Ridgid tools

This may be rehashing an old topic,

I'm a Bosch guy myself, but how does one argue with a "lifetime" warranty? Maybe its time I re-evaluate my tool (cordless) purchases.

Anyone take advantage or put to use the warranty offer yet?

The "limetime warranty" is kinda a joke. First you take it back to the store, then they send it in, then you wait to see if it is covered. If they do cover it it could be a few weeks before you se it back. This might not be a big deal for some, but I dont like all the hands in the warranty process.

I'm not loyal to any particular brand....no one company has the best (or worst) of everything. When I need/want to a tool, I see what's available in a reasonable price range and pick the one that makes the most sense....sometimes it's Ridgid, sometimes Bosch, Craftsman, GI, PC, Grizzly, Delta, MW, DW, Freud, etc. I'm just a tool sleaze...no monogamy here!

Me too. Instead of one brand I like to use those that come recommended.

Al killian said:

The "limetime warranty" is kinda a joke. First you take it back to the store, then they send it in, then you wait to see if it is covered. If they do cover it it could be a few weeks before you se it back. This might not be a big deal for some, but I dont like all the hands in the warranty process.

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This is the first woodworking forum that I have participated in for about 6 years. I remember back then ( when Rigid was fairly new to the woodworker) the same questions came up about their warranty. The consensus at that time was their warranty was no better then anyone elses. Trying to collect on a "lifetime warranty" from Rigid would be nothing short of frustrating . In the end you will find that all others have the same warranty.

Warranty issue aside, I bought the Rigid Lathe, and it was just a copy of an old sears model and it wasn't even a good copy, and it was piece of junk. I ended up selling it at a garage sale for what I could get for it.

Never again.

I have bought Grizzley now for 10 years for big stationary floor tools, to date, I have had "0" problems. They came set up ready to go right out of the box. Everything else I have is PC, Bosch, Incra.

My only outlaw is a Ryobi AP-10 Planer, one of the very first, perhaps the best tool, I have ever bought.

Cheers......

I have the 18v combo from Ridgid. I kept my receipts and a copy of the warranty from the orange borg. TWICE they have replaced both batteries for free. Those batteries run around $80 each.

The manager always gets involved and he surely doesn't want to do it but with the paper work in hand he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Both times I was told that next time I would have to deal with "Ridgid".

DT

I have two Ridgid tools, that is a reciprocating saw and a spindle sander. They are both of good quality and I would buy them again. But the warrenty in not very good. I had a part fall off the saw and tried to get the saw fixed or replaced. I was told at Home Depot that I could be without the saw for up to a couple of months so, rather than do this, I (sort of) fixed it myself.

Ridgid was the mfg of most of Craftsman (Sears) table saws, etc for many many years... So to say that Ridgid tools are a copy of Sears is kinda sorta backward...

I never knew this until I began doing a little research attempting to dig up a manual for an older Craftsman TS that I had...

I have a Ridgid 1300 planer, 6" jointer, Oscillating spindle sander and I still have my 3650 TS (which is for sale). The 3650 is an updated copy of the late 70's / early 80's Craftsman TS that I have... The trunions, motor mount, carraige, etc etc are nearly identical.

The planer is a good piece... I have not had an issue with it and it just keeps on chugging... I haven't even had to replace or turn the knives over yet and I've fed at least 300 BF or soft and hardwood through it... The jointer is just about like every other 6" jointer out there that are branded under various names (jet, craftsman, delta, etc etc). Honestly to do it over again I'd just skip the 6" jointers and go right for an 8" model.

The spindle sander is a nice little unit... Comes with a lot of bells and whistles for most projects... But what it isn't is a big sturdy CI table spindle sander... If I get too aggressive I can easily deflect the spindle and get and non-perpendicular sanded surface relative to the table...

the 3650 IMHO is a very good saw for the price... Never had and issue with mine and I feel sort of bad that I've pushed it to the far wall and out of use in the shop in leiu of a new Hybrid TS. Hopefully it finds a good home soon

Alan DuBoff said:

Neither is correct, AFAIK. Emerson is the company that built the table saws, for both Sears and Ridgid.

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Emerson is one correct answer, depending on the era. Ridgid wwing tools didn't exist at the time Emerson was making the Craftsman saws and were developed in response to this business "divorce". Emerson made the Craftsman saws for a couple of decades until ~ 1997, then they were made by Ryobi until 2004 when Orion stepped in with the current hybrids. Emerson owns the name and made the Ridgid saws until the 3650 was introduced, when manufacturing switched to Ryobi's parent company.... TTI. Emerson still owns the Ridgid name. I believe King Seeley made the Craftsman saws prior to Emerson....those old saws from the mid 50s have essentially the same guts as today's Ridgid saws.

One way to tell who made it is by the first 3 digits of the model number....AFAIK, "113".###### means Emerson, and I think it's either "315" or "351" for Ryobi....not sure what the King Seeley prefix is (someone will...). "152" indicates it was made by Orion, but it'll be a completely different animal from the Ridgid style.

I worked for a company that manufactured tools for the name brands. This same company made their own brand using most of the same parts as the name brands at the same quality. I've been convinced that the no-name brands can be as good as the name brands. I do look into the features and see what feedback is from others, but I'm not loyal to any particular brand.