# SawStop



## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

I’m interested in buying a SawStop table saw and can’t figure out the difference between the industry model and the pro model other then $1500 in price. The photos do look different as the motor is on opposite sides but I don’t think that’s the difference in cost. We are going to use it in a fairly busy club shop in my community, it will see a lot of action by both experienced and not very experienced people so we want something that will last but not spend the extra money if it’s not going to make a drastic difference. Any comments or advice on the SawStop saw would be appreciated. 



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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Why not call Saw Stop?*

Don't take our word for it, when you can talk to a factory rep. Without model numbers we can't be of much help. :|


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

woodnthings said:


> Don't take our word for it, when you can talk to a factory rep. Without model numbers we can't be of much help. :|




Thanks, I did plan on calling a manufacturer’s rep. 


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## Dave Mills (Dec 4, 2019)

I have the "pro" (PCS) model, 3HP/220V. It's a wonderful machine that I suspect would do the trick for you. But the Industrial model is a beast of a machine, with lots of upgrades over the PCS. Whether you need them or not is your call. If you watch the video at https://www.sawstop.com/table-saws/by-model/industrial-cabinet-saw much of what they talk about in terms of the weight of the thing, available 7.5hp motor, various door locks, stronger belts, etc, is stuff that is not on the PCS. They also have a comparison page which shows the specific difference between the two models.

If you do order the PCS you need to make sure you get the larger 36" or 52" top so you get the nice fence, and if you're going to need it mobile, get the ICS (upgraded) 4-wheel mobile base instead of the 3-wheel one.


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

Dave Mills said:


> I have the "pro" (PCS) model, 3HP/220V. It's a wonderful machine that I suspect would do the trick for you. But the Industrial model is a beast of a machine, with lots of upgrades over the PCS. Whether you need them or not is your call. If you watch the video at https://www.sawstop.com/table-saws/by-model/industrial-cabinet-saw much of what they talk about in terms of the weight of the thing, available 7.5hp motor, various door locks, stronger belts, etc, is stuff that is not on the PCS. They also have a comparison page which shows the specific difference between the two models.
> 
> 
> 
> If you do order the PCS you need to make sure you get the larger 36" or 52" top so you get the nice fence, and if you're going to need it mobile, get the ICS (upgraded) 4-wheel mobile base instead of the 3-wheel one.




Thanks, I’m going to watch the video right now. Thanks the link. Do you have the sliding cross cut table? 


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## Dave Mills (Dec 4, 2019)

screwdrivers2018 said:


> Thanks, I’m going to watch the video right now. Thanks the link. Do you have the sliding cross cut table?


I do not. I have the 36" table, with their router table on the right side, so it's a pretty large surface if I need it all. I use a crosscut sled for smaller cuts, but if I need to cut a full sheet of plywood in half, I do it with a circular saw.


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

Dave Mills said:


> I do not. I have the 36" table, with their router table on the right side, so it's a pretty large surface if I need it all. I use a crosscut sled for smaller cuts, but if I need to cut a full sheet of plywood in half, I do it with a circular saw.




Thanks, we have a sled we use but watching different YouTube videos I’ve seen a lot of guys using it and it looks like it’s very useful. I’ve never used one myself so I’m interested in hearing from some who have or is using one before we invest in one. 


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## Dave Mills (Dec 4, 2019)

I'm curious how liability works in a scenario like you've got, as it seems like it could be a nightmare. Care to explain a bit?
Dave


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

Dave Mills said:


> I'm curious how liability works in a scenario like you've got, as it seems like it could be a nightmare. Care to explain a bit?
> 
> Dave




Liability because we are a club? 


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## Dave Mills (Dec 4, 2019)

screwdrivers2018 said:


> Liability because we are a club?


Yeah, liability because a lot of folks will be sharing equipment that potentially could be dangerous. It seems like a setup for legal problems, to me. I'm not trying to bash in any way, just curious if that's a thing that comes up.


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

screwdrivers2018 said:


> Liability because we are a club?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




We are a club in a 55 and over community, we have insurance through the association I’m not sure exactly how it works. I know we have everyone who joins( no fee to join) has to sign a indemnity form and has to sign a form saying they have experience using the tools in the shop and we don’t teach. We do however off assistance and advise on safety. I will look into how we handle liability and get back to you. It’s a great question! 


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## Dave Mills (Dec 4, 2019)

I'm sure there are many similar clubs or even businesses providing an environment for sharing tools. So I bet you're set with it. Thanks for the info.


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

Dave Mills said:


> I'm sure there are many similar clubs or even businesses providing an environment for sharing tools. So I bet you're set with it. Thanks for the info.




I’m sure we are but it’s still a great question. I’ve been a member for about 6 months now and go every day. I really enjoy it. Being retired has its perks. Lol. 


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I own a SawStop Professional Cabinet Saw model PCS 175 with 36 inch fence. The SawStop calls the Industrial Cabinet Saw models ICS. I have used both saws. 

The best place to see a comparison of the SawStop ICS and PCS saws is here:
https://www.sawstop.com/support/product-comparison
Here is an older, but helpful article:
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/a-close-look-at-the-new-sawstop-professional-cabinet-saw/

Here is a summary of the extra features that you get when you buy an ICS over a PCS:

* The ICS table and wings are 3 inches deeper than the PCS table and wings.
* The ICS table and wings are made from thicker cast iron than the PCS table and wings.
* The ICS trunnions and other support and positioning structures are beefier than the PCS.
* The ICS motor is larger and heavier than the PCS motor. You can fit a PCS motor on the left side of the cabinet, but the larger ICS motor would stick out, so it is on the right side of the cabinet.
* The ICS cabinet is larger than the PCS cabinet. 

Whatever you buy, get SawStop's industrial mobile base for it. You need an adapter to support the smaller PCS in an industrial mobile base because its cabinet is smaller than the ICS cabinet. Even if you buy a PCS, get the industrial mobile base. The ease of use and movement make this choice a no brainer. 

If you get a PCS, avoid the professional integrated mobile base. Get the industrial mobile base (and PCS adapter) instead. You won't regret it.

P.S. Here is another very useful article. If you are thinking about a PCS, this one is so helpful for understanding the subtitles and features of a PCS, although it also discusses the contractor saw, which I do not recommend:
https://www.trentdavis.net/wp/2019/01/18/choosing-a-sawstop-contractor-vs-professional/


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Here are a few useful SawStop-related notes that my friends and I shared when we bought SawStop cabinet saws. Several of us bought them around the same time, and these links proved to be very helpful and useful. Trent Davis runs a FaceBook group related to SawStop. I have never been on FaceBook. I heard that Trent Davis is a senior executive at SawStop, but do not know if it is true. I like his writing and the depth of information that he provides from his blog. I especially liked the “tool maintenance protecting cast iron tabletop.” I followed his advice (mostly) and I am very pleased with the results.

Here are some useful SawStop links. I am also including an additional PDF file about SawStop care and cleaning, but I followed the bottom link, below, rather than the PDF.

https://www.trentdavis.net/wp/2019/01/18/choosing-a-sawstop-contractor-vs-professional/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2016/08/31/dado-information
https://www.trentdavis.net/wp/2018/08/06/helpful-sawstop-links/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2018/07/06/sawstop-brake-spacing-explained/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/01/...ent-attaching-extra-cast-iron-extension-wing/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/01/...rosscut-table-without-cutting-down-the-rails/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/01/...converting-extension-table-into-router-table/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/04/07/table-saw-modification-router-table-enclosure-part-1/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/04/14/table-saw-modification-router-table-enclosure-part-2-laminate/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/04/...ble-enclosure-part-3-hardware-and-electrical/
https://www.trentdavis.net/2017/06/13/tool-maintenance-protecting-cast-iron-tabletop/


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## screwdrivers2018 (Dec 4, 2019)

Tool Agnostic said:


> Here are a few useful SawStop-related notes that my friends and I shared when we bought SawStop cabinet saws. Several of us bought them around the same time, and these links proved to be very helpful and useful. Trent Davis runs a FaceBook group related to SawStop. I have never been on FaceBook. I heard that Trent Davis is a senior executive at SawStop, but do not know if it is true. I like his writing and the depth of information that he provides from his blog. I especially liked the “tool maintenance protecting cast iron tabletop.” I followed his advice (mostly) and I am very pleased with the results.
> 
> Here are some useful SawStop links. I am also including an additional PDF file about SawStop care and cleaning, but I followed the bottom link, below, rather than the PDF.
> 
> ...




Thank you for your very detailed evaluation of the 2 Sawstop saws I’m considering. I will check out all the links you provided 
Ed


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## Larry3 (Jan 12, 2020)

As a long-time SawStop PCS 3HP owner, I can only enthusiastically echo everything that Screwdriver2018 and Tool Agnostic have just said. Not only are they top quality saws, I would simply like to amplify one part, and that is the SAFETY issue. Given that you're representing a club (of sorts) and that there are going to be many users of differing skill levels, then the SawStop PCS or ICS is unequivocally the saw to purchase. I personally would recommend a PCS 3HP as it'll do almost anything you can throw at it, and I don't believe your application would require the additional cost and bulk of an ICS. You cannot put a value on the the hands and fingers of your potential users. There is absolutely nothing on the market that can match SawStop for safety reasons. And speaking of liability...to NOT use a SawStop would leave you open to an attorney's question of if such technology is available why didn't you use it.

Watch the finger save videos on the SawStop website. This should tell you everything you need to know. I can attest, as a guy who's experienced a finger save with my saw, I'm a believer. As a Site Supervisor for our county Habitat for Humanity, as well as the Affiliate Competent (safety) Person, I can tell you that it behooves you to consider SAFETY above all other concerns. We have two of their Job Site models and I wouldn't consider anything else given that all of our table saw users are volunteers and amateurs in the truest sense of the word.


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

I've used the industrial model. It's got a 7.5 hp motor on it. Works like the pthers. Wears out like the others. 

If your a club or school. A 3hp will do just fine....will require dust collection or daily cleaning...


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