Replies

1. 
   Napie | Apr 17, 2007 05:23pm | #1

   I have many, many years with a Unisaw and it has never let me down.  A good friend has a PM66 that is also bullit proof, you can't go wrong with either.  FWIW, I'd look at the used market, you can save a lot of money.  My Unisaw is a rebuilt 1966 vintage, they just go on and on.

2. 
   blewcrowe | Apr 17, 2007 05:29pm | #2

   Most you mention are good units with a track record. IMO, the finish on the Powermatic is better than the others, save for General, which I ended up getting.

   At the time I bought the General, SawStop had a waiting time of about 8 months, so I said the hell with that. I like the SS technology. Whether it's worth a gigantic amount more of money, well, that's something you have to weigh. As to the quality of the SS saw unit itself, I generally hear good things.

3. 
   forestgirl | Apr 17, 2007 06:17pm | #3

   "SawStop interests me because of the innovative safety features, but is it a good machine?"  Everyone here who's reported on their's has given it very high marks as a machine, including John White, the FWW shop manager.  If you cruise through the various threads on the Saw Stop you'll find the reports.  Especially the newer threads (last 6 months or so) since more people have the saw now.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

4. 
   forestgirl | Apr 17, 2007 06:29pm | #4

   See:
   http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=34813.1

   http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=31213.24

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

5. 
   DustyGeorge | Apr 17, 2007 06:29pm | #5

   Jay,

   I've had my SawStop for about 3 weeks now.  It is one SUPER, smooth operating machine.  It is a pleasure to use.  Makes you want look for reasons to use it.  I don't see how any machine could top it for fit and finish.

   George

   You don't stop laughing because you grow old.  You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard
1. 
   quietude | Apr 17, 2007 07:10pm | #6

   I tried out the sawstop saw a while back. It is indeed a beauty. I ended up with an old Wadkin sliding table saw for about the same price. It functions beautifully as a cabinet saw and has allowed us to improve our miters, crosscuts etc. Just something to think about.

6. 
   noviceneil | Apr 17, 2007 07:15pm | #7

   I've had my SawStop since the end of Dec...it is a fine performance tool apart from its safety features...the sting of the price has worn off....although my wife occasionally mentions it...out of the box it ran smoothly and accurately....if you can afford it you won't be disappointed

   Neil

7. 
   terrylee86 | Apr 17, 2007 08:19pm | #8

   The SawStop is a very good machine.  Fit and finish are excellent and a good fence system besides the safety features.  With the blade brake system and the riving knife I would have to say it is the safest TS on the world market.  If you cannot fit that saw in your budget I would suggest at least getting one of the new saws with a riving knife.  Laguna TS, PM 2000, Grizzly Extreme and I hear Steel City is coming out with a cabinet saw with a riving knife.  The safety feature of the riving knife is more useful on a daily basis then the blade brake.  It virtually eliminates kickback.  I went from a PM66 to the Laguna TS (before SawStop) and that riving knife is a real belly saver.  No more shots to the back wall while ripping.

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 17, 2007 10:15pm | #9

   It won't be too many more years that all manufacturers will have riving knives, since they will not be able to receive a UL listing without one. 

8. 
   frenchy | Apr 17, 2007 11:04pm | #10

   JayM

    So what do you want your new saw to do?  I mean I really like mine (Grizzly) but that's because I place a premium on value..

    Value to me is getting the most for my money.. I could more than double what I paid and get a Sawstop, it's got a great safety feature and it's well repected.

      However It's limited in ways I can't accept..  So I choose Grizzly and I'm pleased.. 

9. 
   wbfinewoodworking | Apr 17, 2007 11:36pm | #11

   Jay,

   What you desire in a saw is truly a personal choice. You need to decide what saw will fit your budget and one that you will be comfortable using. I'd suggest that you check out the posts here and on any other forums that you go to as well as go to some stores to see the saws in person if not in action.

   I decided that a SawStop was what I wanted to purchase to replace my 1979 Craftsman contractors table saw. I can't believe the difference. My reasoning was that I need the safest saw available that I could afford. Yes, I had to stretch my budget to be able to afford one, but it was possible. After seeing the saw in person I was even more excited because I was able to see the quality that others had written about. The distributer also gave me a personal demonstration of the saw and the brake. The brake alone is fantastic, but I feel that the overall quality of the saw is even better. Perhaps, as some suggest, a slider might even be safer, but a new, full sized, slider can't be purchased for the amout that I spent on my 5 hp SawStop. Besides, I'm not familiar with that type of saw and I felt that I'm too old to change my style of woodworking.

   I truly wish you the best with your decision. BTW -- I showed my wife the videos on the SawStop website and she was sold!