SawStop Mobile Base

[Jacob Atwell]

I apologize for beating a dead horse here, but I dearly need some help. I am preparing to buy the 3 hp PCS in the next couple months, but I can’t decide what to do about the mobile base. I have read a lot and most everyone recommends getting the ICS base. The problem is it is my understanding that every spring SawStop has the promotion where you can get the PCS mobile base free when you buy the saw. I was gonna call and see if maybe the retailer will apply that amount towards the purchase of the ICS base. If they cannot/will not do that is the ICS base worth $380 more than a free PCS base? Once I figure out where the saw is going to live it will be pretty much stationary except for occasional moves to clean or if I want to rearrange the shop. Thanks for any input.

[William Chain]

I bought the PCS base instead of the ICS base purely over the price difference. And now I beat myself up every time I move the saw. Spend the money. The ICS base is so much nicer and easier to move the saw. It will go anywhere you want on the ICS base and only in limited direction with the PCS base. Bite the bullet!


I apologize for beating a dead horse here, but I dearly need some help. I am preparing to buy the 3 hp PCS in the next couple months, but I can’t decide what to do about the mobile base. I have read a lot and most everyone recommends getting the ICS base. The problem is it is my understanding that every spring SawStop has the promotion where you can get the PCS mobile base free when you buy the saw. I was gonna call and see if maybe the retailer will apply that amount towards the purchase of the ICS base. If they cannot/will not do that is the ICS base worth $380 more than a free PCS base? Once I figure out where the saw is going to live it will be pretty much stationary except for occasional moves to clean or if I want to rearrange the shop. Thanks for any input.

[Larry Frank]

Get The ICS base...!!!!!!!

[johnny means]

I would rather use my bare hands under the cabinet as glides than use the PCS base. Absolutely frustrating/

[Jacob Atwell]

I would rather use my bare hands under the cabinet as glides than use the PCS base. Absolutely frustrating/

Whoa! That’s a pretty strong recommendation for the ICS.

[ChrisA Edwards]

When I bought my SawStop, I bought the ICS base and took the overarm Dust collection as the promotional freebie. The Dust collection came shipped directly from SawStop.

The ICS bas is wonderful and worth the extra $$$$.

[Jacob Atwell]

When I bought my SawStop, I bought the ICS base and took the overarm Dust collection as the promotional freebie. The Dust collection came shipped directly from SawStop.

The ICS bas is wonderful and worth the extra $$$$.

That’s not a bad idea. I had read somewhere that you got some kind of voucher or something along those lines, so it doesn’t look good for me being able to trade up the freebie to the ICS.

[Jon Nuckles]

I’ve read lots of great things about the ICS base and have no doubt that it is fantastic. That said, I have no complaints about the PCS mobile base. It lifts easily and my 52” fence and side table lift with it. You do have to deal with the dance of the one way casters but, given sufficient space, that’s not a problem. Don’t know why someone would say they’d rather lift it by hand. 🤷🏼*♂️

[Prashun Patel]

I have the pcs base. I don’t the shimmy shake to get it where I need it. I don’t move it every day. The industrial one looks sweet, but the pcs integrated base is not bad. It is sturdy and rolls smoothly. The foot pedals are sturdy and smooth.

It is well designed I say.

To be honest I never knew the industrial one existed until just now!! I never thought mine was bad.

[Ben Schmidt]

I have the ICS base and love it. Moves like it's floating on air. And if you ever decide to get the SawStop router table extension you must have the ICS base, not the PCS base. Something to think about.

[Ray Newman]

I have heard and read about SawStop PCS owners with PCS mobile base sell the PCS base for the ICS mobile base. I have not heard/read of an ICS mobile base owner selling the ICS base to purchase the PCS base....

[David Utterback]

The ICS base will not go through a 30" door, if that is a possibility. I think it needs 32" clearance IIRC.

[Mark Daily]

Is there any reason you can’t replace the fixed casters with swivel casters? I don’t have a Sawstop but in looking at the pics it looks like they are held on with 4 bolts. There are lots of sources for casters.

[Bob Hinden]

I have the ICS mobile base on my 3HP PCS SawStop. It is well worth the extra cost.

Besides general mobility, I also used it when attaching the cast iron extensions. Basically I positioned it next to my work bench, and adjusted the height so the work bench would support the extensions. Made it much easier to attach them. Then turned the saw around 180 degrees to repeat the process on the other side.

Bob

[Charles P. Wright]

I have the ICS base and love it. I've never used the PCS base, but the dust collection guard was an alternative freebie when I bought it. So I paid for the base, but not the dust collection guard. I also added the folding outfeed table, which was a big win as far as usability. I tend not to move my saw, but having the capability to do so is very useful.

[Frank Pratt]

PCS base or ICS base? It really boils down to how you need move your saw. If you mostly go back & forth along the long axis, then the PCS base is great. It is a very good base, but has to fixed casters. Im my shop, I need to be able to go in both directions, sometimes just a few inches and for that, the ICS excels.

I bought my saw during the promo event. I chose the mobile base & Lee Valley gave me credit for it to put towards the ICS base. When you look at the sticker price of the ICS base, it's a little shocking; almost as much as a contractor saw. But after living with it, I really consider it to be well worth the cost.

The OH dust collection arm is the other option in the promo, but for a number of reasons, I don't think it's a winner. I have collection ducts running overhead, so for just a few dollars worth of fittings & a short piece of 2.5" flex, I have a much better solution. Air flow much better and it's a lot easier to get it out of the way when needed. It you want to have a router table in the left extension (which I have) then the OH arm gets in the way of that.

[Jacob Atwell]

I was really hoping the majority would say that the PCS base was the clear choice seeing as how it is free. It is really sticking in my mind that I will be basically be paying almost $400 more to get the ICS base. I guess what I really need to do is call Woodcraft and see what they say about applying the promotion towards the purchase of the ICS.

[Ron Selzer]

I bought my ICS with all available options in 2014, don't care for the OH dust collection, love the mobile base. Only mobile base I have or used, small shop and I twist the saw as well as move it sideways. I would like to try the new OH dust collection with 4" hose and may someday, the one I have now works much better since I now connect it to a shop vac and use the dust collector for the main saw.

[ChrisA Edwards]

As said earlier I got the OH Dust Collection freebie. As soon as I built a crosscut sled, the OH dust collection system came off my saw.

When I bought my saw, I had to store it up against a wall so my wife could park her car in the same bay that I normally used the saw.

So I made a fold down outfeed table, so most days, I would roll my saw away from the wall, spin it through 90 degrees, lift up the outfeed table and connect the 4" dust hose. Before she came home, I would do all this in reverse. My saw moved at least twice a day and sometimes a little more often if I needed something out of the attic as the fold down stairs were above my saw placement.

I put a couple of pieces of duct tape on the floor, as markers, so I could position the saw in exactly the same spot every day, the base was that easy to use.

If you plan on moving your saw often, don't skimp on this base.

[Bill Feeney]

One thing to be very aware of that nobody has mentioned is the very minimal clearance with either floor to base, and the ICS has the most and does work like a dream. If you have any ridges or "humps" (my shop has a transition from a concrete slab into a shipping container where I park it) and it is almost dead level, ALMOST, and it will bottom out if I don't hit the transition just right.

[Jacob Atwell]

I don’t believe the clearance will be an issue in my shop.