Unisaw to PCS Sawstop, wise upgrade?

[Patrick Irish]

I have a platinum edition Unisaw and added sharkguard and the adjustable riving knife.

Great saw. I got it used and did have to add the front rail (drill and tap etc)

I can get a used Pcs 175 Sawstop 36" rail and 1.75hp motor for probably $1k. Then I think it would be another $550 to change over the motor to a 3hp.

I'm wondering if it's worth the trouble? I have the time and don't like the manually adjustable riving knife on my Unisaw. I need it and it works but many cuts with the fence over the threat plate I need to raise the blade but can't because it will hit the riving knife. I therefor have to move the fence, pull the throat plate, raise the riving knife etc. Its a hassle and just the other day I almost raised the blade into the riving knife.

I think the top dimensions of the Unisaw are a little bigger than the Sawstop but that may be a trade off to have a left tip, flesh sensing and built in riving knife.

Thoughts?

[Mike Henderson]

If you weren't dissatisfied with the Unisaw, I'd certainly recommend that you just keep the Unisaw. Having to upgrade the 120V SawStop that you mention to a 3HP motor would be a chore. I'd keep a lookout for a 3HP SawStop.

Of course, the 1.75HP might be enough for your use and you wouldn't have to put any more money into it.

Also, call SawStop and ask if you can convert the 120V PCS to 240V - with or without a motor swap.

Mike

[Bruce Page]

I have debated the Unisaw vs Sawstop upgrade question. I haven't been able to justify it myself, I'm very happy with my Uni

[Ben Rivel]

If you weren't dissatisfied with the Unisaw, I'd certainly recommend that you just keep the Unisaw. Having to upgrade the 120V SawStop that you mention to a 3HP motor would be a chore. I'd keep a lookout for a 3HP SawStop.

Of course, the 1.75HP might be enough for your use and you wouldn't have to put any more money into it.

Also, call SawStop and ask if you can convert the 120V PCS to 240V - with or without a motor swap.

Mike
You can. You just have to order a conversion kit from SawStop. LINK (http://festoolownersgroup.com/other-tools-accessories/converting-sawstop-pcs-1-75-from-110v-to-220v/)

[Jim Morgan]

I wish sharkguard would engineer a riving knife that is adjustable from above the table. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

[Mike Chalmers]

Sawstop PCS for $1K? What's the issue? Grab it!

[Simon MacGowen]

Sawstop PCS for $1K? What's the issue? Grab it!

Agreed. As long as it is a legit sales (not some stolen item), grab it as fast as you can and then get the 220v conversion kit. Unless you are in a production shop, the PCS on 220 is all you will need. I can't but wonder who would sell his or her pcs for just 1k.

Simon

[johnny means]

Well, one mistake and it will be either the worst or best choice you ever made.

[Roy Turbett]

I traded my 3 Hp Unisaw for a 5 Hp Sawstop ICS and wish I had kept the Unisaw. I like the Unifence better than the Sawstop, don't like changing cartridges for dados, and find myself using the bypass mode frequently because of fears of accidental triggers. I do like the Sawstop riving knife better than the Biesmeyer splitter on my Unisaw.

[Jim Andrew]

Don't know how much you use your saw, but if you are unsure of your safety training, you might consider it. Tablesaw training requires extensive safety emphasis. I was once a shop teacher, and kids drove me crazy using the tablesaw. They took risks that I cautioned them about every day. Schools NEED sawstop, or other safety technology, that said, I have and use a unisaw.

[Randy Heinemann]

I like the suggestion that you buy the saw and use it with the 1.75 HP motor for awhile to see if it is sufficient for your use. That particular motor is a good one and powerful in its own right. I love having the peace of mind of the Sawstop blade brake even though I am very safe when using a table saw and I've never had a finger/hand serious accident. The Sawstop saws are great saws above and beyond the blade brake feature.

[ken carroll]

I don't understand how that can be considered an upgrade? Unless you are accident prone, in which case woodworking is not the hobby for you.

[John Piwaron]

Disclaimer: I have and use a new design Unisaw with a 3hp motor. The version with two hand wheels on the front.

I think what you propose is a lot of effort for not a lot of gain. Yeah, you get the flesh sensing tech. That's good. But in other respects the Unisaw is better. Just my opinion. I encourage you to do what you want. I just wouldn't do it.

OTOH, if you could get Sawstop's bigger saw, then get that. That's an upgrade.

[Chris Hachet]

I have debated the Unisaw vs Sawstop upgrade question. I haven't been able to justify it myself, I'm very happy with my Uni


Same here.

[Simon MacGowen]

I don't understand how that can be considered an upgrade? Unless you are accident prone, in which case woodworking is not the hobby for you.

Of course, different people have different views or definitions of what an upgrade is.

SawStop offers hand down better dust collection with its dust collection guard than any other cabinet saws in North America -- new or old, even if the finger-saving feature is excluded or ignored. For many woodworkers who have breathing concerns or work in tight spaces, that is a HUGE upgrade. It certainly was for me. Now, I only turn on the air filtration system and the dust collection without wearing a mask for hours and hours-- a big upgrade to my woodworking routine.

Soon, people will find the new router lift, sliding table, etc. further upgrades wen they switch from(fill in the brand name) to SawStop. SawStop is not going to go away as some wish, now that it is part of the big Festool family.

Simon

[Mike Henderson]

I don't understand how that can be considered an upgrade? Unless you are accident prone, in which case woodworking is not the hobby for you.

Most people who have an accident on a table saw are not "accident prone". That's why they're called "accidents".

Over and over we see someone postings something like, "I've been woodworking for 40 years and yesterday I cut my finger off on the table saw."

Mike

[Jerome Stanek]

How many of you will buy a self driving car because they are safer

[Simon MacGowen]

How many of you will buy a self driving car because they are safer

I have never tried a driver-less car, but I know if I buy my children a new car, I will get them one that has all the modern safety bells & whistles because: a) I can afford a safer car, and b) I want the best protection for them. Five or six years ago, you could have those features only in luxury brands, but heck, Honda and Toyota now put them on their popular models. My wife will sure love to have one of those driver-less cars as she hates driving to work in the morning.

Simon

[David Kumm]

We digress. BIG upgrade in safety. Lateral move or slight downgrade mechanically. Dave

[Nick Dimov]

There are obviously many strong opinions regarding sawstop that I just cant understand. Anyways. I recently sold my 52" platinum American made uni saw for a pcs 3hp 52 inch. I feel it has been a huge upgrade. The riving knife is great with quick change over to the guard, dust collection is awesome and the fit and finish is stellar. The mobile base works great as well. The motor starts and runs smooth as butter and the cast iron is flat as can be. All of these things I consider improvements over my old saw and would make upgrading worth the price to me. Add is a safety device not available on other saws and you have me sold. I know everyone thinks they are so great that an acceding couldn't possiable happen to them but that is foolish in my opinion. I have worked on saws my whole life and have never had an accident but I have seen one happen to a coworker, and he happened to be one of the best people I've ever worked with in fabrication. It can happen to anyone. Anyways I feel it's worth it. Then again, I look at safety ratings when buying a car for my wife to drive my kids in. I'm willing to pay for extra safety. Even if I never use it. Ymmv....

[Patrick Kane]

I cut a lot of 1.5+ thick lumber and wouldnt want to drop down to 1.75hp. If anything, i want more than 3hp on my unisaw. Doing some quick math, this "trade" is going to cost you $600ish and 2-3 hours in labor to go get the saw and swap the motor. This is assuming you sell the unisaw for $900-1000. Seems like a trivial amount of money if it prevents an accident in your life. The positives are a sawstop holds its value much better than a unisaw. You would have a new motor for 20+ years of effortless service.

What fence does your unisaw have? If i went from a unifence to a sawstop bies, i wouldnt be happy at all. I hate my friend's sawstop fence. Truth be told, i dislike all bies fences. I loved the unifence and currently operate a VSCT fence.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I converted my 120v 1.75hp SS to 220v and it was really easy, took maybe half hour. I cut a lot of 8/4 lumber, some hard, some soft and it's never been an issue. Run the correct blade on it and the motor won't bog down. I run a Forrest WW 24T ripping blade for 8/4 lumber, Forrest WW 40T for anything less than 4/4 and Forrest 80T blade for ply and melamine. This has worked out well for me and it hasn't given me any issues nor have I ever felt the need for more power. I wouldn't say no to a 3hp SS but I wouldn't bother with swapping out the motor.

Someone had mentioned it being a pain to change the brake for a dado blade. I don't see that as an issue either. You're already changing out the blade and being a stacked dado, that takes time. What's another 60 seconds to swap out the brake going to cost you?

[Ed Pollock]

If I were you I would grab the PCS just because of the price. If you like it, great! If you don't, sell it for 1.5 times what you paid....

I have the 1.75 PCS and it is great for me. I have never had any other "cabinet" style saw though so I cannot compare it to the Unisaw you are using.

[Ben Rivel]

If I were you I would grab the PCS just because of the price. If you like it, great! If you don't, sell it for 1.5 times what you paid....

I have the 1.75 PCS and it is great for me. I have never had any other "cabinet" style saw though so I cannot compare it to the Unisaw you are using.
Yea really. For that reason alone Id pick it up! In fact where is this SawStop located, maybe Ill scoop it up just to flip!

[Patrick Irish]

Missed out. Sold to another buyer. Would have been a deal at just around $1900 for the equivalent of a PCS 3hp 36" fence and I'd have a spare 1.75hp motor.

Oh well, If I don't find a used one by the time the fiance and I move, one will magically appear in boxes in the new house from the equity in my place.

[Roger Marty]

Well, one mistake and it will be either the worst or best choice you ever made.

This. $1000 is a cheap insurance policy...even if only 1 in a thousand table saw users have an accident. And I suspect the numbers are higher for long-time heavy table saw users.

[Ed Pollock]

I would buy it based on the price alone. If you like it better, sell your Unisaw (or better yet keep and use them both). If you don't, sell it for 1.5K!

I have the 1.75 PCS 36" and love it. But... it is the only cabinet saw I have ever had, so I really cannot compare the two.

[Patrick Kane]

Crap, it just hit me that i think the OP is from the Pittsburgh area, which is ME! I never search sawstop, but apparently i was asleep at the craigslist wheel on this one.

[Mike Henderson]

Crap, it just hit me that i think the OP is from the Pittsburgh area, which is ME! I never search sawstop, but apparently i was asleep at the craigslist wheel on this one.

You can set up email notifications on Craigslist now. All you get is one email if something matches your search. So if it's not what you want, or if the price is too high, just delete the email. But at least you get the notice.

Mike