressed with is the durability. I've truly put this thing through the ringer - pressure treated lumber, 3/4 MDF, hardwoods, plywood, you name it. The handle on the fence broke off a long time ago, the switch stopped working eventually, but despite my best efforts to kill it (and thus upgrade to a nicer saw), the thing keeps coming back for more.

Despite the durability issue there are come caveats. The saw is not comparable in power to a good bench saw and tends to choke on some hard and thick material. I've found that I have to baby step some stock through the machine to get it to cut without complaint. The fence does not facilitate accuracy and the slots are not standard so you'll be hard pressed to find any accessories. The surface area of the table is pretty small so running large sheet stock is cumbersome - you'll want to have at least a couple of rollers on hand if you plan to do anything large.

All in all, it's a budget utilitarian saw that will help get the job done and last beyond what you would expect.

This is a very nice saw with excellent features. I am very happy with this saw and would recommend it to any home user.

I've Had this saw for about two years. I need to get something else. The thing that bothers me most about this saw is that theres alot of blade wobble. It drives me crazy. At the begining and end of every cut the board is narrower. I guess you get what you pay for.

If you're looking for a table saw for a woodworking hobby like I was and not wanting to break the bank for an expensive saw, this is a pretty good choice. The only thing negative I could really say about this saw is that I wish there was more table space. Especially the distance between the front of the table and the blade, but that's typical of all bench saws. Runs quite well, cuts pretty accurately. I would definately buy the table extension also. As for the stand, pay attention when you're putting it together or it will wobble when you're done. Good saw for the money

When considering this table saw, you do need to think about its price.....it's affordable, as far as saws go. Remember: it's a light-duty saw, for the weekend woodworker like myself. The set-up was quick and easy. This isn't a "monster" saw that will bring you 25 years of 50 cuts-a-day, never-miss plywood-ripping action, but it's a good little saw that'll let you do some home projects. I recommend it.