| Sign Makers Compact 52 | C4 with Sign Saw Package |
| Cut Accuracy | 1/64" | 1/32" |
| Bearings on Carriage | Steel Sealed Bearings, 12 per carriage Tighter tolerances, easier movement | U-Bolt with nylon washers, 4 per carriage |
| Material Rollers | 10 Plastic - Never need adjustment | 8 Plastic - Up to 6 can go out of alignment |
| Alignment System | Patented Accu-Square System - Never goes out of square | No Alignment System - 7 alignment adjustments |
| Saw Replacement | Off the Shelf Makita 5007F - Limited Down Tome | Proprietary - Must be replaced through Manufacturer |
| Quick Change Insert | 2 pins, 10 second tool swap | 2 removable screw knobs that can be lost, longer to swap |
| Carriage Locks | 2 | 1 - Not as secure as 2 when rip cutting |
| Guide Tubes | Nickel Chrome Plated, 11 gauge | Zinc Plated, 11 gauge |
| Shipping | Crated | Uncrated. What do you do if it arrives damaged? |
| Instructions | Instructional CD Video plays in computer and Manual | Manual only |
| Retraction Cable on Carriage | Off-set | Not offset. Can pull when feeding bowed material from side |
| Cross Cut | 52 Cross Cut, Cut from either side | 50 Cross Cut, Cut from one side |
| Rip Cut | Unlimited, Feed from either side, 2 rip pointers | Unlimited, Feed from right to left, 1 rip pointer |
| Blade Guard | Guarded on and off machine | No- blade can get damaged when feeding from side, dangerous, exposed blade when off machine |
| Blade Size | 7 ¼ - Found almost everywhere | 8 - Harder to find |
| Sign Package | Included with Sign Maker saws | Additional $563 |
| Folding Stand | Folds like a ladder. Takes one person to move. | Need two people to fold, one in front to steady machine and one in back to pull and reinsert pin. |
| Knife Cutter | Pivoting Knife Cutter Rip & Cross Cuts; Segmented blade, easy to sharpen; Blade retracts when off machine; Can score cut PVC. | $499 - Knife Cutter does not rip cut or pivot; Must replace blade to sharpen; Blade does not retract dangerous exposed blade off machine. |
| Wheels | 5" Standard in Sign Package, Off wheels when on stand | 4" Standard in Sign Package, Saw always on Wheels, User Installed |
| Stop Bar & Tapes | 2 tapes, stop and bar for cutting strips, Used on both sides | 1 tape, 1 stop, one side only |
| Dust Collection | Included, Dust brush under carriage contains dust, cleans on retraction | $307 - User installed |
| Spring Hold Down | Standard in package | Standard in package |
| Backer board | No need due to unique dust pan design | Standard in package; Has to be removed to make rip cuts; Can bend saw blade causing the need to replace blade, Very time consuming to put on and take off. |
| Sheet clamp available? | Yes, holds long pieces on mid fence or narrow pieces for cross cutting | No |
| ACM Cutter available? | Yes, No Dust, Rounded Edges, No Filing | No |
| Floating router available? | Yes, converts panel saw to panel router in seconds | No |
| Center material support? | Yes, supports strips | No |
| Stop | Yes, use on either side and mid fence, has bar for cutting strips | Can only use on left side of machine |