B&D 10" Table Saw

[Marcia (Guest)]

Hi There,

I too am in the market for a TS. I went to my local Menard's to look at the Delta and Jet models and came across the Black & Decker model(#BT2500). I'm new to woodworking and know very little, but I was impressed with how the machine felt. I have tried searching for any reviews on it to no avail. I guess it's a fairly new product. Does anyone have in info on this TS?

Thanks for your help,
Marcia

[Linda (Guest)]

Just thought I'd throw in some thing to think about. First, what kind of woodworking do you intend to do-now and possibly down te road? Will the saw you're looking at be the kind of saw you will be able to rely on later or are you going to have to upgrade as your interests and skills grow? Is the saw one that is "expandable"? i.e. Is it a 110 that can be easily switched to 220 for more power and smoother operation and less drain on your shop power supply? Can you add extension tables or a router table later if you want? What is the quality of the fence and can it be easily changed out to a larger fence down the road? What is the table top made of? What accessories come with the saw?

Another serious consideration is whether or not you are going to be able to rely on Menards or the company you buy from for assistance with your machine or will you have to search blindly for someone who is familiar with the tool? What kind of support or service can you expect from the place you purchase the tool from? I would suggest looking to a woodworking store for your saw.

I started out 6 years ago with a benchtop B & D table saw. It was a frustrating experience. Purchased at Menards, I found them no help at all in answering questions about the machine or for any kind of support when things didn't seem exactly right. My next stop was Sears and a 10" direct drive contractor saw. Two years later, I bought a JET 10" belt driven table saw. A good deal, easily expandable and upgradable and probably most important, I bought from a company that specializes in woodworking tools and supplies. I got questions answered before and after my purchase. I had support just a phone call or a short drive away. Three tablesaws down and I think I've got the one I'll keep for a long time. I've relied on this same routine to purchase the rest of my tools.

Good luck. Invest wisely this first time and save yourself time and money down the road.

Hope this helps.

[JohnP]

The saw you listed looks like a version of the DeWalt DW746 table saw. I don't know this for a fact just my impression. As you maybe know Black&Decker own DeWalt and several other tool manufactures in Europe. B&D will add thier storgest tools to the Dewalt line (such as the routers & belt sanders are old designs from a company named ELU, then they may do some upgrading and call them DeWalt). The tools they consider as less than pro quality they sell as B&D or some other brand.
Just my opnion but I think you can do "alot better" than anything Black & Decker for about the same dollars. I also suggest that you check with a contractors supply house and leave the home centers to buliding supplies.
Again Just my opinion
JohnP