Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 3812 Portable Table Saw

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I chose this saw because of the success I've had with other PC tools. I also bought the stand that goes with the saw because I wanted a compact, solid, easily transported system, and I was not disappointed. The saw itself is a joy to operate compared to the other benchtop models I've been using. When the bevel lock is loosened to change the angle, the saw dosen't immediatly flop over like the DeWalt and Mikita benchtop saws. The angle and blade height is adjusted by a smooth like butter operating gear/crank. I'm also impressed with the simple utility of the extending fence rails. Very solid and hassle free.
While the fence is accurate, it takes a little more force than I think should be necessary to lock it down. I adjusted the lockdown lever to what I was comfortable with and found that while the front of the fence was secure, the rear tended to shift. However, I re-adjusted the lever to its previous tension and have had no problems.

It got real old lugging my 700 pound Lurem multi-station around, but for years I just couldn't see spending money for the cheesy bench tops. Well the war heated up when DeWalt got going, then Bosch, and finally PC. And, I got older, and the big saw got reallly heavy. The 3812 seemed to be the best of the lot. UPS did its usual slamming and dropping, and when I opened the box,I was appalled at the packing. Only one little block of foam, and it had come off wherever it was supposed to be and the sliding fence had slammed into the edge of the table, which is a cast aluminum lip extension of the table top. This resulted in the screw for fence adjustment being bent at a 45 degree angle, and the cast edge was broken. Not only that, but the extension rails were 1 1/2 inches out of rack. Just an incredibly poor job of packaging.
None the less, when I checked the alignment, it was perfect on the blade angles, but there was no allen wrench for the adjustments, which seemed odd. I am so used to rebuilding Taiwanese tools prior to use that this was about a 1/2 hour inconvience to align, and then away we go. After about 1 day
everything got real smooth, and I have been impressed. It's no 5 horsepower Oliver, but the cuts are smooth with the right feed rates, the fence is super fast to adjust, and this thing really flies with OSB or plywood. Like all of the saws of this type, the flimsy plastic really bugs me. A heavier injection, and maybe the use of some magnesium in place of plastic for the trunion gears would help. After all, these saws are selling for what a belt driven contractor's model sold for not too long ago.
Other than that, this is the best of the bunch so far, and they have corrected all the little things DeWalt and Bosch almost got right. Other than the packing and no allen wrench, just about perfect. And, it's really easy to move room to room.

I SPENT 10 MONTHS LOOKING FOR A TABLE SAW THAT WOULD MEET MY STANDARDS OF CRAFTSMANSHIP. RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX YOU NOTICE A DIFFERENCE. THE FENCE IS ROCK SOLID AND ACURATE. THE TABLE EXTENTION IS VERY SMOOTH, AND WHEN LOCCKED BECOMES A PART OF THE TABLE. LOWERING AND RAISING THE BLADE COULD NOT BE ANY SMOOTHER. ADJUSTING THE ANGLE OF THE BLADE IS JUST AS NICE. A NICE SURPRISE WAS HOW THE MITER GUAGE FITS INTO THE TABLE SO IT CAN'T LIFT OUT. I WOULD HAVE PAID TWICE THE PRICE. PORTER CABLE HAS SET THE STANDARD FOR PORTABLE TABLE SAWS. IT IS GOOD TO SEE THINGS MADE AT THIS LEVEL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP.

Unfortunateley, after Porter Cable went to all the trouble of designing and building a great portable table saw.. they ship it in a box with virtually NO packing protection. Accordingly, the extension arm jams into the tabletop...hits a set screw and cracks the table top. In my case I called AMAZON[.com] and they offered to replace it, but with a 2-3 week back order. So I ordered the BOSCH 4000 instead.The PC is better. It shoots virtually all the saw dust out the back, while the BOSCH works in a cloud of dust that coats the whole saw. This is becase of the large opening in the blade housing under the tabletop. I am also concerned that the blade raising gears are right under the blade housing and are getting coated with dust. If you read the technical alert for this problem at the BOSCH website they reccomend grease to the repair techs and that they stick a little lable on the front that says "clean and lube". THe PC gears are up front, out of the way of the dust (which goes out the back like it should.) The Bosch does have a neater design and the fence looks sturdier...but I don't think it makes up for the other problems. Both are nice saws, I wish I had the Porter Cable and I hope they read this and ship it in a better container than a simple cardboard box.

I was debating between the Bosch and Porter Cable 10" models. I went with the PC and I haven't been disappointed. I've had it for three months now and it tackles anything I run through it. The fence and miter gauge are good quality but the factory Riptide blade had to go.
I bought this saw through rockler.com cause they give you the stand free. The only drawback of this saw is that its a little heavier compared to other benchtop models. Its awkward to get through narrow hallwalls.
All in all I think PC's got another winner here.

I received my saw about 6 weeks ago and other than the lousy packing or I should say the lack of it everything has been A OK. I checked all settings and they were right on the money.Its a lot quieter than my old craftsman,which I will give to my son in law.I have ripped 1 pc of maple, some plywood and several 2x4 s.I bought the 3812 without the stand as I had one that I made. Paid 355.00 for it on amazon.They better start filling the box with more foam,as the letters I have read all complain about the damage to their saws. Mine had a 2 inch hole in one end but no damage. Bob,Upstate N.Y.

I bought this as a refurbished model when I took up woodworking about two years ago. There is a very practical advantage to a benchtop saw -- build a rolling cabinet that you can mount this on and you get all that storage below. This saw takes a 6" dado blade and you can hook a shop vac up to the dust port. These are very useful features for a saw this size. Sure, it doesn't have the fence or the power of a high-end cabinet saw but I use it to rip 2x4 red oak with no problem. It's a quality tool with more power than you might expect.

I purchased the Porter-Cable 3812 with the folding stand and within 30 minutes of the box arriving at my house, had it setup and cutting wood. The stand is very stable and bolts to the base of the saw providing good support even on uneven surfaces. The saw rips through heavy stock with little hesitation. The sawdust is expelled out the back and it was easy to rig a PVC elbow to direct the shavings into a bin. The safety guard does not flip out of the way but it does have a spring steel retaining clip that provides for quick and easy removal of the unit. The outfeed support is a worthwhile addition to provide more room for material to be fed to the blade. The stock blade is adequate but a new Freud 50 tooth combo blade will provide a worthwhile upgrade. At $355 including the stand and shipping, the saw is a good value for the money.

This is my first table saw and will probally will be my last. Great quality, easy to use, setup and maintain. Everything is good and solid even after a number of months. I'm struggling to find a negative but there arent any. But this saw, but wait for the Sales! It could save you some big $'s.

I have been shopping for a portable table saw for about six months now and finally decided that the Porter-Cable brand name and reputation for reliability deserved some serious attention. However, one review that was written about this piece of equipment was actually very negative and had nothing to do with the saw itself but the customer's perception of Porter-Cable's Customer Service Department. I caution readers of these reviews to not get carried-away with a review such as this and let it impact your buying decision. I want to go down on record here to say that I have just dealt with that same Customer Service department and found them to be most courteous and cooperative. I purchased a profile sander two weeks ago and found that one of the small rubber "profiles" was missing. One call to Porter-Cable and things were solved. I just received, not one, but three of these parts via UPS (4 day turnaround) at no charge to me. I would never expect any more from a company than that! My hat is off to those folks. I, contrary to the person who wrote a negative report, will most definitely lean toward Porter-Cable for my next purchases of an random orbital sander and a 1 3/4 hp router kit.