sawstop contractor v. cabinet

[gardnesd]

What are the pros and cons???

[bywc]

You don't get to sport a sweet name like stubby or 9 finger Joe

Also appears around a grand in price difference also.

I could assume a cabinet saw would also be more accurate over all than a contractor saw as contractors saws are rarely made for "fine wood working".

But thats all just guessing and opinion as makes and models your thinking of buying would help in actually comparing the two.

[WoodClips]

What kind of woodworking projects do you plan on doing? Do you already own a jointer, planer and bandsaw, or have plans to purchase them? If not, you may want to consider the contractor saw and put the money you save towards another tool. This was a consideration for me when I was purchasing a table saw, and I felt that the lower power and less efficient dust collection of a contractor saw were tradeoffs I could live with in exchange for being able to afford other tools. On the other hand, if you are already tooled up, then I'd be looking at the 3HP cabinet saw. There are definitely times when I wish I had a little more power to rip through thicker or harder material a little faster.

Rory

[gardnesd]

Just wondering how inaccurate the contractor saw is. Has anyone ever done a comparison. Heard they need adjusting more often.

[ddg]

Are you comparing the 1.75 HP cabinet saw to the contractor saw?

If so, the power will the same. I have the contractor saw (30" fence, cast iron wings, mobile base, & dust panel), and it has done everything I've wanted. It's cut 8/4 red oak. I worked a lot with 5/4 quartersawn white oak furniture and no problem. You just have to know the saw, and watch you push speed. You can't push too fast.

Down side to the contractor saw is the motor hanging out he back. It gives the saw a bigger footprint than the cabinet saw. If you let material drop to the floor after you finish the cut, it will hit the motor and dent. You don't have that problem with a cabinet saw.

The contractor saw is lighter, and easier to move than the cabinet saw. But the contractor saw is still very stable. If you need to move your saw to use it like I do, that may be a factor. But their mobile bases work great. I haven't tried to move their new cabinet saw (it wasn't available when I got my saw).

If you go with the contractor saw, get the dust panel. It's worth the extra money to just slip the hose on the fitting once you have the saw in place instead of reaching under the saw to make up the fitting. You still get some dust on the floor. The cabinet saw should hold the dust I'm seeing under the saw.

If you're comparing to the 3 HP, 240V, cabinet saw, then you are in another world in power. That's more of a production machine. I learned to build in a production shop making custom cabinets, using everything from a 1 HP Unisaw to a 5 HP table saw. The 1 HP Unisaw was our lumber ripping saw. When my Dad retired and closed his business, he kept the Unisaw and got rid of the other saws. He converted it to 120V, didn't like the feed rate, and changed it back to 240V.

[Guest Trace]

How much do you want, or have, to spend. I have a Craftsman cabinet saw that is one step below the top of the line. I like it because it does the work, is powerful enough for me, and didn't cost a lot more than I wanted to pay. The sawstop is ok, but as I have said before, quoting a set of Burma Shave signs: No matter the price, No matter how new, The best saftey device, In your car is YOU. Substitute shop for car and I believe that may be the best answer I can give.

[Domer]

I debated that subject for six months before I decided between the Sawstop Contractor and the Industrial saw. I finally decided on the Industrial for the following reasons.

1. I am nearing retirement and most likely this will be the last saw I will buy. So even though I did not have difficulty using my old Delta contractor's saw, I liked the more horsepower, heavier weight, etc of the Industrial.

2. The mobile base on the Industrial saw is the best. I was worried that I would not be able to move it around my shop(garage) but it is not a problem.

3. The industrial has a heavier fence as I understand it than the contractor's saw.

4. The trunion is more stable on the Industrial Saw than on the Contractor's saw, although I never had a problem with my Delta contractor's saw.

I think it would be hard to go wrong with either.

Domer

[Jerry_in_SD]

I think you could not go wrong with either. Both the PCS and contractors saw sport the same table dimensions but the PCS has the benefit of no motor hanging out the back. For me with limited space, that was important. Second thing is the HP. The 3HP sure makes it a pleasure to cut difficult material (8/4 maple, oak, etc.) but as long as you have a sharp blade, the 1.75 should be enough.