Originally Posted by
Art Mann
I know Stephen Gass doesn't want it to be known, but the vast majority of table saw users without a Sawstop will never seriously injure themselves. I know a bunch right here on SMC. You never hear about an accident free lifetime of sawing because it is not news and nobody wants to talk or hear about it. I know several woodworkers of 40 to 50 years, including myself, and the only injuries I know of from any of them is the result of a kickback, an issue at which Sawstop is no better than any other manufacturer.
The problem, Art, is that a certain percentage of woodworkers will injure themselves on a table saw. Not the majority, but enough. We have lots of statistics about how many table saw injuries there are every year and the cost of those injuries. And none of us know who will have those injuries.
It's like auto accidents. Lots of people will go their whole life and never have an accident. But we know for certain that a percentage of drivers will have accidents, and of that percentage, some will die, some will be disabled for life, and some will walk away with minor or no injuries. Since we can't know who will have the accidents we mandate safety features on all cars.
Table saws fall into the same situation, in my opinion.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.