Sawstop Contractor Table Saw; any advice?

[lspooz]

2 questions: any brands/choices for a mobile base?
which fence choice?

Background:
:mrgreen: My pre-Gloat (huh?) posting about my planned birthday gift in November - the long-awaited Sawstop Contractor Table Saw.
It has become a given that the Sawstop line is my only option for a table saw (my paying career requires all my fingers , and if I miss any work time I don't get paid :saw. The Sawstop reviews overall are great, but my primary decision is whether to go with the basic model's aluminum extrusion fence with 30-inch rails, or spend $150 more for the 'Professional Series T-glide fence with 36-inch rails' (Biesemeyer style fence).
With a two car garage barely holding our minivan, I'm already obligated to spring for a mobile base (another $150) to play the game of jugging cars/tool/driveway space when I get shop time.\
Anyway, does anyone here already own/use a Sawstop? I'll post my experience this Fall, and projects by next Spring.

Larry

 

[WoodWrangler]

Hey Larry ... first, congrats on the pre-gloat!

I am a SawStop owner (and there is at least one other I know of out here). I have the 5HP cabinet saw with the 52" fence. It's a fantastic saw and I've been extremely pleased with their support (mainly questions via email, but I have had a good conversation with their service manager too).

As for your purchase, personally I'd do the $150 upgrade ... afterall, this is a primary tool and you'll have it a long time ... and that little amount of money for a good upgrade is probably worth it.

 

[Rod]

Buy it Buy it Buy it Buy it . That's my only advice.
Send some pics too.
Thanks,
Rod

 

[toolferone]

I agree that it is worth the extra money for the better fence and well the mobile base is a must for you. We look forward to your review after you get it and post pics.

 

[Jon]

I would suggest you get the better fence also.

 

[mkepke]

Larry - I don't own a Sawstop, but $150 seems steep for a mobile base. Can't you find an after-market for less, e.g. HTC or other ?

I had my Delta Contractor's saw with 50" rails on the Delta Universal base (about $60). I substituted tube steel for hardwood in order to increase the base's rigidity. Worked fine for several years (then I sold the saw). Rockler has a very similar version that goes on sale for $40 from time to time.

-Mark

 

[KerryA]

Good Evening,

Larry, I just got the new sawstop and I highly recommend the upgraded fence and their mobile base. I put a bench dog cast iron table on the left and cast iron on the right.

The only issue I have had is the table that came with the upgraded fence. It was slightly warped and Sawstop is taking care of it.

This is a great great saw!

 

[RSM]

I don't have a sawstop contractor saw - but I have been lusting over one for awhile. I have had the opportunity to look them over both at Klingspor and Woodcraft in Raleigh and they are extremely well made. The T-glide Fence is solid, and well worth the cost (cheap compared to comparable after-market fences of that quality). The included fence is junk, just like the one I have on my current tablesaw that frustrates me everytime I ruin a cut because its not parallel to the blade, or perpindicular to the table.

As for the base, I have a mobile base on my current tablesaw, and all my other tools (small shop) and the big problem with most of the bases is that the saw sits on the base, which sits on the floor. And the part of the base that contacts the floor is the wheels. Therefore, there is a fair amount of "room" for relative movement which can result in a wobbly saw. Frustrating at best, dangerous at worst. The sawstop mobile base allows for the legs of the saw to sit on the floor. Then to move, push the paddle with your feet and the whole saw lifts up off the floor and you move it around, when your are done, it sits back down as if there were no mobile base. Also, it will easily lift the cast iron wings, and extension table with the 36" T-glide fence. without tipping. (I tried it in the store). It is expensive, but the best mobile base I have seen, and I have spent a lot of time looking at them since I have such a tiny shop and almost every cut or step involves moving my tablesaw, jointer or planer.

Kerry - are you pleased you went with the contractor as opposed to the cabinet saw? (other than the obvious huge difference in price)

 

[KerryA]

I am very pleased I went with the contractor instead of the cabinet. For what I need this saw is plenty.

If anyone is in the Northeast Columbia area and wants to see it run, just send me a PM.

Kerry

 

[bshilkitus]

I am heading to Raleigh to look at the SS Contractor saw tomorrow. I am trying to decide between the Rigid TS3660 and the Sawstop Contractor saw. Obviously big price difference. This will be my first table saw. My wife wants me to get the SS for safety reasons but I could get alot of stuff for $2000. I plan to build furniture as a hobby with this. Any advice?

Bill

 

[DaveO]

I am trying to decide between the Rigid TS3660 and the Sawstop Contractor saw. . Any advice?

Bill

Wow talk about trying to decide whether to take a bike or a stretch limo to the prom
I think that the SawStop technology is incredible. Having seen many demos of it's ability I am very impressed. And the quality of the saw is sure to be first rate based upon their cabinet models.
If I had up to $2000 to spend on my first saw, and wanted to get the best that I could buy. I wouldn't choose the SS contractors saw. I would choose a good quality cabinet saw. The horse power and mass are a plus as is the adjust ability of the blade to top.
But if the LOYL's piece of mind is most important and that will allow you much greater shop time without her worrying about you, then the SS is going to be a good buy.
Tablesaws can be very safe machines if you use common sense, pay attention to what you are doing and use the available safety accessories. 90% or greater of TS accidents start with someone who's tried, not focused or doing something that the little voice inside their head says isn't right.
Listen to that voice, it won't steer you wrong...it's yours.

MTCW,
Dave

 

[bshilkitus]

Thanks Dave for your reply. I guess what I am trying to find out is, minus the safety features of the SS, what other table saws does it compare to. In other words, is it a $500 premium or a $1000 premium for the technology? Minus the brake, does it compare to other $500 saws or $900 saws? I can get the Rigid TS3660 for $500.

Bill

 

[JimmyC]

Larry - I don't own a Sawstop, but $150 seems steep for a mobile base. Can't you find an after-market for less, e.g. HTC or other ?

I had my Delta Contractor's saw with 50" rails on the Delta Universal base (about $60). I substituted tube steel for hardwood in order to increase the base's rigidity. Worked fine for several years (then I sold the saw). Rockler has a very similar version that goes on sale for $40 from time to time.

-Mark

I would have said that $150 is alot for a mobile base, but I have a Delta base (for the 50" Unisaw) on my Jet cabinet saw and would buy it again in a heartbeat. When the movers came to get my saw ,on my move from NJ, it was pouring rain and they had to push it from my shop to the truck over 80' of plywood under 3" of water, then down a cobble driveway, over a curb and onto a truck ramp. No problems at all.

I'd go for the factory mobile base, this will probably be your last saw.

Good Luck,

Jimmy:mrgreen:

ps. I also vote for the biesy style fence.

 

[JimmyC]

Bill,
Check out the klingspor website, I think that the Raleigh store has a SS demo on Sept. 27th, If I had the money and could do it all over I'd buy a sawstop.

Jimmy

 

[Travis Porter]

I would say the SS contractor is a step above the Rigid, but I would guesstimate you are paying $1K for the blade stop technology. Don't get me wrong, the Rigid is a good machine, but it doesn't have some of the other features of the SS. Things like ease of truing the trunion to the miter slots, ease of lowering/raising the blade and making angle cuts not to mention how easyit is to adjust the 90 and 45 degree stops. I haven't looked in great detail at the Rigid or the SS, but if I were in the market and the blade stopping technology wasn't something I had to have these would be things I would be checking. Lastly, support. Woodwranglers comments on support mean a lot and I would consider them worth a few extra dollars.

JMTCW

A cabinet saw is a sweet machine, but it normally requires 220V and I would say you need to feel like you are really going to use it before making that type of investment.

 

[DaveO]

I would say that the SS contractors saw is a top of the line saw, without the braking technology. It hasn't been out long enough to prove that but based on the cabinet saw model it should be well done. I would say it would rank up there with the best $1000 contractor or Hybrid saws. I do feel that you are paying a lot for the braking technology. But that is like insurance, it's a small price to pay if an accident does happen and all you need is a band-aid and a change of underwear.
I have a top of the line Griz contractor saw, and at the time I decided on it I didn't think that I needed more HP or the ease of adjustability a cabinet saw offers. I have since found many times that more HP would be better and after adjusting my table to align the blade to the miter slots I can see the value in a cabinet saw. Not to mention that the dust collection is superior.

MTCW,
Dave

 

[WoodWrangler]

This one is easy for me ... SawStop. You get what you pay for. Go check out that new saw and you'll see it's a lot heftier than any other contractor saw you've come across I'm sure. The tablesaw is the center of your shop ... do it right. If you want to skimp ... do it where you least need it (for me that's the miter saw, drill press ... and, well, that's about it) haha