SawStop Jobsite Saw review from Gary Katz

[bhendrix]

Here is a link to the Gary Katz SawStop Job Site Saw review for those of you considering table saw options.

http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2015/01/23/sawstop-portable-jobsite-saw/

I was offered the opportunity to test one of the JSS and have thoroughly enjoyed using it.

I have owned the SawStop Contractor saw and the Professional 3HP cabinet saw.  I have also worked extensively with a Bosch 4100 and was excited to get the SawStop JSS.  I like keeping all 10 digits.

All of my shop is Festool but for a Kreg jig and Fein multimaster.

Gary's review is right on the money.  I am pleased with the precision of the JSS as well as the safety.  One of my concerns is dust collection.  As noted in Gary's video review, very little dust falls through the bottom when connected to either a CT or my Oneida dust collection system.  I was not as happy with the amount of dust coming off the top of the blade, especially after my experience with nearly complete dust collection with my SS Professional saw with dust-collecting blade guard.  I am delighted that SS has promised to release a dust-collecting blade guard for the JSS and I expect dust extraction to be on a par with the Kapex.

The gravity-rise stand is easier to use than the Bosch and portability is nice.

With the precision we enjoy with our Festools, and the portable precision I can now get from a safe, portable JSS, my SS Professional cabinet saw has been sold.  I don't suggest for a moment that the JSS is equal to the capacities and precision of a cabinet saw, but the JSS meets all my needs for repetitive cuts or ripping thin material.

 

[promark747]

Disappointed in the price point.  Didn't SS argue that the cost to equip other saw brands with the brake to be less than $100-200?  As I see Gary's review, it appears that the Bosch is equal to or even slightly better than the SS in most aspects other than the brake...so why should the JSS be $600+ more expensive?

 

[SittingElf]

Disappointed in the price point.  Didn't SS argue that the cost to equip other saw brands with the brake to be less than $100-200?  As I see Gary's review, it appears that the Bosch is equal to or even slightly better than the SS in most aspects other than the brake...so why should the JSS be $600+ more expensive?

I didn't get that impression at all.  I think the only thing he said might be a bit better is the Bosch was slightly faster cutting through the 2X4.  He clearly favored the SawStop between the two.  SawStop is like Festool. There are other machines that can do pretty much what the Green Machines do, but Festool does it better...and you pay for that.

Cheers,

Frank

 

[promark747]

Disappointed in the price point.  Didn't SS argue that the cost to equip other saw brands with the brake to be less than $100-200?  As I see Gary's review, it appears that the Bosch is equal to or even slightly better than the SS in most aspects other than the brake...so why should the JSS be $600+ more expensive?

I didn't get that impression at all.  I think the only thing he said might be a bit better is the Bosch was slightly faster cutting through the 2X4.  He clearly favored the SawStop between the two.  SawStop is like Festool. There are other machines that can do pretty much what the Green Machines do, but Festool does it better...and you pay for that.

Cheers,

Frank

He didn't get into the actual precision (i.e. runout) of the saws; what I'm saying is that based on what he covered in his review, if you compared the two saws--aside from the brake-- there isn't $600 worth of difference.  If SS said it costs that much more because of the brake, fine.  But that hasn't been their stance to my knowledge.  And I'm a big fan of SS's other saws...the build quality of those IS superior to most other cabinet saws made today.  I was hoping to see the JSS outperform the Bosch, but I just don't see a significant difference (again, aside from the brake) in his review.

 

[w802h]

So the Bosch is more powerful and the SawStop is heavier (hopefully that helps dampen some vibration?), but I didn't really get clarity on accuracy/cut quality.  That's probably the most important criteria in my choice of saw to deliver my finished product.  Of course, the blade has a big impact on this performance.  I have friends that will use nothing less than a cabinet saw - even on a jobsite.  They don't move their equipment as often as I do, so I'm naturally curious if the SawStop is an upgrade or not. 

 

[w802h]

Took awhile to type... Promark747 makes a similar point.

 

[curt boyer]

I've had my JSS for almost two months and have ripped a lot of 2x's with no problem. The blade that comes with the saw is the problem, it has 40 teeth, it's loud, leaves a rough finish, and really is a beater blade. I use a 24 tooth rip blade for cutting 2x's not a 40 it puts too much strain on the motor and takes too long. One thing Gary failed to mention is that the saws guard and riving knife are made for a full 1/8" kerf blade. I removed the riving knife and installed two Freud 24 and 40 tooth thin kerf blades that I just bought for the Dewalt saw that the JSS replaced. Both blades cut great with reduced noise and greater infeed speed as well as a nicer finish cut.

Since the saw is mounted in the truck and duct collection is very important I bought two full kerf blades so that I could utilize the riving knife. I went to my local Woodcraft and purchased the Sawstop blade guard with a duct collection port that is made to fit the JSS's bigger brothers. A little time with a grinder and viola 94% dust collection depending on the material being cut. Azek is by far the most challenging to collect and it probably gets somewhere around 80% which is awesome.

The ability to raise the blade so quickly and precisely saves a lot of time during the course of the day as the old saw took 25 turns to fully raise the blade. Then there is the way you adjust the bevel of the saw, squeeze the bevel handle and place the saw to the desired angle let go and your done. There isn't a lock to play around with, or trying to balance the weight of the saw while adjusting and locking it down. Then there's the cool part you can fine tune the bevel a 1-1/2* in either direction! I'm a carpenter who has used all kinds of tablesaws and this feature makes this saw pretty unique even among big cabinet saws. The ability to quickly change the bevel, ease of reproducible angles and to fine tune it with very little effort are game changers for me.
Cheers
Curt

 

[Jak147]

My biggest concern was highlighted as soon as he started talking about the brake, jobsite saws are used to cut all sorts of materials that would make the workshop guys here break out in a cold sweat! Gary had all ready fired one brake by cutting insulation, what about a hidden nail, or soaking wet timber. Never mind carrying a single spare, your going to need blades and brakes by the truck load!

 

[andvari]

If I was looking for a new saw the SS would be my choice. However I already have a Bosch. It's not clear to me that it's worth the money to replace a saw that is working fine for me with something so close.

 

[wow]

The price seems high to me as well, and I don't think it will be able to be maintained.

Let the early adopters that really want one pay for the high prices to start. Next year at this time we'll see if they're still selling like hotcakes, or if there are fire sales on them. I predict the latter.

( PS - I define a fire sale as anything $200 or more off the current price. A permanent price reduction of around that amount will truly tell the story.)

 

[Oldwood]

I'll be looking to get a Bosch table saw used for a good price. For the amount of work I do onsite the SS is not worth the money.

Gerry

 

[grbmds]

I buy a lot of my stuff at a Woodcraft Store. A builder in the area around the store has somehow been able to purchase one and feels it's such a great saw they plan to buy 11 more when there are available regardless of price. That indicates to me that it's a great saw and I suppose that the builder wants the added safety of the Sawstop blade brake. The key for me is that, from the Woodcraft store manager's description, this saw is just like a regular table saw except smaller and more portable. It accommodates a full 8" dado blade (if that is something that you use). I'm waiting to hear more about dust collection (which is really important for me as I would use it indoors). However, if it's the same quality as the other Sawstop cabinet saws, I'd say it might be worth the extra money.

 

[Harvey]

Further to WOW's point, I wonder if the Contractor saw will take the hit in reduced sales.

 

[rmwarren]

The saw looks great and I am sure it will be an upgrade from currently available saws, but did anyone else feel the video was more commercial than review?

RMW

 

[Sparktrician]

The saw looks great and I am sure it will be an upgrade from currently available saws, but did anyone else feel the video was more commercial than review?

RMW

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that thinks that Katz came across as more of a pitchman than a reviewer. 

 

[curt boyer]

Price seems high? I thought this was the Festool owners group not the Frugal owners group! We pay $600 for a 18v drill and $400 for a First Aid kit for Christmas sakes! Yeah they'll drop the price of their saws when Subzero refrigerators, Mercedes cars, and Festool drop their prices. If Gary likes a tool regardless if it's a sponsor or not he is very enthusiastic when he does his reviews. Watch his other videos he has the same style on all of them. If you've ever seen any of his presentations in person he is a passionate and enthusiastic speaker and educator. I got my JSS at a reduced price which I thought was high at the time. Using the saw every day for the last couple of months the initial sting of the high purchase price of the saw has disappeared, kind of like when you bought your first Festool! The stand, dust collection, ease and speed of height and bevel adjustment, fence, and the safety mechanism make this saw better than anything currently available by a lot.
Cheers
Curt

 

[peter halle]

I love Gary and his quest to educate.  I also have met and talked to him and would love to be able to emulate even an nth degree of the enthusiam that he has. But I have to agree that this video - whether or not there are outside influencing factors - came across as not unbiased.  I say this as someone who is openly what some could call a "fan boy" for a particular manufacturers product  [doh]. 

P.S. I prefer the terms "evangelist" or "educator in training" by the way in my situation.

Peter

 

[rmwarren]

In fairness (I went back and looked at the video's intro and title) he does not bill it as a review, rather a comparison. He even stated he "had been waiting for a jobsite SawStop for years".

He may have been compensated in some way for the comparison, but he does not appear to claim the comparison is unbiased, nor state he was compensated. It is just unclear, so I guess we should just take it with a grain of salt.

Caveat Emptor.

RMW 

 

[grbmds]

Could also be that the saw was just great! I'm hoping that's the case.

 

[Scott B.]

I just watched the video and read the written accompaniment at the site. Comment section is particularly interesting.

I think I would still buy the Dewalt ripper I bought last month.