New Cabinet Saw

[Joe Leigh]

Hi Paul,

I vote for the SS. I have the SS – ICS. The SS, to me, is the best built, has superior customer service and the brake is a bonus. Just an additional thought: when I attempted to sell my non-SS table saw, I could not even give it away to any woodworking school in the state. They will only purchase SS.

To be fair, the brake might be viewed as a "bonus", but it's a $1000 bonus over the PM2000. As for the schools not purchasing anything other than SawStop, that's more about perceived safety than it is about quality.

[Tom Godley]

The amount of money you want to spend will really determine the saw. I am not a huge user of the table saw --- but I wanted a regular powerful cabinet saw for the few times I use one. I went with the PM2000. At the time the SS was at least 5k and I was able to get the Powermatic for around $2300.00 on Amazon. The PM is a very nice saw - great way to go if you want a new unit - quiet, nice fence, lots of power, good dust collection. Having used a ICS SS on numerous occasions I feel the quality of the PM and the SS are about the same.

I was very impressed with the quality of the Grizzly unit I looked at last week -- not quite to the level of the PM -- but it was 1/2 the price and looked to be equal as far as functionality -- liked the fence on the PM better.

Everyone has different styles of work. If I was a woodworker whose methods revolved around using the table saw for most of my projects I would have purchased a sliding table saw -- IMO they are the safest way to go on multiple levels. But I have the space. If it was going to be used constantly and I only had room for a table saw the SS would be a compelling purchase.

[Prashun Patel]

I have the SS PCS. I do like my saw, but the shine has worn off a little:

1) If you want to dado, you have to change the brake and you have to use an 8" stack. When you change the brake, you have to doublecheck the distance to the blade so's not to cause a misfire, but to be close enough to fire accurately. This is the kind of thing I want to do once - not when I'm rushed bkz I'm already annoyed at the time it takes to swap out a dado stack and adjust the shims, etc. My sol'n is to do dado's with the router - or to avoid them.

2) I'm not so keen on the dust collection. I've tried a couple of configurations, and can't get it to work as well as the last saw I had. Others may beg to differ, so take this as one data point.

What I DO like about the fit / finish of my saw is the ease of changing the guard and riving knife (toolless). The fence is fine and accurate. The manual is amazing - which really helps to tune it properly.

If comparing it to the Uni or the PM, I believe feature wise you might be about even. If comparing it to a cheaper saw, I believe you might be able to close the gap in any quality/safety diffs by purchasing aftermarket guards, etc.

If yr deciding between th

[David Helm]

I hate to be an old stick in the mud; but safety isn't the brake. Safety is the attention of the USER! If you don't have safe practices, you probably shouldn't be using a table saw.

[Joe Leigh]

I hate to be an old stick in the mud; but safety isn't the brake. Safety is the attention of the USER! If you don't have safe practices, you probably shouldn't be using a table saw.

Hence the word "perceived".

[Neil Brooks]

I'm not in a rush to get a cabinet saw, but ... it's on the short list of wants.

And -- like the OP, and so many others -- I'm looking at all the same issues, and the same contenders.

I'd love to hate the SS, but can't. Period. Seems like a darned good saw.

It's probably NOT my front runner (tends to vacillate between the Delta and the PM2000), but ... nothing I've heard, read, or seen about it EVER drops it from contention.

Much of the decision CAN be based on the "what kind of person are you" generality. As I'm fond of saying, I'm pretty geared up, with safety stuff, when I road bike, mountain bike, and ride my dual-sport motorcycle.

I put ALL the burden of safety on ME, in an "active" sense, but take pretty good advantage of many of the "passive" safety devices out there.

Because ... they're out there.

If the SS were even a NOTCH worse, in overall performance, than the others, it wouldn't be on the short list.

But ... sadly ... it doesn't seem to BE a notch worse, on most fronts.

[Ashwini Kaul]

Can someone comment on their dust collection experience on the PM 2000 - both above and below the table?
I have been looking at the same contenders, and was close to getting the new 1023 Grizzly, but its backordered. With the current sales on the PM and Delta - the PM 2000 looks very tempting.

[Paul McGaha]

Ashwini,

You sound to me like you are very close, just about there.

PHM

[Joe Leigh]

Can someone comment on their dust collection experience on the PM 2000 - both above and below the table?

I'm very impressed with the dust collection on my PM2000. With the blade guard in place I get little to no visible dust when ripping, and I run a modest 650CFM collector with a zero clearance insert full time. The lower cabinet does collect some dust that the shroud misses but it's a very small amount and is contained within the cabinet. Simple enough to open the hinged motor access door periodically and vacuum it out once a month or so.
Above the table with the blade guard removed you will get some dust thrown back at the operator but that's the same on any saw. You can minimize this by paying attention to blade height, or do like many here do and install above blade dust collection.

[Ashwini Kaul]

Ashwini,

You sound to me like you are very close, just about there.

PHM

Paul... you Sir are very perceptive!
I am very close to pulling the trigger and am debating the extra $600 for the Unisaw? I am leaning towards the PM regardless.

[Paul McGaha]

Ashwini,

Of the (3) manufactures that Paul Tinsen started this thread with, and the other suggestions, I really dont think there are any bad choices.

I suppose it comes down to your personal preferences.

Good luck with it.

PHM

[Tom Godley]

I find the dust collection to be very good - especially since mine is not connected to anything very powerful. The SS I have used is connected to a large system with similar results.

I have no experience with the new Delta -- other then the reviews.

[greg a bender]

So far, I've found the dust collection on the new Uni very good. They do recommend at least a 1200 cfm DC. I'm using a HF 2hp with a cartridge filter and trash can cyclone. With the standard guard and throat plate, no dust in the face!

[johnny means]

I hate to be an old stick in the mud; but safety isn't the brake. Safety is the attention of the USER! If you don't have safe practices, you probably shouldn't be using a table saw.

Yeah, because only stupid, drunk, innattentive donkeys get hurt.

[Paul Tinsen]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all the info. Sorry I took so long to reply. I went with the Delta Unisaw. I needed to buy some other tools as well so saving the grand over the SS helped. Plus it was on sale with a free mobile base. Just couldn't pass up the deal. I would have liked to look at the PM but no one in my area carried it in stock and with this sort of purchase I need to see and feel the product. I am very satisfied with the Unisaw. As a side note, I love this forum, so much knowledge and insight and it always seems to come very quickly. Thanks again I am sure I will have many more questions!