Conductor562 Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 A little over a year ago my wife decided that the lenolium in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room had to go. She asked me, ok she ordered me to tile them and I figured it was in my best interest to comply. Seeing how I had 4 rooms to do I was finally able to justify purchasing a tile saw. After a few hours of shopping around I settled on the Ridgid R4020 from Home Depot. At $197 it fit my DIY budget nicely and the Lifetime warranty was a big plus. The first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the box was how portable and compact it was without being undersized like some saws I have seen. This was a big bonus for me as storage space is somewhat limited. After about 5 minutes of simple set up like attaching the blade, splash guard, and rip fence, I was ready to go. As with any saw, there was a brief period of adjustment required to get a feel for it, but once I got going I was very satisfied with the quality of the cuts and the 6.5 amp motor provided ample power. Once I figured out the proper speed and pressure to feed the material, it was completely chip free. The large paddle style power switch made turning the saw on and off a breeze with no fumbling around to find it. Adjustments were a snap as the gauge was sufficiently accurate and the rip fence locked securely in place. The splash guard did a good job of minimizing the splash and while I did find myself getting a little bit wet, it was not what I would consider an unacceptable amount for a saw of this type. This saw is all about functional simplicity. It lacks a lot of the features found on many high end saws like a sliding table, but it maintains a broad range of capabilities through clever design. The table insert that accesses the water reservoir props up to allow for bevel cuts of 22.5 or 45 degrees and the process of setting it up takes about 30 seconds. There is an included miter guide for diagonal cuts though I can't honestly say I've used it. The saw is a pumpless design and recycles water via a channel around the perimeter of the table. The water return channel does have a tendency to get clogged once in awhile but is easily cleared with a finger or brush. Transporting the saw is as simple as it can be. All the included accessories fit easily in the reservoir compartment when not in use and the large carry handle is comfortable. I lock the rip fence over the lid to secure it.The only real drawback to this saw for me is that the compact design only allows for a guided rip of about 8" therefor I would not recommend it for routine work with tile over 12". While I was satisfied with the OEM blade, I noticed many other users saying they got much better performance from aftermarket blades, but that really isn't that uncommon. This is a great saw for the DIY crowd or even the Contractor who deals in tile occasionally. A professional who works in tile routinely would certainly want more than this saw has to offer, but for me it was just what I was looking for. It provides a lot of capability for under $200. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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