If you want the safest contractor table saw on the market, then of all the table saws, the SawStop cns175 tgp36 is the table saw for you. This table saw does come at a premium price, but you are paying for its innovative features. The main one is the SawStop safety feature, which stops you from having a nasty life-changing accident.
Even The Wood Whisper now owns a Sawstop!
SawStop 10-Inch Contractor Saw, 1.75-HP, 36-Inch Professional T-Glide Fence System (CNS175-TGP236)
- SAWSTOP PATENTED SAFETY SYSTEM: Stops a spinning blade on contact with skin. The blade stops in less than 5 milliseconds, and drops below the table, minimizing a potentially life-altering injury to a...
- UNMATCHED QUALITY: The trunnion and arbor are built for precision, strength and stability. Poly v-ribbed belts reduce vibration and help ensure a great cut. Table flatness is measured diagonally at 0....
- RELIABILITY: The Control Box houses the on-off switch, power paddle, and on-board computer, and constantly checks that all systems are working to reliably keep you safe.
So let’s start this SawStop CNS175 review!
Reviewing the SawStop CNS175-TGP36
SawStop 10-Inch Contractor Saw, 1.75-HP, 36-Inch Professional T-Glide Fence System (CNS175-TGP236)
- SAWSTOP PATENTED SAFETY SYSTEM: Stops a spinning blade on contact with skin. The blade stops in less than 5 milliseconds, and drops below the table, minimizing a potentially life-altering injury to a...
- UNMATCHED QUALITY: The trunnion and arbor are built for precision, strength and stability. Poly v-ribbed belts reduce vibration and help ensure a great cut. Table flatness is measured diagonally at 0....
- RELIABILITY: The Control Box houses the on-off switch, power paddle, and on-board computer, and constantly checks that all systems are working to reliably keep you safe.
SawStop CNS175-TGP36 Table Saws Features
- This contractor saw is packed full of features that improve not only functionality and your woodworking but also safety. There are fewer accidents with Sawstop table saws than with any other brand. The Sawstop CNS175-TGP36 contractor table saw is designed to perfection. Plus, it comes with the amazing Sawstop safety feature at no extra cost.
- The Sawstop safety feature is a patented technology that automatically stops the saw blade within a few milliseconds of the blade coming into contact with conductive material, such as human skin; this is an important safety feature that saves you from life-changing mistakes.
- This Sawstop cns175 tgp36’s dimensions are sixty-nine and an eighth of an inch wide by forty-seven inches deep by thirty-four and three-fourths inches in height.
- This is a versatile saw which features a job site cart as well as a mobile base, which makes this simple to move around, something I love when my small garage shop
- Its one and three-quarter horsepower engine is powerful without creating a lot of noise, making it perfect for the workplace or projects at home.
- The T-glide fence system is around thirty-six inches in length and is made to incredibly accurate standards ensuring accurate cuts. In fact, this is the same T glide fence on their higher models found on most professional table contractor saws.
SawStop CNS175-TGP36 Pros:
The perks and benefits of the Sawstop CNS175-TGP36 contractor-style table saw feel endless.
This is so much more than just a saw; this is a work of art; the cartridge safety feature is the biggest pro you will find with this brand. This reduces accidents prevents you from serious injury. For me, this makes this the ideal saw.
- Add to that the fact that this saw includes not only a mobile base but also a job site cart; this makes this the perfect table saw for contractors and home renovations, and your more general projects. These bases made it easy to move the saw anytime you want.
- The incredibly powerful one and three quarter horsepower engine will handle any task you throw at it and ensures smooth operation.
- Maintenance is kept to a minimum
- It’s lightweight for a contractor table saw while keeping vibrations low.
- The T glide fence system is large enough for professional jobs. It locks down to ensure the best possible cut regardless of what material is being used. The sure lock-down system does not experience deflection.
SawStopCNS175-TGP36 Cons:
There aren’t many cons to the Sawstop CNS175-TGP36 contractor-style table saw. The only bad thing that I can say is it’s very expensive, and should you trip the brake cartridge, well, you’ll need to replace the brake cartridge and the blade. So be careful when using wet wood, as that’s also conductive.
I would rather have a high price rather and amazing safety technology than risk a finger or worse! So for me, the price is well justified.
SawStop CNS175-TGP36 – The Basics
This Sawstop contractor’s saw is THE contractor table saw if you are a devoted professional or a DIYer who wants to invest in the best in their home shop. This unit does come with a fairly hefty price; that price is well justified in the innovative features.
Put simply, when you purchase the CNS175 tgp36, you won’t look back, there won’t be any buyer’s remorse, you won’t go looking to upgrade in the future.
With the cns175 tgp36, it really doesn’t matter how dense a piece of wood is, thanks to its 1.75 horsepower motor.
This SawStop contractor table saw will cut through it like a hot knife through butter.
Pair that with the safety features. Well, that’s what Sawstop is known for. The brake system. It’s this safety system that makes this one of the safest on the market.
A stand-out feature, and I honestly can’t believe I am about to say this is the assembly instructions. I’ve never come across a user manual so clear and so well thought out; the assembly was almost fun. The packages are numbered and color-coded and in blister packs that correspond to colors and numbers on the laminated instruction sheets.
It was an absolute pleasure to build.
Taking a closer look
As someone who is used to using a cabinet saw, I can say this punches above its weight. It has all the features you’d expect from a cabinet saw, such as heavy-duty arbor bearings, a 1.75 HP motor, large blade adjustment handles that won’t scrape your knuckles every time you adjust blade height, a t-glide fence, a shrouded blade for better dust collection, riving knife, blade guard and onboard storage for accessories.
Plus, there are future optional upgrades such as a large, dead flat top and outfeed extension table, a top-quality t-square style fence (36-in. or 52-in.), and two mobile base options.
This thing cuts and operates just like any cabinet saw I’ve used. The cast iron work surface and cast iron wings, paired with the T-glide fence, almost looks identical to its larger cousin.
If you didn’t look under the table at the base, you wouldn’t know it was a contractor saw.
The big question comes down to…
How well does it cut?
The saw’s large cast iron trunnions, 62mm main bearing, and cast iron saw table top drastically reduce the vibration that I’ve experienced on other contractor saws. The low vibration combined with the included 40-tooth combo blade and zero clearance insert produces smooth, precise cuts in sheet goods and solid stock.
The bevel cut!
The true acid test of any contractor saw is its 45-degree cut. Contractor saws are known for making poor bevel cuts that are typically rough with a lot of burning. Sawstop has clearly focused on this as changing the blade angle is simple, and the 45-degree bevel cuts were perfectly made, even when cutting through burn-prone cherry.
The blade tilts away from the fence to prevent the wood from binding against the fence. The fact that the tilting blade guard works with the bevel means this table saw maintains amazing dust collection, as the dust shroud stays in place.
Blade adjustments and changes
There are a few things where you realize that the SawStop is made of different stuff. Blade changing is one of those operations.
The gap between the cartridge and the blade is rather sensitive; this is due to minute differences in the diameter of each blade. So fine-tuning of the cartridge may be required for safe operation.
Thankfully, SawStop has made this a quick and easy task thanks to the convenient, self-storing blade spacing gauge.
If you use a dado blade set, you will need to buy and install a different brake cartridge to accommodate the 8″ blades. Changing out a cartridge adds a couple more steps, but again, SawStop has designed the system, so it only takes about a minute.
T-Glide fence
The SawStop cns175 tgp36 can be upgraded to the professional series fence. Though when you are using the job-site cart package, it’s recommended to use the lighter 30″ fence.
The fence can be used on either side of the blade, and thanks to the wide stance of the plates, you can adjust the fence with one hand. The easy-to-access adjustment screws on either end of the plate allow you to square the fence to the face of your table.
Blade guard and Riving knife
The real icing on the safety cake is the blade guard and riving knife. For the vast majority of your cuts, you’ll be able to use the blade guard, and for cuts where the guard can’t be used, the riving knife steps up to the plate.
Wrap Up
For me, the SawStop cns175 tgp36 is the perfect addition to any contractor’s arsenal, any home workshop. It punches above its weight, has strong support legs, is made with solid construction. This is one of those power tools that you just have to have!
Add to that the safety system, and I can’t choose another table saw over this. Sure plenty of people will complain about the price, and with care and attention, they’ve never injured themselves. But it only takes one mistake to change your life. So for me, I’d rather pay a premium.
And that premium gives you one of the best contractor table saws on the market; it’s precise, powerful, so much, so you’ll think that you are using a cabinet saw.
