First and last table saw

[Chris Hachet]

Here is one thing to consider when making your decision: there are plenty of people with 30+ (I've seen personally some with 40+) years experience on saws that have cut a digit or two. You'll find many who have bought a SS AFTER they had a nasty accident despite thinking it would never happen to them because they use their brain. They are all part of statistics. Here is another fact: as far as it is known, nobody has lost a digit on a SS. The price difference is peanuts when you think about the long term risk/advantage. It is like paying extra for having a car in which nobody has died in (yet, and event if it happens the odds are still waaaaay better) in case an accident happens. SS is a very well engineered and built saw.

They are a sweet saw, we have two at work.

[jack duren]

They are a sweet saw, we have two at work.

The company bought one after a user at work went to pick up a board on the other side of the blade and got caught. He was wearing gloves. He received just a scratch as the saw was powering down after being turned off. The reason he claimed this happened??? He was use to the slider saw breaking after you turn it off. A none thinking accident as the Powermatic 12" table saw doesn't have a break.

[Brian Henderson]

This is starting to be my thinking. I do much of my sawing by hand and have been running a cheaper Taiwanese saw (older Craftsman with an Incra fence) for a decade.

I do not run the saw if I am tired or distracted, and pretty much only use it for parallel ripping of parts.

G1023 would be the difference of upgrading or not upgrading.

Does anyone have a good source for an older Powermatic 66 or the like...All of the ones in see for sale are beaten to death and seemingly overpriced...

Same here. I only use any tool if I am properly prepared to do so. I don't do anything unsafe. I use all of the guards and if I don't feel that there is an adequate safety margin in any cut, I don't make it. All of my jigs have their own integral guards. My fingers never come remotely close to the blade. I've been doing this for more than 35 years and I not only have all of my fingers and toes, I don't think I even have a permanent scar from a power tool.

That said, I would never buy a SS. Others can do whatever they want with their money, I see no point. It's an added expense for something that would never be useful to me, and frankly, after SS trying to force everyone to buy their technology when they started, I have a significant beef with the company anyhow.

If you can find a good PM66, get it. I have one, they are wonderful and will last you for a lifetime.

[johnny means]

O.P., One thing you'll learn quickly, is that this place is Sawstop central.
Personally, I feel if you need a device like the SS to feel safe, then you should just take up a "safer" hobby.

That's one silly statement.

[David Ragan]

First off, let me say that I have never felt cocky about safety where power equipment is concerned.

Those who think they can control all the variables should talk to their local ER physician/Plastics/Orthopedic surgeon.

(My family is trained that if they come down and power equipment is running, to hit the purposed strobe light upon arrival in the shop so there is no startle factor.)

Another for SS.

I have blown a few brakes. All from being careless w jigs, etc. I keep an extra regular replacement brake on the shelf, along w the dado one.

today, I put on Very Super Cool fence system.....after getting it set up, I checked the alignment of my blade; it has been a couple of years since I dragged out all that calibration stuff. I was glad to see that it was still perfectly straight; am not sure about other's experiences w saws staying aligned-but I like to think it's because of quality.

I was never happy w the fence, could never get it to be 100% aligned, even fiddling w the backer bolts on the face-so now it's in a closet.

[Don Bullock]

Thank you all for the input. I believe I'm leaning towards SS for the safety feature and also it seems that most of you are generally happy with it from all aspects (quality, accuracy, customer service, etc.) To the people that are recommending sliders, I'm sure they are very safe and very useful to the right person but I have never used one and can't seem to even find that much info on purchasing one. Shop space is also very limited for me. No doubt the old American made heavy duty saws are quality machines but I do not have the time nor do I have the expertise to restore one to its original beauty. I think the SS will make me a very happy camper versus what I've been working with and $600 isn't that much over the lifetime of the saw I suppose.

In my opinion this is a wise choice. I have the original ICS and love it. The quality and avcuracy is outstanding. I've been very happy with my choice. My wife was happy with the choice too which helped.

If possible shop around for a dealer who will throw in some extras. My dealer fully set up and tuned the saw and delivered it to my workshop with no extra cost. The delivery alone saved me quite a bit.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Now one more question before I take the plunge. As I said my shop space is limited so although I would love to have it, convince me why I NEED the 52" fence. Other than not being able to rip a saved piece of stock over 36", what will I really be missing?

IMHO the minimum width from saw to fence you need is the half of the standard panel width. In my country it is 80 cm (31.5 inches) or 24 inches in the USA. Of course, more is better... but I guess you will not need anything above that most of the time.

I wish you a good decision for your needs.

[Mike Dowell]

I was torn between the SS and Powermatic a while back. I went with the Powermatic PM2000. With a quality blade(mine is from carbide processors), it is the smoothest cutting experience you can imagine. No matter what type of stock I'm using, it seems to just float through the blade.

[george wilson]

I bought a Saw Stop for the Tool Maker's Shop,where I retired from in 2009. We had had a 1050's or 60's Delta Unisaw. I have a Clausing 10" saw myself,which I bought new in 1963. I bought the Saw Stop because I had a new apprentice who had never worked wood before,or used such machinery.

Of the3,I prefer my own Clausing. Twice as heavy as the Unisaw. The simple but effective fence never moves when I lock it,and I can put any blade I want on it down to 6" diameter special blades that are .023 kerf,and made for cutting fret slots for guitars. Drawback: The Clausing has a 3/4" arbor. Back in the 60's,saw blades always had a knock out bushing for 3/4" arbors,but do not now. I am also a machinist,and keep a small boring head pre set to put into my vertical mill,just to enlarge the holes of new blades. A pita when dealing with dado sets,though!!

What I DON'T LIKE about the Saw Stop is that it will ONLY accept (and start up) when using blades that are the same diameter and fit into the brake system. You can only use THEIR dado head,and for that,you HAVE to buy their special brake pad for the dado head. At that time those brake pads were about $85.00,and a blade that was instantly stopped by the pad is RUINED!!! So,about $185.00 every time something trips the brake pad.

A friend of mine has an architectural model shop. His Saw Stop has gone off MANY times. We think it is because they saw mirror coated plexiglass,which has aluminum film on the back for mirrors. The brake system DOES NOT tolerate cutting metal of ANY KIND.

Personally,I found just getting the Saw Stop set up to take a cut was a lot of trouble. But,I did not use it many times before I retired. You have to adjust the brake pad to be a certain distance from the teeth of the blade. There is a little difference in the diameter of 10" saw blades. Probably less variation in aw Stop blade diameter. But,what happens when you get a blade re sharpened?

Ther Saw Stop machine itself seemed beautifully made,with a more accurately flat table grind than either the Delta,and possibly the Clausing,too. This has never been a problem for me,though. I didn't appreciate the 60º standard threads on the arbor compared to the stronger Acme type threads on the Clausing or the Delta. But,I suppose the cheaper threads won't wear out in a LOOOOONG time.

The primary isue is the safety of the Saw Stop,of course. If I had a commercial shop where employees would be running the table saw,I suppose I'd HAVE to opt for the Saw Stop to save myself from ruinous lawsuit. That's the way it is today.

[Robin Frierson]

"You can only use THEIR dado head,"

I wasn't aware you had to use the SS dado head. How much does that run. I didnt see it on their website?

[glenn bradley]

"You can only use THEIR dado head,"

I wasn't aware you had to use the SS dado head. How much does that run. I didnt see it on their website?

This is not correct. Their is a different brake for the dado of course, it is made for an 8" stack. I run a CMT, a couple of Freuds and a DeWalt stack. All interchangeable without any adjustment. The throat plate gets cut at the widest / deepest point like any ZCI-type insert. I often use a sled for dado's so the throat plate is out. I also change between a half a dozen 10" blades with the standard cartridge and do not have to make adjustments.

Using a Saw Stop for cutting conductive material is rather foolish since you would have to manually override the safety feature for each cut or just keep replacing brakes and blades. I fired the brake by cutting (unknowingly, but remarkably clear after the fact) anti-static UHMW material that was conductive. Hitting the random nail or staple in the wood will not necessarily trigger the system. If the metal is also touching you or has a conductive path to you (or something that has the general qualities of a "you" ) the system will fire.

[Frank Pratt]

What setup trouble? It takes maybe 20 or 30 seconds to set the brake clearance. I have blades that vary in diameter a little, but the saw works fine for all of them. The clearance between the brake & blade is not that critical; between 1/16" & 1/8". So, i guess after many sharpenings you'd have to adjust the clearance.

And cutting something conductive without using bypass mode is just plain dumb. I know, cause I did it myself cutting a board with some graphite cloth glued to it.

Personally,I found just getting the Saw Stop set up to take a cut was a lot of trouble. But,I did not use it many times before I retired. You have to adjust the brake pad to be a certain distance from the teeth of the blade. There is a little difference in the diameter of 10" saw blades. Probably less variation in aw Stop blade diameter. But,what happens when you get a blade re sharpened?

[Simon MacGowen]

What setup trouble? It takes maybe 20 or 30 seconds to set the brake clearance. I have blades that vary in diameter a little, but the saw works fine for all of them. The clearance between the brake & blade is not that critical; between 1/16" & 1/8". So, i guess after many sharpenings you'd have to adjust the clearance.

And cutting something conductive without using bypass mode is just plain dumb. I know, cause I did it myself cutting a board with some graphite cloth glued to it.

I own a SawStop and have used different models of SawStop for over 8 years. I do not know what set-up problems are being referred to. If there are any, could it be because the experience of using the SawStop is limited?

In terms of cabinet saws, SawStop is second to none no matter how you cut it. You can find it in most shops owned by serious furniture makers and woodworkers. If you do woodworking for a living, you are doing yourself and your family a service by getting a SawStop. If you are a hobbyist, you are doing yourself and your family a service, too, for using SawStop. Period.

Simon

[Mike Henderson]

I switch blades and never had a problem with the SawStop working. Don't even think about adjusting the brake when I change a blade.

Mike

[Ben Rivel]

I switch blades and never had a problem with the SawStop working. Don't even think about adjusting the brake when I change a blade.

Mike

Yep, same here. I own only Forrest Blades and never have to adjust the brake to blade distance adjustment except when I switch over to the dado setup. Then I usually have to.