Delta 36-550 Deluxe Table Saw

by Delta

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Delta 36-550 Deluxe Table Saw

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 26.5 x 22 x 12.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 51.6 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004R9LJ
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 36-550
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #827,195 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The good, the bad, and the underpowered, November 28, 2001

By 

brian lanning (chicagoland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Delta 36-550 Deluxe Table Saw (Tools & Home Improvement)

If you're considering this table saw, be certain it's what you want. Consider what you'll be using it for. If you need portability, this is great. I carry it around with one hand. I used it to install a laminate floor in my rental property. It was nice to take it out to the garage on site. I've since upgraded to a delta platinum contractor's saw. I bought the table saw to make furniture. That's a bit amitious for this saw. Here's a list of my pros and cons:

Pro:
Light weight - You can carry it anywhere. If that's a requirement, great. Contractor's saws can require two people to move.

Inexpensive - You can get into woodworking for not much money. This can be a good first saw depending on what you're planning to make. Make small stuff. I built a table for my son. 2.5"x2.5" poplar table legs were just beyond the ability of the saw. I was able to make it work though.

Alignment was good out of the box.

Con:
Light weight - You'll need to bolt it down. The lower the weight, the higher the vibration. This translates into less accuracy.

Underpowered motor - For the price, it's fine. But it's easy to bog down. Stick to 3/4" boards or plywood. Anything thicker is too much for the saw.

Loud - Wear earplugs. It sounds like 1,000 evicerated cats. It's even louder than my router. Positivly ear-splitting.

Sloppy miter gauge - The gauge wiggles in the track. That translates to poor accuracy. Chuck the miter gauge and make a panel cutting jig, use it for everything.

Lousy fence - The fence is laughable. You could use it for small stuff, but it may get in the way more often.

Small table - The table size will be an issue for making furniture. Should be ok for small stuff.

Not so good blade - Measure the blade for runout, it may be unusable. The one that came with my delta contractor's saw had a runout of 1/4"! So I had effectively a wobble-type dado blade that cut 1/4" dados. The one that came with this saw was a little better.

Recommendations:

Make a panel cutting jig and toss the miter gauge.

Integrate the saw into a larger table. Norm (new yankee workshop) has plans for such a thing with an auxiliary fence.

Keep the projects small.

Replace the blade. Plan on spending $80 and up for a good blade.

Save your money and consider getting a less expensive contractor's saw.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great For the Price, December 16, 2000

By 

Daniel Flores (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Delta 36-550 Deluxe Table Saw (Tools & Home Improvement)

I just finished running several tests on this saw. The fence is adequate and better then other saws in this price range. I however mounted my saw in a Porta Max table by Rousseau. That fence is great! I ripped 5/4 oak, 8/4 basswood, and a 1.5" thick maple and a plywood board (3/4 maple and 3/4 plywood glued together). The lengths ranged from two to four feet. The saw ripped each of them at a good feed rate without ever bogging down. The miter gauge while a little small can be adjusted quite accurately. The saw does a good job crosscutting and mitering.The supplied blade is good for construction. A better blade will be needed for woodworking projects. The arbor slides to set bevels and has a good lock nut. This method is adequate, but not as easy to fine tune as a crank wheel. While the body is plastic so is the Dewalt body. In summary this is a great saw for the price and Delta backs it with a 2 year warranty.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Delta 36-550, March 10, 2001

By 

M. Novak "polarity" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Delta 36-550 Deluxe Table Saw (Tools & Home Improvement)

Now keep in mind the price here. It's nice to have a table saw, and if you only have about $200 to spend, its worth having. The largest problem I have with it is the fence. Every time I move the fence I have to check to make sure that it is parallel to the blade. Once parallel, it works fine, but having to check each time can become a pain. If you decide to go for this, I would recommend setting it in a larger surface work space with a better fence (which another reviewer has apparently done).