3 questions about Sawstop saws

[Rick Potter]

Thinking seriously about it while they have the free mobile base.

1: I have a drawer full of Teflon coated blades, mostly red Freuds. Does the Teflon have to be removed around the arbor washer to work properly??

2: Does pitch buildup affect the tripping of the blade stop??

3: PCS vs. ICS. I have a Unisaw now, and never wished it had more power, but am I missing something??

Thanks,
Rick Potter

[Jay Jolliffe]

#1. I've used the red blades in mine with no problem.
#2. I've never tripped mine . Why would the pitch trip it?
#3. I have the PCS & haven't bogged it down or stopped it yet...3" red oak & cut it like butter....I did use a sharp Forrest blade also.
I'm very happy with this saw....

[johnny means]

ICS owner here. One and two are non-issues. The extra $1000 or so for the ICS doesn't net you much, unless you're thinking about a 7hp motor. It is bigger and beefier, but IMO either saw will stand up to a lifetime of use. That extra grand could land a really nice router table or a couple of new Festoys. I choose the ICS because I wanted the 3ph 5hp motor and, being a professional, I need that little bit of extra assurance that I'm prepared for anything.

[johnny means]

BTW, if you ever did somehow mount a blade that wouldn't work with the breaking technology, the saw would let you know and would not start.

[mreza Salav]

ICS owner here. One and two are non-issues. The extra $1000 or so for the ICS doesn't net you much, unless you're thinking about a 7hp motor. It is bigger and beefier, but IMO either saw will stand up to a lifetime of use. That extra grand could land a really nice router table or a couple of new Festoys. I choose the ICS because I wanted the 3ph 5hp motor and, being a professional, I need that little bit of extra assurance that I'm prepared for anything.

+1. ICS 3HP single phase owner, #1 and #2 are not issues. ICS has larger tables and is beefier/heavier overall but PCS is very nice from what I have seen.

[Frank Trinkle]

As regards the mobile base offer, I am somewhat surprised that Sawstop has made this an option, rather than standard.
I was one of the original testers of the Professional SS Table. It came with the mobility kit which is really very well designed.
The saw itself has been awesome. Never a problem or a slow down. Mine was the first that attached the Incra TS-LS system with router table and it fit without any issues.
The system test, which is part of the system, is to insure the blade will work with the brake, and is easy and something that most of us with SS saws do before beginning to cut each day.
I can honestly say that I think the SS is the best saw you can buy for the money...and as a professional helicopter pilot with over a six-figure income, I rely on the system to protect my occupation without reservation. Gives a warm fuzzy feeling to know that if, in the unlikely event, you should lose your concentration and have an "incident", you'll require the massive medical intervention of a Walmart bandaid, and nothing more.

Good luck with your decision.

[Rick Potter]

Good point Johnny. I forgot that is supposed to self test.

Jay, I was not worried about it tripping. My concern was that pitch on the blade might insulate the current, and cause it to not trip.

Rick Potter

[jerry cousins]

as others have said 1 & 2 are non-issues. i too moved from a unisaw to the pcs- had not felt the need for more power with the unisaw and nor have i now with the pcs. it really is a great saw.
jerry

[Robert Chapman]

I have a 1.75 hp PCS and it's great. Regarding your questions - my answer to all 3 is no.

[jim gossage]

I have the 3hp PCS. Very solid, powerful, and well built. I can't see the need for a more powerful saw, unless you are a production shop, and perhaps not even then.

[Matt Meiser]

One thing you should know though is that SS recommends using a shouldered rip blade. The shoulders keep the blade from digging into the stock too far, but also keep the blade from digging into the brake. I picked up an Amana blade without the shoulders.

[Myk Rian]

...and as a professional helicopter pilot with over a six-figure income, I rely on the system to protect my occupation without reservation.
Trying to impress someone?
Somebody making minimum wage perhaps?
Discussing my income is something I never do, especially in a public forum.

[Larry Frank]

I understand the comment from the professional helicopter pilot. He bought the SawStop as an insurance policy to safeguard his ability to make a good living. I think that he makes very good practical sense. The investment he makes in aSawStop compared to what he earns.......

[Mike Henderson]

I have the 3HP PCS and never felt I needed more. I've used saws with 5HP (at school) so I have some comparison.

I only use it for hobby work - I'm not a professional woodworker.

Mike

[Matt Meiser]

One thing you should know though is that SS recommends using a shouldered rip blade. The shoulders keep the blade from digging into the stock too far, but also keep the blade from digging into the brake. I picked up an Amana blade without the shoulders.

Just realized that I left out a very important word in this--SS recommends AGAINST using a shouldered rip blade.

[Steve Strobel]

Regarding the saw itself, I recently was hunting for a new saw to replace my old Delta contractors saw. I researched all the different options and finally decided on the 3HP PCS version. I got the free dust collection option. Got it up and running about a month ago and absolutely love the saw. Comparing it to my old saw it's a huge difference. Wanting to do more woodworking the safety system sold itself. You will not regret buying this saw.

[Rick Potter]

Thanks again guys.

One thing I forgot to ask.....most all my blades are full kerf. I know a thin kerf splitter or riving knife will work, but just wondered what size they are?

By the way, I went to rockler today to buy it, and they wrote me up for the wrong one. Luckily I noticed before I left. They tried to correct it, then voided the sale and made a new sale on the right one (36"), but after running my card so many times, it must have triggered something at the cc place and it refused three times to accept the card. I made them stop after three tries, thinking that maybe too many tries would cancel the card. I now have to return to try to get it again Monday or Tuesday:mad:

I am going to check and see if Tools R Us has them. I have gotten some big ticket items there.

Rick Potter

[Denny Rice]

Amazon.com

No tax and free shipping, can't be beat. Delivered to your front door and you don't have to worry about them screwing up the Credit Card either! I know Rockler has it on sale right now but by the time tax is added to sale (2899.99) and Amazon is asking (3149.00)it probably comes out in the wash about the same. Amazon would be 50 bucks higher for me at 7% sales tax. I have seen this saw on sale at Amazon too, just got to keep an eye on the price.

[Denny Rice]

Amazon.com

No tax and free shipping, can't be beat. Delivered to your front door and you don't have to worry about them screwing up the Credit Card either! I know Rockler has it on sale right now but by the time tax is added to sale (2899.99) and Amazon is asking (3149.00)it probably comes out in the wash about the same. Amazon would be 50 bucks higher for me at 7% sales tax. I have seen this saw on sale at Amazon too, just got to keep an eye on the price.

I just brought Amazon.com up because they have delivered some very big and heavy items to my shop including my Jet 1642 lathe and it came delivered without a scratch. Their customer service is top notch too.

[Rick Potter]

The original price of the wrong machine is still unavailable to use on my credit card, so I cannot order a saw till they get it straight.

The last two orders I got from Amazon charged CA sales tax. I ordered the saw on Amazon, and completed the order to the point where I had to pay, and they were charging sales tax on this one too, as well as the extra $250 over the Rockler (or the Tools R Us) price. Basically they are charging for shipping by putting it in the sales price.

The saga continues.

Rick Potter

[Rich Riddle]

Pardon the digression. If you order parts for your Saw Stop (or anything else) in California from Amazon, choose a seller that is "fulfilled by Amazon" but doesn't have a presence in California.

The last two orders I got from Amazon charged CA sales tax.
Rick Potter
Items shipped to certain states are subject to tax.
Items sold by Amazon.com LLC, or its subsidiaries, and shipped to destinations in the following states are subject to tax:


Arizona
California
Kansas
Kentucky
New York
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington

Source: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=468512

[David Weaver]

Ditto on the tax. I get tax added here, too. But we're supposed to submit a use tax if we don't pay tax on internet sales by law in PA. It's incredibly difficult to keep track of that if you're honest (yes, I've actually tried to submit the right amount before) because sellers don't always give you a receipt with a price on it, and that leaves you sourcing all kinds of different places (CC, paypal, receipts, emails, ....) on behalf of someone who is trying to take *your* money - seems dumb (be different if it was the other way around).

Anyway, amazon charges tax now - no more tracking it, which along with their increasing prices over time often prices them above what I can get two miles down the street. That seems dumb, but it is what it is now that they're a mature business.

If the price was equal between the two, I'd personally get it at rockler...but rockler is also two miles down the road from my house so I can go right to the origin if there is a problem. Amazon lost a TS of mine in transit and it cost me an extra day of work and a lot of trouble with their foreign CS, who kept telling me to just send back the "item you received" (which I was calling about because i hadn't received it).

[Rick Potter]

Well, the CC company finally showed my money as available again, so I beat feet down to Rockler and ordered me a 3HP PCS with a 36" fence. If I had bought from Amazon it would have cost me $18 more than paying the tax in CA., which I still think I would have to pay with Amazon. CA is getting very aggressive about it, and as I said, tax showed up on the order I started with Amazon. Besides which, I like to buy local, even if it costs a bit more.

As far as shipping goes, I pick it up at the store with my pickup, and take it off the pickup at home with my cheapo HF electric hoist. Boy, has that thing earned its keep.

After I get it running, I have to let go of a Unisaw, which will help pay for it. I have two, and am keeping one for dado work.

Never spent money this fast, but that darn video really got me thinking about the teenage grandkids wanting to use the table saw, not to mention absent minded old codgers like me.

Thanks for the help guys.
Rick Potter

PS: Called SS and tried to get them to let me upgrade the mobile base to the industrial model. They wouldn't go for it.

[Don Bullock]

Congratulations on your SS order. You're going to love your new saw.

[Rick Potter]

I am sure I will Don. I'd better love it, I just realized I only paid a few bucks more for my brand new '65 Pontiac GTO. Aaaak.

rp