Sawstop CS (Contractor Saw)?

[Phil Thien]

Wasn't there supposed to be a less expensive contractor saw w/ Sawstop technology by now? Did they delay or cancel this? Or was I dreaming about it?

[Jim Becker]

They did talk about and show pictures of a contractors' style saw awhile back, but their web site currently only features the cabinet saw. I could also swear I saw a "model" at a show way back when, too, but I also suffer from CRS. :)

I suspect that there are economic forces at work relative to this...the market for contractors' style saws is even more price sensitive than ever and competition with the hybrid designs has increased greatly. Perhaps the latter would be a better direction for them to go for a lower cost platform.

[Kent Parker]

Their web site currently has a photo of a contractor's saw listed under "future products" with an undertermined release date.

KP

[Jim Becker]

I don't know why I missed that link, Kent...it's big enough! LOL!

[Randal Stevenson]

For the longest time it said it was supposed to be released in late 2006, well, they have 13 days left.:rolleyes:

[Roy Wall]

For the longest time it said it was supposed to be released in late 2006, well, they have 13 days left.:rolleyes:


It's even worse than that......:) :)

I pre ordered a SS contractors saw back in March of 2005. At that time, they were due out in FALL 2005. I kept checking on the progress....and they kept delaying - this was the summer of 2005.

Anyway, my wife thought the SS cabinet saw looked prettier, so I was able to snag it instead:cool:

[Bartee Lamar]

They has contractor saw at the Atlanta Show.

They have a batch in user tests now, at least that what I told at the show.

Two things could be happening. One, they may be finding it hard to get the heavy duty engineering in the CS saw OR two, they may be selling so many of the Cabinet saw they are simply not really pushing the less expensive saw.

I really want a Cabinet model, but I have to find a way to make some income from it before that happens.

I get the sense from what I read on various forums they are selling A LOT of saws.

All of this is just my .02

[Brad Olson]

I seem to recall that they were now targeting Q1-Q2 of 2007.

Price is supposed to be under $1000 (with a fence)

[Jason White]

According to Sawstop, they're still making final tweaks to the "prototype" of the contractor saw. I'm told these tweaks have nothing to do with the emergency brake, however.

Jason White

[Karl Knoernschild]

Anyone know if this thing will pass the nickle test? More generally, I'm wondering if this will be a scaled-down version of their cabinet saw, or just another contractor saw with a few extra safety features.

I have a contractors saw right now, and it's pretty nice as those things go. I would love to have the sawstop cabinet saw (or any decent cabinet saw, for that matter), but can't justify the cost right now. If I could upgrade to the sawstop contractors saw, and get improved precision and a better fence in addition to the safety features, I'd do it in a second though.

[Travis Hirst]

This may be a stupid question, but what is the nickle test?

Travis

[Karl Knoernschild]

Nickle test: See if a nickle will stay standing on edge on the saw surface with the machine running. Only solidly built machines with low vibration (including the sawstop cabinet saw) will pass this test.

My saw, on the other hand, will decidely NOT pass the nickle test. I could probably use it to mix drinks at a party.

[Al Willits]

Just wondering with contractor saws being in less friendly environments, leastwises in the construction industry, wouldn't some maybe be subject to nuisance tripping??

I have the feeling a few trips, and the replacement cost of the brake and blade is gonna have a unhappy foreman.

Wondering if Sawstop is figuring on that?
Al

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Only solidly built machines with low vibration (including the sawstop cabinet saw) will pass this test.
I must respectfully disagree. People seem to regard the nickel test as some sign of ultimate mechanical perfection, but my old DeWalt jobsite TS (hardly what you would call solidly built) could balance a nickel through a full start-run-stop cycle. Any contractor's saw with a link belt should be able to pass. Cabinet saws may actually be at a bit of a disadvantage because they tend to have more startup jerk (which doesn't affect cut quality).

I'm very curious to see how the SawStop CS stacks up, and whether it improves upon some of the well-known limitations of the contractor's saw design (particularly the tendency of motor weight to affect blade alignment). The nickel test won't be a factor in my assessment.

[Noah Katz]

I just got off the phone with SS and got this info:

1) I asked the latest ETA and was told "we hope to have one in 3 mos (!), so maybe by mid 2007."

2) The motor hangs out the back

3) It will have a riving knife

4) Cabinet will not be closed, but there will be some kind of shroud around the nmotor; that part of the design is not yet finalized

[Jim Becker]

Hmm...it's December. Three months would be March. Mid-2007 is well...July. LOL! I do hope they get it out on the market as it will be interesting to see how well it does with buyers.

[Joe Mioux]

Hmm...it's December. Three months would be March. Mid-2007 is well...July. LOL! I do hope they get it out on the market as it will be interesting to see how well it does with buyers.

I could see General Contractors buying it, just for the sake that not all their carpenters "Think Safety" all the time.

[Dan Drager]

I was disappointed to see the cheap looking stamped wings on thier CS pic.