thinking of getting a new saw

[DrChas]

I am thinking about upgrading from my faithful BT3K. It has been a faithful and reliable friend, but well, its getting long in the tooth, and I am getting tired of a crosscut sled that wobbles ever so slightly, and a rip fence that I have to carefully check that it is fully clamped at the back. . .

So, I am thinking if I am upgrading I might as well do it right, however, my shop is tiny (about 16X24) so I think a cabinet saw is too much. Therefore I am thinking about getting one of the new SawStop contractor saws. They seem very solid, and given that I typically work alone, and live alone the added safety of the SawStop is not without merit. The problem is it is darn expensive. Does anybody have any experiences or thoughts on this machine?

[cgallery]

A SawStop contractor saw takes MORE room than their cabinet or hybrid saws, due to the motor sticking out the back.

[DrChas]

A SawStop contractor saw takes MORE room than their cabinet or hybrid saws, due to the motor sticking out the back.

Good point. I am going next weekend to check them out. If the cost difference isn't too great I will go with the smaller footprint version.

[Eagan]

Seething, I say

And the rest of us will be seething with envy.

[dbhost]

I was going to mention the motor on the contractor saw thing...

The SawStop is a good saw, kind of pricey, and from what I understand you really shouldn't cut treated lumber or lumber with too high a moisture content with one...

Grab a couple of extra brake cartridges and blades in case you want to do some hot dog tests with it...

[SARGE..g-47]

Ditto CG on the foot-print Doc. If you upgrade you might as well get the more robust design of a cabinet along with the more HP. You could get one with the shorter 32" rails if you are space challenged in the shop. I spend 5 days s a week in my shop and cut my 52" rails down to 40".

I rip for hire on my 5 HP Industrial but that is solid wood and shorter rails is no problem. The only time you use them is for large sheet goods and I use few. When I do.. I prefer breaking a sheet down with a guide and circular to a working size before I take it to the cabinet saw. Unless you have tables built all around the saw.. I consider a cabinet saw not the best ride for full sheets. That to me is the job of a panel saw or slider and those are only warranted in commercial shops where they pay for themselves. Humongous foot-print also...

Good luck.. and yeah the SS is expensive.. there are some good cabinets out there that are excellent saws at much less. Used is an option also.

[crokett]

16x24 is tiny? I have a 16x24 and think it is a palace. The PM66 I am refurbing will also fit quite easily in my shop, once I put it all back together.

[crokett]

16x24 is tiny? I have a 16x24 and think it is a palace. The PM66 I am refurbing will also fit quite easily in my shop, once I put it all back together.

I know someone with a Sawstop. He likes it - it is a quality machine. His only problem has been to remind himself not to get complacent with safety.

[jkristia]

I have the SS contractor saw with 36" fence and cast iron wings, and I really like it. To me safety is worth the extra cost


Jesper

[Knottscott]

16'x 24' is cavernous compared to a lot of us. You can fit just about any saw you want in there, and since the TS is the primary tool in most shops, it's worth setting up the shop around the saw. The SS contractor saw has a larger footprint than their Professional Cabinet Saw (with 36" fence), and seems to be very expensive for what you get vs the PCS. I'm sure both are very capable saws, but the contractor saw is priced near other cabinet saws but is based on the 60 year old contractor saw design with the outboard motor (a lack of foresight on their part IMHO...it would have been better based on a hybrid with an inboard motor from the beginning). They do have a fold away version of the contractor saw, but it offers steel wings and a cheap aluminum fence, which makes the value even more suspect as far as how much saw you get for the price, but of course it does offer the safety feature. If you can swing it, I think the PCS is a better saw and a better value for the money spent....you get the safety feature, plus a great saw that's very competitive with the Delta Unisaw, PM2000 and General 650 that are also in that price range.

With that said, the Grizzly G1023RL with riving knife for $1125 ($1219 shipped) is quite a bang for the buck, as is the G1023RLW w/cast router wing for $1175 ($1319 shipped).

Executive decision time! Please let us know what you end up with.

[pecker]

I've never really understood the complaint that a contractor saw's motor takes up more space than a cabinet or hybrid saw.
One of the first things anyone does is build an outfeed table extending 2 or more feet from the back anyway.

[DrChas]

Well I ordered it.

I decided to get the saw this weekend. Saturday was "tax free day" here in Vermont (no sales tax), which is an automatic 6% discount, and the only sale you are going to get on these saws. The store was a bit of a specialty shop for wood workers, and saw stop was the only brand of major saw they carried. they also had 8 inch Shop Fox jointers, and powermatic (big) band saws and the like. Anyway, while I was there two other saw stops were sold, so apparently they were just flying out the door that day. They actually had a saw available, but had already sold out of the ones with the 36 inch fence. (this at 10:30 in the morning).

Anyway, I decided that the cabinet saw, at 1000 more than the contractor saw, was just too much for a hobbiest like me, so I have ordered my contractor saw, and it should be here in a week or so.

[Knottscott]

I've never really understood the complaint that a contractor saw's motor takes up more space than a cabinet or hybrid saw.
One of the first things anyone does is build an outfeed table extending 2 or more feet from the back anyway.

The extra space isn't a major deal to me, but is certainly not an advantage...combine the space concern with the several other minor disadvantages like the lifting hazard when tilted, alignment difficulties, longer belt, dust collection issues, etc., and it's something to be considered when buying a new saw....there's simply no benefit to the outboard motor location unless you need easy access to it.

Congrats on the new saw Dr.Chas!

[dbhost]

I've never really understood the complaint that a contractor saw's motor takes up more space than a cabinet or hybrid saw.
One of the first things anyone does is build an outfeed table extending 2 or more feet from the back anyway.

In my case, on my BT, I have my workbench acting as an outfeed table. The space under the table top is used for storage. Having a motor hanging out there would suck up valuable storage space...

My configuration isn't typical though.

[SARGE..g-47]

Enjoy your new saw when it arrives Doc. I used a contractor saw from 1972 until around 1984 and you can do about anything on one in a home shop as a cabinet. You will have learning curve on yours as there are certain "do's and don'ts" when you have the electronic brake but.... you probably already know that. It can get quite expensive I understand by not heeding the "do's and don'ts"...