Harvey HW110LC-36P vs SawStop Contractor 36" T-Glide - Which one ? [Archive]

Greg Parrish

03-03-2022, 7:41 AM

In another thread I've been diving into table saws and trying to decide which path is best for me. Need it to be mobile so I can move it out of the way after each use. Dust collection and all tools will be mobile and connect one tool at a time. After doing lots of reading on various other saws, I have narrowed my choice down to these two. I realize they are two different cabinet types, but are otherwise similarly spec'd. (Please try to include opinions based on the underlying saws and not just the brake system. I like the feature, but want a fair comparison to the saws themselves without the focus falling solely on that feature alone. Thank you.)

Harvey HW110LC-36P (Roughly $2,528 as spec'd before tax: Saw, zero clearance insert, thin riving knife, harvey mobile base option, shipping)
2HP
410 lbs (probably around 445 lbs if right cast wing added)
Pro's: Base price includes over-blade dust collection, nice miter gauge, cast wing on left side, deeper table and european fence.
Con's: high shipping cost

Sawstop Contractor 36" T-Glide (Roughly $3,008 as spec'd before tax: Saw, SS mobile base, dado cartridge, extra regular cartridge, dust collect blade guard, left/right cast iron wings, zero clearance insert, no shipping via woodcraft pickup)
1.75HP
310 lbs (380 lbs once cast wings added)
Pro's: known quality, blade brake system, maybe more transportable (maybe not). Looks like some parts would graduate to a PCS if later upgrading (like blade guard, throat plates, cartridges, etc)
Con's: requires lots of add ons to outfit, motor hangs off back, poorer dust capture than full cabinet.

As I would spec them, the price is about $480 different before tax with the Sawstop costing more. Both have router wing options, the sawstop has overblade dust option for extra, both have extra cast iron wing options, etc.

Is there a clear winner here? Would you pay $500 more for a sawstop contractor saw over the Harvey? Is the Harvey quality on par, or close, to sawstop? Would the sawstop contractor offer any real benefit to moving it around over the Harvey? Would both hold their accurate settings equally given my plan to move them with each use? Long term, will one have more likely hood of better support, both parts, technical and upgrade path? I've seen a sawstop in person but never the harvey so I don't have personal eye's on comparison.

Harvey flash sale runs for around 44 hours. I hate to start another thread on this but I've reached analysis paralysis and the sale clock is ticking for one option...........................

Michael Fink

03-03-2022, 7:52 AM

How much do you value the blade stopping system? That's really what this comes down to, a saw that it would be very difficult to get seriously injured using vs a normal saw where, if you're not careful, it can hurt you badly. Looking at the specs, the Harvey appears to be have the nod in basically every category. It's a heavier saw, cabinet style, has what many consider a very good miter system. But it doesn't have way to stop the blade, so you need to be more cautious.

If you decide to get the SS, don't pay extra for the dust collecting blade guard, it's really not worth it. If you live near SC, I'll give you mine off my PCS. Save up for the overarm DC, it's a much better system.

I'd get the SS because I don't trust myself near a table saw; I know I get tired and sloppy sometimes, and having a saw that will give me added protection is a good thing for me personally. I'm sure you'll be happy with either though, both appear to be very nice.

Any reason you can't go up to the PCS? Doesn't appear to be a huge difference in price and, from looking at them both, you get quite a bit more with the PCS.

Greg Parrish

03-03-2022, 8:00 AM

Thanks and makes sense. The reason for the PCS is basically price. It's $800 more for the saw alone and would require many of the basic ad-ons. Have been trying to keep cost as low as possible. Heck, I was originally looking at the SS jobsite model as well as the dewalt equivalent. Got rid of my prior shop full of tools like felder, hammer, minimax, etc. to make garage into a family space with gym. Don't have much space for tools so I need them to cram into a corner and pull out when needed. Have an oneida mini gorilla so I decided to try to focus on saws with real 4" dust ports. Anyway, never say never, but these two seemed closest in price as I would not get all of the SS items in one round, whereas the bulk of the harvey price is the saw and $359 shipping charge.

If I were setting up a stationary shop again, the Harvey seems to be the way better spec'd saw on paper/internet for the money, but I have never seen one and don't know how they truly compare. To be honest, I'm leaning more and more towards the SS contractor.

Oh, and I'm in North Florida but if you want to get rid of that blade guard, I'd be interested if I do get the SS. :)

How much do you value the blade stopping system? That's really what this comes down to, a saw that it would be very difficult to get seriously injured using vs a normal saw where, if you're not careful, it can hurt you badly. Looking at the specs, the Harvey appears to be have the nod in basically every category. It's a heavier saw, cabinet style, has what many consider a very good miter system. But it doesn't have way to stop the blade, so you need to be more cautious.

If you decide to get the SS, don't pay extra for the dust collecting blade guard, it's really not worth it. If you live near SC, I'll give you mine off my PCS. Save up for the overarm DC, it's a much better system.

I'd get the SS because I don't trust myself near a table saw; I know I get tired and sloppy sometimes, and having a saw that will give me added protection is a good thing for me personally. I'm sure you'll be happy with either though, both appear to be very nice.

Any reason you can't go up to the PCS? Doesn't appear to be a huge difference in price and, from looking at them both, you get quite a bit more with the PCS.

Michael Fink

03-03-2022, 9:25 AM

Thanks and makes sense. The reason for the PCS is basically price. It's $800 more for the saw alone and would require many of the basic ad-ons. Have been trying to keep cost as low as possible. Heck, I was originally looking at the SS jobsite model as well as the dewalt equivalent. Got rid of my prior shop full of tools like felder, hammer, minimax, etc. to make garage into a family space with gym. Don't have much space for tools so I need them to cram into a corner and pull out when needed. Have an oneida mini gorilla so I decided to try to focus on saws with real 4" dust ports. Anyway, never say never, but these two seemed closest in price as I would not get all of the SS items in one round, whereas the bulk of the harvey price is the saw and $359 shipping charge.

If I were setting up a stationary shop again, the Harvey seems to be the way better spec'd saw on paper/internet for the money, but I have never seen one and don't know how they truly compare. To be honest, I'm leaning more and more towards the SS contractor.

Oh, and I'm in North Florida but if you want to get rid of that blade guard, I'd be interested if I do get the SS. :)

Most saws are going to be the SS on specs per dollar. They are good saws, I'm very happy with mine, but realize you're paying a premium for the name, but, really, for the one unique feature; the ability to stop the blade quickly. Which, honestly, kind of makes sense, blade stopping mechanism costs money to make, there are more electronics, and, of course, it's patented. So two saws at 2K, one with SS and one without, you'd expect the one without to be more feature rich in other areas (better fence, bigger table, more HP, etc).

ROFL, the DC blade guard is all yours if you want it. It's honestly better than nothing, no question, but it's in the way for a lot of cuts and just doesn't do a good enough job to justify the hassle for me. The overarm floating setup is much better, but it's also much more expensive. 500 bucks for some 4in pipe and a plastic guard is a bit steep.

Frank Pratt

03-03-2022, 10:04 AM

I have a PCS 3HP saw, but given the choices you have given, hands down I'd go with the Harvey cabinet saw. The motor hanging off the back is a big inconvenience, but more importantly, dust collection on the contractor saw is not good. I have a fold down outfeed table that is entirely supported by the saw, no legs. This is important to me because no matter where in the shop I move it to, the outfeed is always there & perfectly coplanar with the saw table. I doubt the contractor saw has the mass to be stable enough for this.

Having had both a couple of contractor saws and a cabinet saw, I'd say that the user experience with a cabinet saw is much better.

Greg Parrish

03-03-2022, 11:35 AM

After digging into the manuals, the Harvey looks to have a huge total footprint. The length I was expecting, but the width/depth makes it massive. For a stationary shop, I'd be loving that, but for my mobility and storage needs I see it as a detriment. Another interesting tidbit is the SS Contractor and PCS both use larger ball bearings in the arbor assembly which is nice. Found that information via manuals also.

Harvey HW110LC-36 = Length/Width/Height 70-3/4" x 49-3/4" x 48-1/4" (I'm realizing the height includes the dust tube, and the table height is actually 34")

SS Contractor = 69-1/2" x 45" x 34-3/4"

SS PCS = 69-1/8" x 33" x 34"

Anyway, I'm back looking at the SS contractor. I'll keep the PCS in the back of my head, but budget wise the contractor will be a better fit I think. Hate making these types of decisions.

Greg Parrish

03-03-2022, 1:16 PM

Okay, I've come to terms with my space issue and plan to go with the SS Contractor saw for now. Had to change my way of thinking a little and consider it more of buying into a system approach like festool or felder/hammer. From what I'm seeing, almost everything that fits the contractor saw (except mobile base) will fit a PCS. So any extras I add to the contractor saw could be migrated to a PCS should I find my needs and usage change (like getting another dedicated shop). I may even end up building it into a cart with router table or something to compact tool space needs, but either way it should be very mobile for my multi use space.

Tough decision process and honestly I just wish I still had my prior restored PM66, but onward and upward with a new saw to fit with my table top tools and mobility approach. LOL

Dennis Jarchow

03-03-2022, 1:32 PM

After digging into the manuals, the Harvey looks to have a huge total footprint. The length I was expecting, but the width/depth makes it massive. For a stationary shop, I'd be loving that, but for my mobility and storage needs I see it as a detriment.

Harvey HW110LC-36 = Length/Width/Height 70-3/4" x 49-3/4" x 48-1/4" (I'm realizing the height includes the dust tube, and the table height is actually 34").

That 49 3/4" seems huge. I threw a picture of the top of both saws into Photoshop and it looks like Harvey is including the length the fence handle sticks out in front of the saw and how far the back of the fence and the overarm dust collection projects past the back of the saw. Sawstop appears to be measuring the depth of the PCS top plus the rails. Just measuring the depth of the top plus the rails looks like the Harvey would measure somewhere around 38" deep.

Greg Parrish

03-03-2022, 2:01 PM

That 49 3/4" seems huge. I threw a picture of the top of both saws into Photoshop and it looks like Harvey is including the length the fence handle sticks out in front of the saw and how far the back of the fence and the overarm dust collection projects past the back of the saw. Sawstop appears to be measuring the depth of the PCS top plus the rails. Just measuring the depth of the top plus the rails looks like the Harvey would measure somewhere around 38" deep.

Dennis, that could be correct since the top on the Harvey is about 5" wider/deeper. All of them are going to have overhang from the fence and potentially the hose. My space is tight so the thought of 11 to 12" less overall footprint makes a difference. hmmmmmmm.................. LOL

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 8:01 AM

Well shucks........ still torn on what to do this morning. Ordered a set of the dewalt 8" dado stack blades to use (poor mans Forrest dado king according to what I've read), but that's as far as I've gotten. Other than the safety feature and the more local support network of the Sawstop, I really like some of the features that come on the Harvey. That said, most of them could be added to the Sawstop. All but the european fence anyway. If I'd never have owned that Felder, that fence wouldn't even register to me as something nice to have though. One thing I like and don't like is the Harvey uses pins for the blade. Not sure if they are removable, but could mean having to buy specific blades like with felder. Ugh...........

The Harvey I'm looking at is a 2hp but if I stepped up the Sawstop comparison to the PCS 1.75, would I regret the lack of 3hp immediately for hobby usage? Could the motor/switch be changed out easily if I ever wanted to upgrade power? Seems like that is only difference between 1.75 and 3 hp versions. Think I've heard this is possible but not sure. Anyone had a problem with false blade activations?

Alan Lightstone

03-04-2022, 8:16 AM

I've owned both the SS Contractor's saw and now the ICS. No question that the dust collection on the SawStop Contractor's saw is suboptimal, but if you're willing to go through the effort, you can make your own cabinet for it, and dust collection gets 90% better (or is that 90.1348%? - who knows, it got a lot better.)

As far as power, there were a few times with 8/4 wood that the saw was underpowered at 1.75HP. But for the vast majority of my use, the power was just fine. Do I like having 5HP now? Sure. But for most work, it really doesn't provide a noticeable advantage.

Personally, if it would fit and could fit your budget, I would go for the PCS in the 3HP version. No experience with the Harvey for comparison. Pins for blades would have annoyed me greatly.

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 8:28 AM

Thanks Alan. I remember you saying you built a cart for your SS contractor. That said, the budget just isn't there today for the 3hp SS with all the trimmings. I'm somewhat justifying the 1.75hp based on the fact that it isn't as much difference once you add the cast iron wings to the contractor saw, making them more comparably spec'd. I'd basically be paying the extra at that point for better dust collection, weight/stability and the possibility of swapping the motor if power ever needed. Having had a 3hp PM66 and a 4hp Felder, I realize the power will not be the same, but I'm also not working with a shop full of 2" material anymore either. It may be a long time before I have a dedicated shop space where I would be able to go back to more involved projects with larger wood.

The Harvey seems to me like a mix of European (like felder) and American (like powermatic) saws. The high/low European fence, the pins for saw blades, etc. I realize it isn't, but it is a mixture of approach/philosophy. That aluminum high/low fence has a lot of positives, but I could also see the negatives when it comes to jigs possibly. For the cost of the SS PCS 1.75 alone though, I could get the fully outfitted 2hp Harvey, and almost the 3hp Harvey, but again no safety feature on their blade. Since these things weigh 400 to 550 lbs, it's not an easy item to change your mind on, so I'm overly stressing myself to decide I guess.

I've owned both the SS Contractor's saw and now the ICS. No question that the dust collection on the SawStop Contractor's saw is suboptimal, but if you're willing to go through the effort, you can make your own cabinet for it, and dust collection gets 90% better (or is that 90.1348%? - who knows, it got a lot better.)

As far as power, there were a few times with 8/4 wood that the saw was underpowered at 1.75HP. But for the vast majority of my use, the power was just fine. Do I like having 5HP now? Sure. But for most work, it really doesn't provide a noticeable advantage.

Personally, if it would fit and could fit your budget, I would go for the PCS in the 3HP version. No experience with the Harvey for comparison. Pins for blades would have annoyed me greatly.

ChrisA Edwards

03-04-2022, 8:44 AM

I can't comment on the two saws in question, but if mobility is required, the Sawstop ICS base is brilliant.

I bought my PCS 1.75 in Dallas. It's working location shared the same spot as my wife's car, meaning, it got rolled out to use and rolled away against a wall in the evening.

I made a fold down outfeed. I put some duct tape markers on the garage floor so I could put it in the same spot every time I brought it out. I had fold down support legs on my out feed table, so being able to put it in the same spot meant I did not have to micro adjust the legs because of an uneven garage floor.

I later upgraded this to the 3HP version with a motor and control box swap out.

Saw at bedtime
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/.highres/DSC_9802_zpscqxckp5u.jpg

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 8:48 AM

Thank you Chris. Always coming through with the pictures or videos. Very helpful. So you started with the 1.75 and upgraded it by swapping the control box and motor. I read somewhere the cost is about the same as buying the 3hp up front, so that has me thinking it's worth it to try the 1.75 for my current needs and budget. Thanks again.

I haven't totally ruled out the thought of starting with the contractor saw knowing that I could one day sell it and replace with the 3hp PCS if needed and that all of the accessories would fit except the wheels. I'm liking the system compatibility here and another simple item I just stumbled on is that the sawstop manual gives actual part numbers and the harvey manual does not. Reinforces my concern about future support.

Also have to keep reminding myself that I won't be using this every day. It may go weeks or months between projects, so something like the contractor saw may be fine for now.

I can't comment on the two saws in question, but if mobility is required, the Sawstop ICS base is brilliant.

I bought my PCS 1.75 in Dallas. It's working location shared the same spot as my wife's car, meaning, it got rolled out to use and rolled away against a wall in the evening.

I made a fold down outfeed. I put some duct tape markers on the garage floor so I could put it in the same spot every time I brought it out. I had fold down support legs on my out feed table, so being able to put it in the same spot meant I did not have to micro adjust the legs because of an uneven garage floor.

I later upgraded this to the 3HP version with a motor and control box swap out.

Saw at bedtime

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 12:08 PM

For some levity on my indecision, here are a few memory lane pictures:

Initial hop with the PM66
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Evolved shop with the Felder/Hammer/Minimax equipment all hard ducted to Oneida V-300
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Now the sad part. Here is my space today. LOL
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8 pic limit. Continued in next post.

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 12:12 PM

And the last project I completed in this space. Not fine furniture but not horrible given the tools at my disposal and space available.

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Anyway, as you can see, I have only the small little corner next to the weight rack (clothes drying rack LOL) to store some tools. Also a golf cart parks in the big open area most of the time so that is not an option. I'm fighting the urge to purchase tools like I sold 2 years ago which I really don't have space for even though I still have the 220v circuits in place. The more I look at the space and the pictures and the SawStop page, I'm forcing myself back to the contractor saw and the jobsite pro saw. For smaller projects here and there, probably either would work. If I'm reading the information correctly, they share the same cartridges and the only difference in parts would be the throat plates. I'm wondering if I should just order a jobsite pro and use it for now knowing that blades and cartridges could move to a larger unit down the road when I have a dedicated space. Might be the best option given my lack of space.

Mike Kees

03-04-2022, 1:15 PM

Greg ,sorry you had to sell your old stuff. Hope that whatever choice you make it will get you back into business making stuff again.

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 1:24 PM

Thanks Mike. Had to is a relative term. When CoVid hit, it was my choice to do it so that the family could use the space instead of just me. No one knew what to expect then, so we prepared to be stuck indoors for extended times. However, now that the space has been converted there is no way I can completely take it back. Best I can do is stash some tools in the corner and use it from time to time when no one else is. Then clean it up and re-stash the tools in the corner.

I have a one day plan for a separate shop on another property but this is something that would be 10 to 15 years down the road most likely. So, for now I'm struggling with the most cost effective and space effective way to build some stuff but not take up too much space. Thanks again.

Greg ,sorry you had to sell your old stuff. Hope that whatever choice you make it will get you back into business making stuff again.

Chris Sonego

03-04-2022, 1:55 PM

Frank Pratt

03-04-2022, 2:18 PM

Maybe it's been mentioned, but the PCS has a smaller footprint than the contractor saw.

Greg Parrish

03-04-2022, 2:21 PM

You have your mind already made up for the SS. If you go that route, don’t bother with the contractor, go PCS.

That said, I own the exact Harvey you mentioned above. It’s a beast. I’d bet with the cast right wing (which I have), and fence, it's closer to 500 lbs.

I unfortunately don't have my mind made up about any of it. LOL

Have any pictures of your saw? Everything on their site appears to be a rendering. You went with the 2hp version? Any shipping issues? By chance are the blade pins removable? Is the thin riving knife needed for thin kerf blades given the less than 3hp motor? Thanks.

Chris Sonego

03-05-2022, 7:34 AM

I can’t seem to post pics, but that’s another post. Yes, you have to remove the blade pins with the supplied Allen wrench. Shipping is one of the strong points. My saw was the best packaged piece of equipment I’ve ever received. The riving knife I received works on my thin kerf rip blade and my WWII blade. I did a short review and posted here. Find that post, it should answer any remaining questions. All in all, it’s a well put together piece of equipment.

Ron Selzer

03-05-2022, 1:31 PM

I like that bed, think I will build it for my granddaughter after I get her dresser and bureau built.

Greg Parrish

03-05-2022, 2:37 PM

I like that bed, think I will build it for my granddaughter after I get her dresser and bureau built.

Thanks. Here are the plans I followed. Includes parts list and cut list. Easy Peesy. It’s spec’s for construction grade lumber but I stepped up to select grade for the 1x6 and 1x4 pieces for little better selection. https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/farmhouse-bed-standard-king-size

I know it wouldn’t appeal to many but if you want a similar look, I stained it with a water based barnwood brown stain first and then made multiple passes with white wash and antique brown glazes. Then sprayed a single coat of matte satin polycrylic. All water based products.

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On a more important note, i did not order the Harvey. Read that the sale price comes and goes every few days and that took the pressure off. Still working through my decision and hope to pin down my direction in the next week.

Ron Selzer

03-05-2022, 3:59 PM

Thanks for the link to the plans
Ron

Bryan Hall

03-06-2022, 12:13 AM

I'd go harvey. I've had dewalt, laguna, sawstop, and am now setting up a slider. There was nothing special about the sawstop other than the brake tech. Harvey has a larger table and better fence. I expect I'd get a harvey if I ever get another cabinet saw.

Rod Sheridan

03-06-2022, 4:09 PM

Hi Greg, if you’re willing to buy a cabinet style saw, then the SawStop is the only one worth considering.

The only thing cabinet saws do well is rip.

I went with a short stroke slider with scoring about 12 years ago from a General cabinet saw.

Scoring, straight line ripping, 104mm depth of cut, plus the ability to cross cut a sheet of plywood and the ability to clamp work to the table, I would never go back……Regards, Rod.

Greg Parrish

03-06-2022, 5:57 PM

Thanks Rod. I don’t really have the budget for another slider saw and really don’t have the space for anything too large.

I’m honestly back thinking about purchasing a temporary saw to use for a few years knowing I may replace it down the road. Something in the sub-$2k range that is movable and doesn’t take up too much space. So far, that leaves the Dewalt DW7491RS job site saw, the Sawstop Jobsite Pro and a few others. I’m back looking at the Jet ProShop II also. I can get the 230v version with 30” fence and cast wings for about the same price as the SS Jobsite pro. With a mobile base, I’m thinking that would be a good starting platform to get me by for a while. Should hold decent value given the Jet name. And, from what I can deduce from lots of internet searching and reading, it shares the guts of the Laguna F2 saw, shares the throat plates of the Laguna F1, F2 & F3, and shares the Riving Knives from the Laguna’s. Looks like Grizzly also has a portable Jobsite saw using the same throat plate and riving knives. It is also an aluminum cabinet mounted trunion like the Laguna Fusions. But, where the Jet is different is in the fence. It has steel rails and looks somewhat like an Xacta fence.

The only thing lacking is overblade dust collection, but honestly if I could get my hands on a Laguna F2 blade guard, i could add it that way, or I could adapt my own with a shark guard probably. Net cost would still be a lot less than the SS contractor with cast wings, and the dust collection looks like it would be better since the motor is internal. From what I can tell, it would be similar weight to the SS Contractor and a high percentage of people that had the original Jet Proshop liked them.

My recent tool budget went to a new Polaris Ranger, 10x20 storage shed on concrete slab and a sawmill that’s on order. Just waiting the sawmill shipment notification any day. So, needless to say, I’m still on the sidelines regarding a table saw while I work through the best route. :)

Hi Greg, if you’re willing to buy a cabinet style saw, then the SawStop is the only one worth considering.

The only thing cabinet saws do well is rip.

I went with a short stroke slider with scoring about 12 years ago from a General cabinet saw.

Scoring, straight line ripping, 104mm depth of cut, plus the ability to cross cut a sheet of plywood and the ability to clamp work to the table, I would never go back……Regards, Rod.

Rod Sheridan

03-06-2022, 7:50 PM

Makes sense, maybe a temporary saw is the best solution……Rod

Michael Fink

03-06-2022, 8:20 PM

Makes sense, maybe a temporary saw is the best solution……Rod

Agree. And if you're going to sell it down the road and don't care about the SS functionality, the Dewalt is hard to beat. That's an incredibly popular saw, put it on Craigslist for 75% of new price and it'll be gone before I finish this e-mail. When you get into a more expensive saw (like the SS) or a cabinet/hybrid saw, that's gong to be harder to sell and/or you'll lose more money on the deal.

Honestly, if it's a "temporary saw", you might look on CL and see what you can find. You can probably buy something today and sell it a few years from now and make money, especially if it's a contractor style rolling saw.

Frank Pratt

03-07-2022, 11:07 AM

When you get into a more expensive saw (like the SS) or a cabinet/hybrid saw, that's gong to be harder to sell and/or you'll lose more money on the deal.

Have you tried buying a used SawStop? The go in a hurry & fetch very high prices. Unloading a SawStop would be very easy.

Greg Parrish

03-07-2022, 8:47 PM

Managed to go into a store today while waiting for a meeting to start and lay hands on a Jet ProShop II 30” with cast wings, a SS Contractor 30” with aluminum fence and a PCS 1.75 with 36” rails. Honestly, didn’t think the little Jet was too bad. I’m pretty well convinced that it’s a Laguna F2 on the inside with aluminum trunion, same throat plate, etc. Smooth up/down and tilt movement, and the rail seems somewhat like a mini xacta with aluminum faces on the T-Square. Really not to bad and fairly mobile. They even had one in stock in the box sitting on the shelf, but I didn’t take it.

They also had one of the PCS 1.75 with the 36” rails in stock, but I didn’t take it either. Didn’t have room in the Explorer for the Jet and no real easy way to get a PCS into the Explorer based on how it was packaged. The PCS of course was a nice 500lb tank, but I’m honestly not sure if it fits the bill for my current mobility needs.

Lastly looked at another copy of the SS Jobsite Pro and strongly considered it again but think I’d rather have something like the Jet with cast top over the jobsite.

Long story short, didn’t buy one and plan to check a few more stores at the end of the week but so far think I could be happy with any of these for my current tinkering and small project needs.

Greg Parrish

03-11-2022, 6:37 PM

475666

just gonna park this post update here for a bit. :D

Jim Becker

03-11-2022, 7:49 PM

You hat to do that, didn't you? :D

Greg Parrish

03-11-2022, 8:36 PM

You hat to do that, didn't you? :D

Ha. Yes I did.

Had a bunch of boxes follow me home today. Will update with some pictures after the weekend when I get a chance to do some assembly. After lots and lots of thinking and reading I ended up going with the contractor model with 36” rail, cast wings, mobile base and the nicer overarm dust collection. Ultimately I want to add a router wing too but will have to come back and do that later. Store said the contractor mobility kit couldn’t handle the router table weight but am thinking I could replace one of the cast wings with the router to reduce some weight and limit the overall length too.

Thanks for all the feedback.

Jim Becker

03-12-2022, 10:19 AM

On the pre-owned PCS I picked up for my temporary shop, the cast iron Bench Dog router table top bolted up no problem, even with the wing in place. There's no legs under it...the front and back rails provide more than enough support. That said, for the lighter contractor saw, you may need legs to maintain balance with a heavy router setup hanging out...just make them adjustable length and they will not interfere with moving the machine around.

Greg Parrish

03-12-2022, 1:16 PM

I’m swapping the contractor out for the 1.75 PCS model. Didn’t even open the box but I decided overnight that I made a mistake. I didn’t know until after I got home that the contractor was not recommended to use the router table and over blade floating dust collection with a mobile base. Not sure if it’s because of the table not being strong enough to support the weight or the mobile base can’t lift it, but decided to swap before cracking open the box. The store is holding one of the PCS and an ICS base for me for tomorrow. Also picking up a folding outfeed table too.

Will the ICS base have enough clearance to work on my rubber horse mat garage floor? You can see the floor I’m talking about in this picture. They are stall mats from tractor supply which are pretty stiff, weigh about 100 pounds each and have wire reinforcement molded in them. Just not sure how much pressure the saw may put on each wheel and if they sink I’m not sure if the base will lift it enough to still roll.

I also noticed the rockler all terrain mobile base as another possible option. Any thoughts on the ICS for my floor?

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Marc Fenneuff

03-12-2022, 2:58 PM

I’m swapping the contractor out for the 1.75 PCS model.

I guessed back on page 1 that the PCS with ICS base would be the best fit for you, given your stated needs. Look forward to seeing it all setup.

Greg Parrish

03-12-2022, 6:15 PM

I guessed back on page 1 that the PCS with ICS base would be the best fit for you, given your stated needs. Look forward to seeing it all setup.

What can I say. I have to take the long, drawn out, stubborn route to get there some times. LOL

Jim Becker

03-12-2022, 8:04 PM

I think you'll be fine on those stall mats for mobility.

Greg Parrish

03-13-2022, 3:27 AM

I think you'll be fine on those stall mats for mobility.

thanks Jim.

provided they did hold the items as indicated, I’ll have the stuff swapped by end of day today and can start assembly over the next few days. Will be watching your new shop project with great envy as well. Congrats.

Greg Parrish

03-13-2022, 9:57 PM

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED !! LOL

But I’m too pooped to do anything with it tonight. My Rockler store is about 4 hours away so it makes for a long, long drive. Anyway, I’m excited but will start assembly one day night this week. Some preliminary pictures. Will post the completed assembly when done.

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Jim Becker

03-14-2022, 10:47 AM

Many boxes...your recycling service is going to love you this week! :) Congrats on the PCS. It's a nice saw.

Greg Parrish

03-14-2022, 11:14 AM

Many boxes...your recycling service is going to love you this week! :) Congrats on the PCS. It's a nice saw.

Thanks Jim! Can't wait till 5pm so I can start tearing into the cardboard. LOL :)

Jim Becker

03-14-2022, 11:33 AM

One of my joys with being retired is I don't have to wait for anything. Most of the time, at least. LOL

Greg Parrish

03-15-2022, 6:15 PM

Boy am I moving slow…….. LOL………… but managed to get a few things done, including getting the saw on the ICS base. Initially thought the shop crane would be helpful for getting saw in base, but was more trouble than worth since there are not easy attachment points. Ended up rolling to the styrofoam and then standing up on floor by myself. Couldn’t get it to tilt up into the base because the ICS base would just roll away each time I tried. Ultimately, I ended up leaning up the back and putting a piece of 4x4 under it, and then lifting up the front while pushing the ICS base under with my foot. Was surprisingly easy to do this way without having to lift the entire weight. I’m at the stage now of mounting the wings and hope to get that and more done tonight but will see. Taking my time to make sure I get each step right the first try. :)

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Jim Becker

03-15-2022, 8:04 PM

Take your time mounting the wings so you get them aligned well and absolutely flat with the main table. There's a little bit of adjustment room in the mounting holes because it's machined cast iron and there will be some minor differences accordingly. You really want to nail this "now" as it will make your life easier from there.

ChrisA Edwards

03-15-2022, 11:03 PM

Moves so nicely on that base, doesn't it....

Frank Pratt

03-16-2022, 10:26 AM

Some like diamonds or gold, or shiny new cars. But new machined cast iron just turns me to mush. It's beautiful. But that never stops me from using like it's a tool :)

Greg Parrish

03-16-2022, 10:59 AM

Ha, that's what I keep thinking too. The newly unwrapped cast sure is nice.

And the base moves very well on my rubber flooring so that is a relief. Hopefully it continues to do so and I don't have problems with settling or sinking but we will see with time.

Greg Parrish

03-16-2022, 5:01 PM

Sawstop must pay their people based on how much grease coating they can put on everything. Holy cow the wings look like they were dipped in elephant snot, and the fence tube is floating in a bag full of oil. I know it helps it arrive rust free but what a pain to clean all of this gunk off.

On a different note, I had to break down and order a 50" straight edge as I'm struggling to get the wings level. Not sure if I'll have to shim them, or if the rails alone can fix it, but will probably have to wait till this weekend to attempt it since the straight edge should arrive Friday. I've got feeler gauges but didn't keep my prior nicer straight edge, although it was only a 36" model. The aluminum 50" models appear to be .003 accurate which I'm assuming means .001 per every 12 inches. I'm assuming that is close enough for wood working machinery.

Frank Pratt

03-16-2022, 7:10 PM

All that goop is to force you to slow down & savor the experience of setting up what may be your last table saw :)

That straight edge is plenty accurate for woodwork. A board can move more than that just sitting there for a bit.

Jim Becker

03-17-2022, 3:10 PM

All that gunk helps keep weeks of "salt air" from doing serious nasty to those ferrous metal parts as the machines travel from "there" to "here". My Minimax equipment was also slathered for the same reason...

Greg Parrish

03-18-2022, 12:36 PM

So my 50" straight edge ground to .003 accuracy over the length has been delayed in shipping for another day or two. For real world usage, would an Empire 48" level with .0005"/inch be accurate enough? If my math is correct, that equates to .024 over the length. So 2.4 hundredths versus 3 thousandths over a 48"/50" run. If the answer is that it's not good enough, I'll continue to wait as I don't want to bolt the rest of the stuff on if I knowingly have to come back and adjust the wings later. AT the same time, I don't want to fixate on lab grade accuracy if it won't matter for the saws intended purpose. Here are links to the two products I'm referring to. The Fulton straightedge is what I ordered. The empire level has nicely ground edges and I already have it. Thoughts?

https://www.empirelevel.com/box-level_e75-series.php

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H38ZFP3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks,
Greg

Marc Fenneuff

03-18-2022, 1:12 PM

My advice is, don't fixate on lab grade accuracy since it won't matter for the saws intended purpose.

If the main table is flat, worry more about the blade / miter slot / fence alignment

Greg Parrish

03-19-2022, 12:38 PM

My straight edge showed up today. Between it and the level, I've been working to get the cast wings in spec. So far, I'm pretty good. Sawstop specs seem to be .01" or 10/1000's for the main table top and .02" or 20/1000's for the wings. I started off using a .004 feeler gauge working on total table flatness. Got a large part of the table flat within the .004 or better range, but can't seem to get a gap at the back left side of the table that close. Right now, it is measuring .09" or 9/1000's. I've tried everything I can come up with expect shimming, but the rest of the wing is okay so it appears the problem is just this rear corner.

So, would you call it good or would you undo the wing and attempt to shim it? I do realize it is within sawstop specs, but their specs seem pretty generous to me. Took forever to get this close, so I don't relish the idea of pulling it to shim it, but don't know if I should push further for more accuracy or if this is within the spec that most of you guys would accept it.

Greg Parrish

03-19-2022, 3:04 PM

Too late. I went with it. And so far I’m in agreement with most comments I’ve read that the insert table could be better. Had a hard time getting it aligned. Next up is the folding out feed table.

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I'm somewhat undecided on the floating dust pickup. Not sure if I want to use it or return it in exchange for the blade guard with smaller tubing. Basically the reason is that I want to eventually add a router table but am not loving the idea of having it on the left side where it would lengthen the saw and block access to the motor door.