Rockwell RK7241S Review

Model	Table Size	No-Load RPM	Max Cut Depth (45º / 90º)	Rip Capacity (Right / Left)	Weight
Rockwell RK7241S Table Saw Check Price on Amazon.com	28.5” x 19”	4 800 RPM	2-9/16” / 3-9/16" Guides: saw alignment, maintenance, safety	30" / 11"	73.6 lbs.

Pros:

Laser guide makes it easy to see where your cut is going to land
Foldout rip fence provides wider rip capacity than most portable table saws
Deepest cut of its class, with maximum cutting depth of 3-9/16”

Cons:

Blade adjustment is complicated and difficult
Customer service staff unable to adequately explain how to adjust the blade
Laser guide requires AAA batteries

Whether you are building furniture or a house, a table saw is one of those tools that is not just a “wish I had one,” but a “I absolutely need it.” The table saw is the go-to tool for ripping plywood as well as cutting boards, and a good table saw is one of the most important tools any carpenter or contractor could have. The Rockwell RK7241S table saw with laser looks like a good choice, but let’s take a look and see how it stands up against the competition.

What’s in the Box

The Rockwell RK7241S comes with everything you need to get started, but let’s take a look at what all is in the box.

The Rockwell RK7241S table saw (Amazon link)
Folding table saw stand
10” table saw blade
Dust bag
Folding rip fence
Blade guard assembly
Riving knife
Push stick
45-degree miter gauge
2 blade wrenches

Assembling The Saw

Assembly of this table saw is a snap, and can be completed in minutes. The table saw and stand are fully assembled immediately from the box; unfold the stand in seconds, secure the saw to the stand, and you are almost ready to go. While you can saw without the blade guard, I strongly recommend using it; installation only takes a few seconds and no tools. The riving knife also installs in seconds, and the dust bag fits right on over the dust port on the bottom of the saw. I had my Rockwell RK7241S up and running in less than 20 minutes.

Next, I had to fine-tune the blade, since it was off true by almost 1/8th of an inch from the front to the back of the blade. I’m used to needing to align table saws, but this one has the strangest setup for blade alignment I’ve ever seen. It’s so strange that I almost thought there wasn’t any way to adjust the blade. You have to flip the saw upside down and remove the orange grating over the bottom dust port. You’ll need to operate the crank that raises and lowers the blade, and you will notice a nut holding a horizontal bolt that pivots the motor assembly. To align the blade, loosen that nut and have a helper push and hold the motor in the needed direction, then retighten the nut. Not as easy as it should, or could, be.

Features

My favorite feature of this saw is the laser guide. It works flawlessly to show you precisely where your cut is going to land, so there is no more guesswork in cutting or ripping your wood stock. My only wish would be that the laser was powered by the saw itself, instead of the AAA batteries. It almost seems like the laser was an afterthought instead of an integral part of the saw.

My next favorite feature is the foldout 30” rip fence, which provides wider rip capacity than just about any other table saw in this class. You can easily cut a 4×8 sheet of plywood in half, thanks to the extra long rip fence. The rip fence is stable and accurate, easily holding your wood stock as you feed it through the blade. This saw also has the deepest cut of its class, with a maximum cutting depth of 3-9/16 inches to cut 4×4 lumber all the way through with ease.

The Rockwell RK7241S boasts a 15-amp motor, and spins the blade at 4800 rpm. This saw can cut through some seriously hard hardwood, and do so with ease, when it is properly aligned. If you notice binding or excessive kickback, you may want to check your blade alignment to be sure it is true horizontally and vertically. The outfeed support works wonderfully to help catch your wood as you cut it, so you don’t have to rely on rollers or saw horses.

When you have wood on the table, the miter gauge stays nice and secure, without any wobble or play. Without the wood, you might notice some play in the miter gauge, but it is still accurate once it is held down by your wood.

Finally, the stand. The trolley stand folds easily, and has integrated wheels for transporting the saw from the workshop to the job site and back again. All of the accessories stow on board the stand, so you don’t have to worry about losing parts.

At 88.5 pounds, this is not the lightest table saw and stand on the market, but it is definitely a good weight. The built-in wheels, especially, make this table saw easier to transport than some other comparable competing table saws.

Durability of This Rockwell

The Rockwell RK7241S is a pretty durable table saw. Once aligned, it holds true quite well, even after several drops and falls. The table finish is good, without any sign of wearing or rubbing that I’ve noticed on more expensive table saws. Rockwell has put a lot of thought into the durability of this saw, and it is pretty rock solid.

Ease of Use

The Rockwell RK7241S is easy to use, especially with the laser guide. The foldout rip fence works wonderfully, and the extension table is easy to set up. For transportation, the stand folds down in seconds and is ready to roll to the next site or back to the truck.

Warranty

Rockwell covers the RK7241S with a two-year limited warranty, and their customer service is very highly regarded. Unfortunately, they were not much help to me when I wanted to know how to properly align the blade, but they did point me in the right direction.