Sawstop ICS gloat and question

[Peter Tremblay]

Hello all,

It has been a long time since I've been on the forum but I'm still as active in my workshop as ever.

Yesterday I came across an incredible deal.  A friend got a barely used Sawstop ICS (5HP 3ph) in 2019.  It has been sitting outside covered with a tarp and under a covered porch.  It's got a fair bit of surface rust on it but it is complete and otherwise brand new.  

He saw it at a consignment shop years ago. The shop wanted $1,800 but on that day everything was 75% off including the saw.  So he got a barely used cabinet saw for $450

He hasn't used it and it is now in the way.  He will gladly sell it to me for what he payed for it.

So my gloat is that I'm getting a barely used Sawstop ICS for $450. 


My question is how to repower it for my shop and what else I might need to be thinking about.

I called Sawstop customer service yesterday and asked this question and they said that I could get a 3HP single phase motor for the ICS ($450) and just replace the current motor.  They gave a quick wiring tip so that I could be able to still use the other electronics on the saw and not have to replace them.

Here's the problem.  My shop might have a working 240V plug but I can't be certain that every shop that I use in the future will have 240V.

Ideally I'd love to put a 1.75 HP 120V motor on this saw but the Customer service technician said that that's not possible as the mounting brackets are different.

What are your thoughts?  What should I do?

I'm also planning on getting the mobile base but is there anything else that I should think about looking at when I bring this saw back to life?

[fredhargis]

Before I bought the ICS I now have I was looking at a used 3 phase as well. I also got the same advise about nuying a new motor from SS, although at that time i also had to buy a new contactor that added another $100. I passed on the deal and bought a new one that was single phase. You might get some advice about just put it on a VFD and run it as 3 phase. According to SS (I asked ) using a VFD will screw with the electronics making the application unmanageable. My advice, if you are convinced you can't have a 240V saw pass on it. But you could buy it, clean it up, change the motor and have a really marketable saw in the future should circumstances dictate you depart with it. I'm thinking you would get your money out of it, maybe even a little extra. The caution (to me) would be that it's been sitting outside and those same electronics may have suffered some damage. Without a way to run it I'm not sure how you would assess that.

[Peter Tremblay]

Before I bought the ICS I now have I was looking at a used 3 phase as well. I also got the same advise about nuying a new motor from SS, although at that time i also had to buy a new contactor that added another $100. I passed on the deal and bought a new one that was single phase. You might get some advice about just put it on a VFD and run it as 3 phase. According to SS (I asked ) using a VFD will screw with the electronics making the application unmanageable. My advice, if you are convinced you can't have a 240V saw pass on it. But you could buy it, clean it up, change the motor and have a really marketable saw in the future should circumstances dictate you depart with it. I'm thinking you would get your money out of it, maybe even a little extra. The caution (to me) would be that it's been sitting outside and those same electronics may have suffered some damage. Without a way to run it I'm not sure how you would assess that.

Thanks for the feedback,

I asked about the saw being outside when I spoke with the technician from Sawstop and they said that if it was covered (it was) then it should be fine.  They have many customers who keep and use their saws in similar conditions and the electronics should not be damaged in those conditions.

Even if they are damaged I was told that all that would need to be done is to replace the brake cartridge.  The "brains" of the saw are in the cartridge and the rest of the electronics are very robust and not likely to be damaged by being outside.

[R Clark]

If it was me, I'd get that saw and put it into use until such time as I didn't have 240V power.  Then I'd sell and buy the 120V saw.

If you don't have 240V power now, then clean the saw up, sell, and get the new 120V saw now.

Your friend isn't really out anything since he got the unit for a song, and it's not as if you aren't doing anything to bring value back to the saw.  YOu will have time and effort in the clean-up and recommissioning of the unit.  However, if you feel like compensating him, maybe give him part of the excess you might get at that point in the future when you downsize from the ICS to the 120V unit.

Have fun with that saw.  A quality saw is a game changer.  My 3HP SawStop PCS was for me when I got it ten years ago.

[Peter Tremblay]

If it was me, I'd get that saw and put it into use until such time as I didn't have 240V power.  Then I'd sell and buy the 120V saw.

If you don't have 240V power now, then clean the saw up, sell, and get the new 120V saw now.

Your friend isn't really out anything since he got the unit for a song, and it's not as if you aren't doing anything to bring value back to the saw.  YOu will have time and effort in the clean-up and recommissioning of the unit.  However, if you feel like compensating him, maybe give him part of the excess you might get at that point in the future when you downsize from the ICS to the 120V unit.

Have fun with that saw.  A quality saw is a game changer.  My 3HP SawStop PCS was for me when I got it ten years ago.

I'm considering this.  Up to this point my dream saw was the PCS.  But this saw is a real step up.  

The good news is that I looked at the plugs in my shop.  I'm using an empty room at the university were I'm a chaplain.  There seems to be a 3 phase plug in the wall.  If you zoom in the plug says 50A 3⌀ 250V

[Tapper]

I'm considering this.  Up to this point my dream saw was the PCS.  But this saw is a real step up.  

The good news is that I looked at the plugs in my shop.  I'm using an empty room at the university were I'm a chaplain.  There seems to be a 3 phase plug in the wall.  If you zoom in the plug says 50A 3⌀ 250V

Looks like you may have the perfect solution. You might want to have an electrician check it out just to make sure it's in good working order.

Otherwise, it seems obvious to me your next best solution is the single phase motor swap out from Sawstop. You'd probably wind up having less than $1K in the whole setup, still quite a bargain (I paid $2,500 for my 3 HP SS PCS back in '08 on their Field Test Program). PCS sells for $1k more now, ICS in the $5K neighborhood.

Wouldn't worry about 240V circuit later. It's not really that difficult to run one from an existing panel; most panels are located in a garage, basement, utility area, etc. near where the saw would be typically located also.

Doug

[fixtureman]

You could also get a VFD

[Admiral]

The good news is that I looked at the plugs in my shop.  I'm using an empty room at the university were I'm a chaplain.  There seems to be a 3 phase plug in the wall.  If you zoom in the plug says 50A 3⌀ 250V

Fr. Peter:  I'm sure a call to the University's buildings and grounds folks will verify the outlet for you, they keep track of all that stuff. 

Otherwise, congratulations on the SS score, and glad to see you around here again.  Oh, nice altar you built!

[MGoBlue1984]

Fr Peter, you are worried about what some future unknown shop may or may not have for power supply?
And if you should spend money against that theoretical unknown?

No man is promised tomorrow. Make sawdust with what you have today.

[Peter Tremblay]

Fr Peter, you are worried about what some future unknown shop may or may not have for power supply?
And if you should spend money against that theoretical unknown?

No man is promised tomorrow.  Make sawdust with what you have today.

Good point