New table saw questions

[Chuck in NC]

I am a hobbyist. Most work is building heirloom quality solid wood furniture for the family or gifts for close friends - nothing for sale.

Planning to sell my 3HP Unisaw/52 inch Biesemeyer/Uni mobile base and replace with a SS PCS 52 inch fence/mobile base.

I use the BS for initial rip cuts in heavy stock but still use the TS for finish rips/crosscuts. I move the saw around quite a bit while working to accommodate working space limitations.

Opinions, please:
**Is 1.75 HP enough or should I go 3HP?  My gut says 3HP but I save $500 with the smaller motor.   
**PCS mobile base is $200.  $330 for the Industrial mobile base with PCS conversion kit.  


~$3450 for 3HP PCS with PCS mobile base, $3600 with Ind base?

OR

~$2950 for 1.75HP with PCS base, $3100 with Ind base?

Are there any extras that I NEED to pick up?  Extra cartridge?  Don't need dado.  (Nearest WW store is 50 miles away.)

[JGrout]

If all your ripping is done on the BS buy a jointer and use it to clean up cuts 

why bother with a tool if you do not intend to use it at it's full potential 

Joe

[Chuck in NC]

If all your ripping is done on the BS buy a jointer and use it to clean up cuts 

why bother with a tool if you do not intend to use it at it's full potential 

Joe

Not sure how you gathered all that from my IP.  Guess I didn't provide enough detail about my work flow.  Oh well.

I have a fully equipped shop and I use the TS a lot for various tasks.  And the Uni is a great TS.

But I am going to buy a new SS to do the same tasks I am doing on the Uni.

Just wondering if others have bought the 1.75HP and were disappointed that it bogs down when ripping.  Or bought it and found that it works just fine.

[fixtureman]

If you have a 3 HP now you will be disappointed with a saw with less HP The shop I used to work for has a 5 HP Sawstop and a #hp Sawstop and there is a world of difference when doing heavy cutting

[jteneyck]

I have a 1.5 HP Unisaw and am plenty happy with it for fairly enthusiastic hobby use.  Having said that, if I were to buy a SawStop it would be the 3 HP one.  I know $500 is real money, but the difference will soon be forgotten.   

John

[fredhargis]

HP aside, you mentioned moving the saw around a lot. To me that screams "get the ICS base!". The ICS base has 4 swivel casters, and lifts the saw straight up with a hydraulic jack (it sits dead flat on the floor). This will lift the extension table straight up with it, really is a slick unit. If thee's a downside, it's tahat the base is made for the ICS cabinet, so it's a little oversized for the PCS (they include brackets to make it fit the PCS) and hence has just s slightly larger footprint.

[Chuck in NC]

HP aside, you mentioned moving the saw around a lot. To me that screams "get the ICS base!". The ICS base has 4 swivel casters, and lifts the saw straight up with a hydraulic jack (it sits dead flat on the floor). This will lift the extension table straight up with it, really is a slick unit. If thee's a downside, it's tahat the base is made for the ICS cabinet, so it's a little oversized for the PCS (they include brackets to make it fit the PCS) and hence has just s slightly larger footprint.

I may just have to do that.

I have the Delta mobile base on the Uni and it is incredibly nice.  Wish I could use it for the SS.

Can anyone give me the table height above floor on the PCS with the ICS base?  My outfeed is onto an assy table that is about 34.8" above floor.  The Uni sitting in the mobile base is 35 inches.

I wonder if the SS will fit onto my Delta Unisaw mobile base?

[R Clark]

I replaced my 1.5HP Delta 34-444 with a 3HP SS PCS going on five years ago.

I don't regret getting the 3HP over the 1.75HP SS.  I looked at both when making the switch.  I opted to go more HP, even though I also had to do $900 worth of electrical work to accommodate the saw.

I do wish I had the ICS-style mobile base.  I have the smaller mobile base.  It works OK, but could be better.

[Steve N]

Not sure how you gathered all that from my IP.  Guess I didn't provide enough detail about my work flow.  Oh well.

I have a fully equipped shop and I use the TS a lot for various tasks.  And the Uni is a great TS.

But I am going to buy a new SS to do the same tasks I am doing on the Uni.

Just wondering if others have bought the 1.75HP and were disappointed that it bogs down when ripping.  Or bought it and found that it works just fine.

1.75 Hp is plenty for crosscuts. As you know rips are going to take more muscle on the TS. Doing rips on the SS you will likely need to do it at a slower rate of feed, than you would with a 3hp Uni. If you want all the functions to be just like you are used to on the Uni, go with 3HP. This answer isn't wood specific. If you are ripping a lot of poplar, and softer hardwoods you may see no difference, it's going to be Oak, Hard Maple, and the harder, denser, cross grained woods where you will run into issues with having less power. But this isn't a SS vs other saws, it's any 1.5 versus 3 Hp difference. I think you're answering your own question, but hoping someone talks you into spending less money

[paarker]

I am on my 3rd table saw and every time the motor got bigger. I am at 3hp now and never plan on going backwards.