SawStop Brake Misfire Due to Faulty RPM Sensor?

[Art Mann]

I have probably read thousands of Sawstop threads where the brake activated when there was no safety risk and this is just about the first time I have heard of a defective brake cartridge. It seems to me that their stuff is pretty reliable. I worked in a manufacturing plant where product failure could very well lead to death. In spite of all the money we put into product safety and integrity, we got bad product going out the door occasionally. Perfect manufacturing just isn't a realistic expectation.

[Mike Heidrick]

Was the light solid green when touched? The light flashes green when the paddle is off and the saw is coasting to stop. I know it was said it had not run for minutes - I would just like to know the state of the green light. When the paddle is off and the green light is solid, when you touch the blade it will flash showing you it would have fired had it been running.

[Dale Murray]

I have an ICS and have had one misfire....my fault.....I was cutting an old picture frame that had metallic paint......IHMO, a firing like this is reassurance that the system is working as it is designed to.....

Would you feel the same about the airbag in your car?


I asked the reimbursement question because I am considering the saw and was curious. I would be really upset if there was a true misfire that cost me hundreds due to having a blade repaired or replaced.

[johnny means]

I had a dado blade & brake installed, and was adjusting a MDF fence for cutting a tenon. I heard a pop, and thought I saw the blade drop. Looked inside and saw the brake against my $300 Forrest dado. Ugh!

The blade wouldn't drop if it weren't spinning. The saws don't have any mechanism that causes the blade to drop. The blade falling below the table is a product of its own centrifugal force.

[Duane Meadows]

The blade wouldn't drop if it weren't spinning. The saws don't have any mechanism that causes the blade to drop. The blade falling below the table is a product of its own centrifugal force.

Hmm... then there must be a "mechanism" to prevent it falling? Otherwise, how can it cut? Sounds like semantics to me.

It may need the centrifugal force to fall, but has to be a bit more to it than that.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Does Sawstop offer to repair or replace a blade that is damaged due to misfire - as in the case that started this thread? Just curios.

Drop them an email and ask them... They are known for great customer service...

[Daniel Smith]

Hmm... then there must be a "mechanism" to prevent it falling? Otherwise, how can it cut? Sounds like semantics to me.

It may need the centrifugal force to fall, but has to be a bit more to it than that.

It's been a while since I've had an incident so this is from memory, but I think that the drop mechanism is a combination of centrifugal force and the blade being uncoupled from the lift mechanism. Getting the fused blade/brake combo out of the saw is challenging. While doing that, I remember being able to manually lift the blade/arbor back up to height where it locked in place (in other words, I didn't have to crank it back up). There is plenty of resistance in the motion so that free fall is not an issue when the cartridge triggers.

[Duane Meadows]

Thanks Daniel, that makes more since!