Who's buying all these StopSaws?

[Rob Floyd]

Hi everyone,
The name's Rob and I live northwest of Baltimore.

I've been reading the forum for a while and this is my first post. I've been involved in woodworking for a long time but it's been in fits and starts - plenty of both but mostly on the sidelines. I'm within 2 years of retirement and already visualizing the dream shop with my upgraded tool collection, building an occasional piece of furniture to justifying more tools, getting new tools to build jigs for the tools I already have, etc. Out -will go the Rockwell contractor's saw in - will come a cabinet saw. I read so much good stuff about Grizzly that it has to be a Grizz., then I started reading about all you guys (and gals) buying SawStops and raving about the safety and quality.

SawStop was never on my short list but I'm listening. It's making more sense everyday. Never had an accident with the TS but a couple of near misses. I'm working more safely but there's still that one time ....... and when my married kids get time and make some grandkids, I want to be able to hold them with all my limbs and digits.

Who is buying these things; rank amateur hobbiests like myself, serious hobbiests, unabashed tool junkies, professionals, schools, prisons, etc? I assume one has to have a good amount of discretionary cash or is willing to sacrifice for the quality and safety.

Just curious

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rob......Welcome to the Creek!

I don't own a SawStop....but a lot of folks do! If you can afford it, it appears to be what they advertise a saw that will stop the blade in the event your flesh or wet wood touches it. Folks that have reviewed feel the quality is good from the reports we've been given here by members. Amateurs to Pros and yes schools have bought it.

Again.....Welcome to the Creek!

[Jim Becker]

Rob, welcome to SMC!

The folks that are buying the SawStop saw are a diverse group. Basically, the buyer is someone that places value on the features that the machine affords, including the safety aspects.

There have been many discussions of this tool here at SMC. You can use the search feature to identify those threads and read through previous commentary. (I do recommend you use the "Advanced Search" and limit your search to the General Woodworking forum with the keyword "SawStop")

[Rob Floyd]

Ken,

Thank you!
The saw was way out of my price range when I first heard about it. It is now becoming a serious personal consideration. It would be a stretch but it would be the last saw I would buy.

[Ben Grunow]

The answer to your question is, yes. Those who can afford and want a great saw that happens to have a great safety feature.

Got mine for same reasons you mentioned, grandpa, kids and me over time. Look at your fingers and think about what one is worth whilie you ponder the cost of a TS.

Ben

[James Phillips]

I bought one and love it. The quality is top notch even without the safety features

[Mark Rios]

I bought one and love it. The quality is top notch even without the safety features

I feel James brings up a point that gets overlooked too often and overshadowed by the political argument that inevitably arises in SawStop threads.

The saw is a top-of-the-line quality saw in its own right. I had an oppourtunity to spend some time with one a while back. I'm no expert on TS's by any means but the saw was definately a top quality saw. From what others have written on this subject, it's one of the front runners in the 10", top-of-the-line saw class.

Adding the exclusively unique safety features puts it in a little different class making it hard to compare on an even plane. When I was looking to buy, I was comparing the quality of the saw to it's competitors and seeing the safety features as a (very important) bonus. I would have bought one at the time but it would have cost me roughly $20,000; $4500 for the saw and about $15,000 for a bigger trailer/shop. Plus, I would have had to enlarge the parking area at the multi-unit rental property that I'm managing and the owners didn't see the expenditure in the same terms that I did.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I purchased a General cabinet saw prior to the introduction of the Sawstop.

If I were in the market for a new cabinet saw, I would purchase the Sawstop just for the safety features.

I looked at the Sawstop at a recent woodworking show, and was able to watch a member of the audience demonstrate the blade brake by attempting to cut a weiner with it. The saw stopped instantly, the weiner only had a tiny nick on it. Needless to say, I was very impressed.

I don't know if the other aspects of the saw are superior to a good cabinet saw, however the safety aspect puts it in another league.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. My usage is hobby use.

[John Hain]

I think you'll find everyone who has seen a Sawstop in action and up close will rave about its quality. By this, they usually say it's on par or of better quality than any other cabinet saw on the market today.

Within the next couple months, I'm making the decision on a Sawstop or a Minimax/Felder slider. For me, any other cabinet saw is inferior.

[Nissim Avrahami]

Welcome to the forum Rob

I'm an amateur already 12 years. For 10 years I was working with this "TS", as you can see, no splitter, no guard, homemade table top, fence and miter gauge and the rip fence on the left of the blade (or in simple word - I was Idiot).





I never had kickback or "close call" because I respect the machine and never put my fingers closer than 4~6" from the blade and if I had to, I always use push shoe or alike.
Also, operating from the left side of the blade, I never had to reach my hand over the blade, the control is much better with two push blocks (close to the body, pulling the workpiece toward the fence and pushing it down before and after the blade so, even if a kickback wants to "bang", I kill it when it's "still a baby").

Now I have new TS with Riving knife and guard and I use them all the time (except some operations with the 45° frame cutting sled that my hands are far away from the blade) but still I have this "Iron Rule", no hands or fingers less than 6" from the blade, push shoes and push blocks.











Why to buy Sawstop? Well, if I was planning to work without Splitter/Riving knife and guard, and, if I was planning ahead to put my fingers so close to the blade that an accident can occur, I would buy it but because I don't have such an intentions at the age of 62, a good TS satisfies me.

Have a safe work
niki

[Sam Blanchard]

Rob:
Serious hobbyist here. After being on the waiting list for over 3 years for the (still not released) contractor's model, I told the LOML that I just couldn't work with only a circ saw and my Japanese handsaws, and had to have the cabinet model. I am one of the very lucky - she agreed!!!
Yeah the blade brake is a big factor, but as Mark pointed out there are a host of other features which helped me decide - the riving knife, the table size, arbor size, the arbor/blade assembly and it's motion. Even if you never need the brake (hope you don't) it's an awesome machine. I didn't really have the cash to spare, but quality and safety can't be added aftermarket. Just my .02, YMMV

[Don Bullock]

Rob,

I'm in just about the same position that you are. I will be finishing out this school year and have one more to teach before I retire. Due to the lack of available time and space I haven't been doing much woodworking for about the past 25 years and decided that when I retire I'd like to get back into the hobby. Like you, I'm building my dream shop with my upgraded tool collection, building an occasional piece of furniture or other woodworking project to justifying more tools and having a blast.

Recently I decided I needed to replace my table saw. My old one was a 1979 Craftsman contractor's saw that used to take me forever to set up for a cut. My wife was watching me set up the fence the other day for a simple rip cut in some plywood. She couldn't believe all the girations I had to go through to make sure that the fence was parallel to the blade as well as set to the correct distance from the blade. That saw served me well, but it has long since been surpassed my more modern technology.

I just purchased a SawStop yesterday (full gloat, with pictures, to be posted later today after it is delivered). My reasoning is that I despriately needed a better saw. The SawStop is one of the best, if not the best, table saws available. Of course, I was also drawn in by the safety features of the saw. The riving knife and blade guard/splitter are excellent and nothing comes close to the brake feature. When I went to Eagle Tools in LA yesterday to order the saw they demonstrated the brake for me. I must admit I was blown away. Yes, I had seen all the videos, including the slow motion ones on the Wood magazine site, but to see it perform in person was much better. It also helped to show my wife the videos on the SawStop website. I also have ordered an Incra fence for the SawStop, but the fence they sell for the saw is excellent.

So, to answer your question, some rank amateur hobbiests like you are buying the SawStop. I've never had an accident and don't plan to either, but I just couldn't justify purchasing a table saw without the brakeing feature. Don't misunderstand, I fully agree with many here that there are some great saws that are currently on the market for a lot less money. For me, however, I feel that the extra cost over something like a Powermatic 2000 is like an inurance policy. It was rather ironic that about a week after my wife and I decided to make the purchase my tax man (brother-in-law) gave us the news that the state and Uncle Sam were going to have to refund over $4,000 of our taxes. Mine will be fully paid for when the tax refund checks arrive.

Good luck on your decision.

[Ed Blough]

What I have noticed is any one with insurance issues also buy the Sawstop. I don't know if their insurance company is forcing this or not. It seems that anywhere the general public comes into contact with a saw, be it a school, demo, rent a shop, use our machines DIY and etc.

I don't know the motivation but I suspect insurance underwriters have been pressured and are pressuring clients.

[Mike Henderson]

I don't know the motivation but I suspect insurance underwriters have been pressured and are pressuring clients.

I think maybe the insurance underwriters are the ones applying the "pressure". Insurance underwriters are the ones within an insurance company who evaluate the risk and set the rates for a policy. If they believe that some aspect of the equipment reduces the chance (and cost) of loss, they will give a lower price for the insurance. For example, when anti-lock brakes were first available on cars, you got a lower rate on your insurance if your car had anti-lock brakes.

If insurance companies are giving lower liability insurance rates to people who own a SawStop, that's a big vote of confidence by some very hard headed people that the saw reduces the cost of injuries.

Mike

[Peter Melanson]

I am an amature WW just working on setting up a shop. I bought the SS for the quality of what I saw and what the recent magazines are saying about it. And of course the second reason is the safety features since I need my hands to work. Yes it is true if you respect a TS you shouldn't have many problems. But there is always that chance of something happening or lack of concentration and bam your done. I love mine and highly recommned it to anyone it is well worth the cost.

peter