Not too long ago we did a review of the Ridgid R4090, the Beast. When Ridgid named that saw a beast, they weren’t joking. That is one of my favorite saws around. I have used it on numerous projects and it has done great every time. Very smooth, easy to work with, easy to clean, great cuts and more. Now we have a chance to take a closer look at the 8″ tile saw model R4040S which has some different features. The Beast is more of a commercial saw, it has all the bells and whistles. The R4040S is more portable and has a lower price point. So let’s jump in and learn about the R4040S.
This saw has an 8″ blade and is a wet saw designed for tile and pavers. The heart of the system is the motor which is a 12 amp motor, so it does have some great power to cut through a wide range of materials. A user has a 24″ rip with an 18″ diagonal and 2.75″ deep. The motor is mounted to an Aluminum heavy arm to help prevent flexing while cutting. As you can see in the video below, the system has a nice water management system in place. As the water moves down the tray, it catches the bigger items at the top and so on down the tray. Then the water moves back towards the pump where a cleanable filter will take the rest of the items out of the water that could hurt the pump.
One feature I really like about this model more than the Beast is how compact this unit gets. Again, they are two different types of saws, but this one is much easier to transport. The stand folds up nicely and one item that is cool is the tool less height adjustment, plus scratch resistant feet. While the stand does fold up nicely, I do wish it was a little more sturdy. While it’s not bad in terms of wobble, it could be better.
Cutting tile with this saw is a breeze, the tray slides nicely. Also plenty of water to keep the dust down and the water pretty much stays in the tray. The saw is also equipped with a laser that does a nice job making sure your line is matched up with the blade. While it was hard to see in direct sun light, in all other environments, the laser was easy to read.
The Ridgid Tile Saw R4040S comes with:
- R4040S Saw
- Hex Wrench
- 8″ Diamond Cutting Blade
- Cutting Wheel Wrench
- Rear Splash Guard
- Folding Stand
- Filter, Side Splash Guard
- Miter Gauge
- Submersible Pump
- Water Tray
- Rear Water Tray
Overall this is a great saw. If you don’t need the Beast, but want something bigger than the smaller wet saws, this is a great option. The water management system is great and most of the water will stay in the tray and not spill outside. The cutting capacity is also great, but the portability and ease of set up can’t be beat. One huge thing about this is how nice the tray slides on the rails. Now I haven’t used this on tons of stuff, but enough to feel confident this will last and would be a great buy.
Great writeup Eric! Ridgid seems to make some great wet saws. This looks very portable!the stand does look like it could be sturdier! keep up the great work!
Eric–Interesting product, in that it fits between the kindy-garten sized wet tile saws and larger commercial units. I would have liked more actual cutting footage to demonstrate the saw’s versatility. I like the fact that it uses a laser guide to keep you on track as you’re cutting; the units we had at work were old-style and didn’t have that capability. As a consequence, setting up cuts (of rock or concrete) took longer. It looks smooth and easy to operate, which removes some of the intimidation factor in using one of these.
No matter what, you shouldn’t operate one of these without ear plugs or hearing muffs, a face shield and a plastic apron to keep the rooster-tail of slurry off your clothing. And don’t forget to wear dishwashing gloves or latex exam gloves to ensure a good grip. A diamond blade won’t cut you like a regular wood blade, but it can break a finger (or worse) if you’re not careful. Since this uses water to cool the blade and lubricate what you’re cutting, does it have a GFCI built in to its circuitry, or do you need to provide your own?
Very nice saw. Would’ve been nice to have one of these for a tub surround I did a couple of weeks ago. I used a cheapo home depot budget wet tile saw and man is it a pain to use. Its a few years old and keeps on going. I would really like one of these in your review, I just don’t do enough tiling work to justify an upgrade.
Not for everyday use, ive had 3 and bearings on the armature assembly went up in two of them ,one went up a second time after it was replaced once. Working with the 3rd which was a replacement and it sounds like they are getting loose in this one too. Other then that fine saw just wish they would figure something out to stop the problem from happening for future buyers