SawStop accessories, what do I need to set up a new saw?

[mark mcfarlane]

edit notes: updates in red based on forum feedback

I'm ordering a 3 HP PCS in a few days and want to make sure I get all the right pieces. This will be my first tool in a new shop (sold all my tools a decade ago before an international move). I'll probably get it from Woodcraft in north Houston.

Here's what I plan to buy, am I missing anything?


SawStop 3HP PCS, 52" rails (maybe 36", oh decisions decisions), T-Guide fence, 220V
Industrial Base
Overarm dust collector
Extra brake cartridge, standard
Zero clearance insert, Standard
Zero clearance insert, Dado, optional
brake cartridge, Dado, optional


Misc tools:


Starrett 6", satin chrome, forged head C33H-6-4R, for setup, (or 12" with extra blade)
Eye protection
Hearing protection, Peltor Ultimate 10
Boeing T-9 Rust Protectant spray or Bostick Topcote
Sharpen my old Freud 80 tooth thin kerf blade,
Freud 10" x 50T x 5/8" Combination Perma-Shield Saw Blade LU84R011 (every 5th tooth is flat)
What's a good combo blade nowadays?
magnetic featherboard - which one?
feeler gauge set
24" straight edge' aluminum, Lee Valley
large square to align home-made cross cut sled, Groz(Woodcraft) or plastic hobby shop
perfectly flat 2*2 board and 2-3 clamps to level the extension tables
wrench and socket set ??
upgraded miter gauge, such as the Incra 1000S ($125)
dial indicator for blade/table/fence alignment, such as the TS-Aligner Junior for SawStop Table Saw ($187)



A few more questions:


Is there an upgraded fence from SawStop for this saw? The web site is not clear, they seem to list a t-glide fence as standard, and also have an 'industrial t-guide fence' as an accessory.
Will the riving knife work with a thin kerf blade? It seems like the riving knife should be the same thickness as whatever blade is on the saw, but I don't see an option to change knives.
Anyone know of a good blade sharpening service in North Houston (Conroe, Montgomery, Huntsville)?
Am I going to need any wrenches, other tools to set up the saw? The garage in my retirement home is basically empty.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Break cartridge for a dado blade. This saw comes with some of the best direction to put it together. I don't remember if you need any other tools other than what they send.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I have that same saw - you should be please with the fit & finish. You have a good list there....I think the only additions I would make would be a socket set "just in case", a straight edge, and some feeler gauges. I might also recommend you make the move up to full-kerf blades. Like you, I stayed with thin-kerf since that is what I already had, but some good full-kerf blades are on my wish list.

[John Coloccia]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Boeshield on tool beds and tables. I much prefer Bostick Topcote. Also, why are you getting the industrial base? If you do, you will also have to get an adapter for the base to fit the PCS. Honestly, the standard base designed for the PCS works just fine. The ICS is a monstrously heavy beast and really needs the heavy duty base. Hopefully the Houston Woodcraft has some setup so you can see the bases for yourself.

I would also probably not waste money on an extra brake cartridge. Everyone buys one, including me, and then later we come to realize that the local Woodcraft keeps them in stock all the time. Also, since I'm not also buying an extra blade, the cartridge does me no good. The brake should never fire anyhow, so no worries :) Do you actually have a dado set? You may find yourself not using a dado set at all. I don't really use mine anymore. I'd skip the dado cartridge and insert too until you decide to start using a dado set. These should all be stock items at your SawStop dealer.


You may need some shim stock to get the cast iron wings level, but maybe not. You will need an electrical plug that matches your 220 outlet.

The riving knife will work with thin kerf blades. It is thinner than a thin kerf blade. which is is the important part. The knife will not prevent contact with the back of the blade, however there is so little contact that the blade just sits there and burns the wood if something goes wrong. It effectively prevents the bade from actually grabbing on to anything...I've experienced this first hand with gnarly wood and it works very well. For the riving knife to work properly, it must be thinner than the blade or the wood will bind.

re: upgraded fence
There are only 3 fences available for the saw. The cheap 30" aluminum one, the 36" T-Glide and the 52" T-Glide. The aluminum one is designed for the contractor saw. It's light and cheap...good combo for someone buying the contractor saw as a true, jobsite saw. That said, I don't think I've ever seen a SawStop anywhere with that fence. Nearly everyone seems to go for the TGlide fence. There is no further upgrade you can do from SawStop, and none is necessary. The TGlide is an excellent fence. Most get the 36" unless they really have a reason for the 52" rails. Considering that a sheet of ply is 48" wide, 52" is overkill for most people. Now, Baltic birch does come 5' x 5' but even so, how many times do you need a piece of plywood that's wider than 36"?

12" combo square is a lot more useful for general woodworking than the 6" IMHO. You can always buy a 6" blade later if you want to.

You don't need a large square for anything...well, I guess it depends how you define "large". I have the set of 4 "engineer" squares from Groz, again available at the local Woodcraft (though that set it no longer available...they have a 3 piece, though, and you can buy the fourth separately if you really want to). It's on sale right now for $38.99. All of mine are dead nuts. I've dropped them and they're STILL dead square. They're cheap enough that if you DO really screw one up, you won't cry for too long, so it's the ideal set for everyday shop use. That said, your combo square is probably the right tool for saw setup IMHO.

[Todd Bin]

Hey Mark, Congrats on the new saw. You will definitely need the dado cartidge if you are going to use a dado blade. You should also check out this for ZCI for the dado blade. It will allow you to change out a piece of wood rather than have to buy several ZCI's from Sawstop. I have see a post somewhere on here where someone took the Sawstop ZCI and basically made this.

http://shop.charlesneilwoodworking.com/Table-Saw-Accessories_c_10.html

You will probably also want a full kerf blade if you want the riving knife to work "out of the box". I use the Forest WoodWorker II blades. But the sawstop titanium blades are good as well as the Tenryu full kerf.

A couple of things to note. The overarm dust collector will only work if you have the blade guard in place. I know most people don't use them (as they should) but it is going to be a waste of money if you are one of the ones that don't like it.

The extension table never really worked well for me. Mine only had one leg and was never stable enough to suit me. You could build your own and put a router in it.

You will need some rust protection. and a couple of setup tools. If you don't want to spend a fortune on a 24" straight edge you could go with the Aluminum one from Lee Valley. You will need a wrench and socket set to attach the wing and fence.

One thing you left off the list that is a must is a couple of friends to help uncrate this thing and get it onto the mobile base.

~Todd

[Prashun Patel]

That 80t blade'll burn on rip cuts.

I'd get a 24t ripping blade and a cross cutting blade.

In combo blades, I like the Freud or Avanti combo blades. I prefer the 50t with an ATBR set bkz it cuts flat bottoms which is nice for thin dados and trimming tenons.

[Charles Goodnight]

The extension table never really worked well for me. Mine only had one leg and was never stable enough to suit me. You could build your own and put a router in it.

~Todd

I have the contractors saw-- it was the right choice for a hobbyist like me -- I got the extension table, but eventually replaced the table with a phenolic router top from Woodpeckers. I got one that was a second, so the price was right, and I cut it on the table saw to the correct dimensions. It was actually very good to have the original extension because I used the parts from it when I replaced the top. With the new top the single leg extension is great. The mobile stand lifts the leg off the ground, so the saw rolls around with no problem, but supports the table nicely when the mobile base is not on the wheels.

[Thomas L. Miller]

Mark,
I have a SS ICS. That said, I agree with everything John said. I do have a dado set up and of course a dado cartridge. Enjoy your new saw!
Tom

[Victor Robinson]

Dial indicator if you don't already have one + jig (commercial or your own) to hold it securely in the miter slot. You could use other methods for checking blade and fence parallelism to miter slot (e.g. large square), but I like that method.

Agree with those recommending another blade. A general purpose 40T or 50T can take care of most of your needs adequately, or you can choose to get dedicated 24T ripper.

The easiest method IMHO of attaching and leveling the cast iron wings will require a somewhat large, perfectly flat board (IIRC I used a 2x2" that was about 2-3' run over the jointer). You basically attach a wing, span the board across the joint, then use clamps to bring the cast wing flush to the saw table.

[Jim Neeley]

The ideal riving knife width is narrower than your kerf but wider than the flat plate of the blade. That keeps the wood from closing in on the plate. The carbide can cut it's way out... but the plate?? It throws!! <g>

[John Coloccia]

I also suggest you download the manual, including the one for the fence, and read through it so you can see how the manufacturer wants you to do things. It will give you a good idea of what's involved.

[Steve Colvin]

I'd also add an upgraded miter gauge, such as the Incra 1000SE. And, if you are really picky about calibration, look at the TS-Aligner Jr. with the Sawstop option.

[mark mcfarlane]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Boeshield on tool beds and tables. I much prefer Bostick Topcote. Thanks John, I'll look into the topcote. I am mostly concerned about rust (Houston). I'll be away from this site for months at a time, although my son will be there, I don't think he will want to wax my tools every month.


Also, why are you getting the industrial base? If you do, you will also have to get an adapter for the base to fit the PCS. Honestly, the standard base designed for the PCS works just fine. The ICS is a monstrously heavy beast and really needs the heavy duty base. Hopefully the Houston Woodcraft has some setup so you can see the bases for yourself. My understanding is the standard base has 2 fixed wheels. Is this correct? I was going for the industrial base to get 4 rotating wheels. Just a convenience thing.


I would also probably not waste money on an extra brake cartridge. Everyone buys one, including me, and then later we come to realize that the local Woodcraft keeps them in stock all the time. Also, since I'm not also buying an extra blade, the cartridge does me no good. The brake should never fire anyhow, so no worries :) Do you actually have a dado set? You may find yourself not using a dado set at all. I don't really use mine anymore. I'd skip the dado cartridge and insert too until you decide to start using a dado set. These should all be stock items at your SawStop dealer.
I may hold back on the dado setup. Historically I've used a router for dados and rabbets and may continue that way. Regarding the extra brake, Woodcraft is about an hours drive. At 17 mpg and $4 a gallon, it costs me about $20 and 2 hours to drive there, so based on 'almost everyone' having a brake fire for some reason or another, I'm thinking I'll stock my own spare. Plus, every trip to Woodcraft always involves the purchase of something you didn't plan on buying, right ;)?


re: upgraded fence
There are only 3 fences available for the saw. The cheap 30" aluminum one, the 36" T-Glide and the 52" T-Glide. The aluminum one is designed for the contractor saw. It's light and cheap...good combo for someone buying the contractor saw as a true, jobsite saw. That said, I don't think I've ever seen a SawStop anywhere with that fence. Nearly everyone seems to go for the TGlide fence. There is no further upgrade you can do from SawStop, and none is necessary. The TGlide is an excellent fence. Most get the 36" unless they really have a reason for the 52" rails. Considering that a sheet of ply is 48" wide, 52" is overkill for most people. Now, Baltic birch does come 5' x 5' but even so, how many times do you need a piece of plywood that's wider than 36"?

So the 'accessory t-glide' is the same as the t-glide that comes with the PCS? My last saw had 52" Beismeyer rails and it was handy. I frequently used the saw as an assembly table also. Still, space is of a premium so I may consider the 36" version.


12" combo square is a lot more useful for general woodworking than the 6" IMHO. You can always buy a 6" blade later if you want to.

You don't need a large square for anything...well, I guess it depends how you define "large". I have the set of 4 "engineer" squares from Groz, again available at the local Woodcraft (though that set it no longer available...they have a 3 piece, though, and you can buy the fourth separately if you really want to). It's on sale right now for $38.99. All of mine are dead nuts. I've dropped them and they're STILL dead square. They're cheap enough that if you DO really screw one up, you won't cry for too long, so it's the ideal set for everyday shop use. That said, your combo square is probably the right tool for saw setup IMHO.

The 'large' square was for setting up a crosscut sled and checking cuts on panels. I've heard that the plastic squares from a hobby store may be adequate for this purpose.

Thanks John for the feedback, it is helpful

[mark mcfarlane]

Hey Mark, Congrats on the new saw. You will definitely need the dado cartidge if you are going to use a dado blade. You should also check out this for ZCI for the dado blade. It will allow you to change out a piece of wood rather than have to buy several ZCI's from Sawstop. I have see a post somewhere on here where someone took the Sawstop ZCI and basically made this.

http://shop.charlesneilwoodworking.com/Table-Saw-Accessories_c_10.html

You will probably also want a full kerf blade if you want the riving knife to work "out of the box". I use the Forest WoodWorker II blades. But the sawstop titanium blades are good as well as the Tenryu full kerf.

A couple of things to note. The overarm dust collector will only work if you have the blade guard in place. I know most people don't use them (as they should) but it is going to be a waste of money if you are one of the ones that don't like it.

The extension table never really worked well for me. Mine only had one leg and was never stable enough to suit me. You could build your own and put a router in it.

You will need some rust protection. and a couple of setup tools. If you don't want to spend a fortune on a 24" straight edge you could go with the Aluminum one from Lee Valley. You will need a wrench and socket set to attach the wing and fence.

One thing you left off the list that is a must is a couple of friends to help uncrate this thing and get it onto the mobile base.

~Todd

Thanks Todd, great advice. Do you know if the Charles Neil insert works with the overhead dust collector blade guard?

I never used the blade guard on my old Delta contractors saw. I'm hoping that the added dust collection will help me remember to use it, safely...

I'll probably eventually hang a router on a shop-made extension table/wing. Does the 36" or 52" not already come with an extension table? I didn't see one as an accessory so I assumed the saw comes with one, albeit a disposable one.

Maybe I'll lug a wrench and socket set on the plane when I 'go home' next week. It's an international flight. I had a great time in security in Bahrain last year when they discovered, at the gate, that my carry on luggage had three 10" saw blades in it and bunch of other strange looking metal devices. I explained that nothing in the rules said I couldn't carry circular saw blades on board. The security guys totally freaked out. It worked out fine, they checked my luggage under the plane for no additional charge.

[mark mcfarlane]

That 80t blade'll burn on rip cuts.

I'd get a 24t ripping blade and a cross cutting blade.

In combo blades, I like the Freud or Avanti combo blades. I prefer the 50t with an ATBR set bkz it cuts flat bottoms which is nice for thin dados and trimming tenons.

Good idea on the ATBR, I also frequently cut dados (even thick ones) using a standard blade if its going to be quicker than setting up the router. I've also been historically lazy about changing blades, which made me think of a combo blade. I cut a lot of wood with the Freud 80T thin kerf...

Maybe a Freud 10" x 50T x 5/8" Combination Perma-Shield Saw Blade LU84R011 (every 5th tooth is flat) or a Forrest Woodworker II 10" 48 Tooth (only ATB)?

[mark mcfarlane]

Dial indicator if you don't already have one + jig (commercial or your own) to hold it securely in the miter slot. You could use other methods for checking blade and fence parallelism to miter slot (e.g. large square), but I like that method.

Thanks Victor, do you have a recommendation for a reasonably priced dial indicator and base?

[Victor Robinson]

Mark, I purchased an Oshlun dial indicator off Amazon for around $20. Just about any brand will do. The standard variety that has an inch of reading in 0.001" increments is what you want. If I were buying another one today, I'd probably get one that comes with multiple types of tips. For saw setup, a standard "bullet" tip is totally fine, but for other purposes, like jointer knife setup, a different kind of tip is useful. Look around - for example, a set like this would cover you not only for saw setup, but for future dial indicator uses around the shop.

http://www.amazon.com/Dial-Indicator-Magnetic-Base-Point/dp/B002YPHT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307431681&sr=8-1

For TS setup, specifically miter slot/blade/fence parallelism, I got the A-LineIt jig (without indicator) for around $40. It's simply a machined aluminum bar that fits into the miter slot with another adjustable crossbar that secures the dial indicator. Of course, such a jig is trivial to make in a modestly equipped shop, but in your case (and mine when I got it), it makes more sense to purchase. I think you can buy it for around $80 (jig + dial indicator) from In-Line Industries, or possibly cheaper at other woodworking sites online.

http://www.in-lineindustries.com/alineit.basic.html

[mark mcfarlane]

The ideal riving knife width is narrower than your kerf but wider than the flat plate of the blade. That keeps the wood from closing in on the plate. The carbide can cut it's way out... but the plate?? It throws!! <g>

Unfortunately it looks like I can't safely use the Freud 80T think kerf on this saw. SawStop says the kerf needs to be 2.35mm minimum and I think my Freud 80T is 2.31mm. It's a pretty close tolerance.

[mark mcfarlane]

I also suggest you download the manual, including the one for the fence, and read through it so you can see how the manufacturer wants you to do things. It will give you a good idea of what's involved.

Thanks John. Required tools appear to be 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 8mm hex, 10,13,14,17mm wrench, 19mm socket. Looks like I need to hand carry my tools on the flight or borrow from a neighbor.

[John Coloccia]

Mark, I purchased an Oshlun dial indicator off Amazon for around $20. Just about any brand will do. The standard variety that has an inch of reading in 0.001" increments is what you want. If I were buying another one today, I'd probably get one that comes with multiple types of tips. For saw setup, a standard "bullet" tip is totally fine, but for other purposes, like jointer knife setup, a different kind of tip is useful. Look around - for example, a set like this would cover you not only for saw setup, but for future dial indicator uses around the shop.

http://www.amazon.com/Dial-Indicator-Magnetic-Base-Point/dp/B002YPHT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307431681&sr=8-1

For TS setup, specifically miter slot/blade/fence parallelism, I got the A-LineIt jig (without indicator) for around $40. It's simply a machined aluminum bar that fits into the miter slot with another adjustable crossbar that secures the dial indicator. Of course, such a jig is trivial to make in a modestly equipped shop, but in your case (and mine when I got it), it makes more sense to purchase. I think you can buy it for around $80 (jig + dial indicator) from In-Line Industries, or possibly cheaper at other woodworking sites online.

http://www.in-lineindustries.com/alineit.basic.html

I like the A-LineIt jig and use it myself, but another way of aligning the fence is with a combo square and feelers. Lock the fence, move the combo square back and forth, and measure the clearance with a feeler. I use the A-LineIt jig on other things as well. I also really like the Oneway multi gauge.

[Prashun Patel]

Don't worry about the hex wrenches. Everything needed for assembly is supplied with the saw.

[Larry Frank]

I think that the industrial base is the best base that I have every used. Yes it is heavy but it works great and the saw is easy to move around and stable when set down. I built a very solid wooden base to put in it and then mounted my sawstop PCS ont top to get the comfortable height for me.

Most of my blades are thin kerf Freud because I had them for another saw. When I need to replace one, I will likely go to a full kerf.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Mark -

Here's a thread where I posted pics of how I set up the wings on my PCS. Using the clamps made it easy to adjust the wings down until level with the table. The pics foe the wing setup are on the second or third page of posts.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?127002-New-Sawstop-PCS/page2&p=1281752

[mark mcfarlane]

Mark -

Here's a thread where I posted pics of how I set up the wings on my PCS. Using the clamps made it easy to adjust the wings down until level with the table. The pics foe the wing setup are on the second or third page of posts.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?127002-New-Sawstop-PCS/page2&p=1281752

John, I'm not quite seeing the logic of how you put on the wings. I see your clamps holding up the rails...what in the world is keeping the extension table from falling? It must already be attached to the rails, and if the extensions are already attached, what are the clamps for.

Easily confused,

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

The wings were attached to the table but not the rails (yet). In my case the wings tilted up and had to be pushed down; to easily adjust the wings I put a board under the rail and then a clamp from the wing to that board. This allowed me to use the clamp to slowly push the wing down until it was level with the table, and then I bolted the wing to the rail.

[mark mcfarlane]

The wings were attached to the table but not the rails (yet). In my case the wings tilted up and had to be pushed down; to easily adjust the wings I put a board under the rail and then a clamp from the wing to that board. This allowed me to use the clamp to slowly push the wing down until it was level with the table, and then I bolted the wing to the rail.

Got it. Thanks.

[mark mcfarlane]

I think that the industrial base is the best base that I have every used. Yes it is heavy but it works great and the saw is easy to move around and stable when set down. I built a very solid wooden base to put in it and then mounted my sawstop PCS ont top to get the comfortable height for me...

Do all of the wheels on the standard (non-industrial) base rotate, or are 2 of them fixed?

For maneuverability, 4 rotating wheels seems ultimately practical.

[Jerome Hanby]

Do all of the wheels on the standard (non-industrial) base rotate, or are 2 of them fixed?

For maneuverability, 4 rotating wheels seems ultimately practical.

I can't speak to the Saw Stop, but on my rolling base mounted tools, they are too heavy for me to just grasp and push where I want. I always end up swinging one end the direction I want to go, then swapping to the other end and pushing. The bases I built with four swivels don't seem to do much more for me than the ones with only two.

[Victor Robinson]

Do all of the wheels on the standard (non-industrial) base rotate, or are 2 of them fixed?

For maneuverability, 4 rotating wheels seems ultimately practical.

Mark I have the regular (non-industrial) mobile base and it's quite good. Perhaps not as good as the industrial but at almost half the price perfectly good for moving the saw around occasionally. Two of the wheels are fixed and two rotate. It would be perhaps slightly more convenient to have the other two (left-sided) wheels rotate as well, but the left side of the saw can be shimmied easier than you might think. An easy-to-operate foot lever lifts the saw onto the wheels.

[Richard Amabile]

Mark:

I notice that you mentioned rust as an issue in this thread. I have a Sawstop ICS that started to rust within the first two weeks of getting it (I live in the New Caney Area outside of Houston). When I went into the shop and saw the rust starting I was ready to have a fit - brand new, shiny and starting to rust! Topcoat can help to some degree. I have tried most of these things. But, I have taken to using Johnsons Paste Wax on all my cast iron tops. It works great. But, the real help was adding a dehumidifier to the shop (2 car garage). I keep it running all the time (set on high) and now I have almost no rust problems at all. The humidity level averages in the 35% range. For years in the Houston area my tools would rust up within a few weeks of cleaning them. The dehumidifier and wax seem to have just about solved all those problems. When I think about all the time and money I spent cleaning the cast iron after it started to rust on these machines, I realized that the dehumidifier was money well spent. With regard to sharpening, I have been told that Circle Saw in Houston is about the best around. I haven't used them yet myself. But, that is what was recommended to me.
Good luck with your new saw - enjoy it!