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+-- Thread: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw (/showthread.php?tid=7377862)
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - thewalnutguy - 02-14-2025
(02-14-2025, 10:18 AM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: Those who think the sawstop is a great deal will come continue to buy it; those think the sawstop is an unnecessary technology will continue to avoid it. End of story.
The disagreement on the sawstop is over 20 years old, guys. What we should worry today is the trade war that will happen all over the world.
Simon
I never intended to say the SawStop was a better or inferior saw compared to others. I'd encountered a situation I didn't see covered in the manual, and was able to resolve the issue with a no-cost minimal-effort process which worked in this situation. My intent in posting this was to perhaps help others that might encounter the same malfunction.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - FrankAtl - 02-14-2025
(02-14-2025, 11:18 AM)thewalnutguy Wrote: I never intended to say the SawStop was a better or inferior saw compared to others. I'd encountered a situation I didn't see covered in the manual, and was able to resolve the issue with a no-cost minimal-effort process which worked in this situation. My intent in posting this was to perhaps help others that might encounter the same malfunction.
I honestly didn't see a debate in this thread about the technology. Just a comment that while it's a good quality saw it's not absolutely necessary to immediately sell your current "expensive" saw to go buy a Saw Stop. And no matter which saw you're using, you still gotta be careful.
And I for one, appreciate thewalnutguy sharing his "weird" experience with his Saw Stop.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - Tapper - 02-15-2025
The debate goes on..... IMO Steve Gass NEVER attempted to "force this down" down anyone's throat. He first offered this new and unique technology to the other primary tablesaw manufacturers at a reasonable cost, and instead of negotiating with him they banded together against him. Kudos for him then taking it upon himself to build it independently - yet another American success story!
Whether you like Sawstop or not, the FACT remains that if you absolutely and positively want to avoid a catastrophic injury on a tablesaw, Sawstop technology is the ONLY thing that will do this. You can argue until you are blue in the face, but in that one moment of inattention...
Personally I do not care whether anyone on this board ever buys a SS tablesaw. I know I'm glad I did and it's confirmed everytime I hit the switch. And "no" I have not abandoned all the other safety measures when operating my saw. Never had a flesh related tripping and hope I never do.
Doug
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - JDuke - 02-15-2025
(02-15-2025, 10:36 AM)Tapper Wrote: The debate goes on..... IMO Steve Gass NEVER attempted to "force this down" down anyone's throat. He first offered this new and unique technology to the other primary tablesaw manufacturers at a reasonable cost, and instead of negotiating with him they banded together against him. Kudos for him then taking it upon himself to build it independently - yet another American success story!
Whether you like Sawstop or not, the FACT remains that if you absolutely and positively want to avoid a catastrophic injury on a tablesaw, Sawstop technology is the ONLY thing that will do this. You can argue until you are blue in the face, but in that one moment of inattention...
Personally I do not care whether anyone on this board ever buys a SS tablesaw. I know I'm glad I did and it's confirmed everytime I hit the switch. And "no" I have not abandoned all the other safety measures when operating my saw. Never had a flesh related tripping and hope I never do.
Doug
You must not remember his attempt to get OSHA to mandate the technology be required on all new table saws sold in the US.
In my book that’s trying to use the .gov to “force it down our throats”
I wanted a sawstop from the moment I heard about the technology, but I’m not an early adopter, I waited for it to be on the market for a few years and bought a used one from a cabinet shop that sold it. I was told that they were selling it due to to much downtime caused by multiple trips of the system. I am assuming those were caused by inattentive workers. Or maybe even people who were testing it and didn’t really care about the cost. Even though that saw had been triggered several times, it still worked wonderfully and I never had a problem with it. It was a great saw.
I speak of it in past tense because I found a great deal on a 3hp saw with the 27 inch deep table and bought it. After having both saws in my shop for a while, I decided to sell the one with the 30” deep table because I liked the more standard size table better for ease of an adding accessories.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - Handplanesandmore - 02-15-2025
See? The SS debate will go on...even after the day when the patents run out and practically all new saws will come with the finger-saving technology.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - Tapper - 02-16-2025
(02-15-2025, 01:58 PM)JDuke Wrote: You must not remember his attempt to get OSHA to mandate the technology be required on all new table saws sold in the US.
In my book that’s trying to use the .gov to “force it down our throats”
I wanted a sawstop from the moment I heard about the technology, but I’m not an early adopter, I waited for it to be on the market for a few years and bought a used one from a cabinet shop that sold it. I was told that they were selling it due to to much downtime caused by multiple trips of the system. I am assuming those were caused by inattentive workers. Or maybe even people who were testing it and didn’t really care about the cost. Even though that saw had been triggered several times, it still worked wonderfully and I never had a problem with it. It was a great saw.
I speak of it in past tense because I found a great deal on a 3hp saw with the 27 inch deep table and bought it. After having both saws in my shop for a while, I decided to sell the one with the 30” deep table because I liked the more standard size table better for ease of an adding accessories.
No, I did not forget about his approaching OSHA. In fact, given the significance of the unique safety feature he had invented and the fact that the other primary manufacturers banded together against him, I thought it was a reasonable next step.
I'm amused at how some people seem to get offended by this move by Gass. I suppose the same group complained when the government mandated that all automobiles be manufactured with seat belts, and then with seat belts that have chest restraints. And that further, if you didn't use the seat belt when driving, you could be ticketed for not doing so.
For those of you who don't think seats belts (or the SS safety device) is a good idea and should be mandated, here's a quick story about an incident that recently happened in our small community. Two young girls, both 16, driving on a rural country road. Driver swerves to miss a deer at night, vehicle rolls over and the passenger is ejected and dead at the scene; driver survives. Driver wearing a seat belt, not so for the passenger. Statistically, seat belts (when you wear them) save lives. Sawstop saves fingers - it's a fact.
Do they manufacture parachutes theses days without reserve chutes - is it legal? Do trapeze artists fly without safety nets anymore? I see this unique invention in this same category. I know someone who lost three fingers (forever) while operating a Unisaw. I also know of at least a couple others who have had the same thing happen. It's a life changing event and not a pretty one, not to mention the medical expense involved.
To me it was a no-brainer. As I age I know my concentration is probably not as good as it once was. I'm retired and in either my woodshop or machine shop most days working on a project of some sort, which I thoroughly enjoy, fortunately. Knowing that should I make a mistake and inadvertently get my hand/fingers too close to that spinning blade, I have a "reserve chute" brings me comfort - YMMV.
Doug
P.S. BTW, just curious, what accessories does the 27" saw allow you to add that you could not with the 30" model? What brand is the saw you presently have?
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - Handplanesandmore - 02-16-2025
I wish my table saw had a bigger, not smaller, top so I could reduce the need to use the foldable outfeed table. I sometimes use the top for clamping or as a dead flat workbench space. So the bigger the better.
The reason I could think of why I'd want a smaller table top was footprint (lack of space).
Simon
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - JDuke - 02-18-2025
When I had the 30” table I had a router table hanging off each end with fillers between them and the rails.
The 27” saw I have currently is also a sawstop it’s the pro version vs the industrial still has 3hp motor and is easier to raise and lower the blade than the industrial saw.
I’m not arguing at all against the safety features on the sawstop, or that it’s not a great saw. Considering I make my living with my hands I got rid of a good unisaw to go sawstop.
They also have better designs for things like mobile bases.
The reason seat belt laws and helmet laws for motorcycles exist isn’t as much to reduce injuries specifically it’s more of a financial to reduce cost of caring for the disabled created by the absence of those safety features.
I believe that the market would eventually demand Sawstop type tech on its own absent mandates just from insurance cost and liability cost to employers.
One of the ‘benefits’ of the sue happy society we live in, is that eventually once enough employers have been sued for not having a safety mechanism in place they will demand it.
I don’t like government mandates for most things.
Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - stav - 02-18-2025
Never have before and I am not trying to wade into the SawStop debate now. However, StumpyNubs recently did a video on using a power feed as an alternative to SawStop. I thought that an interesting idea for those that are happy with their saws but would like a little extra safety. Adding a power feed is cheaper than a saw swap out and adds the benefit of no kickback.
RE: strange behavior by my SawStop tablesaw - iclark - 02-18-2025
PLEASE TAKE DISCUSSIONS OF GOVERNMENT POLITICS AND LAWYER SHENANIGANS TO THE BASEMENT.
There is helpful/useful information in this thread and it would be a loss to some members if it needs to be domed.
Please keep additional posts in this thread to technical and/or woodworking pros, cons, and anecdotal experiences.
Thank You.