Sawstop Reviews

[Daniel Shnitka]

I have the Sawstop Industrial Cabinet Saw. In every measurable category excluding the the braking system it comes out ahead.
I started researching the table saws nearly four years ago. After many visists to the local dealers and countless searches on the net I decided to buy a Canadian built General, model 650. A couple of my friends and I head off to the annual woodworking show.
As we were driving to the woodworking show with all the major manufactures my recently retired friend gave me some advice, "make sure the saw you buy has a riving knife that is quick and easy to add or remove".

His advice was based on a piece of wood that kicked back and narrowly missed his eye. The splitter on his Unisaw was just to time consuming to install and remove for the different opperations. The splitter was not installed when the kickback incident occured.

At the different booths of the big NorthAmerican power tool manufactures not one of them had a riving knife currently available and on their table saws.

The General sales man said for $150 and a six month wait they would have a unit available for the model 650.

Well I kept my $3500 in the bank and on the Monday after the the show I walked in to the local dealer for Sawstop and began the process anew of digesting all the info I could on Sawstop. With calipers, dial indicators and straight edge and a couple oth other measuring tools I concluded the sawstop would meet or exceed all my requirements.
The Sawstop Industrial came out ahead in:
1. Flatness of the table and smoothing matching of the cast iron extension wings.
2. The matching of the bolts holes and the proper sizes nuts and bolts for the designated attachment of extention tables and rails.
3. The perfect straightness of the fence and smoothness of sliding.
4. The out of the box readiness of the saw. No need to adust the blade for square on 90 degree or 45 degree.
5. The heavey duty height and angle adjust wheels with no slack or back lash. This has much to do with the fit of the gears and the gas shock system for the saw.
6. The dust collection system above and below the table. Until I got this saw I never realized how much good practical design for above the table dust removal has added to saving time cleaning up the shop.
7. The size of the table is so nice compared to what Iwas working with before.
8. The smoothness of the saw due to the flat ribbed belt which transfer power to the blade with less vibration.
9. The fit and finsh of the saw and the gauge of the hardware, stand, rails arbor, trunions and unbeatable mobile base. No short cuts or cheaping out.
10. The customer service was friendly. They just make feel you are so important to their business. I was almost embarassed asking them a couple of questions.

[John Sanford]

From the Wood review, it sounds like it's a toss up between the new Unisaw and the SawStop, safety mech aside. The Uni is a more user friendly saw with the controls up front, easiest change/removal of the blade guard, excellent miter gauge. The SS has better dust collection, bulletproof fence. Were it me, sans braking mech, I'd go for the Unisaw. The improvements in the Unisaw wouldn't be enough to lead me to replace an existing Uni. And, if I already had a Uni (which I don't), I'd hesitate to 'downgrade' to a SS Contractor's. But there would be no hesitation in going to a SS PCS or ICS from a older model Uni/PM66/Jet/etc, etc.... In short, with the exception of the new Unisaw and perhaps the PM2000, the SS PCS is an upgrade from any other common (i.e., non-industrial/non-commercial) cabinet saw.

Now, if I could get a Unisaw with the blade brake technology.... oh, and it has to run on 120v.

Most importantly in your case, She Who Must Be Obeyed, well, must be obeyed. Git on with picking yer SawStop (PCS or ICS).

[John Neel]

Another vote for the quality of the ICS. I upgraded from a Dewalt Portable 18 months ago. I was, and still am not, a highly skilled wood worker. However, I was able to make all adjustments easily and it has stayed where I set it. [I too had to do some disassembly to get it through a narrow door.] Of course compared to the portable, it is a magic saw. Customer service has been superb. I call and within a minute someone is answering my question.

Like others, my wife was very encouraging of the purchase. She had seen the results of my friend's 3 finger amputation on a portable saw with one finger reattached in the thumb position to give a semblance of a grip. I think she only wanted to hold hands with a whole hand. If your wife likes the idea, I don't think you would ever by unhappy with the purchase.

[Keith Albertson]

I've had my Sawstop PCS (3400 bucks with 52 inch fence, a few extra blade inserts, and a Dado brake) and am absolutely delighted. It eats anything I push through it, without spewing dust all over the place. The fence is crazy accurate. After years of using a Delta contractor saw, I suddenly feel like I've joined the varsity woodworking team.

I love everything about this saw. Yes, I would pay $3400 for this saw without the brake. Any day. No question. In a heart-beat.

The only drawback is that I can no longer use my saw as an excuse for a crappy project!!!!

Get it, you'll love it, and you'll never regret it.

[Dave MacArthur]

I own a Powermatic 66, and have used a PM66, Delta Unisaw, and SawStop all three in one shop at once. The saw stop is hands down the best of the three, although the PM66 and Uni were both > 10 years old.

That being said, I do love my PM66 at home! But every time I mess with dust collection, I find myself saying "why can't they retrofit some rubber/plastic doofers for inside this cabinet to collect dust like the SS?"

[Brian Penning]

That being said, I do love my PM66 at home! But every time I mess with dust collection, I find myself saying "why can't they retrofit some rubber/plastic doofers for inside this cabinet to collect dust like the SS?"

Interesting, the dust collection is the only complaint I have about my SS.

[John Coloccia]

DC is universally lousy on table saws without collection over the blade. The new SS blade guard fixes that. It's not out for the contractor saw yet so I'm using the SharkGuard, but SS says it should be out very soon.

[Paul Ryan]

Interesting, the dust collection is the only complaint I have about my SS.

I have very little sources for my information on dust collection. But from what I have been told, the PCS has much better dust collection than the ICS. That is even with out the Blade guard. The ICS uses a cast iron blade shroud that while very strong and adding weight, doesn't let the air flow as smoothly, as the plastic shroud used on the PCS. I have heard many guys complain about dust collection on their ICS saws, but no one complaining about the PCS dust collection. Now that doesn't say much. But with the tiny 1 1/2 hp dust collector I use my cabinet on my PCS stays very very clean. In the year I have owned the saw and having filled the dust collector (used on all tools though) about a dozen times in the year. There wasn't more than about 1/16" dust in the bottom of the cabinet.

[Brian Penning]

I have very little sources for my information on dust collection. But from what I have been told, the PCS has much better dust collection than the ICS. That is even with out the Blade guard. The ICS uses a cast iron blade shroud that while very strong and adding weight, doesn't let the air flow as smoothly, as the plastic shroud used on the PCS. I have heard many guys complain about dust collection on their ICS saws, but no one complaining about the PCS dust collection. Now that doesn't say much. But with the tiny 1 1/2 hp dust collector I use my cabinet on my PCS stays very very clean. In the year I have owned the saw and having filled the dust collector (used on all tools though) about a dozen times in the year. There wasn't more than about 1/16" dust in the bottom of the cabinet.

I admit I don't use the blade guard (still in it's original package) on my ICS. That being said the dust seems to fly out of the gaps between the top and the cabinet sides, and the large openings for the handwheels.
Been meaning to stuff foam in-between the gaps for the 1st location.
I always have loads of dust inside the cabinet too.

[Darrell Bade]

I would pay more than some other saws if it did not have the brake, but not as much of a premium as they want.

I have an ICS and other than the brake there is one main reason I bought it. I consider anything over $1000 a major purchase in my life. I looked at all the major saws, Jet, Powermatic, Steel City, General, etc. and just did not feel that any of those saws looked like I thought they should in fit in finish for the money they wanted for them. The saw stop just has an impressive fit, finish and features that stand out in my opinion and makes me think that they have done something that makes them standout and justify a price premium.

In the end the SS may just be a turd with a nice finish, but at least there is one company that knows how to wrap the turd and get peoples attention enough that they think the extra cost is worth it.

[Glen Butler]

I own a powermatic 2000. The only reason I didn't buy a sawstop was the price. I got my 5HP PM2000 for $2000 dollars. Other than that SS looks like a great machine.

[Harley Lewis]

My wife insisted that I get a SS as well. I have had the ICS for a year and it is head and shoulders above the uni I had before the saw stop. This is my 4th table saw, and honestly I thought the uni was the last one and if it were not for the safety features of the SS I would still have the uni because the safety features is why I bought the SS. However, comparing saw to saw without the braking system the SS comes out on top in every category, it is one well built and well designed saw.

I had a moment of stupidity with the uni and almost lost 4 fingers, if I had the SS I doubt I would have drawn blood. One accident in 45 years of wood working is not a bad record, but once is all it takes!