SawStop finally runs

[Cliff Holmes]

After nine days, I finally got to make the first cut on my new PCS. Even with a makeshift fence, it's a very nice-cutting saw. I ran some very chipout-prone birch ply through it and got a very clean cut, the ZCI is very effective. Very little dust escaped the guard. I need to break out the sound meter, but my initial impression is that it's noticeably quieter than the Grizzly.

I hope to finish my mobile platform and get the Incra fence on it by the end of the week, then set up permanent dust collection and get started on extension and outfeed tables!

[Paul Ryan]

Thats good to hear Cliff. The dust collection on the saw is excellent as well.


Something I learned last week with my SS. The cartridges must be kept warm or they will set a fault code and not alow the saw to operate. Since my shop is unheated at this time when it is 25 degrees out their I must keep the cartridges in the house until the are needed. They have a heater in them to keep them at operating temp when plugged in. But it takes a long time for them to heat up enough to be used when left in the cold.

[Matt Kestenbaum]

Something I learned last week with my SS. The cartridges must be kept warm or they will set a fault code and not alow the saw to operate. Since my shop is unheated at this time when it is 25 degrees out their I must keep the cartridges in the house until the are needed. They have a heater in them to keep them at operating temp when plugged in. But it takes a long time for them to heat up enough to be used when left in the cold.

That's great to know (don't remember seeing it in the manual). Thanks for sharing.

Enjoy the saw...I have been really thrilled with mine.

[Michael Peet]

Congrats, Cliff. I've had mine running a month or so and love it. I put an Incra fence on it as well. What are you planning to do with the stock rails and fence? Mine are taking up space in the corner and I'm toying with the idea of trying to unload them on CL or something.

Cheers,

Mike

[gary Zimmel]

Good to hear you have her up and running Cliff.
Happy sawdust making....

[Cliff Holmes]

What are you planning to do with the stock rails and fence?

There's a local company where I do a lot of business. The owner allowed me to "trade" the stock fence/rails in exchange for a $375 gift card. They never even made it home.

[Cliff Holmes]

The cartridges must be kept warm or they will set a fault code and not alow the saw to operate

Hmm, that's interesting. Of course, I live in Florida, so it's not so much of an issue. And my shop is pretty well insulated, even when we were getting down into the teens a couple weeks ago the shop never dropped below 60.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Cliff - congrats!!! I am sure you will love the saw.

[Van Huskey]

Congrats, Cliff. I've had mine running a month or so and love it. I put an Incra fence on it as well. What are you planning to do with the stock rails and fence? Mine are taking up space in the corner and I'm toying with the idea of trying to unload them on CL or something.

Cheers,

Mike


I am wating for my new saw (PM2000) to get setup and plan on putting a Incra fence on it, I toyed with selling the rails and fence BUT I am building a full saw wdth outfeed table so I am going to attach the fence to it (opposite side from the saw) and drop one of my plunge routers in the outfeed table to use as a dedicated dado/groove setup. The fence is too nice not to use and for the money I would get I would rather put it to some use and have it for resell time if it ever comes. If I ever get another saw I will likely move the Incra over and given some people do not like (or have never heard of) Incra fences the stock fence will probably bring as much or more money with the saw.

[Cliff Holmes]

I have one of the full-blown Incra systems that includes the router fence setup, so I'm planning to put a router into the other end of the extension table. I'll be able to flip the fence around (takes about 10 seconds) and use it for a router fence.

[Van Huskey]

I have one of the full-blown Incra systems that includes the router fence setup, so I'm planning to put a router into the other end of the extension table. I'll be able to flip the fence around (takes about 10 seconds) and use it for a router fence.

Thats my plan as well, I am planning on using the Incra for joinery and the saw fence on outfeed table to set up a dedicated dado/groove setup. I have the extra plunge router and with the fence it cuts my setup time to almost nothing.

[Brian Penning]

Thats good to hear Cliff. The dust collection on the saw is excellent as well.


Something I learned last week with my SS. The cartridges must be kept warm or they will set a fault code and not alow the saw to operate. Since my shop is unheated at this time when it is 25 degrees out their I must keep the cartridges in the house until the are needed. They have a heater in them to keep them at operating temp when plugged in. But it takes a long time for them to heat up enough to be used when left in the cold.

Hmmmm...interesting. 1st time I've heard of this. I've had mine for a couple of winters and have yet to have this problem.
Have you verified this with Sawstop?

[Paul Ryan]

Hmmmm...interesting. 1st time I've heard of this. I've had mine for a couple of winters and have yet to have this problem.
Have you verified this with Sawstop?


Acutally that is how I found out. I called SS. When I went out a few weeks ago I got the saw out turned the switch on. It blinked went through its checks and then left a solid red light on. I checked the mauel and that red light means bad cartridge, I tried my spare, same thing. So I called SS the next day the texh I talked to have me turn the saw on, let it run though its checks and then hold the key in the turned position and the electronics spit out more dia info. Called them back and he said the temp was too low for the cartridge to operate. He suggested leaving them in the house until needed. He did say that the heater inside the cartridge should warm up it on its own to be usable. But didn't know how long that would take. So for the last week I have been doing this.

It is back below 0 again so I won't be unsing the saw much again. I can tolerate it out there down to 20 without a problem, but much lower and my fingers and nose don't work as designed. When we moved here the plan was to heat and isulate the shop the 1st year. Well we have been here going on 8 years and now with 2 young children I have my doubts that will get insulated anytime soon.:mad:

[Cliff Holmes]

Have you verified this with Sawstop?

The latest PCS owner's manual has a note about cold temps and the heaters.

[glenn bradley]

Congrats and let us know how she treats you ;). Were there issues that caused the nine days? Or was it just that pesky part of our other life that delayed you from more important things? :D:D:D

[Cliff Holmes]

Were there issues that caused the nine days? Or was it just that pesky part of our other life that delayed you from more important things?

A little of both. The only major issue was getting the top aligned to the blade. It arrived .008 out and it took me the better part of a day to get it dialed in. Whether it's on the stop has a big effect on the alignment, I finally had to back the stop off to -2* and just not use it. Also, it matters from which direction you're approaching your setting. I also had to be super careful tightening the bolts down or it would throw the table way off. I could probably do it in just 5-10 minutes now, but it was a major ordeal in frustration.

[Dan Friedrichs]

... I finally had to back the stop off to -2* and just not use it. Also, it matters from which direction you're approaching your setting. I also had to be super careful tightening the bolts down or it would throw the table way off. I could probably do it in just 5-10 minutes now, but it was a major ordeal in frustration.

Cliff, Which "stop" are you refering to?

[Cliff Holmes]

Which "stop" are you refering to?

The zero-degree stop. According to SS, the pressure will twist the trunion slightly, so they recommend backing off slightly anyway. Rather than having to remember and guess whether I've backed off enough, I chose to push the stop back to the point it was obviously off. I adjusted the angle indicator so it lines up on the left edge of the 0* line, which is close enough most of the time. If I'm being really precise, I can take 10 seconds and use a square to get it perfect.

[Dan Friedrichs]

The zero-degree stop. According to SS, the pressure will twist the trunion slightly, so they recommend backing off slightly anyway. Rather than having to remember and guess whether I've backed off enough, I chose to push the stop back to the point it was obviously off. I adjusted the angle indicator so it lines up on the left edge of the 0* line, which is close enough most of the time. If I'm being really precise, I can take 10 seconds and use a square to get it perfect.


That's almost disappointing. I have a Delta contractor saw that I noticed was doing the same thing (going out of alignment significantly whenever I touched the 0* or 45* stop). I did the same thing - back the stops out and not use them. I assumed a high-quality cabinet saw wouldn't do that....

[Paul Ryan]

It is a matter of feel. I have had that same problem with every saw I have ever owned. If you turn the wheel until it is firmly at the stop they end up kind of off. You get used to how tight it needed to be and where 0 is. We are talking about .05 degrees very very little. The 1st few times I beveled my blade I checked it with a square once back at zero, now I know eactly where to stop by how tight it feels. It may sound complicated but I have never had a saw that would just stop dead at 0 all of the stops are kind of squishy. The most dead set method it to double check with a square once the blade is tilted back.

[Cliff Holmes]

We are talking about .05 degrees very very little.

I'm not concerned about the angle so much as the blade alignment. Coming up against the stop was throwing the blade as much as .005 towards the fence.

[Chris Friesen]

It is a matter of feel. I have had that same problem with every saw I have ever owned. If you turn the wheel until it is firmly at the stop they end up kind of off....It may sound complicated but I have never had a saw that would just stop dead at 0 all of the stops are kind of squishy.

On my cabinet saw the vertical stop is a dead stop at 0. No squish at all, and no twisting. The stop is a bolt with a lock nut that threads into the cast iron trunnion pretty much directly in line with the tilt gears.