internetwoodworking.com Tool
Review:
The Delta 33-830 Radial
Arm Saw Saw Provided by Klingspor's
Woodworking Shop
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When I look around my shop these days it is quite apparent
that I'm a fan of Delta woodworking tools. Table saw, power miter saw,
planer, morticer, router/shaper, drill press, etc.. The simple fact is
that Delta tools are just about as good as it gets. I'm sure there are
those who would argue that there are manufacturers of better power tools
out there, and I won't deny that Powermatic and General both make a great
saw, or that Grizzly is hard to beat for their planers and jointers, and
that Jet has come a long way with customer satisfaction. Yes, there are
lots of options for most tools.
However - whether you are a Delta fan or
not - when it comes to the RAS (Radial Arm Saw), your choices are quite
limited. Of course the ubiquitous Craftsman radial arm saws are everywhere
- I've owned two - and then there is Delta, and there is simply no
comparison between the two manufacturers. On the following pages I'll
run you through the setup of the saw from "carton to cutting" and I'll
tell you what I like about the
Delta 33-830, and I might even find some things I don't like
about it. So sit back, relax, and read on...
Robert J. Brown - January 2002
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It's here!!
First off, the saw come well packaged. They must have put
their best engineers at work to find a way in which this saw could be
packed into the smallest possible box - a lot smaller than the assembled
saw will become. All bundled up in the box it is still not easy to move
around. The manual doesn't state the weight of the saw but it's well over
100 pounds. You can see the table board here which measures a roomy 44" x
27" to provide plenty of space for working with even large panels.
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This saw is tightly packed!
The saw comes fully assembled except for the legs and table.
Also, unlike some big power tools, this saw wasn't covered in grease, wax,
or gook. There might have been a light rust inhibitor sprayed on the
metallic parts but it wiped right off with a cloth. No chemicals or
scraping to deal with on this one! The motor is a claimed 1 1/2 HP and can
produce up to 3 HP. I have cut everything imaginable and have yet to have
the motor bog down the first bit.
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Not too many parts to deal with!
Cut a couple of tie-wraps and everything is ready to lay out
for assembly: the table and fence boards, the four legs, the two
braces that mount to the underside of the table, wrenches, and the nuts
and bolts. (Sorry about the poor image quality on this one.)
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Assembling the legs.
Installing the legs is a snap. Just lay the saw on its back
and bolt them on. Be careful when you stand the saw back up on its new
legs because there is a lot of weight up top and there are no braces
between the legs. This isn't a problem when the saw is in the normal
upright position because the legs are plenty strong.
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