SawStop 3HP PCS Unpacking/Review: Part 1

For the first post on the Modern Classics Woodworking Blog I'll be documenting the unpacking and setup of a Sawstop 3 HP Professional Cabinet Saw.

We combined the trip to Portland with visiting some family, so we had some cargo beyond the table saw to contend with

First off, I picked my new saw up at Barbo Machinery in Portland, Oregon. Rand and the staff there were extremely helpful. If you are in the market for a piece of machinery and can make it to the Portland area, definitely check them out.

The saw was extremely well packed. The cabinet itself was in a box alone, on a pallet. The extension wing, rails, fence, and mobile base were all packed in their own individual boxes.

Unloading everything except the cabinet itself was easy. The cabinet was another story. It weighs in at close to 400 lbs. My brother-in-law and I were able to slide it most of the way out on my cargo mat, then lower it to the garage floor.

Rand at Barbo and I determined a trailer wouldn't be necessary
The saw did fit in the back of my SUV, but there was not much
room to spare

Unboxing this saw was very encouraging. It was packed very thoroughly  and the engineering and attention to detail that went in to the packaging gave me a lot of confidence right from the start. Personally, I enjoy assembly jobs like this, but it does get frustrating when you have to spend a lot of extra time sorting and locating parts, chasing down the right wrench or socket, or trying to study a picture to determine which part is which. SawStop took care of pretty much all of that. All of the hardware was conveniently packaged and labeled (color coded even) and the instructions all referred to the exact spot on the hardware packages when a piece was needed. Every time a wrench or socket was needed, the instructions specified the size. It was really a pleasure to assemble, although it did take quite some time.

I won't go through the installation step-by-step - that's what the instructions are for. Instead, I've just included a few photos of the major steps along the way.

Again, all the hardware is nicely organized and color coded

That's the hardest part - attaching the mobile base and getting the cabinet up

 

The main hardware kit has everything you need, organized,
color coded and ready to go

I found it easiest to hold up the extension wings with some
sawhorses and scrap wood. You could certainly have someone help
you, but these pieces are quite heavy.

With both pieces on I made sure everything was positioned just
right and then tightened the bolts down.

The saw is more or less positioned where I want it, so now I'm
ready to attach the rails.

The rails are long, but not too heavy. They attach easily
and the instructions are clear.