Sawstop Pcs +BenchDog Promax

[Steve Wilde]

I just thought I'd post a few pics to show my new setup. I bought a Sawstop Pcs saw a few months ago and wanted to add a router table to my shop. I am quickly running out of room for any more machinery, so I couldn't do a stand alone router table. I purchased an extra sawstop wing, and added it in between the saw and the BenchDog cast iron table. I had to drill and countersink a few holes in the fence rail, but overall an easy mod! I'm really happy with it so far. I added an Incra Mastr lift, which I'm very impressed with. Anyone have one of these and can comment on how smoothly it raises? Mine seems to have a growl to it as I raise the router, especially when it gets close to the high limit. Anyway, here are some pics...320453320454320455320456

[Patrick Walsh]

Wow!

That is awesome,

So awesome i might have to sell my CMS VL and do this instead...

[Keith Hankins]

That looks good! Love the PCS. I'd advise devising some type of dc pickup it will throw a lot of dust. Here's a guy's set up, that I really liked.

https://youtu.be/gf6b7ttPke4

[Steve Wilde]

320458Keith, I will be adding a box to surround the lift and motor, I was really looking at the woodtek one. In fact I added a wood ring on the bottom of the BenchDog table so that I can add one on when I decide which to get. I also have another wye on order to add to my dust collector line under my outfeed table. It will have two blast gates on it so I can run either the table saw or the router table. Also as an added bonus, the table saw will still lift up and move with the mobile base, just in case I need to reposition it for longer pieces on the router table!

[Bruce Page]

That's a lot of iron! You will like the Bench Dog, I have one with the BD lift on my Unisaw.

[Terry Thillemann]

I’m buying the same saw, router table, and router lift this Friday. I’m confused whether I should install the router to the right or to the left. I’m also buying the Incra table saw joinery fence and am confused about what size I should get and where I’d mount the rails (left side of the rail flush with left side of the router table, wing or table saw).

Can you tell me why you decided on your setup versus installing the table to the left side of the left wing?

While I like your setup, there are a few things about mounting the router to the left which APPEAR to be more convenient…

Left side pros


The Incra joinery fence doubles as a router fence, and if I’m not mistaken, I can simply lower the saw blade and slide the Incra fence to the router table versus un-mounting it, flipping it 180 degrees, mounting it, and then sliding it to the right. Is this correct?
I want to keep the saw mobile. Installing the router table to the right will definitely require additional support whereas installing it to the left may not require anything but my “being careful” when moving it. Is this correct?
Since I’ll have the left side of the saw close to a wall, the extra width would help whenever having more than 22” of wood to the left of the blade. I’m not sure how often this would occur?


Left side cons


I’d have to move the saw whenever I’m routing so I can fit between the wall and the table.
I’d have to lift the router and lift out if I need to access the motor.
There’s not much cast iron table support on the right.



Right side pros


I’d have 50” of cast iron table support to the right of the blade.
There’s plenty of room to cross cut sheets of plywood.
There’s no need to move the saw when routing since I’d have 5.5 feet between the right side of this configuration and my wall.


Right side cons


I’d have to move the saw if I had anything wider than 22” to the left side of the blade.
I’d have to build some support underneath.



Incra joinery fence


I believe I read that if you move the fence all the way to the right, the left side of the fence is 12” from the right side of the rail because of the thickness of the mounting hardware, etc. Your setup is 72” wide which matches the 72” rails. If I mounted the left side of the rail flush with the left side of the left wing, I’d only have a maximum right rip capacity of 38” (10” + 12” + 12” + 16” – 12”) whereas if I mount the left side of the rail flush with the left side of the table itself, I’d increase my right rip capacity to 50”. Would this cause the tape measure to be off? I certainly don’t want to do math in my head every time I want to make a cut.




Because I’d need to move the 72” rails to the right to achieve more than 48” of right rip capacity, it may throw off the tape measure. If so, do I need 92” rails which are mounted flush to the left side of the left wing to resolve this?

[Steve Wilde]

Terry,
I don't have the incra fence so I can't help you there. I thought about mounting the benchdog table on the left, but don't believe that will work with the motor of the saw being on the left on the PCS. I did add the extra Sawstop cast iron wing between the benchdog. I was worried about all the weight hanging out unsupported on the left. I mounted it all to the right, I have the 36" fence. When I mounted the extra wing and the bench dog table, I drilled holes in the fence rail to support both the sawstop wing and the bench dog table, which works out great because the miter slot in the router top sits just outside the end of the fence rail, with maybe 3 inches hanging out past the rail, hope that makes sense. I have the PCS mobility kit, and am able to move the saw around as is, with no extra support under that side. If you want more pictures let me know and i'll take some and post. Hope this helps,
Steve

[Ben Rivel]

Very cool! I didnt know there was an Incra version lift made to flit the Bench Dog cut out. I have the Bench Dog Lift and while I like it there are very nice features offered by the Incra.

Also Im actually surprised there is no issue with the saw supporting the additional cast iron wing AND the cast iron router table extension AND the router lift and the router! does it flex or move at all when you bump it? How about with the lift for the mobility kit?

[Terry Thillemann]

I don't think the Benchdog will fit on the left if you attach it directly to the table; however, it appears that it will work if you attach it to the left wing. At least when I looked at the saw at Rockler the motor cover was underneath the left wing but did not extend past it. I believe the only issue is you would not be able to open the motor cover while the router was installed. I don't believe you'd go in there often, if at all, so I wouldn't see that as a show stopper.

I'm also surprised as Ben that all those things are supported by the rails, those are strong rails!! I'm not sure how strong the Incra rails are and if they'd hold all that weight. You weren't concerned about the rails holding the router table only to the left but then put it on the right along with the extra wing and the rails held it??

[Steve Wilde]

If you mount it to the left, the fence rail would only be able to support half the bench dog top if you take the extension wing out, and it would be outside the rails if you mount it to the extension wing i believe. I haven't noticed any sag in the table or rails, and I almost never move it, I really only have the mobility kit because it was free when I bought my saw, although it will be nice if I need to move it for some reason. I'm very pleased with the results!

[Hoang N Nguyen]

That looks freaking awesome!! Makes me want to do the same thing with my sawstop since I also have a small shop. Thanks for sharing

[Terry Thillemann]

Do you regret not having 2 separate machines versus integrating the router with the saw?

[glenn bradley]

I’m buying the same saw, router table, and router lift this Friday. I’m confused whether I should install the router to the right or to the left.

This must be one of those things like which side of the bench the front vise goes on . . . I mounted on the left. I cannot fathom using a router table where I cannot stand in front of it like a shaper. So, whichever side gives you that access, there you are.

The configuration that really puzzles me is the router table on the right with the fence to the right of the cutter. Reaching over the tablesaw to use my router would be a deal breaker for me.

All that being said, I am sure this is directly relational to how you use a router table and what you use it for. I use it for a lot and I want full access to the table, fence, miter slot and cutter areas :).

[Terry Thillemann]

Well, I ended up going with the Industrial base, extra cast iron wing, Bench Dog Promax, and Incra lift. It was a difficult decision but I just couldn't justify myself needing to spend an extra $300-400 to build a separate router cabinet and put the Incra Super System on it in a small basement hobbyist shop.

I don't expect I'll need to switch back and forth between TS and RT all that frequently. I assume I'll cut all my wood and then switch to RT once all the wood is finished. Perhaps it wont work out this way but I don't think flipping the Incra 180 degrees will be that inconvenient or difficult. Hopefully it will say in good alignment as it has for the others who do this.

I read a post where somebody build a mobile router table underneath the RT wing for dust collection, storage, and to support the extra weight of the cast iron pieces. Somehow it was able to support the extra weight while also allowing the TS to be raised and moved around without breaking anything. I'll want to do something like this for those same reasons. Once I get things sorted out I'll follow up with how it turns out.

Thanks for all your feedback!

[Keith Pitman]

I followed Steve's lead and installed a cast iron router extension on my new Sawstop PCS. Like Steve, I used an additional Sawstop cast iron extension wing. Unlike Steve, I used a router extension from Peachtree Woodworking. The extension from Peachtree has a larger opening for the router plate -- 9 1/4" x 11 3/4". I already had a Woodpeckers router plate in that size for my Triton router and wanted to keep it. The Benchdog router extension uses an 8 1/4" x 11 3/4" plate.

Each of the additional cast iron extension wings are attached to both the front and back rails and to each other. I had to drill some additional holes in the rails and tap them so the bolts could attach to the rails from the back side. A little tricky getting each of the wings level with each other, but after an afternoon's effort it all fits well.

Thanks Steve for posting this originally.

[Bruce Page]

Nice setup!

[Jose E Martinez]

Steve,

I have a SS PCS w/ the 36" extension table, and I too want to add a cast iron router table. I want to add a 12" SS cast iron wing on the right side of the saw, and then the cast iron router table. I'm considering Bench Dog's ProMax ($430), General's Excalibur ($450), and Peachtree's Cast Iron Router Wing ($240). I'm researching the issue, and would prefer not to have to drill new holes in the SS cast iron extension wind, if possible. Did you need to drill new holes in the SS cast iron wing, and if so, were they through holes or tapped holes. I've never done tapped holes!

I would also like to have the flexibility of switching the router insert if I chose in the future. I understand that the Bench Dog insert is not a "standard" size, but designed for only the Bench Dog router insert. Any clarification on these issues will be appreciated.