Rikon tablesaw - sliding table

[Ray Knight]

Does anybody have experience with Rikon table saw. They have apparently released (or will soon release) a 10 in, 3 hp, riving blade with sliding table for under $2000. price and features sound interesting. any experience or comments. I will updating from contractor saw in newly expanded home shop soon. Had been looking at sawstop, vs grizzly GO651 vs Powermatic 2000. Will require riving blade, but not sure I want to spend the money and access firing issues to get the sawstop. Ray Knight

[Vernon Taylor]

FWIW I looked at this saw at the Klingspoor show last weekend,nice machine.

[C Scott McDonald]

I looked at one at Woodcraft. Looks like a nice saw. The one thing I didnt like was the lack of a miter gauge slot to the left of the blade. It also measures almost 10' across so it is a big one.

[Jeremy Schulz]

You said there is no miter slot to the left of the blade is there one to the right of the blade? I have been interested in this saw but had some questions about a miter slot. I should see if they have one at my local woodcraft.

[Alan Trout]

There is a pretty good picture on their website www.rikontools.com It appears that it has a miter slot at the right side of the blade. It looks pretty good.


Good Luck

Alan

[Vernon Taylor]

I looked at one at Woodcraft. Looks like a nice saw. The one thing I didnt like was the lack of a miter gauge slot to the left of the blade. It also measures almost 10' across so it is a big one.

I have a uni with the mid size excalibur slider,I do have a left miter guage slot which I find I do not use. (I have the stock miter guage only) I use the slider for all cross-cutting,it is accurate, and in my opinion easier to use and the flip stop makes it easier to maintain accuracy in cutting pieces for repetitive cuts or opposing sides. You are right about the footprint,mine takes up a lot of floorspace but i feel it is worth it for the added versatility. I have a scms (cheapie GMC) from Lowes that I only use off-site as the slider is so much easier to use. Also got rid of my RAS.

[Dan Forman]

The slider is there specifically to take the place of a miter gage. Unfortunately, the saw is not set up like a european slider to do rips too. I would have preferred that the sliding table be closer to the blade as it is on the european saws, so that rips could be done with it too. I have only seen a picture of it, and it doesn't appear to have a riving knife either, can anyone confirm that?

Dan

[Joe Spear]

It does not have a riving knife, but one of their engineers told me they are working on it.

[C Scott McDonald]

I guess I am just set in my ways. I prefer the left miter slot for using my tenoning jig as it seems more natural to use. Still, it looks like a nice solid saw.

[tim rowledge]

Why not mount the tenoning jig on the slider? Much more rigid support than a mitre slot, surely?

[Jim Becker]

Why not mount the tenoning jig on the slider? Much more rigid support than a mitre slot, surely?

That's certainly a nice option when the slider butts up to the blade, but for one that doesn't it makes for a more complicated situation.