SawStop PCS175-PFA30 Review

Model	Table Size	No-Load RPM	Max Cut Depth (45º / 90º)	Bevel Cuts	Rip Capacity (Right / Left)	Weight (Saw / Extension Wings)
SawStop PCS175-PFA30 Table Saw Check Price on Amazon.com	44" x 27"	3 650	2-1/4" / 3-1/8'' Guides: saw alignment, maintenance, safety	-2º to 47º	30" / 12"	247 lbs. / 70 lbs.

Pros:

• Patented safety system detects skin contact and shuts down the saw
• Wired for 110-volt, but configurable to 220-volt
• Out-of-this-world performance

Cons:

• Bolts and screws try to cross-thread on assembly
• No accessories included for using a dado blade kit

Introduction

When you’re a serious carpenter, either a professional or a hobbyist, the time eventually comes for you to invest in a serious table saw. Portable jobsite table saws are nice for use when you need to transport your saw around, but if you are working from a single location, you can reap some serious benefits from investing in a cabinet table saw instead of a portable table saw. There are a number of excellent cabinet table saws on the market, and SawStop makes some of the best. Today, we are going to examine SawStop’s PCS175-PFA30 professional cabinet saw (Amazon Link).

What’s in the Box

When you order this table saw, be prepared to have some assistance unboxing it. Weighing in at 247 pounds, this table saw means serious business. In the box, you’ll find the following items:

• 110V single phase 1.75 HP 14-amp 10” professional cabinet saw
• Blade guard assembly
• Accessory tool holder
• Miter gauge
• Push stick
• Assembly hardware
• Hand wheels (2)
• Blade wrenches (2)
• 30” premium fence system and table assembly
• Standard base
• User manual

If you really want to take your cabinet saw on the go, SawStop sells a jobsite cart and mobile base as separate purchases. Again, this saw weighs in at 247 pounds, so transporting this puppy will require a couple of strong hands to help load and unload it.

How Hard is the SawStop PCS175-PFA30 To Assemble?

The most difficult part of assembling this cabinet saw is standing the beast up. Have someone help you stand it up. If you purchased the optional mobile cart, go ahead and install it while you are assembling the cabinet saw. Your back and friends will thank me.

Once the unit is upright, assembly is very straightforward. You have to install the various components, such as the hand wheels and the rip fence, as well as the blade guard. Since this is a complete setup, you’ll find assembly takes a bit longer than you might be used to, if all you’ve used previously were portable table saws. It took me a little over 90 minutes to have the cabinet saw assembled and ready to use.

A word of caution: the bolts and screws may try to cross thread on you as you are assembling this saw. Take your time, be patient, and everything will go smoothly.

The good news is that the saw came perfectly aligned right out of the box. I did not need to make any adjustments for accuracy, because it was dead on straight from the manufacturer. If you do have to make adjustments, be sure to use a digital table saw aligner to test the alignment. Alignment controls are easy to access and use.

What Are the Best Features of the SawStop PCS175-PFA30?

The best feature of the SawStop PCS175 is the patented safety system. This is the only safety system that stops the saw blade from spinning within milliseconds of detecting skin contact, stopping the deadly blade faster than a car airbag can deploy.

The 1.75HP heavy-duty motor runs on 110-volt power, but is configurable for 220-volt power, as well. The motor is powerful enough to rip through the hardest woods with ease, and it just keeps on cutting when other saws are stopped flat in their tracks. I’ve yet to see this saw bind up, even when cutting through half-petrified logs.

The 4” dust extraction port is one of the largest I’ve ever seen, and it helps to ensure 99% of the sawdust never comes out of the saw except through the extraction port.

This saw is compatible with both 10” standard blades as well as 8” dado blade sets, but you will need an optional dado blade brake cartridge if you want to use a dado set.

How Durable is the SawStop PCS175-PFA30?

If the weight didn’t already give it away, here ya go: this puppy is cast iron. This is your grandfather’s table saw modernized with the latest safety and functionality features. The SawStop PCS175 is mighty powerful, and I’ve yet to send any wood through it that caused it to bind up. Trust me, I tried: 120-year-old elm, wet pecan, and some other things that I thought for sure would choke it up. Nothing doing; this saw kept on ripping and cutting like the champion it is.

The finish is not quite what SawStop’s quality used to be, since the saws are now manufactured in Taiwan, but this is still a high quality tool. The finish does not rub off the way I’ve seen on other table saws, and everything about this saw still oozes quality.

Is the SawStop PCS175-PFA30Easy to Use?

Once you’ve assembled this saw, it is a dream to use. Everything I’ve cut with it has cut like warm butter, and the paddle-style start/stop switch is easy to use even without your hands. I was concerned, at first, about accidentally bumping the start switch and having the saw kick into action before I was ready, but the positioning is absolutely perfect to make sure you only hit it when you want to hit it.

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional carpenter, this saw is high quality and easy to use.

What’s the Warranty Like for the SawStop PCS175-PFA20

SawStop backs the PCS175 with a two-year warranty, and the customer service professionals at SawStop are just that: professionals. Whatever question you might have, from how to use the saw to how to wire it up for 220-volt power sources, they are able to answer clearly and effectively.

SawStop PCS175-PFA20 Review Summary

The SawStop PCS175-PFA30 is an amazing tool to have. It cuts through the hardest woods with ease, and is a pleasure to use. I’d probably go ahead and give it one of my rare 5-star ratings, simply because the saw cuts like crazy, is dead-on accurate right out of the box, and is built to last a lifetime. Take a look at Amazon.com’s price on the SawStop PCS175-PFA30 Table Saw if you’re interested.