Back when I was in school, we had a good students, bad students, and average students. Years later in the workforce as a manager, I had star performers and adequate performers. The Safety Speed Cut PRO1K Panel Pro is an adequate performer. For the money, it is a good value, however if you’re looking for top performance, you may want to consider more expensive saw.

The panel saw has a maximum crosscut of 50”, and rip cut of 96”, with a maximum thickness of 1 ½”. The cut accuracy is 1/32”. The PRO1K Panel Pro is good for shops with a smaller amount of space, and the 14 amp motor provides adequate power for cutting. Safety Speed includes a Ryobi 7 1/4” saw. From the factory, the Safety Speed Cut PRO1K Panel Pro comes with a 14 gauge galvanized steel frame. Nice features include a laser guide and wheels, missing from some of the higher end panel saws we have reviewed. The wheels are nice feature given that this saw weighs in at a hefty 175 pounds.

Out of the box the PRO1K Panel Pro is comparatively light and easy to assemble. The Ryobi saw makes quite a racket, so having hearing protection on hand is not a bad idea. Dust management was not thoroughly considered, so you may want to use this saw some place where sawdust cleanup is not going to be a big issue. Inside the garage is a bad idea, as it tends to collect under things and getting out is a chore. If you’re cutting thin stock (say ¼ inch), this panel saw does a fine job. It also works well on 4x4 stock, but for the large standard size 4x8 panels the saw can struggle. The frame is a bit lightweight to handle the large stock on a regular basis. Also remember for the money, you’re getting a solid performer. Safety Speed Cut has very good customer service, and genuinely wants to make sure that you are happy. At the end of the day, the Safety Speed Cut PRO1K Panel Pro is a satisfactory value at the price point. It works fine for a occasional cutting jobs, however if you need a panel saw for very frequent use, or routinely rip full size stock, this may not be the saw for you.

If you’re looking for the Rolls Royce of panel saws, you’ve found it with the Milwaukee 6480-20 Complete Panel Saw System. If first off, if you’re a home handyman, the system may not be for you, as it is large, heavy, and a bit expensive (if you’re looking for a smaller, less expensive, panel saw system, you may want to check out PSI Woodworking PPS-2). If however, you work in the trades, are constantly handling 4'x 8' stock, look no further you found your tool.

This behemoth boasts an 80 inch panel saw driven by a 15 amp motor. All that power does not come without precision, however, accuracy is one 32nd of an inch in either a rip or a cross cut. The frame is rock solid, an electrically welded, so it won’t warp or twist. The entire system weighs about 175 pounds, so make sure that you have a friend available, or pop for a set of wheels. Speaking of optional accessories, you may also want to buy the extensions kit if you’re going to cut stock over 6 feet long.

This monster will handle up to 1 ¾ inch stock. The saw carriage can move either horizontally or vertically with equal ease. As you would expect with a tool of this price point, there are horizontal and vertical scales. Another nice feature is the retractable counterweight which makes movement of the saw carriage effortless. The nylon bearings glide effortlessly over the stock and never require lubrication. The Milwaukee 6480-20 Complete Panel Saw System is a good value for the money.

When I was a kid, I remember watching my dad effortlessly make long straight cuts with a circular saw. Just a pencil mark on each side of the stock, a quick line and then ZIP, a perfect cut. When I got old enough to handle the saw myself, I did not have the same gift. A straight line cut was just beyond my ability, and when I did cut it straight, it was invariably diagonal. Hence my interest, and this review on the PSI Woodworking PPS-2 Portable Panel Saw System.

The PPS2 portable panel saw system does not include a saw. What it does, is allow you to use your existing circular saw and that duplicate the cuts made by the professional grade panel saws. Basically what you’re buying is a flexible, compact and easily portable track/saw attachment system. You simply screw the track down, and can make instant straight cuts. You can even set an angle on the saw, a trick that most of the competition cannot duplicate.

The PSI Woodworking PPS-2 Portable Panel Saw System is the second generation of this versatile tool. The PPS-1 was routinely lambasted by users for been flimsy. PSI Woodworking listened, and this model is almost twice as heavy, the track is solid and well made.

You get two guides, 4 and ½ feet, the other is 9 feet long. This allows you to rip any piece of standard number 4x8 stock with ease. User tip: in the manual, it suggests putting a piece of hardwood under the guide. This is a good idea, it provides support and makes the whole system feel more solid. The included thumb screws are not great. It’s a good investment to have woodworking clamps anyway, and quick clamps make a good tool great.

There is one area of slight concern, if you’re using the 9 foot configuration and put too much weight against the saw during a cut, you can get some deflection and end up with a slight curve in the final cut. The solution of course, is not to bear down against the guide while you cut, or to follow the manual’s suggestion and attach a piece of masonite.

This system will allow you to make perfect factory straight cuts, but you need to make sure that you properly align your circular saw. Note that that means you may have to drill holes in the guide. Also if you’re going to cut of 45° angle, you may also have to trim the guide to match. Due to the wide variety of circular saws available, the PPS-2 may require some manual customization on your part. It’s a good idea to dedicate us all for this tool a saw for this tool, otherwise you will spend unnecessary time attaching and removing the guide. In conclusion, the PSI Woodworking PPS-2 Portable Panel Saw System is a good value for the money, you just have to do some custom modification to overcome its shortcomings.