Saw Stop demo on Ask This Old House

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Folks......Could we please start acting like adults here?

[David Weaver]

Here's an honest question from a beginner who got a kickback from a panel between 1/4th and 3/8th thickness - How do you feed that with a push stick and make sure it's flat against the surface of the table? Assuming you don't have a band saw (I don't). I don't know how to do it moderately safely - as evidenced by the internal lump at my belt line - without holding that piece down flat and reasonably close to the blade.

There are just some dangerous cuts where it's hard not to get your hands close to the blade (by close, I don't mean within a hair, but close enough that a kickback situation could pull your hands into the blade)

The tricky thing will be to see if they can develop "band stop"

Disclaimer - I don't own a sawstop or a bandsaw. I might only be safe to a competent level with a dovetail saw!

[Dan Lee]

I've been using TS's (non pro) for 15 years and I don't understand why I would change my hopefully good habits and proceedures to making safe cuts with SS.

In actual use the thought never enters mind ... well I have this braking mechenism so ok go ahead and make this cut ... doesn't seem safe or the normal way I'd do it but what the heck ...

In fact I like the blade guard on this so well that I use it almost all the time as compared with never on my previous saws

BTW I also use push shoes religiously

[Al Willits]

Dan, the anti kickback rollers will help keep the thin stuff down, and from heading back your way.
Also having enough table to help support the panels helps, I've added almost 5' to the back side of my table, ever since one of the launches I've encountered.
Also the push stick that Rockler or Woodcraft sells that has the magnet on it works pretty well to push panels with.
On the other hand, I'm a bit new at this so I'd bet there's a better way to do it...

Al....who's learning, band aid by band aid

[mark page]

Yes the sawstop is nice. I would like to have one too. But would it make me any more unsafe than I am now, no I don't think so. In the back of my mind it may make me safer. Each time I would trip the safety mechanism I would be thinking of an output of money for a new blade and brake mechanism. Appx 200 bucks for my lack of safety mindness to begin with. Is it on my wish list?? Sure, after the kids are out of school and college, after the home mortgage is paid off, after the new bass boat, and then there is the Mrs wish list to contend with too........

[Andrew Williams]

I'm not sure if one can make ogee bracket feet on the TS with push sticks. I think it may be possible to construct a series of sliding jigs, but you may still need to get fairly close to the blade.

AFAIK Sawstop has a prototype bandsaw device in their future products section. My guess is eventually these systems will see the light of day. From what I have read, Gass had a very hard time making ends meet at the beginning and did not want to make saws, but they have since sold 6000 of these (heard that from someone at the SS number). I imagine they are doing fairly well for a start-up and will likely expand to other WWing machinery, so long as people buy their stuff.

It is also just possible that eventually the Power Tool Institute will reverse their policy and decide to license the technology. I think it is quite likely that the various companies' R&D departments are looking into viable options that they can create which do a similar thing but not violate the patent on SS.

All of this is, of course, speculation. With a smattering of factual information out there it is difficult to do more than speculate on what is really happening. My own non-scientific guesses are that Gass did not want to give up on his idea once the Power Tool Institute closed the door on him. The legislation thing was a long-shot and really had little chance of doing much except annoy people, so he decided to make saws. He probably asked some WW'ers "what would the ultimate TS be like? What features would it have and what fit and finish would it have?" They started to build what they decided fit that bill, and added the safety technology, making it in the Far East which makes it not cost 4 times what other cabinet saws cost. It still may cost nearly twice as much as some cabinet saws, so buyers would be limited. Time has shown, however, that there are enough people to keep SS afloat. I predict that this will continue.

[James Phillips]

Everyone would be good to ignore Spencer. He has about 20 post on this site and every one are in threads where he says a push stick is better than a SawStop. Take it for what it is worth....

[Greg Funk]

Everyone would be good to ignore Spencer. He has about 20 post on this site and every one are in threads where he says a push stick is better than a SawStop. Take it for what it is worth....

+1 Don't feed the trolls...

[Greg Peterson]

The one thing I haven't seen anyone comment on is that this SS demo took place on a SS contractor saw.

I have read that SS is bringing a contractor version of their saw to market, and this demo was the first evidence that I have seen where a SS contractor saw actually exists!

I don't know if their technology will ever get licensed out to the rest of the market, but for those that are interested in the technology, having it available in a contractor saw configuration certainly makes it more accessible from a financial perspective.

It may cost more than a zip code craftsman TS, but $5k for a cabinet saw is a non-starter for me. Even if the SS contractor saw is 25% more than an equivalent TS, it isn't going to be as big of a deal breaker as their cabinet saw version.

[Don Bullock]

Greg, You make some good points there. I have no insight as to price, but it will definately make the technology affordable for more people. While I already have a SawStop, I'm very interested is seeing the contractor model and perhaps a hybrid being marketed because I think that they will add to the future financial stability of the company.

[John Schreiber]

Each time I would trip the safety mechanism I would be thinking of an output of money for a new blade and brake mechanism. Appx 200 bucks for my lack of safety mindness to begin with.

The safety mechanism is designed to trip when the blade is in contact with skin. Everything I read about accidents involving table saws indicates that very few of them are minor. The cost of replacing the blade and brake is absolutely minimal in comparison with the cost of medical care or the reality of disability.

False trips seem to be very rare. The only one I have heard about here on the creek happened when a user raised the blade into a zero clearance insert and caused the riving knife to hit the blade.

[Andrew Williams]

I feel I should point out that I priced a 5hp Sawstop with 52" extensions and fence and the total was much closer to 4k than 5k.

[Don Bullock]

The safety mechanism is designed to trip when the blade is in contact with skin. Everything I read about accidents involving table saws indicates that very few of them are minor. The cost of replacing the blade and brake is absolutely minimal in comparison with the cost of medical care or the reality of disability...

According to page 5 of the SawStop manual, "... the brake cartridges store the electronic data measured during an accident. If you return the activated cartridge to SawStop, we can retrirve that data to learn more about how the electronics and software performed. We will be happy to send you a free replacement cartridge in exchange." (bold print added by the poster)

I've also seen some reports from employees of WoodCraft stores where they demonstrate the saw. Those reports state that many of the blades they have used have been salvaged by repairing the area of the blade that contacted the brake. No, I wouldn't necessarily trust a blade that had been repiared. I'm just reporting what I've read.

[Steve Roxberg]

Here's an honest question from a beginner who got a kickback from a panel between 1/4th and 3/8th thickness - How do you feed that with a push stick and make sure it's flat against the surface of the table? Assuming you don't have a band saw (I don't). I don't know how to do it moderately safely - as evidenced by the internal lump at my belt line - without holding that piece down flat and reasonably close to the blade.

There are just some dangerous cuts where it's hard not to get your hands close to the blade (by close, I don't mean within a hair, but close enough that a kickback situation could pull your hands into the blade)

The tricky thing will be to see if they can develop "band stop"

Disclaimer - I don't own a sawstop or a bandsaw. I might only be safe to a competent level with a dovetail saw!

I use Gripper's for my push sticks and they work very well.

[David G Baker]

I subscribe to a National Electric Code newsletter, the main topic in yesterdays newsletter was the Sawstop. Included was the video of the Sawstop demonstration. The headline was, "the safest saw in the world".