Just received the January/February 2003 issue of Carpenter magazine, the official publication of the UBCJA. There’s a small feature on the table saws that incorporate the SawStop safety system. Aside from reading about the safety mechanism (about a year ago?), this is the first marketing I’ve seen about a saw in production that has the system included as part of the design.
SawStop has a website at www.sawstop.com
Of course this begs the question, all other features/performance being equal, how much additional are you willing to pay for this safety feature if you were to invest in a new table saw?
I’m also of the belief that the greater the reliance on safety features, the less your reliance on common sense (push sticks, featherboards, etc.)…and the greater the occurance of shop “incidents.” (Note that I didn’t say “accident” in deference to the previous discussion regarding fingers, or lack thereof.)
Anxious to see if the saw actually makes it to market.
tony b.
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Since I am hoping to upgrade my tablesaw within the next year or so, I have been keeping an eye on the SawStop version. The spec's on it don't look bad, but I think they are still finalizing the design. Once they have a finished product, I will be anxious to hear any reviews before I decide which route to take. Although I agree that extra safety features could possibly lead to complacency with regard to safe practices, I hope I would view it more as a backup safety feature. I don't think any of my practices would change, because I would still have some fear that if my hand slipped, the stopping mechanism might not trip.
Since I have worked on projects with friends and relatives in the past, I am also interested in the peace of mind it would give me when other people use my tools. If I do purchase the SawStop version, I don't think I would bother telling anyone about it's unique safety feature, because I wouldn't want them to get complacent. From a longer term perspective, I also have a special interest in this feature - my first child was born a month ago today, and if he develops an interest in woodworking (which would be great) and uses my tablesaw when he gets older, the SawStop feature would be worth the price.
If anyone has a chance to see the SawStop cabinet saw in action, I would be interested in their opinions. Thanks.
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