# Sawstop Contractor saw: 36" or 52" table?



## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

I've been given tentative approval from the "budget office" to buy the sawstop contractors saw. At this point, I'm pretty set on:

Mobile base
36" fence and rails
cast iron wings


They also have 52" fence and rails. I would rate myself only as a hobbyist/casual woodworker...is it likely I will really ever need 52"? And that means 52" from the fence to the blade, right? Is that basically just for cutting plywood?

I'm looking for answers outside of the "If you CAN get it, then get it!" realm....I'm just trying to figure what the main purpose of a 52" fence would be and how likely I am to ever make use of it. Space in the shop is also a small concern (isn't it always?), hence the mobile base.

Thanks!


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

More capacity is always better to actually have than to wish you had...

With that said, if the saw is left tilt, you should be able to rob some capacity from the left side of the blade and slide the 36" front rail tube over to the right by ~ 10", for a very respectable 46" rip.


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

knotscott said:


> More capacity is always better to actually have than to wish you had....


Hehe...well, that's certainly true. We just built a 24' X 32' pole barn last year, and we were already contemplating adding a 16' X 32' shed next to it..... It's just the way of things.

It is left tilt.

So, this really is just a cutting-plywood type of issue then.


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## AlWood (Apr 18, 2010)

beelzerob said:


> I've been given tentative approval from the "budget office" to buy the sawstop contractors saw. At this point, I'm pretty set on:
> 
> Mobile base
> 36" fence and rails
> ...


beelzerob, from my own experience (hobbyist, like you) with a regular contractor saw -- it is very seldomly that I needed to cut a whole sheet of ply (and yes, 52" is strictly about ply or similar large sheets), and when I needed, I simply used a circular saw. At some point I even "simulated" a longer fence by putting another table of the same hight as my saw next to the right side of my saw and affixing a long straight beam to it parallel to the blade to serve as a fence. But it all isn't worth the trouble; looking back I'd say there was no real problem with not having 52" fence. Besides, if you don't have too much space and you are going to use a mobile base -- just forget about 52"; it belongs at a big professional facility...

I have a question to you, since you supposedly learned a lot about that StopSaw contractor saw. OK, they are offering 3 configurations: one, 30" fence, is really a contractor saw to be used at the construction site (light-weight, grill-like table extensions, light aluminum fence), a 2 others that I'd actually call hybrid (shop) saws -- cast-iron wings, bessy-like heavy fence, etc. One of those has 36" fence, and another one -- 52" fence; I like that one with 36" fence a lot (at least looking at their pictures:smile. But I cannot find anywhere (including their own web-site) a few pieces of information; here is one of them: on that 36" (to the RIGHT), what is the cut space to the LEFT? Since I guess you know a lot about that saw, can you answer that question?


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

Ya, offhand I don't know, but I see you already posted in the thread I was gonna suggest you ask! He should know.

In regards to the iron wings, I know they come in pairs...so not 1 piece.


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## dbhost (Jan 28, 2008)

I have wide rails on my BT3100 which provide me with a 72" rip capacity. I never use it. I would honestly be happy with 36" capacity... Anything wider than that, and I am cutting it with a circular saw with a straight edge.


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

This is good info, thanks. I kind of figured to use my circular saw for cuts like that, as you all suggest.


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

This was one of those things where I just disregarded the better features on the assumption that it would be a LOT more cost.

Well, I didn't really look at it until now, but going from the 36" to the 52" table is only $60 more. :whistling2: I think considering my total is already over $2000, I can probably swing an extra $60. My shop will ALWAYS use more horizontal surface to lay tools and board pieces on!


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## cain8885 (Aug 21, 2009)

Yup, if I would've had the room I would have bought the 52

B


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