A member of my woodworking club mentioned he got his new saw, and loved it. He did say it made the Powermatic look cheap. I’m not sure about this, since I didn’t see it. However, I was uneasy when he mentioned how much safer he now felt. Everyone goes on about how you now can’t get your hand cut off. Great, unless you are the first one who has equipment that fails (which happens–duh), and no mention at all about the largest set of tablesaw disasters: kickback.
My own feeling is: keep your damn hands away from the blade anyway, and make sure you use a riving knife or at least a splitter. And use a guard. Don’t be fatigued, and take your time. I guess that means my saw is a safe one too.
Replies
Daryl,
I just set up my SawStop and I agree with you wholeheartedly that accidents and equipment failures can still happen. It is just that SawStop improves your odds tremendously.
In regard to kickbacks. They can happen on any saw. But SawStop reduces the odds of them with a riving knife that rides quite close to the blade when you are not using a guard and a splitter that does the same when you use the guard. Both are a piece of cake to mount and dismount. There is no excuse to not be using one or the other.
Regards, George
You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard
Because the Saw Stop has a true riving knife it also offers very good protection against kickback.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
john, im new to wood working so be patient. the saw stop should have an independent company investigate, test ,in real woodworking enviroment. saw stop has a few features that leaves me a bit puzzled(flaws) that your reveiws couldnt have revealed in anormal short test.i have used the saw stop for about 3 months on and off. im a stone and tile expert and not a woodworking expert. I use the saw to build small vanities,rip jamb boards for controlled shower jamb widths and lastly rip 1/4 inch gauging strips. since the basic saw stop braking system works on conducting electricity,i find im much to often overiding the safety feature due to high moisture content. the saw stop automatically shuts saw off when moisture content is to high saving the brake but frustrates the user. this probably wouldnt be much an issue to cabinet shops(using mostly kiln dried hardwoods) but to us contractors who buy a considerable amount of green dried redwood ,cedar and fir at home depots and lowes(cost effective)this slows production and then losing my safety feature that i purchased.saw stop works like any other table saw at this point(safety feature turned off).also i can see that certain plastics and composite woods would also be a problem.Saw stop didnt tell us how much mositure this feature can handle before shutting the saw off(in the middle of the rip)so i find my self buying a moisture meter and experimenting on my own to see the limits of moisture content.i felt saw stop shld have done this testing and let us know which materials exactly we can and cannot use and not the generalization of some plastics and some non metallic materials be fore purchasing. thanks clay
We tested and reported on the saw in the use that we, and most of our readers, would use it, for sawing dry hardwoods. I can understand your frustration, having paid a lot of money for the saw only to find that it doesn't work well for your purposes.
I can only suggest that you contact the company directly,they may be able to help you solve the technical problems you are having. In my limited dealings with the company I have found them good to deal with and they seem to take customer feedback seriously.
John White
I think you're comparing apples to oranges. Sawstop claims to stop flesh to blade accidents. Even at 50% efficacy, the device results in a huge drop in severe TS accidents. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the number of severe accidents from kickbacks not involving operator contact with the blade is quite small. And as others have pointed out, the Sawstop system also reduces the change of kickback.
My point wasn't that the saw stop wasn't safer. I assume it is. However, I think too many people are going to assume that they now have a foolproof cutting system, and they don't. I don't have any numbers to rely on, but I would assume that there are way more kickback accidents over amputations. You can survive a kickback or two, you generally won't have more than one incident where your hand is removed. And I've seen kickbacks where the wood gets caught, and thrown through a wall. The saw stop is a good idea, but I think using a regular saw with care and safety is better than a saw stop in the hands of someone who simply assumes they are safe.
I agree that your friend has made some erroneous assumptions regarding safety and the Sawstop. For even a Sawstop will not always stop someone from slicing appendages. Even the manufacturer states this. Take for instance a kickback scenario that forces a hand into the blade at a fast rate of speed. There is a good chance that a good degree of injury will occur.
Having said that I don't think all folks will be as naive as your friend when they get a Sawstop. Most people don't go driving around recklessly thinking they can't get killed just because they have seat belts and an airbag in their vehicle. And just because I have a Sawstop doesn't mean I'll adjust my behaviors or let my guard down around a specially equipped tablesaw.
If I have a tablesaw equipped with a foolproof, 100% reliable safety such as the saw stop, I'm still going to do everything I can to keep my body parts out of the spinning blade. That blade spinning towards you is just too darn intimidating, no matter what safety precautions are built into the saw. At least that's how I look at it. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
I understand the point you’re making. Sawstop in a first class saw but people should not become complacent and think they are 100% safe. All table saws have an element of danger to them and that should never be forgotten. I’ve been thumped a few times with the kick-back process. One day it happened twice and I ended up finishing the job with a hand saw. 2 tips - Because of my experiences with kick-back I’ve gotten in the habit of never using the table saw unless I have put on a full face shield. It won’t protect my body but at least my nose won’t get broken. Maybe I should get a baseball catcher’s chest protector too (ha). Also this weekend on The New Yankee Workshop he did Table Saw 101 and suggested that you stand to the left when cutting wood on the table saw. This makes sense because generally the blade will throw the wood straight backwards.
Standing to the left was the first lesson I got on the tablesaw. Using a splitter (I now prefer a riving knife-it hugs the blade better) and a guard was next. What I like about the guard is the dust collection, and the reminder that if your hands are near the gueard, it's near the blade.While I agree that the Saw Stop is a safer saw, it's far more dangerous once you assume it's safe. And sooner or later, one will fail, and someone will be badly hurt. And it will fail because I haven't yet seen anything so perfect it never fails.
Thinking a saw is more dangerous because one assumes it is safe would be like someone being ignorant enough to think they can get away with driving recklessly and crashing their car because it has airbags. I’m sure someone will probably have one too many beers and decide to slap the running saw blade, and they will lose their hand because the safety system will not react to such an unnatural and quick movement in time to do any good. As for the saw failing, I’ve seen the video and the saw does a check every time you turn it on and if the light is not on, then you don’t use the saw. I have my issues with Sawstop because I think they screwed up with their promised release date for their contractors saw, but I’m not going to pick on the concept of a safer saw. Everything I’ve seen tells me they did a first class job and I wish these guys well. People’s fingers will be saved, and I’m sure they will have to face some lawsuits because someone will not use the saw properly, and as usual we will all pay for these suits with higher prices.
After a couple years of using and upgrading a Delta contractor saw I upgraded to a Sawstop, being sold on the quality as much as the safety features...the fact that I'm much less likely to cut off a digit does not make me any less careful...now I'm just as mindful because I don't want to replace a Forrest blade and a computer driven brake..since my lovely wife became aware of how much I was spending on woodworking tools I agreed to a budget for the sake of continued domestic bliss...$200+ can buy some nice tools!
Neil
I would echo the last poster concerning the Sawstop. I realize this has been beaten to death but I never understand the concept that adding safety measures is inherently bad because it fosters complacency in the operator. Obviously, no safety measure is absolutely foolproof and the onus for minimizing risk always rests with the operator. After all, its his or her hand that is at risk. Hey...lets get rid of seat belts because it makes people drive more aggressively... I'm in the medical field and do quite a bit of trauma work and I can tell you people drive crazy either way...the seat belts do nothing but help!
I recently upgraded from my old contractors saw to a new Sawstop. When I used the contractors saw, I was extremely careful at all times but I worried a lot. What happens when my 4 year old opens the garage door and I get distracted? It seemed like it was just a matter of time before some external force broke my concentration and an accident happened. My old saw had a faulty guard which wouldn't mount to the saw. No guard. No splitter. No riving knife. Scary but I used it for a couple years without accidents. I'm a hobby woodworker but a professional surgeon so losing a couple of fingers would be no small matter.
Now I have this beautiful saw with a useable guard, electronic brake mechanism, riving knife, etc. Obviously, its not fair to compare the Sawstop to my old saw. The Sawstop is 6X as costly and in a totally different class. You can certainly argue that it costs too much. Perhaps that new Sawstop contractors saw will help in that way. But I think it's really nonsensical to argue that the availability of these safety mechanisms is a bad thing because (1) they aren't absolutely foolproof or (2) they make the operator more complacent. I'm just as careful as I used to be...just perhaps a bit more insulated from catastrophe should an unexpected distracting event occur.
I know what you’re saying. The cost of woodworking tools can add up quickly. For the most part I’m trying to get along with the tools I have. I am a little surprised by what another man said in this forum concerning the Sawstop safety system being susceptible to moisture in the wood. Have you had trouble with your Sawstop not working properly with wood that may not be extra dry?
Edited 4/10/2007 3:58 pm ET by steveky
From our informal testing here in the FWW shop, we could saw even very wet pressure treated wood on the Saw Stop without a problem, and have never had the saw indicate that anything we cut was too wet, so the wood doesn't need to be extra dry and can actually be quite green.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
I feel that I must preface my comments with the fact that I just purchased a SawStop this morning. Yes, I spent close to 4 grand on a table saw. I feel it's the best investment I've made in relation to the tools for my shop.
The saw, fit, finish, quality etc. are first rate. It has a riving knife for times when the guard can't be used. Since the guard is rather slim, it can be used for most cuts. The guard itself also has a riving knife, not just a splitter, atached to it as well as a jagged devices to help prevent kick-back.
While I was at my dealer, Eagle Tools in Los Angelas, the owner of the company gave me a personal demonstration of the brake. I can truly say that videos, including the slow motion videos on thw Wood magazine site, don't do the saw justice. The demonstration took my breath away. No, the operator didn't push the hot dog into the saw slowly. The speed of the cut was greater than would be the normal speed that I would have used for the wood he was cutting. There was barely a nick in the hot dog. The blade, which was higher than what would normally be required for the wood being cut, stopped and fell below table level faster than I could have ever imagined it could.
I'll add to the above information by stating if anyone in the Los Angelas area, or even other parts of the country, are interested in a SawStop, the people at Eagle Tools are the best around. They have gone beyond the service level that I expected, even when considering the saw's high price. They also sell machines from General, Jet and Powermatic. When I recover from the SawStop purchase and am ready to purchase other machines for my shop they will be at the top of my list of vendors that I will consider.
I’m happy for you! I have no doubt Sawstop is a great saw. I’ve got a marketing idea for the people at Sawstop, but unfortunately it will cost them a fortune. They could buy a 30 second live slot during the Super Bowl. Here is the commercial - Have one of the main guys at the company run a quick sample cut through the saw, then with a nurse standing by (for effect), the guy says “I’m going to do this one time only and I don’t recommend that you ever do it”. Then he puts his thumb on top of a piece of wood and runs it through the blade. Then he holds up the thumb and says “ordinarily this would have cost me my thumb but all I need is a Band-aid because we have invented the safest saw system in the world”. Then put “SAWSTOP.com on the screen along with a phone number. They couldn’t handle all the orders. But they better hope nothing goes wrong because it would destroy their company, not to mention the fact it would make a lot of us sick looking at a bloody, missing thumb (ha).
Edited 4/11/2007 2:50 am ET by steveky
The owner of Eagle Tools, who did the demonstration for me, told me that a young salesman at a different distributer for SawStop did exactly that (used his thumb instead of a hot dog) in a demonstration for a customer recently. According the the report the customer wrote out a check for a new table saw right after the demonstration.
Edited 4/11/2007 1:22 am ET by basset-hound
Edited 4/11/2007 1:22 am ET by basset-hound
I am lusting for and saving for a SawStop, but I would NEVER intentionally put my thumb, finger or any other body part in the way of the blade on purpose. What if.... Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
I know... It's just dumb, Sawstop or not.
My wife's grandfather was pushing stock through the table saw without a pushstick (he was a pro) slipped a little and pushed his thumb against the blade. Took a 1/8" kerf out of the end of his thumb... thankfully it was just stitches nothing really too serious. Nothing I would like to see again.
How foolish to want a sale so bad that you would risk your own hand.
SawStop provides dealer demo cartridges to the distibutors. All new cartridges are certified and my understanding of these rebuilt ones is that they are not.
If my local rep was knowlegable, he claimed the reason these safety cartridges are marked "not for sale" is they are rebuilt and NOT GUARANTEED TO WORK! Makes sense because dealers do not pay for the cartridges to demo the safety feature.
It didn't make sense that SawStop would jeopardize their reputation with cartridges that were not guaranteed to work. The first time the demo cartridge fails, they will lose everybody at that demo, and word of mouth advertising will reach thousands of other prospective purchasers.
I was curious about the facts behind the reportedly rebuilt Demo cartridges that Saw Stop sends to their dealers, so I called one of their techs for an explanation. The story has, in fact, some truth behind it, but the whole story is fascinating.
The company asks that fired cartridges be returned to them, they pay the postage, for an analysis of what triggered the brake to engage. The cartridge circuit board has a flash memory chip on it that records the signal from the blade that activated the brake. The memory is read out as a trace on a computer screen, the shape of the line is quite different for skin contact or metal contact and different again for other things. If the trace confirms that the unit fired because of contacting skin, they will give you a free replacement cartridge.
They then salvage the outer plastic case of the cartridge and some of the mechanical parts but install a new circuit board and a new aluminum brake block and mark it for demo only. Here's the trick part, the new circuit board contains a timer chip that only allows the unit to function for one minute: enough time for a demo. After one minute, if the brake hasn't been fired, the timer shuts down the unit and the cartridge is permanently disabled and won't ever work again, so there is no chance that the rebuilds will ever be used in a shop.
I was also told that they will be releasing both a contractor's saw and a hybrid saw later this year. I suspect that the mechanics will be the same in both machines, with the difference being the cabinet style and perhaps the size of the table.
Apparently limited production has already begun on the new saws but they want to get enough units in the States, they have just built a new warehouse, to fill the expected demand before they actually put them on the market, they don't want to have a long waiting times and back orders stacked up.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
Edited 4/13/2007 10:04 am ET by JohnWW
Cool post. Thanks for taking the time to talk to them and passing this along. Personally, I'll probably be one of the folks lined up when they do start shipping.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
John, thanks for the post.
I'm glad to hear that Sawstop is putting out a Hybrid as well. If I must say it, contractor saws seem to be a little outdated. Hopefully the prices on these machines will make them more available to those of us with more modest goals in woodworking.
Buster
[quote]Here's the trick part, the new circuit board contains a timer chip that only allows the unit to function for one minute: enough time for a demo. After one minute, if the brake hasn't been fired, the timer shuts down the unit and the cartridge is permanently disabled and won't ever work again, so there is no chance that the rebuilds will ever be used in a shop.
John,
I find that hard to believe. When I saw the demo at Eagle Tools they did not change the cartridge that was in the saw before the demonstration. Ricky and Jesse both had the saw off and on before the test. They showed how smoothly it ran and how the light code worked.The brake they used had been in the saw and used for a while before the demonstration. It had to have had more than five minutes on it.
BTW -- Thanks for the other information. It's great to see that the Fine WoodWorking staff actually pays attention to this forum.
John, I appreciate the follow-up. I didn't realize the extent of the technology in these saws. I do remember that the rep at Woodcraft said SawStop wanted the triggered cartridges returned. I was unaware that they could tell what tripped them. This is a truly fascinating capability.
This response isn't directed at any comment found on this thread, in particular, but it's more a reflection of my assessment of all the comments.I spent six months researching table saws, and finally settled on the Powermatic 2000, because I felt it was better suited to my small-shop needs (easy to move around, for starters), and I also felt that its safety features (excellent riving knife that's the equal of the SawStop's) -- coupled with application of standard operator precautions and sound techniques -- would provide for good, safe service.As numerous posters have opined in this thread, no table saw is bullet-proof: There are just too many ways to get injured, if you take your eye ("mind" ) off the ball. To the extent that the SawStop's emergency brake contributes to an operator's false sense of invulnerability, it may or may not contribute to injuries from other sources (e.g., kickback). Personally, I think this is sort of a lame argument, and any safety advance is a worthwhile boon to woodworking.So, I take my hat off to SawStop.On the other hand, as a guy who's also a pilot of light aircraft, I can say that there are useful parallels in many industries: If you've a mind to, for instance, you can have your aircraft refitted with a parachute. The cost of this retrofit is enough to sober the most determined drunk, however, and it's not something that the average weekend pilot seriously considers as he fantasizes about buying his first plane.If I'm a brush-pilot who makes his living tooling around the Alaskan outback -- and I'm logging thousands of hours in the middle of nowhere -- maybe I mount my wife's picture above my instrument panel, and I decide to spring for the tail-deployed parachute.Similarly, if I'm a weekend woodworking buff, and I plan to churn out bowls and the occasional night-stand, I have to ask myself if I need to pay nearly twice the going rate of a Powermatic 2000 for the optional, SawStop hot-dog protector.For myself, I decided to forego the light-plane parachute (though I value my life at least as much as my fingers...), and I also decided to pass up the optional chaff-dispenser, though there's no guarantee that there's not a terrorist lurking in the weeds with a shoulder-fired, heat-seeking missle.At some point, all of these safety features will be implemented, because the government busy-bodies invariably weigh in. If they can make us buy flame-retardent underwear, and motorcycle helmets (both of which are stellar ideas, by the way), it's only a question of time before they insist upon hot-dog-cutting protection. As soon as the government mandates this additional safety feature, the price will drop, substantially, and the Pentagon will agree to pick up the slack by paying an additional $50,000 per retrofitted saw for armed service applications.(Remember, however: hot dogs have feelings, too...)Edited 4/16/2007 11:49 am ET by sasquatch55
Edited 4/16/2007 11:53 am ET by sasquatch55
I am amazed and perplexed by a fair number of comments like some in this post. This is not meant as an attack on Sasquatch. He makes a very important point that "standard operator precautions and sound techniques -- would provide for good, safe service". Until the SawStop, the best we could do for avoiding injury was to use the best safety technologies available coupled with standard operator precautions and sound techniques.Nothing has changed. But now there is a safety technology available that when called upon, has been 100% effective in saving fingers and hands. So far as we know, over 100 people had their hands contact a blade yet they had no severed body parts!There are two real questions that each of us needs to answer: (1.) Are we willing to replace our current saw to implement this technology? (2) When purchasing a new TS, which safety technologies am I willing to pay for?Like many others have responded, Sasquatch seems to appreciate the new Safety technology. And like others, comments similar to the "hot dog protector being priced at double the cost of a Powermatic", I interpret as meaning the Safety feature is exorbantly priced. I truly hope everyone who makes that choice never incurs an injury that would have been avoided if they had the SawStop. Yet we know that many fingers will be lost during the time period you own/use a saw. For those people, I bet if it were within their power to have gone back and made the purchase again, nearly every one would have bought the SawStop technology for that moment of the accident.If you make a different decision now and never get injured, you can proudly claim how conscientious you are while sawing and how you made prudent purchasing decisions and saved a thousand dollars or so. But accidents are called accidents because they typically happen unintentionally and before we can react to avoid them.I do not advocate a Government mandate that everyone should use this technology. I believe everyone should have the right to choose their level of risk. But it does amaze me how so many people seem to almost ridicule both buyers and manufacturers of these types of options primarily because of the price or the false assumption that the user will be an idiot and disregard common sense in cutting wood. If you have employees, it seems like a no brainer to me; yet there will always be business owners barely able to make payroll who just can't swing an extra $1200 for the top of the safety line.If you have children or grandchildren who may ever work in your shop, I personally can't see taking the chance with their safety. This is my case. I am willing to assume a much greater risk on my own flesh, but not on my children's.If you make a living with your hands (dentists, surgeons, carpenters, etc) and your family's future depends on your having all your digits, to me it's an obvious decision.Just like air bags don't cause people to believe careless operation of a car is OK, I also can't agree with the adage (which I have read in several posts both here and in other forums) that the SawStop safety features will cause people to take on the false security attitude that they can now be careless and depend on the Saw electronics to protect them. That argument could be used for any guard, riving knife, featherboard, push stick, and EVERY safety feature of the modern saw. IMHO, this is a false assumption.
Edited 4/16/2007 2:04 pm ET by Cincinnati
The same argument might be made by the pilot of a parachute-equipped airplane, vis a vis those of his contemporaries who fly otherwise excellent aircraft that are parachute-deprived.How much would the widow of the dead pilot rue her husband's failure to cough up the money for a parachute? How about that dead pilot's children and grandchildren?? Should they be permitted to fly in an airplane that's not equipped with a parachute??The point I'm trying to make is that "safety" is a relative term, and my decision to buy a Powermatic 2000 fitted with the state-of-the-art guard (easily removable, which encourages use, but for those rare, extremely thin rips), a wonderful riving knife, a knee-switch, (etc., etc.) does not equate to willingness to put my children (or employees') lives and limbs at risk.Safety measures comprise a broad continuum of saw features and owner-operator decisions/choices. If I choose to select and pay for safety measure A, B, C, D, E, and F but omit "G" -- because, for me, "G" seems like "overkill," then that shouldn't be interpreted as meaning I have a complete disregard for my ten digits.It simply means that I have a reasonable confidence in the saw I'm using, my skill-set, and my techniques acquired though 35 years of working with power tools.Am I infallible? Of course not. Am I going to have my airplane fitted with a parachute, tomorrow?Nope.(but I respect and support your right to purchase any safety feature you feel you should)
Cincinnati,
I guess hindsight is 20/20. I think that this is the uphill battle that Sawstopw will have to contend with. Up here in Canada the Sawstop is over $5000! Again double what the Canadian made General 350 costs. For most amateurs this is a huge difference. The cost associated with the loss of a finger is way more of course, but there is no guarantee that you'll ever become injured by the table saw.
Accidents happen, but they are not a given. People who have good safety practices at the table saw are much less likely to suffer a serious accident. I'm not saying it will never happen, just that it's less likely. So in this case the extra cost of the Sawstop is just a cost of insurance. Each user must weigh the cost out.
Those people using the saws unsafely, without splitters and guards... no amount of active safety features will make a difference.
Ultimatly my hope is that once the contactor saws, and hybrid saws make there way on to the market the overall price of the saws will come into better alignment with other comparable saws. I may not be willing to purchase that saw at double the cost of comparable saws, but if it were 1/3 extra (say $3000) it would probaby find it's way into my shop very quickly.
My personal opinion is that the saw manufacturers should be required to ship their saws with effective guards. It's dissapointing to see that there are so many better guards out there, and manufacturers still ship with the same crappy guards. I think a quick release feature would go along ways to fixing the issue....
I enjoyed your post and the humor.
I have found, however, that wearing my flame resistant underwear and motorcycle helmet while using my Sawstop in an non-airconditioned garage in Houston, TX can be a tad....hot and steamy. It is excellent, however, for weight loss.
The added benefit of having all those hot dogs around in those conditions is that they cook up nicely and make for a pleasant break from sawing....
Keep smiling and enjoy your Powermatic, which is a beautiful saw.
Rick
Back atcha, buddy.I have no beef with the SawStop. A hot dog, sure, but no beef.:) :) :)
Have you an address for Eagle Tools? I haven't found a decent tool retailer here in the Ventura area, and would be willing to wonder into LA-LA land. Much appreciated.
Bob
Bob,
Eagle tools has a website at http://www.eagle-tools.com/. The website lists their contact information and even has a map in PDF format that you can print out.
If you try to email it may take several days for a reply. I'd suggest calling. I delt with Ricky Yu. Jesse is the owner of the company. You can tell them that Don Bullock recommended them on an Internet forum if you'd like. No, I have no connection with them except that I'm a very satisfied customer.
Thanks for the info. Out here there's nearly nothing other than big-box stores. So I figure Eagle Tools has at least two advantages - they have a good selection of real tools, and they have at least one satisfied customer. (I wonder if Home Depot can say that?)
Bob
I have not experienced that problem but I suspect that my wood has all been fairly dry..haven't invested the $100+ for a moisture meter yet...the only problem that I've encountered is the indicator light coming on saying the brake needs readjusting...of course, the saw won't run until that's done...I repositioned it once and the problem went away for a time but has recently returned....I've found if I turn off the power then restart it the light won't come on again for awhile...sometime soon I'll reposition it again...sure do love this saw...the pain of the price has disappeared but the pleasure of using has not
Neil
The fact that you’re having an annoying light problem but still love the saw, well I think that says something good about the product.
Neil,
The Saw Stop can sense, through some electronic magic, the distance between the rim of the blade and the brake assembly. The gap needs to be small or the saw will alert you to make the adjustment, which only takes a minute or two, but it is an annoyance at times.
One thing to check is the diameter of your saw blades. While they may all be a nominal 10" in diameter, some may in fact be a bit smaller and this will cause problems. European made blades, such as the Freud line, are often actually 250 mm in diameter which makes them just under 9 7/8" across, which is enough to cause an error message on the saw.
John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine
Thanks John,
It's occurring with a WWII Forrest. I know it takes a few minutes to readjust but Damn it man! Can't you see I'm in the middle of a Project?!! I haven't progressed to that stage where maintenance isn't a drugery although I have learned to enjoy sharpening chisels and plane blades. I just hate to stop once I get started.
(The real reason I bought the SawStop was because my blade on the Delta contractor was out of square and I didn't want to go to the trouble of adjusting it:) )
Neil
The problem shouldn't be occuring if you aren't switching blades unless the brake was right on the edge of being too far away so that some minor shifting of a part would trigger the sensor. The brake needs to be quite close to the blade and it can be hard to judge its distance. Once you get the setting right it should be good forever as long as you keep using the same blade.
John W.
I think you are correct, I've been abit cautious in bringing the brake closer to the blade as it seems to me there is a warning (I don't have the manual on hand) about getting TOO close to the blade...probably if I bring it 2-4mm closer I can finish my projects AND have the saw work perfectly...Thanks for the help
Neil
You can have it too close, if the blade has a high tooth that touches the cartridge when you turn on the saw it will trigger the cartridge to fire. (Ask me how I know this.) It always pays when changing blades to rotate the blade through a complete revolution to make sure it isn't going to touch the cartridge.
John W.
The Sawstop contractors saw should be in production by the end of summer and according to Woodcraft will have a retail price at under $1,000.00. Visit their web site, they indicate it will be available by the end of the year.
i dont know if it was me that said the saw stop made the powermatic look cheap,but i did say my saw stop was well designed. it was my grandfather(94) that cut his fingers on a shop saw that he worked at. he worked a cabinet shop for over 40 yrs and still makes projects in his garage. he helped me set my saw up and was impressed that this majority made tawainese saw was well machined and designed well for a 3500.00 saw.he told me any safety feature that would work is money well spent since im a newbie at this woodworking and fingers dont work well sewn back on(from experince there).he stated as did fww review that the riving knife is well designed. the table top was a bit of a bear to flatten with the extensions but doable. he felt as i did that the saw stop offered alittle more features than the new powermatic or old 66.his second choice would have been the laguna ts. was my first choice till the saw stop appeared. his old shop replaced the old 66 with the saw stop as well and two brakes have been replaced. he admitted that a very careful operator may never get hurt. but most home/shop workers use combination blades rather than dedicated rip and crosscut blades so injury may occur more because of lack of knowledge. if you can afford it saw stop makes sense anytime and soon the insurance companies will be reducing fees as soon as all the equipment is safer in shops that use this type of safety features. he said almost every piece of equipment in a large shop usually produces an injury putting the employee at risk of losing work and in CA may never returning to that type of work due to workmans compensation rules.well its pricey and not the only good saw made but it is a good viable option to the major table saw manafactures. clay
clay,
"putting the employee at risk of losing work and in CA may never returning to that type of work due to workmans compensation rules."
What does this mean? What is the rule that you are talking about?
Rob
what happens to a employer in ca when an employee injures himself on the job is the issue. when an employee makes a claim in which he will be out of work for an extended amout of time(more than a couple of weeks) the employers rate(pecentage) is increased on total amount of payroll the following fiscal year.their are only a few companies left that even write insurance for companies over 90,000.00 in total payroll.some of the lowest rates areabout11-13 percent. that would be a min total of 9000.00 yearly. the next year his rate may go to 25%(due to the claim)so the total would be closer to a min of 18000.00.you do the math.this is very simplified answer and you would need an attorney to actually explain this to you.so many of these companies(corporations) tend to change names quickly and reorginize so the employees would be rehired at different job titles and theworksman comp rate would be again a lower % rate because it is a n all new company.90,000.00 in payroll in ca is only about three employees.no injurys and means less overhead(or survival in most cases).some roofers here pay as much as 75 cents of every dollar to workmans comp and liability insurance.we all know that injuries seems to follow some workers more than others.insurance companies are starting to folow up injury cases and investigate possible fraud cases such a s bad back cases and hard to detect injuries. ther not ft to work but fit enough to surf,work on thier own homes whilethe insurance companies pay them thier salaries.the employees could also exercise thier rights and hire an attorney to sue companies for not using the best safety features available (negligence)and later win some settlements. so safety features on all machines seems to make sense atleast by calif standards. thats my opinion and im sticking to it. thanks
Another good reason to stay away from California.
Thank you mtclay1. I couldnt agree more. Things are really bad here and I wouldn't wish these circumstances on anybody from out of state. Just remember if you see someone moving into your town with California plates it doesn't necessarily mean their Californians so cut them a little slack.Gotta go, tides out and its just overhead. Vic
If I was to purchase a sawstop Id have to slice my hotdogs on the bandsaw. Im just not ready to go there.
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