Unisaw to PCS Sawstop, wise upgrade?

[Patrick Irish]

I have a platinum edition Unisaw and added sharkguard and the adjustable riving knife.

Great saw. I got it used and did have to add the front rail (drill and tap etc)

I can get a used Pcs 175 Sawstop 36" rail and 1.75hp motor for probably $1k. Then I think it would be another $550 to change over the motor to a 3hp.

I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble? I have the time and don't like the manually adjustable riving knife on my Unisaw. I need it and it works but many cuts with the fence over the threat plate I need to raise the blade but can't because it will hit the riving knife. I therefor have to move the fence, pull the throat plate, raise the riving knife etc. Its a hassle and just the other day I almost raised the blade into the riving knife.

I think the top dimensions of the Unisaw are a little bigger than the Sawstop but that may be a trade off to have a left tip, flesh sensing and built in riving knife.

Thoughts?

[Mike Henderson]

If you weren't dissatisfied with the Unisaw, I'd certainly recommend that you just keep the Unisaw. Having to upgrade the 120V SawStop that you mention to a 3HP motor would be a chore. I'd keep a lookout for a 3HP SawStop.

Of course, the 1.75HP might be enough for your use and you wouldn't have to put any more money into it.

Also, call SawStop and ask if you can convert the 120V PCS to 240V - with or without a motor swap.

Mike

[Bruce Page]

I have debated the Unisaw vs Sawstop upgrade question. I haven't been able to justify it myself, I'm very happy with my Uni

[Ben Rivel]

If you weren't dissatisfied with the Unisaw, I'd certainly recommend that you just keep the Unisaw. Having to upgrade the 120V SawStop that you mention to a 3HP motor would be a chore. I'd keep a lookout for a 3HP SawStop.

Of course, the 1.75HP might be enough for your use and you wouldn't have to put any more money into it.

Also, call SawStop and ask if you can convert the 120V PCS to 240V - with or without a motor swap.

Mike

You can. You just have to order a conversion kit from SawStop. LINK

[Jim Morgan]

I wish sharkguard would engineer a riving knife that is adjustable from above the table. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

[Mike Chalmers]

Sawstop PCS for $1K? What's the issue? Grab it!

[Simon MacGowen]

Sawstop PCS for $1K? What's the issue? Grab it!

Agreed. As long as it is a legit sales (not some stolen item), grab it as fast as you can and then get the 220v conversion kit. Unless you are in a production shop, the PCS on 220 is all you will need. I can't but wonder who would sell his or her pcs for just 1k.

Simon

[johnny means]

Well, one mistake and it will be either the worst or best choice you ever made.

[Roy Turbett]

I traded my 3 Hp Unisaw for a 5 Hp Sawstop ICS and wish I had kept the Unisaw. I like the Unifence better than the Sawstop, don't like changing cartridges for dados, and find myself using the bypass mode frequently because of fears of accidental triggers. I do like the Sawstop riving knife better than the Biesmeyer splitter on my Unisaw.

[Jim Andrew]

Don't know how much you use your saw, but if you are unsure of your safety training, you might consider it. Tablesaw training requires extensive safety emphasis. I was once a shop teacher, and kids drove me crazy using the tablesaw. They took risks that I cautioned them about every day. Schools NEED sawstop, or other safety technology, that said, I have and use a unisaw.

[Randy Heinemann]

I like the suggestion that you buy the saw and use it with the 1.75 HP motor for awhile to see if it is sufficient for your use. That particular motor is a good one and powerful in its own right. I love having the peace of mind of the Sawstop blade brake even though I am very safe when using a table saw and I've never had a finger/hand serious accident. The Sawstop saws are great saws above and beyond the blade brake feature.

[ken carroll]

I don't understand how that can be considered an upgrade? Unless you are accident prone, in which case woodworking is not the hobby for you.

[John Piwaron]

Disclaimer: I have and use a new design Unisaw with a 3hp motor. The version with two hand wheels on the front.

I think what you propose is a lot of effort for not a lot of gain. Yeah, you get the flesh sensing tech. That's good. But in other respects the Unisaw is better. Just my opinion. I encourage you to do what you want. I just wouldn't do it.

OTOH, if you could get Sawstop's bigger saw, then get that. That's an upgrade.

[Chris Hachet]

I have debated the Unisaw vs Sawstop upgrade question. I haven't been able to justify it myself, I'm very happy with my Uni

Same here.

[Simon MacGowen]

I don't understand how that can be considered an upgrade? Unless you are accident prone, in which case woodworking is not the hobby for you.

Of course, different people have different views or definitions of what an upgrade is.

SawStop offers hand down better dust collection with its dust collection guard than any other cabinet saws in North America -- new or old, even if the finger-saving feature is excluded or ignored. For many woodworkers who have breathing concerns or work in tight spaces, that is a HUGE upgrade. It certainly was for me. Now, I only turn on the air filtration system and the dust collection without wearing a mask for hours and hours-- a big upgrade to my woodworking routine.

Soon, people will find the new router lift, sliding table, etc. further upgrades wen they switch from(fill in the brand name) to SawStop. SawStop is not going to go away as some wish, now that it is part of the big Festool family.

Simon