Power Tools Reviews
Porter-Cable 3812S PC Job Site 15 Amp 10-Inch Benchtop Table Saw with Stand
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 Great Service...Great Saw I had ordered this saw just before the 4th of July holiday. It wasn't supposed to arrive for almost a week, but I wasn't in any hurry. The saw arrived on July 5th, 2 days after I ordered it, and that includes a holiday...Now, THAT was fast! I opened the box and made sure everything was there, and that nothing was damaged. The saw was pristine, nothing missing, and no damage whatsoever. The stand came pre-assembled: All I had to do was pop it open and it's ready. Although it doesn't look it, the folding stand is very stable. This saw is designed to be portable. It has an aluminum table and rip fence (I THINK they're aluminum...they're NOT magnetic, I'm sure of that). Before using the saw, I had to make sure that it was aligned properly, and the rip fence was also straight to the blade. The manual had said that all this was calibrated at the factory...I checked it anyway. The saw was a little off (about 1/16th), when measured against the miter slots. The manual described how to loosen the trunnion bolts and get the motor straightened out. It was a bit of a pain, but I managed to get it done, with a little persuasion. I then turned my attention to the rip fence: It was also "calibrated at the factory", but it was also a little off. A simple turn or two of the alignment screws got it running parallel to the now-straight saw blade. Next, I checked the miter gauge. This miter gauge has "positive stops" for 45 degrees (both sides of zero) and 90 degrees. Also "calibrated at the factory"...Also a little off. Two out of the three positive stops were not "dead-on", but it was a simple adjustment. The blade insert was also not level with the table. A couple of slight adjustments with an Allen wrench got it flush. The saw blade included is a 24TPI blade. Fine for rough work, but get yourself a different blade or two for more finished work (check out the Porter Cable 100VT50 Razor: I bought it to go along with this saw, and also wrote a review for you). OK, let's check out the performance: The 15-amp motor gives me plenty of power for the types of projects that I do, which is nothing "heavyweight", like a building contractor would do every day. The soft start is something I'm still trying to get used to. I like it, but the saw fires up about a second or so after you flip the switch...Just long enough for you to wonder if there's a problem. I can overcome this with time, I'm sure. I like the brake on the blade too...speeds things up and is a great safety feature. As far as accuracy, once you tweak it a bit (and mine needed tweaking) you'll find yourself quite contented. I recently had to rip down just a shade over 1/8 inch from an oak board. When I ran it through, I got a paper-thin strip of waste left over. This told me that the saw is VERY accurate, provided that you "accurasize" it, as I have described. Now, any experienced woodworker worth his salt WILL check, calibrate and "tune" the saw and accessories before use. All I'm saying is: don't expect the saw to be ready to go "out of the box". So, if you're not too familiar with these "tune-up" procedures, you'll need to brush up. Once you're done, this is a great piece of gear to work with. Remember how to tune it, because you should tune it up occasionally anyway. Personally, I don't have too much use for the extension wings. I'm presently building a router table attachment on it to increase my capabilities in the small space I have for equipment. The saw is a little noisy, but that's to be expected with a direct drive. Belt drives are more forgiving. For the money (I spent about $250 for the saw; not too happy with paying another $100 for freight, but it was STILL a good deal) I'm very pleased with this purchase. I've never gone wrong with Porter Cable tools. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is for the "tweaking". If it says "calibrated", it should BE calibrated. But don't let that stop you from adding this to your workshop. It's light enough to be portable, but heavy and stable enough to be safe and accurate. Glad I bought it...Would buy it again.  Very nice Like the top better than DeWalt, like the price better than Bosch. of these three my vote goes for Porter-Cable. I use this at home, so if the stand is no concern, Bosch has the best stand for portability, This is a great purchase Rod that tightens fence has broken twice in 10Mons of use. I use this saw every day on the job.Very portable easy set up and stable.Has good power, rpms a little slow but still does a good job. Fence is smooth,extention works good.The only problam is the rod that tightens the fence is to small. Broke it twice in 10 mons.@ about 20$ a piece to fix. Solid and accurate saw for a professional woodworker Carpenters as well as homeowners who care about quality tools will appreciate this saw for it's power and accuracy. I find this table saw easy to transport from truck to jobsite yet it's fullsize enough to handle every task needed. Table adjustments are easy and accurate. Some details could use improvement such as a storage bracket to attach saw cord for transport, an adjustable leg on the stand for uneven ground, and the black fence sometimes forbids good sight that the stock is flush to fence at all times. Comparing all portable saws on the market, Porter Cable to me is the best no frills or gimmicks, rugged, jobsite to jobsite saw available. | |||||||||
