SawStop safety table saw

[Ron Nossaman]

>Ron, why wouldn't professional woodworkers like it?  What are the 
>downsides, besides the initial expense?  (Assuming you don't trigger the 
>safety device a few times a day...)
>
>--Cy Shuster--


Hi Cy,
Typically, the first thing the professional does is take off all the OSHA 
approved guards and toss them in the shed. They tend to want to be able to 
see the blade so they know where their hands are in relation to it. In this 
case, the brake doesn't create a hazard by hiding the blade, but it adds 
extra cost for magic that looks altogether too good to be believable. 
Professionals tend to get hurt on table saws by kick-backs while sawing 
something. Can this braking system tell the difference between cutting a 
piece of maple and cutting a piece of maple AND a couple of fingers? Seems 
like that's asking a lot, especially to a professional who has spent a lot 
of years experiencing the limitations as well as the capabilities of 
machinery. It supposedly can, but how far can it be trusted, what kind of 
maintenance is required, does it reset automatically, and do you have to 
risk an occasional hot dog to verify that it is still working? Electronic 
ignitions come to mind. I've spent thousands of dollars through the years 
having electronic ignition systems on furnaces and cars repaired (replaced, 
actually), when I could have fixed something with a standing pilot or 
gapped points easily, cheaply, and quickly myself. Does it affect changing 
blades quickly and easily? Maybe I'm wrong, but professionals I've known 
want simple sturdy precise indestructible machinery that doesn't get in 
their way, or depend on something they can't see to work. Ah, that's 
another thing I didn't read. Will a saw thus equipped still work if the 
sensor dies, or is there a "dead man" switch that shuts down the power? Is 
it self-diagnostic? Can replacement parts be gotten for self-maintenance, 
or is the saw down until it can go in to the service center for authorized, 
and presumably expensive, repair? None of this would look awfully good to 
the professional. Is there a site that has some detailed practical information?

Ron N