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Which Sawstop?

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7K views 48 replies 33 participants last post by  PaGeorge 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is not a which brand of table saw to buy question. I've decided (and it's just my opinion) that for me, as I get older, the safety mechanism of the sawstop is a no brainer. Your opinion may vary. I respect that.

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My 1985 Delta/Rockwell constractors saw has had mucho use over the years. It's been a workhorse and reliable. It's still going strong but I can hear the bearing wine sometimes and I think it's got some play in it and is contributing to my inaccurate and rougher saw mark cuts. I always said that when something gives like this or the motor or whatever, I'd just sell it and get a new one after all this time.

I just came back from Rocklers and looked at the Sawstops. I think I'd like to spring for the cabinet saw. Pricey… God are they, but they sure look sweet. That upgrade has the cast iron wings and all. Right now I have a dedicated #10 wire going to a 110 circuit breaker. I could easily upgrade the breaker to 220, no problem. Now… there is a price difference between the 1 3/4 hp (110V) and the 3 hp (220V). My old saw was fairly acceptable at 1 3/4hp cutting hardwoods with a good blade.

Question: For anyone with either of these saws. Is the smaller hp adequate or maybe more than adequate, or should I move to the 3hp? Will I wish I had moved to the larger one later on or will I say the smaller one is doing just fine. Sawstop owners, please give me your opinions.

Most of my wood is hardwoods. Lots of cherry which isn't a hard, hardwood, but still some oak, hard maple, etc which can challenge a saw.

Thanks
 

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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have the 3hp pcs 36" and love everything about it, my previous saw saw a was a 1.75 hp and definitely notice a difference especially cutting 8/4 material, especially if it's not a brand new blade, I would definitely buy it again if had the choice. Considering I added a sub panel in the garage because of the saw and love having options in the future with tools
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have the 3hp 52" PCS and love it. I'm not sure if the extra HP is needed or not.
I was attracted to both the 1.75 and 3hp models with 36 or 52" fence.

I don't think you can go wrong. I actually like the motor layout on the PCS better than the ICS because my rolling cabinet still fits under the wing.
 
#5 ·
I have the contractor saw because I move every couple of years and need the mobility. While the quality is great and I love the saw I do wish I had a 3HP. I was ripping some 8/4 white oak this week and had to be careful of the feed rate to not completely bog the saw down. It has cut everything I have thrown at it but I some thicker hardwoods required a gentleler hand.
 
#6 ·
I have the PCS 1.75hp machine with the 36" fence … in the 5 years I have had it, I have never had a problem cutting anything, including some 8/4 hard maple and 5/4 white oak.
 
#10 ·
I had the 1.75hp version and eventually upgraded it to the 3hp. I cut a lot of 8/4 hardwoods and found that the 1.75hp sometimes would bog down, esp if the wood pinched the blade at all. Have never had that problem since upgrading to 3hp.
 
#11 ·
I myself would like to hear the good and the bad about sawstop (other than price!). I have been saving up over the last 2 years for the 5HP ICS. Overkill…absolutely! But I figured this would be the last table saw I buy and my digits are my life, in more than one way. I am overly safe when working around tools, but accidents happen. So thats my reason to buy one.
 
#12 ·
I have the 3hp 52" saw stop. I would recommend the 3hp if I was cutting a lot of 8/4. Just the occasional 8/4 board I would go with the 1 3/4.

Saw was dead on, or close enough for me, right out of box. Fence needed slight adjustment to 90 degrees of table. My only gripe after 6 months, needs access door at bottom of cabinet. The one large door is full of dust collector hose making it hard to clean out the cabinet.
 
#13 ·
I have the 1 3/4 36" that I have had for a little over a year now I have had it bog down a couple times in hard maple so I went to a narrow kerf blade, since then it has not been a bother at all.
My only gripe with the sawstop was the mobile base if I was getting another I would upgrade that base to the heavy duty one.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
CoL
You know how the 1.75 hp motor works for you You should know whether you need the extra power or not. The only thing I might upgrade is go to the 36" fence. I went with the stock fence. It locks and cut square but I think it might be a little lightweight in the long run.

Brandon
There is no bad. It currently is the best built saw on the market then you have the safety on top of that.
 
#16 ·
Spend the money on the 3hp model. It's cheaper to buy the 3hp one than buying the smaller one first.

If you're serious about woodworking, get the big one. You'll never wish you got the bigger one if you get the 3hp version.

I think you'll enjoy it more than your kids will enjoy the inheritance.
 
#17 ·
I have the 3 HP PCS, and of course I have no way of knowing if it has been helpful or not. The way I see it, if you get the 1 3/4 HP, you might be happy, or forever second guessing yourself while you're making big cuts. If you get the 3 HP, you'll never think about it again. But it's your money.

My own experience, similar to others, I've never had the 3 HP saw bog down.
 
#20 ·
Thanks everyone. Looks like t he 36", 3hp professional cabinet saw will be the one. 36" because that's all my shop will handle size wise. Free wheeled base is available for another month and a half so I've got time. If I pick it up myself (with my burly nephew) I can save the shipping. Still… a big purchase.
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
No one can say for certain which model you'll like best, but very few people ever regret having extra HP. The step up to 3hp is pretty significant IME. While I could cut to full blade height with my smaller saws, it was also not hard to bog it down, and requires you to go at the saw's pace. It's much harder to bog down a 3hp saw, and will allow you to dictate the pace. A 3hp motor also won't strain as often, so should last longer.

You're buying what I'd consider a once in a lifetime saw….if you have 220v, and can afford it, don't leave the opportunity for any regrets…get the 3hp motor and the T-Glide fence, and enjoy it for the rest of your life. That's one of the sweetspots for value in the SS lineup IMO.
 
#22 ·
Thanks everyone. Looks like t he 36", 3hp professional cabinet saw will be the one. 36" because that s all my shop will handle size wise. Free wheeled base is available for another month and a half so I ve got time. If I pick it up myself (with my burly nephew) I can save the shipping. Still… a big purchase.

- Craftsman on the lake
When it's time for a new table saw that's the saw I'm buying. My saw has started acting up lately, something electrical I think. If it's a motor then the motor is the same price as the saw was new so if I'm going to do that I might as well get a new saw.
 
#23 ·
speaking for myself, i would be damned proud to be able to hold my hand up and show the true carpenter's hand sign, yes the four finger hand, i refuse to add myself to the list of sissies who have backed away from a real mans table saw, who are afraid of a little blood, so nope, no Sawstop will throw a shadow upon my dust covered walls, i shall continue to breathe dust- filled air and look upon the walls with blood splatter from where ive lost a digit or two, arr arr arr, i am the grizzman, and i shall go down in the halls of woodworkers who were , well i wont say anymore, i dont want to make those sissies feel any worse then they do, i do have a heart of tightbond and saw dust
 
#24 ·
The 3hp also comes with the dust collection capable blade guard. A nice adder, IMO. You don't get it with the 1.75hp. This allows you to do the overarm dust collection, if you choose.

The free base is nice, but it takes a few weeks to get. So don't plan on assembling your saw until it arrives. If you plan to do the overarm dust colection anyway, get that for free and buy the base. That way you have all you need o assemble the saw on day 1. If you can swing the extra cost, the ICS base with PCS conversion is worth every penny.

I got my 3hp 36" PCS about a year ago. So, so nice. As far as the extra power goes, I do notice cutting thick maple takes no penalty on feed rate. The biggest thing though is that I have never found a dado I couldn't cut in one pass. Granted I don't cut deep ones. But with my 1.75hp saw that could only use a limited width 6" dado, there would have been no way.

Brian
 
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