Sawstop PCS: Can I get all cast iron from left to right?

[Brooklyn Jason]

Hello.  First-time poster here to this great forum. Thanks in advance.

I will shortly purchase a Sawstop PCS 36".  I would like a set-up that is all cast iron from left to right, ie no black wood insert.

I know I can achieve achieve all cast iron by ordering a right-hand Inline Router Table (RT-TGP) with the cast iron insert (RT-ICW).

However, I would prefer a separate router table. So are there any other ways to achieve all cast iron?  eg. replacing the black wood insert with 2 x  RT-ICW inserts bolted together or using the CI extension wings designed for the SS Contractor Saw.  Alternatively, 3rd party cast iron parts

Any thoughts on how I could achieve this??

Thank you - Jason

[Chestnut]

You could accomplish this with the cast iron inserts but keep in mind your likely going to have to drill and tap holes to accomplish this.

[Chet]

@gee-dub did this recently on his SawStop, hopefully he will see this.

[Drbwwing]

Why??

[gee-dub]

On 5/10/2022 at 10:45 AM, Chet said:

@gee-dub did this recently on his SawStop, hopefully he will see this.

On the smaller PCS 3HP the added mass is nice if you use your tablesaw as a joinery machine which I do.

That being said, grandpa's old C-man/Emerson is so much heavier in weight than newer versions of contractor saws it is surprisingly stable for its size.

I have made red oak frames with well supported plywood or MDF tops for side feed tables as well.  These worked just fine

 

 

[drzaius]

12 hours ago, gee-dub said:

That being said, grandpa's old C-man/Emerson is so much heavier in weight than newer versions of contractor saws it is surprisingly stable for its size.

I have made red oak frames with well supported plywood or MDF tops for side feed tables as well.  These worked just fine

 

 

And it's infinitely more cool looking.

[gee-dub]

Heh-heh.  These things were literally laying around at one point in history.  People had rescued them from ruin on the side of the road.  Grandpa's is stock but folks do fancy them up.

Search on "113.27520"  and you'll find lots of Emerson (113.) and King Seeley (103.) varieties.  They're like Ford Pintos; some people have fun tricking them out.

[drzaius]

Wow, that one's pimped right out. It's a little OT, but Jack Forsberg beautifully restores old iron, mostly Wadkin stuff. His work is simply gorgeous.

[gee-dub]

OT or not that is some cool stuff @ jack's site!

[Brooklyn Jason]

Thank you everyone for your responses, especially pictures. Very helpful.

@gee-dub - I am trying to see from your photo...is that all cast iron?  Hard for me to tell with the light.  If so is that two SS cast iron insert panels replacing the black wood section?  Also love the rest of your set-up!

Thanks again ;-) 

 

 

[drzaius]

Hey Jason, I just want to bring up a couple of issues that will affect what you want to do with regards to mobility. The PCS mobile base doesn't have the casters spread out as widely as the ICS base. With the added weight of those cast extensions, the base may not lift the right side. I have the ICS base and a shop built extension table (54mm of Baltic birch ply, pretty heavy) with a router lift and full cabinet underneath. The right side was just a little too heavy to lift. My solution was to hang about 35kg of steel off the left side of the cabinet. 

[gee-dub]

On 5/11/2022 at 2:41 PM, Brooklyn Jason said:

Thank you everyone for your responses, especially pictures. Very helpful.

@gee-dub - I am trying to see from your photo...is that all cast iron?  Hard for me to tell with the light.  If so is that two SS cast iron insert panels replacing the black wood section?  Also love the rest of your set-up!

Thanks again ;-)

First I will chime in with Dr. Zaius.  If you plan to have your tablesaw on a mobile base adding more weight is probably not to your advantage.  Secondly, I acquired these extra wings when I had a hybrid saw that I was modifying into a beast.  Since I had the wings I went ahead and used them on the Saw Stop.  The Saw Stop PCS 3HP comes with 2 cast iron wings.  I added 3 more 12" wings to the right hand side as seen below.  Apologies in advance for all the pics.  I'm just trying to help out the OP.

The right side is supported by the drawer unit.

I built a leveling mechanism which is pretty simple and really helped get the whole surface in plane.

My saw is not mobile.  I gave up on tablesaw mobility back in the early 2000s.  The contractor saw I had at that time got a sack of cement tossed into the base to add mass.  When  moved to a hybrid it tipped the scales at about 400# but I still added the additional CI and anchored it to my router table at one end. 

The way I started using the saw made my alignment pretty important to me.  Every time I moved the saw the alignment was OK for sheet goods and large furniture parts.  However, my ability to do accurate tenons, finger joints and other joinery was always hit or miss after moving my previous saws.  For me working around a fixed saw position was better than having to fettle things frequently.  On the other hand I have no issue moving other machines around so it works OK for me.  I understand that not everyone can drop a tablesaw in the middle of the garage and just leave it there

[Robby W]

I like the way you did it. I have my hopped up Rockwell contractor's saw set up in one place. Then I aligned it to within a thou and have been using it without have to tweak it for 20 years. I dread moving it.

[Brooklyn Jason]

Thank you again for such thorough replies.

@drzaius thanks for the guidance on weight.  If I do go all cast iron then I will have to go with the ICS mobile base on the PCS.  The ICS base I understand is able to lift a 36" PCS + one 12"  CI insert + one CI router table. I am hoping that means it will manage two 12" CI inserts instead.  I will be adding legs and probably storage.

@gee-dubthese extra pics are great. What an amazing set up. I take the point about mobility and alignment and I will have to have a serious think about my own space....but very happy to see that all CI is possible.

I will post my new set-up when I've decided which route to go.

Thanks again !!

[JohnG]

The ICS base is great. If you are going to get a mobile base, it is the one to get regardless of CI vs laminate insert. It has no trouble lifting my 36” with CI insert and CI RT plus junk on top.