Saw stop arrived- quick review

[Oka]

Well My Saw Stop finally got here. ... YAY

1st impression, the unit is packed amazingly ............ but Damn ....... so much packing

The directions and labeling is super clear, probably one of the best manual and assembly directions I have read in a long time

Got the saw together and calibrated and tested. Works like a charm, very happy. Funny thing this is the 1st cabinet type saw I have ever bought new.

My criticisms -

• REALLY ? the cosmoline they use is is more likely a petroleum jelly and mineral oil mix. Like the hot sauce commercial to quote "they put that S#*t on everything. That took an hour to remove. Not just the tops but inside the unit..... What a pain. I used Naphtha to gross clean, then to denatured alcohol to get the remaining residue.
• The push stick !? Why bother sending it, more dangerous than useful..... geez. Should and could do better than this.
• The supplied saw blade. Pretty silly to build an awesome top end saw and throw in a couple Temu specials as an after thought........ Wow , pretty low end

Other than those whines, the saw is really nice and glad I got it.

I paid 4k for the saw. The shipping to the outer island from (I live on the Big Island) cost 95 bucks. That what it is here.

 

[Rwe2156]

I have the same saw. Pleasure to use. Mine has a little backlash in the height adjustment. I’ve never bother to crawl behind it and do an adjustment.

If you adjust the T Glide fence a little tighter than they recommend it will slide with zero racking.

All that other stuff you noted is standard among mfg’ers. The SawStop blade is actually not that bad.

You know about shoulderless blades and dado sets, right?

 

[chris_goris]

• The push stick !? Why bother sending it, more dangerous than useful..... geez. Should and could do better than this.

I thought you didnt need a push stick with those?

 

[Oka]

Yes, I really only have one shouldered blade pretty much only use it 1-2 times a year. Guess I am spoiled on the blade thing. Really not a fan of Dados. I use a box blade for most dados. Basically a 1/4" wide 24 or 28 toothed blade. Very useful blade for me.

I have the T Glide set @ 1/16" play. That is typical for me

I have the same saw. Pleasure to use. Mine has a little backlash in the height adjustment. I’ve never bother to crawl behind it and do an adjustment.

If you adjust the T Glide fence a little tighter than they recommend it will slide with zero racking.

All that other stuff you noted is standard among mfg’ers. The SawStop blade is actually not that bad.

You know about shoulderless blades and dado sets, right?

 

[pop-pop]

I thought you didnt need a push stick with those?

A push stick protects the cartridge In addition to your fingers.

 

[JimD]

I'm pretty sure that the push stick comment is not serious but in case anybody misunderstands, you can still get injured by a SawStop despite the added protection. I got a broken bone and a few stiches from mine. You need to use all normal precautions. But if you mess up, as I did, the consequences are significantly reduced.

 

[rcarmac]

I like how all the accessories have a mounting place on the side of the cabinet. I just keep forgetting the miter gauge is down there.

 

[tri4sale]

I'm pretty sure that the push stick comment is not serious but in case anybody misunderstands, you can still get injured by a SawStop despite the added protection. I got a broken bone and a few stiches from mine. You need to use all normal precautions. But if you mess up, as I did, the consequences are significantly reduced.

was it from kickback or touching the blade?

 

[patlaw]

I had a minor injury from kickback from mine, but it was my fault.

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

The first SS I received was DOA (2019). I didn't know this until almost 1 year, since moving into a new construction house, and then getting 220 installed in mid 2021. After 2-3 months (?), they picked it up, charged me a $2,500 core charge, then shipped out a brand new SS (PCS).

The new saws 2 year warranty is up, and the replacement has been fine since. The table top needed to be aligned, the main table has a slight dish, and you are right... The push sticks needs to be tossed. I use 2 grippers for the larger stuff, but need to make something for the smaller pieces.

You are spot on a out the stock SS blade. What a joke.. pretty much a deadly Frisbee.. or wall ornament.

I have several Ridge Carbide and love them on my machine. If you don't have any... check them out. Not a fan of the "upgraded" fence.. and considered the Incra or the Harvey Big Eye (hi/low fence, dual locking, has micro adjust, but dang...PRICEY!!) I hope your fence is flatter than mine.

Just checked your pics.. 52"?! Wow!

No mobile base? Don't need one?

Oh yeah.. how much do you "love" that miter gauge?? Lol

Anyways.. I've been rambling... I'm glad you are enjoying your new toy.. Make a lot of wooden things, sawdust is fine, too.

Enjoy and welcome to the (SS) club.

 

[patlaw]

The first SS I received was DOA (2019). I didn't know this until almost 1 year, since moving into a new construction house, and then getting 220 installed in mid 2021. After 2-3 months (?), they picked it up, charged me a $2,500 core charge, then shipped out a brand new SS (PCS).

Did you get your $2500 back?

My fence is not perfectly flat, either. (I think you said your SS fence was not good.)

 

[Oka]

I have a base but thinking I will make a cabinet under it and make the entire thing mobile. Yeah the miter is so 1980's. However the runner is useful for making a crosscut sled or something, so not a total loss. I have a Harvey miter and that thing is actually pretty nice, so happy with that.

The table has a bit of wane on the outboard left side in the back, looks to be about .0010-.0015ths. Will have zero impact on me, but I suspect most of the cast gets tweaked from going from Taiwan to the West coast back to Hawaii.

For me, I use either my gripper on small stuff or a push shoe. I have a couple I made from Santos and Jatoba. They are thin, which is my preference.

The rip fence has deviations of about 15 thousandths in the middle. I ll probably replace with pieces of Delrin + I prefer the fence to be 3.5 inches tall instead of 3"


As a whole it is a very nice saw. I have 55+ years of using table saws without any real injury. I just figured at my age the cost of the saw is way cheaper than the cost the hospital bill.

The first SS I received was DOA (2019). I didn't know this until almost 1 year, since moving into a new construction house, and then getting 220 installed in mid 2021. After 2-3 months (?), they picked it up, charged me a $2,500 core charge, then shipped out a brand new SS (PCS).

The new saws 2 year warranty is up, and the replacement has been fine since. The table top needed to be aligned, the main table has a slight dish, and you are right... The push sticks needs to be tossed. I use 2 grippers for the larger stuff, but need to make something for the smaller pieces.

You are spot on a out the stock SS blade. What a joke.. pretty much a deadly Frisbee.. or wall ornament.

I have several Ridge Carbide and love them on my machine. If you don't have any... check them out. Not a fan of the "upgraded" fence.. and considered the Incra or the Harvey Big Eye (hi/low fence, dual locking, has micro adjust, but dang...PRICEY!!) I hope your fence is flatter than mine.

Just checked your pics.. 52"?! Wow!

No mobile base? Don't need one?

Oh yeah.. how much do you "love" that miter gauge?? Lol

Anyways.. I've been rambling... I'm glad you are enjoying your new toy.. Make a lot of wooden things, sawdust is fine, too.

Enjoy and welcome to the (SS) club.

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

Did you get your $2500 back?

My fence is not perfectly flat, either. (I think you said your SS fence was not good.)

I did get my $$ back. Thankfully.

I think all SS fences have some sort of deviation.

 

[drw]

Casey, it has been 15 years since I purchased my SS and I still recall that I never once was confused about any aspect of the assembly process. I fully agree that the assemble directions/manual are outstanding...the best I have ever encountered. Enjoy your new saw, it is an awesome tool.

 

[michaelgarner]

Congrats on the new saw!

 

[Wiley's Woodworks]

Rip fences that aren't flat? That just smacks of cheapness/corner cutting by SS. I find that totally unacceptable. Could you take the plastic face off the fence body and carefully run it across your jointer?

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

I haven't taken my fence side off, but from what I've seen, and read, there are connectors behind the fence which cause the fence to have a "rippling" effect.

Not sure how much that will help, taking the laminated plywood off of the fence, then running through the jointer, but who knows.

Can anyone else, or Oka, chime in? Provide pics, etc.?

This is a huge reason why I want to upgrade my fence to the Incra or new Harvey Big Eye rip fence, but $1,050 + ship and tax, for the Harvey, is a little absurd for the upgraded fence, imo.

And @Wiley's Woodworks , you are so right. SS cheaping out on a great quality fence. I understand the brake technology wouldn't be ideal with an aluminum fence, but SS should invest a little in R&D to design a better fence, imo.

I've come across a $150 fence plate, that someone make out of aluminum (?), but it doesn't look very professional.

Oh well. What to do...?

 

[Rwe2156]

I haven't taken my fence side off, but from what I've seen, and read, there are connectors behind the fence which cause the fence to have a "rippling" effect.

Not sure how much that will help, taking the laminated plywood off of the fence, then running through the jointer, but who knows.

Can anyone else, or Oka, chime in? Provide pics, etc.?

This is a huge reason why I want to upgrade my fence to the Incra or new Harvey Big Eye rip fence, but $1,050 + ship and tax, for the Harvey, is a little absurd for the upgraded fence, imo.

And @Wiley's Woodworks , you are so right. SS cheaping out on a great quality fence. I understand the brake technology wouldn't be ideal with an aluminum fence, but SS should invest a little in R&D to design a better fence, imo.

I've come across a $150 fence plate, that someone make out of aluminum (?), but it doesn't look very professional.

Oh well. What to do...?

There is no "rippling" the screws are no different than any other fence.
The T glide fence is awesome and the best fence I've ever used.
Y'all are being hypercritical. But if you want to throw it away that's your choice.

 

[Warped Woodwerks]

Well, with my personal experience, I see deviation, just like what Oka mentioned.

I've taken my steel 8" 875/00 straight edge as well as my 36" steel 874/1 straight edge, placed it along the fence, and I see deviation/rippling, across the entire fence.

Again, this is my personal experience with my SS fence.

Even if I cut a straight edge on the piece of wood, with track saw for example, then take it over to my SS and run the wood down the fence (ripping), the straight edge I made with my track saw, or router table as a jointer, doesn't matter when it comes to my SS fence. The slight rippling comes back and the wood that was ripped straight with my track saw/router table as a jointer.. is no longer straight.

Again, this has been my personal experience with my SS fence. Hence, why I'm looking at somehow addressing my fence issue with some sort of fence upgrade, like the Incra or Harvey.

If Oka has any ideas, or suggestions, on how to fix the rippling . Please share.

 

[Cuprousworks]

Is a .015 deviation over a 2 foot fence significant? I understand that precision work starts with precision tools, but I'd be afraid to hold that micrometer against any of the tools in my shop...