SawStop Jobsite Saw review from Gary Katz

Scott B. said:
Jaybolishes said:
Scott are you talking about the DWE7491RS and regardless what do you think?  I've been meaning to buy it but with festool recon sales and other purchases it's been put on the back burner.  I've been quite happy with my Ryobi 10" I bought many years ago I'm embarrassed to say.  The saw stop does have me intreagued however.  But the dewalt and the Bosch are just so much more less expensive.  At $900 I would spring for the sawstop but it's just a little bit much for me.

Jay

I bought the DW745. Not with the stand, but has the modular tube frame. I had the same model prior to this one for 18 years, finally killed it last year ripping pvc ext trim on site.

I guess I have never been bothered by having to crank the blade up and down. And I really like their rack and pinion fence system.

The rack and pinion fence is the top feature of this saw. Others should implement this as once set up it you are guaranteed that it is parallel to the blade.
 
I also have the DW 745 for on-site work and it's a little miracle IMO. Rack and pinion fence is incredibly accurate, it's light weight and I've rigged it up so my portable work bench sits at exactly the same height when on its scissor stand so I can use it as an outfeed table.
 
Bosch has a job site saw simular to the 4100...( gts-1041) that has SawStop like feature due out this summer I think..but doesn't destroy the blade...still up there around the price point of SawStop ....$1400 I believe.
 
I guess I'm kind of mystified by the interest in the fact that the proposed Bosch saw doesn't destroy the blade. I thought the goal was not to trip it at all.
 
grbmds said:
I guess I'm kind of mystified by the interest in the fact that the proposed Bosch saw doesn't destroy the blade. I thought the goal was not to trip it at all.

People that use  table saw regularly are going to have some kind of accident eventually.  With a SawStop or the new Bosch I know for sure it would be a matter of time before I forgot to disable the safety feature when running something conductive or wet through.  I'd prefer not to destroy the blade when that happened...   
 
I guess I just don't envision ever cutting something that wet and I don't cut metals, so it would freak me out completely if I ever tripped it. Most likely I'd just stop working for the day and be happy I spent the money on the saw. Then, of course, I only do woodworking as a hobby and don't depend on using a saw in a variety of environments either.
 
Brice Burrell said:
grbmds said:
I guess I'm kind of mystified by the interest in the fact that the proposed Bosch saw doesn't destroy the blade. I thought the goal was not to trip it at all.

People that use  table saw regularly are going to have some kind of accident eventually.  With a SawStop or the new Bosch I know for sure it would be a matter of time before I forgot to disable the safety feature when running something conductive or wet through.  I'd prefer not to destroy the blade when that happened... 

I triggered mine on a finger save and the blade was not destroyed. No noticeable damage, but I am going to send it off to be checked and sharpened if necessary.

I have had a SawStop since 2008 and have never had it tripped by a material. The false trips are hyped by those looking for a reason to down play the safety aspect.

 
grbmds said:
I guess I just don't envision ever cutting something that wet ...

I hope that includes your pinkies  [eek] ... 

I'm holding out for the Bosch REAXX. 
 
I bought the Bosch 4000 saw when it first came out and after using it for 6-7 years, upgraded to the 4100.

I've used the Dewalt jobsite saws and am not as enamored with their fence as most, but really the benefit to me of the Bosch saws are the outfeed and side support accessories. 

having the rear outfeed and side supports fully extended gives a lot of usable support, but also - gives a lot of stock storage options too.

Very handy when doing many multiple small item cuts to keep the stock stored on the side feed bars either before or after the cutting operation.

Of course the Bosch fence is nice as well, like most T-square designs, and is much heavier duty than the Dewalt fence.  Plus, the ability to attach hold downs is nice for some functions, and the dewalt has no such option.

I've done full 8' rips from full sheets of 3/4" plywood by myself with the Bosch saws no problem, including miter cuts.

JT
 
JimH2 said:
.......I have had a SawStop since 2008 and have never had it tripped by a material. The false trips are hyped by those looking for a reason to down play the safety aspect.

I imagine your right about the number of false trips with the SawStop since most are in a shop.  However, I think you'll see that number go with the introduction of the jobsite saws.  For example, I regularly rip wet pressure treated lumber and PVC trim and sheets, and less often aluminum.  I'm not alone, pretty much every contractor cuts these materials and it's inevitably going to cause a user error induced firing.  The Bosch is going to get a lot more people interested in a safer table saw. 

On a related note, I'm curious how the Bosch and new SawStop are going to handle things like being covered in PVC dust (or other conductive materials) or being exposed to rain? 
 
Brice Burrell said:
JimH2 said:
.......I have had a SawStop since 2008 and have never had it tripped by a material. The false trips are hyped by those looking for a reason to down play the safety aspect.

I imagine your right about the number of false trips with the SawStop since most are in a shop.  However, I think you'll see that number go with the introduction of the jobsite saws.  For example, I regularly rip wet pressure treated lumber and PVC trim and sheets, and less often aluminum.  I'm not alone, pretty much every contractor cuts these materials and it's inevitably going to cause a user error induced firing.  The Bosch is going to get a lot more people interested in a safer table saw. 

On a related note, I'm curious how the Bosch and new SawStop are going to handle things like being covered in PVC dust (or other conductive materials) or being exposed to rain?

Good point. I would think this would be more of an indoor use trim saw for after the roof is on. The Bosch has the advantage of a two-fire cartridge at a lower retail price ($100 is what I read). Based on Bosch's other items it will probably sell for $70 or so, but even at that it is definitely not cheap to keep have misfires.
 
Take away the safety features and you still have a better designed, more robust, and better fit and finish on the SawStop. Operation is more precise and details are well thought out. (This is true of ALL of their saws...not just the jobsite).

Also, the RUMORS of all of these numerous false activations is totally false. There is absolutely NO data to back up these specious claims.  You don't hear those claims from SawStop owners...only from people who hate Gass.

Frank
 
SittingElf said:
Take away the safety features and you still have a better designed, more robust, and better fit and finish on the SawStop. Operation is more precise and details are well thought out. (This is true of ALL of their saws...not just the jobsite)......

That is certainly true of the SawStop.  On the other hand, I bet the Bosch will essentially be a 4100 with the new blade safety feature.  If that is the case, can't see paying nearly the same price as the SawStop.  I do expect the price on the Bosch to drop over time, we'll see though.

SittingElf said:
....Also, the RUMORS of all of these numerous false activations is totally false. There is absolutely NO data to back up these specious claims.  You don't hear those claims from SawStop owners...only from people who hate Gass.

Frank

I heard of a fair number of firings (other than finger induced accidents) from actual SawStop owners.  Now these are almost always user error, but firings none the less.  Since the Bosch feature doesn't harm the blade they, in theory, have the better design.  Of course it remains to seen how many times the saw can with stand firing and not effect the saw in an adverse way. 
 
I thought on the Bosch the blade drops below the table first and then the blade stops on its own?

Bosch Takes Aim at SawStop

"But what happens to the blade below the table is different for each saw. SawStop not only drops the blade, it rams an aluminum block into it to stop it from spinning. This destroys the $69 cartridge assembly containing the block and more often than not, it damages or destroys the blade.

The Bosch mechanism drops the blade below the table and allows it to spin to a stop on its own. The blade isn’t touched and can be used again after the saw is reset. Resetting is a matter of reversing or replacing the cartridge that fires to retract the blade, and then swinging the arbor assembly back to working position. According to Bosch, it takes about a minute to perform the operation. The cartridge is double-sided so it can be triggered twice before needing to be replaced (see video below)."
 
RLJ-Atl said:
I thought on the Bosch the blade drops below the table first and then the blade stops?

Bosch Takes Aim at SawStop

"But what happens to the blade below the table is different for each saw. SawStop not only drops the blade, it rams an aluminum block into it to stop it from spinning. This destroys the $69 cartridge assembly containing the block and more often than not, it damages or destroys the blade.

The Bosch mechanism drops the blade below the table and allows it to spin to a stop on its own. The blade isn’t touched and can be used again after the saw is reset. Resetting is a matter of reversing or replacing the cartridge that fires to retract the blade, and then swinging the arbor assembly back to working position. According to Bosch, it takes about a minute to perform the operation. The cartridge is double-sided so it can be triggered twice before needing to be replaced (see video below)."

OK... as Gilda Radner used to say...."Never mind"! [big grin]

Frank
 
Sparktrician said:
grbmds said:
I guess I just don't envision ever cutting something that wet ...

I hope that includes your pinkies  [eek] ... 

I'm holding out for the Bosch REAXX.

I hope so too, although I wouldn't care if I had to replace the blade and cartridge if I saved them. As I said, I'd quit for the day (or longer) and think about how to avoid that happening again. As I said, I don't know whether the Sawstop Jobsite saw is truly worth $1,299 but I think it's a great saw and will feel even better about getting it if I ever trip the brake with my hand.  Also, it is so convenient to get it out of the way when I won't be using a saw for awhile and am doing other things. I do apologize as this all seems to have launched another discussion about Sawstop, but that was not my intention.
 
For the me, the choice comes down to the other features of either saw.  The stop mechanisms are equal, at least until proven otherwise.  Which one has the more accurate, easier to set fence, flatter table, better out feed support, more accurate, cost, etc. are what will make the decision for me.  At least until I hear about some other unforeseen deciding factor.
 
I heard of a fair number of firings (other than finger induced accidents) from actual SawStop owners.  Now these are almost always user error, but firings none the less.  Since the Bosch feature doesn't harm the blade they, in theory, have the better design.  Of course it remains to seen how many times the saw can with stand firing and not effect the saw in an adverse way.

Another good point. I would think at some point the accuracy of the saw could be compromised (same for SawStop) if you had enough unintended firings.

I think the point of the safety device on these saws is getting lost. Both of these will save fingers and with a reasonable assessment you can selectively bypass the safety mechanism. Performing the bypass procedure reminds me to be extra careful as the saw has become substantially more dangerous. Might not be the best comparison but consider a firearm with a chambered bullet (bypass ON) versus one with an un-chambered bullet (bypass OFF), but with a full clip. Both require safe handling, but one is more dangerous.
 
In addition to my SawStop PCS I have a Bosch 4100, which I will be replacing with a REAXX or the SawStop JSS. Both of the latter pale in comparison to a stationary cabinet saw.

I like the 4100 less it's crappy fence. It's well built for it's price point, but it has room for improvement and Bosch made some nice improvements to the REAXX in addition to the safety feature.

After my finger save I was geared up to buy the SawStop JSS to replace my 4100, but after seeing it took the wind out of my sails. The build quality is decent, but it feels cheap to me and not near as stable as my 4100. I also was not enthuisiastic about the fence movement or the separation of the table for the extension. Neither was what I would call smooth. It could have been the floor model I was looking at though. It does have some nice features like the built in sealed storage for small stuff, quick bevel adjustment, and quick blade height crank (3 turns from top to bottom). A fair amount of thought went into the design of this, maybe to offset the sticker shock. Before it was introduced I had guessed a JSS from them would be north of $1000, but $1300 is pushing the limit.

I am holding on to 4100 until I see the REAXX model.
 
RLJ-Atl said:
For the me, the choice comes down to the other features of either saw.  The stop mechanisms are equal, at least until proven otherwise.  Which one has the more accurate, easier to set fence, flatter table, better out feed support, more accurate, cost, etc. are what will make the decision for me.  At least until I hear about some other unforeseen deciding factor.

I don't know about the Bosch saw (without the brake), but the Sawstop Jobsite fence is very nice. I did make an extremely slight adjustment to the cursor (but don't know about whether it is meant to be adjustable) to get it to match my best measuring devices, but that was about a 1/64th (or less) and was almost not worth it since I usually joint ripped pieces down to the final dimension. However, it is right on now (according to my measures). I have not had it that long but have used it several times and think it's great. It won't replace the larger professional cabinet saws but, for me, it answers my need for an accurate saw with good dust collection, as well as the capability to easily move it around, and collapse/store it out of the way. I don't feel I've sacrificed much except size of table and a smaller motor. For me, it was a great, safe choice.
 
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