saw stop table saw

[jeff oldham]

im thinking about biting the bullet and getting a saw stop table saw,,can anyone tell me what the difference is between the contractor saw and the professional,,,the 1.75 horse power,,i know the professional come with some extras that the contractor saw doesn’t,,but you can add them at a later date,,im getting it for my own personal use,,but this will be the last saw I purchase,,and the safety features are outstanding,,can anyone also comment on the fence system that the contractor saw comes with,,thank you

[glenn bradley]

A contractor format saw would not be on my short list for "the last saw I purchase" unless I hauled it from job site to job site as the original design intended. For a saw that will stay at home, a cabinet saw format takes up less room, generally has better dust collection, a cabinet mounted trunnion and all those things we love. The 1.75HP may be fine. I had the Craftsman 22124 1.75 HP hybrid made by the folks at Orion for Sears. An unexpected windfall allowed me to move to the 3HP PCS or I would probably till be using the 22124. If I were going after my "last" saw, I would divide the cost difference required to move up to the 3HP saw by the number of years left in my life and decide if it was worth it to go a little more for a lifetime purchase. ;-)

[Prashun Patel]

Sawstop makes even a smaller, jobsite saw now. But to answer your question:

PCS: 220volt. Comes in 3hp and 5hp versions. Has an enclosed cabinet, so dust collection is good. Large mass = stability.
PCS Hybrid: 1.75hp. Has all the same aesthetics and mass as the 220v machine, but with a 120v motor. Only get this if you need to save a little $, or don't have/don't want 220v power. The larger pcs's will perform a little better on thicker stock.
Contractor: Not as powerful as the 220v PCS, and has an open base, so dust collection not as good as the PCS. 110v.

You'll never regret having more power, so I'd get the biggest version of the above you can afford.

If your version does not come with the dust collecting blade guard, I'd pay extra for that. I would also get the mobile base.

[Frank Pratt]

If you go for the 3HP PCS, it comes with the better dust collecting blade guard. You still need to get the overarm pipe kit for it, or if you have overhead ducts, just drop a hose down to the guard.

Don't get the "Premium" fence, cause it's not premium at all. Get the T Glide, it's very good. It's also available with the contractor saw.

[Steve Wilde]

I bought a 3Hp Pcs last year and am very happy with it. I do wish I had sprung for the 5Hp ICS, I can definitely tell its not as powerful as the 5Hp unisaw I came from. I'll second getting the T Glide fence, the premium is pretty cheap, reminds me of something you'd see on a rigid table saw. I wish the Pcs came with 5Hp, but it is only available in a 1.75 and 3Hp versions. I am very impressed with the saw, other than the power. It's every bit as nice a saw as the unisaw I grew up using. The instruction manual is outstanding, and the setup as well, the hardware actually comes in a package with individual spots for all the bolts that are numbered to go along with the instructions. I highly recommend one! Now it's time for me to duck for cover!

[mreza Salav]

Sawstop makes even a smaller, jobsite saw now. But to answer your question:

PCS: 220volt. Comes in 3hp and 5hp versions. Has an enclosed cabinet, so dust collection is good. Large mass = stability.
PCS Hybrid: 1.75hp. Has all the same aesthetics and mass as the 220v machine, but with a 120v motor. Only get this if you need to save a little $, or don't have/don't want 220v power. The larger pcs's will perform a little better on thicker stock.
Contractor: Not as powerful as the 220v PCS, and has an open base, so dust collection not as good as the PCS. 110v.

You'll never regret having more power, so I'd get the biggest version of the above you can afford.

If your version does not come with the dust collecting blade guard, I'd pay extra for that. I would also get the mobile base.

Prashun, I think you meant to say:

ICS: 220v comes in 3HP to 7.5HP
PCS: comes in 1.75HP and 3HP, it is a true cabinet saw.
Contractor: only in 1.75HP

There is no "hybrid" saw in Sawstop line AFAIK.

For OP: I'd stuggest to stretch your pennies if you can and get a 3HP PCS, you get a smaller (yes smaller) foot print, better dust collection and more powerful saw.
The standard aluminum fence on contractor is not great; so again be prepared to upgrade to the T-slide version that comes on PCS version.

[Keith Hankins]

Sawstop makes even a smaller, jobsite saw now. But to answer your question:

PCS: 220volt. Comes in 3hp and 5hp versions. Has an enclosed cabinet, so dust collection is good. Large mass = stability.
PCS Hybrid: 1.75hp. Has all the same aesthetics and mass as the 220v machine, but with a 120v motor. Only get this if you need to save a little $, or don't have/don't want 220v power. The larger pcs's will perform a little better on thicker stock.
Contractor: Not as powerful as the 220v PCS, and has an open base, so dust collection not as good as the PCS. 110v.

You'll never regret having more power, so I'd get the biggest version of the above you can afford.

If your version does not come with the dust collecting blade guard, I'd pay extra for that. I would also get the mobile base.

One correction, the PCS does not come in 5hp. You have to step up to the ICS to get that and it brings other features and more $$$.

All are good. I'd go minimum 3hp PCS if it were me. If it were not for the 5hp requirement I had, I'd have the PCS today instead of the ICS. (Great saw).

[Shawn Pixley]

I bought the SS. contractor saw when it and the ICS were the only two available. I have upgraded / modified to add CI Wings, T-square fence, outfeed table, dust collection, router table, storage, etc... I love it and it does what I need it to do. If I was buying one today, I would get the 3 HP PCS.

[Ben Rivel]

Just got done going back and forth trying to figure out which to get myself. Went with the 3HP PCS 36" as I want this to be the last saw I ever buy as its also the first table saw Ive ever bought. From my research the better dust collection alone for me was worth it bumping up to the cabinet saw, but the 3HP ensured I would never need any additional power in my home/hobbyist shop. I wouldnt bother with the 30" no matter which saw you go with as the better fence in the 36" and 52" models is well worth the minor additional cost. And as far as the mobile base goes, I honestly think I would have been fine with the integrated option for the PCS but I went with the ICS mobile base for that extra ease in mobility. I am a bit worried about the hydraulic lift lasting as the integrated would have lasted forever since its all mechanical, but the good part is SawStop does well new lifts for the base and they arent too expensive. It would just be an immense pain to change it out.

[John Schweikert]

I've had a PCS 1.75hp for a year now and there is nothing I haven't been able to cut. 10/4 mahogany 12 feet long, no problem, thick purpleheart, easy. A 120V saw will do just fine. Top quality blades are important, so put some money into several that will carry you forward. Some people get tool specs and their panties in a tussle too often. I don't have 220V and won't for the foreseeable future, so the PCS175 does just fine. If my shed shop were different, then I might run 220V but the shed is the shed and 2x30A 120V runs is what I have.

Also for space constraints and because I have no need for putting 4x8 sheets onto the saw (Festool track saw takes care of that), I went with the 30" premium fence. Damn thing is heavy, locks as tight as any pro t-lock fence does, zero deflection, dead on, glides beautifully and wasn't an issue to modify the Jessem stock guides to as well. My saw came near perfectly dialed in as I've checked it all with the OCD tools most of us use nowadays to verify all that sort of stuff.

Buy what fits YOUR needs and YOUR budget. It has nothing to do with anybody else. I don't ever see needing another cabinet saw in my lifetime unless it just craps out decades from now.

One accessory I will suggest is the industrial wheel base over the PCS wheels. That thing is superb. Half a dozen foot pumps on the jack and a 400# saw lifts and will spin within it's own footprint with little effort. Well worth having, just make sure to order the adapter to fit the PCS.

[Kari Ahonen]

One accessory I will suggest is the industrial wheel base over the PCS wheels. That thing is superb. Half a dozen foot pumps on the jack and a 400# saw lifts and will spin within it's own footprint with little effort. Well worth having, just make sure to order the adapter to fit the PCS.

I agree! If you need to move your saw around, you want the Industrial base (professional saw base is ok, but not as good for turning/moving the saw around).

K