The last review we did was for the Safety Speed Cut PRO1K Panel Pro, and it was an okay panel saw, but nothing to write home about (Of course for the money, it’s a good value). If you have a bit more (almost twice as much as of this writing, about $1,600), then the Safety Speed Cut C4 Vertical Panel Saw is definitely worth a look.

This panel saw manages to provide good functionality with just a 5 foot frame. So just throw it in the back of the truck, and head off to the job site, or if you have and it in the shop, you still have room to work. Do be careful handling it however, it’s 10 pounds short of 200 pounds and is definitely a two man lift. Spend the money and buy the wheels, it’s a small investment and makes this tool much more versatile. The 15 amp motor cranks out over three horsepower, which tears through most stock with ease.

They’ve also thought of the details, and a counterbalance weight system makes saw movement smooth and easy. The frame also comes with a lifetime warranty, which eliminates the major cause of concern in its smaller cousin the PRO1K Panel Pro.

There have been some complaints from users about sawdust binding the plates that allow switching from horizontal to vertical cutting, however awareness of the problem and frequent cleaning can eliminate this issue. The instruction manual that comes with the Safety Speed Cut C4 Vertical Panel Saw is terrific, they listened to real wood workers and put together a fine reference. It gives you very clear and simple instructions for making any alignment changes. Properly adjusted, this panel saw makes beautiful square cuts, and eliminates that need to use a table saw. The Safety Speed Cut C4 Vertical Panel Saw is worth the money if you have the budget.

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.