# Post Assembly Impressions--Even Before My First Cut!



## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I put my PCS together a couple of years ago. I went through each of your points and none of this was the same for me except for the weight. I wonder if this is a difference in the saws or if something has changed in the past couple of years. Would be interesting to hear from someone who did this with the saw you have a few years ago.

Anyway, congrats on the new machine. I don't have that model but I'm sure you'll love it.


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## jayseedub (Jan 7, 2013)

So interesting to hear that my experience was so different from yours. Their price went up this year-seems like most of the increase might have gone to oil coating the parts!  I'm loving the fit and finish of the saw now that I've taken a few cuts-hoping to review it in more depth once I have a chance for the sparkle to wear off in my brain!


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

> So interesting to hear that my experience was so different from yours. Their price went up this year-seems like most of the increase might have gone to oil coating the parts!  I m loving the fit and finish of the saw now that I ve taken a few cuts-hoping to review it in more depth once I have a chance for the sparkle to wear off in my brain!
> 
> - jayseedub


As I understand it all steel comes from China no matter where the product is assembled. Tariffs I was told at Woodcraft awhile back. So, tariffs on the steel, then if the companies move back the states we lose the slave wages and the product goes up more. Cars and appliances fall into that category. I think SS is made in Taiwan.. I think.


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## HarveyM (Nov 11, 2012)

Well Sawstop was bought by Festool in 2017. Maybe that explains some differences?


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## whope (Sep 15, 2011)

Most of the traditional table saws sold in the US come out of the same factory in Taiwan. I'm sure each brand name has different specs for what the factory produces. One reason they all look very similar in details. Graphic in this video:


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## RCCinNC (Jul 4, 2017)

> I put my PCS together a couple of years ago. I went through each of your points and none of this was the same for me except for the weight. I wonder if this is a difference in the saws or if something has changed in the past couple of years. Would be interesting to hear from someone who did this with the saw you have a few years ago.
> 
> Anyway, congrats on the new machine. I don t have that model but I m sure you ll love it.
> 
> - Craftsman on the lake


Same here. When I put my PCS together, I was amazed at how little grease or oil there was. The cast iron had a peel away protectant that, as I remember anyway, left little residue. There was s huge difference between the Sawstop and the Cosmoline nightmare preparing almost all my other equipment. Good to know the fit and finish is still a company standard. 
Enjoy your new saw!


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## jayseedub (Jan 7, 2013)

@RCCinNC says "There was s huge difference between the Sawstop and the Cosmoline nightmare preparing almost all my other equipment."

That was a pleasant surprise for me, too-I was expecting loads of grease and a ton of mess when peeling off the protecting plastic, but it was just loads of oil, which was better!


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## NathanMuenks (Jan 9, 2021)

The wood shop I work in has two SawStops both with the extension table. Once, I bumped the extension table leg with a cart of lumber and the screws pulled out of the chipboard and fell like raindrops to the floor. I boxed in the top of the legs and they have stayed put since.


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## rustytools (Mar 13, 2016)

Not trying to be a wise guy, I just suffer from small brain syndrome. I don't understand good fit and finish if you have problems getting all four bolt holes to line up. I'm giving a lot of thought to pulling the trigger on a 52" PCS and would like to hear any problems anyone ran into with assembly or after. The other thing I have wondered about is replacing the brake. Is there an access door or do you have to preform arthroscopic surgery through the throat opening. I had to replace the arbor bearing in my jet that way. No fun at all.


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## jayseedub (Jan 7, 2013)

I hesitate to over-emphasize my issues with assembly. Assembly is a one-time pain, and my "complaints" might be effected by the impression I got from other users in their apparent 100% ease in assembly. Perhaps nit-picks… Perhaps we share the small brain syndrome.

I always have a bit of a frustration swapping out the regular and dado brake cartridges-I've probably done it only a dozen times or so in the last few months-but for some reason I always find myself having to fiddle with it to get it mounted on the pins. It's awkward-but not a deal-breaker for me-and practice will probably resolve this small issue.

I'm stunned by the accuracy of the the fence out of the box, as well as the 90 and 45 degree stops. I've never had such accurate cuts, and it's a huge burden lifted to not always have to adjust and re-cut things.

I used an Incra 1000HD miter gauge, and dislike the t-slot capture of the miter bar-so I'm probably going to get rid of the t-locking tab on the miter gauge-just a preference to consider-nothing un-doable.

One thing I can't quite figure out. When I swap my ZCIs, the teeth of the blade don't seem to line up with the kerf that they once cut-probably by a/thousandths. It's weird-you'd think the arbor wouldn't be moving-and I don't think it's moving-but yet the teeth still seem to grind on the edge of the ZCI kerf with some regularity. Hope it's not a bigger issue-for now it's just… weird. Results in some chipout on the edge of the ZCI kerf-no other issue once things are underway.

Did I mention it's heavy? I still marvel at how hard it was to get out of my garage, over the threshold, down my stairs, and into my shop. Get. Strong. Friends. It was a great upgrade from my Ridgid 2412, no regrets at all.


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