Troy started my Monday morning with a tough question. He’s looking to buy a new portable table saw and is trying to decide between the Dewalt DWE7491 and Skilsaw SPT99.
I have used the DWE7491, and still have a test sample that I’m not quite ready to let go of yet. It’s the best portable table saw I’ve ever used.
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Troy said:
I know you are currently using/ reviewing the DWE7491. In a prior post, you suggested that I buy the 7491 over the Hitachi c10rj, which was $299 at Xmas. You also recently put up an interesting post about the new Skilsaw SPT99.
Do you have any thoughts or opinions on the DeWalt v.s Skillsaw? If your budget was about $500, what would you do?
From what I can tell, the Skilsaw worm drive is more powerful. The fence is supposedly really good, but maybe not quite as smooth as DeWalt’s. The stand is better with bigger wheels. The Skilsaw is also currently cheaper by about $50 and comes with a free sidewinder saw from ACME tools ($100 value) if I order by the end of the month.
The DeWalt seemingly has few faults. All the reviews I’ve found are really positive.
I’ll admit, I’m having some DeWalt fatigue. But, I don’t want that to stop me from getting the best saw for the money.
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The Hitachi portable table saw is a good saw, but also a large one. It’s not on Troy’s shortlist, but I wanted to chime in about it anyways. It has a 35″ rip capacity. Personally, I still prefer Dewalt’s DWE7491, but I also don’t need even close to its 32.5″ rip capacity.
The Dewalt is a very good saw, and I don’t think I’ve heard anyone complaining about it not being powerful enough for what they need it for. The DWE7491RS saw with rolling stand is currently $549 at Amazon.
The Skilsaw SPT99 cuts deeper than the Dewalt – 3-5/8″ at 90° compared to 3-1/8″, and its rolling stand has large wheels, which might be advantageous when travelling over very rough terrain. Its rip capacity is 2″ smaller, at 30.5″.
Quite frankly, most people aren’t going to need the extra cutting capacity of the Skilsaw, or the extra ripping capacity of the Dewalt.
While the Skilsaw’s larger wheels might seem like an advantage, the Dewalt’s smaller wheels are still rugged and highly maneuverable. The Skilsaw’s larger wheels might really prove their worth when taking the saw up or down stairs.
I can’t speak about the saw’s power as I have never used it. But I can tell you that the Dewalt is plenty powerful for my needs.
If you ever do run into a sawing power issue with a portable table saw, there are ways you can compromise, such as going with a thinner kerf blade for those applications. Thinner blades might be more prone to flexing, but they remove less material and could be less taxing on a saw’s motor.
Between the Skilsaw and the Dewalt, it might just come down to cost and value.
The Dewalt is currently $549 with free shipping, via Amazon or Acme Tool. The Skilsaw SPT99, with Diablo blade, is $499 at Acme Tool, with free shipping, and you get a free bonus 7-1/4″ circular saw.
Free bonus tools are always nice, but can skew the mentality of a purchase. Do you need a new corded circular saw? Do you plan on reselling it, or using its value in any other way? No? Then try not to let it factor into the purchasing decision.
At $549 vs. $499, I would go with the Dewalt. It’s a tried and true model that very many users of all backgrounds are satisfied with.
If you think you might need the Skilsaw’s slightly taller cutting capacity or the power promised by their worm drive gearing, or you want an extra $50 plus tax in your pocket, then the Skilsaw looks to be a more attractive option.
The Skilsaw SPT99 has not been out for very long. There are some reviews, but they all seem to be of pre-release models by sites that partnered with Skilsaw for video content. I haven’t seen others yet, but I also didn’t look very hard beyond a quick Google search. Initial user reviews look to be positive, with just a few complaints.
As for my final thoughts, I find myself in a pickle. Personally, I would go with the Dewalt model that has already earned my trust. But I don’t want to close anyone’s mind to the possibility that the Skilsaw could be as good, maybe even better for them.
I think that the Dewalt DWE7491RS is the safe “you don’t have to think about it” choice. The Skilsaw SPT99 is one that you have to make a list of pros and cons for. It’s usually the other way around, with a higher-priced tool requiring more self-convincing, at least for me.
I don’t remember the last time I needed table saw cutting depth deeper than 1.75″ or so, or ripping capacity larger than 30″.
It seems to me that the Dewalt saw and stand might be more a little more compact when folded and upright, which is important to me. In the folded size comparison image, keep in mind that the Dewalt’s fence and guarding also tuck away underneath the saw.
One last point. The Skilsaw table saw comes with a Diablo blade, and the Dewalt saw with a general purpose Dewalt blade. Depending on the need, one might want to equip the Dewalt saw with a better or different blade of their choosing, potentially adding to the expense.
My preference for the Dewalt is based on what I know and have experienced firsthand, and from what I can see about the Skilsaw on paper. The larger wheels on the Skilsaw might not suit my needs, and the added folded-up size might be a disadvantage to my space-saving preference.
I would also be a little hesitant to try Skilsaw’s first-generation rack and pinion fence. The Skilsaw has a lower price tag, but it might not be convincing enough. Personally, the free Skilsaw circular saw does add a little to the sale’s appeal, but I also know that it would sit in a corner and collect dust.
Long story short, I have a strong on-paper and experiential-based preference for the Dewalt. But, I’m hesitant to declare it better than the Skilsaw, because the Skilsaw could be better for Troy or other readers’ needs.
Hopefully this helps Troy in making his purchasing decision.
Everyone else – Dewalt DWE7491RS vs. Skilsaw SPT99 – which would you buy if you had a $500-550 plus tax budget?
Buy Now(Dewalt DWE7491RS via Amazon)
Buy Now(Dewalt DWE7491RS via Acme Tool)
Buy Now(Skilsaw SPT99 via Acme Tool)
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BillM
Go with the Dewalt! It is awesome! Had it nine months and couldn’t be happier. Fence is superb on dewalt, and it folds up very compact to stay out of the way.
Kirk O'Bryant
Agreed. A table saw is only as good as the fence. If you use it everyday. Definitely DeWalt. I’ve had two Ridgids. Which were good. Only one with rolling stand at the time. Both wound up with cracked mounting cabinets. (Apparently not under the lifetime warranty). They said it looked like I dropped it. Yeah… Sure I dropped my table saw. Oh and two of them. Hard to be a trim carpenter without a table saw.
RF
I have the baby brother of the Skilsaw without the fancy stand.
It’s been great on the few projects I’ve used it for.
I settled on this one over the Dewalt for the ability to cut a 4×4 (actually 3.5″). It was for an outdoor project and 4×4 cedar posts were cheaper and easier to get than thinner material nearby. The Skilsaw ripped them down with ease.
You may not have to cut material thicker than 2″ often, but when you do, it’s great to have. It’s like buying a 12″ miter saw when you could get by with a 10″ most of the time. The few times you need the 12″ you’ll be glad you had it.
Otherwise the specs seem pretty close and I’m happy with my other Dewalt tools, you can’t really go wrong with either.
lee Hopkins
I have had the ridgid Model # R4513 for about 8 years. I love this machine. out of the box i had do only tweek the miter gauge for the 45 stop. the fence is very ridged. the motor is strong enough ever for pressure treated (wet) wood. and life time warranty.
Travis
I have the Skilsaw SPT99-12 table saw and am extremely happy with it. It is every bit as good as the DeWalt with more power, a better stock blade, and a quieter motor.
The Skilsaw has the DeWalt rack and pinion fence with all metal connecting points.
The blade surround has a fabric wrap for better dust collection which is quite good. Add a DeWalt upper dust collection port and its even better.
The large stand wheel are really nice, It rolls so easy. Stand setup is simple and fluid.
The Skilsaw motor is nothing new. It is tried and true, very durable unit from Skilsaw. This is their 2nd table saw with much improvement over the 1st model.
Travis
@TOOLSbyDesign – Instagram
Cs
I have the 10 inch skilsaw, I couldn’t be happier. The power is in another category!
Greg
I have the dewalt. I do hardwood flooring and interior trim for a living. Just a couple of thoughts:
I always have the riving knife in place except when making plunge cuts which is quite often when cutting flooring around floor registers and that leads to my first point. The handle on the side of table for releasing the guard/riving knife is beyond convenient and goes a long way towards making it easier to use the safety equipment.
Second is the worm drive. While more powerful, it requires more maintenance (changing gear oil) and has the potential of leaking. That could be a major problem when working in a clients home. Same reason I only use oil-less air compressors.
I’m sure the skil is a great saw, but for my situation, I’d by the dewalt again if I needed another.
Tom
Worm drive circular saws require oil but the table saw does not require that.
Jim
Looking at the owners manual for the Skilsaw, it DOES recommend changing the oil once a year or so. I am not sure where you are getting your information that the table saw does not require changing the gearbox oil?
A.J.
Dewalt!! I have the 7491RS and it hasn’t let me down. Plus, the stand is very solid so ripping plywood is no big deal.
RC WARD
When in doubt go with the old stand by and that is the DeWalt. The Skilsaw is a cool looking saw though and I doubt you would regret it much.
JP
So, the takeaway here is that you really don’t know if the Skillsaw is good, bad, or terrible because you haven’t used it or even seen one in person? Why post then?
Anyways, maybe you should’ve just not written the article and emailed him back saying “I’ve never used the Skillsaw, but, I have used the Dewalt and love it”
As a reviewer who’s somewhat respected in the industry, I’d imagine you have the ability to get a review sample of the Skillsaw, and honestly, I believe, your duty to your readers would have been much better fulfilled with having reserved ANY judgement until you had actually used the Skillsaw
Now, you and others here may not agree, (that’s the beauty of the internet, and you definitely have your fan boys!) and you may think I’m being unfair and that you have your right to your opinion. And you do, 100%, but, you, as a respected reviewer with a website, (I believe) need to be held to a higher standard than say, a forum poster.
There are plenty of forums where guys give out their opinions freely without any actual knowledge on a product. We, however, come to your site because we expect more. We expect reviews or comparisons to come with some actual experience of the tools being compared.
Personally, I like your site. But, I think you need to hold yourself to a higher standard.
While you didn’t say it was a full comparison, the issue is your article will not be taken with a ‘grain of salt’ per say, like a post on a forum would be. People will take this article as fact that the Dewalt is better than the Skillsaw. I know that’s really not what you said, but, that is still the overall takeaway. And frankly that’s irresponsible of you to use your trusted opinion in such a manner.
Now, this is just my opinion, of course. But, it seems to me maybe your passion for writing for, and running this site have waivered recently. The quality and consistency of the content has definitely taken a nose dive.
Posting articles like the one where you answer a disgruntled readers personal email to you publicly with sarcasm and contempt. It honestly just kinda seems like you’ve lost your passion for this site. When you’re writing articles like that, with the sole purpose of embarrassing and shaming that guy, it kinda seems like something is wrong here.
While he was a total jerk and wrong and he was definitely rude… what was the point Stuart? You need thicker skin than that to run a website, on the INTERNET! Other than shaming the guy, I saw no benefit for your readers to see any of that.
THIS readers perspective, looking at your content and overall attitude from years past, compared to now….reading articles like this one and the one mentioned above, you seem disenfranchised… and irritated or annoyed by the readers/commenters. Instead of taking readers suggestions and trying to be better, you throw criticism back in their faces…. and instead of ignoring the trolls, you publicly shame them, to what gain?
Now, what I’d like to see you do is take this to heart, make some changes for the betterment of your site, and your readers overall satisfaction. But, I fear looking at recent events, it may be par for the course. You and other commenters will slam me, tell me “if you feel that way don’t read the site”.
You may even block my IP address. Who knows. But, what I do know is criticism should be met with an open mind, I’m open to it. Maybe everything I said is wrong, it’s completely possible, but, I would implore you to do a deep dive and find out. Up to you.
Stuart
Troy wants to make the purchase by the end of the month, to get in on the “free Skilsaw circular saw with purchase” promo. I’m guessing the promo might be extended into February, as it was into January from December, but am not willing to bet someone else’s money on it.
Even if a test sample was available to ship out today, and I received it tomorrow, there is zero chance that I’d have a helpful conclusion by next week. And even so, my preferences will be based on my own needs and wants. If there were glaring issues with the Skilsaw, they would have become apparent in user reviews by now.
So, I put together what I know and what I think. Some readers are surely able to chime in, to provide their own valued input.
The takeaway should be that I really like the Dewalt, and that the Skilsaw looks decent on paper, although I have not tested it yet. I would struggle to find anything wrong with the Dewalt. So far, my only complaint would be that there’s no built-in outfeed support, and that it doesn’t look like there’s an attachment accessory.
I tried to say that I’m hesitant to declare the Dewalt as better. The Skilsaw is different. Personally, I prefer what the Dewalt has to offer. Even if my opinion wasn’t backed up with hands-on experience, the Skilsaw doesn’t offer anything extra to sway me in hypothetical pre-purchase considerations, aside from the difference in price.
Are you saying that I shouldn’t have attempted any answer at all? Or that I simply left out discussing the potential merits or compromises of the Skilsaw, and left the discussion one-sided about how good the Dewalt is?
With the other article you’re talking about, my responses were frank and simple. There was no sarcasm or contempt, intended or otherwise. Maybe at the end I was a little snarky, in saying “Sorry, you won’t find much of a difference.” regarding what content might look like a year from now, but I couldn’t be any more neutral or matter of fact.
My reason for posting the comment wasn’t so much to focus on the criticisms, but to share my responses. It wasn’t to shame them, but because some of the comments seemed to have stemmed from truth, others seemed to be baseless.
For instance, they described Amazon as an online flea market, and that is partially true. If you search for something using vague criteria, you might be bombarded by a whole lot of no-name imported products.
Some readers’ comments to that post did give me the idea that the post could have been better crafted. It was disappointing to see people commenting about the person who wrote in, rather than what was being said.
It wasn’t intended to be a public shaming, or cabbage-throwing, and I really don’t know how I could have handled it better, aside from just ignoring it. I meant what I said, the comments were interesting, even if not based on facts.
But you see, I don’t tend to ignore criticisms. Dialog is good, and I’m always open to comments of dissatisfaction as much as I am of praise.
Back to this post. My time has been hugely constrained in recent years. And while I’ve recently reclaimed more of my day, I am still behind on a lot of things. If I didn’t respond to Troy’s email today, there’s a good chance that I wouldn’t have been able to get back to him at all, in any capacity.
Rather than risk letting another reader question slip through, I chose to answer it immediately, in as much capacity as I could, and with the invitation for readers to add in their own perspective. If you were the one facing an imminent purchasing decision, would you rather I share what I could, or simply say “no, I don’t have time to test and test the Skilsaw”? Not all answers to questions like that are turned into posts, but they occasionally are.
Mosh
I cant add much except i never felt the negativity that people write reading it daily a couple of times.
Just keep it up its great work wouldn’t mind more posts 🙂
THANKS
Mark
I have a Dewalt 7480 which is the saw on this rolling stand. My reivew was, best of a bad lot. Even with the upgrades the blade fence locking system is likely to cause trouble. If you get one, be sure to round off the edges of the fence adjusting rack or you will, sooner or later, tear open the back of your hand while reaching for the locking lever. The height adjustment seizes up without periodic lubricating (no big deal but I was used to my Norsaw). Service was a mixed bag: the telephone service was worthless and the repair site service is probably far away from you, check.
This saw, on the other hand, had the least percentage of bad reviews for saws in it’s class. If I remember correctly the problem with the Bosch was loose bearings. Same with Skil along with other problems, like a poor quality height adjustment wheel.
Dewalt replaced my saw (at the service center) but I’m still not decided on whether or not to keep it.
Mark
Generally speaking, I’m not impressed by your, and many other on-line, reviews. One or two people using a tool a bit doesn’t cut it, especially regarding quality as opposed to functionality issues. I think it’s imperative that you research reviews by users across the net (Amazon is not someplace I don’t normally shop but they do generate a large number of reviews).
It is uncomfortable for me to be critical but I like you’re general attitude towards your work enough that I’m willing to put my neck out at bit. I once criticized an American made hand-tool on Amazon and it was as if I had gone over to the Russians, or maybe it’s the Chinese, hard to keep up at my age.
Stuart
Sorry, but that’s also exactly the feeling I want people to have. I don’t want to tell people what to buy. My goal is to provide whatever information and insight I can, to help others make more informed purchasing decisions.
Some tools I’m able to provide long-term feedback for, but not everything.
I can’t tell you, for example, how well a particular model of cordless drill will last after 2 years of continuous use. But I can tell you why I would or would not buy that particular drill.
Raoul
You know what, Stuart, I LIKE YOU. You’re not like the other
People, here, in the trailer park.
Tim
Review aggregation is extremely hard and time consuming, and still has a lot of possibility for “influence”. You can read through a ton of amazon reviews to pick up common themes, but there’s still fake reviews out there, aggregation of reviews for multiple products on a single page so questionable applicability, possible older reviews with bad batches that were fixed for more recent units, skew in that happy owners don’t leave reviews as often, but what is the magnitude of that disparity to really judge the average consensus, etc. There’s also a multitude of other websites that already do this type of thing, and some even generate a realistic text blurb using keywords they pick up from that aggregation for likes and dislikes. I would argue there’s no need to repeat that here. It’s a waste of Stuart’s expert time trying to do all that work for you, when you can do it yourself or turn to another site that’s already done it.
The reason people write in to this blog, I hope, is to get Stuart’s and Ben’s specific opinions. Reviewing things is inherently subjective, that’s why there’s always the “on-paper” bits versus the “how’s it feel” bits. They don’t always line up, and other than for durability questions, it doesn’t take long at all for an experienced person to be able to put a tool through its paces and determine how it feels. Exhaustive reviews of every possible use of the tool for years on end are unrealistic for the volume of tools that go through anywhere, and a lot of the long term testing I see from various sources notes very little change a lot of the time. Sometimes durability issues get exposed, though I don’t readily recall any review here that wasn’t long term that makes any durability claims anyway. The other thing that comes up is another tool either is found or is newly released that makes the previous favorite and long term testing candidate not the best anymore. But that isn’t an issue with the original tool in that case, it’s just progress. Or the fact that people are human and don’t know about every single tool in existence and which one is the de-facto best. If we did, we wouldn’t need reviews at all, and everybody would know and buy only the best for whatever their criteria is.
A blog, in general and basic form, is writings of the opinions and thoughts of the people who write it. We go to blogs to see those opinions specifically. Tying back to my first point, I don’t want to come here to see Stuart’s opinion as just one among a sea of thousands of researched reviews; I only want to see his opinion. I want to see how he thinks a tool feels, does it live up to its paper specs, etc., since I trust his objectivity, and his opinions generally line up with mine where it matters.
Questions like this, even if Stuart hasn’t used the two tools are still helpful, in my opinion. That this blog gets used that way to leverage the community for help in answering a question, speaks highly of its intent, helpful focus, and both the expertise and humility and of its writers. Other people might have just said go dewalt, never tried the Skilsaw and don’t see a reason to since the dewalt is the best. Stuart and Ben acknowledge they haven’t tried every product in existence, give what feedback they can, and get the discussion started with the community. This kind of post doesn’t help everybody, but if I were looking for a table saw outside the original question, it does have value. It says I still have the dewalt, have now had it for a while, here’s why I haven’t changed to something else, here’s the things I don’t like, and here’s things to consider. I don’t see it at all as a knock on the Skilsaw, nor do I see it as the dewalt is for sure better than it. Just a here’s why I use what I use, maybe that thought process helps you make a decision. Is a forum post maybe a better place this? Possibly, and sometimes that does happen. In some cases though, whether for engagement or general interest in the post, maybe they make sense as a regular main page entry. I think this serves as a nice long term update on the dewalt, a quick review of considerations in buying a table saw, and notice that interesting new models are coming on the market. Worthy of making it a full entry.
Whenever you read a review, be it here or elsewhere, you still have to take the final step of applying it to you. Did the criteria used match your criteria, so that you would arrive at the same choice or opinion? Do the comparisons the authors make in general across the site line up with your own experiences, so that judgements made would align with your thoughts? When was the review, maybe there’s been a minor batch update since then. It’s up to you how you take the content, and to draw your own conclusion. Seeing the thought process gone through in looking at the tool sometimes helps as much or more than the actual specific review about the specific tool. It particularly helps you make your own comparison of the broader marketplace. You may factor in reviews elsewhere if that’s what you decide you need to make a conclusion. You may ignore reviews here entirely if you don’t agree with them, that’s your prerogative. Maybe constructive discussion as to why you don’t agree would even help the broader community.
Along with everyone else, thanks Stuart and Ben for taking the time to provide us with your opinions, and leveraging your experience and insight to benefit the community as a whole.
Stuart
Thank you! =)
I do try to avoid “armchair” commentary when I can, but sometimes that’s the only option.
Fade
I bought the Dewalt about a year ago because I needed a reliable, light weight saw to take to my daughters house where I was doing some remodeling. The secondary need was a small work table to supplement my Pegasus. The Dewalt had the power I needed, the fence was very accurate and easily expandable, it used an existing miter gauge sled, and of course I was familiar with the Dewalt name. My HD had both saws and the Dewalt was set up making it easy to play with. I had to make them pull a Skilsaw from the box so I could judge the strength of the legs and wheels. Fortunately, one of the salesfolks was looking for himself, so he was more than happy to assist me.
Both saws seemed sturdy enough for my application. The saws were comparable as far as speed and power, but the Dewalt fence was definitely more user friendly and when folded, accessories all had a storage location so it generally took up less space in the back of my truck and when I unpacked, I knew nothing was left behind. The only thing I could not really compare was the dust collection. The Dewalt does a decent job connected to my shop vac and the Skilsaw seemed to be a similar system so I would expect similar capability.
In closing, I should say that I believe either saw would have been good for my purposes. But there is nothing like getting your hands on one and judging for yourself which will suit your projects.
Chris
I just got the Dewalt due to it’s tried and true and it has dust collection at the top of the blade (whatever that is called)
Troy
Stuart, thanks – I didn’t expect a full post!
I’m really interested in everyone’s opinions; but your observations are spot-on and reflect my exact back-and-forth thoughts.
I guess as a follow-up question, when is the next time I would hope to expect any sales. Father’s Day?
Stuart
You’re welcome, I hope it helps!
There are usually some promos during the winter and spring, and there are tool promos before Father’s Day, but they can be restrictive or unpredictable.
Last year, Acme Tools had good coupons in January, for Valentine’s Day, and in mid-April.
I don’t know when their next promo might be.
https://toolguyd.com/quicky-tool-deals-jan-2nd-2017/
https://toolguyd.com/acme-tools-valentines-day-coupon-2017/
https://toolguyd.com/acme-tools-tax-day-coupon-2017/
Other independent retailers might have similar promos of their own.
Dcl
You cant go wrong with the Dewalt. Ive had two of them and there is not much to complain about, which is its best attribute. We added the hitatchi a few months ago as one of the 7491’s was damaged on a jobsite and dosent cut perfectly square anymore. To be honest i do prefer that saw over the Dewalt. It has more power, is quieter, better dust collection, and an blade brake. Though it did require about 5 hours of adjustemnts to get it up and running and the fence still isn’t quite as good as the dewalt. I also thought about getting the skilsaw as on paper it should be better, but its almost as much as the dewalt, and with the dewalt you know that you are getting a good saw.
E
The deal on the Hitachi for Black friday was too good for me to pass up. I have used the saw and it has been great. My only gripe was the same one some of the other reviewers also mentioned, the adjustment knob being plastic and fragile. The speed, power, portability, and fence are great. My fence was spot on after measuring and checking several times. The electric brake is really a great idea and works nicely. I will admit I looked at purchasing the the Dewalt and was about to, until I saw the deal on the Hitachi. If you can afford it or “stretch” your budget for it, I think the Dewalt is the tried and true purchase, the Hitachi is on par, slightly lower if at all, and the “new” player the Skilsaw- proven motor but, still too new to all out recommend, looks to be a good saw. I look at value vs price, as most of us do. I would spend a bit more for a better product, unless the deal is really too good to pass up with on par products- which is how I ended up with the Hitachi. At one point during the holidays, for about the price of the Dewalt, you could have picked up the Hitachi table saw and the matching 12 or 10 in slider, or even one of the non-sliders. All are highly regarded as on level playing field, if not better in some cases, than Dewalt’s offerings in the same category. I don’t think he will disappointed either way but, more information is better than none. I think Stuart did a great service by posting a quick reply. I certainly read all the information the this site had going a few years back, in addition to other sources, to make my decision. If he is still on the fence, buy it locally if possible and try it out, at least you can return it if it does not work for you.
Drew Anderson
Yeah I bought the same one two hundred less on sale is a awesome deal, and it works fine for me……
Blythe
The both seem to be really good. I have a 745 which I really love. Probably comes down to what you want to do with it. If you’re thinking backyard/outdoor projects(deck, fence, shed, gazebo, etc) then the big wheels, big cutting depth and free sidewinder would be great features. If you’re doing garage/shop projects with 1x material and plywood mostly then the dewalt is a proven workhorse for finish carpentry
Rock
Hello. Just my 2 cents. I too had the DeWalt. Was sold on it by the rack and pinion fence. Was really a good light weight saw. So easy to lift into the truck. But also much harder when attached to the stand. I eventually sold it though. Motor just wasn’t strong enough for cutting through a lot of hardwoods etc.. Granted you can just cut slower. The main reason I got rid of it though was because I out grew the fence. Just wasn’t precise enough for me. Don’t get me wrong if all you have to do is 90 deg rips and crosscuts it would be ok. But if you are the type that does more then it’ll hold you back cuz you can’t calibrate the fence that much to keep the fence and blade perfectly parrallel and also the fence does not easily accommodate attaching jigs etc…so in a summary if all you have to do is like put a floor down it’s for you. But if you are wanting to do more like making a cutting board then you’ll REQUIRE something better. Be safe out there guys!
Rock
Oh yeah 1 more thing, I have yet to see anything that beats the power of a worm drive saw. Tried and true. Also since the DeWalt is really light weight (lots of plastic and composites) you’ll end up having milling marks on the surfaces that were cut. So just plan on doing some additional sanding before you go on to finishing. As a general rule the heavier the base that holds the blade the less vibration.
fred
This post and comments point to both the good and the bad (or should I say imperfect) about tool reviews online. We all might comment based on our experience or lack thereof (using inferential deduction). But is our experience likely to align with the needs of others?
We’d buy something like a jobsite saw to try out, then maybe a second or third to confirm our thinking before committing to a fleet changeover. Even then our full “fleet” was never likely to be more than 15 or 20 saws – hardly as many as might be sold by Amazon or HD. So one would think that reading reviews on Amazon or HD would be better than an opinion based on a small sample used by a small set of workers over a set period. But I’ve always tried to read all reviews just as data to input into my decision-making process. Does a saw review say something about the saw in general or about QA/QC at the factory? Is a review based on first impressions (which can be useful if they say something about ease of setup or needs for adjustment) – or do they speak to longer term use? Does the reviewer – even if brutally honest and well experienced – have the same needs in a saw that I do? Sometimes comments appended to reviews can also be useful – as can discussion such as I see above.
So I’m inclined to not be so hard on Stuart for getting the ball rolling on this – especially since he was upfront about his lack of hands-on experience. What would be nice, for tools that last a while in the marketplace – would be to revisit a post or two – after there has been some time for experience to accumulate. So maybe a year from now – a question about the Skil offering might be better refined – and folks (if there are any) who use it to rip 4×4 PT posts can chime in.
Matt
I Love Lamp.
Why not Bosch?
Troy
Honestly, the lack of a rack and pinion fence is what steered me away from Bosch. I am upgrading over a Rigid that has a sliding fence that I abhor. Never accurate. So I suppose my number one concern is a trusted fence that I can rely on.
My second concern is power. Even with a good thin kerf blade my Rigid struggled to rip 2x material. That extra power is another reason I am interested in the Skil.
michaelhammer
I’ve used the DeWalt for years. It’s loud. It’s dust collection is poor at best. It can be difficult to get the blade and fence in parallel. Every time I rip 2x material it conks out. Yes thin kerf blade. Yes slow feed. Precision is poor. The Bosch 4100 is far superior. On the positive it has a small foot print and cuts wood.
Roger
I have the DWE7491RS. The other versions had slimmer rip and the higher version is just an extra safety feature. I live in a country that uses the 50Hz cycle which means I technically should have slightly less RPM and power. However, I have heard it bog down but not once did it slow-down. Resawn at full height with the de-fau-walt 24T blade. Extra $50 to upgrade to a Diablo 50T. Extra $35 for a 0-clearance plate. All controls are solid and handles smoothly. Fairly easy riving knife/guard change. Stores easier in flatbed. Needs extra space to upright the saw.
Not much info on the Skilsaw. Saw a review where it’s powerful. Already comes with Diablo blade? Comes with angled dust extractor adapter. Wheels better on grass. Significantly easier setup and fold up, but takes up more space. Better blade box jam clearing option. May need more maintenance like oil change.
I’d say go and physically touch both saws. Pull on the controls. Move the fences. Skilsaw for more power. Dewalt for sheet goods and better feel.
clayton
I have owned the Dewalt (without the rolling stand) for a couple of years now and bought it after I worked for a contractor that had one and liked it so much. I replaced my ridgid portable saw on wheels after it was stolen from a job site. My advice would be consider the one not connected to a stand if you will be transporting a lot. after owning one connected to a stand and one without, I would not buy one on a stand it was to hard to load and get into tight spaces i would much rather carry the smaller Dewalt and set up a stand than roll the ridgid around and try to load it by myself. Just my 2 cents something to think about.
MacLean
I wanted the Bosch. Was really close to pulling the trigger on the black Friday sales. Didn’t.
Month later I am remodeling my parent’s kitchen and it was obvious I couldn’t save the hardwood floor.
Went to Home Depot and bought the Skillsaw for $379…I think.
The Diablo blade is a general construction 30 tooth blade. I immediately replaced it with a 60 tooth Diablo.
The fence is awesome…just about as good as you get for not being rack and pinon.
Dust collection is great…not sure of the size off the back but it was close enough to tape my Rigid shop vac hose on.
Everything tucks under the saw…the fence and push tool. I didn’t get a stand. It’s light enough to lug around. I found a Bosch folding stand for $60 in the clearance end cap and it fits close enough.
Plenty of power to push through the occasional bind up.
Wasn’t aware of the depth of cut…but being able to cut a 4×4 is huge…I blew both rubber feet off my Craftsman air compressor and was able to trim a 4×4 down to the perfect prop height.
I don’t like the cord…the coating seems stiff and brittle.
Overall first impressions are good.
A W
I have nothing but good things to say about DeWalt’s table saws. Their rack and pinion fence system is incredible. I’d rather have an accurate fence that and compromise a slight bit on power than the other way around.
I have the smaller DW745, and my only problem with it is the small rip size.
If I were to upgrade, it would most likely be to another DeWalt.
Flotsam
My tablesaw is an old fixed stand Delta that is pretty old but still pretty functional and is used mainly for long rips. I would imagine that is what it’s forte would be on a job site as well.
I built a huge shed at my house recently and it was actually my miter saw that saw a lot more use along with two Skilsaws (Worm Drive & Mag sidewinder). Those saws are awesome and have tons of power. So between the DeWalt and Skilsaw would make my choice pretty easily if i was going to buy a portable job site saw, it would be Skilsaw.
I think Skil does themselves a huge disservice marketing Skil tools along side Skilsaw, there is a world of difference between the two, one being purely consumer while Skilsaw is more pro.
So definitely the Skilsaw over DeWalt in this case, I do have DeWalt for most of my cordless tools.
fred
In our shop we had Oliver Straight Line Rip Saw.
Much more capable and safer than using a conventional table saw for ripping.
Not something you would haul around to the jobsite even if 3-phae power were available.
Flotsam
I had to look that up. The Oliver Straight Line Rip Saw was like $14K. Looks awesome but waaaay out of my budget.
pete
I didn’t read the ENTIRE post but if it hasn’t been mentioned. i’m pretty sure that the skil folding cart is the same as the ridgid folding rolling cart. Personally i think i would go with the dewalt, it’s tried and true and has a cult following.
Troy will you ever expect to cut dados? Something to consider. Other than those two comments that’s about all i have.
Chris
I only can speak about the power of my skilsaw sidewinder. Its awesome, much more powerful than the old dewalt it replaced.
To be honest I don’t know why, but the ergonomy of all the dewalt tools I ever used; simply put, are not for me. I feel awkward whenever I put my hands on them. Just my opinion.
Pete
I haven’t been able to test out the skilsaw but I used to have the DeWalt. It’s was a great lightweight saw. Especially when it was new before i had to always load into the truck. Its also smaller without the stand so you can pack it in with all of the other tools nicely. I did however experience what some of the others have said with the DeWalt fence. The problem is that it’s thin aluminium which isn’t great to put clamps on. It’s jsut not robust enough. Also the rack and pinion is incredibly difficult to adjust. It all screws into way too much plastic so that you can’t keep even distance between the fence and the blade. So this makes it easy for kickback which can be dangerous. But I will say that the rack and pionipn is super fast. But after a year of jostleling in the back of a pickup, the fence is useless cuz it doesn’t stay set where you set it to be. I’m one of those that calibrates both saw after I move onto a new jobsite. So it was not accurate at all so I sold it.
I got the Bosch which was a fantastic saw. It had T tracks on the table and the fence. Fence was pretty stout too. No rack and pinion so it would seem to be slower but ended up to be not that bad since my rack was always off anyways. I ended up using a straight 2x clamped down onto the table instead of the stock fence on the Dewalt. Anyways I loved it for 2 yrs until it was stolen. Now I run a Ridgid which is almost the same thing as the Bosch. I do finish carpentry and cabintry. Hope this helps.
Kevin Peck
I am very interested in this Skilsaw jobsite table saw but am curious to know if they accommodated the ability to check and fill the worm drive gear with oil or if it would become a maintenance nightmare. There’s limited info available (that I can find) on the internet and they currently don’t have any at my local HD so I’m not able to verify for myself anyone have insight on this?
Jcayce
Yes. I have changed oil in my table saw and circular saw with no issues. By the way, it is not the viscosity of oil in the sense of something like automotive oil. It is basically gear lube, more of a grease consistency. It needs a thinning agent to get it all out of the gearbox. I only changed it to work out any factory metal shavings.
Kevin
Thanks for the follow up information, sounds simple enough.
OldSchool
Jcayce, thank you for sharing that info, it has cleared up a few things about the “Oil Change” requirement.
Nathan
I’ll point out one difference from the dewalt stand vs the skill and many other portable table saw stands. It doesn’t sit on the wheels in working condition. THe legs that fold out are stable – at angles and provide some reactive side loads.
This makes the table saw more stable and predictable for cutting those 3/4 osb or other panels you might need to knock down. Of the set I’d take the dewalt over the skill but only barely. Personally I don’t like any of the other rolling stands and it’s the stability of the stand and the portability of the saw that I am most concerned with.
Saw wise – I think both are capable and I like others are now using the gear drive fence system like the dewalt. I love that feature the most I think – once you take the time to set it up right and to verify it when you use it.
But on the stand – I like dewalts rolling stand better. I don’t however have one I purposely bought the 7490 model that came with the X stand as it takes up even less room. but that stand folds to a wide base which I also like. Infact to the person asking. If you just felt like you had to have wheels – well I’d still get the dewalt. But I’d save a few dollars and shop for the non wheel X stand model 7490 instead – use those dollars to buy a good Diablo 50 tooth combo blade. and be ahead of the curve.
If the poster isn’t a contractor but a DIY guy like myself I’d also suggest looking into buying refurbished. Which is how I got mine and I paid something like 410 or so for it a few years ago. the saw has been flawless.
Troy
I’m going with the DeWalt.
I appreciate everyone’s thoughts and comments. It really is a close call. I’m sincerely intrigued by the Skilsaw. As another poster recently said, I’d like to buy tool brands that have a specialty (i.e., Bessey clamps, etc.), so I have high hopes for Skilsaw in the table saw department. However, at bottom, I’m not ready to spend $500+ to be a guinea pig on a relatively new saw. I was hoping there would be more real life user experiences out there, but the number of “data points” is still pretty limited. It’s also hard to argue when the DeWalt has such a strong reputation. Skilsaw is not doing itself any favors by going head-to-head with a great saw at the same price point. There simply isn’t enough incentive for me to deviate from the “tried and true.”
I would also add that the Skilsaw is not sold anywhere in my state, so I can’t even go put my hands on it, which is frustrating.
I did look at DeWalt refurbished pricing, but the price difference vs. new is only $50, which is not enough for me.
So, I’m going to see how long I can hold out. Hopefully some website or store has a decent mid-winter sale where I can save a few bucks.
Eric
Troy – how has the Dewalt worked out for you?
Jack
I too am in the table saw market. This will be my first. I have been reading several reviews and I am leaning towards the Skillsaw because of one tie breaker. Skillsaw will let you return the saw (no questions asked) after 180 days. I confirmed that with a call to Skillsaw.
1 question they couldn’t answer was what the hp rating. An engineer was supposed to call me back a couple of days ago. No call yet.
Thanks to everyone for their input. It allows me to expand my criteria for this purchase.
Chad Barton
The worm drive gear on the spt99-12 is brass brass is self lubricating lol
Johnson Longfellow
I just read that whole thread and it’s a great review of the dewalt “stand”. I recently bought the skill “saw” and I have no complaints. I didn’t buy a stand. I use saw horses that work great with the skill and cost me 20 bucks. I’ve installed a couple thousand sq/ft of 3/4″ oak hardwood with it and it cuts like butter. The fence is true and easy to move. It’s replacing a 5yr old dewalt that was mistreated and abused every day since its conception. I always had trouble with the blade binding on long rips. .. I tried to bind the skill saw blade and couldn’t without risking my safety. I have nothing against dewalt. This is my first “skill” saw. I recommend the skill if it’s something you use a lot.
Steve
I don’t have a table saw. I don’t have enough space for a cabinet saw, so portability and foldablity is what I need. So, I’m looking to buy either the Dewalt DWE7491RS or the Skilsaw SPT99-12. So thanks who all commented.
Steve
I actually just bought the Skilsaw SPT99-12. Hasn’t arrived yet. Bought a really good miter gauge (WoodRiver) and an igaging 35-0928 Digital Saw Gauge. So when it comes I’ll post it.
Larry Kinney
After several months of research on saws knowing that my trusty 20 year old job site Makita saw is….20 years old, I decided on DeWalt’s folding table saw. Only to find out the company was having difficulty filling orders, mine included. So the day I called my local supplier to check on the status they informed me that they will offer the Skilsaw with the stand for the same price as the DeWalt’s…for $600! Even though everyplace I read said the Skilsaw 99-12 comes with a Diablo blade, mine did not. In its place was a Skilsaw carbide rip saw blade with 40 teeth. No problem. So today I used this beast with a new Diablo blade cutting dimensional hardwood and I was impressed! While the fence needed tweaking after a few seconds it was square to the blade. Great fence, dust port and foldong table with 16″ wheels. One of the upgrades will soon be a new miter gauge, since the one that it came with is pretty much plastic. Hopefully this will be my last saw. Advice to those trying to put the table together, align A with A and B with B, since the directions are illogical and the graphics are way too small to bother with..give the customer 1 good drawing [Skil]for the table, your customers will appreciate it!