Pictures and Quick Impressions of SawStop PCS 1.75 HP w/ 36" Extension

[DavidCBaker]

Nick, I don't have 220 in the garage, so that's one thing. It probably wouldn't be much time or money to do it, though. Mainly it was the sense that I didn't need it. I've been cutting 8/4 maple regularly with my piece of you know what DeWalt contractor saw, and I never felt it was underpowered.

If I had a regular shop I'd have the 3 HP version, along with integrated dust control. As it is, I have to share the garage with the cars. Or at least my wife's car!

 

[bruegf]

Fred,
Try Mike Jackson at Leitz in Grand Rapids.  I've gotten all of my HO Schumacher & Sohns blades from him via his clearance sales and also love my 80T HO S&S blade for crosscutting and plywood.  If he doesn't have them anymore he can suggest another blade with the same geometry and performance.
mjackson@leitztooling.com

That's were I got the blade originally.  I talked to him to see if they could fix the blade, he said they couldn't replace a whole tooth, but may be able to grind off the tooth directly opposite the broken one to rebalance the blade and it should still be usable.  Unfortunately it sounded like he didn't have anything similar available at the moment.

Fred

 

[bruegf]

David,

I've looked at the Freud 80T, I have a good 40T blade.  I did order the sawstop premium 80T HATB blade a few days ago, but started wondering if the Freud or Forrest would be better.

Fred

 

[marrt]

My uncle was over for breakfast and I pointedly asked him how he lost his middle finger and the tip of this thumb, knowing how it had happened, but figuring my wife needed to hear that.

You have a Marketing background I assume.  :^)

 

[DavidCBaker]

Yes. LOL.

Now I need to invite someone over who was injured just because they were working in a garage and not a shop!

 

[nickao]

Nick, I don't have 220 in the garage, so that's one thing. It probably wouldn't be much time or money to do it, though. Mainly it was the sense that I didn't need it. I've been cutting 8/4 maple regularly with my piece of you know what DeWalt contractor saw, and I never felt it was underpowered.

If I had a regular shop I'd have the 3 HP version, along with integrated dust control. As it is, I have to share the garage with the cars. Or at least my wife's car!

Yeah I used to think my saw wasn't underpowered either, until I used my friends Powermatic. What took a nice hard push and two hands to feed some thick lumber through on my 1.75hp saw went through like butter with pinky like pressure on his 3hp unit.  Obviously I can make due with the 1.75hp and  probably will for a long time. I have 220 all over the place, but like I said the effort for a 115lb woman to get the unit loaded and then unloaded and into the garage without me knowing and surprising me deserves me keeping the saw forever.

I did cut my finger on the saw once, possibly down the line the safety factor will convince her I need another surprise.

 

[DavidCBaker]

Joe, you're exactly right. Wheels as small as the ones on this saw don't roll smoothly on the freeflow. They roll very easily on the circletrac.

 

[dltflt]

Very nice David.  I would add a Dubby or Double Dubby miter sled.  It very accurate do to the distance from the pivot to the degree graduations.  Here is a link to the original website In-Line Industries

 

[Bill_de]

David,

Yours is the first one I've seen that has shipped. I'm glad to hear you're happy with it, 'cause I'm waiting for that phone call that says mine is on the way. My reasoning for the 1.75hp was the same as yours. I've been using a 22124 hybrid with no problems for 5 years, so I figure for me, this is enough power. Good luck with it.

 

[DavidCBaker]

[thumbs up] I hope you enjoy yours as much as I'm enjoying mine.

 

[Papajoe]

hi david,
thanks for sharing the ss info, but it sure raised allot of questions in my mind.

the sawstop was a new addition to your shop, but in the background there are rows of festool tools. i would very much like to understand why you added the sawstop, and what the purpose of it is?

i have also been reviewing the sawstops, in conjunction with several festool products to build cabinets, book cases, and raised panels. with an equivalent of the gnp of haiti invested in festool, i assume you could have bought any sawstop you wanted. why did you choose the 1.75 pcs?

i found a great deal on one of these, but was concerned about all the blogs saying 3hp is the minimum, and 5hp would be better.  having limited woodworking experience, i don't want to under power myself, and always looking back saying, should of, would of, could of. having said all this, i remember the same analogy when cars had a 283/289 ci, then 350/351, then 454/429, then in later years chrome emblems on trunk lids saying 2.0 liters, 1.6 liters, and etc. you obviously have a wealth of experience with the best tools available, and i would really respect your opinion.
thanks again
joseph

 

[bruegf]

Joseph,

I have the 1.75 hp ss contractor saw for a couple years now, and have never felt it was under powered.  Will just depend on what you do with it as to whether or not you need more power.  My dad was a professional custom cabinet maker and used a 1.5 hp saw for years before he bought his 3 hp Delta unisaw.

Fred