Comparing Bosch 4000 & Ridgid TS2400?
For a long time, I was comparing the TS2400 and the Bosch 4000. I couldn’t decide which one to go with, so I bought both saws and compared them side by side in my shop. Having the saws right next to each other reveals a lot of detail that I could not have seen otherwise. In the end, it wasn’t even close. The TS2400 is far superior.
I know that a lot of people are out there looking at these two saws, trying to figure out which is better. Perhaps my experiences might be useful to those who are having a difficult time deciding.
It seems to me that the Ridgid designers set out to create a bench-top saw that competes with contractor saws in quality and capacity. The Bosch designers seemed to be designing a slightly better bench-top saw.
I am amazed that tool reviews in woodworking magazines almost always put the Bosch 4000 ahead of the Ridgid, or say the two saws are equal. I have no hesitation in saying that either these reviewers are not looking very closely, or I got a major lemon. Of course, many elements are in the realm of opinion, but there are numerous elements in the realm of facts and measurements.
Here is what I found in my side-by-side test.
General Look and Feel
The Ridgid TS2400 looks and feels like a heavier-duty machine. The housing of both saws is plastic, but Ridgid’s is heavier. The power switches of both saws is a paddle style, situated on the left. Both designs are easy to access and switch on and off smoothly.
The Ridgid weighs 122 lbs., the Bosch 109 lbs.
Table Surface
Both table surfaces are aluminum, with the same smoothness. But the Ridgid’s is thicker. Measuring with a dial caliper, the aluminum table of the Bosch is 0.161″ thick; the Ridgid aluminum is 0.238″ thick. That’s a substantial difference.
Measuring usable table surface, the two saws are virtually tied. The Bosch table surface is 21 1/2″ x 29″; the Ridgid table surface is 21″ x 30″. (This is with the tables in their un-extended position.) My Bosch 4000 came with an outfeed support that adds 18″ of depth, but I prefer using a bench top with a larger, sturdier surface.
Fence
Here is where the Ridgid begins to zoom ahead of the Bosch. Both fences lock down securely. Beyond that, there is no comparison between the two. The Ridgid fence is as good as any you’ll see on contractor saws, and even some cabinet saws. It rides elegantly along its track, locks down easily, and the micro-adjust wheel works well.
Even before you tighten it down, the Ridgid fence remains parallel with the blade. By contrast, the Bosch fence moves clunkily in the rail, and it is not parallel to the blade before tightening. The Ridgid fence is a solid section of aluminum extrusion, 2 3/4″ high and 2″ wide. The Bosch fence is lighter aluminum, 2 1/2″ high and 1 1/2″ wide. Holding the Bosch fence in one hand and the Ridgid in the other, you can feel the weight difference. The Ridgid fence has two T-slots on the top surface and two in the sides. The Bosch fence has one T-slot at the top. Both saws have an effective system for squaring the fence with the blade.
Both saws have a rip capacity of 25″ to the right. With the Ridgid, to make rips beyond 13″, you extend the table and read off the fence cursor. When ripping beyond 13″ on the Bosch, you extend the table, set your fence at 13″, and then read the actual measurement off a second indicator on the table. Not only is this confusing, but having two indicators compounds the possibility for error.
The cursor on both saws has a magnifying glass for easier reading. Both saws allow adjustments by loosening a screw and moving the cursor left or right. The Ridgid ruler is a tape; the Bosch ruler is a scale glued to the fence rail. The Ridgid ruler has 1/32″ gradations; the Bosch ruler has 1/16″ gradations.
Squaring up the fence reveals the first of Bosch’s fatal flaws. The Ridgid is absolutely square with the table throughout its entire length. The Bosch fence is twisted. At the front of the fence, the top of the Bosch fence is tilted to the left, and at the rear it is tilted to the right. There is no way to fix this.
The Ridgid fence is 25 1/2″ in total usable length. The Bosch fence is 23″ in total usable length.
Space in Front of Blade
The Ridgid has an advantage here. To compare the two saws, I raised the blades to maximum height and used a ruler to measure from the tip of the forward-most blade tooth to the front edge of the table. The Bosch measures 6 3/4″. The Ridgid measures 8 3/4″.
Miter Slots
Here is the second of Bosch’s fatal flaws.
I tested each miter slot with my Incra 1000SE miter gauge. In the Ridgid, I easily made the Incra gauge run smoothly in the miter slots with absolutely no slop from front to back. Using a straight edge, I tested the walls of the Ridgid miter slots. They are perfectly flat throughout their entire length.
With the Bosch, I could not adjust the Incra miter gauge tight enough to run without slop. Even worse, the slop varied at different points inside the slots. Measured with feeler gauges, the slop in the left miter slot of the Bosch 4000 is 0.019″ at the front, and 0.010″ at the rear. I also detected discrepancies in the other Bosch miter slot, but with different variations. In addition, when I used a straight-edge to measure the walls of the Bosch miter slots, they were crooked in various spots. This, in my opinion, is unacceptable.
The Ridgid miter slots have T-slots; the Bosch does not. I personally do not make use of T-slots, but others may find this to be an advantage.
Blade Guard
Here is one element where the Bosch comes out ahead. I am very big on safety, and actually use the guard and splitter that come with the saw. The Ridgid guard has a standard splitter. However, the Ridgid has a great system for removing and replacing the guard assembly: you simply unscrew a star knob at the back of the machine to take the guard off and then tighten the star knob to put it back on.
The Bosch splitter rises and falls with the blade, keeping it at a constant distance from the blade for better safety. This is the feature that most attracted me to the Bosch initially, and I give Bosch points for doing this. But this advantage is overshadowed by the list of weaknesses I encountered with the Bosch.
Blade-Height/Bevel Mechanism
Both saws employ a dual-function wheel for blade height and bevel angle. But there are several key differences. The Bosch wheel stem feels sturdier than the Ridgid. With moderate force, I can flex the Ridgid wheel stem. With the Bosch, it takes a lot more force to flex the wheel stem. I don’t know how important this is, so I can’t say whether it is a plus in favor of the Bosch, but it is noticeable.
The Bosch, like many other bench-top saws, has no blade-height lock. By contrast, the Ridgid has a blade-height lock. To set the bevel angle on the Ridgid, you loosen a lever, then turn a crank to dial in the angle. It is very smooth and easy to turn the crank a bit one way or the other to zero in on a precise angle with the Ridgid. To set the bevel angle on the Bosch, you loosen a lever and the bevel assembly swings freely. This is typical of bench-top saws, but it is not as precise.
Both saws have 3 1/8″ maximum cutting height. The thread of the height column is different: from lowest to highest point requires 16 1/2 turns on the Ridgid and 26 1/2 turns on the Bosch.
Dust Collection
Both of these saws have exhaust ports for dust collection. I didn’t see much of a difference here between the two. They both do a pretty good job of collecting dust. The Bosch exhaust port is aluminum, the Ridgid is plastic. They are both 4″ ports.
Alignment and Calibration
Out of the box, I had to tweak both of these saws. But I had to do a lot more tweaking with the Bosch, and several things about the Bosch were just un-tweakable (like the miter slots and the leaning/twisted fence). In general, the Bosch is much more frustrating to adjust. The Ridgid system for adjusting the main table, extension table, fence, and blade angle are all easier to do and more precise.
In Operation
The Bosch has a soft-start and electronic-feedback system. The Ridgid lacks these features, but I don’t see that it makes much difference in actual use. The Ridgid is louder, but both saws are quite loud and require ear protection. Although the manufacturers present different stats on power, the two saws seem equal in this regard.
When it comes to accuracy, the Bosch falls behind, especially when cutting miters. And that leaning and twisted fence on the Bosch makes me nervous.
Mobile Base
Both the Bosch and the Ridgid come with mobile bases that are equal in quality and usefulness. Both mobile bases are stable during cutting. However, if you are buying one of these saws to save space in your shop, you might be disappointed. The mobile bases require a wide turning radius. Also, both mobile bases occupy a large area. I plan to build a mobile cabinet under my saw to replace the unit that came with the saw.
Conclusion
I own several Bosch tools, and I generally like what the company makes. Because of this, I thought the Bosch 4000 would be a close competitor with the Ridgid TS2400. I actually came into the test favoring the Bosch, due to its better blade guard. But after my tests, the Bosch was far behind in almost every category, and in some regards I find the Bosch to be surprisingly sub-standard. Except for its splitter, the Bosch does not impress me with its general fit and finish, ease of alignment and adjustment, cutting accuracy, and capacities.
I’ll be keeping the Ridgid!
Edited 3/20/2005 12:32 pm ET by Matthew Schenker
Replies
It sounds very positive but you didnt mention how well it powers through thick hardwoods could you ellaborate on that please.Cheers Pete.
pvertis,
While doing my side-by-side comparison, I cut 3/4" oak plywood and several lengths of 1x oak. On the Ridgid, I have done some cross-cutting with 4x4 walnut and cherry for cutting boards, but I have not ripped thick hardwoods with it yet. The Ridgid has been very smooth with everything I have cut to this point. I am very impressed with its low level of vibration, even though I have been using the stock blade. The Bosch went back from where it came before I ran any thick hardwoods through it. I have only owned the Ridgid for about a month so far, so I'll have to report back later after more use.
Edited 3/20/2005 7:00 pm ET by Matthew Schenker
I have the Bosch 4000, and for the most part I agree with your findings, particulary about the miter fence slots. However, I'm sure it doesn't weight 109 lbs. I have no problem carrying it up the stairs out of my basement to use outside. If I recall, Bosch lists it as 66 lbs. I bought the Bosch to replace my 1972 Craftsman; when compared to the Craftsman fence, the Bosch is great. The Bosch is also much quieter than the Craftsman, and draws less amperage.
Good review - thanks.
OVERNIGHT,
I was giving the weight of the saw and the mobile base. The saw itself is 66 lbs.
My 4000 came with a simple folding stand, which weighs maybe 10 lbs. 42 lbs for the mobile stand? I almost think I'm better off making two trips, one with 66 lbs and the other with the stand (I'd be carry ing something else on that trip, also) than dragging 108 lbs up the stairs.Thanks.
ridget is a one piece unit on wheels after assembly
have mine 2 years diden't buy Bosch ts after I found out it was 2 pcs
I do however have the 18V 4 pc Bosch kit which I find much better than the D W 18 V kit I also have
Curious if you looked at the Porter Cable 3812S ......... I looked at the the Rigid, DW, Bosch, and PC and decided on the PC. Been very pleased so far.
I picked up the PC at Lowe's when they were blowing them out for $260 last summer. I think it is a pretty good saw for the money. It cuts through 8/4 maple and cherry without too much of a problem. The fence is pretty good, but the miter slots are sloppy with the miter guage.
How does it do with thick hardwoods.
Don't know yet. I've cut 5/4 ipe, 2x spf, and pressure treated with ease. According to a review in the Journal of Light Construction, the PC 3812 was "equally powerful" as the Bosch 4000. Here's a link to the review. Hope it works.
http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-local/view.pdf/3b2e34df4dbd37e00ad376dea2212efe/www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/42401c200011bb2627177f0000010544
It has some nice features; soft start, electric brake, good on board storage, good solid fence, and it uses a t slot for the miter gauge which I find helpful crosscutting wider stock- the miter gauge can be pulled back past the table without it falling off. I've been very pleased with it so far. The 3812 is often overlooked in this class of saws- it's worth a look. That it costs less doesn't hurt either.
jc,
This reviewer does do a good job explaining decibel levels. I also agree with him on a few minor points. But when it comes to the important details, I am again puzzled. Is he using the same saws that I used? My response relates to his assessment of the Bosch and Ridgid saws, since those are the two I used.He spends a lot of time on details that are not as important as other details. He does not comment on the finer points of setting up, calibrating, and actually using the machine. I feel like there is just something rotten in the whole tool-review industry these days.Here are points I am puzzled by in this particular review:
-- On page 3, he states that the Bosch fence scale is "particularly easy to read" but that the Ridgid scale "is a step down, mostly because the scale or pointer is hard to read." I'm sorry, but what in the world is he talking about?-- At no point in the review does he mention the accuracy and consistency of the miter slots.-- At no point in the review does he talk about vibration level.-- At no point in the review does he talk about the thickness of the table surface or saw body.-- At no point does the review discuss the parallelism of the rip fence, or how straight and square the rip fence is to the table.Leaving out these details is negligent, plain and simple. When you get the tool home, and learn of all the missing details, you can't help but ask yourself why reviewers are incapable of including such things in their reviews!
I realize I'm late to this party, and apologize for reviving the thread if you're all done with it but thought I might have some contribution since I've been using one or the other of both of these saws for the last several months on an every other day or so kind of basis. I am a kitchen and bath remodeler and work with a partner. I own the Bosch, and he has the Ridgid, mounted on the wheeled stand.I'll start by saying that I was really quite happy with the Bosch to begin with. It cuts beautifully, fairly quiet and accurate. The portability is outstanding (I've used quite a few other saws over the years and nothing this capable ever was in the same league, save the Dewalt).I do like the folding stand. I use it for more things than just holding the Bosch saw.Dust collection: The Bosch shines here--I can tell you for certain that with my vacuum attached it must save at least twice as much dust as the Ridgid.Now that I've gotten to use the Ridgid, I'll say that I agree with a lot of what you wrote in your initial post. I think in general it is a better and more substantial saw, but here are a couple of smaller things about the Ridgid that I do not like: Removing the fence from the mount on the side of the saw is not easy, in fact I broke off one of the tabs that hold it in place. Luckily there are 3 more so it still works. No matter how many times I do this, it's still difficult.I absolutely hate the on/off switch and find it to be almost dangerous. The Bosch is a comparative pleasure to operate.The ridgid table extension has recently developed a nasty habit of sticking and takes a real hard pull to open and close. I don't think this is a problem with the tool, I think it needs to be cleaned but have not looked at it myself.For portability the Bosch wins, but as I said I believe the Ridgid to be a better saw in general so it's a tough trade.I don't really like the measuring system for the extended table on the Bosch, as you pointed out. I also do not like the magnifier on the pointer. I'm always wasting time double checking if it's really a quarter, not a half, or an eighth, or whatever. Maybe it's good for people with poor eyesight but it slows me down.Does it seem like the Ridgid has a tad more power?
Mad Dog,
I continue to be very impressed with the Ridgid TS2400. It is so smooth and accurate, it kind of defies a lot of what we think of when we think of a benchtop table saw.The splitter problem hasn't happened for me. Are you using the older gray/orange version of this saw or do you have the newer all-orange one? On my saw (all orange) the splitter tabs are pretty strong and I couldn't imagine breaking one. But then again, who knows...I have not been using the TS2400 long enough to experience the sticking extensions. I am trying to keep the extensions as clean as possible. But I'm sure at some point it will need some maintenance, as it is a sliding part.I'd be very interested in hearing any other issues people have had with this saw after extended use.Thanks for your post!
It's gray and orange. I'm not sure about the splitter, what I broke was a tab that holds the fence on the saw when transporting it. It's on the right side of this saw and has a tight hold on the fence even when partially broken.All in all, I'm impressed and kind of wish I hadn't gotten the Bosch and had this saw but I will happily keep on sawing with my Bosch when his saw isn't available! I must say that I never gave Ridgid tools any thoughts when they did the Home Depot thing, but it seems like the ones I've been exposed to have been pretty well made, and yes I'm really picky about tools as you can probably guess from my post.Great to have the forums for this trading of knowledge. I've been studying up on band saws.
I'm not defending Bosch but do you think that they might have made it for a different usage?
I've seen subcontractors on jobsites come in, plunk down a TS on the floor with no base, and just rip and crosscut stuff freehand. I've seen it more often than not. They were flooring contractors. But other subs might not be too concerned about accuracy either.
They would be concerned about price, power, and weight.
On the other hand. Some portable TS might be replacing stationary TS in a shop that needs to move around for a car or whatever. These saws would be marketed to a completely different usage/person.
The newer lightweight portable saws that are replacing the stationary units are fairly new on the market. Ten, fifteen years ago they weren't around if my memory serves me right. O.K. Maybe fifteen, twenty.
david,
I agree with you about the Bosch. When you look at these two saws side by side, it does appear that Bosch and Ridgid were aiming for different purposes. I really think the Bosch 4000 is just a better bench-top, and the Ridgid TS2400 is a viable alternative to a contractor saw in a small shop.To tell you the truth, what irks me most here is the reviews in woodworking magazines. Why on earth are the magazines saying that the Bosch is equal to or better than the Ridgid? I just read another review yesterday that again puts the Bosch ahead of the Ridgid. The magazine has a photo on the cover of a stack of bench-top saws piled on top of each other.Are these reviewers actually using the saws and measuring details?Not one review I've read mentions the extra 2" of space at the front of the table on the Ridgid. Not one review I've read mentions the fact that the Ridgid's aluminum table is 0.08" thicker than the Bosch. Even without a caliper, you can feel that difference. I can't recall any reviews mentioning the slop in the Bosch miter slots. People are making buying decisions based partly on reviews. It's their responsibility to actually cover all the details you are going to encounter when you unpack the saw.
SORRY I HAVE TO!Are these reviewers actually using the saws and measuring details?I count the advertisements in a Mag. for the product when I read a review!
Your right! They are doing a sloppy job most of the time and pat each other on the back. You the man! No you the man! What a joke! That's just circular flattery.
These days I take just about everything with a grain of salt. And no I'm not being negative. The truth is a precious commodity these days. Even so called friends won't tell you when you've messed up.
Matthew, have you thought about posting your review(s) on the Woodworker's Central Tool Review section? Here's the URL:
http://www.woodworking2.org/toolpage.htm
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Forestgirl,
Oh, thanks a lot. Now I might have another tool site to become obsessed with. I'm just kidding, I do check in once in a while on Woodworker's Central, though I don't post messages there. Between my Festool Owners Group and Knots, I have enough distractions. But maybe I'll make this one exception...
"But maybe I'll make this one exception..." Please do! As much work as you put into the write-up, it'd be good to see maximum exposure for those who are considering either of those saws.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled