Page 1 of 8 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 116

Thread: Ouch--Getting Saw Stop

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Central, PA
    Posts
    416

    Ouch--Getting Saw Stop

    Spent some time in the ER and ended up seeing a hand surgeon. Just nicked the tip of my finger. Didn't look pretty but prognosis is good. Surgeon said that most table saw injuries happen after years of operation. Rookies are more focused but experienced woodworkers become too comfortable. I fit that profile. I was lucky this time but in the future I don't want depend on luck.

    Any feedback you Saw Stop guys can give would be appreciated.

    Ed
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 02-04-2016 at 8:41 AM. Reason: want ad portion removed

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Gibbons View Post
    Spent some time in the ER and ended up seeing a hand surgeon. Just nicked the tip of my finger. Didn't look pretty but prognosis is good. Surgeon said that most table saw injuries happen after years of operation. Rookies are more focused but experienced woodworkers become too comfortable. I fit that profile. I was lucky this time but in the future I don't want depend on luck.

    Any feedback you Saw Stop guys can give would be appreciated.

    Ed
    boy, are you opening a can of worms on this forum.

    I had an incident a few years back with a jointer. Been using one every day for 15 years, no worries. stupid me didn't think about the knot in the board I was jointing. the know exploded when it hit the blades, board jumped up, my knee-jerk reaction was to push the board back down and my fingers ended up right in the cutterhead. Minor injuries to three fingers, and some scaring for the memories, but three months of wiping my butt with the wrong hand and 'war stories' from the plastic surgeon who put my fingers back together pretty much ended any arguments for me. the insurance company paid many thousands of dollars to put me back together. I could have done far more damage on the table saw. easy argument for me.

    Besides that, it's a great table saw. I don't think anyone has ever said much bad about it, and I love mine. And if you're married, a saw that can't chop off your fingers is an easy sell to the wife, regardless of the price.
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 02-04-2016 at 8:42 AM.

  3. #3
    I went through this decision process recently, and decided on a sliding table saw instead of a SS ICS. Take a deep look before you decide.

    Dan

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    NW Indiana
    Posts
    3,078
    There will be the typical responses to your post. Some will say that if you are experienced and pay attention you do not need one. Or that it will make you careless. I do not believe those type comments.

    I have a PCS and love it. The saw is a very high quality well built saw plus the safety stuff. Customer service is top notch.

    You can not go wrong with it.

    I had surgery on my wrist recently and asked my surgeon the same thing. He said he has had to repair some hand that were very bad due to table saw accidents.

    Good Luck with your finger.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    North East, PA
    Posts
    250
    Ed, I upgraded from a contractor style saw to the Saw Stop ICS saw 6 years ago or so, and have been very happy with the SS. Fortunately I have not had the opportunity to find out if the flesh sensing circuitry in fact works, and I treat the saw as if the safety feature was not there.

    The main reason I selected the SS was because it was the best built saw I could find in my price range at the time, and the safety feature was secondary. That may not be typical of SS buyers. I narrowed my choices down to Delta, Powermatic and SS, and after looking at all 3 up close, I decided the SS was the superior machine.

    I was a bit nervous about all the electronics on the machine, fearing that some day they might fail and I'd lose use of the saw. My theory is that if that were to happen, I could remove the electronics and convert it to a conventional table saw. Hopefully I will never have to deal with that.

    I agree you might want to investigate a sliding saw before making a decision.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    Ed, sorry to hear of your injury, glad to hear that it was relatively minor and that you're treating this as a learning experience.

    If I didn't own a small Euro slider the Saw Stop would be the saw I would own.

    I just find that the slider with proper work practices for me, eliminates the need of the Saw Stop, while giving me the benefit of the sliding table saw.

    I have a Hammer B3 Winner, it's a saw/shaper, suggest you lok at the Hammer K3, or a MiniMax or a Felder before you commit to a Saw Stop.

    Otherwise the Saw Stop is the correct choice........Hope you have a complete recovery, regards, Rod.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,494
    Blog Entries
    1
    PCS 3HP owner here. Quality product. Adjustment and alignment features are designed in; not just present but, actually designed to be used. I haven't had to align a thing on the saw since day one but, its easy to do. Overarm dust collection is usable but, nothing that would make or break my decision. Bies-clone fence is solid and very adjustable . I would buy it even without the safety feature.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Kingston, ON, Canada
    Posts
    223
    So... the question to ask now is "when are other machines - such as jointers - going to have blade stopping technology introducted?"! (I'm not really serious about this issue, I'm only tryin' to stir the pot!!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Shaefer View Post
    boy, are you opening a can of worms on this forum.

    I had an incident a few years back with a jointer. Been using one every day for 15 years, no worries. stupid me didn't think about the knot in the board I was jointing. the know exploded when it hit the blades, board jumped up, my knee-jerk reaction was to push the board back down and my fingers ended up right in the cutterhead. Minor injuries to three fingers, and some scaring for the memories, but three months of wiping my butt with the wrong hand and 'war stories' from the plastic surgeon who put my fingers back together pretty much ended any arguments for me. the insurance company paid many thousands of dollars to put me back together. I could have done far more damage on the table saw. easy argument for me.

    Besides that, it's a great table saw. I don't think anyone has ever said much bad about it, and I love mine. And if you're married, a saw that can't chop off your fingers is an easy sell to the wife, regardless of the price.
    Marty Schlosser
    Kingston, ON, Canada
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apexwoodworks/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ApexWoodworksFurniture/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkmbvXb44CJ9t17SbHEWxJg/videos

  9. #9
    I have a PCS SS and love it. I bought it as insurance against the possibility that one day I'd make a mistake.

    But I agree that a good slider is equally safe. Sliders are usually physically bigger and more expensive.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  10. #10
    I own one: the PCS 3hp.

    If you can afford it, it's a great saw. It is a great saw for the fit and finish and performance. The safety feature is nice for the loved ones around us. To be honest, in day to day usage, the safety feature can be a MINOR nuisance: power up is not instant, it can fire if you use a metal miter fence and get careless when changing the angle or bevel of the blade (mine fired twice!). Changeover between dado and regular work requires a brake change as well. If your brake fires, you'll require a new blade and brake.

    Frankly, I have a prejudice that the program/electronics may not remain robust after years of use; but that is JUST prejudice. But it does make me as vigilant as if I had a regular saw.

    Ironically, all these little things go around in my head every time I fire up that saw. I think THIS is the real safety benefit of it. It makes me more conscious of what I'm doing.

    And now that I think about it, I am grateful for the two firings I had on my miter fence; they amounted to a fire drill for the saw, and a reminder about the stakes.

    Regarding the performance of the saw, here's what I've really liked:

    the riving knife/blade guard switch over is quick and tool-less.
    The guard and knife and wrenches all have convenient slots for storage on the cabinet. The side of the cabinet has a hinged cover that makes it easy to get into for clean out.
    The dust collection is very good with the guard in place for everything but trimming rip cuts.
    The manual, technical support, and parts quality is top notch.

    My saw has been easy to set up to make accurate cuts, and it has not required re-adjustment in about 4 years.


    The only reason I would not consider it is if I were on a budget.

  11. #11
    I'm with Marty.

    Bandsaw, miter saw, jointer, scroll saw can all cut a finger off.

    Buying an expensive SS will only keep you from getting hurt on ONE machine.

    It all about letting your guard down.....

  12. #12
    I purchased a 3hp Pcs last year and have been very happy with the saw. I was looking at a powermatic, the delta wasn't really available at the time, and decided on the SS. It is a very robust and nicely made machine, regardless of the tech built in. I do wish I had sprung for the 5Hp ICS, as the 3Hp is a little weaker compared to the 5 HP unisaw that I was used to before. I would buy another though, it's a great saw. Hopefully I never have to use the brake, but it's nice knowing it's there if something happens.
    Steve

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Middle Earth MD
    Posts
    682
    Had a buddy denude the back of his fingers on a 24" disc sander, he's a pro in a machine shop.
    Another buddy came in with a devastating paper cut, couldn't shuffle the deck on poker night, he's an accountant.
    Took the flesh off the end of my thumb setting up a ladder a couple of weeks ago
    Shot a nail threw my thumb knuckle over a decade ago
    My hammer does not like any of my digits on the nail holding hand, or is that the other way around.... my hammer likes my digits.
    Had a pipe clamp fall 16' on my head years ago


    I do like the idea of the SS technology and have no dog in this fight, but the best way to avoid injury is not to take the risk at all, find a new hobby or profession.
    If you decide to continue, minimize the risk by whatever manner you prefer, if SS is one of them have at it but just be aware the risk is always there.

    Just think saftey first and foremost and don't let technology like the SS allow you to do otherwise.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Cary, NC
    Posts
    551
    I have had my 3 HP PCS for 4 years now. A brief moment of in-attention and I spent some quality time in my local er. One thing to note, don't tell jokes while your er doc. is sewing your finger up. They start to laugh and the stitches come out uneven. After this mishap, my girlfriend said to get rid of my Unisaw. I agree with Prashun about becoming more aware and thinking about what I am doing.
    Joe

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Bedford, NH
    Posts
    1,286
    So, whatever happened to the use of push pads?
    Thoughts entering one's mind need not exit one's mouth!
    As I age my memory fades .... and that's a load off my mind!

    "We Live In The Land Of The Free, Only Because Of The Brave"
    “The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living."
    "
    Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •