# Table Saw Safety



## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

It's a legitimate product with a lot of believers.

I first saw the product about 4 years ago in 2007. It really works and the first time it saves a finger it is worth the price.

sawstop.com


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

fabrk8r said:


> It's a legitimate product with a lot of believers.
> 
> I first saw the product about 4 years ago in 2007. It really works and the first time it saves a finger it is worth the price.
> 
> sawstop.com


 Pretty amazing, really!


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## <*(((>< (Mar 6, 2009)

I hope that OSHA doesn't mandate this for every tablesaw, as it will price many out of tablesaws. Have you seen the SawStop prices? 

Respect the tool. 

It is really good technology, for people who can afford it. And for those considering SawStop, they are known to be pretty good saws as well.


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## VIPlumber (Aug 2, 2010)

I coulda used that about 3 fingers ago. Ha, ha, ha.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

If you respect your tools, you won't get hurt.


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## sixeightten (Feb 10, 2009)

rusty baker said:


> If you respect your tools, you won't get hurt.


Not always true. Accidents still can happen. I know a lot of very good carpenters with a digit missing.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

My husband debated getting one for me. The video was hard to watch, even with just the hot dog. I seem to remember the unit cost for adding the technology was sizable enough to price lots of people out of the table saw market if it was mandated. I'll talk to DH and get the straight dope. He did some research on it.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

Leah Frances said:


> My husband debated getting one for me. The video was hard to watch, even with just the hot dog. I seem to remember the unit cost for adding the technology was sizable enough to price lots of people out of the table saw market if it was mandated. I'll talk to DH and get the straight dope. He did some research on it.


Yeah... I'm not big on government restrictions. I don't think it'd be a good idea to mandate these on all table saws. 

On the other hand, I have a feeling that there might be insurance incentives for licensed contractors, and construction companies, that could make it worthwhile to buy table saws equipped with this feature.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I know of a cabinet maker who had one for about a year--He was so happy to unload that machine.

Each 'false alarm' cost $125 --or more--blade and cartridge---Plus down time and set up--

After 8 or 10 false alarms he was back to a standard machine.---Mike---


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## hyunelan2 (Aug 14, 2007)

Yeah, ruining parts of the machine on false alarm = boo. It seems like there would be a better way. It first I thought it just dropped the blade down below the table surface super-fast. Didn't realize it brought it to a complete halt within a millisecond.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

It's a great idea--However I lost interest when the started lobbing to pass a law that their product must be used in all saws.----We have to many laws already.


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

I think it's a cool concept, but isin't the saw finished after it? I would prefer something where you can just reset it. I'm sure there are possibilities of false positives such as if the wood is wet.

I also wonder how well it works when a finger is going fast through it, say you're cutting thin pieces of wood and just passing them through real fast. 

I don't think they should make this a law, to me it's up to the user to decide if he wants that extra safety or not. The saws should also have an option to turn it on/off.


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## loneframer (Mar 27, 2009)

not for the faint of heart

http://www.contractortalk.com/f59/1-split-second-finger-gets-cut-off-93860/index6/#post1148724


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## Red Squirrel (Jun 29, 2009)

Ouch. I did not read the whole thread, but did he actually cut the fingers right off and they put it back together? I'm sure he'll never feel the same after that.

I kinda like his idea of the metal rod lol, I would so do it. Once the fingers are healed properly, wrap with copper wire, add electricity for a couple minutes, and instant magnetized fingers LOL.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Thanks Lone---That fellow is an experienced pro---I consider him a friend.

One moment of carelessness and he now has a lifetime reminder to NEVER do that again.

He apologized to the saw and went right back to work----


Most machine injuries happen to beginners who don't know any better----or long time ,highly experienced folks who broke the rules that they learned long ago.


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## cain8858 (Jun 11, 2009)

Red Squirrel said:


> I think it's a cool concept, but isin't the saw finished after it? I would prefer something where you can just reset it. I'm sure there are possibilities of false positives such as if the wood is wet.
> 
> I also wonder how well it works when a finger is going fast through it, say you're cutting thin pieces of wood and just passing them through real fast.


The saw is not finished after the brake fires. The cartridge is replaceable though it does cost ~100 dollars and it takes the blade with it. 

In the last year or two with the saw I have not had one false positive. The saw itself has a diagnostic where you can push a piece of material into the stationary blade and determine if the wood is sufficiently wet that it would errantly fire the cartridge. I did hear in older versions of the saw, that some people had false positives, though not in my experience.

Its also a quite nice saw just in general.

b


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## Ranger1227 (Mar 15, 2011)

*Saw these yesterday*

I saw these yesterday at my local tool shop and there was a rep. Got there too late for demonstrations, but he did show me additional video. They are very nice looking saws, but very expensive.

I don't know if OSHA can mandate these as I am sure there is a patent on the technology.

The rep did say that, although you won't lose a finger, it won't be completely painless either


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## timmymcg (Mar 10, 2011)

As I understand, the inventor tried to license the technology to other sawmakers but no one wanted to take it on. I suspect that their lawyers couldn't believe that it would work, and didn't want to take the risk if it didn't. 


Ah, here's the full story:
http://failuremag.com/index.php/feature/article/give_this_saw_a_hand/

The inventor is in fact a patent attorney (and a woodworking hobbyist)--which explains his strategy: expand the patent portfolio and push for legislative encouragement---while producing a quality product. The legislation he's (I say he but it's a corporate strategy) pushing for is flesh-detection technology; currently SawStop's is the only one on the market, but (a) SawStop's patent has got to be expiring soon (I can't find the patent date but the company incorporated in 2000, and the patent monopoly lasts 14 years) and (b) there are competing technologies being developed.
See:
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/a-sawstop-killer/

I'm an optimist, but I see the system working well here: This guy had a great idea, he tried to pitch it to other companies and they didn't buy it; he knew that he'd have to bring out a high-quality saw in order to make it in the marketplace, and the monopoly on the technology made it possible for SawStop to invest money in making really good saws (by all accounts, whether you figure in the "stop" technology, they're high-quality machines). 

In the Osorio lawsuit, on the other hand, things went absolutely insanely wrong: 
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/26939/more-details-on-the-carlos-osorio-tablesaw-lawsuit 
The jury really flubbed that one (as I don't think I need to elaborate).

Edit: my wife works in patenting and licensing, hence my more than passing interest in all this! The system ain't perfect by a long shot, but it's less messed-up than a lot of things.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

I learned my lesson realtively cheaply. Just a small peice of meat out of the tip of my thumb that required no surgery and is healing up now. I have had time to reflect on how I would get along if that thumb were gone as it is bandaged and healing. I read a lot of stuff on table saw safety and now put all that stuff into practice. I guess carpenters and cabinet makers in particular are at a higher risk than most. They have to make a lot of risky cuts.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

I fortunately have never had an injury with a table saw. But my brother in law who borrowed my table saw sliced his thumb, and my neighbor...."the saftey inspector" for the local fire department sliced his finger on his brand new table saw. I can see them being of value for the occasional user. But I think that the sensor which trips the safety would probably be tripped by other conditions....humidity, wet lumber...or some other environmental issue. Just my opinion.
If you respect your tools and always watch the blade you will most likely avoid injury.


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## PaliBob (Jun 11, 2008)

The posted Link not work so here is it again:
*http://www.sawstop.com/*
.


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