Sawstop

[sawyerkirk]

For tose of us in the elite club of shortened digits (cut off body parts) this Table saw is of some interest, Down load the video, it is rather impressive. It will automatically stop the blade when it hits flesh. REALLY COOL!!  http://www.sawstop.com/

[Vermonter]

That's pretty cool...
For those of you that hate guards, but realize you need one, check out the Biesmeyer guards and splitter.  I have used these in high school settings for 12 years, and they work.  If you keep the bottom of the plexi waxed, it's like it doesn't even exist.

[sprucebunny]

That's DanG quick  I've read about that...thanks for the show

[Kirk_Allen]

Whats sad about this is this guy has had this for YEARS and not a single saw company would license it and produce it.  That is why he started making his own.

[Quartlow]

The cost is whats killing it, yeah I know whats a finger worth. What they don't tell you is it ruins the blade and it cost big bucks to rebuild the braking assembly after an emergency stop.

But it is cool.

[sawyerkirk]

I didn't realize it ruined the blade, I wondered how it worked.

[ScottAR]

A chunk of alumin... alum... pot metal fires into the blade and stops it.  I dunno how the blade drops but it does that too.  One gets to replace the blade and the pot metal chunk...  When I need a new saw I'll give it a serious look. 

One of these days I'll learn to spell aluminum... :D

[Don_Papenburg]

The guy wanted the government to mandate that all saw makers put it on all saws . the tool makers thought different . If they ad it to the new saws the lawyers would then sue them for not having it before and for selling defective products.   Any way that is how he got into the saw biz.  Don't work with the saw if you are dripping with sweat or cutting wet wood. Its the moisture that triggers the self destruct mode . After that you have to wait for new parts to saw again.  How fast can you get parts?

[Rockn H]

Not that I've lost any digits, but if I had one I'd go broke replacing blades and brakes.  I know I'd have to test it and that would be one set.  Then I'd have to see if the new one was put on right.  Then I'd have to see if the next ones still worked.  Ooohhh the night mares. ;D ;D ;D :

Don't ever show me a button and tell me not to push it.

[Engineer]

As Don_P said, the Sawstop concept has been around for a while.  This has been extensively discussed on Usenet as well as all of the woodworking online forums. 

The concept, in and of itself, is a great idea.  If it saves one finger, it's worth it.  (If it saves any other body part, well, what was it doing on the table saw in the first place?  :D)  The problem is that the inventor immediately tried to force the government to mandate the use of these things and force all manufacturers of table saws sold in this country to have these installed.  He's got (or used to have) some kind of quasi-political/safety diatribe on his website vaguely related to high school woodshop injuries, and how dangerous all power tools are, and he's just trying to save everyone's bits 'n pieces.

My position on this is that if YOU are careful, and use the proper guards and safety devices such as fingerboards, zero-clearance inserts, push sticks, use sharp blades, and have your saw PROPERLY ADJUSTED, then your risk is minimized.  I'm kinda scared of my tablesaw anyway, so I don't see it as a bad thing to keep my body parts well away from the blade.  Besides, all of the other tools in the shop are just as dangerous, if not more so.  I'd like to see the guy develop such a thing for a jointer or shaper.  Good Luck, eh?  I've been woodworking for over 20 years, and have not so much as gotten nicked by any machine.  Hand tools and knives, not that's different.  A sharp chisel is very dangerous in the hands of a clumsy clod. (DAMHIKT).

[Don_Papenburg]

I got my uncles Unisaw he bought it in 56  . He was 85 when he died. Still had all his fingers ,complete with the finger nails and prints. The unisaw never had a guard that I ever remember.  So it can happen that you will never have a need for the blade wrecker.

[leweee]

I got my uncles Unisaw he bought it in 56  . He was 85 when he died. Still had all his fingers ,complete with the finger nails and prints. The unisaw never had a guard that I ever remember.  So it can happen that you will never have a need for the blade wrecker.

When they try to make it idiot proof....they wind up making a better idiot. : ;D

[Furby]

When they try to make it idiot proof....they wind up making a better idiot. : ;D

:D :D :D :D
Isn't that the truth!

[Quartlow]

Well common sense doesn't alway prevail. Personaly I feel my lathe is way more dangerous than the saw. spin a 30 40 or even bigger chunk of wood and then hold a sharp tool to it  : Whan you stop and think about it its really not very bright  :D :D :D

I've been hurt on more hand tools than anything, why do you think I use air nailers every chance I get, because I I have a lousy aim swinging a hammer.  :D :D :D :D