Thread: Suggestions Please Saw Stop vs Grizzly

Hello from Australia. In my opinion of 50 years of using table saws, the sawstop is an overpriced and overhyped machine. Your idea of saving the money and using it to buy another piece of equipment is sound,and one which I would advocate. Realistically,it’s not that difficult to understand that you don’t put your hands, or any body parts, near a spinning piece of metal that can remove them, it’s not rocket science. The sawstop seems a well made machine, but I personally think you’re better served with a sliding table panel saw, much more versatile,and accurate, we’ve had them for years,and never once have wished we had a cabinet type saw, they are much better. They just don’t seem popular over there in the states for some reason. This is one, but there are cheaper versions available.

Maybe if they came painted in green and yellow the Yanks would be more interested.
I agree with Peter. If you have the room a slider is going to give you more options. IMHO it is also a safer option as the force reqired to feed material through is almost non existant as you are now running on rollers. Ripping can be done without using a fence. Timber can be clamped to the sliding table and fed through from any position along the table, right to the end of the cut. I do still have an old, heavy duty table saw that only gets used for rough timber ripping. The rest goes over the slider.
A tip: Use a riving knife and unlike a boxer, keep your guard down.

Welcome to the forum.

I have had the Sawstop PCS with 36" rails for 4+ years and do not have a single complaint. I did purchase the ICS mobile base, though, and would recommend you do the same.
I haven't set the break off and don't intend to. That wasn't really a selling point for me but the sawstop is the best made traditional cabinet saw available to us in Australia. From factory it was dead on for blade to miter saw alignment. The 0 and 45 stops were perfectly tuned to go, the cabinet dust collection is excellent for a 4" port. Someone just posted a video about 1 week ago on youtube. He purchased a grizzly table saw and the video is called 'why i regret not getting a sawstop'. He outlines some of the shortcomings of the grizzly table saw.

I do agree that if you have the space, go for a sliding panel saw.

Tommy, I’m of a similar age and doing something like you i.e. setting up the shed (that’s what we call them down here) I have always wanted.
I have gone through the decision making on a table saw with the help of people here. I ended up ordering a Hammer sliding panel saw. Much more than I wanted to spend, but my logic is that in ten years when it’s possibly time for me to downsize and move house, that saw will sell well second hand. It’s a good brand and will be little used.
When I ordered the saw, I told my wife that it was a bit of a silly thing to do. I think I will always remember her response, ‘Scott, every shed needs a hero machine.’

Thank you, something for me to think about. Thanks for the 2nd opinion on the un-needed safety parts. Common sense tells you to keep away from the blade. Like I said, over 50 years of working on every kind of saw and no accidents. I know accidents happen, but common sense goes a long way to avoid them.

I do plan on getting the ICS base. I feel the same about the saw stop as far as being a very well built machine. That is my reason for wanting one, not the blade brake. I'm still not convinced false trigger is a pain and does happen. I just saw the video you are speaking of and agree. The way the riving knife is so easy to take on and off, so much better than any other brand. Saw Stop just seems to be the best built and accurate saw I've found. I just hate feeling I'm paying for an additional feature I don't care about.

Looks like the sliding panel saw is what everyone highly suggests.

Hi Tommy,

I can’t comment on sliding table saws as I’ve never used one. However, I’ve been using a Sawstop PCS 3 days a week for 4 years and I highly recommend it. The environment is a local woodworking club for mostly retired guys (Men’s Shed). Build quality of the saw is excellent and changing the riving knife is a dream. Would we buy Sawstop again? Definitely.

Cheers,

Brian

Tommy, for what it is worth - knowing that my comments may add to your dilemma - about 4 years ago I was in a similar place to you ... wanting to upgrade my tablesaw, a contractor, which I had for 20 years. The saw I planned to buy was intended to be my last tablesaw. At that time I was planning retirement about 10 years hence, and did not want either disappointment or another purchase once disposable income was no longer the same.

I looked at a better Grizzly-type manufacturer (aside: Grzzley is US-owned and distributed, but the machines come from China, as do many in Oz, which means there can be a similarity). The best of the bunch is Harvey, who make for a number of makers, including Laguna (strong overlap in the tablesaws). Some of these are really excellent machines. In the end it came down to SawStop and Hammer (Felder), both of whom make high quality machines for the hobbiest market. I examined them side-by-side. No one will be disappointed in the built quality of each.

My final choice was to go for a shorter slider, the Hammer K3 with 1250 wagon. It can do all the SS can do, and then some. Sliders do not have saw-stopping ability, but inherently they are safer because they are used differently. Mine can be used as both a traditional cabinet saw with rip fence, or working with the slider wagon .... and it is the latter which will open up a new world that must be experienced to be appreciated. Fours years on and I am not in the least regretful. I keep learning new potential. This is a 4 hp machine with a huge capacity in a small footprint. It is amazing! Do your homework.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I'm 79 years old. I was "retired" Cinco de Mayo 2003. That summer I took a woodworking course at Cerritos Community College. Over 30 years not a single amputation at the school. One slider table saw and 8 table saws, UniSaw and one Powermatic. An instructor and I used the slider to breakdown 4 x 8 melamine, ¾ thick. The second sheet I used a UniSaw for the breakdown process. Why? It was easier, HOWEVER, there is a lot of room around both saws and the UniSaw had an "In your dreams" outfeed table.

I have a 3HP UniSaw at home that I had considered replacing with a SawStop. After conversations with SawStop owners about blade drops I decided against the SawStop. At either 2017 or 2019 AWFS I had a lengthy conversation with the Woodworking Department Chairman of Cerritos, It was either 2004 or 2005 that I helped install SawStop table saws at Cerritos. I asked, "Have you had any blade drops?" I was thinking with the school's anal retentive attitude about safety there should be none. The answer was, "Dozens. More than I can remember." He went on to explain that the vast majority were metal touching the blade as in a measuring tape touching the blade.

OK, we know that none of us here just fell off the turnip truck. So we know that none of us are going to put a measuring tape into a spinning blade. I've been told that even though the saw is powered off the blade drop circuitry is still active. This is because the spinning blade, not under power, is still a hazard. That and the difficulties of operating the saw without a blade drop cartridge made me decide to not replace my UniSaw.

The last time that I checked, the blade drop cartridge was $80-US. The blade is typically destroyed during a blade drop costs what you paid for it. You are looking at $140 to $200 per blade drop. Wet wood is a problem and causes blade drops. I have been told that pressure treated wood also may cause a blade drop. A hidden nail or screw or bullet may cause a blade drop. A technician at SawStop told me, off the record, that he has removed the expended cartridge from a stopped blade but it is a time consuming, delicate procedure and not always successful.

I would try to go to any of the 'Woodworking conventions / shows' in your area / state. With the wood manufacturing is the western part of North Carolina there has to be a lot of opportunity for these conventions or shows. You could also try just walking into cabinet shops and asking about the SawStop and their experiences with blade drops. Arriving about the time that the employees go to lunch or at quitting time most owners would be glad to talk.

I have a couple of Grizzly machines in my shop, a combination jointer/planer (thicknesser for my Australian mates) and a band saw. These two are made in an ISO 9001 (Or something like that) factory on Taiwan. The quality is good and no complaints. The Chinese factories I'm not so sure.

Being an Australian forum the experience with the current grizzly range will largely be zero as they are not sold here though as Derek said there is feature overlap with some of the AU models.

I'm just going to throw the link to the Harvey US site and have a good compare against the Grizzly range

Table Saws – Harvey Woodworking

Cheers
Phil

Grizzly was my original choice then became my second after saw stop. I'm now leaning toward the Hammer K3. More homework, here I come

VERY Interesting, I had not thought of a tape measure setting it off. BIG let down. I've been concerned about things triggering the saw safety. The $70 for the replacement cartridge isn't too bad but the new blades can get get very expensive. I feel keeping the switch off is an option I think about. I've been looking also at the Grizzly G1023RXL or G0691. But I have heard they don't hold settings as well as the SS. And for sure SS is the easiest to setup. Now it looks to be Saw Stop vs Hammer K3.